What is the best Motherboard and processor

[Carlxapm]

I am getting ready yo upgrade my system and I'd like to know what are you thoughts about the components.

I am using a PC (no I dont wanna go with mac even if Mac is awesome)
I am using Cubase 5
I need a firewire port
It would be nice to have at least 2 or 3 PCI express port
Should I stay with XP or go For 7?

So should I go with an i7, i5, Quadcore ,Double core?
Intel, AMD?
Asus?

thanks in advance

Carl

 

[FloridaRolf]

Intel Core i7 + triple channel RAM (12gb) + Gigabyte Board running with W7 64bit = awesome
Don't forget to get a high quality power supply.
I got a Core i5 and I'm already happier than ever.

 

[dmmi]

Socket 1366 board...if you need Firewire, you most likely need a TI firewire chipset, so the gigabyte is a good option....

 

[drew_drummer]

http://astore.amazon.com/sojug-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=6

 

[raisedfist]

I did a couple of months research a while ago before my build, asking a good friend who had done a built and chatting on the SOS forum.

I got a intel quad core with 4gb ram on a asus motherboard which I built 2 1/2 years ago and I haven't redlined it yet in cubase5. Even running 48 channels. I would go for an asus board if you can, had an intel board and it broke! Also stick with an intel processor, its worth spending on that, they seem so much more stable and quicker than AMD in my opinion.
PM me and I'll dig out all the info if your interested.

 

[Carlxapm]

Yeah i am sticking with an Intel for sure. never was a fan of AMD anyway.

seems like the i5 processor is doing good.

 

[sandra-]

Intel Core i7 + triple channel RAM (12gb) + Gigabyte Board running with W7 64bit = awesome

Don't do this. This is a waste of money.

 

[HDWR]

Don't do this. This is a waste of money.

Care to elaborate or should we just take you at your word?

 

[sandra-]

You can hardly ever use full 8GB of RAM with actual systems and normal tasks. Not to speak about 12GB.
There are just a very few games out there that make full use of Quadcores. Even less that take the full advantages of an i7.

Knowing how the pc market has been in the last 20 years you will get the same stuff in a half year for much less money and even then you won't really need it.

I would rather go for a very good future proof motherboard and then upgrade when it's needed.

Should I stay with XP or go For 7?

Win7 64 bit.

 

[drew_drummer]

There are just a very few games out there that make full use of Quadcores.

This is a music production forum, not a gaming forum. I know PLENTY of music production utilities that will easily rip apart Quad Core, and an i7.

 

[sandra-]

This is a music production forum, not a gaming forum.

Oh really? Why i used the gaming example should be clear.

I know PLENTY of music production utilities that will easily rip apart Quad Core, and an i7.

What are the names of the PLENTY plugins that rip an i7 apart?

 

[Ermz]

This is a music production forum, not a gaming forum. I know PLENTY of music production utilities that will easily rip apart Quad Core, and an i7.

Yeah, like every one of my sessions in the last 6 months.

I've seriously used this i7 to capacity. I can't wait for the new gen of processors to hit the market. They can't come out fast enough.

@Sandra: Izotope Ozone 4, Acusticaudio Nebula, WaveArts Tube Saturator, Waves C4, PSP Neon etc. etc. These are just the individually taxing plug-ins too. Once you stack even moderate-usage ones in 100+ track sessions you really start to feel the squeeze. It's just not enough to keep up with the new gen of plug-ins. We have so much power at your disposal, but no platform to use it with.

 

[sandra-]

@Sandra: Izotope Ozone 4, Acusticaudio Nebula, WaveArts Tube Saturator, Waves C4, PSP Neon etc. etc. These are just the individually taxing plug-ins too. Once you stack even moderate-usage ones in 100+ track sessions you really start to feel the squeeze.

Alright. I have never had a session with anywhere near 100 tracks.
I might have been wrong there.
Just did a bit of google searching and it seems that Cubase5 for example does indeed make use of all cores and some other CPU benefits the i7 has.
Did you ever watch with a decent systemmonitor when your PC was getting slow?

However the OP didn't say the budget and for what he uses the PC really, music production only? Video editing? etc. So there might still be the price/ratio question.

I'm gonna download the available demoversions of the plugins you mentioned and make a project with an insane number of tracks and plugins and see how fast my computer starts to break down.

 

[Seth Munson]

My Asus / AMD setup is supposed to be coming sometime today.

$300 and my new setup is

Asus mother board, 2 PCIe, 1 PCIe1, 3 PCI, it has either 10-12 USB cant remember off the top of my head
AMD quadcore
16 gig ram (x64 bit obviously)

and im soon to get a ATI 1gig ddr5 Graphics card for 150$

tbh, Intel/Nvidea can not beat the AMD/ATI setup. (unless you are willing to pay double the price)
and you can buy a FireWire PCI card that has like 4 PCI and 4USB for like $12 if you just look around places and find good deals.

i hope i helped a little, and ill post how my new comp runs (as soon as it gets here and i build it)

EDIT: I might also add that, personally I find AMD more stable than Intel but thats personal taste. And the fact that I can pay $100 for my AMD quadcore thats 2.90 vs An Intel i7 thats 2.66 for $270, just seems like a no brainer..

 

[drew_drummer]

Personally, I can't wait to upgrade. I'll be following the MyHack components list that I posted earlier.

 

[ruckus328]

Avoid AMD

Go with an Intel Processor

Gigabyte and Asus are both great mobo manufacturers.

Avoid AMD

What kind of budget are you working with? That's the first thing you need to figure out. From there:

If you can afford an I7 and DDR3, then go for it. Core2's & DDR2 are older technology, however there is nothing wrong with them and I have both in my current rig, however in a couple more years upgrading will become more and more difficult. I would pick a faster speed Core2 over a slower I7 though. That being said I would also pick a faster dual core over a slower quad core.

Pick a mobo that can support at least 8GB of RAM (most should). If you can find one that supports 16GB or more, go with that. You can get yourself up and running with just 4GB of RAM (and if you're running a 32bit OS it's pointless to go any higher than that), but at least you'll be set up to upgrade in the future.

Don't forget to caluclate in the costs for a decent case and power supply if you don't already have one. Yea, you can get a cheap case/power supply combo off newegg for $50, but avoid that shit like the plague. You get what you pay for and your recordings will suffer from all the nasty noise it'll emit. Antec makes really nice cases, power supplies, and fans.

I would go onto newegg and make some wish lists, check out prices, and narrow it down to 2 or 3 systems and go from there.

P.S. (CHEAP SHOT ALERT)

You are making a fine choice not going with a mac. You'll be able to use all the money you'll save to buy software (all the software that's not available for macs)

lol.....Just bustin your balls mac guys, lighten up.

Avoid AMD

 

[Seth Munson]

I would go onto newegg and make some wish lists, check out prices, and narrow it down to 2 or 3 systems and go from there.

dude, Tigerdirect.com all the way

I bet im going to get flamed up the ass for being an AMD fanboi haha

although I dont see why.

Better Processor for a fraction of the price, 3 year warranty for no matter what happens and which by that time I will buy a new processor seeing how technology doubles every 2 years. so I personally dont see what all the fuss is about

 

[jhrv]

AMD is better in the price/performance ratio, but if you're not worried about money go with an i7-980x (6 cores)..

 

[Seth Munson]

but if you're not worried about money go with an i7-980x (6 cores)..

and now i agree with this 100%

I would just rather spend the extra cash on plugins, or save up for a 5150+Mesa OS

but if money didnt matter i would have gone with an i7 as well.

haha sorry if im spamming this thread. (im waiting for this band to get here, they are always late)

 

[drew_drummer]

dude, Tigerdirect.com all the way

I bet im going to get flamed up the ass for being an AMD fanboi haha

although I dont see why.

Better Processor for a fraction of the price, 3 year warranty for no matter what happens and which by that time I will buy a new processor seeing how technology doubles every 2 years. so I personally dont see what all the fuss is about

I was gonna call you on your post earlier, but didn't want you to think I was merely anti-AMD.. but there is just no OBJECTIVE evidence to suggest that AMD have a better processor.

Their stuff is CHEAPER, sure. But it isn't BETTER in terms of performance; in fact it lags behind the Intel stuff quite a bit nowadays.