PC Hardware Thread: Now With 100% More Folding!

[oliveira8]

The last time I tried upgrading my computer it sort of exploded.

Memorable experience I bet? ^^

 

[Horticulture]

Updated with some parts I helped a value-conscious friend pick for a budget build. Who says PC gaming has to be expensive?

 

[oliveira8]

Updated with some parts I helped a value-conscious friend pick for a budget build. Who says PC gaming has to be expensive?

PC haters. thats who.

 

[Lord Krunk]

Hey, I'm building a new computer here and I need some help with the case.

I was planning to get an Antec 900 until the Antec 902 came out; should I fork out the extra cash and why?

 

[oliveira8]

Hey, I'm building a new computer here and I need some help with the case.

I was planning to get an Antec 900 until the Antec 902 came out; should I fork out the extra cash and why?

How much extra cash we talking about?

 

[zlic]

I had to build something which would pay itself off by rendering complex architectural visualizations [without burning out] and got myself a:

Intel Core2Quad 6600 2.4 Ghz with 8 mb L2 cash [OC 2.7 Ghz]
Thermaltake V2 cooler
Chieftec midi case tower
Asus P5N32-SLI mobo
2x2 Gb Kingston DDR2 @ 800 Mhz with Cooler Master's cooper armor [OC 900 Mhz]
Gainward nVidia 9600 GT with 512 DDR3
2x WD hdd 160 GB SATA2 in RAID 0 + 1x WD 500 GB SATA2
LG DVD/DL Burner ATA [leftover from the old PC]
Chieftec power supply 650W with modular cables and thermal/electrical shock protection

This thing is 1 and a half years old and has survived: several 10 day renderings where CPU was constantly at 100% [all 4 cores 24/7], uncountable shorter render sessions, major gaming when not rendering [including Crysis and similar], severe OC experimentation, one strong earthquake and power fluctuations which are common in my neighborhood. It's still fully operational and in great shape lol.

So the point is: don't save on power supply and don't save on cooling systems! Everything else will come in time And do try to put it all in a case that resembles heavily armored APC

Cheers!

 

[Lord Krunk]

Hey, I'm building a new computer here and I need some help with the case.

I was planning to get an Antec 900 until the Antec 902 came out; should I fork out the extra cash and why?

How much extra cash we talking about?

$20 Australian.

 

[oliveira8]

Hey, I'm building a new computer here and I need some help with the case.

I was planning to get an Antec 900 until the Antec 902 came out; should I fork out the extra cash and why?

How much extra cash we talking about?

$20 Australian.

Not much...unless $20 australians are very hard to earn.

 

[Horticulture]

Hey, I'm building a new computer here and I need some help with the case.

I was planning to get an Antec 900 until the Antec 902 came out; should I fork out the extra cash and why?

How much extra cash we talking about?

$20 Australian.

There's not a big difference between the cases aside from appearance. I'd save the $20, despite the better looks of the 902 (my opinion, of course).

 

[ntomlin63]

A great processor for overclocking is the Core 2 Q6600 Quad core. It's real cheap now thanks to the i7's. Rosewill also makes great PSU. Patriot has good Ram.
My system specs
Cpu: Q6600 Quad core Intel
Gpu: Two SLIed 8800gt 512mb PNY
Ram: 4gb Patriot Dual channel DDR2
Psu: Rosewill 750w
HDD: I forget 500gb (Probably Seagate or WD)
ODD: DVD+R DL
Case: Apevia

What kinda price is this system and how would it be for playing MMORPGs?

 

[Lord Krunk]

Hey, I'm building a new computer here and I need some help with the case.

I was planning to get an Antec 900 until the Antec 902 came out; should I fork out the extra cash and why?

How much extra cash we talking about?

$20 Australian.

Not much...unless $20 australians are very hard to earn.

At the moment, it's about $10 US.

Hey, I'm building a new computer here and I need some help with the case.

I was planning to get an Antec 900 until the Antec 902 came out; should I fork out the extra cash and why?

How much extra cash we talking about?

$20 Australian.

There's not a big difference between the cases aside from appearance. I'd save the $20, despite the better looks of the 902 (my opinion, of course).

Fair enough.

 

[Horticulture]

Builds updated.

 

[Horticulture]

Hey guys, I heard this thread [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.105715?p=1#1855493] got updated! Better check it out!

 

[Horticulture]

A great processor for overclocking is the Core 2 Q6600 Quad core. It's real cheap now thanks to the i7's. Rosewill also makes great PSU. Patriot has good Ram.
My system specs
Cpu: Q6600 Quad core Intel
Gpu: Two SLIed 8800gt 512mb PNY
Ram: 4gb Patriot Dual channel DDR2
Psu: Rosewill 750w
HDD: I forget 500gb (Probably Seagate or WD)
ODD: DVD+R DL
Case: Apevia

What kinda price is this system and how would it be for playing MMORPGs?

Sorry for missing your question 'til now. If you're still wondering, that exact build would run something like $900, and can handle any MMORPG around maxed out with ease. The mid-range build in the OP with this video card [http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150359] will perform a little better in all areas for about $750.

 

[Lord Krunk]

Just wondering if anyone could help me out with my own computer issues; my (nearly) new job has suddenly done redundancies and I don't think I'll be having a halfway decent job for a while.

So...

Being Australian, your charts are pretty useless to me (newegg doesn't ship to us), so can you use this [http://www.msy.com.au/Parts/PARTS.pdf] chart to help me build a good AUS$1000 computer? MSY, being wholesalers, are pretty much the best prices around here.

Thanks for the help, it's appreciated.

 

[Liverandbacon]

Horticulture any chance of making a hardcore build to go along the one you posted in OP?

Of course, it's up top.

Hehe thanks!

Thought the price gap would be much bigger. There goes the theory that you need to fork out $8000 dollars PC to play the lattest games...

Exactly. Anyone who's spending that much money is doing it wrong. Eggo was completely right when he claimed that ~$2000 (USD) should be the top end of a PC's price. My PC cost almost exactly $2000 (including the 24" monitor), and almost 5 months later, it's still destroying every game I can throw at it on max settings. Of course, self building helped the price down quite a bit, and is so easy everyone who has time and a screwdriver should do it.

 

[Horticulture]

Just wondering if anyone could help me out with my own computer issues; my (nearly) new job has suddenly done redundancies and I don't think I'll be having a halfway decent job for a while.

So...

Being Australian, your charts are pretty useless to me (newegg doesn't ship to us), so can you use this [http://www.msy.com.au/Parts/PARTS.pdf] chart to help me build a good AUS$1000 computer? MSY, being wholesalers, are pretty much the best prices around here.

Thanks for the help, it's appreciated.

Every time I shop abroad, I remember why I like living in the US, those prices are ludicrous.

Here's what I came up with:
CPU: Intel e7400: $183
Motherboard: Gigabyte Intel UD3R: $187 The other Gigabyte P45s/P43s are fine but smaller (harder to work with IMO)
GPU: Powercolor 4870 1 gb $300
RAM: G. Skill or Kingston 800: 4gb $67
Case: Antec 300 $107
PSU: Seasonic 550+ $125
HDD: Seagate 500gb $86
DVD: Any SATA (I like Lite-On) $28

Comes out just under $1100, no monitor, no OS, and no peripherals. If you absolutely need to save every last dollar, switch the motherboard for the Gigabyte EP43 UD3L and the case and PSU for the Antec Sonata III combo. That'll shave off about 30 bucks.

Edit: the prices aren't really so bad, I thought the AUD was worth more. Not a bad haul for ~$750 US.

 

[Lord Krunk]

Just wondering if anyone could help me out with my own computer issues; my (nearly) new job has suddenly done redundancies and I don't think I'll be having a halfway decent job for a while.

So...

Being Australian, your charts are pretty useless to me (newegg doesn't ship to us), so can you use this [http://www.msy.com.au/Parts/PARTS.pdf] chart to help me build a good AUS$1000 computer? MSY, being wholesalers, are pretty much the best prices around here.

Thanks for the help, it's appreciated.

Every time I shop abroad, I remember why I like living in the US, those prices are ludicrous.

Here's what I came up with:
CPU: Intel e7400: $183
Motherboard: Gigabyte Intel UD3R: $187 The other Gigabyte P45s/P43s are fine but smaller (harder to work with IMO)
GPU: Powercolor 4870 1 gb $300
RAM: G. Skill or Kingston 800: 4gb $67
Case: Antec 300 $107
PSU: Seasonic 550+ $125
HDD: Seagate 500gb $86
DVD: Any SATA (I like Lite-On) $28

Comes out just under $1100, no monitor, no OS, and no peripherals. If you absolutely need to save every last dollar, switch the motherboard for the Gigabyte EP43 UD3L and the case and PSU for the Antec Sonata III combo. That'll shave off about 30 bucks.

Edit: the prices aren't really so bad, I thought the AUD was worth more. Not a bad haul for ~$750 US.

I'll remember this; thank you very much.

By the way, how well do you think this will run? How long do you think it will last me for (with regards to gaming)?

 

[Horticulture]

I'll remember this; thank you very much.

Of course, good luck with your build.

By the way, how well do you think this will run? How long do you think it will last me for (with regards to gaming)?

Out of the box, those parts are a hair faster than the machine I'm running, which runs everything I play (UT3, CoH, DoW2, COD4, everything Source, FO3, Crysis) maxed at 1920x1200. I do have to turn off anti-aliasing on Crysis , so performance will be stellar, though it depends on the exact games you like to play.

Regarding lifespan, I doubt you'll even have to turn settings down for at least a year. Plus, oveclocking that processor is trivial and should get you into the mid-3 gHz range without any additional cooling for added lifespan.