[amw_drizz]

Okay as the topic says, Which is better for the following. Gaming (heavy gaming ie latest games), Development, web browsing, working on the occasional office document, encoding movies for youtube etc using Adobe CS4. And using VMware with linux images to verify my development projects work correctly across everything.

So i5? or i7? Also Suggestions on Motherboards, ram & cases would be appreciated. My high end right now is about 750$ excluding shipping $800 shipped MAX.

To save on money I will be reusing the following hardware
DVD-RW's, HD's, GFX Cards, PSU.

I'd like to SLi the system again reusing what I have. My budget right now doesn't allow for me to drop another $400 or so on 2 new gfx cards, that and the ones I have right now still run all the games I've been playing very well.

Quick Recap, Replacing the system in my sig with a new i7 or i5 which is better for what I want.

TIA Jon

EDIT :: I was also planning on getting either a 9500 or 9400 nvidia to put in my old system so it would have half-way decent GFX for the systems next life. along with a 250-320gb SATA hd.

Edited by amw_drizz, 14 January 2010 - 09:04 AM.

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i7 is definately better, thats my 2 cents.

[Binky_Winky]

i7 is definately better, thats my 2 cents.

[rshaffer61]

I prefer AMD myself.
AMD phenom II X4 965 runs at 3.4 ghz native. That is the same if not faster then the I7 from what i have seen.
Cost difference is AMD is about a third of the cost for the I7.
Asus Motherboard 180.00
AMD CPU 203.00
Mushkin 4 Gigs Memory 105.00
Cooler Master Case 140.00

Total cost 628.00 without the shipping.

[amw_drizz]

I would of gone AMD a year ago if they just weren't sluggish. Well they feel sluggish to me. That and the whole bit about the cpu catching fire on me before, just keeps me away from them now.

[Neil Jones]

I would of gone AMD a year ago if they just weren't sluggish. Well they feel sluggish to me. That and the whole bit about the cpu catching fire on me before, just keeps me away from them now.

Current generation AMDs do not catch fire.
I presume you refer to the infamous YouTube video in which somebody ran a processor without a heatsink and it caught fire.
It proved an important point but it also showed why you don't run them without heatsinks in the first place.

Anyway AMD processors are cheaper, however if you're used to the power provided by the Core 2 Duo then they will feel sluggish. Doesn't mean they're totally not worth considering. If you've always had AMD you will be none the wiser.

[amw_drizz]

No not referring to that video, didn't even know their was one! Any ways the story on the AMD, It was a Phenom bought it retail and used the stock heatsink. After some moderate use for about a year just out of warrenty something shorts and the CPU goes up in smoke. Next thing the board is on fire and the system is a total loss, Root cause of the problem, CPU related.


And using my friends AMD Phenom II x2 (I believe) Just asured me not to go AMD again on my next build. Compared in using it from my current Comp (one in the sig) to his. Well his was just ungodly slow to me, I've just grown to love the snappiness from Intel, and thus why I asked, Which is better the newer slightly cheaper i5? or the older slightly more expensive i7? IIRC i7 came out about 2-3 months after I built my C2D.

Alright new question,

Out of the ix Series (i3,i5,i7), Would give me the most bang for my buck?

EDIT!

Some parts I was looking at,

CPU I decided with the i7 920 (not changing unless much better deal pops up)
So link -> Newegg.com Intel Core i7

I am looking at this for a main board (open to suggestions, but I am looking for something that will allow me OC the system)
ASUS P6T Deluxe
or this (I am leaning towards the EVGA from good experience with them in the past
EVGA 3-Way SLI X58

And for memory, Looking for 6gb that will go well with OC'ing as well
CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB)

Again, I DO plan on OC'ing this system when build (kind of a habit for me. And no the AMD that caught fire was not OC'ed)

So any suggestions?

And the setup above falls in to the high end of my budget ($750~ w/out shipping $760-790, depending on shipping choice)

Edited by amw_drizz, 15 January 2010 - 09:56 AM.