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UPDATED REVIEW AS OF 11/15 (HAF 932, GTX280 SLI)

Post Date: 2008-11-05

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jtspectra2 View Drop Down
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: UPDATED REVIEW AS OF 11/15 (HAF 932, GTX280 SLI)
    Posted: 05 Nov 2008 at 2:54pm
Well it seems like they never got around to moving my written review to this section so im gunna take my review and add to it , since iv had my computer for about 2 weeks now.

PREORDERING/ ORDERING PHASE


I wasnt sure were i wanted to order my computer from when i decided that i needed a new computer. I did my research with FNW, Alienware, Cyberpower, Dell , and basically priced out all their high end gaming machines. For some reason i had not came across Digital Storm and i was only informed of them about a week prior to ordering from them. I had been doing months of reseach on the other companies, but after about a day on the fourms, and a couple of conversations with the guys at DS i was sold. I got some input from the boys on the fourms , and some input from some of the DS guys , and i placed my order. DS stayed in contact with me throughout the entire ordering process.
At one point they had trouble getting my ram stable, and i received a call after buisness hours from Randy to see if i wanted to switch ram as to not delay my order. DS's customer service is top notch. Everytime i called i spoke to a knowlageble sales rep, or tech that had an answer for every one of my questions. DS made me feel like a customer , and i really appreciated the care that they put twords making me happy. ( especially eric, who i probably spoke to 1,000 times over the course of 2 weeks) Anyway on with my review. DS ROCKS ! 


ORDER DATE: 10-14-08 DELIVERY DATE: 11-4-08


ORDER DETAILS




Chassis: Cooler Master HAF 932
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Interior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Power Supply: 1000W PC Power & Cooling (Turbo-Cool Edition) (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 3.0GHz (1333MHz FSB) (12MB Cache)
Motherboard: nVidia 790i Ultra Core 2 Quad (nForce 790i Ultra SLI) (DDR3 Only)
System Memory: 4GB DDR3 1600MHz OCZ Platinum Edition
Card Reader: - No Thanks
Hard Drive 1: 300GB Western Digital VelociRaptor (10K RPM) (16MB Cache) (Extreme Speed)
Hard Drive 2: 750GB Western Digital (7200 RPM) (16MB Cache) (SATA) (Extreme Speed)
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
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card(s): 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1GB) (Includes PhysX Technology)
TV Tuner: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Razer Barracuda AC-1 (Recommended)
Extreme Cooling: Liquid Chilled FrostBite CPU Only
Internal Lighting: Blizzard Internal Lighting (Red Edition) (Cold Cathode Tubes)
Modifications: - No Thanks
CPU Boost: Yes, Overclock the processor as much as possible with complete stability
Graphics Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Memory Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Windows Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) (For Enthusiasts)



First THE PICS





PACKAGING
I Recieved the box in good condition , with fragile stickers on it , with a pretty good tape job. i opened up my box and
first thing i noticed was how well the computer was packaged. foam was inserted inside my case to ensure safe delivary as well as padded foam on the outside to prevent dents. kudos DS. DS provided an accessory box which contents included manuals, extra wires , and extra case parts. All of my Driver Discs and manuals were included as well as a personalized binder to keep all of my paperwork in. DS did a very good job packaging my system , and it arrived flawless, with no dents , loose components, or scrapes.

FIRST BOOT UP:
i connected my keyboard, mouse, monitor and my power supply and switched on my beast. and as i expected it started up fast as ever. Since i switched from an Old P4 3.2 this was an extreme jump in performance for me , and i can safely that i'v never owned a computer that got to the desktop as fast as this one. i hit the power button, looked down and up and was already on the desktop. DS took the liberty to put my name and register windows and there were not extra BS programs that other computer companies (cough dell, hp cough) include on their system that just take up space. Again DS stands out from the others. Ds also disabled that annoying UAC free of charge Ermm

BECHMARKING/INTEL BURN/TEMPS

Once i got everything situated it was time to install some tests and benchmarking software. CPU-Z Showed that DS had my Processor clocked a 3600MHz with a 1600Mhz FSB. Next thing i wanted to do was some Benchmarking . I ran 3dMark Vantage and scored 23,000 3DMarks. With a Max GPU temp of 70*c. Next thing i ran was an Intel Burn at max stress. everything checked out, and my LC kept my processor cool during the vigorous testing. (PICS OF 3DMARK and INTEL BURN BELOW)





TESTING:

Sound Card, Music

Im a sound /music buff, so the majority of my time on the computer away from playing games is listening to music. I opted for the Razer AC-1 Sound card and it sounds GREAT! . only complaint is that the dongle adapter is kind of hard to plug into the back of the card, i made DS aware of this and its a known problem. Eric provided a remedy , and my problem was fixed. Once i got that connected , i tested my card with some tunes and it sounded amazing.
 
Gaming , Simming

You dont buy dual GTX280's if you dont plan to get the most out of todays most demanding games. This computer just eats any game i throw at it. Crysis, Farcry 2, Fallout 3, FSX, just to name a few, all run flawlessly without a hiccup. Even Crysis, which is the most demanding game to date runs at 40 plus FPS on Very High at a resolution of 1920x1200. Pretty Self Explainitory if you ask me.

Applications, Internet


I Dont think i even need to mention anything in this department. This machine just flys through pages like its nothing. The internet is wicked fast, and all my programs open up in a flash.

CONCLUSION:

 The Machine itself is a beaut. its quiet , fast, and so far no freezing, errors, or anything like that. Its treated me well since i got it 2 weeks ago. The quality of this build is like no other computer i have ever seen. DS put so much time and effort into getting the machine exactly how i wanted.
 
My overall experiance with DS has been AMAZING . i highly recommend Digital Storm to anyone who is looking for the best computer / best customer service, and best quality. DS is bar none the best computer company i have ever dealt with.




Edited by jtspectra2 - 01 Dec 2008 at 1:10am
Q9650 @ 4.2Ghz( Liquid Cooled), 4GB 1600Mhz DDR3, GTX280 SLI, VRaptor,HAF 932
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  Quote MrNanite Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 05 Nov 2008 at 2:57pm
Clown
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  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 05 Nov 2008 at 3:31pm
man those are some great pics, great angles too
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 05 Nov 2008 at 3:45pm
i guess this thread was moved. they should of moved my written review too . oh well. its in GD if anyone wants to 
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  Quote scaner Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 05 Nov 2008 at 8:24pm
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  Quote FLighT Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 05 Nov 2008 at 8:37pm
Love those RAM cooling fans in powder blue, I wish I'd put one on just for the bling bling factor. Probably don't really need them as I didn't have my RAM sticks OC'd.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 06 Nov 2008 at 2:38am
neither do i . i got it cause it looks cool Star
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  Quote bradesco Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 06 Nov 2008 at 4:24am
Looks pretty sweet... cant wait to order mine :D
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  Quote FLighT Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 06 Nov 2008 at 7:26am
Originally posted by jtspectra2

neither do i . i got it cause it looks cool Star
 
LOL
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  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 06 Nov 2008 at 1:48pm
lol that is the corsair's fan, OCZ's looks different
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 15 Nov 2008 at 10:09pm
new review up at top. check it out !
Q9650 @ 4.2Ghz( Liquid Cooled), 4GB 1600Mhz DDR3, GTX280 SLI, VRaptor,HAF 932
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  Quote scaner Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 15 Nov 2008 at 10:31pm
i like your pc man,,,its realy nice build.....
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  Quote scaner Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 15 Nov 2008 at 10:33pm
one more ,when did you download a 3dMark Vantage....
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  Quote blood5150 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 15 Nov 2008 at 11:03pm
Hey OP,
 
you should boost up that oc if you can...
 
They got my q9650 to 4.0Ghz on stage two air cooling and 1333mhz ram.
 
 
DS SYSTEM
HAF 932
1000w Corsair HX
Q9650 OC'd to 4.0 Ghz on air
790i Ultra
4GB Corsair DDR3 1333mhz
150GB WD Velociraptor
1TB Seagate Storage Drive
GTX 280
VISTA 64
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 15 Nov 2008 at 11:46pm
ya i just boosted it . im at 4.05mhz  1800 mhz fsb Ermm
Q9650 @ 4.2Ghz( Liquid Cooled), 4GB 1600Mhz DDR3, GTX280 SLI, VRaptor,HAF 932
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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 15 Nov 2008 at 11:48pm
Originally posted by jtspectra2

ya i just boosted it . im at 4.05mhz  1800 mhz fsb Ermm


Stable? Have you run prime95 or intelburn to test it?
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:01am
ya im runnin prime as we speak . so far my highest core temp is around 74*c. so far its stable . we'll see in a couple hours i guess
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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:02am
Ya. Make sure to let us know.
Since you OC'd it more than DS did does that void your warranty?
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:04am
nope, i already talked to steve, he's the one that actually guided me threw it. he told me all the settings to change like my spp and mcp voltages and my FSB and cpu core voltages and what not . i really dont think its gunna crap out, so far iv been at 100 percent CPU for about 15 with no problems, no pop ups , errors or anything , but this is my first OC, so idont know what to expect if things turn bad. we'll see though . worst comes to worse i have my original DS settings saved in the bios, written down , and i have a picture , JUST IN CASE

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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:08am
SWEET! This is GREAT news to me!
I dont think they will OC my i7 940 to 4.0Ghz+
I will just call someone to walk me through it then.
=]]]
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:12am
dude its sooooo easy . i thought it was gunna be hella hard. its so easy , and such a great feeling when u do it urself . lets just hope my machine doesnt explode cause i accidently set a voltage wrong lol . that would suck
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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:12am
Thats what the amazing warranty is for! Big%20smile
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:13am
ya deffiantly. im gunna run 3d mark vantage after this prime test to see if it ups my score a bit. i wanna hit 25000 sooo bad :) im at 23,000
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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:16am
Im hoping that my i7 will be able to hit 27000+
Should be able to with 8 virtual cores SmileSmile
Quad core with dual HT FTW!
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:17am
27k would be WICKED

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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:21am
Well the i7 940 at stock speeds scores a 23982. Stock speeds is 2.93Ghz so...I think it might be possible. 
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  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:54am
4.0 there you go, why don't you give us a screen shot of CPU-z
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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 12:58am
haha. Someone doesnt believe him. SmileSmile
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 1:00am
Q9650 @ 4.2Ghz( Liquid Cooled), 4GB 1600Mhz DDR3, GTX280 SLI, VRaptor,HAF 932
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  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 1:03am
very nice
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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 1:05am
Very impressive. Makes me sad when i look at my current system...3.2ghz P4HT.
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 1:07am
i wanna push it to 4.2 Pinch
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  Quote PatrickB Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 1:08am
Hmm...Might be kinda tough. 
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  Quote XpubuX Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 1:24am
what voltages did you change besides vcore What did you change spp and mcp to. I ahvent messed with any of tthose in my overclock.

Edited by XpubuX - 16 Nov 2008 at 1:27am
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  Quote jtspectra2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 1:31am
vcore is 1.5v spp 1.45v and mcp is 1.6v
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