Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: TheBug on September 19, 2011, 11:50:37 AM
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It has been a long time since I have put together my own rig and a lot has changed just since I bought my current Dell 5 yrs ago so I was looking for opinions on a rig I am about to pull the trigger on and purchase. I based a lot of the stuff upon things I read in this forum (especially Silver's new rig) since AH is the main thing I use my PC for.
I am looking to replace my 5yr old Pentium 4. It stills get a pretty decent frame-rate (at low graphic settings of course) until I get into an area with a big furball(especially with GVs around), then it drops and I get stutters that really makes the game not enjoyable for me to play. So I am hoping with this new system to be able to up the eye candy and have a smoother frame-rate. The components below after the rebates come to around $1120.00 That is towards the hi-side of what I was budgeting so I can't really make too many changes that increases the price. But I also don't want to save a couple bucks just to incur a bunch of headaches with a cheaper component.
So with the extent of my knowledge coming from reading this forum, Newegg reviews and a little bit on Tom's Hardware I would really appreciate some opinions on whether or not the choices I made are good ones.
Thanks! :salute
COOLER MASTER Storm Scout SGC-2000-KKN1-GP Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Model #:SGC-2000-KKN1-GP
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119196 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119196)
ASUS P8P67 (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
Model #:P8P67 (REV 3.0)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131705 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131705)
XFX HD-685X-ZNDC Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Model #:HD-685X-ZNDC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150516 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150516)
OCZ ZS Series OCZ-ZS750W 750W ATX12V v2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Performance Power ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341049 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341049)Model #:OCZ-ZS750W
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
Model #:BX80623I52500K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072)
Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Model #:CT064M4SSD2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148441 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148441)
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD7502AAEX 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Model #:WD7502AAEX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136794 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136794)
Acer S201HLbd Black 20" 5ms LED-Backlight LCD monitor
Model #:ET.DS1HP.001
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009256 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009256)
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
Model #:DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Model #:GFC-02050
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nice picks bug.
i do have one caution, peformance wise the intel x58 southbridge though released in 2008, is still superior to every intel chipset that has been released since except in the area of thermal power requirements. and if you like asus motherboards, this one will rock:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131665 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131665)
technical data
http://ark.intel.com/ (http://ark.intel.com/)
i don't generally use wikipedia as a source but, in this case the charts are somewhat complete and easily cross referenced.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets)
supposedly the successor to the x58 is due out later this year, the x79. no technical details about the performance specs as yet.
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Thanks Gyrene.
Ok that is the stuff that has my head spinning, x58, p67, z68, ..... Too many choices these days. :headscratch:
But looking at the board you posted doesn't that also change the socket type, which would force me to have to go an i7? That combined would probably get me in trouble with the wife. :furious
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:huh errr...wife ack? i didn't even think about that, but ya you're right... :uhoh forgot about the high price on those bloomfield cpu's... :O
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One thing I'd look at is reducing the monitor response time to 2 ms which can easily be done and I'd look to do it in a 22" monitor.
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I have this mobo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130574 it has great sound an oc genie that will oc to 4.1 with the push of a button.. the bios is easy to navigate too.
I have the same ram too. I paid twice as much 6 months ago. I would get another 8 gigs just in case not that you would need it http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231429.
you basically have my system. except for the vc
semp
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Looks like a nice rig. The crucial ssd has gone up since I bought mine. I paid 89.99 for it. Also be wary of the "mail in rebates" from newegg. Several of my components were supposed to come with them and NONE of them had it. Here is the basic difference in the boards if i remember correctly from my research:
H67: first Mb out for the sandy bridge cpu, has on board video but little to no oc capabilities
P67: No on board video but extremely overclockable (my choice since I am buying a dedicated Video card anyway I would not use the on board, plus its cheaper)
Z68: Best of both worlds with on board video, overclockable, and has SSD cache capabilities
All new mobos you buy now for the sandy bridge are going to be B3. Dont let some of the marketing fool you. B3 is a correction to early problems on the mobos early this year but every mobo now is B3. My asrock doesnt list B3 anywhere on newegg but it Has a B3 label right on the Mobo itself. If you are planning to OC you may want to upgrade your cpu cooler. The cooler master hyper 212+ does a great job and is only $29 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065
I had OC'd mine to 4.6ghz using the auto asrock oc uefi utility and running a stress test I barely hit 70*c on one of the cores (for some reason my #3 core runs about 8*c hotter than the other 3). I am running the pc back at stock clock speeds now though as I have no reason to OC and the cpu has "turbo boost" which will run at 3.7ghz under full load but as little as 1.6ghz at idle/no load and I think I barely hit 50*c on a stress test. Usually for everyday use I sit around 29-35*c. It seems to me OC'ing is just to see who can push their cpu the farthest to post a higher benchmark score on the web. Kinda pointless in my opinion. Good luck with your build. Looks like a solid setup to me.
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Bug, I would avoid that PSU. According to this page at Tom's Hardware (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/psu-manufacturer-oem,2729-8.html), that UL number (E243823) is OEM'd by some company called "Impervio." OCZ is merely an importer of PSUs, and does no engineering on them.
Based on comments in here by Skuzzy, when I built my machine last year I bought a SeaSonic (see "PC components" link in signature, below).
:salute
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Thanks for the help guys! :salute
I had considered both the MB you have semp and SilverZ, bought I found this Asus which seems pretty close and was a little cheaper.
I was also thinking of adding that CPU cooler just in case I do any OC'ing, but wasn't really planning on it initially.
Thanks for the heads-up on the PS Bino, I will look into other options. That Seasonic might be a bit of of my price range though.
Hoping to have everything locked down, so I can place the order this weekend.
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you are spending a lot of money on that puter. a bad power supply can fry it. I would reconsider the power supply and get one from a reliable company. a suggestion would be for now to forget the ssd and use the money to buy a quality power supply. you can always add the ssd later as your budget allows. i would also upgrade the monitor to at least a 23 inch. not sure where you live, but I would also get a monitor from a local store like bestbuy where if I dont like it I can return it just as easy. you may pay a few bucks more, but it's just insurance.
semp
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I hear ya and you and Bino are right. I've dropped that PS and looking into a more reliable one. Might be able to squeeze the 23" monitor in too, but even 20" will be a step up from what I have now.
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Might be able to squeeze the 23" monitor in too, but even 20" will be a step up from what I have now.
Is your current monitor widescreen or good old 4/3? If you have the latter, I'd like to remind you, that a 20" 16/9 widescreen may have fewer dots vertically than a 17" 4/3 one.
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Bug, FYI:
Here's a Seasonic PSU (850 watts, 40 amps) for $117, delivered...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151100 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151100)
(special offer, ends today)
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Not sure which model it is but my current monitor is an old Dell 17" CRT, not wide-screen. SO I guess 4:3?? Not that I can claim to know anything about the ratios. :)
Decided upon the feedback to step up to a 23" Acer:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009255
Not ready to spend the cash just yet, so I'm gonna pass on that Seasonic special, but was considering switching the PSU to a Corsair:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009
Regarding the CPU fan that SilverZ mentions, is that a necessity or will I be ok using the stock fan as long as I don't OC. Figure I can always add it later if I go down OC'ing.
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Stock fan will be fine for stock speeds, and probably fine for a very mild over clock. If you want to go crazy on the overclock you will want a better cooler. I just did the cooler at the same time as the build so I didn't have to mess with cleaning and reapplying the thermal paste off of the cpu and it is only $30 plus it looks impressive :aok. If you are on a tight budget skip the cooler for now.
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Heya Bug,
you could change your PC Case choice to the following :
Thermaltake V9 BlacX Edition with Docking Station (NewEgg Exclusive) SECC / Mesh ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133183
and save initial cost difference of $15.00 cheaper than the coolerMaster you picked out. then save an additional $25.00 on mail-in rebate
this case offers USB 3.0 on the fron panel as well as docking stations for HD/SSD on top built-in
this would save you some money yet allow you to have more features to use
as for the Windows 7 Home Premium, If you could find a relative or if you or someone in your household has an email address through a school ( grade school, tech center, college ) you can get Windows 7 Professional ( either / or 32 bit & 64 bit versions ) from the Microsoft Store for right around $29.99 downloaded ( you can spend an additional $14.99 to have a DVD disc mailed to you )
that is a big savings in itself than buying it retail anywhere..... that Microsoft Online Store for students/teachers etc did not have an expiration date on that special price......
hope this helps
TC
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Looks like a nice rig. The crucial ssd has gone up since I bought mine. I paid 89.99 for it. Also be wary of the "mail in rebates" from newegg. Several of my components were supposed to come with them and NONE of them had it.
SilverZ06,
log in to your Newegg account, go to the bottom of the page and click on order history.
you will see order numbers for each new egg order you have placed. now click on the plus symbol and when it expands, it should shw you a pdf link for mail-in rebates for any items you may have purchased that had a rebate
print copy / open / print these PDF files out and follow the mail-in rebate instructions to the T
all the different manufacturer's have differing time limits on how long you have to mail it in, and have different guidelines on how to go about getting your rebate.
very few of the rebates will come back in a check form..... most will be like a $10 / $15 / $25 etc.... debitcard from visa or mastercard, these days
hope this helps
TC
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Thanks for the tips TC!
As for the student Windows, it is an upgrade. So on the new build would I have to first install XP, then download and install the upgrade? Not sure I want to go through that hassle or would be able to move my current Dell installed XP??
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yes it is an upgrade, but it will work as a full fresh install
at least it has in the past, by AH Players on these boards posting about it without having to install an older OS or anything then upgrading to it
that is why I posted about getting the DVD for the extra $14.99 fee, so you can do it ( well, I did not explain this clearly earlier....... if you do the download, you have to go through and burn an iso image to disc to make it work properly )
TC
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Ah, thanks again! I will look into it.
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Not ready to spend the cash just yet, so I'm gonna pass on that Seasonic special, but was considering switching the PSU to a Corsair:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009
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I cannot make out the UL listing number on the label of that one, but it might be OEM'd for Corsair by SeaSonic. Some of theirs are.
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SilverZ06,
log in to your Newegg account, go to the bottom of the page and click on order history.
you will see order numbers for each new egg order you have placed. now click on the plus symbol and when it expands, it should shw you a pdf link for mail-in rebates for any items you may have purchased that had a rebate
print copy / open / print these PDF files out and follow the mail-in rebate instructions to the T
all the different manufacturer's have differing time limits on how long you have to mail it in, and have different guidelines on how to go about getting your rebate.
very few of the rebates will come back in a check form..... most will be like a $10 / $15 / $25 etc.... debitcard from visa or mastercard, these days
hope this helps
TC
I did all of that and nothing shows up as having a rebate. I know for a fact a few items had them at the time i ordered. My video card was supposed to be 259 after rebate but no rebate on my order. Oh well it is what it is I guess.
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I did all of that and nothing shows up as having a rebate. I know for a fact a few items had them at the time i ordered. My video card was supposed to be 259 after rebate but no rebate on my order. Oh well it is what it is I guess.
oops, my bad
you need to be at this link, after you have logged into your account:
https://secure.newegg.com/NewMyAccount/ProductReviews.aspx
you get to it by clicking the Products purchased on the left of the page, after you click on order history
they do not show up on your order history ( invoices / order numbers ) .......
hope this helps
TC
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oops, my bad
you need to be at this link, after you have logged into your account:
https://secure.newegg.com/NewMyAccount/ProductReviews.aspx
you get to it by clicking the Products purchased on the left of the page, after you click on order history
they do not show up on your order history ( invoices / order numbers ) .......
hope this helps
TC
woo hoo that worked! thanks TC send me your paypal address, 1 month is on me. You've helped me tremendously through out my build. :aok :salute
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Ok I ordered everything last night, with a couple changes.
I decided to with the Asrock MB that SilverZ has in his rig. So I can blame him if I have issues. :) Just kidding.
I went with the Corsair PSU but the version 1 TX850, which going by the chart Bino mentioned it was made by Seasonic.
I also changed the monitor to the 23" Acer, but one with 2ms response time instead of 5ms.
I ordered the Windows 7 upgrade that TC recommended (including the DVD) but noticed when I received the download links you can now download a .iso version. I'm assuming that can then be burned straight to a DVD so you can avoid trying to make an iso image from the .box 3 file download. I don't know if that is true or not but it may negate the need to order a backup disc if you have a DVD burner.
Hopefully will have it up and running this weekend( I'm sure I will have installation questions), can't wait to try AH with some eye candy finally turned on.
Thanks for the help guys.
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I ordered the Windows 7 upgrade that TC recommended (including the DVD) but noticed when I received the download links you can now download a .iso version. I'm assuming that can then be burned straight to a DVD so you can avoid trying to make an iso image from the .box 3 file download. I don't know if that is true or not but it may negate the need to order a backup disc if you have a DVD burner.
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Bug, when you put that ISO file onto a disk, make sure you use some kind of DVD-burning software. Just using Windows to copy the file will not create a usable DVD. And no, don't ask me how I know this. ;)
Enjoy your new toy! :aok
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I just installed a Corsair TX850 in my machine when my PCP&C 750 died on me recently. Good choice.