Help for new rig

[Dorgath]

Do not tell me to buy a different kind of computer. I want this computer and this only. I don't care if I can get a computer 50505958585 times better for a fraction of the price. If you want to help me, just please give me an answer between these two questions:

I'm going to order an x51 Alienware desktop computer. Here are the two choices

Option #1)
Alienware x51
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3450 (6M Cache, up to 3.1 GHz)
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz
1.5GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660
1TB SATA 3Gb/s (7,200RPM) 32MB Cache

Option #2)
Alienware x51
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3770 (8M Cache, up to 3.4 GHz)
16GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz
1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 555
2TB Serial ATA 3 Hard Drive

Which one of these are better for WoW? I want to play WoW on Ultra with no lag, even while raiding.

Please don't tell me "Alienware sucks" or they are overpriced or any of the sort. Please just tell me: Option #1 or Option #2.

Option #2 has more ram, a better cpu, but worse gpu.

Is there a big difference between i5 and i7 for WoW? Please, no flaming or anything. Just tell me what one of these can run WoW on ultra better (or at all).

--------------
Thanks

[BicycleMafioso]

There is no inherent difference between an i5 and an i7 in World of Warcraft.
The only difference is between clockspeed, and thus, this i5 vs this i7.
This i7 is better.

If you are 100% sure you will only play Wow, take option #2. If you have any intentions of playing anything with 3D-accelerated graphics at all, go with option #1, as it's only slightly worse for Wow, but much better for anything else.

[Dorgath]

how MUCH better for anything else?
Lets say I also play a bit of FPS like MW3/Black Ops 2/Battlefield 3

Also I will play Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3.

Overall what would you pick for those games? Thanks a lot

[BicycleMafioso]

If you want to run games like BF3 at all, I'd jump to the i5 with GTX 660.

[Aleksej89]

BF3 requires a strong i7 ivy bridge cpu and a NVidia gpu 660 (or higher) to run on High-ish Quality and 1920-1080.
I would not recommend an ATI GPU, since quite a few people (some of them my friends) are having huge issues with ATI drivers - major in game stuttering, random crashes etc, random changes in performance etc...

[Dorgath]

If you want to run games like BF3 at all, I'd jump to the i5 with GTX 660.

Why? Is there a big difference between 555 and 660? Is the difference big enough to drop i7 and 8gb MORE ram?

I'll MAINLY (95%+) play WoW, Diablo 3, and Starcraft 2. What is truly better for that?

[BicycleMafioso]

The 8GiB difference in RAM will affect your FPS with about 0%. Perhaps less.

Wow, Diablo 3 and Starcraft II cares about IPC and higher clock frequency. The i7 has a 300 MHz advantage which will be at most 9~% better performance under the most heavy combat there is, 25m raids. In general, an extra 2-4 FPS at best.

BF3 doesn't require an i7 of any generation at any setting. They give no noticable improvement over an i5 of the same generation. BF3 cares about GPU

[Trakanonn]

Not to piss you off, but why an Alienware x51? Those are the worst PCs to get for soo many different reasons. You don't state why you want it, you just insist on it.

The case size, upgradeability, price, you name it.. Alienware x51 falls dead last.

[Dorgath]

The 8GiB difference in RAM will affect your FPS with about 0%. Perhaps less.

Wow, Diablo 3 and Starcraft II cares about IPC and higher clock frequency. The i7 has a 300 MHz advantage which will be at most 9~% better performance under the most heavy combat there is, 25m raids. In general, an extra 2-4 FPS at best.

BF3 doesn't require an i7 of any generation at any setting. They give no noticable improvement over an i5 of the same generation. BF3 cares about GPU

So definitely option #1, the i5?

Do you think option #1 can run Diablo3,SC2, and WoW all at high-ultra settings in combat(25m raids+large units fighting) and maintain decent FPS? 30FPS+
Option #1 is 140$ cheaper than option #2, as well.

If option #2 came with 1.5GB GTX 660, would you recommend me to go for option #2 then? Or is it not worth the 140$ difference?

Not to piss you off, but why an Alienware x51? Those are the worst PCs to get for soo many different reasons.

Because I want a trustworthy company (like Alienware) where I can buy a good looking, small, light, compact desktop for 1,000-1,300$ that can run WoW, SC2, and D3 at max settings

[Trakanonn]

Because I want a trustworthy company (like Alienware) where I can buy a good looking, small, light, compact desktop for 1,000-1,300$ that can run WoW, SC2, and D3 at max settings

Power supply is pretty important factor to think about as well. I don't know what Alienwares default ones are, but it may be too low if you want a better graphics card. The Dell XPS 8500 comes with 430ish which allows entry level gaming cards, I don't know if alienware goes one step further. And it being a compact size, the power supply might not be replaceable/upgradeable.

Id personally go with the 660 / i5. 16GB is useless and i7 is way overkill for gaming purposes.

[Dorgath]

Id personally go with the 660 / i5. 16GB is useless and i7 is way overkill for gaming purposes.

So what is i7 used for if not for gaming?
Thanks for all the replies, guys. I'm just quite skeptical if an i5 can run it

my current computer specs are:
2009 15" Low-End MacBook Pro
1st gen 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5
8GB 1067 MHz DDR3 RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 256 MB

My computer used to be able to run High on WoW when I first got it, and ran smoothly @ 40-50FPS. For some reason, now I lag a bit on Low.

[Trakanonn]

So what is i7 used for if not for gaming?
Thanks for all the replies, guys. I'm just quite skeptical if an i5 can run it

my current computer specs are:
2009 15" Low-End MacBook Pro
1st gen 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5
8GB 1067 MHz DDR3 RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 256 MB

My computer used to be able to run High on WoW when I first got it, and ran smoothly @ 40-50FPS. For some reason, now I lag a bit on Low.

In general i7s are about 10% better than i5s, the important number is after that, the 3770 and 3450. 3770 simply cannot get its full use in gaming, especially with 1 video card and 1 monitor. It is for intense rendering/video editting programs mostly. Basically, the 3450 is the best option because not only is it like $100 cheaper, but it will never bottleneck your system, meaning it will not be the cause for low frames. Graphics card means everything with either of those chips. So if you got the 3770 you'd be putting an extra $100 in a better CPU that won't really help you at all. Much better for that money to be spent on the GPU (the 666). You won't need 16GB until it comes time to buy a new PC 6 years from now.

I promise you the 3450 can handle anything, it will come down to graphics card. To compare, the 3450 is equivelant to 2500 which is the go-to CPU for gamers who build their own rigs.

And I wasnt trying to make you mad, but I think it is right to let you know that the Alienware x51, from my memory, is literally not upgradeable. It comes with a 330W PSU or something ridiculously low.

[BicycleMafioso]

So definitely option #1, the i5?

Do you think option #1 can run Diablo3,SC2, and WoW all at high-ultra settings in combat(25m raids+large units fighting) and maintain decent FPS? 30FPS+
Option #1 is 140$ cheaper than option #2, as well.

If option #2 came with 1.5GB GTX 660, would you recommend me to go for option #2 then? Or is it not worth the 140$ difference?

Yes.
Your call. I don't think your areas of use warrants an i7.

So what is i7 used for if not for gaming?
Thanks for all the replies, guys. I'm just quite skeptical if an i5 can run it

An i5 and i7 are identical. The only difference is that the i7 can execute two threads per core, where the i5 can only do one. This is called Hyper-Threading. They sometimes have slightly more cache as well.
Both of these are largely useless for gaming; At times, hyper-threading can instead be a performance-loss for gaming.

No company makes CPUs for gaming. An i7 is meant for cheaper workstations and people doing professional works on their home computers, f ex virtual machines or video editting/rendering.

[Deleted]

So what is i7 used for if not for gaming?
Thanks for all the replies, guys. I'm just quite skeptical if an i5 can run it

my current computer specs are:
2009 15" Low-End MacBook Pro
1st gen 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5
8GB 1067 MHz DDR3 RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 256 MB

My computer used to be able to run High on WoW when I first got it, and ran smoothly @ 40-50FPS. For some reason, now I lag a bit on Low.

i5 for gaming
i7 for video editing

Skip to 0:15 - around 0:52 and just listen
Youtube --> Build a Gaming PC for $1500 - March 2012

But hey guys is this ok if i post youtube link?

[Dorgath]

So can the option #1 run SC2/D3/WOW on Ultra without lag or not?

[BicycleMafioso]

With shadows on ultra and in 25man raids and 60+ FPS in 1920x1080? No. No computer can do that.
It will run them as good as you can except them to run it, today with that build, yes.

[Dorgath]

With shadows on ultra and in 25man raids and 60+ FPS in 1920x1080? No. No computer can do that.
It will run them as good as you can except them to run it, today with that build, yes.

Shadows and sunshafts disabled, can I expect 40+ FPS no matter what I'm doing on Ultra?

What about SC2? Diablo 3?