Rate my RigPost Date: 2007-10-24 |
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!ender_ 
DS Veteran 
Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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 Topic: Rate my RigPosted: 24 Oct 2007 at 2:16am |
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building a system for all the newest games, video rendering, and plenty of multitasking, all for under 2,000 ideally. There are still a few things I'm not 100% sure about, such as possibly switching to vista premiumx32 instead of 64, and going to 2GB @ 1066
I'm a bit confused as to what exactly people mean when they talk about the vistax64 not working with older 16 bit applications, and the talk about low amounts of drivers availible for the x64 worries me as well.
I'm only about 90% sure on my set up so far, so I'm open to suggestions. I really don't plan on upgrading this in the future, so leaving room / extra wattage for that doesn't interest me. Though I am hoping to get OCd, so leaving room for that is important. A that I have been emailing said that Stage 2 air is sufficient for OC but only Stage 3 Air and higher on the drop box list OC'ing in the description? :(
This is what I have so far
$1919.00
Case: Digital Storm Twister VALUE (Black Edition)
Power Supply: 500W Thermaltake (Silent PurePower Edition) Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz (1066MHz FSB) (8MB Cache) Motherboard: nVidia 680i Core 2 Quad (By: Evga) (nForce 680i SLI) (A1 Revision) Memory: 4GB DDR2 Corsair at 800MHz XMS2 (Dual Channel) (Extreme-Performance) Floppy / Media: - No Thanks Hard Drive 1: 320GB (Western Digital / Seagate) (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA) Hard Drive 2: - No Thanks Raid Option: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x) Optical Drive 2: DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (DVD Reader 16x / CD Reader 40x) Network Card: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Modem: - No Thanks Video Card: nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 640MB (By: eVGA / Asus) (PCI-Express) TV Tuner: - No Thanks Sound Card: Motherboard Multi-Channel High Definition Audio (7.1 Channel) Physics Card: - No Thanks Cooling: Air Cooled Stage 2 (Silent Artic Cooling Heat-sink (Copper Heatpipes) Case Lighting: - No Thanks Round Cables: - No Thanks User Manual: Personalized Platinum Digital Storm Binder (Includes Paperwork/Benchmarks/CDs/Manuals) 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 LCD Display: - No Thanks Surge Shield: - No Thanks Speakers: - No Thanks Keyboard: - No Thanks Mouse: - No Thanks Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty Support: Lifetime Toll-Free Platinum Care Technical Support |
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sundowner
Senior Member 
Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 501 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 4:13am |
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Vista 64-bit has apparently gotten alot better with driver issues but if you're going to be doing those types of tasks it'd be alot easier to go with 32-bit since some of your programs/games might not come with decent drivers.
Over your budget by $85, changed the harddrive to 250gb and left only one optical drive. But definitely will be everything you want it to be performance and overclock wise.
But also if you're content with waiting a few more weeks the 8800 GT 512 will be out and that will save you $100 if you decided to go with the 8800GTS 640 and still give you much better performance.
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Pro case with extra fan
Quad Q6600 2.4 OC'd 3.1! Nvidia 8800GT Asus Maximus Formula Mobo 2xgb 800mhz corsair xfire - xuntiltheendx |
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99X
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Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 7:15am |
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word of warning on vista 64:
iTunes and iPhone are not supported for 64-bit... along with a few other devices right now. I would check into what you use to make sure everything is compatible. |
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Delivered & Awesome
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz 2GB DDR2 Corsair at 800MHz 320GB & 160GB Hard Drives nVidia GeForce 8800GTX 768MB Windows Vista Home Premium |
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!ender_
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Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 8:15am |
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Pretty much the only things that ever connect to my computer besides keyboard/mouse are my camera- older usb connection, my new phone, and my fairly new printer, and honestly I don't care all that much if the phone/printer don't connect becuase 1, I'll still have this pc for a while, and 2, I rarely use them anyway.
So, you really think the 8800 GTX 768MB is worth $227 more than the 8800 GTS 640MB -and- that with what I'm using the computer for that I will acually see that difference in potential? I love good fps, but the system I've been using has suited me for 6 years (512 RAM, GeForce FX 5200, 2.80 GHz) so overkilling the video card to have flawless fps for the next 2 years may not be worth the extra $220 to me...
On the other hand... I guess if you get down to it, losing the extra optical drive really doesnt mean anything, it was just for convenience, and 240GB up from my 80GB drive should be enough of an upgrade, so the problem comes in paying for the stage 3 air AND the GTX (500w still enough for those upgrades? with OC?) while loosing 2gb of ram in the process
I guess to make what I'm asking more clear is that *my assumption* would be that dropping the ram to 2GB and the OS to 32, I would see a substantial drop in multitasking speed and ability, and 4-8% better video performace at maxed out video settings in games coming out a year from now doesn't seem worth that to me... thoughts?
-also- don't think that I am shooting down your idea becuase I'm defiantly not. I'm just trying to get the why out of you. 2 weeks ago I started shopping for a new PC, and since then I've been learning an insane amount about all the newest gear (I've fallen behind the times it seems), so a chance to learn a little bit more before I buy is nothing to pass up Edited by !ender_ - 24 Oct 2007 at 8:30am |
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skyR
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Digital Storm Apprentice 
Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2220 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 8:38am |
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I would recommend getting a corsair 520 or 620.
What resolution are you going to be playing? The 8800 GTS 320 and 640 perform just about the same at resolutions under 1600x1200 =\ And the 640 really does not perform at high resolutions compared to other GPUs. Basically the 640 isn't worth the money for such little increase in performance! Either wait for the 8800 GT or downgrade to 8800 GTS 320MB or ask for the HD 2900 XT/Pro (same price as GTS 640, performs better but uses more watts) or upgrade to GTX. |
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!ender_
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Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 10:39am |
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sadly I dont even know what resolutions I'm planning to use because the best computer that I've ever even used is mine and recently I've had to go for 8x6 to even BE ABLE to play! (holy crap Portal is so good) My monitor is decent, I have no plans to replace it,so I would guess I'll be shooting to play at around 1280x1024, maybe even less.
So I get that the upgrade to 8600 GTS 640MB isn't really worth it, but what about springing for the 8800 GTX 768MB, do you think with the system outline I have, and the uses of new games / video rendering, that the GTX would be well used? or would it just be blatant overkill? I sincerely don't mind going over 2k if the system will be USED but I don't see a point in getting a card that is way more than I need.
I can not go over 2100.00, for any reason.
Below I have my 2 listings, the way its looking, the first set up is completely based on the assumption that the 8800GTX is worth overlooking ALL of the bonuses I get from the second set up; The first option looks more like a bare bones gaming monster while the 2nd is a more well rounded system. Cold hard facts: Looks like the toss up is left up to how much I really stand to gain by springing for the GTX, and if the build I have will even touch its potential, or if I'd be better off settling for the 8600/320mb to gain the other options... Help!
 How can I choose with so many good options!? Damn you're over-achieving DigitalStorm!Let me know what you think and dont be afraid to make changes if you take the time to explain them!
So it seems like it comes down to EITHER:
$2085.00 (assuming 500w is even enough to OC this setup)
Case: Digital Storm Twister VALUE (Black Edition)
Power Supply: 500W Thermaltake (Silent PurePower Edition) Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz (1066MHz FSB) (8MB Cache) Motherboard: nVidia 680i Core 2 Quad (By: eVGA) (nForce 680i SLI) (A1 Revision) Memory: 2GB DDR2 Corsair at 1066MHz Dominator (Dual Channel) (Extreme-Performance) Hard Drive 1: 250GB (Western Digital / Seagate) (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA) Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x) Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks Network Card: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card: nVidia GeForce 8800GTX 768MB (By: eVGA / Asus) (PCI-Express) Sound Card: Motherboard Multi-Channel High Definition Audio (7.1 Channel) Cooling: Air Cooled Stage 3 (Silent Artic Cooling (TwisterBoost Overclocked) Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium - OR -
Price - $1813.00
Case: Digital Storm Twister VALUE (Black Edition) -SAME
Power Supply: 500W Thermaltake (Silent PurePower Edition) -SAME Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz (1066MHz FSB) (8MB Cache) -SAME Motherboard: nVidia 680i Core 2 Quad (By: eVGA) (nForce 680i SLI) (A1 Revision) -SAME Memory: 4GB DDR2 Corsair at 800MHz XMS2 (Dual Channel) (Extreme-Performance) -NEW! Hard Drive 1: 320GB (Western Digital / Seagate) (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA) -NEW! Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x) -SAME Optical Drive 2: DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (DVD Reader 16x / CD Reader 40x) -NEW! Network Card: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) -SAME Video Card: nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 320MB (By: eVGA / Asus) (PCI-Express) -NEW! Sound Card: Motherboard Multi-Channel High Definition Audio (7.1 Channel) -SAME Cooling: Air Cooled Stage 2 (Silent Artic Cooling Heat-sink (Copper Heatpipes) -NEW! Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) (For Enthusiasts) -NEW! ps. I could even squeeze in
Memory: 4GB DDR2 Corsair at 1066MHz Dominator (Dual Channel) (Extreme-Performance)
and it would still be only $2050 But I think that would be overkill Edited by !ender_ - 24 Oct 2007 at 10:57am |
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Tyler Lowe
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Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 12:17pm |
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It sounds a bit like my replacement cycle on machines, only with a bit more budget to play with than I could manage. A good reason to step up to a 640 MB GTS from the 320MB version is the textures in the DX10 games are turning out to be bigger memory hogs than was initially thought. You've said that running everything at max is not a priority, but the reviews I have read indicate the 320MB card is going to have fits with AA enabled on some of the new apps. I would respectfully disagree that there is no reason to move to the larger VRAM even if you intend on playing at lower resolutions. Fitting a 8800 series of any sort is going to be tight in the Value case, and they do get warm under load. The Value case can accomodate the card, but it may not breath as well as you might like, so consider asking DSO if they can get a slot cooler to help the GPU's cooling if you intend on staying with that case.
I'll take a shot a build:
Case: Digital Storm Twister PRO (Black Anodized Aluminum Finish)
Power Supply: 620W Corsair HX (SLI Compatible) (Silent Edition) (High-Quality Unit) Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz (1066MHz FSB) (8MB Cache) Motherboard: nVidia 680i Core 2 Quad (By: eVGA) (nForce 680i SLI) (A1 Revision) Memory: 2GB DDR2 Corsair at 800MHz XMS2 (Dual Channel) (Extreme-Performance) Floppy / Media: Sony 1.44MB Floppy (Black Edition) Hard Drive 1: 320GB (Western Digital / Seagate) (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA) Hard Drive 2: - No Thanks Raid Option: - No Thanks Optical Drive 1: DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (DVD Reader 16x / CD Reader 40x) Optical Drive 2: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x) Network Card: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Modem: - No Thanks Video Card: nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 640MB (By: eVGA / Asus) (PCI-Express) TV Tuner: - No Thanks Sound Card: Motherboard Multi-Channel High Definition Audio (7.1 Channel) Physics Card: - No Thanks Cooling: Air Cooled Stage 3 (Silent Artic Cooling (TwisterBoost Overclocked) Case Lighting: - No Thanks Round Cables: - No Thanks User Manual: Personalized Platinum Digital Storm Binder (Includes Paperwork/Benchmarks/CDs/Manuals) Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) (For Enthusiasts) Restore Kit: Digital Storm Specialized Recovery System (DVD Image Based) I tried to keep the build under $2000 without sacrificing on performance or room to grow. This build comes in at $1956, which leaves room for an inexpensive sound card, or even going to a pair of 160GB HDD's in a RAID configuration instead of the single 320GB HDD for better read/write performance, should you so desire, while still remaining under that $2000 mark. 2GB of RAM should do fine for the time being. You can always drop in 2GB more PC6400 RAM later if needed for ~$100. Very easy, fairly inexpensive upgrade, and this way you can see if you actually require more RAM before spending the $$$ on it.
The 640MB GTS as mentioned should be a bit more future proof. *If* on the offhand chance, there is a possibility, no matter how slim,you *might* see some 640 MB GTS in the bargain bin a year from now and decide that you really want to do SLI, this PSU can run SLI'd GTS. If on the other hand, there is zero chance of this it will still be one of the best PSU's on the market in this power range, providing much greater efficiency (which means less heat and fan noise in addition to lowered electric bills) than the 500W TT.
I selected a larger case to give that GPU more air around it. This should help keep things cooler overall inside the case which can only be good for the lifespan of every component housed inside. The slot cooler still isn't a bad idea, as the 8800 series really does get pretty warm under load.
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commast
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 262 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 4:36pm |
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I completely agreed with Tyler lowe. The 8800GTS 640MB card is needed for games that required 512 MB of RAM or more-- Full AA/AF. The 8800GTX is a better card but it's too expensive for your need if you're only using up to 1280x1024 res.
I would also thinking about getting a Raid 0 setup too since it will be faster than any single drive. The only disadvantage is that the risk of data failure is higher than a single hard drive.
The 500W PS is fine for your use even if you OC . You only need a bigger PS if you're planning to run SLI with the 8800GTX or higher.
4 GB of RAM only is you use Vista 64 bit. On a 32 bit OS, there is no performance benefit even if you have 4 GB of RAM.
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skyR
Newbie
Digital Storm Apprentice
Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2220 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 4:51pm |
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Do not skimp on the PSU or case.. seriously you will regret it.
    You decide if you think the extra money is worth the extra performance... If you really want to stick with a $399 video card, go for the 2900xt instead imo. The 2900XT is cheaper than the 640mb, performs better, and has room to improve. Only downside to the card when it is running on full load is energy consumption (25w more) and noise (7db more). This is $2104... if you decide to go with a 2900xt instead, the total would end up to be around $1900. http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadsaved.asp?id=89684 |
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!ender_
DS Veteran
Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 11:36pm |
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first of all, obviously, thanks so much for all your help and time, Im sure that dealing with someone as far behind as me can be frustrating it seems to me that everyone who has posted thier own loadout leaves the ram at 2GB XMS2 @ 800 instead of 1066 for $100 more... why is that?
(place holder while I go over all the rest of this stuff) Edited by !ender_ - 24 Oct 2007 at 11:36pm |
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skyR
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Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2220 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 2007 at 11:48pm |
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The CPU and GPU comes before the ram. If you don't have the top of the line CPU and GPU, you should not dump $100 on ram that will only increase your FPS by one or have a one second faster load time.
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Tyler Lowe
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Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 12:09am |
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SkyR nailed it as usual.
In my suggested build, I looked for places to trim to keep the rig under $2000 and the RAM hurt the build's performance the least of anything I was looking at cutting back on. The 1066 RAM will get you a better OC, and adding it to my build, you'd still be under $2100. It looked to me from your OP like $2000 was more like the edge of the comfort zone on price and $2100 was stretching things so I tried to keep the total ~$1950. If the better OC would be worth it for you to exceed that $2000 mark, by all means, go for it
 .Don't sweat being out of touch with the new tech.
 I hadn't looked at computer tech for at least 5 years before shopping for my rig, and I know exactly how it feels to be playing catchup. I spent 6 years in aviation electronics, and sold home theater and audio equipment for the better part of 10 years, and even with a pretty solid electronics knowledge base, I was all but completely lost before I found DSO. There's a bewildering amount of information out there, and it's *rough* trying to figure everything out.
If the people on this forum and at DSO could put up with my stupid questions when I first started asking, they can put up with anything
 .Here's a second, more detailed look at Call of Jaurez:
 Source: HardOCP
This is a graph of actual gameplay, rather than an average frame per second count. Note the difference in performance between the 640MB GPU and 320MB GPU starting at the 1.5 minute mark.
You can find the full review Here
Edited by Tyler Lowe - 25 Oct 2007 at 12:48am |
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!ender_
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Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 12:59am |
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Alright, so I tried to gather everything I could by reading these posted suggestions like 6 times each. It LOOKS like, since the 1280x1024 will likely be the average-to-high resolution for me for gaming/editing, that the 8800GTS/640MB will be enough, I guess springing for the GTX wouldn't be worth it for me. Since your motivation for the PSU/case size SEEMED to be the potential of supporting SLI, I tried to skimp them a little bit to keep the price down.
Lets see how I do this attempt:
It seems that 64 bit windows wouldnt do much for me, seeing as how I don't even have vista yet: I dont exactly have a list of 64 bit apps I've been waiting to use, so I guess that sticking with 32b will be good enough for me. Right? Unless of course this deal with Crysis becomes a trendsetter.
I left the case at size 3 (PRO) but I honestly don't see any adding or upgrading in the future for this, could I get away with going to LITE or think the $15 is well spent? (Im guessing *Yes*) I also wouldn't mind having the LITE case for the 3 included LCD displays
 !Skimped the PSU back to 520W Corsair, go ahead and smack me on the wrist IF it wont support this hardware with OC.
 $2030.00
Case: Digital Storm Twister PRO (Black Anodized Aluminum Finish)
Power Supply: 520W Corsair HX (SLI Compatible) (Silent Edition) (High-Quality Unit) Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz (1066MHz FSB) (8MB Cache) Motherboard: nVidia 680i Core 2 Quad (By: eVGA) (nForce 680i SLI) (A1 Revision) Memory: 2GB DDR2 Corsair at 1066MHz Dominator (Dual Channel) (Extreme-Performance) Hard Drive 1: 320GB (Western Digital / Seagate) (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA) Optical Drive 1: DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (DVD Reader 16x / CD Reader 40x) Optical Drive 2: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x) Network Card: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Video Card: nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 640MB (By: eVGA / Asus) (PCI-Express) Sound Card: Motherboard Multi-Channel High Definition Audio (7.1 Channel) Cooling: Air Cooled Stage 3 (Silent Artic Cooling (TwisterBoost Overclocked) Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32b) *******************************
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At this point, it seems that I have finally 99% nailed down that the following WILL be in the rig:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz
nVidia 680i Core 2 Quad (A1 Revision)
320GB (Western Digital / Seagate) (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW
On-board: Sound and 2 Lan connections. (tunneling internet to my 2nd PC)
GeForce 8800GTS 640MB
Air Cooled Stage 3 (TwisterBoost OC)
Still up in the air as of now:
LITE or PRO case
520W -or- 620W PSU
2GB DDR2 @ 1066MHz Dominator -or- 2GB DDR2 XMS2 @ 800MHz Edited by !ender_ - 25 Oct 2007 at 1:11am |
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Tyler Lowe
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Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 1:42am |
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Well.... not really for SLI on the Case. The Case selection was more with an eye towards more efficient cooling of the components in the initial build. I tend to appreciate the KISS approach of the Pro Case. To me, less pieces makes for less things to start rattling. The dials and gauges are not really my thing, but I can see how they could be appealing visually, and if you have your comp on your desk rather than under it they could even be useful. There are plenty of software apps out there you can use to keep tabs on the same things though. The ability to run SLI down the road was more of a "just in case". (no pun intended
) As far as the PSU, I went with the 620W for the flexibility having a little extra power gives, which might or might not be used for SLI. The extra output gives you more freedom to make choices not just a year from now, but for the lifespan of the system. I don't know what the future will bring in terms of new devices or power demands, so I tend to be cautious in advising someone to go with a unit that just fits the need of the moment.
With what you have selected, right now, you should be at around a 370W *maximum* draw on a PSU. Power supllies tend to operate at their best when run at less than 75% rated output, and really, more like in the 45-65% load range. 370/.65 = 569. That's already a tad over optimal for the 520W PSU, but well within it's capabilities. 370/.75 = 493, so you should be able to keep the load under that 75% mark. The output of a PSU, like any other component does however, degrade over time. Add in a little margin to account for aging, and what little room was there for later addition of any sort starts to get a bit sparse.
The hardest part in meeting any budget is deciding what you want to cut or include within that last $100, or at least it was for me. I think you have a solid base to build from there now, it's just a matter of figuring out what means more to you.
Good Luck.
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!ender_
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Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 2:16am |
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Thanks so much for the detailed and explained responses! I'm going to wait for the other opinions but in the mean time, since you seem to be close to your computer... Tower: I busted out my girlfriend's purple tape measure to check a few things as far as space goes for the tower, while I COULD leave the pc out on the floor if needed, the desk I have has a built-in space for a tower, W= 9.75" H= 18.5" (front and back are open) Keeping in mind that my room stays at about 70 F with a constant airflow from an 18" floor fan, ambient temp shouldn't be an issue. I'm thinking the LITE case would be better suited, leaving it slightly to the right to allow the left side intake fan a decent amount of air to grab, and still a cusion of air between the case and the nearer wall to the right. (The obvious arguement to that is that the air flow on the PRO case is entirely front to back, making up for its .80" thicker walls, leaving it less room on the left and right.)
 why does every decision have to be this close?As far as all of that math on the PSU goes, is what you have based off of the system running stock or after OC? If its before OC I'd think I have no other choice than 620W, but seeing as how its only $30 more thats not a huge deal...
Oh and your thoughts on the ram? from my last post?
Edited by !ender_ - 25 Oct 2007 at 2:18am |
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Tyler Lowe
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Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 2:51am |
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The math was assuming 1.5 Vcore and a clock speed of 2.8 Ghz. The actual figure arrived at was slightly over 370W, but that figure was post OC. That Vcore may be on the high side and the OC figure you'll get is variable, but they should work well enough to get a rough idea. And it is only $30... Heh. The case.. Enclosure walls are going to somewhat stifle that side fan, but the LITE case does have good cooling aside from that, it just doesn't have as much room inside for cabling, components, etc, so the air flow through it is not quite as good. The LITE also uses a front mounted door, so include that in your plans. The hinge is on the left as you look at the case from the front, and you can plan for an additional 8.5" to the left of the case to open the door to 90 degrees. (attaching a grease pencil to a string and tracing an arc would give you a *very* good idea) Given the size of that enclosure, the Pro case looks to be a really tight fit height wise with only about a 1/4" clearance. If there is any warping, sagging, or a slight pitch in the enclosure, you could be in for a time sliding that case into there. I'm not normally a fan of putting devices that generate heat into an enclosure, but sometimes reality gets in the way of doing what's ideal. If it were me, and the case had to go in that spot, I'd opt for the smaller of the two to allow better airflow around the case. Be sure to have plenty of room between the rear of that enclosure (which I assume is completely open) and any walls. The difference between the RAM will be the difference between an OC of ~2.8Ghz+/- 0.1(with 800Mhz RAM) and an OC of ~3.0Ghz +/- 0.1 (using 1066Mhz RAM) based on what others have posted their system clocks and configurations at with air cooling. Those figures are *rough*. DSO makes no garantees with regards to final clock speeds since every chip is different, and their primary concern is a stable, cool running, reliable operation. In practical terms, I don't think the performance difference is very much. You may see a slight rise in synthetic benchmarks, but most people use a comp to game, not run 3dmark06
. Edited by Tyler Lowe - 25 Oct 2007 at 3:10am |
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!ender_
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Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 3:04am |
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yea the front and rear are completely open and in the path of my huge fan's airflow, both cases would likely poke out the front and the back slightly, which is a good thing as far as air goes. (and the door if i go LITE)
As far as the PRO case goes, the top of that enclosure is acually a removable shelf, so vertical clearance can be ignored now that I look at it, there isnt enough on that shelf to worry about anyway. Space for air on the sides would not be ideal, but it wouldnt be touching by a decent margin, AND the material that makes those walls is just the pressure board cheap ass stuff from a $200 staples desk, its not exactly the inside of a thermos.
$15 more for a more fitting airflow and more interior room? sounds good.
And I'm reading that first paragraph as a "just go for the 620w, stay on the safe side" which I agree with.
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you still didnt comment on the ram 1v1
*********************** Edited by !ender_ - 25 Oct 2007 at 3:05am |
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Tyler Lowe
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Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 3:25am |
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Well, aside from the overclock number, there's really no practical benefit to spending the $$$ on faster than PC6400 RAM for a Q6600. There's a whole thread on this, but the basic idea is that the FSB speed is actually not 1066Mhz, it's ~267Mhz sending and recieving data at 4 points during the clock cycle or "quad pumped". 267*4=~1066, which is where we get the FSB (front side bus) speed. DDR2 is "dual pumped" which means that it sends and recieves data at two points during a clock cycle, so 667Mhz RAM is actually operating at ~334 Mhz. If you were to take a base speed of 334Mhz and quad pump it, you'd arrive at a FSB speed of ~1333Mhz... This is *just* enough to get your RAM into sync with your 1333FSB CPU and avoid a major memory bottleneck. You want to go one step above the bare minimum to get into sync to combat latency. The next step up is 800Mhz, which is a base speed of 400Mhz. If you've not fallen asleep yet (sorry, but this *is* the short version
), you'll see that if a CPU had a base FSB speed of 400Mhz, it's QDR or quad pumped FSB speed would be 1600Mhz. You're not going to see 1600Mhz FSB with a Q6600, so 800Mhz is all you need to keep from bottlenecking at your RAM.That's why people are stopping at 800Mhz RAM when suggesting builds for anyone that isn't going to sweat a lower than 3.0Ghz OC figure on a q6600.
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!ender_
DS Veteran
Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 6:28am |
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So with my setup, even with a good OC I'd never see 90% of 2GB DDR2 @ 800? Or, at least, not often enough to even consider 2@1066?
I'm acually sort of happy with 2030, with that in mind would you still say go down to 2gb @ 800 becuase 1066 would be a waste of cash for me?
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Tyler Lowe
Newbie
Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 10:42am |
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I'm going to put it this way:
If having an overclock result of 2.7Ghz would make you happy, 800Mhz RAM is sufficient. If you would prefer to have a better shot at 3.0Ghz, you will want to stick with 1066Mhz RAM. The performance difference between the RAM at 667Mhz and 800Mhz is going to be noticeable for gaming. The difference between 800Mhz and 1066Mhz is going to be more difficult to discern.
 If you are happy with the money you're spending now, and there is nothing else you'd rather put the price difference between the two RAM speeds towards, I don't think there's a question. Stick with the 1066Mhz RAM.
Edited by Tyler Lowe - 25 Oct 2007 at 10:51am |
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!ender_
DS Veteran
Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 11:33pm |
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Ok so It looks like I've settled
let me know what you think!
(the PRO cases are out of stock for 2 weeks
)Still thinking about dropping the PSU to 520w, but I'm not ordering until monday so we'll see what happens...
$2028.00 Case: Digital Storm Twister LITE (Black Aluminum Edition) |
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Tyler Lowe
Newbie
Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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Posted: 25 Oct 2007 at 11:44pm |
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I think you are going to
 that machine.
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commast
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 262 |
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Posted: 26 Oct 2007 at 1:24am |
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Drop the LightScribe optical unless you really need it. Invest in a cheap Epson cd/dcd printer will be better in the long run : Full spectacular color on disc instead of the gray color on LightScribe. |
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!ender_
DS Veteran
Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4219 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 26 Oct 2007 at 6:54am |
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commast I had that mentioned to me before, only reason im going with the lightscribe is $5 more and I have a decent printer already.... I would consider upgrading the printer if I had used it more than 2 times in the past 4 months, but thanks!
Thanks so much for all your help guys, you have made a huge difference to me... Anyone who wants a forum sig, wallpaper, or a movie made dont hesitate to ask!
Anyone think that with this setup, overclocked, no room for uprading... that I should NOT go down to 520W?
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Tyler Lowe
Newbie
Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 26 Oct 2007 at 8:59am |
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Yep. Me. I'm going to echo what Sky said before. I think that's a $30 bucks cut that you might come to regret later.
But again, it's your comp, your money, and you know what's going to work for you. Personally, I'd much rather run a PSU at 55-65% rated capacity than edge closer to that 75% mark to avoid faster wear on the capacitors from the increased heat that comes with greater loads.
I also think the forums can reach the limits of their usefulness. The best people to ask are the professionals at Digital Storm. I mean well and honestly try to help people. I've read everything about computers I could get my hands on for the last 4 months or so, and I have a good general electronics background.....
That is *not* the same as the guys that do this for a living, and have lived this stuff, not just read up on it, not for months, but for *years*. Take advantage of that and ask which way they think you should go when you get on the phone.
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67alecto
Groupie 
Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 288 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 26 Oct 2007 at 10:32am |
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I'll second that - I bought an external DVD burner and got the lightscribe version because it was only $5 more (I spent $60 at newegg). I've used the lightscribe feature twice. It's kind of neat, but not really worth the extra time it takes (or the extra cost of the discs).
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Twister Pro
750W PS/Q6600 2.4GHz/680i LT/2GB Corsair 800/9800GTX/X-Fi XtremeGamer/Stage 2 Cooling Vanquish II 430W Corsair/i3 3.3 GHz/Asus H61M/8Gb DDR3 Corsair Vengeance/650Ti Boost 2Gb |
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