Seeking i3/i5 build advice

[mftorso]

I engineer at an NPR radio station in Northern Ca. (krcb.org) and our PT rigs have always been Window's based and handled by a tech crew: I merely engineer and produce. (I'm a Mac guy in my personal production life)

We are seeking a modest upgrade, for 2 systems, to an i3/i5 rig with (hopefully):
one PCI slot, perhaps an additional PCIe slot. and the usual FW 4/800 and USB 2.0 ports. We'd have a couple/three HD's internally but need nothing above 7200 RPM SATA's.

At the maximum we are working at 44.1/24 bit but usually @ 16 bit.
Common audio track count no more than 16 Stereo. Additional aux. channels- perhaps 6 or 8 stereo additionally.
Small potato's to say the least.
Instrument/midi needs are essentially nil so RAM needs are on the low side.

We'll be using an OO2 FW interface in one room, a RME Hammerfall 96/32 PCI in another.

We're seeking advice for CPU builds that will accommodate our needs running Windows 7 and PT 9x.

This is hardly a cutting edge nor a sexy rig. However, you'll be helping an 18 yr. old NPR station (KRCB.ORG) to upgrade considerably with your advice.



Thanks in advance,

Mark Fuller

[albee1952]

First bit of advice is to avoid the i3 entirely. Its just not up to the task(its really the new celeron).

[EGS]

Originally Posted by mftorso

...seeking advice for CPU builds that will accommodate our needs running Windows 7 and PT 9x...

Go with what works:

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=238426

[bootybandit]

Definately the i5............ if not i7!