My new system. Your opinions?

[Oneslowz28]

I am building myself a new PC. Its my first new PC since the Athlon 64 X2 series came out so I am really excited! Most of the components are in my possession so they can not be changed but I would like every ones opinion on this setup.

I will be using this PC as a test bed for my review work here on the site.


Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition 140w (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103692&cm_re=965_be-_-19-103-692-_-Product) Stock clock @ 3.4ghz. Will OC past 4ghz (Thanks Trace!!!!)
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-890FXA-UD5 AM3 AMD 890FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128441)
RAM: 4gb Crutial Balistix Tracer 1600 (http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=BL2KIT25664TB1608)
Video Card(s): EVGA 8800 GTS 512 (until I can afford Dual 5970s)
PSU: Ultra X4 850w 80+ (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4558892&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE)
DVD / Blu-ray: Plextor PX-B320SA (http://www.plextoramericas.com/index.php/blu-ray/internal-blu-ray/px-b320sa)
Fan Controller: NZXT Sentry 2 (http://www.nzxt.com/products/sentry_2/) touch screen
Case: Cooler Master Storm Sniper
SATA 3 Cables Provided by OKGEAR (http://www.okgear.com/en/home/index.asp)

Water Cooling from Danger Den
CPU Block: MC TDX AM2/3 (http://www.dangerden.com/store/mc-tdx-for-am2-am3_processors.html)
Pump: CPX Pro 12v pump (http://www.dangerden.com/store/dd-cpx_pro-12v_pump.html)
Radiator: Black Ice SR1 240mm Radiator (http://www.dangerden.com/store/black-ice-sr1-240.html)
Fans: 2 Yateloon Low Speed Fans (http://www.dangerden.com/store/yate-loon-120mm-low-speed-fan-d12sl-12.html)
Res 1: DD Clear Single Bay Reservoir (http://www.dangerden.com/store/danger-den-single-5-1-4-bay-reservoir.html)
Res 2: Danger Den Fillport Reservoir (http://www.dangerden.com/store/fillport-reservoir.html) (Thanks blueonblack!!!!)
Tubing: 10 Feet of 3/8" Tygon (http://www.dangerden.com/store/tygon-3603-tubing.html)
Fluid: Bottle of Feser-One Fluid (UV Blue) (http://www.dangerden.com/store/feser-one-uv-blue-f1-coolant.html)
Clamps: 20 Adjustable Hose Clamps (http://www.dangerden.com/store/plastic-snap-tubing-clamps.html) (Unless they send Fatboys)
Drain: Danger Den Derlin Filport for drain (http://www.dangerden.com/store/delrin-fillport.html)
Ts: 2 Derlin Ts (http://www.dangerden.com/store/delrin-tee.html) for plumbing in Filport res and Drain

All parts and fittings 3/8"

[x88x]

Looks good. Only thing I would change is the CPU, bumping up to an x6, but I seem to remember you got a crazy deal on that x4. WC loop looks good too, though if you WC those 5790's when you get them, you'll want to add more rad space. Also, when you add those 5790's, add another 4GB set of RAM...don't want to be creating new bottlenecks, now do we. ;)

Oh, and in my experience, unless you tell them to send you something else, all DD stuff comes with Fatboys.

[Oneslowz28]

Thanks for the input x88x. I actually meant dual 5970 graphics cards.

I was thinking DD shipped fatboys with the gear as they are the default listing on some stuff on their site.

I actually have 12gb of ram sitting on my desk right now. Its 3 different sets though :p

[billygoat333]

looks like its gonna spank!

[SXRguyinMA]

its all junk. just send it to me (I'll even pay for shipping) and you'll never have to worry about it again :D

seriously though, looks awesome!

[Oneslowz28]

I will send you the PC if you send me the water bike!

[SXRguyinMA]

lol almost had me thinkin for a few

[dr.walrus]

it's a beast, all it needs is more ram and the GPUs you mentioned.. wouldn't personally bother with the 5970s but if you've got the $$ then why not!

[Luthien]

Very nice. How's the GIGABYTE board? I have the ASUS 890FX myself.

[Oneslowz28]

I wont know for a few more days. It should ship tomorrow.

I have a pretty big surprise for this build but am not going to revile it until my build thread. I picked up a pretty large sponsor for my MW2 build today and lets just say that they came through for me BIG time!

[TheGreatSatan]

Too bad you didn't go the Intel route

[Oneslowz28]

I will never go the Intel route. Its just not my style. Besides we have 2 very fast i7 review stations between kayin and Trace. This will be our fastest AM3 review / testing rig. And TBH I don't think that it will matter much when its running at 4.5ghz

[Luthien]

I will never go the Intel route. Its just not my style. Besides we have 2 very fast i7 review stations between kayin and Trace. This will be our fastest AM3 review / testing rig. And TBH I don't think that it will matter much when its running at 4.5ghz


I agree 100%. No Intel for me either.

[artoodeeto]

It's funny, I've been an AMD guy for many years now, but I don't feel any especial loyalty. Part of the reason I've stayed with them is familiarity with the brand and how their products compare to each other (I've stayed with Nvidia for eons for the same reason), and part of it whenever I've looked, AMD's have usually been priced the same or slightly better than similar intel chips. Maybe that's changed now, I dunno. I built my current rig a year ago...

[SXRguyinMA]

well as far as graphics cards go, the nvidia cards seem to be a lot higher priced than their comparable ATi cards

[diluzio91]

well as far as graphics cards go, the nvidia cards seem to be a lot higher priced than their comparable ATi cards

Ill have to agree... hmm... that and for some reason ATI cards and AMD chipsets mesh better... wonder why that is :think: ;)

[x88x]

well as far as graphics cards go, the nvidia cards seem to be a lot higher priced than their comparable ATi cards

That applies pretty well to AMD vs Intel CPUs too. Yeah, Intel might make faster CPUs, but for the price AMD is usually gonna give you more power.

[TheGreatSatan]

AMD was waaay better than Intel, then they bought ATI and spent all their money over there. ATI's cards became far better and AMD's processors went in the toilet. Intel has better procs and ATI has the best Video cards because of AMD

[blueonblack]

the price AMD is usually gonna give you more power.

This. AMD has always had the advantage when it comes to performance per dollar. And besides, I'm still hearing that damned 5-note Intel chime they stuck into my head from every possible outlet several times an hour back in the late 90's. They'll be playing that in a continuous loop in my own special Hell. And the Blue Man Group. Enough said. If I can buy competitive products at a better price from someone else, I will.

I actually stopped buying Nvidia products when AMD bought ATI, simply to funnel more money to Intel's competition, and I haven't regretted it one bit.

[dr.walrus]

AMD was waaay better than Intel, then they bought ATI and spent all their money over there.

Well, this sort of depends how far back you go. Considering Intel was responsible for the mainstreaming of the silicon chip (and the IC in general) I don't neccessarily think AMD has ever really been 'better' than Intel, though I would totally support the proposition that AMD often presents a much better option to retails users, especially in terms of cost.

This is why I have AMD/ATI everything. That said, Intel is the world's biggest silicon producer, and AMD is nowhere close...

[x88x]

I don't neccessarily think AMD has ever really been 'better' than Intel

P4/Athlon 64 Generation. AMD kicked Intel's ass over their entire product line, on just about every face (ok, not mobile chips...they've never been too great at those). Interestingly, it was near the end of that generation that they bought ATI and had less money to funnel into CPU development...and subsequently lost their edge in the CPU market. I'll be interested to see the Phenom III's (or whatever they call them) though.

[Luthien]

Do you mean the 6 core they just put out or whatever they're planning next? The 6 core is still a Phenom II, and it is very nice. As for what they'll do next, I don't know, but if this cpu is any indication, it'll be something great.

[x88x]

I meant whatever they do next.

[dr.walrus]

P4/Athlon 64 Generation. AMD kicked Intel's ass over their entire product line, on just about every face (ok, not mobile chips...they've never been too great at those). Interestingly, it was near the end of that generation that they bought ATI and had less money to funnel into CPU development...and subsequently lost their edge in the CPU market. I'll be interested to see the Phenom III's (or whatever they call them) though.

My statement was more about the companies as a whole, rather than just desktop computing, which is far from all intel produces.

And my 6 year old P4 is still going strong, whilst all the athlons are longs since burnt out...

[eslfish]

Looks like an intense system. Ahh, water cooling!

[x88x]

My statement was more about the companies as a whole, rather than just desktop computing, which is far from all intel produces.

Fair enough, but since CPU and chipset development and manufacture was pretty much all AMD did before acquiring ATI, I don't think it's unfair to compare that division of Intel with the whole of AMD.


And my 6 year old P4 is still going strong, whilst all the athlons are longs since burnt out...

I have an FX-55 that is still rock solid, and tbh the cases I've heard of either burning out in non-overclocking-accident incidents are few and far between. From what I hear, the Thunderbirds (Slot A, PII era) were pretty bad about that, but that's the last incident I know of where an unusual amount of CPUs failed.

[dr.walrus]

Thunderbirds (Slot A, PII era)


T-Birds! I had one of the first ones and it ran so hot it practically glowed RED. And the K6-2's...

Ah, Slot 1 / Slot A. Worst processor mounting solutions ever.

[Oneslowz28]

I have a K6-2 rig and its cooler looks like a NB cooler on todays boards. I dont think it runs that hot.

[dr.walrus]

I have a K6-2 rig and its cooler looks like a NB cooler on todays boards. I dont think it runs that hot.

Sorry, despite how my post looked, I wasn't suggesting they were hot, I was just reminiscing about them in general. Always an ideal discount option back in the day!

[slaveofconvention]

Ah the memories - my first full build was based around a K6-2 450.... heh

[billygoat333]

mine was a k6-2 500! lol minus the small ugrades done to my parent's pentium 100 back in the dizzay. (we went from a 386 to a pentium. awesome upgrade! lol)

[dr.walrus]

My dad was an IT consultant so when I was a kid our house was full of old computers - My brother and I put together a Pentium 100 with three hard drives totalling 7GB which became my first computer when I was about 10, which became the first computer that was my own, instead of one he and I shared.

I remember a heated debate between me and him about whether we should upgrade our shared computer to windows 95... 95 won so we could play the original Diablo. We even built an intercom between our bedrooms out of old speakers and dozens of feet of cable so we could have voice chat over our LAN, which was originally via null modem I think.

Unsurprisingly, I went into IT. He became a vet...

[Oneslowz28]

It's ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Luthien]

Yay!

[diluzio91]

my opinion is ...

:pics:

we wanna see this

[Oneslowz28]

I will post one teaser tonight. Its getting late and I have to man the grill all day tomorrow while drinking beer. That means I need to rest up and build up some strength.

I am ashamed of these pics. They are no where near the quality or standard I hold myself too. I should have lit things a little better. Maybe tomorrow night I will take some better ones. It took me about 5 hours from start to finish. Most of that time was spent on cable management and sleeving some cables.



http://thebestcasescenario.com/oneslowz28/personal/PC2.jpg
http://thebestcasescenario.com/oneslowz28/personal/pc1.jpg

[Trace]

Sexy right there!

[Oneslowz28]

3.8 stable so far and that's with just a multiplier bump from 17 to 19. Temps did not move at all.

[Luthien]

Looks nice!

[Oneslowz28]

Thanks

[Twigsoffury]

I pulled my buddies 965 to 4.4Ghz, seemed like it'd go even higher then that... but you know when you see 4,400mhz on the screen...you sorta wonder if its going to burn up hahaha.