Intel Corp (INTC)

[Golfbum]

My choice to get a haswell would give me added performance over this old 2.6g corei7 Dell tower. I use it for RF simulations for circuits and antennas as part of my hobby. It also runs a real time database looking for new stations to work. It gets a major workout and the fan winds up quite loud.

I know for a fact that IVB properly built runs quieter as my daughter's 3D modeling activity on her box seldom spins up the fans like this one yet are a heavy load.

The HSW would likely be more performance and quieter. I really don't give a crap about a few cents per KWH. I get annoyed by noise. I get annoyed when the CPU utilization makes the UI choppy.

I don't know what you use your PCs for but mine get heavy use on a regular basis.

If I could buy a box with Win7 and HSW I might do that but from what I've seen Win7 is no longer available to retail buyers.

I might go ahead and build a Win7/HSW box but I want to see if Win8.1 will make Win7 moot. I'm not really into holding on to old OSs. I usually move within a year of first availability.

Win8 has been the first one that has really let me down.

gb