Help with CPU-GPU combination

#1

I’m going to be buying a new system very soon. I have just about every part sorted out. I’m going to be using the system for Adobe Creative Suite, 3DS Max, Maya, and occasional games. This will be mostly for my student work.

Now, I’m wondering whether an i5 3570k + GTX 670 or an i7 3770K + GTX 660ti would be better. If I get an i7, my budget only allows a 660ti. I plan to use GPU rendering.

As far as hyper threading is concerned, I know that it can be beneficial at times (it seems some people recommend turning it off?), but I want to know whether the extra cost is worth it. In addition, it seems the i5 already packs a lot of power on its own (unless I’m wrong, enlighten me here, please?).

Also, any info on the other side? AMD?

Thanks

#2

For what you list I would privilege the videocard over the CPU, ESPECIALLY for GPU rendering the key limiting factor will be, more often than not, the amount of VRAM, so whatever the beefiest amount of memory on the card you can afford the better.

nVIDIA just announced officially the 780, and not too far from now there should be some 5GB 780s and 4GB 680s cropping up.
Intel is also most likely to announce something this quarter. If you can hold your horses for a few weeks to months, this is when prices start to plummet, basically not the best time to buy if bang for buck is key.

As far as hyper threading is concerned, I know that it can be beneficial at times (it seems some people recommend turning it off?), but I want to know whether the extra cost is worth it. In addition, it seems the i5 already packs a lot of power on its own (unless I’m wrong, enlighten me here, please?).

Also, any info on the other side? AMD?

Thanks

Ignore the HT comments, mostly dated and irrelevant myths at this point. Keep it on.

#3

Ok, I’ll keep that in mind. It’s just that it’s really difficult to find a 4GB 670 here. I might have to make do with a 2GB.

I’ve always wondered just how much of a difference does hyper threading really make. Have an example, even an anecdotal one?

#4

Kinda shoddy article, but offers an insight on matters a few years ago, and then again a year ago:
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/133121-maximized-performance-comparing-the-effects-of-hyper-threading-software-updates

Last time I bothered checking anything on and off, the difference wasn’t even that much (rarely made it past noise) where HT off showed any benefit, and things where considerably worse off where it would.

The long story short about it:
If you tend to have a specific subset of tasks you stick to, test both on and off, and choose.
If your work spans, and includes enough semi-decently threaded apps and operations and not much old software, just leave it on and forget about it.

#5

go for i7+GTX660
you do not need any kind of TI or OC versions.

#6

For rendering, HT can account for 0-20% of the speed, it varies by engine and scene.

#7

Most applications/renderers/simulators will benefit from Hyper-Threading but a few bad apples will perform worse with Hyper-Threading enabled. If the task will be done frequently I would try it with and without Hyper-Threading to know for sure.

#8

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