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My future PC.


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So I've got a summer hospital gig with a $2100 stipend, and I plan to use that money to get me a new computer! (To play Sacred 2 better, among other things). I even got a 1000W power supply for future 5870 crossfiring :lol:

 

Edit: Forgot to add that sadly I won't get my stipend until the end of summer, sigh.

 

This is $1545 with shipping and tax (from Cyberpower):

 

* *BASE_PRICE: [+2915]

* BUNDLE: None

* BLUETOOTH: None

* CD: Sony 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive [-66] (BLACK COLOR)

* CD2: None

* CAS: * CoolerMaster Storm Sniper Mid-Tower Gaming Case [+46] (Original Color)

* CASUPGRADE: None

* CS_FAN: Default case fans

* CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-930 2.80 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1366 [-800]

* CARE1: Ultra Enhanced Packaging Solution - Protect Your Dream System During Transit [+19]

* CARE2: CoolerMaster Thermal Fusion 400 Extreme Performance CPU - Thermal Compound Optimized for Thermal Dissipation [+10]

* CARE3: Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]

* FLOPPY: None

* FREEBIE_CU: FREE Game: Just Cause 2

* FAN: Xigmatek Dark Knight-S1283V Gaming CPU Cooling Fan (Double layer H.D.T. technology for maximum cooling) [+7]

* FREEBIE_RM: None

* FREEBIE_MB: None

* FA_HDD: None

* FLASHMEDIA: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)

* HDD: 640GB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [-153] (Single Hard Drive)

* HDD2: None [-122]

* IEEE_CARD: None

* KEYBOARD: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard

* MOUSE: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse

* MONITOR: None

* MONITOR2: None

* MB_ADDON: None

* MEMORY: 6GB (2GBx3) DDR3/1600MHz Triple Channel Memory Module [-327] (Kingston HyperX [-6])

* MULTIVIEW: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors

* MOTHERBOARD: (3-Way SLI Support) GigaByte GA-EX58-UD4P Intel X58 Express Chipset SLI/CrossFireX Ultra Durable™3 Mainboard Triple-Channel DDR3/1600 ATX Mainboard w/ 7.1 Audio, GbLAN, USB2.0, SATA-II, RAID, IEEE1394a, 3 Gen2 PCIe, 1 PCIe X4, 1 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI [-7]

* MODEM: None

* NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network

* OS: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit Edition)

* OVERCLOCK: No Overclocking

* POWERSUPPLY: 1000 Watts Power Supplies [+49] (* CoolerMaster Silent Pro [+47])

* PRINTER: None

* PRINTER_CABLE: None

* RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS

* SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT

* SPEAKERS: None

* SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

* TEMP: None

* TVRC: None

* USB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports

* USBHD: None

* USBFLASH: None

* USBX: None

* VIDEO: ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [DirectX 11 Support] [-73] (Major Brand Powered by ATI)

* VIDEO2: None

* VIDEO3: None

* VC_PHYSX: None

* WNC: None

* _PRICE: (+1558)

* _view_: d

Edited by cloudblade70
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I just priced out this system and Newegg.com and it looks like you found a good deal. this stuff is a little higher end but you have to build it yourself. And there is no GFX Card here so you gotta add a few more $Bucks$ for that.

 

Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Model #:Nine Hundred Two

Item #:N82E16811129058

Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy

In Stock

Mail in Rebate

$139.95 -$30.00 Instant $109.95

 

 

Update

 

ASUS Rampage III Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Model #:Rampage III Extreme

Item #:N82E16813131642

Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy

In Stock

$379.99 $379.99

 

 

Update

 

COOLER MASTER Silent Pro RSA00-AMBAJ3-US 1000W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.92 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active ...

Model #:RSA00-AMBAJ3-US

Item #:N82E16817171049

Return Policy:Standard Return Policy

In Stock

$209.99 -$40.00 Instant $169.99

 

 

Update

 

Intel Core i7-930 Bloomfield 2.8GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Model BX80601930

Model #:BX80601930

Item #:N82E16819115225

Return Policy:CPU Replacement Only Return Policy

In Stock

$288.99 $288.99

 

 

Update

 

CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX4GX3M2A1600C9

Model #:CMX4GX3M2A1600C9

Item #:N82E16820145260

Return Policy:Memory Standard Return Policy

In Stock

$119.99 $119.99

 

 

Update

 

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Model #:WD1001FALS

Item #:N82E16822136284

Return Policy:Standard Return Policy

In Stock

$109.99 -$10.00 Instant $99.99

 

 

Update

 

LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer Black SATA Model iHAS424-98 LightScribe Support

Model #:iHAS424-98

Item #:N82E16827106335

Return Policy:Standard Return Policy

In Stock

$28.99 $28.99

 

 

Update

 

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM

Model #:GFC-00599

Item #:N82E16832116754

Return Policy:Software Standard Return Policy

In Stock

$99.99 $99.99

 

 

Update

 

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM

Model #:AS5-3.5G

Item #:N82E16835100007

Return Policy:Consumable Item Refund Only Return Policy

In Stock

$9.99 $9.99

 

 

Update

 

Thermaltake SpinQ Performance Series cooler with ultra-lightweight aluminum and six heatpipes CL-P0466 CPU Cooler

Model #:CL-P0466

Item #:N82E16835106123

Return Policy:Standard Return Policy

In Stock

$52.99 $52.99

Subtotal: $1,360.86

Select All - Select None

Add To Cart Delete

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Grrrrrreat news!

The comp sounds like a monster. More power for Sacred 2!

 

Don't worry, summer always goes by super fast...before you know it you and our gang will be takin down Guardians together!

 

:dance:

 

gogo

 

p.s. gig with hospital? stipend? :o

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And actually it's not bad that you cannot game in the summer... I mean, with the warm weather and girls in bikini's and all :P

 

Nice comp dude :P

Edited by Timotheus
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Thanks for the support, guys!

 

I already have my new monitor ready for this computer! It came today, so I'm currently using it as an external monitor for my laptop and as a monitor for my PS3. I have to mention Uncharted 2 looks absolutely GORGEOUS on this compared to the teeny 15" SD TV I was using before :P

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16824236075

Edited by cloudblade70
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I wish! I just had two exams, one yesterday and one today, in Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, so I'm pretty exhausted. Probably going to sleep extra early.

 

Yeah, I'm a first year medical student, and the summer between M1 and M2 is the last real summer break we have. I only have 8 weeks, and I'm spending 6 of them doing a Neurosurgery internship at the Westchester Medical Center, which is the teaching hospital affiliated with my medical school.

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Bravo for the studies! And on top of that , you still find the time to come here and have some fun with the gang.

 

I wish you well with your studies! Are you looking to be a GP or specialize? My cousin's finishing his last year Mcgill now, and it was patch adams (yes, even the movie with Robin Williams ^^ ) that he says held him together for the people he wants to help.

 

:P

 

gogo

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Bravo for the studies! And on top of that , you still find the time to come here and have some fun with the gang.

 

I wish you well with your studies! Are you looking to be a GP or specialize? My cousin's finishing his last year Mcgill now, and it was patch adams (yes, even the movie with Robin Williams ^^ ) that he says held him together for the people he wants to help.

 

:P

 

gogo

 

Congrats to your cousin! I wish I could fast forward 3 years.

 

It's still kind of early to choose, but hopefully my summer will let me know if Neurosurgery is right for me or not. I've also been thinking a lot lately about Emergency Medicine (2 weeks of intense work shifts, then 2 weeks off --> LOTS of time to do other things) or Trauma Surgery. I've also been planning with a close friend to do Doctors Without Borders and to go around the world a few years after graduating med school, maybe after finishing residency?

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  • 5 months later...

Hey guys, I've been gone from the forum for a few months. Beginning of second year was busier than I thought it would be. So I never ended up buying this computer. BUT, I have spent some time over the past few days planning my own build. I will probably buy this tonight, let me know what you guys think! I will finally be able to play NWN2 and Sacred2 like they were meant to be played - MAXED!

 

I should add that I don't plan on OC/CF, and I don't feel like waiting for the AMD HD69xx cards, so this is pretty damn good for what's out there right now.

 

neweggfinal.jpg

Edited by cloudblade70
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Kev! wow, I just caught this post.. great seeing you back on the boards mate...and accompanied by this beast :P

 

Did you get it? Does Sacred 2 finally acquiesce to your graphix wishes?

 

:o

 

gogo

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Kev! wow, I just caught this post.. great seeing you back on the boards mate...and accompanied by this beast :twitch:

 

Did you get it? Does Sacred 2 finally acquiesce to your graphix wishes?

 

:viking:

 

gogo

 

Thanks! I bought the parts on Newegg last night, so I'm hoping it will arrive by Saturday. I have two huge exams next Thursday, but I want to build it this weekend hopefully so I can get it off my mind and then focus on studying :)

 

I've never built a computer before, but I have 2~3 tech savvy friends here who are willing to help me. They want me to do the work though while they watch, to make it a learning experience for me. I'll post pics when it's done, assuming all parts are functioning and I don't zap anything!

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Kev! wow, I just caught this post.. great seeing you back on the boards mate...and accompanied by this beast :oooo:

 

Did you get it? Does Sacred 2 finally acquiesce to your graphix wishes?

 

:(

 

gogo

 

Thanks! I bought the parts on Newegg last night, so I'm hoping it will arrive by Saturday. I have two huge exams next Thursday, but I want to build it this weekend hopefully so I can get it off my mind and then focus on studying :)

 

I've never built a computer before, but I have 2~3 tech savvy friends here who are willing to help me. They want me to do the work though while they watch, to make it a learning experience for me. I'll post pics when it's done, assuming all parts are functioning and I don't zap anything!

 

There are several good guides on Maximum PC's web site to building a system from scratch. Check them out as they give good tips and traps to look for when putting a system together. I had my killer system built by Origin. They are the same guys that started Alienware but left to start Origin when Dell bought Alienware.

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So it's been assembled, typing on it now :P

 

Everything was smooth sailing up until I put the power plug in. The comp kept on getting stuck on the intro BIOS screen and kept rebooting ad infinitum, wasn't recognizing the keyboard/mouse for more than a second. Took us an hour of troubleshooting to figure out what the heck was going on. Turns out that one of the 3 sticks of RAM was defective, we tested them 1 by 1. So...now I'm only running with 4gb, will be calling Newegg on Monday so they can sort this out. I heard they are good with this kind of customer service, so I am not too worried. Did a little test run on NWN2, maxed all settings and turned all advanced graphics on, and running at a smooth 40~45, which is a miracle for that game, haha. Downloading Sacred2 from my DLGamer account now :)

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So it's been assembled, typing on it now :P

 

Everything was smooth sailing up until I put the power plug in. The comp kept on getting stuck on the intro BIOS screen and kept rebooting ad infinitum, wasn't recognizing the keyboard/mouse for more than a second. Took us an hour of troubleshooting to figure out what the heck was going on. Turns out that one of the 3 sticks of RAM was defective, we tested them 1 by 1. So...now I'm only running with 4gb, will be calling Newegg on Monday so they can sort this out. I heard they are good with this kind of customer service, so I am not too worried. Did a little test run on NWN2, maxed all settings and turned all advanced graphics on, and running at a smooth 40~45, which is a miracle for that game, haha. Downloading Sacred2 from my DLGamer account now :sick:

 

All that's left to say is welcome and enjoy!

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  • 3 months later...

Well, I have been thinking about getting a PC for a while now (2-3 years) but I've come to realize that I really have no idea about this stuff anymore. When I was in highschool, I had an old PC from my parents' work, which I upgraded myself a few times (changed ram/put in a newfangled 3.5" drive, etc) but I abandoned it before going to university (too outdated) and I haven't required one since. In the past 18 years, it is amazing how much PC's haven't really changed. But now that I have been wrapping my organic CPU around the idea of building a mechanical one, I do feel a little lost. I was very happy to find this thread, only a couple of months removed; so the tech seems "current", the prices are in-line with what I have been looking at, etc. but I would like some advice/input/direction from anyone willing to offer it.

What I am looking for: Well, I am not sure if the best way to describe it would be a "gaming rig" because I really don't plan on that being the primary use, but it will have to play the RPG-type games that I prefer :). Mostly, it's gotta do the "typical" stuff like photos/movies/music etc.

Internet will be a "non-issue"... only dial-up will be a viable option for now, I don't get cellular reception where I live, and the satellite systems are getting more expensive in the past couple of years rather than getting cheaper!

 

Direct Questions that I have:

I assume I have to "match" motherboard and chipset (ie LGA 1155, etc)

Is it a good idea to go "all-out" and get best motherboard/chipset and save some $$ on the rest, and upgrade video/sound/media as needed/as tech advances, or to just go middle-ground on it all to start.

Do I need to avoid certain brands, or brand-interactions?

Windows? Which version? I've never really used anything else (since it came out...) but I have no issues figuring out another O/S.

 

I do have someone who will be putting it all together for me to start (never done that). But I do need to tell him what I want, which I thought would be easy until I started looking into it with some detail.

:Just_Cuz_21:

TY in advance!

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I would not go all out for the most expensive on anything. typically unless the newest has some new technology that you are craving it is not worth the expense. I would suggest buying the one step below the best. this is usually the best bang for the buck.

 

Money spent wisely that most people don't do is on the Case and cooling system. The newer processors and memory and video cards run Hot! So make sure you spend the extra few dollars for a good case. that will support all the gear you want.

 

So for some RPGing, Movies, music, Photos, just about anything will do. Make sure you have at least 500Gb of hard drive space as the movies and photos can end up using quite a bit.

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Money spent wisely that most people don't do is on the Case and cooling system. The newer processors and memory and video cards run Hot! So make sure you spend the extra few dollars for a good case. that will support all the gear you want.

 

+1 to that, also, the PSU, dont cheap out on the power supply, when it comes to powering all of your equipment you don't want a crappy little PSU in your case which can struggles along to blow out at any minute and take everything with it.

 

Also, if you are looking into the new processors from Intel, the sandy bridge ones, there has been a huge issue with part of the motherboard for those processors resulting in apparently up to $700million of losses to intel through recalling chipsets and stuff like that (Thats for the 1155 cpus/motherboards and yes, you do need to match the cpu to the right socket motherboard).

 

Other than that, I would simply suggest go with windows 7 for your OS.

 

Also worth noting, AMD processors are often considered for bang-for-your-buck/gaming builds because for their lower price you can afford a better graphics card which is what will increase your gaming performance. When it comes to what you should buy though I think that first you should pick a budget, then decide what the pc is mostly going to be used for and then you can tailor the expenditure to your needs, also, dont forget the cost of extras like Microsoft Office/speakers/keyboard/mouse if you dont have them/need them.

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I do calculations all the time, because:


  •  
  • power is more expensive on countryside
  • internet is still no broadband- so it may be switched on 24 hours a day if someone sent high definition birthday videos as email
  • a tree may hit the power line so big lead accumalators have to buffer till the diesel emergency power supply starts, and it has to supply all electric stuff in whole house
  • the kids room under the roof will be extremely hot if such a computer is running in summer
  • ...

 

If I imagine that we parents, the au pair girl and the kids each would have such a beast and use the computer just 3 hours a day:

 

1000W *8 people in family, everyone 3 hours at computer a day, so total 24 hours a day 365 days a year, 20cent per kWh

so 365*24*.2 = 1752 euro a year for the power it eats

Or if you use a computer each day for 3 hours that are around 220Euro per year, 440Euro for 6 hours a day and 660 Euro for 9 hours, ...

 

I fear I have to buy a way bigger diesel engine for my emergency power supply when all the kids want a computer.

Okay, you take the 1000W power supply to have reserves, but still, ...

 

So what is the record for a minimal computer able to play sacred2? Must be smaller than the 36W on our barebone. What would you choose if you would be forced to stay below 100W worst case?

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I do calculations all the time, because:


  •  
  • power is more expensive on countryside
  • internet is still no broadband- so it may be switched on 24 hours a day if someone sent high definition birthday videos as email
  • a tree may hit the power line so big lead accumalators have to buffer till the diesel emergency power supply starts, and it has to supply all electric stuff in whole house
  • the kids room under the roof will be extremely hot if such a computer is running in summer
  • ...

 

If I imagine that we parents, the au pair girl and the kids each would have such a beast and use the computer just 3 hours a day:

 

1000W *8 people in family, everyone 3 hours at computer a day, so total 24 hours a day 365 days a year, 20cent per kWh

so 365*24*.2 = 1752 euro a year for the power it eats

Or if you use a computer each day for 3 hours that are around 220Euro per year, 440Euro for 6 hours a day and 660 Euro for 9 hours, ...

 

I fear I have to buy a way bigger diesel engine for my emergency power supply when all the kids want a computer.

Okay, you take the 1000W power supply to have reserves, but still, ...

 

So what is the record for a minimal computer able to play sacred2? Must be smaller than the 36W on our barebone. What would you choose if you would be forced to stay below 100W worst case?

 

Er.. 36 watts..? I'd say you'd be very hard pressed finding anything that'd run Sacred 2 with that small amount of power. 360 watts, maybe. Unless you're talking about a laptop, that is.

 

Now then... There are equations for figuring out how big a power supply you'd need and it's based on the chip, the motherboard, the video card and how many hard drives (and what kind of drives), DVD burners, etc... you have or are planning on putting in. Many power supply makers even offer a power supply calculator that let you dynamically tweak things so you can figure out how big a power supply you'd need.

 

Going by the bare minimum needed to run Sacred 2 - based on the official system requirements, it'd likely be a 285 Watt PSU.

Edited by wolfie2kX
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Awesome stuff, fellas! Many thanks :)

 

Case, cooling and power supply I really didn't know about, was going to get the cheapest on those, so that was very good info.

 

Will avoid "sandy bridge / 1155" setups, for sure. I still haven't done any "consumer-report" type investigating but I will do that after I settle on the setup I will use.

 

My budget is just about in-line with Cloudblade's, ~ $1000 +/- 25%, plus monitor. I hadn't considered AMD processors, but I will definitely reconsider.

 

Countryside living... ahhhh it is the good life, that is for sure. I'm not so budget concious as to consider the power applications, but definitely no high-speed internet for now. Dial-up is pretty much flat-rate, so I don't have to worry about the 5-7 days it will take to download Sacred 2 :4rofl:

 

Once again, TY's for the relies!

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