The Sonic Zone Computer Building Thread

[TheGameNinja]

This is a quite nice build for the most part, but the biggest issue with it appears to be the processor you selected. Eight cores might be a nice investment for the future, but as of now, there are hardly any applications and/or games that take advantage of a processor with more than four cores. Despite how cheap that eight core is, it won't have much practical use in the things you described. If you REALLY want a core amount higher than four, I would say go down to six, since there are a few things that support six. For price though, it would be better if you just used a quad core processor with a high clock speed(since you need to keep in mind that clock speed is a VERY important factor)

Would games run better on something with fewer cores? I just assumed that a higher number of cores would only be a good thing. Or is it just that I wouldn't be getting much use out of the extra cores?

[Wolfy]

Would games run better on something with fewer cores? I just assumed that a higher number of cores would only be a good thing. Or is it just that I wouldn't be getting much use out of the extra cores?

It's just that you wouldn't get much use out of extra cores. If you ask me, only go for four to six cores. Make sure your clock speed is around 3.5GHz or above.

[TheGameNinja]

It's just that you wouldn't get much use out of extra cores. If you ask me, only go for four to six cores. Make sure your clock speed is around 3.5GHz or above.

Thanks, but as long as it won't cause any problems I'm happy with what I have.

[Wolfy]

Thanks, but as long as it won't cause any problems I'm happy with what I have.

Alright then. I was just pointing it out since you could possibly get a six core for about $50 dollars cheaper. 8 cores is fine though if you really want that.

[TheGameNinja]

DONE! Decided to go for Windows 8 after all. Dad's got an unused copy I can have.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/DerekTGN/saved/3obv

Now to get everything ordered...

[Wolfy]

DONE! Decided to go for Windows 8 after all. Dad's got an unused copy I can have.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/DerekTGN/saved/3obv

Now to get everything ordered...

Glad to see that everything worked out for you!

[Tanassy]

Windows 8 takes some getting used to, but if the benchmarks are anything to go by, it is the better choice. It has a better file system, better resource management, better Memory usage and games perform anywhere between single digits to around 20-30% better in gaming, depending on the game. It's also the only Windows OS that has decent support for SSDs with the more advanced features and such, which describes that EVO perfectly. Also has native Trim. (Dunno if 7 had that feature or not)

Once you get used to having no Start menu, you'll forget you ever had one before. Everything else simply requires intuition.

On the subject of 8-core CPUs.. ugh.. it's hard to say.. Mantle could potentially make them a big thing, but probably not. So could next-gen consoles. But I doubt it.. at the moment, there is no benefit to multicore besides heavy, HEAVY multitasking.. and even then, it's absurd and wouldn't apply in a real world situation.
It's not changing the landscape in any way, it's just made to look good on paper. Not to mention the poorer clock speeds and higher TDP/Heat.

If you already got that CPU, please consider getting an Aftermarket cooler. AMD's CPUs get crazy, crazy crazy hot sometimes, especially at the higher-end. Especially when you're using a mid-tower, where heat can be an issue. You want your PC to last.

Overall you've built an acceptable system.