Choice of quad-core setup

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

TBH,you really are wasting your money in investing in a separate graphics card for your purposes!! Honestly!!

The HD4200 has the same UVD2 as all the HD4*** series graphics cards so it is pretty decent for media purposes.

It will even accelerrate HD flash:

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=21220

At my old work place we were running a 30" Apple Studio Display off a 7300GT in a Mac Pro with no issues. The HD4200 is faster than a 7300GT IIRC.

Also,using the GPU for video encoding is not that great ATM as quality is sacrificed for speed. I would wait until the software is less buggy and the quality is better. Buying a graphics card when you actually may need it is also a wise decision as you will get a faster card for the same money anyway. If the Nvidia PR is to be believed their next generation of graphics cards will be far better for GPGPU purposes.

[Leggie]

TBH,you really are wasting your money in investing in a separate graphics card for your purposes!! Honestly!!

The HD4200 has the same UVD2 as all the HD4*** series graphics cards so it is pretty decent for media purposes.

Also,using the GPU for video encoding is not that great ATM as quality is sacrificed for speed. I would wait until the software is less buggy and the quality is better. Buying a graphics card when you actually may need is also a wise decision as you will get a faster card for the same money anyway. If the Nvidia PR is to be believed their next generation of graphics cards will be far better for GPGPU purposed.

I think that makes sense. I'll hold off buying a graphics card for the time being and look for a motherboard with SidePort memory. Vegas doesn't use the GPU yet (I think some plugins may do, but I don't use them yet) so so long as I can accelerate HD video with no memory bottleneck I'll be happy.

Next: choice of motherboard.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Next: choice of motherboard.

The Asus one I linked to before is the cheapest DDR3 785G chipset motherboard with sideport memory I know of.

[Terbinator]

I think that makes sense. I'll hold off buying a graphics card for the time being and look for a motherboard with SidePort memory. Vegas doesn't use the GPU yet (I think some plugins may do, but I don't use them yet) so so long as I can accelerate HD video with no memory bottleneck I'll be happy.

Next: choice of motherboard.

Premiere Pro can use the GPU.

[Leggie]

Premiere Pro can use the GPU.

True, but I don't envisage using Premiere Pro anytime soon.

[Terbinator]

Im just saying.

[scaryjim]

Have you or anyone else got any experience with SidePort?

Yup, I use the ASUS 785TD-M EVO. The IGP runs very happily with *just* the 128MB sideport. I don't watch HD content tbh, but I do game on that PC and it handles older (c. 2004 - 2006) RPG & RTS fine @ 1280 x 768 with moderate detail. As CAT says, if you're not gaming don't waste money on discreet graphics.

[Leggie]

OK, I've bit the bullet and ordered the Athlon II X2 620 from Scan.

I think I'm inclined to go for the Asus M4A785TD-V EVO rather than the Asus M4A785TD-M EVO, since I've got a standard ATX case and would rather have a little more space to play with. Less than a pound between the two!

Thanks,

Leggie

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

OK, I've bit the bullet and ordered the Athlon II X2 620 from Scan.

I think I'm inclined to go for the Asus M4A785TD-V EVO rather than the Asus M4A785TD-M EVO, since I've got a standard ATX case and would rather have a little more space to play with. Less than a pound between the two!

Thanks,

Leggie

The Asus M4A785TD-V Evo seems to have sideport memory too:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2009/...rboard_review/

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mot...v-evo-review/1

[Leggie]

The Asus M4A785TD-V Evo seems to have sideport memory too:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2009/...rboard_review/

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mot...v-evo-review/1

And it's just appeared on Today Only (as pretty much anything does if you wait long enough!)...time to get my credit card out...

[Leggie]

With my motherboard now ordered, I have three components left to buy: RAM, PSU, and CPU cooler.

I'm focussing on the RAM for the moment. From what I can see DDR3-1333 and DDR3-1600 seem to be similarly priced. I've especially noticed these two kits:

Kingston 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz HyperX XMP i5 Memory Kit CL8(8-8-8-24) 1.65V
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/174325
£87.66

4GB (2x2GB) Corsair XMS3 DDR3, PC3-12800 (1600), 240 Pin, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 9-9-9-24, XMP
http://www.scan.co.uk/TodayOnly/Index.aspx
£85.09

I'm inclined to go for the Kingston kit with its tighter timings, but since it's i5-labelled, will it still work in an AM3 board? I'd have thought so but would like to make sure I'm not missing something.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

With my motherboard now ordered, I have three components left to buy: RAM, PSU, and CPU cooler.

I'm focussing on the RAM for the moment. From what I can see DDR3-1333 and DDR3-1600 seem to be similarly priced. I've especially noticed these two kits:

Kingston 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz HyperX XMP i5 Memory Kit CL8(8-8-8-24) 1.65V
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/174325
£87.66

4GB (2x2GB) Corsair XMS3 DDR3, PC3-12800 (1600), 240 Pin, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 9-9-9-24, XMP
http://www.scan.co.uk/TodayOnly/Index.aspx
£85.09

I'm inclined to go for the Kingston kit with its tighter timings, but since it's i5-labelled, will it still work in an AM3 board? I'd have thought so but would like to make sure I'm not missing something.

Check the voltages supported by the motherboard and you will be fine. Novatech also do 1600MHZ DDR3 relatively cheaper and you can get cashback from them using Quidco:

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/p...L9D-4GBRL.html

Also the optimal memory settings for DDR3 RAM and the Phenom II and Athlon II memory controller are 1333MHZ and low latencies. Hence I would get cheaper DDR3 and run it at 1333MHZ using lower latencies.

Edit!!

This RAM may also work:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166996

[Leggie]

Check the voltages supported by the motherboard and you will be fine. Novatech also do 1600MHZ DDR3 relatively cheaper and you can get cashback from them using Quidco:

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/p...L9D-4GBRL.html

Also the optimal memory settings for DDR3 RAM and the Phenom II and Athlon II memory controller are 1333MHZ and low latencies. Hence I would get cheaper DDR3 and run it at 1333MHZ using lower latencies.

Edit!!

This RAM may also work:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166996

Thanks for the links - I checked this review and it looks as if the RAM can be overvolted up to 2.31V.

For the sake of a few pounds, I'm inclined to go for slightly faster RAM as a measure of future-proofing. Is this reasonable?

Thanks,

Leggie

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Thanks for the links - I checked this review and it looks as if the RAM can be overvolted up to 2.31V.

For the sake of a few pounds, I'm inclined to go for slightly faster RAM as a measure of future-proofing. Is this reasonable?

Thanks,

Leggie

The quicker RAM may actually work out cheaper than the slower RAM if you use the free postage available at Novatech and the Quidco cashback.

[Leggie]

The quicker RAM may actually work out cheaper than the slower RAM if you use the free postage available at Novatech and the Quidco cashback.

What about this RAM at Novatech?
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?GSK-4G1675
Has even tighter timings for the same price. Is this likely to be compatible, albeit at a lower speed?

Thanks,

Leggie

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

What about this RAM at Novatech?
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?GSK-4G1675
Has even tighter timings for the same price. Is this likely to be compatible, albeit at a lower speed?

Thanks,

Leggie

It looks like decent RAM for the price.