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Which CPU for an upgradeable PC

macfanuk

macfanuk

macfanuk

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I have been asked about building a computer for a church that wants a computer for song projection and video capture/projection. The only real requirement they have given is that they want to be able to upgrade the PC in the future as and when needed.

My first thought was an Intel Core i5 760 2.8GHz but the socket is pretty much dead so I was wondering whether an AMD Phenom X4 chip would be better.

Can anyone offer any advice? How upgradeable is the AM3 socket likely to be in the future?
 
Bulldozer is AM3+ and will not work in an AM3 socket. AM3 CPUs will work in AM3+ motherboards though.

Essentially both of the new 2011 offerings are new sockets that break ties with current stuff.
 
Well it doesn't really matter cos neither will be upgradable to the new offerings next year. If you can wait a month you could go for Sandy Bridge.
 
My worry with waiting would be that obviously prices will be going up with the VAT, etc and who knows what prices the new cpu's will be.
 
What software is being used BTW?? A Phenom II X6 1055T or 1075T costs between £140 to £160. In video encoding software they can challenge a Core i7. Also, the socket AM3 motherboards under £80 are more likely to have USB3.0 and SATA3.0 too.
 
The song projection software is specific church software and its minimum specs are 1.7GHz P4 so nothing great but I'm not sure what software they'll be using for video capture but I presume they'd need a capture card for this anyway.
 
I guess it's really down to whether they need to encoding video or not. If not, then something like a i3 530/i3 540 with a H55 chipset board to use the intergrated graphic would be more than enough...
 
LOL @ six-cores etc! :)

The cheapest current CPU on the market could do all the song/video projection and capture a church will ever need until the second coming of Christ :). Even if they will be encoding, I imagine they'll be perfectly content to wait for an Athlon II to do the job and don't really need an i7 or a hex-core AMD. Socket obselescence is a non-issue too, imho, a rig that can play a video now can play a video in 10 years time. If they really think they'll need an upgrade path, start them on an i3, then they can stick an i5 in later, and an i7 in later still. Not that they're likely to need to.
 
Liampope said:
LOL @ six-cores etc! :)

The cheapest current CPU on the market could do all the song/video projection and capture a church will ever need until the second coming of Christ :). Even if they will be encoding, I imagine they'll be perfectly content to wait for an Athlon II to do the job and don't really need an i7 or a hex-core AMD. Socket obselescence is a non-issue too, imho, a rig that can play a video now can play a video in 10 years time. If they really think they'll need an upgrade path, start them on an i3, then they can stick an i5 in later, and an i7 in later still. Not that they're likely to need to.
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I agree with these sentiments. Chances are those parts aren't going to be easily available when he needs to upgrade, because an i3 system will run that kind of software for years and years and years.
 
how much do you have to spend. can work out what to get and then say what you could slap in it next year

just had a brain wave

build the computer (what ever it is) then in a years time tell them you have a brand new cpu for them ( a new HSF ) clock it to 4ghz and every ones happy
 
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Thanks to everyone for the advice so far. I'm not 100% sure of their budget. They've asked me to tell them what they need, as I know a fair bit about the software they're using. I think the thing that's key though is the expandability.

The software for example, isn't just another version of powerpoint. It utilises two outputs on the graphics card so the pc monitor displays the UI and the database, etc whereas the second output (projector) displays the words with a chosen background. The church want to be able to play video/feeds as the backgrounds through the second output.

Something for the future as well is the software supports a third output for screens on stage for the band so this needs to be taken into account.

I'm not sure how much processor power any of that would take but can't imagine it being all that much.

Marine-RX179 said:
I guess it's really down to whether they need to encoding video or not. If not, then something like a i3 530/i3 540 with a H55 chipset board to use the intergrated graphic would be more than enough...
Click to expand...
Whether they want to do encoding or not, I'm not 100% sure, but an integrated graphics certainly wouldn't do the job.
 
I believe that you should tell the church that you do not know enough to advise them on this.

My netbook can play video on one monitor while doing other things on the built in screen. It's doing this at present, the video is taking about 25% of a 1.6ghz atom, and the graphics chip is intel's cheapest. I'm pretty certain scribbling words over the top of a prerecorded video feed takes negligible processing.
 
macfanuk said:
Whether they want to do encoding or not, I'm not 100% sure, but an integrated graphics certainly wouldn't do the job.
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Intergrated graphic has improved over the years. Granted they are still no good for gaming, but for general media centre or HTPC, they would suffice without really needing a dedicated graphic card. Some AMD board got intergrated 4250 graphic, which are pretty decent...for a non-gaming build. And having intergrated graphic doesn't meaning a graphic card cannot be added.
 
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