I really agree with this post.... Since going i7, it seems like everything (except rendering) is so responsive and so immeditely - irregardless of what task I'm doing and what software I'm reunning, that it just doesn't really matter much... 32-bit, 64-bit.. whatever... just get the thing up and stable and rock on...

Jon

Power Supply is a Silver Stone Strider PS 600w 12 v rail

Video card is a PNY Verto GeForce 6600 256mb (dual)

I am now wondering if it would be prudent to use the OS I have now XP Pro and just upgrade the MOBO, CPU (I7), and Ram. That way I wouldn't have much to be concerned about with compatibility of the other components (video cards and burners).

Right now I have ASUS A8N-SLI with Athlon x2 4400+. It sometimes studders a little with SD and always with HDV. And when running both PP 2.0 and AE I often lose my monitor screen.

I currently have an Intel E6700, overclocked to 3.2 The last project I did took about 8 hours to render. Ayn estimates on how long it would take with an I7?

Stephen,

Obviously, there are lots of factors involved here but the simple fact that i7 is a quad core chip versus the E6700 being a dual core chip should add roughly 35-40% improvement alone. Throw in the faster architecture and I'm going to assume you'd see about a 50% improvement on your frame rates going to a 2.6 to (3.0 overclock) i7 against your 3.2Ghz E6700.

Jon

Bill I have run Vista 64 bit for 6 months and just went back to 32 bit. If I had been sensible I would've stuck with XP. I didn't NEED Vista, I just wanted the latest, and 64 bit seemed to hold much promise. Which is does.

However if you upgrade to i7, you're XP will fly! Don't waste your money. I"m not knocking Vista at all. I'm just saying I don't see and significant advantages to it.

Hmmmm...

Bill, I'm not thrilled with the video card, that's a very old card and really not quite up to stuff... I realize Vegas doesn't really utilize video processing chips, but I'm not sure about compatability of an older PCI-E 1.0 device like a 6600 (assuming it is PCI-E even) on this new architecture. A newer 9300 Nvidia or ATI 4650 video card probably wouldn't cost more than $50. You should probably go that route...

Though I'm a Vista convert (stayed away only until the last 2-3 months), I still maintain that if you aren't building a new system and are happy with XP Pro, stick with it. You don't really use the OS. You use your applications. If you think you can do a mobo/ram/cpu replacement and let XP Pro try to figure out all the necessary drivers, etc, etc and just motor on, it may be worth a shot.

Otherwise, I'd recommend since CPU/RAM/MOBO are about 70% of the cost of a new system build, to just go ahead and build a completely new system and run the two in parrallel. That way you can be assured your new system is good to go before migrating away from the old.

Jon

Actually as Jon points out for driver compatibility you would have an easier time with Vista, I hadn't thought of that.

You could purchase the oem version and save a few dollars.

Well my new Del XPSMT with core i7-920 2.66GHz 6BG DDR3 750 BG HDD (still $999.00 or $1,099 with MS Office) arrived the other day. Today I will set it up and start running some tests. Ya'll wish me luck now, Bob

Jon- let me tell you my "upgrade" story.

At first, I decided to upgrade the CPU from the Athon 2x 4400+ to something much faster. No such luck. MOBO take only 939 config and the only place to find an upgrade is Ebay according to my sources and the upgrade isn't all that 'up'. Not that much of an improvement. Total cost maybe $100.00

Then, I though maybe just change out the MOBO, CPU, & Ram to a AMD quadcore or something like that. Total cost maybe $400.00.

That's when I discovered the newest and greatest I7 and all the talk about it in this thread and elsewhere. Big leap according this thread and the guy at Fry's. Plus the I7 (920) had just been significantly reduced in price. Total cost maybe $650-700. More expensive than I really wanted to invest initially since the MOBOs are more expensive and the DDR3s. Then I thought, well maybe I should just bit the "proverbial" bullet and jump.

But with this setup I can expand my memory to beyond 2.7 or so gigs with the new Vista allowing me to open PPro, AE and PhotoShop and bounce back and forth instead of closing and opening over and over again. But I would need to add another expense (OS), but with the hardware and OS I'll need new video card, perhaps need to change out my DVD burners too. And there is always the unforeseen expense. LOL

And now I am at the point where, as you suggest Jon, it maybe more prudent just to go ahead and build another whole new system to replace the one built 3 years ago. And I am sitting here chuckling at the screen because the whole reason I had one built 3 years ago is so I can 'upgrade' as time goes by instead buying new, off the shelf, machines.

What originated the thought to upgrade my CPU was an upgrade to Adobe's CS4 because I'll need to add a blu-ray burner in the next year or two. I am not wining about all this...it's actually quite humorous.

So...where to from here....

If I go with (XP already owned), AMD quadcore, MOBO, Ram, the system will distinctly be faster than what I have now. I could have Fry's install and let them work out any driver issues. Total about 400.00 plus install,

OR

Pay the additional amount for I7, MOBO, and Ram. Stay with XP. Let Frys install and deal with drivers for total of about $700.00 plus install.

I'll post again later.

Bill,

Between the two, I'm pretty sure you'd have less problems with the $400 scenerio whereby you just upgrade to a faster AMD setup, but you mentioned something about socket 939 and I thought all new AMD CPU's are AM2+ designs...

I think the 'build the system to be able to upgrade' is and always has been pretty much a myth. The only three components that I believe you can legitimately upgrade are the processor, the ram and extra hard drives. And these are almost always small, incremental upgrades. They don't usually net more than a 5 - 15% speed increase and as far as I'm concerned don't justify the cost of the upgrade.

My take on computer builds is to treat it like a tool. You build it once, typically buy toward the higher end, use high quality components, spend the extra money in all the little places, and then just grandfather that system in for the next several years until it's time to do it again. At any given time, I have between 3 and 4 computer systems in my household, so I just move my last 'great' machine down the line and retire the 6 year old machine at the very bottom end (which is usually the kids computer). So I upgrade every couple of years, typically spend about $1500 or so bucks (this i7 was about $2K though) and so I figure I always have multiple high tech rigs around the house for less than $100/month.

Using my methodology, I wouldn't touch your existing computer. Fry's can screw up your computer more than you know and what you consider 'their' problem often can turn into yours when you make countless returns back to the store to fix something they didn't quite do correctly. If $$ is an issue, I'd just hold off the upgrade until you can save the bones to do it and do it right... :)

Jon

Jon - what I meant is the MOBO that I have now is 939 and therefore I cannot just upgrade the CPU only. I learned that all three must be upgraded....and that's where the fun began.

Point taken about waiting to build...or may just grabbing an off the shelf machine. I definitely need something a little better than what I have because it sometimes crashes rather quickly when render in AE with PPro open.

I'll think about it a little more....thanks for your input.

Put me in with the group of folks who are really happy about their new machines built with the Core i7 inside! It’s sooooo fast, and except for a problem I’m having with Vista not recognizing my Canon XH A1 I’m quite pleased.

So all I’m going to say now is: Jeff Harper, you are THE MAN! Thanks so much for all your help!! :D

My i7 is great it handles everything I throw at it. Just put together another one today for a friend and we got his down to $1150.

OK, I set up my new Del XPS 435 MT with the i7-920 processor. WOW, this is FAST!!!!! No problens at all. Even just opening Vegas 8.c..... BAMM and its there. What a difference. Bob

Excuse me what's teh price of a good i7 configuration?