Help?Post Date: 2008-10-06 |
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Blakhawk 
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Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
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 Topic: Help?Posted: 06 Oct 2008 at 11:49pm |
Im pretty sure this is overkill but I'd like some other peoples opinions? |
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Blakhawk
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Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008 at 12:03am |
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The interior finish is spossed to be red btw
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Tyler Lowe
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Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008 at 1:17am |
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I would probably make my build closer to this.
If you want to go with an extreme chip, IMO, the only reason to do so is to get as close to the next generation of CPU's performance as possible- in other words, to be on the bleeding edge. Once that next generation is released, the newer chips in the upper sku numbers are going to beat an older extreme chip like the QX6850. The Q9650 is simply a better performer at a lower price.
I took the 1600MHz RAM over the 1800MHz.The price difference is fairly large, and it seemed better to put that budget towards some other upgrades. 1800Mhz RAM can make a higher overclock more attainable, but with 1600MHz RAM you should be able to hit 3.8 to 4.0GHz if the CPU and motherboard will do it. 1800MHz RAM may tip the odds in favor of a 4GHZ OC a little higher, but nothing is garanteed. You could get a CPU that won't go higher than 3.6 GHz. It's luck of the draw.
I dropped the Network card in favor of adding a second GTX280. The network card is extremely situational and offers marginal performance gain. The second GTX is anything but and offers substantial gains. I did consider an SLI pair of GTX260, but given the budget you're working with, discarded that idea. The GTX260 offers a similar texture fill rate, but lacks the memory bandwidth and frame buffer size of the better card.
I also ditched the security software. I've never cared for McAffee (I did use it for a couple of years). I find it process heavy and while this may seem petty, I did not care for the popups starting 5 months from the time my coverage was due to end asking me to renew my subscription. That's a bit like seeing Christmas decorations up in stores before Halloween. It happens every year and never fails to piss me off. After trying Norton Pro, McAffee, Zone alarm Pro SS, and AVG, I finally settled on ESET and have been very pleased with it. ESET doewsn't care if you have the program installed in two OS either. You still pay only for one liscense key which is a definite plus.
I replaced your single TB harddrive with a VR 300GB and a seperate 750GB HDD. You will find this gives you better performance, easier disk maintenance, and gives you the same storage capacity.
Unless you really, really, *really* like tweaking and overclocking your own system, ESA is nothing I would spend money on. Again, I'd rather put it towards more garanteed return on my investment - faster HDD, SLI, better cooling- anything really. In looking at your configuration, you selected virtually every OC and tweaking option offered by DSO. My thinking was that if you were someone that would gain any real advantage from ESA, you would be doing these tweaks and the overclocking on your own. If I'm wrong there, my apologies, but it seemed lik another easy place to save some cash.
I removed the monitor and the keyboard. Both can be ordered seperately online at lower cost. The 24" monitor offered on the configuration page is $549. For the same price, you can get a 26" monitor from the same manufacturer at Newegg. You could also just pocket the $100 and get the same 24" monitor for about $429.
For the keyboard and mouse, those are very personal choices. if you are looking for a recomendation, I prefer the Logitech G15 gaming keyboard and the Razer Lachesis gaming mouse. Edited by Tyler Lowe - 07 Oct 2008 at 1:20am |
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Blakhawk
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Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008 at 1:26am |
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Thanks, I will definitely take this into consideration. I really regret paying $5000 for my Alienware a few years back. Thing is in shambles now XD
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DST4ME
DS ELITE 
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008 at 5:41am |
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you can't beat this, unless you get a higher cpu
here you go Ticket# 191854 --- Price: $4427 (To see this build click here) Copy of Specifications: Chassis: Cooler Master HAF 932 Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Interior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Power Supply: 1000W Corsair HX (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible) Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 3.0GHz (1333MHz FSB) (12MB Cache) Motherboard: Asus P5E3 Premium WiFi-AP (Intel X48 Chipset) (Supports CrossFire) System Memory: 4GB DDR3 1333MHz OCZ Card Reader: - No Thanks Hard Drive 1: 300GB Western Digital VelociRaptor (10K RPM) (16MB Cache) (Extreme Speed) Hard Drive 2: 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA) Raid Option: - No Thanks Hard Drive 3: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x) (LightScribe Edition) Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks Wireless Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 4870X2 2GB TV Tuner: - No Thanks Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio Extreme Cooling: Liquid Chilled FrostBite Dual Loop System for CPU & Dual Video Cards Internal Lighting: Blizzard Internal Lighting (Red Edition) (Cold Cathode Tubes) Modifications: - No Thanks Boost Processor: Yes, Overclock the processor as much as possible with complete stability Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s) Boost Memory: Yes, Overclock memory timings (Includes Memory Fan Kit Installed) Tweak Windows: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) (For Enthusiasts) Restore Kit: Digital Storm Specialized Recovery System (DVD Image Based) Protection: - No Thanks Office: - No Thanks Benchmarking: 3D Mark Vantage Advanced Edition (By: Futuremark) (Pre-Install) (Vista Compatible Only) Install/Test Game: Age of Conan (Pre-Install, apply updates, and test gameplay with my system) LCD Display: - No Thanks Surge Shield: - No Thanks Speakers: - No Thanks Keyboard: - No Thanks Mouse: - No Thanks my keyboard comes with a mouse External Storage: - No Thanks Warranty: 5 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty (Highly Recommended) do you know how to OC your graphic card? btw, Alienware sucks. 
if it wasn't for the touch sensor I would put you in a cosmos s. Edited by DST4ME - 07 Oct 2008 at 5:44am |
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Blakhawk
Newbie
Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008 at 2:34pm |
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Thanks, and no I dont really know much about overclocking since I wouldnt dare OC my laptop haha. Would going for two radeons be worth it? (Id think so... I mean 4 GPU's? Come on haha.)
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Blakhawk
Newbie
Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008 at 2:54pm |
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Or what about something like this? http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadsaved.asp?id=191854
Only around $5000 |
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DST4ME
DS ELITE
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008 at 5:23pm |
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great build but if you don't oc the gpus then drop the liquid cooling, they dont need ocing, some gpu enthusiest like to co, me and you are not one of them so we need to liquid cool only the cpu
I have to disagree with HM on memory oc, you should get it so you have more stable OC and you get the ram fan |
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Tyler Lowe
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Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2008 at 11:19pm |
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You'd have to ask if liquid cooling is available for the 4870x2 if you'd rather stick with that over air cooling. If it is, my guess would be you'd be charged as though it is two cards since it would require two cooling blocks, not one- one for each GPU.
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Lawdog
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Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 64 |
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Posted: 08 Oct 2008 at 3:10am |
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Actually TL I think it's just one water block.
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DST4ME
DS ELITE
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
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Posted: 08 Oct 2008 at 4:09pm |
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HM I don't think that is the case
otherwise DS would be misleading people
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Tyler Lowe
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Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 08 Oct 2008 at 11:58pm |
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Thanks for that link Lawdog. Another new thing learned today. Always good to have the straight poop.
RAM timings have to be adjusted when you overclock, but you don't neccesarily have to spend any time tweaking those back to their tightest possible settings once you achieve a stable CPU overclock. I generally don't bother with it myself. It's time consuming and doesn't do much in terms of performance outside of synthetics. So I guess you're both right. The only reason to ask for a RAM OC if you're having your CPU overclocked is for the fan IMO, and it does entail more than just overclocking the CPU.
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DST4ME
DS ELITE
Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758 |
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Posted: 09 Oct 2008 at 12:03am |
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DS themselves say, if you don't OC the ram they will not adjust the ram for nothing.
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