Need opinions on new computer

[Dancso]

If you could please give a concrete example on what exactly is handled differently?
TRIM was on without having to adjust anything, I've got 24GB of ram so I've never been subjected to pagefiling in case that's a lot worse on Win7 for wear and tear... I don't know what else might be of concern.

[Amuscaria]

So the only GTX 1080 available is a overclocked one at $750.00. I guess I could wait for the normal ones to restock. I do have a question though, is a PCI Express 3.0 x16 the same as a PCI Express 3.0? I don't wanna get a card that doesn't fit on my mobo.

[Dancso]

The x-number refers to the pcie bandwidth it can utilize. The i7 6700k can support 3.0: 1x16 or 2x8 or 4x2+1x8
http://ark.intel.com/products/88195/Int ... o-4_20-GHz
It is under "Expansion options". The 1080 may be 3.0 x16 capable but it will run just fine on x8 aswell, meaning you can slot another pcie card into your motherboard without crippling your graphics card's performance.
Proof: https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/60 ... ottleneck/ (there's a guy who tested both 8x and 16x and posted screenshots)
Or look here for a more in-depth examination: https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/artic ... mance-518/
The way it works, if you're using more "lanes", then the bandwidth is reduced, but the pcie lanes can transfer so much data that I've not heard of a graphics card fully saturating 3.0 x16.

The is pretty standard for intel desktop processors, can't speak for xeons but the 1x16 is on pretty much all (relatively recent) core-i processors, the exception being the expensive extreme edition ones which give more.

Make sure to do a lot of research on your choice of graphics card to make an informed decision - check benchmarks! I personally find the 1080 outrageously overpriced.. i dread to think what the 1080ti might cost if it comes out, let alone the next series in a couple of years.. But then again, I'm holding out for the real robust 4k@60 experience, I don't think the 1080 is and nor will the 1080ti be quite there. :\

[DaMan]

You'll only get a year of "support" with Win7. You might need one of them antique DVD drives since you can't install Win7 by USB on Skylake.

[Amuscaria]

Installing both Win7 and Win10 on the same SSD shouldn't be an issue, right? Need to ensure all my art programs work (some won't work on Win10).

[Hellser]

Shouldn't be an issue.

[Accensus]

Installing both Win7 and Win10 on the same SSD shouldn't be an issue, right? Need to ensure all my art programs work (some won't work on Win10).

Just make sure they're on 2 different partitions. I'd assume it's obvious, but I better warn you just in case. Other than that, there shouldn't be any issues.