Ok, so Princesca and I made a deal that when I want to buy new toys for myself, I can use my investment account as long as I am making profits on it.... and I just made a huge profit on sale of Accenture stock (bought @ like 24, sold at 44 this morning), well over what I need to do a new system build. :cool:
So right now I am leaning toward an AMD build. I believe their hexacore CPUs are coming out shortly so I may wait to see how they're priced... I'm in no rush. My current system is still pretty decent, but I'm a giant performance nerd, and I want a system that can keep up with my HD 5770 video card (I do *not* spend more than $250 on a video card, no matter how OSSUM it may be).
Aside from leaning AMD, the only other definite is that it must have an SSD. Probably don't want to spend too much on one of those, so I will be looking to put the OS and maybe 1-2 demanding apps on it, and the rest and all music and... uhhhhh.... videos :) on a 1-2 TB HDD.
Share.
the.
money.
with.
meh.
please.
I'm still rocking an Athlon 64ffs.
I dunno what kind of advice you want, other than to show off. You already have a strong system from what I remember.
Research your SSD purchase very, very carefully. Their real world performance can avry quite a bit depending on the firmware. There are a ton of articles on anandtech on the topic.
If you're really just looking to burn money, invest in your monitor. The bigger the better. If you have a 5770, consider going the triple-monitor route (I forget what they call that system).
Invest in your case as well.
"Showing off" goes without saying in any sort of thread of this manner. :P
But I do genuinely want advice, especially from people who have done relatively recent builds themselves (IIRC Berkut did an i7 build not too long ago). My current CPU is an Intel Core 2 Conroe @ 2.16 Ghz, so while it's decent by no means is it UBER 733t.
The last build I did was this past fall for one of the directors at work and I gave him a decent system, but as he does not game there were a whole host of different considerations (e.g. stability, longevity).
I kind of want to focus on three things this time around: performance, energy efficency, and noise. I'm willing to sacrifice a little bit on performance to gain efficiency on the other two, but not too much.
Thankfully efficiency and noise are closely related - performance though not so much.
Like I said - invest in a good case. One with good airflow, lots of rubber bushings and padding (to dampen vibration), and hopefully with room for custom fans. Large, slow-moving fans will give you more cooling with less noise than a smaller, faster fan.
Also consider looking at custom heatsinks, even for the graphics card. A bunch out there to promote better cooling with less noise.
Yeah, what's your current case?
My usual recommendation is of course : HAF 932 from Coolermaster.
But if you have the room I'd look into a Cosmos 1000
GF, I plan on doing an entirely new build, including case, so what I currently have is not relevant. But just for reference's sake, I have a CoolerMaster Cavalier right now.
As far as my current PS goes, I think I'm going to do something I've been talking about for a while but never actually done: install Linux on it and mess around with it that way.
Quote from: Grey Fox on April 23, 2010, 11:47:36 AM
Yeah, what's your current case?
My usual recommendation is of course : HAF 932 from Coolermaster.
Wow, why is this case so expensive? :huh:
Quote from: Caliga on April 23, 2010, 12:22:35 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on April 23, 2010, 11:47:36 AM
Yeah, what's your current case?
My usual recommendation is of course : HAF 932 from Coolermaster.
Wow, why is this case so expensive? :huh:
Because it is awesome.
But it's only 140$ on Newegg, that's not expensive.
a Cosmos 1000 is 170$.
I'm used to paying a hell of a lot less than that for cases. I think the Cavalier cost me like $45. :huh:
Spend the money on a quality case Cal.
Not that you can purchase it, but my Mac Pro case is just miles better designed than any Dell or Compaq I ever owned. I would definitely get a high-quality case if I was building from scratch.
Yeah, I know Beebs, and I always thought of my Cavalier as a quality case.... that's why I asked the question. :)
Quote from: Caliga on April 23, 2010, 12:43:25 PM
I'm used to paying a hell of a lot less than that for cases. I think the Cavalier cost me like $45. :huh:
I don't know how flimsy a Cavalier is but the HAF 932 is very well design case.
HAF stands for High Air Flow & it does exactly that.
It's also toolless. No screws.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/HAF_932 (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/HAF_932)
Quote
Ups
•Great looks with a few very nice details
•Solid materials and well constructed
•Plenty of space
•Water cooling ready - with Fillport
•Pushes lots of air - 2x 230 mm
•Large fans can be replaced by 120 mm units
•Screw-less system for optical drives
•Simple but well constructed hard drive trays
•Front covers can easily be removed
•Complete front I/O connectivity
Downs
•Fairly heavy
•Fans are quite loud
•Screw-less system for optical drives does not hold perfectly.
Altho, I think the "fans are quite loud" comment is totally bogus.
It's well worth the investment.
The Cavalier is also toolless, but yes I will look into this model GF.
For the PC I built for that guy in the fall, I used a CoolerMaster Centurion. I think the Cavalier has been discontinued.
Cal, I think you need to build a 2nd identical rig and store it offsite for disaster recovery purposes. I'd be happy to keep it in my office at home :)
I saw a couple nice reviews for this case:
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=FT01&area=usa
One thing that potentially bothers me about HAF is all the wholes in the case. My computer is near a window, and I'm having a nightmare about leaving the window open unattended, and having wind-blown rain short out my PC. I also wonder whether the holes let the dust in, especially when the PC is off, and the fans aren't blowing.
Quote from: derspiess on April 23, 2010, 04:59:04 PM
Cal, I think you need to build a 2nd identical rig and store it offsite for disaster recovery purposes. I'd be happy to keep it in my office at home :)
:hmm:
Quote from: DGuller on April 23, 2010, 05:52:42 PM
One thing that potentially bothers me about HAF is all the wholes in the case. My computer is near a window, and I'm having a nightmare about leaving the window open unattended, and having wind-blown rain short out my PC. I also wonder whether the holes let the dust in, especially when the PC is off, and the fans aren't blowing.
Yeah, it doesn't really let dust settle in but a lot of dust does accumulate on front holes.
But, filters are always available.
Buy a cheap dell and save the money for moar stocks.
No, Dell is of the devil... like Apple's (Satan's) little helper.
Hey, it looks like the AMD hexacores might actually be released on Monday :w00t: ... and they will be fairly reasonably priced, it sounds like.
Why are cases always so good damn ugly? Looks like the bastard cihld of a spaceship. What's wrong with a toned down case? Those things would have to live in the closet because they would never be girlfriend approved in this house. :)
Quote from: Vricklund on April 24, 2010, 01:35:36 AM
Why are cases always so good damn ugly? Looks like the bastard cihld of a spaceship. What's wrong with a toned down case? Those things would have to live in the closet because they would never be girlfriend approved in this house. :)
Check out the Silverstone case I suggested.
Or, consider and Apple Mac Pro. :)
Quote from: Barrister on April 23, 2010, 05:07:06 PM
I saw a couple nice reviews for this case:
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=FT01&area=usa
uhhhh that thing costs $200. :blink:
Quote from: Caliga on April 24, 2010, 05:28:24 AM
Quote from: Barrister on April 23, 2010, 05:07:06 PM
I saw a couple nice reviews for this case:
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=FT01&area=usa
uhhhh that thing costs $200. :blink:
And?
You clearly have money to burn - in fact it's hard to think of things for you to spend money on for this computer. So why not buy a really nice case?
I want to keep the build to ~$1,000. Guess I should have mentioned that in my first post. Plus, if I want to burn money, I'll do it on the CPU or motherboard.
You said you wanted efficiency. You need a good case for that. I guarantee you won't regret buying one with a good airflow.
Quote from: Caliga on April 24, 2010, 10:26:57 AM
I want to keep the build to ~$1,000. Guess I should have mentioned that in my first post. Plus, if I want to burn money, I'll do it on the CPU or motherboard.
Honestly today's multi-coe CPUs are the area you're least likely to see any improvement. Even today very few programs use multiple cores very well. You'll get more bang for your buck elsewhere - like a fancy case.
Quote from: Barrister on April 24, 2010, 11:06:19 AM
Honestly today's multi-coe CPUs are the area you're least likely to see any improvement. Even today very few programs use multiple cores very well. You'll get more bang for your buck elsewhere - like a fancy case.
The current advantage from multi-core CPUs is in multitasking. Depending on what you intend to run simultaneously, you could get a significant improvement in performance. Obviously most people don't run anything CPU intensive alongside a game, but then there are people like me who run two EVE clients, Firefox, three instances of Gnumeric, and half a dozen EVE utilities simultaneously... :P
The most amusing part about multi-core Intel processors is hyper-threading. Yes, 4 cores is not enough, 8 virtual ones is better. Never mind that programs that only can use one core go from using 25% of your computing capacity to 12.5%.
Dudes, I know about current software limitations on using multicores. I'm trying to think ahead here. :hmm:
Quote from: DGuller on April 24, 2010, 11:55:56 AM
The most amusing part about multi-core Intel processors is hyper-threading. Yes, 4 cores is not enough, 8 virtual ones is better. Never mind that programs that only can use one core go from using 25% of your computing capacity to 12.5%.
The two hardware threads do not give you twice the capacity. Each core has the same amount of FLOPs available with and without Hyperthreading turned on. Hardware threads just allow software threads to use more of the available clock cycles by letting one thread use the resources of the core or chip while another thread is in a wait state pending the completion of an I/O operation or something going on in a different part of the core.
Even though hardware threads show up as two (virtual) CPUs, they are not two independent CPUs.
Quote from: Caliga on April 24, 2010, 12:34:38 PM
Dudes, I know about current software limitations on using multicores. I'm trying to think ahead here. :hmm:
A quality case can last you though several builds...
Quote from: Caliga on April 24, 2010, 12:34:38 PM
Dudes, I know about current software limitations on using multicores. I'm trying to think ahead here. :hmm:
Then I'd wait a couple months to see what Intel's coming six-core offering will do to the market.
I may well do that. I'm in no rush. :)
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on April 24, 2010, 02:17:50 PM
Quote from: DGuller on April 24, 2010, 11:55:56 AM
The most amusing part about multi-core Intel processors is hyper-threading. Yes, 4 cores is not enough, 8 virtual ones is better. Never mind that programs that only can use one core go from using 25% of your computing capacity to 12.5%.
The two hardware threads do not give you twice the capacity. Each core has the same amount of FLOPs available with and without Hyperthreading turned on. Hardware threads just allow software threads to use more of the available clock cycles by letting one thread use the resources of the core or chip while another thread is in a wait state pending the completion of an I/O operation or something going on in a different part of the core.
Even though hardware threads show up as two (virtual) CPUs, they are not two independent CPUs.
:huh: That's way above my pay-grade. All I know is that when I turned hyper-threading off, M2TW went from 12.5% CPU utilization to 25%, on my quad-core. The improvement in speed was noticeable (from very slow to slow).
Quote from: DGuller on April 24, 2010, 02:49:35 PM
:huh: That's way above my pay-grade. All I know is that when I turned hyper-threading off, M2TW went from 12.5% CPU utilization to 25%, on my quad-core. The improvement in speed was noticeable (from very slow to slow).
Windows CPU utilization reporting is screwed up when it comes to properly reporting on multithreaded cores. Understandable, since the Nehalem microarchitecture is the first from Intel to have hardware threads. The Windows scheduler is also not going to use the threads effectively, which is probably why you got a performance increase by turning it off. The scheduler isn't smart enough to realize each CPU is not actually a full, independent core and is probably trying to cram all the other system processes onto the other thread of whatever core M2TW was running on, which will kill the benefits of the hardware threads.
Cases:
http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1416&ID=1897
and I have this one:
http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1277&ID=1408
Other topics:
Forget the SSD. Not worth the price for now. If you put your Windows and a few critical apps on a seperate partition, you can still late move your stuff on a SSD if the prices come down. What I've seen is above 200$ for 80gb. Not worht it.
Invest on a good motherboard, built for future use (2-3 years), spend less on the CPU, upgrade in one year.
Video card: the newests models are insanely prices (>600$), get the best models from last generation. Nvidia GTX 280 would be nice, I think.
Get a decent monitor or plug it into a 32" LCD hdtv.
Get a very good power supply, 700w and +. Case and power supply will last long, long after you get tired of the CPU&mobo.
Get decent fans too, for the CPU, and maybe one more for the case.
Or go the liquid way. Pricey, but might be worth it.
viper, some are now down to $2/Gb. That's still pricey, but it's getting down to the range that I think is reasonable. My brother bought an SSD in December for his PC and he said he felt like his performance flat out doubled. He said he installed Win 7 on it in like ten minutes and power-on to usable desktop is like 20 seconds.
Yah, I always do close to (or at) top of the line motherboard when I do a build, and this build will be no exception to that rule. I hadn't thought about buying a lesser CPU and doing an upgrade this time around, though... nice suggestion. The only thing with that is it's something I've thought about doing before and then never actually done, for whatever reason.
video card: I have an HD 5770 and don't intend to upgrade right now (I'll pull that out of this PC and put it in the new one). I may buy a crappy video card for this one so I can keep it running--like I said I might turn it into a Linux machine. Ironically, the new PC will most certainly have onboard video.
I have a 22" LCD monitor right now and can't expand much without building a new desk, but also a nice suggestion if I decide to rearrange furniture.
I tend to get good power supplies, and I have a recent object lesson into why that's a good idea: when I moved down here my mainstream Antec PSU somehow died on the way. I ran out to CompUSA and like an idiot picked up another overpriced mainstream PSU. Eventually, Princesca inherited that PSU when I used it + case for a rebuild for her. About three months ago the PSU's fan died and somehow it blew out her video card (though it seemed to still power on the PC sporadically).
I have the following case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
together with a few scythe fans, and Zalman copper coolers for CPU and GPU, I am very satisfied with the cooling performance. House temp right now is 74 degrees F; CPU's hottest core is 48 C, HD is 42 C, GPU is 53 C.
Scip, thanks. That case looks promising. I bookmarked it (i.e. saved it to a newegg wishlist) for future reference.
Hey, are there USB ports on the front top of this case? It looks like there are from the newegg pics. I would really like those as my current case has them off to the side and getting to them is a pain in the ass with my desk the way it is. I noticed alot of the hardcore cases have those.
Quote from: Caliga on April 23, 2010, 07:32:32 PM
No, Dell is of the devil... like Apple's (Satan's) little helper.
Hey, it looks like the AMD hexacores might actually be released on Monday :w00t: ... and they will be fairly reasonably priced, it sounds like.
HP then. :P
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.threadbombing.com%2Fdata%2Fmedia%2F15%2FgqRo3simZjbz9d43368j5Ouso1_500.jpg&hash=ab982d25b0dd80677b4f4942789df87c768774be)
Gateway/E-Machines.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.threadbombing.com%2Fdata%2Fmedia%2F2%2Fbushinger.gif&hash=08b60d8e2c7e01890a13ecc9ac909963adc1a2de)
Quote from: Caliga on April 25, 2010, 05:09:54 PM
Scip, thanks. That case looks promising. I bookmarked it (i.e. saved it to a newegg wishlist) for future reference.
Hey, are there USB ports on the front top of this case? It looks like there are from the newegg pics. I would really like those as my current case has them off to the side and getting to them is a pain in the ass with my desk the way it is. I noticed alot of the hardcore cases have those.
Two USB on top, microphone and headset on top, Firewire and eSATA on top. It is a badass case, with great airflow.
Quote from: viper37 on April 25, 2010, 11:15:19 AM
Cases:
http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1416&ID=1897
QuoteUSD : $799.99
:lmfao:
Now that looks like a nice case, and while I could be convinced to spend $100-$200 on a premium case, that's just insane.
Quote from: Scipio on April 25, 2010, 04:42:34 PM
I have the following case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
together with a few scythe fans, and Zalman copper coolers for CPU and GPU, I am very satisfied with the cooling performance. House temp right now is 74 degrees F; CPU's hottest core is 48 C, HD is 42 C, GPU is 53 C.
The question for Cal is - does he value noise reduction or not? He claimed he did.
From what I understand big holes on the side will indeed give great cooling. They will do fuck all in terms of noise reduction.
Here's an alternate Coolermaster case:
http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=2875
Quote from: Caliga on April 25, 2010, 01:43:38 PM
viper, some are now down to $2/Gb. That's still pricey, but it's getting down to the range that I think is reasonable. My brother bought an SSD in December for his PC and he said he felt like his performance flat out doubled. He said he installed Win 7 on it in like ten minutes and power-on to usable desktop is like 20 seconds.
Win 7 with 8gb ram is less than 30 seconds from power on to usable desktop, and I have no SSDs. Make it 25 seconds, say. Is it really worth that much to you? Leave it on sleep if you want even faster :)
Imho, your money is better spent on something else, but it's your money, hey ;) :)
Quote
The only thing with that is it's something I've thought about doing before and then never actually done, for whatever reason.
If you change the CPU yourself, you just need to have some thermal paste lying around. It's not really difficult if you have some dexterity :)
Quote
Ironically, the new PC will most certainly have onboard video.
I think they don't do that anymore, but Nvidia had that design where you could switch between your on-board video card and your real video card, as a way to save power when you're not playing.
Quote
I have a 22" LCD monitor right now and can't expand much without building a new desk, but also a nice suggestion if I decide to rearrange furniture.
oh, 22" is nice :)
Quote
I tend to get good power supplies, and I have a recent object lesson into why that's a good idea: when I moved down here my mainstream Antec PSU somehow died on the way. I ran out to CompUSA and like an idiot picked up another overpriced mainstream PSU. Eventually, Princesca inherited that PSU when I used it + case for a rebuild for her. About three months ago the PSU's fan died and somehow it blew out her video card (though it seemed to still power on the PC sporadically).
Yeah, nowadays, mainstream PSU don't seem to be really good. Too much Chinese crap, I think.
Quote from: Caliga on April 25, 2010, 05:09:54 PM
Scip, thanks. That case looks promising. I bookmarked it (i.e. saved it to a newegg wishlist) for future reference.
Hey, are there USB ports on the front top of this case? It looks like there are from the newegg pics. I would really like those as my current case has them off to the side and getting to them is a pain in the ass with my desk the way it is. I noticed alot of the hardcore cases have those.
the Thermaltake case i recommended to you has USB ports on top. 4 USB ports, IRRC + 1 external SATA.
Quote from: Barrister on April 25, 2010, 08:38:39 PM
Quote from: viper37 on April 25, 2010, 11:15:19 AM
Cases:
http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1416&ID=1897 (http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1416&ID=1897)
QuoteUSD : $799.99
:lmfao:
Now that looks like a nice case, and while I could be convinced to spend $100-$200 on a premium case, that's just insane.
I didn't check the price tag :Embarrass: :embarass:
The one I have (Armor+) is around 200$ and it's a very nice case.
Cal, if you value noise reduction, don't you want to go with a liquid cooling case?
The question is how much I value it, of course.
Also, I am very comfortable putting CPUs in and imagine I would be comfortable taking them out, though I've never done it before... but my comfort with doing it isn't an issue.
Anand's review of the AMB Thuban cores:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3674/amds-sixcore-phenom-ii-x6-1090t-1055t-reviewed (http://www.anandtech.com/show/3674/amds-sixcore-phenom-ii-x6-1090t-1055t-reviewed)
Having read this review, I'm most likely going to stick with a quad core--probably the AMD Phenom II x4 965 Black Edition.
On the other hand...
Quote
TigerDirect Offers $50 MIR on Phenom II X6 CPUs
by Anand Lal Shimpi on 4/27/2010 11:25:00 AM
Posted in CPUs , AMD , Phenom II X6
Early this morning AMD officially launched its first six-core Thuban processors: the Phenom II X6 1090T and 1055T. The last thing we would dream of doing is complain about pricing on these parts. AMD is selling you almost a billion transistors for $199 or $285 depending on what clock speed you want.
AMD just sent us word that the pricing story gets even better. TigerDirect is running a $50 mail in rebate on the new X6 processors dropping the price down to $149.99 and $249.99 for the 1055T and 1090T, respectively. While we're not huge fans of mail in rebates, if you're fine with getting a check in the mail sometime later then you honestly can't beat these deals. At $149.99 there simply is no answer to AMD's Phenom II X6 1055T.
Woha. Might consider buying one & let it rot in my closet until I can afford a mobo.
The problem here is that I don't know if any existing AM3 motherboards actually will recognize the x6 chips, and I have no spare AMD CPU lying around with which to get the board to boot up and flash.
What I might do is buy the 1090T this week so I can get the rebate and then wait till boards start being released that support x6 out of the box.... assuming there are no boards that support the x6 now, that is.
There is some also those chips also support AM2+.
I don't have any AMD chips at all. Well, actually, I have an ancient one from a circa 2002 build, but I doubt it would fit... can't remember the model even.
Like I'd trust Tiger Direct to send the rebate. Or give them my credit card.
Never had an issue with TD...
My only beef with TD is that they insist on using UPSuck.
Quote from: Caliga on April 28, 2010, 09:14:45 AM
Never had an issue with TD...
Check your cards for extra charges. They was doing that years ago, but they may have cleaned up their act.
Quote from: Caliga on April 28, 2010, 06:25:59 AM
The problem here is that I don't know if any existing AM3 motherboards actually will recognize the x6 chips, and I have no spare AMD CPU lying around with which to get the board to boot up and flash.
What I might do is buy the 1090T this week so I can get the rebate and then wait till boards start being released that support x6 out of the box.... assuming there are no boards that support the x6 now, that is.
AM2+ or AM3 MB will recognize these CPUs. The worst that could happen, is that you'll need to underclock it until there's a bios update (wich should be out by the time you receive your CPU).
EDIT:
here's a list of some supported MB, ready for the X6:
http://www9.ncix.com/lp1/asus-unlock-mb/
If ASUS has it, other companies sure have too.
Awesome, thx :)
I may have missed it, but why has an i7 been ruled out? :unsure:
I've decided that I like AMD/ATI more. Intel charges too much for a product that is not proportionally superior. :)
Quote from: Caliga on April 28, 2010, 12:12:21 PM
I've decided that I like AMD/ATI more. Intel charges too much for a product that is not proportionally superior. :)
I think the i7 930 is a pretty decent value at $199, and you can overclock the ever lovin' shit out of it. Plus you get hyperthreading & virtualization support for XP mode.
If you are in Cincy any time soon, it might be worth paying Microcenter a visit. They seem to undercut most other retailers on processor prices, and I was able to find my mobo & memory cheaper there than on Newegg.
Quote from: Caliga on April 28, 2010, 12:12:21 PM
I've decided that I like AMD/ATI more. Intel charges too much for a product that is not proportionally superior. :)
That will likely be the case so long as there are enough customers out there willing to pay the premium for the absolute performance Intel chips provide. I'd take Intel chips in a heartbeat if I had massively parallel applications I needed to run. (Actually, I might take the POWER7, but as I've said before the Nehalem is a shot across IBM's bow, not AMD's.) However, after following your musings here I think I may go for an AMD chip when it comes time to build a new workstation.
Quote from: derspiess on April 28, 2010, 08:00:08 PM
If you are in Cincy any time soon, it might be worth paying Microcenter a visit. They seem to undercut most other retailers on processor prices, and I was able to find my mobo & memory cheaper there than on Newegg.
spiess, I don't have any immediate plans to come back to Cinci, but just out of curiosity where is the Microcenter there? I used to go to the one in Cambridge, Mass. all the time and loved that place.
Quote from: Caliga on April 28, 2010, 08:15:30 PM
Quote from: derspiess on April 28, 2010, 08:00:08 PM
If you are in Cincy any time soon, it might be worth paying Microcenter a visit. They seem to undercut most other retailers on processor prices, and I was able to find my mobo & memory cheaper there than on Newegg.
spiess, I don't have any immediate plans to come back to Cinci, but just out of curiosity where is the Microcenter there? I used to go to the one in Cambridge, Mass. all the time and loved that place.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=QC&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=microcenter&fb=1&gl=us&hq=microcenter&hnear=Cincinnati,+OH&cid=0,0,2756685111709814927&ei=g5DZS9v0N4K2rAeZ2f3HDw&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CAkQnwIwAA
It's north of Cincy (just off I-275), so it's not exactly a quick detour if you're just swinging through Northern KY. But from downtown, I can get there in 15-20 minutes.
Quote from: Caliga on April 28, 2010, 11:58:52 AM
Awesome, thx :)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=52767&vpn=1055T%20%26%20GA-890GPA-UD3H&manufacture=Bundle%20Deals&promoid=1141
339$ cpu+mb
Sold out :(
Quote from: Caliga on April 29, 2010, 03:00:42 PM
Sold out :(
they report it as in stock in their Richmond warehouse, shipping in 1-2 days...
EDIT
Ah, I gave you the Canadian link.
Here's the US link:
http://www.ncixus.com/products/52767/1055T%20%26%20GA-890GPA-UD3H/Bundle%20Deals/
they still have some in stock.
Thanks, might pick it up.
Next question: PSU--conventional vs. modular?
Modular unless it's way more expensive. It's a fun thing to have but not necessary.
Antec has a new TruePower with an integrated blue led. Don't know if it's modular, don't know the price but it sure looks cool :D
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.antec.com%2Fimages%2F400%2FTPN_Blue_Q.jpg&hash=0fcec0de1ff21ba5326b2dc4729d228a854e433f)
I like modular power supplies. Keeps inside of the case fresh and clean.
I've never had one before but unless anyone can think of any significant drawbacks I'll pick one up this time.
I have one. Imo there's no drawback. Someone will probably say that the connectors will wear out quickly but it's a PSU, how often do you plug & unplug things in it?
Quote from: Grey Fox on April 30, 2010, 08:03:55 AM
I have one. Imo there's no drawback. Someone will probably say that the connectors will wear out quickly but it's a PSU, how often do you plug & unplug things in it?
That, and the connectors on the supply itself won't wear out any faster than the ones that plug into the boards and drives.
Quote from: Caliga on April 30, 2010, 07:58:09 AM
I've never had one before but unless anyone can think of any significant drawbacks I'll pick one up this time.
I'd never heard of a modular PSU, so I googled it. Supposedly the only downside is the connectors can add some extra resistance to the system.
A modular PSU sounds nice, but I'd be more concerned to get a high efficiency PSU (and hopefully a quiet PSU) then worry about cable management.
Quote from: Barrister on April 30, 2010, 03:09:12 PM
Quote from: Caliga on April 30, 2010, 07:58:09 AM
I've never had one before but unless anyone can think of any significant drawbacks I'll pick one up this time.
I'd never heard of a modular PSU, so I googled it. Supposedly the only downside is the connectors can add some extra resistance to the system.
A modular PSU sounds nice, but I'd be more concerned to get a high efficiency PSU (and hopefully a quiet PSU) then worry about cable management.
I looked at modulars myself, but it wasn't the (infitesimally) lower efficiency/greater heat that turned me off, but the price. I'd say "go modular" unless the price differential is prohibitive.
Yeah, I have kind of an upper limit in my mind as to what's reasonable to pay for a PSU. If I can't get a modular in that range, I won't be getting one. Reducing clutter would be nice but I usually just shove all the excess cabling into one of the empty drive bays without much difficulty.
I am following this, Cal, in part because I am looking at upgrading myself, as soon as my publishing side business make enough profit to pay for a nice rig. That's the reward I have promised myself, and I like your thinking in all of this.
Yeah, like I said I am gifting this to myself because I made a nice profit on a stock sale. :showoff:
Looking at this motherboard:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/04/07/gigabyte_890gpaud3h_motherboard_review/1 (http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/04/07/gigabyte_890gpaud3h_motherboard_review/1)
Quote from: Caliga on May 01, 2010, 08:04:36 AM
Looking at this motherboard:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/04/07/gigabyte_890gpaud3h_motherboard_review/1 (http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/04/07/gigabyte_890gpaud3h_motherboard_review/1)
I like it. Since I am a drive collector, 6 SATA 6GBs connections is a plus. USB 3.0 is a nice future-proofing capacity. This seems to be very well-priced for such an advanced board, though its performance is right about where you would expect it to be based on the price (i.e. not bleeding-edge, but rather "just good enough"). Seems like a great buy for the system you are thinking of.
Yeah, I'm fairly certain about this board, and pairing it with a 1055 or a 1090T AMD Phenom II x6.
Ok, I think I have my core components roughed out:
AMD Phenom II x6 1090T Black Edition
Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H ATX Motherboard
Patriot Gaming Series 4 Gb (2 x 2 Gb) PC3 10666
Total cost so far is $532.97, all via NewEgg (there's a $20 combo deal on the CPU + mobo).
Quote from: Caliga on May 01, 2010, 02:09:11 PM
Ok, I think I have my core components roughed out:
AMD Phenom II x6 1090T Black Edition
Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H ATX Motherboard
Patriot Gaming Series 4 Gb (2 x 2 Gb) PC3 10666
Total cost so far is $532.97, all via NewEgg (there's a $20 combo deal on the CPU + mobo).
Now
that's fast memory! :worthy:
As I'm going through this build and selecting/pricing components, I must say that I'm extremely disappointed with Tiger Direct. Every single component I've found on NewEgg, and on TigerDirect they either do not have the part, or it's more expensive. :huh:
Over the past year I've bought about 50% of my stuff from TD (and most of the rest from NewEgg)... dunno what the hell has happened to TD all of the sudden, or maybe I'm just having extremely bad luck.
When I was getting parts for my computer, TD just didn't measure up either. After comparing a couple of components between them and NewEgg, I gave up on TD altogether, and was dumbfounded as to why it had such a good reputation. NewEgg was just leaps and bounds more competitive.
Quote from: DGuller on May 01, 2010, 04:56:07 PM
When I was getting parts for my computer, TD just didn't measure up either. After comparing a couple of components between them and NewEgg, I gave up on TD altogether, and was dumbfounded as to why it had such a good reputation. NewEgg was just leaps and bounds more competitive.
The one area where TD has NewEgg beaten is in shipping speed: I've actually had stuff delivered to me from TD the afternoon after I ordered it. It may be related to where I'm located vs. TD/NewEgg warehouses though. Typically I get stuff delivered to me pretty quickly as Louisville is one of the largest air freight hubs in the world (UPS uses it as their primary hub).
Quote from: Caliga on May 01, 2010, 05:02:16 PM
Quote from: DGuller on May 01, 2010, 04:56:07 PM
When I was getting parts for my computer, TD just didn't measure up either. After comparing a couple of components between them and NewEgg, I gave up on TD altogether, and was dumbfounded as to why it had such a good reputation. NewEgg was just leaps and bounds more competitive.
The one area where TD has NewEgg beaten is in shipping speed: I've actually had stuff delivered to me from TD the afternoon after I ordered it. It may be related to where I'm located vs. TD/NewEgg warehouses though. Typically I get stuff delivered to me pretty quickly as Louisville is one of the largest air freight hubs in the world (UPS uses it as their primary hub).
I get my shit delivered from NewEgg pretty quickly as well, but likewise that might be due to my location. They have a warehouse in New Jersey (which means sales tax :bleeding:).
Yeah. They also have a warehouse in Memphis, TN and you'd think shit would get to me quickly from there, but it really doesn't.
Anyway, as for cases, I'm really liking Scip's case, or the Antec Nine Hundred.
Ever try ZipZoomFly? They shipped pretty fast from Cali, but its been a few years since I ordered anything from them.
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 01, 2010, 06:02:25 PM
Ever try ZipZoomFly? They shipped pretty fast from Cali, but its been a few years since I ordered anything from them.
I got my case from them a coupla years ago. It's always worthwhile comparing Newegg's prices with ZZF, especially for things that might go on sale. I'd say Newegg's won 80% of the time, but when ZZF wins it is often a pretty big win (like a $175 case for $105).
PRELIMINARY BUILD
AMD Phenom II x6 1090T Black Edition - CPU
Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H ATX Motherboard - MOTHERBOARD
Patriot Gaming Series 4 Gb (2 x 2 Gb) PC3 10666 - RAM
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC - POWER SUPPLY
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" - HDD
ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD Burner - OPTICAL
Zonet ZEW2546 IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wireless Adapter Up to 300Mbps Wireless Data Rates 64/128-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2, 802.1x - NETWORK
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower - CASE
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit for System Builders OEM - OS
I think I'm just going to stick with onboard sound. This board has onboard video as well (ATI HD 4290) but I'll probably put my HD 5770 in it shortly after I finish the build.
I think I'm going to skip the SSD for now, mainly for price reasons.
The total cost of the above from NewEgg is $1,028.91 (plus shipping).
Quote from: grumbler on May 01, 2010, 06:09:30 PM
I got my case from them a coupla years ago. It's always worthwhile comparing Newegg's prices with ZZF, especially for things that might go on sale. I'd say Newegg's won 80% of the time, but when ZZF wins it is often a pretty big win (like a $175 case for $105).
THanks, dudes... I actually forgot about them. :blush:
Back when ZZF was GoogleGear I used to buy from them quite often.
I agree with your SSD decision, I don't think the drivers are ready for prime time yet. They're very promising, though, so hopefully they'll get there soon.
Quote from: DGuller on May 01, 2010, 06:21:04 PM
I agree with your SSD decision, I don't think the drivers are ready for prime time yet. They're very promising, though, so hopefully they'll get there soon.
Well, like I said, I wanted to keep the build to ~$1,000. Because I opted for the 1090T, it would have added quite a bit to the price, and there was no way I was going to get a "full sized" SSD. I think there are 1 Tb SSDs out there now, but they literally cost $1K+ on their own.
Quote from: Caliga on May 01, 2010, 06:25:20 PM
Well, like I said, I wanted to keep the build to ~$1,000. Because I opted for the 1090T, it would have added quite a bit to the price, and there was no way I was going to get a "full sized" SSD. I think there are 1 Tb SSDs out there now, but they literally cost $1K+ on their own.
Agree with the wait. Some day, those small SSDs will get dirt cheap, and you (and I) can get one to run the OS. Now is not that day.
Quote from: Caliga on May 01, 2010, 06:25:20 PM
Quote from: DGuller on May 01, 2010, 06:21:04 PM
I agree with your SSD decision, I don't think the drivers are ready for prime time yet. They're very promising, though, so hopefully they'll get there soon.
Well, like I said, I wanted to keep the build to ~$1,000. Because I opted for the 1090T, it would have added quite a bit to the price, and there was no way I was going to get a "full sized" SSD. I think there are 1 Tb SSDs out there now, but they literally cost $1K+ on their own.
It's not just the cost that's a problem. You don't need to only have SSD, the best bang for you buck would be to just put Windows there. Another problem is that they are also very hard to set up, and require considerable start-up education. Been there myself, not keen on repeating the experience.
Quote from: DGuller on May 01, 2010, 06:55:48 PM
You don't need to only have SSD, the best bang for you buck would be to just put Windows there.
:huh:
Quote from: Caliga on May 01, 2010, 06:59:28 PM
Quote from: DGuller on May 01, 2010, 06:55:48 PM
You don't need to only have SSD, the best bang for you buck would be to just put Windows there.
:huh:
What I meant to say is that you don't need a big SSD, you only need an SSD big enough to put Windows on it. Those are going to go for much less than a $1,000. You'll use the regular HDD for the rest of your needs.
Oh yeah, I know.
My brother just got done mocking me mercilessly for daring to consider doing an AMD build. :rolleyes:
He's as bad a fanboi as the Beeb is with Apple when it comes to AMD vs. Intel. :glare:
Quote from: DGuller on May 01, 2010, 06:55:48 PM
Another problem is that they are also very hard to set up, and require considerable start-up education. Been there myself, not keen on repeating the experience.
That was true for early Vista versions, but not true for Windows 7, insofar as the tech journals I have seen are concerned. That whole FAT32 versus NTFS thing appears to be resolved.
I am not sure whether Win7 deactivates defrag for SSD or not. SSD life can be drastically shortened by a defrag or spinright operation.
So I'm about to pull the trigger. ^_^
Since I posted the initial build earlier, I've added a SATA 6Gb/s cable (not so much for the HDD I will start with, though it is SATA III ready, but really for the SSD I will add later.... the board doesn't come with any SATA III/6Gb/s cables :huh: ) and swapped the memory selected with CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800), which is a little bit faster and only slightly more expensive.
Quote from: Caliga on May 02, 2010, 10:04:33 AM
So I'm about to pull the trigger. ^_^
Since I posted the initial build earlier, I've added a SATA 6Gb/s cable (not so much for the HDD I will start with, though it is SATA III ready, but really for the SSD I will add later.... the board doesn't come with any SATA III/6Gb/s cables :huh: ) and swapped the memory selected with CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800), which is a little bit faster and only slightly more expensive.
The specs I have seen all say that the cable is the same for 6GBs SATA as for SATA 1 and 2. You need quality cables, of course, but I would think that Gigabyte already gives you those.
Well, I was reading the Gigabyte motherboard manual for this model earlier (got the PDF off of Giga's website) and the listed included SATA cables say they support "up to 3 Gb/s". The drive itself will be shipped bare, meaning it'll be in a static bag and wrapped in bubble wrap--so no accessories at all with it. The cable is only $2.99, so I figured I'd just throw it in the order.
Nice computer.
And you actually are buying a nice case.
You have learned well.
P.S. your bro is an idiot.
:cool:
I'm a little bit weirded out by the bottom-mounted PSU, but everyone seems to think that's way better, so I guess I'll see. I thought about getting the Nine Hundred 2, but the only major advantage I saw it having was the front mounted eSATA port, and I have no eSATA devices and don't envision getting any in the near future, so no biggie.
Of course he is... all fanbois are. :)
He did talk me into getting the Nine Hundred, though. :boff:
I think the 900 will be loud, but it looks like a much nicer case then the others you considered.
I decided to focus more on energy efficiency that noise reudction, hence the 80plus silver PSU.