Simple memory question

I am in the process of purchasing memory for one of my two complete systems.

I am currently running the 970 CPU set up, it has 6 gigs of memory installed on it.

I can also run the 2600K CPU as my main computer as well, right now I can only run 4 gigs of memory on it.

One of the machines would become my main while the other would become a HTPC, so I can't steal or barrow memory from one and put in another machine. As both machines need to be up and running.

Now my question is this.

Should I put the 970 CPU as a HTPC and purchase 8 gigs of memory for the 2600K set up and use this set up as my main computer. Really and truly i am not using the full capabilities of the 970 hex CPU, and the all out frequencies I can hit on the 2600K would clearly make up for any loss of threads.

Or should I keep the 2600K CPU as a HTPC, and purchasing 6 more gigs of memory for the 970 and make it have 12 gigs of memory.

The memory I would be using would be 1600 MHz 8-8-8-24 timings, because that is what is currently installed onto both machines. So I might be able to add the 4 Gigs from the 2600K to the 8 Gigs I will be putting in it, if I choose to use it as my main.

If you had to choose what would be your choice? The core i7 970 @ 4.2 GHz, or the 2600K @ 5.1 GHz? After about 3.8 GHz both system perform nearly identical to one another in the gaming department. At least it is not much of a major difference between them, at least from what I could tell after doing extensive testing.

i don't see the need for more memory in either. i would personaly use the stronger sytem for folding, the faster one for gaming and whatever. folding when it's not doing whatever. ;)

if you are looking to use the system as htpc and you do a lot of transcoding, then the 2600K maybe a better choice if you pair that with Z68 ro H67 board where you can use quicksync. The 2600K would also runs cooler, which makes it a better HTPC where less PSU is needed and also can potentially find a better fan to go with it without adding much noise.

In terms of raw performance, it's hard to say simply because oced 2600K can actually performs almost close to the 970 (intel 6-core cpu). the only place where the 6-core has advantage are only teh extremly highly threaded apps like heavy video endoding or 3d rendering.

Right now I am not doing much that requires the full 12 threads, I encode a movie here and there but it does not happen a lot. If the 970 was an HTPC I can still do the movie encoding on the 970.

Right now I am using a Asus P8P67 EVO motherboard, on the 2600K.

Thank you Victor and Black. I am leaning towards sticking the 2600K as my main as Victor pointed out that the 2600K performs just as good as the 970. Really and truly the more I think about unless I am running 3 video cards there is no real point on using the 970 especially when the all out shear frequencies can give me a bit more performance. I don't run the HTPC constantly, it only runs when it is needed then gets turned off. It just watches Blue Ray movies, and occasionally plays a game or two when friends come over to visit.

Listen to Victor he has it right. I would use the 2600k for the HTPC due to it on chip languages for vid. Plus why scream the 2600k at a high frequency and wear it out when you could get the same from the 970 with a very slight oc.

good point, but it aint no fun unless something gets a bit wore out due to high frequencies.....

so it is one of them: It is best to have and not need it, then to need it and not have it type of things.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joshua_Mahr

Listen to Victor he has it right. I would use the 2600k for the HTPC due to it on chip languages for vid. Plus why scream the 2600k at a high frequency and wear it out when you could get the same from the 970 with a very slight oc.

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the statment quoted in his sig was made for a reason.
Dragon, I haven done any movie encoding so i really have no idea how much of the sys resources it takes up. I gotta wonder tho, with the htpc sysems I have seen that work fine, if both of those aren't sheer overkill.

the truth is that for HTPC, the system really does not need to be super powerful. A simple dual core athlon would be sufficient (of course the only place it will fall behind is encoding but just how many of us really do lots of encoding and multi-tasking when we watch movies:).

You got 2 very powerful system and either one would be good choice. Since you got P67, you have no luck using the iGP for the QuickSync so that does not apply to you. Thus, you would be relying on the video card or the CPU for that task. I guess it's ultimately comes to preference. If you simply want to kep the system as backup in the even something blows, then I guess use SB as your primary system because it will consume less overall power and should give you more or less smilar performance. You can always turn on the i7 system if you really need 6 cores:).

I dont have a smaller system for use as a HTPC. Ok thank you every one for your advice.

I have an even better Idea give me the 970 and I will get you a new 920 in return and the the choice will be easy. :)

LMAO you funny guy....

I had one of them before, it went to the Great Overclocking Heaven....... May it rest in piece... well actually it is being used as a key chain ornament.....