Intel Core i7 EE 965 Workstation Build, Part 1, The Shopping Trip!

I have been reading, with great interest, about the new Intel Core i7 processors that are set to be released on November 17th.  This is Intel's next generation cpu architecture.  These are not just a die shrink of the Core 2 architecture cpu's but a brand new cpu platform from Intel.  From the testing that has been done to date and published this looks to be a really nice performing platform.

Today, I went shopping at my favorite online computer store, www.newegg.com, and am now the proud owner of a new Intel Core i7 system.  Over the coming weeks as my hardware arrives and I work to build my new computer system I plan to document the build here in my blog.

Here is what I bought from Newegg...

Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 965, 3.2 Ghz CPU
ASUS P6T Deluxe Motherboard
Patriot Viper 6GB (3 x 2GB), DDR3 1600 Triple Channel Memory Kit
2X, PNY Quadro FX570 Video Cards
2X, Western Digital VelociRaptor 150GB 10K RPM SATA Hard Drives
Thermaltake Toughpower 850W Power Supply
LITE-ON SATA DVD-ROM/CD-RW Optical Drive
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
Microsoft Vista Business SP1 x64 Operating System
Microsoft Office 2007 Professional

Newegg did not have the computer case I wanted for this system, so I went over to www.sundialmicro.com to purchase the case.

Silverstone FT01 Computer Case

For me, this is a pretty expensive system.  Almost $3300 for this high performance workstation.  I normally go for a more economical build.   Now that I have been bitten by the photo-rendering bug with PhotoView 360 and PhotoWorks I want to have system that will rip through rendering chores with ease.

I opted for the Extreme Edition processor at 3.2 Ghz.  This is the biggest indulgence in the system.  The extreme processors are all over-priced.  I am treating myself to an early Christmas present with this piece of kit.

I plan to do a mild over-clock on air with the stock fan that comes in the Intel retail package for this CPU.  Down the road I will probably add an after market cpu cooler as more are released to market for the Core i7.

For the GPU set-up I am going to experiment with running 2X PNY Quadro 570's.  You can't run these in SLI Frame Rendering mode, but they can be set up in SLI Mutliview mode.  Two cards, driving two monitors, with each card running a single monitor.  If I do not get the performance I think I need, I will move the FX570's to some other systems I have and jump up to dual FX1700's or a single FX3700.

The 2X Western Digital VelociRaptors will be set-up in a Raid 0 configuration for my operating system and programs.  I have a few Seagate 250 gig hard drives here at the house already that I can add to the system for storage.  Those drives will be set-up in a Raid 1 configuration for data mirroring.

I am excited about this system.  It is pretty cutting edge without being totally over the top.  I expect it to be an great system for SolidWorks.

Cheers,

Anna

Comments

[Steve B]

Any suggestions for an off the rack system? I was looking at some HP workstation systems.

I need photo realistic images but of smaller, less complicated assemblies. I also use Ai for other graphics work.

[Devon Sowell]

Anna-

That's quite the Hod Rod.

I look forward to reading all about this.

Devon