So I have £4,000 To spend,

Vowles · Post by **Vowles** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:11

Ahoy, I know I've deserted you for a long long time! But now I have Cod4 I shall return a bit more often

,
Anyways, I sold my Mazda, and saved up a bit from my new job (Working in Lloyds Pharmacy).
So, (Directed mainly at Berk), I've spec'd this!

Case: SILVERSTONE TJ09 Black Window CASE (NO PSU)
Fans type: Blue-LED fans
Cooling: LiquoCool Premium D (CPU+1xVGA+1xChipset)
PSU: Enermax Galaxy Modular 850W PSU
Motherboard: Asus Striker II Formula 780i SLI (nVidia 780i - 1333 FSB Penryn)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 Retail (4x2.66GHz 1333FSB 12Mb)
Memory: OCZ DDR2-800 2x2048MB ReaperX 4GB Dual Channel Kit
Graphics: BFG Nvidia 8800GTS New OC 512Mb PCIe HDCP
Hard Drive: 150Gb Raptor X 10000 16mb E-SATA
Storage HD: 500Gb Barracuda 7200.11 32mb Cache SATA II NCQ
Optical Drive: SONY-NEC Optiarc AD-7173A 18x DVDRW Black OEM
Optical Drive 2: Pioneer 115DBK DVDRW Black OEM
Floppy Drive: Heisei 3.5" Floppy Drive with Card Reader Black
Sound Card: Creative 7.1 X-FI ExtremeGamer
Operating System: Windows XP Professional 64 bit OEM
Secondary OS: none selected
Overclocking: Safe Stable Overclocking (5-40% - CPU/VGA)
)

(Through Vadim.co.uk)

and it comes to 3.7k, Now, last time I spent 2k on a computer and I bought it just as the Pen4s died and Duo got brought in, so I don't want to make that mistake again, I understand the QX9650 is a beast, but is there anything I should possibly wait for if Im spending this much monies?
Also, I want Windows XP 64bit on The Raptor, but I want a Linux based OS for the storage, and I have NO idea about anything Linux so input please gents!
Cheers,
Vowlesy

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:27

First impressions:

Going DDR3 might be a good idea now, for futureproofing.

Fuck the KillerNIC in the face, waste of money.

Xp64 is evil, you'll probably be better off with xp32 or fista.

HDDs: you'll probably be better with 1x 1TB drive (you'll get a Western Digital Caviar RE2-GP 1TB for the same money, not super fast, but you generally don't need massive speed for a storage HDD) a single drive lacks redundancy though, so that's also worth remembering

Graphics - the 8800GTX is probably getting towards a good deal at the ~£200 mark now, look at an 8800GTS too though.

Also, as far as the cooling goes, chicken recently put a very similar machine together, he'll probably have some good ideas.

Linux is beyond me, someone else will be able to help you with that.

Final thought - That looks really pricey for what you're getting, I'd look at cheaper CPU (for example, the Q9450 is ~£100 less, and will easily reach 9550 speeds) and other stores

Post by **FatherJack** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:30

The QX9650 is a bit overpriced in my eyes, when you can get a Q6600 guaranteed to run at 3G for £500 less - as berk mentions there are options in-between.

9x00s are just coming out on the graphics card side which might be worth waiting for, and I like my raptors in RAIDed pairs.

Do you really need two different DVDRWs and a floppy, or are you just ticking every box on a build page?

Why XP 64 if only 2GB of RAM?

I think you could spend a lot less than 3.7k and not notice any difference, though.

Post by **Grimmie** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:31

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:37

FatherJack wrote:The QX9650 is a bit overpriced in my eyes, when you can get a Q6600 guaranteed to run at 3G for £500 less - as berk mentions there are options in-between.

9x00s are just coming out on the graphics card side which might be worth waiting for, and I like my raptors in RAIDed pairs.

The 9x00s are all basically G92s, (8800GT/GTS512) the 9800GTX is barely an upgrade (and in some cases slower) than an 8800GTX.

I agree raptors are better in pairs, but they're competent solo too.

Fear · Post by **Fear** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:43

Spend £1,000 on a decent PC
Save £1,000 to keep said PC current for 3 or 4 years.

Have 2 or 3 really ace holidays?

Lee · Post by **Lee** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:46

New stuff on the horizon: high end Nehalem processors should be out by the end of this year with mid and low end at the beginning of 2009. Rumour has it we'll see a similar kind of performance jump as from pentium 4 to core 2.

The nVidia 9800 series will be out soon, but they're basically overclocked 8 series cards. The 9900 series will aparently be out around July to compete with AMDs upcoming HD 4x00 series and are possibly based on new technology.

I've been doing alot of research into this stuff since I want a new PC myself

Think I can wait another year though so I'm going for a nehalem based PC, can't afford one yet anyway.

If you want linux, just download and install ubuntu, you don't really need any further instruction its that easy to use. Installing programs is just a matter of opening the add/remove programs window and choosing what you want, it then automatically downloads and installs it for you. The only thing to be wary of is driver support so check there's drivers available for all of your hardware first.

Vowles · Post by **Vowles** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:47

I've got a K1 in my current computer, and in WWIIOL it helps like shite, I can feel the diffrence in CSS too, and the NPU is rather nifty, you can program little sweet programs and run it on there (Currently have a firewall running in my network card, stops anything nasty getting closer to my computer) and there is big things planned(and I'll nick it out of my current computer, removed from price).

I opt'd for the QX9650 because of the 12mb, but I seen the 9450 has too, and is only 200 nicker, made some changes, down to 2.6k!.
4Gig of ram + 512 on card, reason I want x64 bit

, I've also got used to x64 now, had it in this computer since it was built. The pricest thing is the Watercooling,so I've knocked it down to, CPU,VGA and chipset, I think thats enough to be honest and I have trouble filling a 250gig HD, and I can always wack on another HD later if needed.

To Lee, Will the Nehalem need a need sockett or run off the Core 2s? Thats the question Im asking, I dont mind paying for a PC now and upgrading the CPU in a year or so, but I dont want to have to fork out for a new motherboard and waste time fiddling, like Berk said the 9x00s are shite and not worth the 10000s they cost.

Chickenz · Post by **Chickenz** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:52

Everything Berk said. My PC only came in at about £1850 and would probably run quicker than the one you specced. I'd recommend picking up a pair of EVGA or BFG 8800GTS G92's, a pair cost the same as a single 9x00 series card. As for cooling is noise an issue? Have you built a liquid cooled PC before? Will you be doing lots and lots of overclocking?

Pick up one of the new 45nm quadcore chips for as close to "250 as you can and clock the thing to buggery. Much more bang for your buck doing it that way.

Vowles · Post by **Vowles** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:56

Vadim.co.uk, build PCs to spec and they're highly rated (Made it on the gadget show

) so I wont have to do the watercooling myself and the problem is, where I put my pc its a tight enclosed area and quickly runs out of cold air to flush through and ends up recycling hot air and thus gets warm quick, does SLi actually work THAT well?

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 2nd, 2008, 22:56

Vowles wrote:To Lee, Will the Nehalem need a need sockett or run off the Core 2s? Thats the question Im asking, I dont mind paying for a PC now and upgrading the CPU in a year or so, but I dont want to have to fork out for a new motherboard and waste time fiddling, like Berk said the 9x00s are shite and not worth the 10000s they cost.

Nehalem is a different socket, But DDR3 compatible.

You might do well to skip the striker and go for a more sensibly priced intel DDR3 board, that way if you do decide to upgrade, it'll only be mobo + cpu, rather than the whole lot.

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:00

Vowles wrote:Vadim.co.uk, build PCs to spec and they're highly rated (Made it on the gadget show ) so I wont have to do the watercooling myself and the problem is, where I put my pc its a tight enclosed area and quickly runs out of cold air to flush through and ends up recycling hot air and thus gets warm quick, does SLi actually work THAT well?

narf, you might do better buying an air cooled machine (remember, WC needs at least as much as air cooling, you still have to move the heat away from the machine) and a decent desk.

I've also seen/heard not great things about Vadim machines

You might as well self build, even chicken can do it, and he's special (with a capital R and a little Q)

Vowles · Post by **Vowles** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:12

Hmmies choices choices, I suppose I'd save alot more if self built,
1)Could be fun
2)Could be major Win
3)Could be total disaster

Infact you've won me, I'm going to self build, the thinking with watercooling is the surrounding air isnt going to become as hot, Im sure a fuck load of fans directed at the raditor would keep it coolish. Maybe something I need to look further into.

This
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu ... =MB-250-AS
Seems rather spiffy,
could someone point me out some good DDR3 ram, I'm a bit lost when it comes to all the ram shite.
Good call Berk !! :D I suppose you lot will be here to help me if I bork anything too much.

Chickenz · Post by **Chickenz** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:13

Seriously though, a self built PC will be a lot lot cheaper, Also as Berk said Vadim aren't the most reliable and well tested machines.

Priced up a similar air cooled pc as an example:

Silverstone TJ09B-W
4GB (2x2GB) CorsairTwinX XMS3, DDR3
XFX MB-N790-IUL9, NF790i Ultra MCP, 3-way SLI,
2x 512MB BFG Tech 8800GTS OC
850W Enermax EGA850EWL Galaxy Modular PSU
1000 GB Hitachi
2x 74 GB Western Digital WD740ADFD
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450

Total cost: £1700 inc delivery.

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:20

Chickenz wrote:Priced up a similar air cooled pc as an example:

Silverstone TJ09B-W
4GB (2x2GB) CorsairTwinX XMS3, DDR3
XFX MB-N790-IUL9, NF790i Ultra MCP, 3-way SLI,
2x 512MB BFG Tech 8800GTS OC
850W Enermax EGA850EWL Galaxy Modular PSU
1000 GB Hitachi
2x 74 GB Western Digital WD740ADFD
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450

Total cost: £1700 inc delivery.

I'd go with that. kinda. ish.

Options:
OCZ 4GB DDR3 PC3-10666C7 1333MHz Platinum (not as fast, half as much)

One 8800GTX OC (this depends on monitor size as much as anything, SLI can be better for huge resolutions)

I'd go with the Asus P5E3 Intel X38 it's a lot cheaper, and I'm wary of nvidia chipsets atm.

As far as the self build goes, I think a few 5punkers have recently done their first self build with no issues, core2 is reasonably scary, but safe and easy to build.

Post by **ProfHawking** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:22

Chickenz wrote: Seriously though, a self built PC will be a lot lot cheaper, Also as Berk said Vadim aren't the most reliable and well tested machines.

Haha yeah... i built my first watercooled pc for them. They are nicely done, but nothing too special. With a few mod parts you can get, you could build it yourself and save a fortune.

BTW, a £4000 machine has never been good value and wont last as well as a few less pricey ones.
Get 3 £1300 machines. They'll last you at least 6 years and always be able to play the top games.

Vowles · Post by **Vowles** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:29

So far its,
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450
OCZ 2GB DDR3 PC3-10666C6 1333MHz ReaperX (2x2GB)
Silverstone Temjin TJ07B
Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 320GB SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM (0A33435)
BFG GeForce 8800 GT OC 512MB x2
Enermax Galaxy 850W
Western Digital Raptor X 150GB 10000RPM SATA 16MB Cache

@ 1.5k, which isn't really half bad, opted for air cooled.
Future proof so can moan :D Self build FT EPIC WIN!

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:31

Vowles wrote:So far its,
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450
OCZ 2GB DDR3 PC3-10666C6 1333MHz ReaperX (2x2GB)
Silverstone Temjin TJ07B
Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 320GB SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM (0A33435)
BFG GeForce 8800 GT OC 512MB x2
Enermax Galaxy 850W
Western Digital Raptor X 150GB 10000RPM SATA 16MB Cache

@ 1.5k, which isn't really half bad, opted for air cooled.
Future proof so can moan :D Self build FT EPIC WIN!

That'll work nicely. once you add a mobo.

Vowles · Post by **Vowles** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:38

Crap, Well the one you suggested,Asus P5E3 Intel,which is included in that price :D and x1 8800GTS

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » April 2nd, 2008, 23:39

oh, and i'd only do SLI if you're planning on driving a big (24"+) monitor.

for most other stuff, you'll be (about £200) better off with a single card