Beast Arrived SafelyPost Date: 2009-02-18 |
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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Below is the review that I submitted today 2/24:
After spending nearly a year reading the various forums of differentcomputer builders, I settled on buying my dream machine from Digital Storm.The main reason was the demonstrated service and post-sale commitment. Inaddition, they have an excellent 3 year real warranty on everything even ontheir overclocking.I noticed frustration and disappointment in the other forums by those thathad spent thousands of dollars only to get computers that just didn't workright and then be stuck without the support they needed to get the systemsoperational.With Digital Storm it is a totally different buying experience. From thefirst time they are contacted or you post your dream sheet on their forum,you will get updated with advice and suggestions from the many residentforum gurus and the Digital Storm professionals. The forum is a family ofsatisfied customers that are energetically helping each other optimize theirdream machines or help new folks on their own journey to a cost effectivegaming solution. I ordered my dream machine on 30 Jan and it arrived safe and sound on 18Feb. It is an incredible feeling to be able to have instant applicationloads and intense total immersion gaming experiences.My beast is an i7 920 OC to 3.59GHz from 2.66Ghz, V8 air cooler, 6GB ofCorsair Dominator 1333Mhz RAM, 1KW Corsair PS, 300GB Velociraptor, 500GB WD,EVGA x58 MB, GTX 295 GPU, Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty Champion with FP I/O, redchassis lighting, Vista 64 Premium, and a HP w2408h Vivid Color Widescreenmonitor.Just can't get any better than this! I would never have waited this long toget my dream machine if I would have realized how dramatic a change it is tobe able to play everything maxed out at 1920 X 1200 resolution. Withheadphones on, the 3D effect is extremely intense along with the killergraphics.Enough of a review, time to get back to Crysis Warhead & Call of Duty Worldat War!
End of review posted 2/24
Here are some pictures of the beast for you guys on the forum. I also have a picture of my 13 year old grandson Ricky behind my dream machine. I think I am going to have to share the new computer.
![]() Order progression - Ordered Friday evening 1/30:
Stage 1 1/31
Stage 2 2/2
Stage 3 2/3
Stage 4 2/3
Stage 5 2/3
Stage 5 2/5 "Got a second Stage 5 with new ship estimate"
Stage 6 2/10
Stage 7 2/11
Shipped 2/12
The CPUID & CPU-Z were at idle.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Edited by Alex - 17 Jun 2013 at 3:25pm |
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Kryhavoc ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 26 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 362 |
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Yay! Let me know how that Fatality sound card works for ya!
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DST4ME ![]() DS ELITE ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36760 |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() put the pc under load then after a few minutes check cpu-z |
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Mathew57 ![]() Newbie ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13 |
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Grats Onkel_Ken looks like Fex was careful with your rig.
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bullseyehk ![]() Groupie ![]() Joined: 08 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 212 |
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nice looking rig and kid but pssst clean the floor vents and thats not shag carpet is it?
![]() ![]() Edited by bullseyehk - 19 Feb 2009 at 12:55am |
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Samael ![]() Groupie ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 26 Nov 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 488 |
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Awesome OK, post some benches when you can, its absolutely awesome!!!
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Why do they blame me for all their little failings? They use my name as if I spent my entire day sitting on their shoulders, forcing them to commit acts they would otherwise find repulsive - Lucifer
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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Posted an idle cpuid & cpu-z. If I am reading it correctly, I have a 3.591 Ghz OC beast on V8 air. I am extremely happy with my new dream machine!!!
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DST4ME ![]() DS ELITE ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36760 |
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post both CPU-z and hwmonitor while PC is under load Onkel_Ken, if you have speed step you won't see your full speed till its under load.
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Valross ![]() Newbie ![]() ![]() Joined: 04 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 33 |
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how exactly can you see what your CPU has been overclocked to?
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DST4ME ![]() DS ELITE ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36760 |
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well under load you check what cpuz is showing your core speed at.
you can also check the bios |
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Valross ![]() Newbie ![]() ![]() Joined: 04 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 33 |
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hmmm...well is it from a different tab on cpuz then what Onkel's screenshot is showing? Or am I just missing it?
Edit: I think I see it now, duh...is it where it says Core Speed: 3591MHz? I was temporarily blind. Edited by Valross - 19 Feb 2009 at 10:52pm |
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DST4ME ![]() DS ELITE ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36760 |
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is that what it says under load?
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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I used the trial version of Mark 3D and submitted the results at the top with the other pictures. I don't know if it was good, bad, or just OK.
![]() Edited by Onkel_Ken - 19 Feb 2009 at 11:33pm |
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Hammer ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 147 |
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Sweet computer! Epic win and I'm sure you just banked a TON of cool points with your Grandson. He's probably brimming with envy.
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BillDempsey ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399 |
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I'm so jealous Ken! Mine is still having heat problems and is probably going back for rebuild.
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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Bill,
I had read about your issues a few minutes ago. I have been extremely lucky. I had a sound board problem and called and talked to Sarah this evening and she helped me resolve the driver issue in 5 minutes. I am extremely happy with my purchase.
I am still thinking that whatever shook your machine enough to cause the air bubble has left your CPU socket in a condition that even reseating the V8 isn't allowing the proper seating or whatever to allow proper heat exhaustion from the CPU.
I am starting to think that sending it back is the best advice but I know how difficult it would be to be without the machine for that length of time. In the earlier post you had with DS they talked about sending a replacement or whatever. Maybe the answer is to have them do something like that if possible. You have done everything to remedy the situation yourself that others would have never attempted. The cool thing would be to unclock your machine so that it runs and you can get work done and then have DS send you a machine to swap with yours. It wouldn't hurt to talk to Alex and see what can be worked out. I know you need to get this machine in business to do your work.
I know that DS has done right by me and many others based upon the posts I have read. They must know that you are a technical savy person and that you have done your very best to be accommodating considering the situation.
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scaner ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 285 |
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Nice rig and PIC,on pic i see you have one card but on cpuid show you have 2 GPU? 295.??
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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295 is effectively 2 GPUs on the same card. By the way, DS just got a bunch in if you are ready to order your own beast!
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scaner ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 285 |
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I have my beast from DS last desember..Like it...
![]() ![]() Edited by scaner - 20 Feb 2009 at 11:19pm |
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GTO - Cooler Master HAF 932 Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz/oc 3.4 (1333MHz FSB)
(12MB Cache) NVIDIA 780i Core 2 Quad Chipset: nForce 780i SLI Vista64/Samsung 2233BW NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1GB |
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Tonyrone99 ![]() Newbie ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 27 |
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Ken, on your sound card do you find it cumbersome to have to switch to each mode by your front panel rather than having the ability to adjust them via software?
![]() This is how your X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Series looks, right? ETA: Nice system man...looks huge! Cool kid there, and he looks eager to get started too! Edited by Tonyrone99 - 22 Feb 2009 at 1:03am |
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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Tonyrone99,
The front panel was just a extra toy I bought. Everything is switchable by software and the panel is just for those of us that like knobs for the mike & headphone volume controls and some RCA jacks for recording stuff without adapters.
You can buy the same soundboard without the panel and it works exactly the same but you use the software panel instead. If you don't want the panel it is $28 cheaper and is called the "professional" instead of the "Champion".
Some folks like me over 55 like the old fashioned volume controls and buttons for some reason. The HAF 932 has it own front panel at the top with USB, Firewall, SATA, mike & headphone jacks. I knew I wanted the mike & Headphone jacks in the front but the HAF932 already has this. So I really didn't need the extra mike & headphone jacks.
Getting the extra panel might have been just a frill but I like the way it looks and I use the volume controls all the time. You can also use the software volume controls as well as any that may be on your keyboard etc. They all control the same thing. I find myself pushing the mode buttons all the time to compare sound during game play and listening to CDs.
Another example of getting a frill was that I got 2 Lightscribe DVD writers. I just wanted both drives which operate the same and use the same instructions. Wasted a little money that way but it is what I wanted.
By the way, if you get the internal media reader like I did, 2 of the 4 USBs in front on the top HAF 932 case will be disabled since the media reader uses one of the connections. But you get one of the USB ports back since the media reader has one on it. Plus there is a ton of USB ports on back.
What I like about Digital Storm is that you can customize your machine exactly the way you want it. You will get advice and suggestions from folks on the forum or from DS but it is your machine and you can build it exactly the way that you want it.
Sometimes you want something just because it looks cool or makes the beast seem more ferocious. The red neon light and see through side panel on the HAF 932 has to be seen to be truly appreciated. I love the HAF 932. Sounds a little like a box fan but I know it has great air flow, looks like a military piece of equipment, and looks like it has room enough to put twice as much stuff in it than what I ordered. Edited by Onkel_Ken - 22 Feb 2009 at 8:07am |
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Kryhavoc ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 26 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 362 |
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Seeing that side panel with the glowing light made me realize something. I had been contemplating buying a Saitek keyboard so I could see my keys, but since my computer sits on my right on the desk, I can use that light to see the keyboard!
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Tonyrone99 ![]() Newbie ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 27 |
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Thanks for that thorough info. Ken! The front panel access is one of the reasons I chose that card too! In addition to the superb sound, I was also won over by the memory features that it has. Some say that this extra memory can help increase game performance speed as well .
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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For what it is worth, I have added a picture at the top of my computing desk with the beast and the old Dell still in service for doing the minor stuff. The old computer will be used for reading email as well as being the computer for kid's homework etc. The beast is for games and other cool intensive stuff.
Edited by Onkel_Ken - 22 Feb 2009 at 6:47pm |
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BillDempsey ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399 |
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Yeah, I did everything I could think of and I'm finally throwing in the towel. I told Alex to tell me what I should get in order to get quiet, stable, and fast. I guess I'm doubting the choices I made the first time around. They said it was a good configuration, but man it sure has been a headache since opening the box. I hope the next one restores my faith completely. LOL After seeing your system, I went online to research that HAF 932 case you got. Wow, that is one sweet case. I saw that hole for making it easier to attach CPU coolers and realized that would have saved me many hours this week. You have three 230mm fans on yours right? Front, side, top? The specs say those fans are actually very quiet. Are they? |
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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Bill,
Actually it sounds like a box fan. It has the three 230 mm fans on top, front, and side as well as a smaller 140 mm exhaust fan in the rear. It is not loud but a box fan best describes the sound. It definitely keeps the stuff cool. I did some fractal image calculations that ran the CPU up to 100% and it would warm up to around 60 C then within seconds drop back down to around 40 C at idle when I stopped zooming in.
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DST4ME ![]() DS ELITE ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36760 |
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I tell people all the time that the HAF is a great case, just like bill I did my homework and then asked DS if they could carry it and sure enough they did. love HAF and love DS for carrying it.
![]() bill I hope you get your PC back to you exactly how you always wanted it ![]() Edited by DST4ME - 22 Feb 2009 at 5:30pm |
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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One almost has to see and hear a HAF 932 configuration with a GTX 295 & V8 to judge the sound levels. It reminds me of how a piece of professional computing equipment sounds. But as I said a box fan on moderate setting is a good comparison to what it sounds like.
I love the military/commercial look and it simply sounds like what something built like a tank would be. It definitely has no trouble keeping everything nice and cool.
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Valross ![]() Newbie ![]() ![]() Joined: 04 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 33 |
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Bill,
Sorry to hear about your computer problems but I would still love to see some pictures of your system if it's still around. Was really curious to see how it looked. And did they add the extra case fans? (the ones on top and the one by the HD bays) I read if you on newegg if you just buy the case those fans are optional and don't come with it.
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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I went ahead and ran Prime 3.0 to see how I
would do:
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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At the top of this thread I posted the review I submitted today to R E S E L L E R R A T I N G S.
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DST4ME ![]() DS ELITE ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36760 |
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That is hell of a review
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BillDempsey ![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399 |
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Nice job Ken! Good review!
It's looking like I will have my new machine in about 10 days. I can't wait! ![]() |
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Onkel_Ken ![]() DS Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2962 |
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After all these years the system is still a beast! Just added a EVGA Titan SC and it now it games silky smooth again. The DS systems last for years and then are user upgradable to keep them in top gaming form!!!
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DomTheBomb ![]() Groupie ![]() ![]() ![]() Joined: 19 May 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 314 |
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Awesome reading your original review after reading your recent posts about your new Titan.
Just goes to show that when you get a high quality system built by a great company you get great gaming for years ![]() |
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DS x17, 1 Year 5 Months
i7 3720QM (2.6GHz/3.6GHz) 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 Nvidia GTX 680M 4GB 240GB Intel 520 SSD Windows 8.1 Pro |
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