Build Questions

[DaVinci]

Ok so in a month or two I'm planning a build. I had a couple questions. First the computer would be used mainly for ffxi/ffxiv/sims/roller coaster tycoon/ starcraft 2. So I will be gaming but not hard core excluding ffxiv. I will not be doing any video editing. Some small photoshop but nothing extensive. My two basic questions were:

1) What processor? Im partial to Intel and wanting a I7-930. But I am trying to save money. The reason im partial is because well intil has always seemed like a higher quality while AMD being a knock off. Its just my thinking. Could I get more bang for my buck going with a AMD? What are the key differences? I want a powerful build but don't want to blow 50 bucks on a 2 nanosecond difference. Would I be better off going with a I5 build? what are the diffrences between I5 and I7?

2) SSD. I've heard a lot about it and my basic understanding is that they are HDD's with no moving parts thus allowing them to read/write faster. I've seen things about installing the os on a SSD and using a HDD for storage. What are the benefits of this? Is it difficult to set up? Does it increase boot time at all?

Thanks!

 

[MindoverMaster]

1) I'm not even going to start on that.

2) SSD are flash storage. Only a controller board. It does read and write faster than a standard HDD. You would load an OS on it the same way you do it on a regular HDD. It is beneficial to have an OS on it, because it boots up faster.

 

[Slaymate]

Question 1 is really all dependent upon your Budget. Intel cpu's generally offer more performance at a price. But AMD makes a fine cpu that performs almost as well for slightly less money. When you get the cash in your sweaty little palms just post a request and I'll guarantee you'll get the best possible recommendations for your money

 

[TristanPerry]

Hehe, question 1 is one of those Intel vs AMD questions which can be difficult to answer. As Slaymate says, it does depend on your budget.

Yep, an SDD offers (much) quicker read and write performance. Although (at least before TRIM was bought out), it was thought they'd start to suffer from performance degradation after a while. Hence people typically suggest to use SSDs as the OS boot drive (since OS files don't change too much), and use a HD (such as the Spinpoint F3 which is pretty fast for a HD) for the storage.