I'm slowly starting to put together a new machine and I wanted to see if anybody here has tried Intel's new 8-core processor with Carrara. It's actually reasonably priced and if I can have 8 render tiles going at once...that would rule!
JT

I never touch intel.  Very overpriced and overrated chips.  My AMD Phenom X4 flies...

Well...Intel clock-for-clock, and $-for-$ will actually out render AMD (check-out Tom's Hardware site).  Also, the i7 Intel processor family is actually a 4-core processor with 4 advanced Hyperthreaded  virtual cores. I know that 64-bit Vista Home Premium will see 4-cores max, so do some research concerning what OS to use. Vista Business 64-bit (or 32-bit) will see 8 cores.

The new Intel i7 MBs and processors are a bit overpriced -- as far as I'm concerned.

The newer AMD processor/MBs do have a better overall bang-for-the-buck vs. Intel, if rendering is not your primary focus.

I'm running a Mac Pro with 2 x 2.8 GHz Xeon quad-cores and 14 GB of RAM.  I use Vue7I more than Carrara now days, so I do most rendering work on the PC (Vista Business 64-bit) side of the Mac. Carrara does render very fast under both Windows or Mac OS (which I prefer).  I just wish more applications were 64-bit on the Mac (Vue is still 32 bit on the Mac). You might want to consider the Mac Pro 8-core, as it is a hardware bargin -- compared to other 8-core Xeon PCs.

I never completely trust Tom's Hardware.  A lot of the performance specifications are affected by factors other than just the CPU.  Motherboard, Bios, controllers, and other hardware can really change test results.  When I built the monster I have now, last year, I did about 3 months of research to find components which will work best with the CPU I selected.  Right now I am toying with installing Vista 64Bit and tri-booting with the 32Bit Vista and XP 32Bit.  It would be nice to be able to access all of my 4GB of RAM.  Has anyone here tried it?

I saw in Daz that someone did a test render with Carrara in a i7 machine.. but dont remember the thread... and looks great for who have the money to buy it.

Actually the system I priced out with 8GBs of DDR3 and the I7 was just over $1000, which really isn't all that bad.

I've always been partial to AMD too, but over the past year or two I think they've fallen behind a bit.
GKDantas-I'll have a look at the DAZ forums and see what I can find out.

That's a bit more than mine cost last year.  The parts total for mine was about $699 including monitor.  Gotta love Ebay and Newegg.com

I built it with Carrara in mind.  Well, that and some good games. :) 

If I don't have a little fun on the system, I wouldn't have an excuse not to throw it out the window when Windows acts up. :)

The new phenom II series, that just came out about a month or less ago are as good as I7's at a very much lower price.

I wouldn't trust just one place on info because I've read 10 others that have changed thier minds and recomend AMDs and thier times are equal to the intels. So you believe who you want. It's like Norton. They were getting worse every year but have done a rebuilt and is one of the best but has to overcome all the old negativity, that included me.

I wish my old PC had lasted one more month. I would have gone to the Phenon II X4 940. There are newer ones coming out in the fall, so I've read, so maybe then. As it is right now My 9950 renders everything very fast with only 8 Gb ram.

I usually try and build a new system every two or three years.  So maybe next year I will check out the Phenom II.  I have also heard it is lightning fast.  By then I should be going to 64Bit.  So I may wait until Windows 7.

Don't get me started on Norton.  Their new update to 2009 from 2008 just demolished my installation of Avast Antivirus....  And now the dumb thing won't uninstall correctly.

Yeah, I had a problem with the norton update too. It was my Adaware. I uninstalled that and installed the newest version and it is all fine. But I have one software that Norton will not let me update and there is now way of telling it to leave that software alone. Everytime I add the software to the list, it finds another way to block it. Other than that, it has been a major improvement from the last few years.

I only have it on this old PC that is only used for the net and filter my DLs through before putting on my other 2 main machines.

I am using XP64. So everything runs fast anyways.

I wish there was a quick and easy way to transfer all of my settings and program data over to 64Bit Vista Ultimate.  I guess the main reason I haven't gone up to 64Bit yet is I am worried about problems with software and my network.

As for Norton.  I have exactly 16 days left on my overpriced subscription.  After that, I am ditching it for Avast professional.  So far Avast has caught a dozen or so things that Norton missed entirely, which is why I run both to begin with.

I checked the DAZ forums and as far as I can tell one dude there bought the I7 and is having major problems with Carrara 6. Take that for what its worth...
There's also a lot of discussion about whether or not running C7 on a 64bit OS has any advantages, or how much RAM Carrara is capable of utilizing. Of course nobody seems to know :)
It's a good thing I'm a few weeks away from ordering any parts...

Quote - I wish there was a quick and easy way to transfer all of my settings and program data over to 64Bit Vista Ultimate.  I guess the main reason I haven't gone up to 64Bit yet is I am worried about problems with software and my network.

I just build a new computer since most everything needs to be upgraded for the latest and greatest. I buy parts over a few months time or when I see a sale. My apartment looks like a warehouse but I don't care. :)  I keep my old computers for the old software and files I don't want to upgrade/no need to upgrade or move. I also feel better since I'm not throwing away thousands of dollars of equipment. That would depress me. I still have my first computer from 1994 with all the accounting and software and another old box that can still run some old Windows 3.1 software that's no longer available but still works fine today but only in 3.1.

Lol.  Looks like we are both computer packrats.  I still have all of my old systems too.  When I build a new machine, I upgrade the others which can be upgraded.  Heck I still have a working 286/16 box with a 40MB Hard drive and 5.25" disk.  It has a first generation Adlib sound card, and an old Trident ISA video card.  I would have it running now except I don't have a monitor which will work with it anymore.  I am thinking of donating some of my older stuff to the Computer Museum in Boston.

People have said my apartment looks like a museum! All my old stuff still works, though one box has a bad WD hard drive and I have to slap the case until it starts whirring. :)

Provided your electricity rates aren't ridiculous and you don't need too much in the way of A/C, there's nothing wrong with keeping the ol' compys around. You can throw some drives in 'em and have a cheapo file-server, or if the CPU is fast enough, put that node software on it and have another render-b**** for the farm.

If it's really too old to be useful in either of those ways, then give it away to charity. Somebody out there could always find a glorified word processor to be handy. Always better to keep the e-waste out of the trash if you can.

I put my old stuff outside next to the dumpster.  The bums then walk off with the stuff.  No mess, no fuss.