Xeon vs. i7 vs. i5

you won't be able to afford xeon motherboards if you can't afford an i7.

Check AMD if you want a cheap machine that is good for video editing.

Not exactly. The boards have to be compatible with the chip. Not all chips of the same socket will be compatible with all motherboards. You have to look at the manufacturer's compatibility lists. If it isn't listed, assume it won't work.

Xeon's are typically a higher binned, meaning it will run cooler and last longer in demanding environments (such as render farms, servers, etc)... In the old days, the Xeon version of, say, the E8400 would run no different than the E8400. Except they were sought after because they could overclock higher and with less voltage.

The i7 2600 is going to be faster than the Xeon 1240 because it is 100 MHz faster. Otherwise, aside from binning (and a 100 MHz increase), they are the same chip with relatively the same performance.

So unless you plan on running that chip at 100% 24/7, get the i7 (or i5 if the i7 is outside of your budget).

The advantage of the current E3 Xeons over a similar LGA1155 Core i3/i5/i7 is that the Xeons support error-correcting (ECC) memory. ECC memory can help a system be more stable if you run it continuously for very long periods of time. Performance is no different. But if money is an issue, go with the Core-branded models. ECC support requires ECC RAM, ECC support in the CPU, and ECC support in the motherboard BIOS. ECC memory is not that much more expensive than "standard desktop" non-ECC memory, but the ECC-supporting Xeons carry a premium over the non-ECC-supporting Cores, and the LGA1155 server motherboard with the BIOS that supports ECC memory carries a significant premium over a consumer 1155 board without a BIOS that supports ECC. The only Xeons that carry a performance benefit over Core-branded chips are the ones that can be used in multi-processor boards. They cost a LOT more than a desktop setup when it's all said and done.

If money is an issue, also consider AMD CPUs, particularly the Phenom II X6s and the FX-8120. They won't outrun a Sandy Bridge i7 but they are competitive with the i5s but with a lower-cost motherboard. Like the Xeons, AMD AM3/AM3+ CPUs support ECC memory and most of ASUS's AM3/AM3+ consumer motherboards do too, so if you were thinking Xeons more for added reliability, you may want to go with the AMD chips instead.

No you cannot overclock the e3 series xeons, they are locked multis like the non-k cpus. Xeons do work on 1155 mobos but no manufacturer is going to officially support it. I've suggested to plenty of people to get the xeon 1230 when not OCing as it's near the i7 2600 but quite a bit cheaper. It does not need a xeon board and does not need ecc ram. Xeons ending with 0 do not have igpu, those ending with 5 have the p3000.

You can even google it http://www.google.com/search?sourc [...] on+z68+p67 or any 1155 chipset, I've never heard it not working. Intel even states xeons on their 1155 desktop mobos although the list is old and doesn't state them all, they all work. http://processormatch.intel.com/Co [...] ame=DZ68DB http://processormatch.intel.com/Co [...] ame=DP67BA

You were thinking of the X5xxx xeons Idk why they even have extreme edition xeons, well i guess 2x 990x in your system I want 2x 3960x in my system