Two builds, which one? Is X99 worth it?

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1

I'm a gamer, but I do want to be editing a lot of videos so I'm thinking about X99.

I've narrowed it down to two builds and I don't know whether it's worth it to pay the extra amount to switch to X99.

Here they are http://i.imgur.com/epZy315.png

2

If you are already set on those builds I'd go with X99 for editing videos, process will be much more enjoyable with more cores. As for your GPU though, I've done some research and I'm a little split when it comes to the processing power of 970 and 290X and which one would be better for video editing (vector and scalar processing) but I would chose the 290X myself as it has a higher memory bandwidth which will probably be very beneficial when you are loading in and out big chunks of video for processing.

3

I think you need to look more closely at the differences between those two chipsets and decide if you are actually going to use enough features to be worth spending the extra money. For example:

  • more cores (will come in handy with video editing.)
  • faster ram (both because of ddr4 and quad channel both of which make it cost more. Your build is not even taking advantage of the quad channel.
  • more pci express lanes (In its present form, your build does not take advantage of this.)
  • etc...

Another note is that x99 will probably be on the market longer if you consider upgrading the processor down the road, since broadwell-e wont be released for awhile.

4

The best way to determine if you need a heftier build is if:

  • You're working with resolutions, codecs, and file sizes that cannot be reasonably previewed let alone edited and rendered.
  • You're on deadlines that demand that your videos be edited, rendered, and uploaded/shipped with little to no room for tardiness.
  • Your projects are very complex to the point that your timeline looks almost indistinguishable from a spectrograph.

If you meet any of these scenarios then its best to hop on over to X99.

5

Lots of editing - x99 for sure. Without a doubt.
Depending on your chosen application it would be worth considering the 290/x. With the cheap prices of 290's you could put that money saved from a 970 and put it towards a good cpu cooler.