Help to choose please

here you go Ticket# 193022 --- Price: $2426 (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: 750W Corsair HX (Dual SLI Compatible) (Silent Edition)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz (1333MHz FSB) (12MB Cache)
Motherboard: nVidia 790i Ultra Core 2 Quad (nForce 790i Ultra SLI) (DDR3 Only)
System Memory: 4GB DDR3 1333MHz OCZ
Card Reader: - No Thanks
Hard Drive 1: 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA)
Hard Drive 2: - No Thanks
Raid Option: - No Thanks
Hard Drive 3: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x)
Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks
Wireless Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 896MB (Includes PhysX Technology)
TV Tuner: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: Liquid Chilled FrostBite CPU Only
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: - No Thanks
Install/Test Game: - No Thanks
LCD Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
External Storage: - No Thanks
Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty

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you can add another 260 gtx down the road, you can upgrade the HDD to velociraptor.

mean while you got a kickbutt liquid cooled, oced system and its better then both of those systems.

not big difference between 260 gtx and 280.

its real easy to ugrade ram.

asus seems to be good, I think one 4870 is better cause then later you can add second 4870 and have 2. Stage 3 is loud as hell.

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ATI version:

here you go Ticket# 193024 --- Price: $2348 (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: 750W Corsair HX (Dual SLI Compatible) (Silent Edition)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz (1333MHz FSB) (12MB Cache)
Motherboard: Asus P5Q3 Deluxe (Intel P45 Chipset) (Supports CrossFire)
System Memory: 4GB DDR3 1333MHz OCZ
Card Reader: - No Thanks
Hard Drive 1: 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA)
Hard Drive 2: - No Thanks
Raid Option: - No Thanks
Hard Drive 3: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x)
Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks
Wireless Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 4870 512MB
TV Tuner: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: Liquid Chilled FrostBite CPU Only
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: - No Thanks
Install/Test Game: - No Thanks
LCD Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
External Storage: - No Thanks
Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty

1066 is ddr2, the 1333 is ddr3.

I tried to give as much power in all aspects as your money could buy you.

the OC speed is not guaranteed.

I can tell you form seeing the systems here that a q9550 with liquid cooling can be around 3.4 to 3.6GHz.

the systems I advised are systems that gonna be respectable for atleast 3 years.

yes deal number 7 has liquid cooling but it does not have a quad core, instead it has a dual core. why get a dual core when for the same you can get a quad core?

2GB is not gonna be enough these days, 4 is the best way and will keep you tied over for at-least the next 4.

the HAF case has great air flow and stock, its in stage 3 pretty much saving you money and cooling the heck out of your system.

64bit vista is a great choice these days, most anything works on it, and it will see all your total ram and use it, giving you the most out of what you paid for.

Liquid cooling will give you best speeds, you can't get those results with air cooling.

Edited by DST4ME - 08 Oct 2008 at 10:49pm

Ok it makes sense now, I completely missed that it was Dual Core, for some reason assumed they only had Quads, my mistake
If stage 3 is so loud, I think your system with liquid cooling is more appealing.
Should I go maybe with Stage 2(-$250) cooling and get ATI RAdeon 4870 x2 2gb(+$291) instead?
If the HAF case so much air flow is liguid cooling needed? Or they will not be able to overclock it much if I do not get it?

Thanks for the help.

Originally posted by steve101 Ok it makes sense now, I completely missed that it was Dual Core, for some reason assumed they only had Quads, my mistakeIf stage 3 is so loud, I think your system with liquid cooling is more appealing. Should I go maybe with Stage 2(-$250) cooling and get ATI RAdeon 4870 x2 2gb(+$291) instead?If the HAF case so much air flow is liguid cooling needed? Or they will not be able to overclock it much if I do not get it?Thanks for the help.

without liquid cooling you can't get the speeds you want.

you can go with stage 2 and 4870 x2 2gb(+$291) thats something you have to see which is more important, speed or that card, also if you want to add another card down the road, you need to raise your CPU.

I won't comment on SLC's remarks toward the quad core, cause that is a matter of opinion and I don't agree with him, I will say this and he can't argue:

your dual core can't do what my quad core can do. and bs articles are dime a dozen, fah for example uses all cores.

Edited by DST4ME - 08 Oct 2008 at 11:53pm

for gaming there are better ones, but it is a very good monitor.

there are some recommendations here

you can also make a post in teh general section and ask the people who have 24" monitors, to tell you what they have and if they would recommend it

I advist you to go with a widescreen, they are great.

Edited by DST4ME - 09 Oct 2008 at 1:01pm

Ok, sorry, was not the last question.

So stage 3 cooling is not that loud, can someone comment who actually has it?

plenty of people other then Dave has said that they are loud.

I know you and some others say it not that loud, but there are way more people that have said they are loud.

loud is a matter of perception, but if most people perceive it to be loud, I'm gonna believe average person thinks its loud.

and thats not my quote, if Steve likes to search forums I'm sure he will come across plenty of people who say its loud.

I mean by the 10'th person I saw here that said their stage 3 fans are loud, I realized stage 3 must be something for people to keep saying its loud, the last person I heard it from again was david5182.

In all fairness, are you gonna get him a new PC if he listens to you, gets stage 3 and finds it to be loud?

I mean do disrespect toward you HM, and I'm not saying you don't think its not loud, I'm just saying its a matter of opinion and most people I have heard on this forum say its loud.


Edited by DST4ME - 09 Oct 2008 at 6:04pm

HM you know that the E8600 ocs well, you could get the same ocing speeds with air that you can get using liquid, if the chip was the q9650 or q9550

Edited by DST4ME - 10 Oct 2008 at 12:07am

yes the 1200w is very loud.

when playing games you gonna have to jack up the fans which will be very loud.

why don't you go with my build, you get to go with a 750w psu and you get to add a card down the road if you like. remember the 4870x2 will have lot more heat

Originally posted by steve101 Thanks DST, it is definitely a solid system. The main thing for me is to get enough power for that money. Since liquid cooling does not affect the overclocking speed capability, I just dont know how much important it is then. I mean what is the actual chance that the processor will burn down, I have never seen that happen. If it only prevents that 1 in a million chance then I rather go with 4870x2. Thanks all for the input, I will consider it.   What about the monitor,   Any difference between SAMSUNG 245BW and [COLOR=#000000">SAMSUNG 245T[/COLOR">?

anybody that tells you liquid cooling does not effect the OC speed is a fool

you will never achieve the same oc speed with air then you can get with liquid cooling, so infact liquid cooling makes a huge difference in oc speed.

Remember this rule of thumb:
The best aircooler will be about equal to the worst watercooler (prefabricated)

again don't take my word for it, call up DS and ask them to achieve best oc, do they recommend air or liquid

as for the card I have made my suggestion, you would have to blow your budget to go with that card right now its upto you. I would not get that card if I was in your shoes

I'm willing to pay for your pc if you get liquid cooling and anybody can match my oc speed with liquid cooling with air cooling.

the people that are telling you to go with air, are not willing to put their money behind their recommendation.

HM says liquid cooling is for cars but here he is saying something else:

Originally posted by harleyman Alex and I have just gotten off the phone together and have reached a major decission....   They are building me a brand new machine,and I'm upgrading it some to include a well needed CPU upgrade and Liquid cooling for same......(better OC's)

here TL on OC:

Originally posted by Tyler Lowe If you want the very best OC results for your CPU, this is where I would put some additional money. When combined with the liquid cooling of your CPU, you should see some very nice overclocking indeed.

just to point out that with OC liquid cooling makes a big difference

Edited by DST4ME - 10 Oct 2008 at 4:55pm

if your resolution is higher then 1680 x 1050 then to get best results you would need 2 gpus.

steve I can tell you right now, with the q9550, liquid cooled, the speed has been 3.6GHz

with air it has been 3.2GHz, I'm sure they will tell you the same thing, but just so you know all teh systems I have seen come out here, have been around those figures.

but the differnce is that they do moderate OC, if you go to OC forums, with liquid cooling you will be able to push your system to higher clocks.

so thats probably the big picture you are looking at. liquid cooling also is more quiet, and keeps better temps.

but you need to see whats worth it for you

I'm just giving you as much info as I can so you have all the facts to make your mind

Intel chips OC better, you can go with one GPU for resolutions of 1680 x 1050 or higher but for the best results 2 is what you want.

now the only card that can do that is the ATI 4870X2, that is the only single card that really separates itself from others in high resolutions.

again its all about what will work for you.

A single GTX 280 is more then enough for even 1900x1200 for every game out there except Crysis. I Highly recommend if you are getting a GTX 280 that you only get one, especially if you are going at 22inch monitor levels. You wont have any problems for a long time, and even if you feel like you do, adding a second card is cake, even if youve never done it before.

Originally posted by DST4ME anybody that tells you liquid cooling does not effect the OC speed is a fool you will never achieve the same oc speed with air then you can get with liquid cooling, so infact liquid cooling makes a huge difference in oc speed.

Water cooling helps dissipate the heat more efficiently than air, but that will not guarantee that you will achieve a higher overclock.

Having a lower temp does give you more room to attempt to push it, but if the chip or motherboard does not want to go that high, it wont.

For example, if I had a q9650 clocked to 4ghz on air, water cooling it will not guarantee that it will do 4.2ghz.

How much do you think they can overclock that AMD with Liquid cooling?

If lets say I can not go above $2000, would the Hot Seller GTO special be the best you can do. Besides slower memory Mhz I do not see anything wrong with it?