My New Build.

[Viper]

Not 100% final.

CPU: $295
Intel Core i7 920 2.66 GHz.
Will be overclocked into the high 3 GHz range.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

Monitor: $250
ASUS VH242H 24" 1920 x 1080.
Ready for 1080p movies and games.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236052

Motherboard: $185
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R.
Damn good price for an X58 mobo.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128375

RAM: $164
Corsair XMS3 6 GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1333.
More than enough RAM.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145220

GPU: $160 ($320)
2 x HIS Radeon HD4870.
Damn good price for this card so I'm buying 2 for Crossfire.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161236

Optical Drive: $110
Lite-On 6x Blu-ray / DVD burner.
Damn good price for a 6x Blu-ray drive and quality DVD burner.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106270

Case: $110
Xclio A380BK Full Tower.
Comes with 2 250mm fans. Looks wicked as hell too.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811103010

Hard Drive: $110
WD Cavier Green 1 TB.
Supplemental only. I'll still use my current WD Raptors.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136317

PSU: $100
Corsair 750TX 750 watt.
60A on a single 12v rail.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

CPU Cooler: $60
Vigor Monsoon III LT.
Dual 120 mm fans.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835702007

Fan Controller: $30
Zalman ZM-MFC1.
6 channels.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813999251


Should be a monster.

[Shotgun Plasma]

lucky you. It's a monster compare to my puny radioshack 1950s computer.

[Krad]

24", god, too much for myself. I would think 20" would be perfect, anything more than that and I find it troublesome.

Crossfire? I didn't think it was really worth it just yet. You probably already have but did you compare single benchmarks with their Crossfire counter-parts? From what I've seen, they usually don't justify the price.

Blu-ray movies on a computer? Sure you need it? Of course, if you have the dough, go right ahead.

As long as the 250mm fans are running at a low speed as they should, no problem else where.

Just criticizing the build, no need to praise something I just jizzed my pants with. Keep us updated? When you planning to actually purchase the parts?

[Viper]

I already have a 21" monitor but I'm ready to step up to 1080p.

I've seen enough comparisons to justify the CrossFire. ATi has done really well with CF the past year or two. Besides, that price is nucking futs.

Blu-ray for $100 is also hard to pass up and fits in nicely with getting a new monitor that can handle 1080p.

From what I've read, the 250 mm fans run nice and quiet but push an incredible amount of air. I'm only afraid if they get cranked up too high the damn thing my fly away.

I'm hoping to buy it all in about 2 weeks.


PS: The monitor and my current build will be going to my kids as their first computer. They don't know it yet, hehe.

[frosty]

now you need to pick up a few movies on BD!

[Viper]

I'll just rent them. If I like it, I'll rip it to the 1 TB HDD.
;)

[=NukeBlaze=]

If you are going to shell out $100 for a power supply, might as well go with the best line.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341011

Corsair contracts their designs out to other companies, some being seasonic(good), FPS fortan (hit and miss), etc. Even if it is a seasonic design, PC power and cooling supplies are the premier...and in this case less out the door, and less after rebate due to the special.


Overall, I am not sure why you are going with this type of build now. Your current system is probably sufficient for a few more months with your tasks and loads, so I am going to have to assume that the temptation of new technology being shiny is a factor. The prices on the entire Corei7 setup, particularly RAM and Motherboard, are still sky high...and looming changes in price and new products within a few months from GPU and CPU vendors would make me a bit leary to buy right now...least I suffer buyers remorse.


Also, if you don't have a tube of it already, you forgot arctic silver thermal paste.


As for that case, I threw up a little.

Call me a minimalist, but I would reccomend:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119129

The two 120mm case fans are very quite and do not need to be fan controller regulated to stay that way. The entire front is also dust/hair filtered from the empty 5.25 bays to directly over the bottom front fan. They do a good job keeping "funk" out of computer cases. I tested one of their 40$ cases in the warzone of a friend of the family who has 7 dogs, 3 cats, a ferret and they smoke. After a year of service where the machine was almost always on, the inside was basically pristine. Quite with the front guard open, and even more so with it shut. With the heatsink you have chosen, the CPU air dust is removable to let it fit, however, I would purchase filter material and cover the side vents to make it such at all air intakes are filtered.

[Viper]

The PSU is a SeaSonic rebrand. As is the PC P&C model you listed from what I've read. Same one, actually. The PC P&C model seems to have more problems though. Look at the reviews.

I'm building now because the money is available. It won't be once the prices drop. If I wait, it will just be this time again next year and we'll likely have a new cycle of parts coming in again. I'm not worried about buyers remorse when I see price drops. That comes with the territory of electronics in general. I think this one costs slightly less than the build I did in 2006 anyway.

While my current build will still last another few years, it's not going by the wayside completely. I'm going to start my kids on it. Teaching them how it works, how to care for it, what it can do, etc...

[=NukeBlaze=]

All of PC Power and cooling's designs and constructions are done independently in California, even after becoming an independent entity in the OCZ group.

Seasonic is a Taiwanese company.


The newegg raw review ratio count comparisons are hardly scientific within the margin they fall between the two. From personal experience, I have had a seasonic corsair labeled PSU arrive and die within 10 minutes of use, but I know seasonic still is a good brand. DOA's happen, and there is a greater chance that those affected are going to be more vocal. At what magnitude that is, I can't say, but the only thing I can say is that I have used about 5 models from PC power and cooling from varying wattage ranges, and all of them still function in the machines I played them in. PC power and cooling has one of, if not, the best lines of support and lowest failure margins.



Bleehhhaaa....the first case is so goddy. To each his own, I suppose.

[VG Aficionado]

Motherboard: $185
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R.
Damn good price for an X58 mobo.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128375

RAM: $164
Corsair XMS3 6 GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1333.
More than enough RAM.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145220

Have you made sure they'll work at 1333 in that configuration? Also, would the uneven number prevent from taking advantage of the dual channel feature?

[=NukeBlaze=]

It would prevent it from working in dual channel mode, but that is only because the corei7 chips on the x58 chipset run in triple channel mode. ;)

[VG Aficionado]

I'm outdated :(

[Dralor]

Bastard I just upgraded to a Q6700 and here you come along and totally outclass it.:-p

[Garfunkel]

I'm not so sure on the 250mm fans. 120mm strike the perfect balance for most builds and can still push great amounts of air with little noise, if you are going to buy 250mm fans, keep them at a very low speed, which will be sufficient.

As for the power supply, I've never had issues with SeaSonic power supplies and would still consider them one of the best. The same obviously goes for P&C. We just have to consider that electronics break over time no matter how they are designed. I doubt the fail rates would be drastically different between the two rebrands.

Other than that, and the obvious fact you will need a 64bit OS, good job overall.

[Garfunkel]

I'm outdated :(

Not really, this is i7, it has made many things irrelevant lately.

I'm tempted to build my own rig, but my current system will hold me for another year or so.

[Dralor]

Ha garf have you see the 400mm fans? If it had a blowhole it'd be perfect.

[Viper]

As for that case, I threw up a little.

Call me a minimalist, but I would reccomend:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119129That's a mid tower and I'm looking for a full tower with this build. Space constraints required a mid tower in my last build. This will ensure the tall CPU cooler has plenty of space and the SATA cables aren't sandwiched between the lengthy HD4870's and the HDD's.

For some reason, I don't mind the intimidating design.

Have you made sure they'll work at 1333 in that configuration? Also, would the uneven number prevent from taking advantage of the dual channel feature?
Don't take it personally, VG, but thanks for the giggle. The new Intel i7's and X58 motherboards use the new triple channel DDR3 RAM. Good stuff, I say.

Bastard I just upgraded to a Q6700 and here you come along and totally outclass it.:-p
Don't sweat it. By this summer, someone here will outclass mine just the same.

I'm not so sure on the 250mm fans. 120mm strike the perfect balance for most builds and can still push great amounts of air with little noise, if you are going to buy 250mm fans, keep them at a very low speed, which will be sufficient.

As for the power supply, I've never had issues with SeaSonic power supplies and would still consider them one of the best. The same obviously goes for P&C. We just have to consider that electronics break over time no matter how they are designed. I doubt the fail rates would be drastically different between the two rebrands.

Other than that, and the obvious fact you will need a 64bit OS, good job overall.
The fans are actually a big part of the build. I want quite yet very effective because I plan to heavily overclock the CPU and possibly the GPU's (just because I can).

Will definitely make the 64 bit jump.

I need to grab Windows 7 while it's still legally up for grabs.

Ha garf have you see the 400mm fans? If it had a blowhole it'd be perfect.
400mm is as big as a mid tower case.

[Dralor]

Yeah it's the whole side. Like this.. (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4244371&CatId=1509)

Just not enough exhaust fans for my liking.

[Viper]

Lol, it looks like someone modded a box fan onto the side of a PC case.

WTF? Is it nothing but 5.25 drive bays?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.aspx?CurImage=11-196-033-07.jpg&Image=11-196-033-02.jpg%2c11-196-033-03.jpg%2c11-196-033-04.jpg%2c11-196-033-05.jpg%2c11-196-033-06.jpg%2c11-196-033-07.jpg%2c11-196-033-08.jpg%2c11-196-033-09.jpg%2c11-196-033-10.jpg%2c11-196-033-11.jpg%2c11-196-033-13.jpg%2c11-196-033-12.jpg&S7ImageFlag=0&WaterMark=1&Item=N82E16811196033&Depa=1&Description=AeroCool%20Hi-Tech7%20Pro%20Black%20Computer%20Case

[Dralor]

Yeah with 3 adapters to turn it into 3.5 bays.

Or there is this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811196031) with more 3.5 bays. There is another version as well but in my opinion it looks the worst of the 3.

[woundingchaney]

As far a fulltower cases I prefer by and large Lian Li. They are more expensive but are of superior build quality than just about anything else out there.

Also I would purchase a case and then mod to my whims rather than buying an annoyingly loud "100" fan case. I would also look into a manual fan controller, this will save you quite a bit of noise with similar air movement. Quite often air flow is efficient enough without having fans blast max rpms and temps change very little.

[Garfunkel]

Quite often air flow is efficient enough without having fans blast max rpms and temps change very little.

That is very true, hence my previous post.

As for Lian li, they are of good quality, but so are many other brands. In many cases it purely comes down to design and features.

[Z]

I'm curious; what is your previous PC's specs? and what do you usually do on it that requires high performance, games?

Also, if you want to use your monitor as a TV without the PC's help, you need to make sure it has a good tuner inside it. My monitor doesn't. If I watch HD media on it via PC, it looks great, but when I view PS3 games on it, not so great.

[SuperLuigiBros]

Have you considered the 4870X2? I was looking at that when I got my new rig and I was extremely tempted but it wouldve boosted the price too much. I went with a single 4850, and it can run Crysis with everything set to ultra high or whatever, so 2 of those cards will be overkill for like a decade :P

Im jealous of the Core i7. Ill leave it at that.

Oh and 24" screens are nice.

[Viper]

As far a fulltower cases I prefer by and large Lian Li. They are more expensive but are of superior build quality than just about anything else out there.

Also I would purchase a case and then mod to my whims rather than buying an annoyingly loud "100" fan case. I would also look into a manual fan controller, this will save you quite a bit of noise with similar air movement. Quite often air flow is efficient enough without having fans blast max rpms and temps change very little.
Take a look at the last item on my list.

I'm curious; what is your previous PC's specs? and what do you usually do on it that requires high performance, games?

Also, if you want to use your monitor as a TV without the PC's help, you need to make sure it has a good tuner inside it. My monitor doesn't. If I watch HD media on it via PC, it looks great, but when I view PS3 games on it, not so great.
My late 2006 build.
Intel C2D E6600
Gigabyte GA-P965-DS3
4 GB's Corsair XMS DDR2 667
ATi X1950XTX
Dynex 500 watt PSU
74 GB WD Raptor

Like I said before, this one has a few more years use but I'm giving to my kids as their first PC. I won't replace this new build for quite a while.

Why would you need a TV tuner for PS3 play? If you're hooking it up right and the settings are good, you shouldn't have any problems. I won't be hooking up any consoles to it though. And if decide to hook up my cable, that can be settled with PC hardware.

Have you considered the 4870X2? I was looking at that when I got my new rig and I was extremely tempted but it wouldve boosted the price too much. I went with a single 4850, and it can run Crysis with everything set to ultra high or whatever, so 2 of those cards will be overkill for like a decade :P

Im jealous of the Core i7. Ill leave it at that.

Oh and 24" screens are nice.
The HD4870X2 retails for $415 and these 2 HD4870's combined retail for just $320 and offer practically the same performance. Better still if any game is CrossFire deficient to the point that 1 HD4870 alone is better (it happens - piss poor drivers), I'd have that option.

[Z]

That's a damn good set up right there! Congrats.

I have the same performance as your old PC. I won't update it till it starts slowing me down, though.

Why would you need a TV tuner for PS3 play?
I made a thread about it and it turned out that despite my monitor having an HDMI cable, it doesn't have a tuner (or a good tuner) so viewing TV or console gaming on it make the picture look pixilated and jaggy. via the PC, the image is crystal clear, though.

I never thought about buying manual fan controllers. Are they that helpful? There is a button inside my case that sets all fans to minimum, medium and max. I always leave it at medium.

Oh, and what heavy tasks do you use your PC for? gaming, HD movies?

PS. when I upgrade in another year or so, I'll be getting a BD burner. That is the cheapest backup for me. oh, yeah :)

[frosty]

no, it has nothing to do with your tuner. it's just that your monitor doesn't scale the image well. It's the scaler that you want to be good.

[SuperLuigiBros]

Oh nice, looks like you did more research than me :)

I really wanted that processor for my 3D rendered, but ended up with... hmm i cant remember which one it is... Quadcore something. I was around the next thing down from the i7, which had just come out.

[Z]

no, it has nothing to do with your tuner. it's just that your monitor doesn't scale the image well. It's the scaler that you want to be good.

Ah, yeah. Sorry, I thought it was the same thing.

Viper, when you set it up, you have to post a benchmark or Crysis demo performance or something to make us jealous. lol.

I am really curious when will Crysis (or the Crysis Wars) will ever play with at least 30fps with everything on max- and I do mean every single option.
If there is a demo for Crysis Wars, go with that one since it is more optimized.

[Viper]

That's a damn good set up right there! Congrats.

I have the same performance as your old PC. I won't update it till it starts slowing me down, though.


I made a thread about it and it turned out that despite my monitor having an HDMI cable, it doesn't have a tuner (or a good tuner) so viewing TV or console gaming on it make the picture look pixilated and jaggy. via the PC, the image is crystal clear, though.

I never thought about buying manual fan controllers. Are they that helpful? There is a button inside my case that sets all fans to minimum, medium and max. I always leave it at medium.

Oh, and what heavy tasks do you use your PC for? gaming, HD movies?

PS. when I upgrade in another year or so, I'll be getting a BD burner. That is the cheapest backup for me. oh, yeah :)
Sounds like your case has a built in fan controller. Fan controllers can help by allowing you to adjust the RPMs of each fan to move the proper amount of air (you don't want too much coming in or not enough going out) while keeping the volume tolerable.

Gaming, HD movies, audio and video work (minor), folding, the pure fun of working on high tech equipment, etc...

That depends if the blank Blu-ray media drops in price enough. You can get a 160 GB HDD for $40.00. That's the price for just 2 blank Blu-ray discs.

By then flash media will be just as cheaper, if not cheaper.


Oh nice, looks like you did more research than me :)

I really wanted that processor for my 3D rendered, but ended up with... hmm i cant remember which one it is... Quadcore something. I was around the next thing down from the i7, which had just come out.
Sounds like a Core 2 Quad Q8000/Q9000 series.

Not a bad CPU for those not wanting to move to X58 motherboards and DDR3 yet.



Ah, yeah. Sorry, I thought it was the same thing.

Viper, when you set it up, you have to post a benchmark or Crysis demo performance or something to make us jealous. lol.

I am really curious when will Crysis (or the Crysis Wars) will ever play with at least 30fps with everything on max- and I do mean every single option.
If there is a demo for Crysis Wars, go with that one since it is more optimized.
Even if the scaler is bad, you can route through the PC with the right GPU or Tuner card and have it do the work instead.

I've read from the reviews that many have hooked up their gaming consoles directly already with great results.

I'll definitely post benchmarks.
3Dmark 01, 03, 05, 06, Vantage.
PCMark ^
PassMark.
CineBench.
Prime95.
Everest.
SuperPi.
Sandra.
Call of Juarez.
Crysis.

Maybe Linpack and Lapack while I'm at it.

[Garfunkel]

Z, a monitor is a screen that doesn't have a tuner. If a monitor does have a tuner, than it is a TV.

[Dralor]

Speaking of monitors I can't wait till OLED monitors start to hit the market.

[Garfunkel]

I can't wait till your organs hit the market.

[Z]

Speaking of monitors I can't wait till OLED monitors start to hit the market.

They already have. (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&productId=8198552921665327724) You mean when will it get affordable. I think it won't be till two years...

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/03/Sony_OLED_Review_3.jpg

More pic. (http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/03/sony_xel1_oled_tv_review_verdict_small_on_size_lar ge_on_beauty-2.html)

[Garfunkel]

pretty useless when the stand is of regular size, unless hung from a wall.

[iSDK]

Balls, man that i7 will be sweet.

[Dralor]

Yeah but it;s only an 11 inch a small odd res and still costs $2500 I was thinking more like 5 till it gets near the LCD price range and overall quality of the builds.

[Z]

Yup, but it's a start. Plasma and LCD had rough starts as well. It may take OLED longer than 2 years to hit the mass market. I wonder how far is laser TV- if at all feasible?

PS. I'll be buying a proper +40" HDTV later on, can I use it as a PC monitor? the res will be 1080p, but I am worried that it'll be a drag to use it as a main PC monitor.

[Garfunkel]

I personally hate TVs as monitors, but that's just me.

[Z]

why? picture quality, the hassle of switching between TV and PC modes, what?

I know it 'works', but I want to know if it is practical and easy to do. I could save the price of a monitor for something else.

[Smokey]

They already have. (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&productId=8198552921665327724) You mean when will it get affordable. I think it won't be till two years...

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/03/Sony_OLED_Review_3.jpg

More pic. (http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/03/sony_xel1_oled_tv_review_verdict_small_on_size_lar ge_on_beauty-2.html)

Screen Size (measured diagonally) : 11"

lol

[Garfunkel]

why? picture quality, the hassle of switching between TV and PC modes, what?

I know it 'works', but I want to know if it is practical and easy to do. I could save the price of a monitor for something else.

I would much rather the higher resolution and DPI of a standard monitor.

[JasonXe]

i be afriad that i would break it. Where do the plugs go in that t.v?

[Smokey]

must be in the base i reckon, you mean the baby one hey?

[Z]

check the link to see images from the back.

[Viper]

Oh hey, it's the new screen for the PSP2.

j/k.

[Z]

I think there are cell phones that use OLED, but I am not %100 certain. I could swear I read about some at CES.

Man, your 4870 price is tempting. I paid more than that for my 8800.

must...resist... >_<'

[Dralor]

Yeah there are a few not many though

[Smokey]

yeah ive seen a few with oled screens, some new nokias & such

[Z]

do any of the 'standard' GPUs, like the 280 and 4870, accept video in or do i have to buy a one of those tuner/TV cards?

[Dralor]

The ATI's used to be all in wonder for tv input I'm not sure anymore but yes you have to find one with an input not all of them have it.

[Z]

Even if I just wat audio/video in and not all that TV tuner, tivo and all that jazz?

Oh well, I guess I'll buy a cheap eBay plug-in dongle later on. I need to back up some old VHS tapes anyway.

[Dralor]

Yeah I could use one right about now as my tv broke:(

[Viper]

The ATI's used to be all in wonder for tv input I'm not sure anymore but yes you have to find one with an input not all of them have it.
ATi still sells AIW's though they are based on the HD3650 and not the HD4xxx series.

http://ati.amd.com/products/aiwhd/specs.html
Even if I just wat audio/video in and not all that TV tuner, tivo and all that jazz?

Oh well, I guess I'll buy a cheap eBay plug-in dongle later on. I need to back up some old VHS tapes anyway.Try these. USB audio/video in and capture.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380047%201685342852&name=Editing%20%26%20Capture

[Chris Metal]

ahh 24" monitors... thats what I work with here. Heavenly, once used and abused you don't go back :P

[Smokey]

are they black :susp:

[iSDK]

are they black :susp:

My 22" Samsung ToC is...