I5 versus I7 for Cakewalk X3

Not sure if hyper threading works with X3, but I can test this for you tomorrow if I remember to do so.

if you're serious about a DAW buy the fastest i7 you can afford... upgraded from i7950 I built 3 years ago to i74930...world of difference. Best money I ever spent.
 
Of course, if you updated/made a sig it would help us know what you're trying to use...
 
 
 

I have a second generation i3 and it works fine for my simple recordings. I'm surprised by how well it's worked out for me. I've had this Dell computer for almost two years now and it's been great. I bought the cheaper i3 computer because my budget was tight. No problems to report.

To summarize, it really depends on what you want to be doing. For a more serious effort, running more softsynths and fx and expecting to run the latest software and plugins comfortably, go with the i7. I believe the 47xx and 49xx series are currently hitting the sweet spot of affordability vs performance.
 
If this is more of a "let's keep the costs under control" hobby for you, an i5 will still let you run a bunch of synths/tracks/fx without much trouble. It's still more capable in most respects than the Q6600 I used until a year ago.
 
Get a good soundcard/interface, if you don't have one yet.
 

I was bummed when my 950 motherboard took a hike... but today's power hungry Diva's and the like were really causing lots of playability issues.  The new haswells are pretty reasonable but I decided to future proof a bit and go for the 4930...and it's smooth as silk.  
 
Really does depend on what ur gonna be throwing at your DAW...and ur budget... personally it was well worth the money. But only you know where you're at/doing and you haven't told us much if anything since ur original posting...
 
I've periodically used my aging i5 msi laptop with 6 gigs ram to play around and teach my 13 year old daughter who now uses it with an old NI AudioKontrol 1.  She's made lots of cool stuff with it.  However, it won't play anything I'm working on these days...

 
Go Xeons !
 

Gonna post my Specs here and it will probably show up in the signature line this time.  I must be doing something wrong.
 
Windows 7 Home X64 SP1, 2.4 Ghz Intel Core2Quad, Intel DP35DP, Cakewalk Producer X3d, BIAB 2014, Varranger,Tascam US-1800,Mackie MR5 monitors

When I built this computer, the first 6-core processors were hitting the streets and this article was where I based my decision (that and I was dead set on an ASUS motherboard due to their architecture and early adoption of USB 3.0). If you jump to the conclusion (page 13 of that article), Intel sort of burned themselves by releasing a 6-core, expensive design while also updating the Sandy bridge architecture. At that time, most software was not even scripted to use all cores, so having 2 more was a waste (with the exceptions of video/encryption software, in general). The bottom line was that the only thing "Extreme" about the 990X was "power consumption and cost."
 
For a DAW, the Sandy/Ivy bridge designs are more than adequate for just about everything (SONAR is scripted to use all threads available quite well as your quote implies). Before any purchase, be sure to research things and ask a lot of questions.

Different plugs and processes affect RAM and CPU differently, it's easy to max out both or either if you would have a mind to.

Not to hijack the thread but when speaking about performance, just how much of a difference would changing your audio interface make to a decent PC system?
 
For example, I'm using an EMU 0404 PCIe and thinking of upgrading to an RME AIO.  Can I expect noticable differences in performance with regards to loaded plugins and latency?
 
I'm also looking to upgrade my PC Intel DualCore 2.8ghz, Asus P5k, 8Mb Ram, Radeon Graphics but can't afford to upgrade both at the same time.
 
Much thanks for any advice...

Always get the most powerful you can afford. If you can get the i7, get it. I have used i7 since it first came out and I run tracks counts of over 100 and plugin counts over 100.
 
 
CJ

CJaysMusic
Always get the most powerful you can afford. If you can get the i7, get it. I have used i7 since it first came out and I run tracks counts of over 100 and plugin counts over 100.
 
 
CJ

Hi Cj,
       May I know which i7 model are you using? I am using an old I5 750 CPU and my system can't handle more than 20 plugins and I am ready to upgrade to i7.
 
       I am a mainly soft synth kind of composer.