CPU and memory advice

[georgiosd]

Hello,

I'm about to build a new system - I'm a power user/developer and play with virtual machines a lot.

I was considering the Intel i5 - I can't imagine using all 8 virtual cores of the i7 - is Nehalem really that much faster?

Also, I'm utterly confused about memory... what memory do I need to get for the i5 or i7, with a Gigabyte P55M series motherboard?

I am NOT going to overclock as I am aiming towards a QUIET system - may perhaps overclock lightly if system temperatures allow.

Thanks for the guidance.

 

[georgiosd]

Thanks for the replies.

I've ruled AMD out of the equation - Intel performs much better in most cases from what I've seen and I can afford it.

My only question is whether to go for i5 or i7.

Could someone give me a brief explanation of the dual-triple channel business? Does it mean that if I go for i5 I should install memory in pairs (e.g. 2x4GB modules) and if I go for i7 in triplets (e.g. 3x2GB) ?

I won't be running virtual machines concurrently ALL the time - when I do play with VMs, it's usually 2, or 3 tops.