intel i7 2700k vs 3930k

Hello everyone!

This is my first post! Im building myself a new workstation computer. I cannot decide if i should go for the 2700k or 3960k intel new processor, since I do not know if Cubase would utilize all 6 core (12 threads) of the 3960 proc.

Does anyone have any experience with the two proc?

2 options for my future computer:

Version 1 (aprox 2100€)

Case: Cooler Master, Silencio 550
Adapter: Cooler Master, Silent Pro Gold 600W
Mother board: ASUS P8Z68 Deluxe / GEN3
Proc: Intel®, 2700K “Unlocked”, Socket 1155, 3500 MHz, Sandy Bridge
Cooling: Noctua, NH-D14 SE2011
RAM: Corsair, PC3-12800 KIT “Vengeance” 32768 MB, 32768 MB, DDR III, 1600 MHz
Grafics: Sapphire, Radeon HD 6670 “Ultimate”, 1024 MB, GDDR 5, PCI-Express™ 16x
Disk: OCZ, Vertex 3, 120 GB, Serial ATA III, 64 MB
Disk 2 and 3: OCZ, Vertex 3, 240 GB, Serial ATA III, 64 MB
Optical: Samsung, SH-S222AB, DVD-+RW, Crna

Version 2 (aprox 2400€)
Case: Cooler Master, Silencio 550
Adapter: Cooler Master, Silent Pro M700
Mother board: ASUS, P9X79 PRO
Proc: Intel® 3930K “Unlocked”, Socket 2011, 3200 MHz, Sandy Bridge-E
Cooling: Noctua, NH-D14 SE2011
RAM: Corsair, PC3-12800 KIT “Vengeance” 32768 MB, 32768 MB, DDR III, 1600 MHz
Grafics: Sapphire, Radeon HD 6670 “Ultimate”, 1024 MB, GDDR 5, PCI-Express™ 16x
Disk: OCZ, Vertex 3, 120 GB, Serial ATA III, 64 MB
Disk 2 and 3: OCZ, Vertex 3, 240 GB, Serial ATA III, 64 MB
Optical: Samsung, SH-S222AB, DVD-+RW, Crna

What do you guys think? is it worth the extra 300€?

Thanks :slight_smile:
Anže

Hi, both daw config are very nice, and I think there’s no great reason to spend 300€ for the second choice.

In order to experience more flexibility with your daw, I think you can buy a second 27" led screen for less than 300€…
A video passive card (fanless) is a good choice with 1024 ram

But I think it’s better to plug one or two sata3 hard drives (7200, 10000 or 15000 rpm) for your recording datas and keep one SSD for system and programs with 2 partitions, and keep one or two SSD for virtual instruments.
The reason why is you’re going to write and erase many datas during recording, and the SSD drives are not very
reliable for that use.
For virtual instruments, SSD is very efficient as you don’t often write/erase datas : you only read the sounds…

SATA3 HD 10000 or 15000 rpm are more expensive, but more secure and very fast.



Best regards

Chris

the 2600/2700 build is easier from a DYI POV.
the X79s are not easy…

the 3930 is about 40% faster. the question is do you need that much power.

Thank you for the reply!

I have 2 WD raptor (10000rpm, 600gb) disks in my current computer that I will put into the new computer as well.
I will have 1 ssd disk for the OS, and 2 ssd 240gb disks for the my “most used” samples. the 2 SATA disks will be for record audio, programs, ect.

@JSchild: What do you mean by DYI POV?

Thank you

Anže

silly question…lol
Why are the X79s harder to setup?

DYI do it yourself
POV point of view

the X79s are not easy…

biggest issue memory compatibility

1.Mother board: ASUS, P9X79 PRO
2.Intel® 3930K clock at 4200Hz
3.asus 8600 silent 2x
4.Windos disc Corsair Force GT 3 129 GB 550/515 Read / writh
5. Sampel Corsair Force GT 3 129 GB 550/515 Read / writh
6. Sampel Corsair Force GT 3 129 GB 550/515 Read / writh
7.raptor`s songs en video
8.mem Corsair vengence kit (LP) the cpu cooler is to big)

RME UFX firewire not one glitssss :laughing: :laughing:

Hi,
i had the same question 3 month ago and decided to go for 2700K.

My setup:
2700 K
Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD4
Ati Radeon HD 5800 (cause Apple cinema 30 inch)
16 GB Corsair RAM 1600
Boot disk : SSD Crucial M4 128 GB SATA 3
Samples & VST content: SSD Crucial C300 SATA 3 256 GB
Audio & songs: WD SATA 2 500 GB

Why did i decide to go for the 2700K:

The latency of the 2700K is same to better as the 3930 and the memory chanel advantage of the 3930 is not really worth it. Second: i wanted a silent system. I overclocked the 2700K to 4,2 GHz with undervolting, temps at 40 C idle and 65 C load. The system is very silent. In comparison: the 3930 gets hotter and louder.
Before that system i had the typical overclocked x58 / i7 920 system with fast ram in tri-chanel mode.

My system is very fast and silent. No problems with many instances of vst (omnisphere, stylus, trillian, kontakt 5, real guitar,…) and plugs (many !). Latency on using all these vst/plugs is 5 ms.

If i would spend money on your side i would go for the 2700K and get a 30 inch screen. That invest made
very much fun for me. Before having the 30 inch i had two 22 inch. What a difference !

Good luck

""The latency of the 2700K is same to better as the 3930 “”

what in the world are you talking about?

and the quad channel ram is most definately worth it if you are a heavy samples user…

Hi Scott,
knew that you would jump on my comments. I know the difference about 2/3/4 chanel and you are right about the latency (even when you were asking yourself the same question before christmas). I ready many of your reviews and so also the 3960/3930 reviews. What did you experienced about the noise level and cooling of the 3930/3960 ?
Do you think the 4-chanel is worth if using a ssd anyway - i didn’t recognize a disadvantage when i changed from 920 to 2700K - 3 chanel to 2 chanel.

the X79s do run hotter we have have managed to keep them as quiet as the P67 systems…
over clocking is a bit more of a challenge but the coolers we use are working…