New gaming Rig needed longevityPost Date: 2012-03-09 |
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Tybaz 
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Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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 Topic: New gaming Rig needed longevityPosted: 09 Mar 2012 at 11:42am |
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Sorry for my spelling. I do not spell well. It is frankly atrocious.
Budget: 2400.00 preferably 2200-2300 Expectations: I wont be able to upgrade or get a new computer for about 7 years after i buy this. I am looking for the most power and longest lasting hardware combination I can. I usually prefer AMD over Intel. I want liquid cooling as I live somewhere where heat is an issue. I also have 3 cats so dust is an issue as well. I want 2 video cards and either a 6 or 8 core processor. gaming and video rendering/recording live game play simultaneously Usage: highest performance in game play and server running while recording video of game play, very cool and no overclock if shortening system lifespan Ticket Number: 663836 Total Price with Instant Savings: $2,399.00 Specifications: Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Cooler Master 942 HAF X Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: AMD Bulldozer FX-8120 Zambezi (3.1GHz) (8 Core) (8 MB Cache) AM3+ Socket Motherboard: ASUS Sabertooth 990FX (AMD 990FX Chipset) (SATA 6 and USB 3.0) (Socket AM3+) System Memory: 16GB DDR3 2133MHz Corsair Vengeance (High-Performance) <b></b> Power Supply: 1050W Corsair Pro Silver 1050HX (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible) <b></b> Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (500GB Seagate Barracuda (7200 RPM) (16MB Cache) Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x) Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card: 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB (Includes PhysX Tech) (EVGA 012-P3-1571-BR) <b></b> Add-on Card: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: H20: Stage 2: Corsair H100 Liquid CPU Cooler (240mm Radiator) (Extreme-Performance Edition) <b></b> H20 Tube Color:Blue Tubing with High-Performance Fluid (UV Lighting Reactive) <b></b> Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans Internal Lighting: - No Thanks Enhancements: - No Thanks Chassis Mods: - No Thanks Noise Reduction: - No Thanks LaserMark: - No Thanks Boost Processor: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my processor <b></b> Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s) Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory Boost OS: FREE: Yes, Disable and tweak all of the non-crucial services on the operating system <b></b> Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-Bit Edition) <b></b> Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows 7 CD) Virus Protection: - No Thanks Office: - No Thanks Game: - No Thanks Display: - No Thanks Surge Shield: - No Thanks Speakers: - No Thanks Keyboard: Razer Arctosa Gaming Keyboard (USB) (RZ03-00260800-R3U1) <b></b> Mouse: - No Thanks External Storage: - No Thanks Exclusive T-Shirt: - No Thanks Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 5-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty other: It will be a moth or 2 before I will actually buy this and Would like input on if there is a way to do this better. Any and all advice is appreciated. Sincerely Andrew. |
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Tybaz
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Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 12:37pm |
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if you want to know my monitor is a toshiba 21", i like that size monitor but not sure if 1600X1200 is best resolution.
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Tybaz
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Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 12:46pm |
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I said i prefered AMD, but i am not opposed to intel or nvidia.
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bprat22
DS ELITE 
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 12:52pm |
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Hi Tybaz...Welcome to the forums...I'm going out on a limb here, because I never did much research or experience with AMD. But the testing I have seen, from many sources, shows the 8 core Bulldozer to be inferior to the 4 core I7-2600k. This is in gaming, video rendering, recording, i-tunes, etc. Why the 8 core is like that I can't say. Where it does do better is only a very small amount. Alot of the testing shows the Bulldozer 8120 falling in between the i5-2500k and i7-2600k.
That being said, and AMD folk might slam me  if you changed your config to the i7-2600K with P8z68 -vpro/gen 3 and lowered RAM clock to 1600MHZ you'd have a great rig for your needs.Also, go to Stage 2 overclock, the chip and cooling can handle it with ease and DS will do it right for longevity. Your sli 570's are right on as is the psu. The H100 cooler is great but for reliabilty the D14 air cooler is great especially with the i7-2600k chip. D14 is quieter than H100 on medium and high The H100 is not true liquid cooling, but a closed loop system that takes up less room than D14. The D14 will cool just as weel if not bettr. As far as dust and hair, the HafX case has filterd intake fans. I found when I moved the rig to a desktop the cats never bothered it.  For heavy video rendering the new X79 quad channel mobo and 6 core i7-3930k chip would be great but another $1000 over your budget. See what you think and let's us know. Good Luck. Here's one of the links I used for my comments http://www.overclockers.com/amd-fx-8150-bulldozer-processor-review Check it out and see if I'm right or all wet. Edited by bprat22 - 09 Mar 2012 at 1:19pm |
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Tybaz
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Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 1:42pm |
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I looked over the build you reccomended and just could not swing it with in my budget. I noticed that the liquid i have selected and the air cooling you suggestede are priced the same. I'll see what others have to say about which cooling is better to get second opinions. I may be able to negotiate for the cost of the overclock with my wife, but i really pushed the envelope as is. Building the same machine with the i7 was about 220 more. thanks again. I am taking it under advisement and may use it any ways depending on discussion with my wife.
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 1:49pm |
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Another option for your budget is to look at the ODE level 3, It has the same performance as what I suggested with your build. The custom is more because of case, psu, and cooler upgrade. The ODE3 is one of DS's best deals.
Edited by bprat22 - 09 Mar 2012 at 1:50pm |
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FrankW
DS Veteran 
Joined: 22 Feb 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2254 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 2:55pm |
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Hi Tybaz,
Bprat22 gave you some good advise. The 2600K CPU runs cool and you can use the H20 100 or air. No matter how you cut it the air coolers are more reliable and easier to work on. The H20 is a closed loop system and if it leaks it is all done. With the air coolers there are two fans and then are the only thing to fail. The fans are easy to change if one ever fails. In regards to your comments about heat. It makes no difference what kind of cooling you use. You have to have a reasonable room temperature in order to cool your computer. It doesn't make any difference if it is LC or air. Both systems use the ambient room temperature to cool the computer. Hot rood temps equal hot computer. How hot does it get in your computer room? Here is a gaming system that will do the job for you. You should also look at the ODE-3 system. It meets your price and includes a SSD. Frank Configuration: 663901 Cost: $2279 Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Cooler Master 942 HAF X Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: Intel Core i7 2600K 3.40GHz (Unlocked CPU for Extreme Overclocking) (Quad Core) Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 (Intel Z68 Chipset) (Features Intel Quick Sync Technology) System Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested) Power Supply: 800W Corsair GS (Dual SLI Compatible) Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (1TB Western Digital Caviar (7200 RPM) (Model: Black Edition) Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x) Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card: 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB (Includes PhysX Tech) (EVGA 012-P3-1571-BR) Add-on Card: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Phanteks PH-TC14PE Extreme Performance H20 Tube Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans Internal Lighting: - No Thanks Enhancements: - No Thanks Chassis Mods: - No Thanks Noise Reduction: - No Thanks LaserMark: - No Thanks Boost Processor: Stage 2: Overclock CPU 4.5GHz to 4.8GHz (Requires Pro or Deluxe Series Motherboard) Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s) Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory Boost OS: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows 7 CD) Virus Protection: - No Thanks Office: - No Thanks Game: - No Thanks Display: - No Thanks Surge Shield: - No Thanks Speakers: - No Thanks Keyboard: - No Thanks Mouse: - No Thanks External Storage: - No Thanks Exclusive T-Shirt: - No Thanks Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 5-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty Edited by FrankW - 09 Mar 2012 at 2:56pm |
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Tybaz
Newbie
Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 3:46pm |
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Bprat and Frank thank you for the suggestions. I agree with the air vs liquid cool, especially if a problem should arise. The air cooling makes more sense for longevity. I was curious about OS. I have heard that the win7 ultimate is best for gaming but you have both suggested systems with win7 home. Is there a significant difference or am I just wasting money going for the ultimate edition? I also did look up the ODE3 spec. Its a great computer,something I will concider. It's just red and white, both colors are displeasing to my asthetic taste. I was thinking if the operating system choice is truly just a vanity thing, then I may be able to get the build i originally had with the better intel setup for around the price I had for the AMD version. I also was curious about the ram. Bprat you suggested I got with the 1600MHz speed, over the 2300MHz, does it matter if I go with the DS approved vs the corsair or is that just paying extra for the name? This would also help me streamline my power for budget if I am just being over sensitive.
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Tybaz
Newbie
Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 3:51pm |
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Thanks for the info on room temp affecting cooling, that was something I thought fluid cooling ignored. I have my comp in the living room with lots of space around it for better air flow. Only its rear is against a wall. I figure that my room environment will run from about 70-85 deg. F on average. Peaking at 100 deg. F on extreme days. I live in LA so heat will always be present.
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Tybaz
Newbie
Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:03pm |
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One question about the ODE3 rig. It only has an 800watt ps, Will that hurt the performance of the sli 570's?
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Tybaz
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Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:09pm |
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Here is a modified version of what i originally posted. Will this mutitask Diablo 3 full settings or close to full while recording video of game play? And would this alos work for video editing effectively?
Ticket Number: 663936 Total Price with Instant Savings: $2,411.00 Specifications: Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Cooler Master 942 HAF X Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: Intel Core i7 2600K 3.40GHz (Unlocked CPU for Extreme Overclocking) (Quad Core) Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 (Intel Z68 Chipset) (Features Intel Quick Sync Technology) System Memory: 16GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested) <b></b> Power Supply: 1050W Corsair Pro Silver 1050HX (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible) <b></b> Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (500GB Seagate Barracuda (7200 RPM) (16MB Cache) Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x) Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card: 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB (Includes PhysX Tech) (EVGA 012-P3-1571-BR) <b></b> Add-on Card: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 Extreme Performance <b></b> H20 Tube Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans Internal Lighting: - No Thanks Enhancements: - No Thanks Chassis Mods: - No Thanks Noise Reduction: - No Thanks LaserMark: - No Thanks Boost Processor: Stage 2: Overclock CPU 4.5GHz to 4.8GHz (Requires Pro or Deluxe Series Motherboard) <b></b> Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s) Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory Boost OS: FREE: Yes, Disable and tweak all of the non-crucial services on the operating system <b></b> Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows 7 CD) Virus Protection: - No Thanks Office: - No Thanks Game: - No Thanks Display: - No Thanks Surge Shield: - No Thanks Speakers: - No Thanks Keyboard: Logitech Media Combo MK200 Keyboard and Mouse <b></b> Mouse: - No Thanks External Storage: - No Thanks Exclusive T-Shirt: FREE: Digital Storm T-Shirt - Black (Extra Large) <b></b> Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 5-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty |
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FrankW
DS Veteran
Joined: 22 Feb 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2254 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:10pm |
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Hi Tybaz,
1. You won't beat the performance of the ODE-1 for the money. 2. The only reason to get the ultimate is to use foreign languages. It will game no better than the Pro or Home. The Home has a limit of 16Gb of memory so if you think you will ever need more than that you should get the Pro. We suggested the Home version because your budget is tight. The Pro is my choice but it cost $32 more than the home. 3. There is no performance difference that you can detect with the 2300Mhz memory. You are just wasting your money. Same with the Corsair memory. They all give the same performance and no reason to pay for a name. DS test their memory and it has never been a problem. 4. You will have a problem with those room temps. These are gaming computers and the CPU and the GPUs generate a lot of heat. You have to have cooler ambient heat in order to remove it from the computer. We try not to have the room temp much over 75. My computer room runs 78 in the summer. The important thing is what the temps of your CPU and GPU run under load. That will tell you if you are getting enough cooling. You will have to stop gaming on the hottest days. Frank |
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Tybaz
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Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:20pm |
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i believe you are right Frank. Going with the prebuilt ODE3 may be best. I just worried about the psu because most configs with the dual sli 570's run the 1050 psu. Also only having 8 gig memory seems low from the longevity point of view. I figure I am incorrect, but the over all output and longevity is a concern. I dont know what I will do about the heat as I live in an apartment. Myu comp is right below the air conditioner, but even at max it is hard to get the ambient below 75 deg. F on a medium hot day.I do know that gaming comps generate a ton of heat. I used my old, and sadly dead comp I built from scratch, as a space heater while living on the Oregon coast. Thanks again for all the advice.
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:27pm |
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The 800w psu is a compromise but will be fine, otherwise DS wouldn't t use it. They don't want problems either. 8gb of ram is all gaming can use plus adding ram down the road is easy. If in doubt, up your warranty to 5 year labor/ 3 year parts and let DS worry about it.
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Tybaz
Newbie
Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:28pm |
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updated rig specs for what I hope to get:
Ticket Number: 663944 Total Price with Instant Savings: $2,443.00 Specifications: Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Cooler Master 942 HAF X Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: Intel Core i7 2600K 3.40GHz (Unlocked CPU for Extreme Overclocking) (Quad Core) Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 (Intel Z68 Chipset) (Features Intel Quick Sync Technology) System Memory: 16GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested) Power Supply: 1050W Corsair Pro Silver 1050HX (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible) Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (500GB Seagate Barracuda (7200 RPM) (16MB Cache) Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x) Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card: 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB (Includes PhysX Tech) (EVGA 012-P3-1571-BR) Add-on Card: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 Extreme Performance H20 Tube Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans Internal Lighting: - No Thanks Enhancements: - No Thanks Chassis Mods: - No Thanks Noise Reduction: - No Thanks LaserMark: - No Thanks Boost Processor: Stage 2: Overclock CPU 4.5GHz to 4.8GHz (Requires Pro or Deluxe Series Motherboard) Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s) Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory Boost OS: FREE: Yes, Disable and tweak all of the non-crucial services on the operating system Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit Edition) <b></b> Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows 7 CD) Virus Protection: - No Thanks Office: - No Thanks Game: - No Thanks Display: - No Thanks Surge Shield: - No Thanks Speakers: - No Thanks Keyboard: Logitech Media Combo MK200 Keyboard and Mouse Mouse: - No Thanks External Storage: - No Thanks Exclusive T-Shirt: FREE: Digital Storm T-Shirt - Black (Extra Large) Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 5-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty |
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Tybaz
Newbie
Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:30pm |
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bprat22, thanks I may revise yet again for the 8 gig over 16 gig.
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FrankW
DS Veteran
Joined: 22 Feb 2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2254 |
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Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:31pm |
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Tybaz,
We gave DS a hard time about the 800w PS on the ODE-1. They felt from their own test that it was plenty for SLI 570 GPUs. They even warranted that particular PS for 5 years. So I don't have any problem recommending it for the ODE and similar builds. Now the problem with the 800 is it may not have enough headroom for dual 580s or other top of the line new GPUs. As long as you use a monitor with a 1920 x 1080 resolution you won't have a problem using a 570 equivalent GPU with that power supply unless they go crazy on power requirements with new releases. You don't need 8 gig of memory for gaming. No reason for you to go 16 unless you use it for other work. Frank Edited by FrankW - 09 Mar 2012 at 4:34pm |
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 4:41pm |
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Tybaz....your latest build is right on.......quality parts. If you want, drop the ram to 8gb like ya said and up the warranty. Being an old time service Rep, warranty is my thing, but only on pc's. And you remembered the free t- shirt.
Edited by bprat22 - 09 Mar 2012 at 4:43pm |
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