X58 is the only or best chipset, right? So all the boards would be failry similar.
XP64 I've tested with up to 36GB of RAM.
I mostly build budget systems for small businesses or basic consumer PCs, Lunar.
If you want really fast, that is head and shoulders ahead of the rest. I still haven't sprung for one, though.
What about the i7 970? 3.2 vs 3.33 GHz, and locked, but $120 less.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115066&cm_re=i7_970-_-19-115-066-_-Product
Perhaps Q1 2011 will be nice time to build a new system, with both Sandybridge and the new Intel X25-Ms (http://www.anandtech.com/show/3965/intels-3rd-generation-x25m-ssd-specs-revealed). Are there other SSDs slated to be rolled out around Q1 2011 that will offer similar priceerformance?
Regardless, the thing to understand about SSDs is that you're getting a staggering benefit just from having a decent one. Personally, I'm not interested in performance. Just being an SSD with a good controller is good enough performance. Hell, it's a game-changer. What I'm more interested in is higher capacity and lower price.
I experienced that staggering benefit of the X25-E almost two years ago. It is high time for a better one. :santa:
The difference in cost between the two monitors is almost $1000. The specs are the same except for the built-in calibrator.
In my experience, nothing is more important than the monitor, keyboard, and mouse (in that order). After that, any good SSD, lots'o'RAM, and a good CPU.
Yeah, not worth it. How often do you calibrate your screen? Will you be able to get the same quality display using an external calibration device?