Future-safe PC - Need Advice & AnswersPost Date: 2012-10-27 |
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bawaji 
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Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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 Topic: Future-safe PC - Need Advice & AnswersPosted: 27 Oct 2012 at 10:20am |
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My old Pentium 4 PC finally died after 9 years of service. Instead of attempting to spend more time and money trying to fix it, I have decided it is time to buy a new PC and be more in tune with the present technology!
Budget:
I have a budget of approx. $1500 which I can come close to by leaving out hard drives and purchasing the cheapest video card. I plan to replace these in the future when I can put more money into the system.
Expectations:
Future-safe, i.e. it should meet requirements for at least 5 years, if not more. Of course, I hope it runs without any issues at all for a much longer time, which is the reason for choosing Digital Storm!
Usage:
Gaming, photo and video editing, browsing, Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, streaming movies to PS3. I would also like to use this to archive all my DVD and Blu Ray movies – I recently found out that a few of my irreplaceable media discs are damaged enough by the elements to make them unplayable.
Special needs:
For use at home where the temperature may not always be below 72F. A quiet computer will be ideal, though not a diehard requirement. Should also be easily upgradeable.
Purchase time:
Immediate.
Below is the configuration I have selected along with my reasoning, right or wrong. I would appreciate it if you would correct me, and advise me on the choices, especially on the Power Supply, Memory, Hard Drives and CPU Cooler.
Configuration:
Ticket Number: 743749 Total Price: $1,555.00
Specifications:
Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Corsair Carbide 400R
Mid-Tower case with front USB 3.0 ports. I would have preferred the Cooler Master HAF XM if it was available.
Processor: Intel Core i7 3770K 3.50 GHz (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core)
Fastest over-clockable 4-core 8-thread Ivy Bridge processor available to ensure it will not be obsolete too quickly.
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V DELUXE (Intel Z77 Chipset) (Higher Overclocks and Unique Wi-Fi Features)
More USB ports in the back for peripherals, extra Ethernet port, sufficient number of SATA3 ports, good reviews, includes thunderbolt header which could be useful in the future.
System Memory: 16GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Assume I need more memory for video editing and AutoCAD. Is 8GB plenty or should I go with 16GB?
Power Supply: 750W Corsair HX (Dual SLI Compatible)
Chose this over the 800w Corsair GS since the 750w HS is listed to have higher efficiency. Does this really matter? Should I go with the cheaper 800w GS instead? I figured the higher efficiency power supply would result in lesser heat generation.
Hard Drives - No Thanks
I plan to use my old hard drives (I have several ranging from 200GB to 500GB) from my dead PC until I can afford to replace them with a single high-capacity drive. Will having an SSD for the OS really help me that much?
Optical Drive 1: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Did not choose a Blu-Ray drive since it apparently doesn’t come with movie viewing software. Am I wrong?
Video Card: 1x NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 1GB (Includes PhysX Technology)
Chose the cheapest card so I can keep near budget for now. I plan to evaluate which needs are not met from running the PC for a few months and then purchase a better video card later when I can afford one.
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 1: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (High Performance Cooler)
This is based on a few articles I have read that the temperatures when using this cooler are not significantly higher than the other listed coolers. Please let me know if I am making a mistake here and should go in for one of the liquid coolers.
Boost Processor: Stage 2: Overclock CPU 4.5GHz to 4.8GHz (Requires Pro/Deluxe/Sabertooth Motherboard)
This is just to give more headroom for the future so I can run the processor at higher clock speeds rather than having to replace it. Also, it appears to me this may help identify if there is any problem with the processor since it is being tested at higher clock speeds. Please let me know if I am totally wrong and whether I should leave this option out.
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit Edition)
Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows 7 CD)
Keyboard: Logitech Media Combo MK200 Keyboard and Mouse
Mouse: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully processed
Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty
This is another area of concern for me since I am not purchasing a hard drive. Is there anything that would not be covered and would make sense for me to shell out the money for a hard drive? Of course, I don’t expect my drives to be covered but I hope everything not related to the hard drive is.
Stress-Testing: Life Strict 72-hour stress-testing and benchmarking to ensure rock solid stable operation
Will all the stress testing be performed that would be if I had purchased a hard drive? Once again, I want to be sure that not purchasing the hard drives does not result in delivery of a possibly lower quality system.
Thanks for your patience in reading the above and looking forward to receiving your suggestions and advice. It has been a really long time since I have purchased a computer and I do not want to overlook something obvious or make an uninformed choice. I have read only good things about Digital Storm and look forward to purchasing my next system from them.
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bprat22
DS ELITE 
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!) 
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 27 Oct 2012 at 10:55am |
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Hi bawaji... Welcome to the forums.
You picked some quality components like the 3770k chip and Deluxe mob and 16GB ram. But, there are a couple of issues. I don't believe DS will send you a build without a HDD. They need it for loading the Win7 or 8 OS and to run testing. So I put in the cheapest drive. Also, I don't think DS will use the Hyper 212 for a stage 2 oc. They'll want the Noctua D14 or Vortex 240. Check with them because I could be wrong. And, if you want the HafX then I say go for it. The case is the one thing you look at day after day and will last for years. Not the XM but this is a nice case. Here's a build to check out. Config # 743804 Cost $1839 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 3770K 3.50 GHz (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core) Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V DELUXE (Intel Z77 Chipset) (Higher Overclocks and Unique Wi-Fi Features) System Memory: 16GB 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 (500GB Western Digital/Seagate/Hitachi/Samsung (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: 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB (Includes PhysX) Add-on Card: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 1: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (High Performance Cooler) 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 1: Overclock CPU 4.0GHz to 4.4GHz 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 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty This is way over your stated budget but gives you a great case, the components you feel strongly about and gives you a nice video card to play with out of the box.. Why buy two cards when one will do? I left in the Hyper 212 with stage 1 oc. Stage 2 oc is nice but not really a very big step up in performance and keeps the budget down a bit. The 800W psu is all you need and DS warranties it for 5 years. The HX is better quality and longer warranty but more $$$. You can buy a case like the XM and send it to them for the build, but they charge a bit extra. Just something to check out and gives you a config to tweek. Good Luck and hopes this helps.  I forgot the free t-shirt.  Edited by bprat22 - 27 Oct 2012 at 11:01am |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 27 Oct 2012 at 11:36am |
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Hi bsprat22,
Thanks a lot for your response. The hard drive has been the dilemna for me. I will contact DS and se how it works out.
Good to hear that the Corsair 800w GS should be fine. The HAF X seems to be a little too big but I will have to figure out if that will work for me. I was planning to replace the video card with a faster one later when I had the budget for it. Will have to decide on that too.
 I am not seing the 500GB drive for the OS as an option. How were you able to get to it? I can see it once I load in your configuration number but when I create a new configuration, it does not show up for me! It does look like a good option to begin with.
Thanks again. I will post the final configuration of the system as soon as I order it!
P.S.: I did have the free T-shirt in my configuration!  Edited by bawaji - 27 Oct 2012 at 11:44am |
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 27 Oct 2012 at 11:43am |
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In the config hit Expert Mode and a whole new world of parts opens up.
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bawaji
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Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 27 Oct 2012 at 11:52am |
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Wow! See lot more choices with everything. Reconfiguring... !!Edited by bawaji - 27 Oct 2012 at 11:56am |
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Alex
Admin Group 
Digital Storm Supervisor 
Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 16314 |
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Posted: 27 Oct 2012 at 6:08pm |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 07 Feb 2013 at 4:09pm |
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I was away for a month and am finally back and ordered the following system.
System Configuration:
Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Corsair Carbide 400R Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: Intel Core i7 3770K 3.50 GHz (Unlocked CPU) (Quad Core) Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V DELUXE (Intel Z77 Chipset) (Higher Overclocks and Unique Wi-Fi Features) System Memory: 16GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested) Power Supply: 750W Corsair HX (Dual SLI Compatible) Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (500GB Western Digital/Seagate/Hitachi/Samsung (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(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 1GB (Includes PhysX Technology) Add-on Card: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 1: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (High Performance Cooler) 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 CPU Boost: Stage 2: Overclock CPU 4.5GHz to 4.8GHz (Requires Pro/Deluxe/Sabertooth Motherboard) Graphics Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s) Memory Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory OS Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit Edition) Recovery Tools: Windows Recovery Toolkit (Bundled with Windows 7 CD) Virus Protection: - No Thanks Office: - No Thanks Game: FREE NVIDIA Bundle - Assassins Creed III (Digital Download Code for all GeForce GTX 600 Series) 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 (Large) Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 10-15 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed Warranty: Life-time Expert Customer Care with 3 Year Limited Warranty It has been in Stage 3 since 2/4 and I hope to receive it in less than a couple of weeks! Can't wait!
Thanks all for your help in making this decision. Looks like the GTX 550 Ti card is no longer available. I ordered the cheapest card so I can upgrade it when I save a little more money to splurge on this system. This sytem is a approx $200 more than my original budget but looks like it will be well worth it.
Let me know what you all think of the above configuration and whether there are any watchouts that I need to talk to an expert at Digital Storm about! My only concern was the CPU cooler but I was wary about using a water cooler since it states that it needs maintenance every few years and also I didn't want to risk ruining the system if there was a leak. Hope I don't end up regretting this decision.
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bawaji
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Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 08 Feb 2013 at 4:07am |
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Ordered: 2/3/2013
Stage 1: 2/3/2013
Stage 2: 2/4/2013
Stage 3: 2/4/2013
How long does it take Stage 3 to complete? Looking forward to getting the PC sometime later this month!
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 08 Feb 2013 at 5:48am |
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Hi bawaji.... Lots of variables, like how busy they are, or if they encounter a problem and need to parts replace during testing, but in general a week to week and a half till shipping. Another 5 weekdays for ground shipping from coast to coast.
Good luck.
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ArkansasWoman777
DS Veteran 
Joined: 19 Aug 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4314 |
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Posted: 08 Feb 2013 at 8:45am |
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^ what bprat said, i have all the stages listed in my sig so that may give you an idea how long it took to get to each stage...at least for me.
Edited by ArkansasWoman777 - 08 Feb 2013 at 8:46am |
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"Captain Sirius Black"
Storm Trooper i5 3570k Ordered: 11-27-12 Stage 1: 11-29-12 Stage 2: 12-2-12 Stage 3: 12-2-12 Stage 4: 12-4-12 Stage 5: 12-4-12 Stage 6: 12-10-12 Stage 7: 12-12-12 |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 2013 at 8:16am |
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Thanks bprat, ArkansasWoman. I am at stage 5 now!
Ordered: 2/3/2013
Stage 1: 2/3/2013
Stage 2: 2/4/2013
Stage 3: 2/4/2013
Stage 4: 2/8/2013
Stage 5: 2/8/2013
Glad to see my membership status upgraded to "Verified Customer!" Edited by bawaji - 09 Feb 2013 at 8:19am |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 2:29pm |
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Help! What went wrong?
I got a call from DS today stating my Corsair Power Supply HX750 is not in stock and to choose another one. I had chosen the HX 750 since it had a 7 year warranty and was silver rated. Now, I had to reply it with a GS800 which only has a 3 year warranty and is rated bronze. I had read in another post (don't remember how dated it is) that DS was giving a longer warranty (don't remember if it was 5 year or 7 year) on the GS800. Hope that is correct.
The more concerning thing is how the order made it past stage 1 (inventory) all the way to stage 5 (stress testing) without the correct power supply? I hope I don't get a system that hasn't been tested properly with the components that will be included. Stage 4 was Phase 1 stress testing, which the system passed but without the (correct?) power supply.
Hope Alex or someone else from DS will reply/call/email and confirm that my system will go through the correct procedures to ensure its long-term stability. I will try emailing Alex separately if I can locate his email address in another post.
Any advice on what I should do?
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 2:41pm |
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The 800gs does have a 3 year Corsair warranty with DS adding 2 more years for 5 year total. DS does test them but any psu or part can go belly up at any time. With DS watching your back, you will be fine. Nobody can guarantee no hardware failures but DS does guarantee great service.
I'm sure Alex or someone from DS will get back to you. |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 2:51pm |
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Thanks again for your prompt response bprat!
I just want to make sure that the power supply is included in the stress testing. I don't want it to end up as the "weak link" in my system! Maybe it doesn't matter, but I am not even sure which power supply was used in the stress test! On the phone, I was told "must be a GS800" which doesn't raise the confidence. Hope it was just a hiccup in the process.
I will email Alex so he is aware and directs the process as required. I have found him too to be very helpful to others and hope he can ensure that my PC is built and tested correctly, even if it means going back a few steps in the process.
Is there a writeup about what exactly each of the steps really entail? Looks like something went wrong in the Quality Control in the various preceding steps?  Edited by bawaji - 11 Feb 2013 at 3:25pm |
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 3:03pm |
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I absolutely understand your concerns. I also would feel like something slipped thru the cracks. My only thought would be that they tested the rig with an alternate psu, checking the mobo, gpu, etc. waiting for a new shipment, and it didn't happen.
Easy for me to say, but I think you'll be fine. |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 3:08pm |
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Thank again bprat. Keeping my fingers crossed but I am hopeful I will get a good system. Just wanted to bring this incident up in case something different needs to be done in the build stage! I emailed Alex and am confident he will take care of me, considering how helpful he has been to everyone on the forums.
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Alex
Admin Group
Digital Storm Supervisor
Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 16314 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 6:15pm |
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I wanted to chime in and give an official reply. The stage status email updates try to give updates along the way but may not be 100% accurate. I know it can be a big deal with things need to be changed or adjusted, but, in the end, I assure you that your system is going to leave our facility being fully tested. Many times, our team will begin running tests and setting up an OS before we have all of the hardware to save time in preparation. Once we have everything installed, we then re-test and benchmark the system.
The Corsair 800W has been a solid performer for us, we use it a very large portion of our builds. No need to worry, that's our job, we'll make sure you get a solid system.
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 6:42pm |
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Alex, Thank you for your response. Glad to know this is not something I need to be worried about. Please confirm the warranty on the GS800.
Looking forward to receiving the system! Edited by bawaji - 12 Feb 2013 at 4:06am |
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Alex
Admin Group
Digital Storm Supervisor
Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 16314 |
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Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 6:43pm |
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You're welcome. Thank you for understanding, in the end, that's why you picked us, we'll take care of everything.
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 12 Feb 2013 at 8:35am |
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bawaji.... If you click on more info under the 800GS in config page, it does explain that DS adds another 2 years of warranty.
But, I'm not the official answerer. Hope this helps.
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 12 Feb 2013 at 4:04pm |
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bprat, that is really good to know. Heard today that my computer will ship out today! Great! Can't wait to get my hands on it. Thanks all for your support and reassurances so far!
Any suggestions what I need to do first? Check all parts are properly seated, benchmark and then install Virus Scan followed by other programs? What benchmarks? Prime 95, memtest, what else? Or, do I even need to benchmark?
Ordered: 2/3/2013
Stage 1: 2/3/2013
Stage 2: 2/4/2013
Stage 3: 2/4/2013
Stage 4: 2/8/2013
Stage 5: 2/8/2013
750HX Power Supply not available. Replaced with GS800: 2/11/2013
Stage 6: 2/12/2013
Stage 7: 2/12/2013
Shipped: 2/13/2013 Edited by bawaji - 13 Feb 2013 at 6:52pm |
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bprat22
DS ELITE
DigitalStorm East -- (Unofficially!)
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 20391 |
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Posted: 13 Feb 2013 at 5:03am |
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When ya first get it, unpack it, plug in your monitor, etc , fire it up and load a game.
 And, Enjoy. If it all works great, and we know it will, then no need to reseat or basically fix what's not broken.  You can download the free HWMonitor to check cpu and gpu temps while under stress. Good to check it at some point. You can use CPU-Z to check your vcore and cpu core speed ( Overclock) under stress. Have fun. |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 13 Feb 2013 at 6:54pm |
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Guess I am putting the cart before the horse! The computer was shipped today. Looking forward to getting my hands on it...
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 03 Mar 2013 at 2:59pm |
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Thought I would put in a brief feedback after using the computer for over a week. First of all, thanks to all for answering the questions and helping with the purchase.
Observations: The computer showed up in a HUGE box and I set it up over last weekend. On opening the case, I saw that the CPU cooler fan had dislodged and was hanging on at an angle from one side. Also, it was in a push configuration but installed towards the rear of the case. I took it off and placed it on the other side, towards the front of the case, so the air flow did not oppose the exhaust fan at the rear of the case. I also noticed one of the rubber feet on the case had fallen off into the box and another was completely missing. Further, for over a week, my credit card was not credited the amount from the downgrading of the power supply. On calling DS customer service, I was told that they delete the credit card info as soon as the computer is shipped, and that they could not do anything about the missing rubber foot. Hope the former is resolved after giving them my credit card number again. I have contacted Corsair for help with getting spare rubber feet and am waiting to hear back from them. Now for the good news: The computer booted up fine and recognized my internet connection without requiring the modem or router to be restarted. The machine is running smoothly and I have had no problems with it. I am still setting up programs and getting used to Windows 7 Pro after being a Windows XP Pro user for several years. The build quality was very good with the extra wires being tucked away and zip-tied neatly behind the motherboard tray. The T-shirt, folder with discs and unused items were packed neatly in a small cardboard box. All I need to figure out now is what to do with the large cardboard shipping box! The processor is overclocked to 4.5GHz, though it runs at 1.6GHz when not under heavy load. The fans are also not too loud and the processor temperature is around 35-C under low load. Haven't run anything extreme on the computer yet. Some questions Hope this is the correct forum to ask questions about the build! 1. Is mounting the cooler fan to the right of the cooler i.e. towards the front of the case correct? The fan pushes air from the case towards the cooler. There is an exhaust fan at the back of the case at about the same level as the cooler and two intake fans at the front of the case. The power supply does not seem to be pushing air into the case. 2. While fixing the fan to the cooler, I noticed that the cooler rotates easily on top of the chip. Is this normal? I snugged down the screws but it still does rotate even when twisted slightly. Please let me know if I have to screw down the cooler real tight. Didn't want to do that in case it damages the processor. The CPU temperature is not high so I am happy keeping the cooler the way it is, as long as it does not work itself loose after a while! 3. The power supply fan starts up and stops immediately when the computer is turned on. I have never seen it rotate one the computer is running. It is supposed to have an intelligent fan that comes on only under load. How do I test it to make sure the fan works? How do I increase the load on the power supply? 4. The UEFI BIOS looks completely different than the old text-based bios. I would like to understand the changes made to overclock the processor so I can put them in after a BIOS update in the future. Any idea which items I need to note down in the Advanced Mode? 5. The case is open on the top and side for mounting of fans. There is a wide mesh where the extra fans can go. Should I leave these open, covered, or place a dust filter? The bottom and front of the case have dust filters but not the side and top. Once again, thanks everyone for your help!
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Corsair 400r & GS800
Asus P8Z77-V Dlx Intel i7 3700K Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO A-Data 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 1GB Samsung SH-224BB DVDRW Seagate ST500DM002 500GB MS Win 7 Pro 64-bit |
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DST4ME
DS ELITE
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
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Posted: 03 Mar 2013 at 3:47pm |
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1. it should be fine.
2. the moving seems to be an h212 issue, if its working fine then you are good. 3. when the system is under load the psu is under load. if there is a problem with its fan, the psu will shutdown. 4. there are a bunch of them, but your oc is saved in a profile and never update bios unless you have issues, at that time you can all DS and they will walk you thru. 5. keep the case closed. 6. add another fan to your cooler for better performance. |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 03 Mar 2013 at 3:59pm |
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DST4ME, Thanks for your response.
Thanks again!
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Corsair 400r & GS800
Asus P8Z77-V Dlx Intel i7 3700K Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO A-Data 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 1GB Samsung SH-224BB DVDRW Seagate ST500DM002 500GB MS Win 7 Pro 64-bit |
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DST4ME
DS ELITE
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
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Posted: 03 Mar 2013 at 5:35pm |
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Only where its sucking air is an issue for dust and at the end dust gets in no matter what, just "air off" your system once a week it should take under 2 min.
both fan on cpu need to blow the same direction , so if the current fan is blowing towards the rear, then the second fan does exactly what you said. as for which fans, you need to decide how much noise you are willing to put up with, most times more noise more air, but just off the top the noctua fans that go on noctua are great fans, there are other 120mm fans, lets us know if you want quiet or not. for push/pull (which is what we are doing) both fans should be the same for best results. |
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cs_luyuan
Newbie
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
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Posted: 16 Mar 2013 at 2:18am |
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A Windows System Restore should fix the problem.
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
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Posted: 16 Mar 2013 at 6:56am |
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??
DST4ME, I would like the PC to be quiet. Any suggestions for the CPU fan other than the one below? The one I found is COOLER MASTER R4-BMBS-20PK-R0 Blade Master 120mm Case Fan but I am not sure if this is the same one as the one that comes with the cooler. Of course, I can buy two of the fans and install them on the cooler and place the one from the cooler as another fan blowing air into the case! |
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Corsair 400r & GS800
Asus P8Z77-V Dlx Intel i7 3700K Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO A-Data 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 1GB Samsung SH-224BB DVDRW Seagate ST500DM002 500GB MS Win 7 Pro 64-bit |
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DST4ME
DS ELITE
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 16 Mar 2013 at 11:42pm |
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You have the cm cooler right? I would go with noctua nf p12 or noctua nf f12 those are gonna be more quiet then most other fans you can find, pick the p or the f and put 2 of those on instead.
Edited by DST4ME - 16 Mar 2013 at 11:43pm |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 9:17am |
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Thanks again!
Yes, I have the CM 212 Hyper EVO cooler. The NF-F12 looks like the one to get so the RPM is adjustable. Will keep an eye out for the price of two of these to get down below the price of the cooler itself! 
Will the CM fan be just noisier but provide good cooling or would it not be as good as the Noctua for cooling either? |
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Corsair 400r & GS800
Asus P8Z77-V Dlx Intel i7 3700K Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO A-Data 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 1GB Samsung SH-224BB DVDRW Seagate ST500DM002 500GB MS Win 7 Pro 64-bit |
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DST4ME
DS ELITE
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 3:36pm |
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The noctua should provide better cooler with lower noise, and those fans last a good amount of time based on the ones that are on the noctua cooler itself.
Prices on these fans don't really drop. |
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bawaji
Newbie
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 5:36pm |
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Thanks! Found both the nf-p12 pwm and the nf-f12 pwm on Amazon.
Edited by bawaji - 17 Mar 2013 at 5:36pm |
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Corsair 400r & GS800
Asus P8Z77-V Dlx Intel i7 3700K Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO A-Data 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 1GB Samsung SH-224BB DVDRW Seagate ST500DM002 500GB MS Win 7 Pro 64-bit |
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DST4ME
DS ELITE
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 11:15pm |
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My pleasure and good luck
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