New Computer - It has begun

[davids]

So, I ordered the first piece of the new rig today. Has me excited so I figured I would post it up here for you guys.

Goals:

• Run games as smooth as possible on Vista
• Run Vista 64-bit, 8GB of RAM
• Be able to run multiple monitors
• Keep the budget around 2K
• Quiet system, water-cooled, able to be overclocked

I will be re-using the following from my existing computer:

• PCP&C 700W Power Supply
• Plextor DVD Burner
• 4x Seagate SATA 3G hard drives (will all become data drives)

Here is the new machine:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Pu...Number=8186771

• Gigabyte 3D Mercury pro (Water-cooled Case) Review
• AMD Phenom 9950 BE
• ASUS M3a32-MVP Motherboard (Can support up to 4 Video cards)
• 2x VisionTek HD 4850
• 4x 2GB Corsair 1066 Ram
• Western Digital Velociraptor (new OS Drive)
• LITEON Bluray burner

[splby]

how is a computer water cooled?

[zettahertz]

^ you get a water cooling kit (or individual components) and replace your OEM cpu heatsink/ GPU heatsink-fan / NB heatsink with a water block and run a loop of water tubing with a water pump, radiator. It's mainly used for overclocking, but also by some ppl that like their computer quiet

http://www.swiftnets.com/

[davids]

^ they have nice kits.

[TriX]

sounds nice...show us pics...get a nice case also.

i will be making a monster quad core AMD...

[Highway Riding]

the good ol intel vs AMD debate.... I have tested both and Intel has won on our tests..

[Kirk Lazarus]

Good stuff dave!

[davids]

Originally Posted by TriX

sounds nice...show us pics...get a nice case also.

i will be making a monster quad core AMD...

Case was listed bro, that is what I just purchased:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811233020

[davids]

Originally Posted by Highway Riding

the good ol intel vs AMD debate.... I have tested both and Intel has won on our tests..

I think if I were 100% out for benchmark results, I would go with Intel/Nvidia. But that's not my goal, as I stated.

Cheers

[Highway Riding]

Originally Posted by davids

I think if I were 100% out for benchmark results, I would go with Intel/Nvidia. But that's not my goal, as I stated.

Cheers

that is a nice case for sure..

[davids]

Thanks Highway.

Couple more pics.

[SlideFox]

Looks like a great setup!!

I got a questions for ya... What do you think is a reccommended amount of RAM to run to have Vista run "smoothly? I see you have 8GB up top, but is that mainly to support the extra features you are incorporating?

[davids]

I am going to have to run some tests and see how loud the case fans are. I will most likely end up replacing them with silent 120mm fans (~9db)

[davids]

Originally Posted by SlideFox

Looks like a great setup!!

I got a questions for ya... What do you think is a reccommended amount of RAM to run to have Vista run "smoothly? I see you have 8GB up top, but is that mainly to support the extra features you are incorporating?

From what I have heard, I would not run less than 4GB on a dedicated Vista machine.

The catch is the way memory scales. For stability you should always run the same size and an even number of RAM modules. Which means as RAM scales, the configuration scales exponentially.

In layman terms, your stepping is something like:

512MB (1x 512 or 2x 256)
1GB (1x 1GB or 2x 512 or 4x 256)
2GB (1x 2GB or 2x 1GB or 4x 512)
4GB (2x 2GB or 4x 1GB)
8GB (4x 2GB)

You have to balance:

• Technology - Do the chips even exist? (ie: 1 8GB ram module)?
• Performance - Better to run 4 sticks of 1GB or 2 sticks 2GB?
• Capacity - Are you running enough memory?
• Stability - 4 sticks running as fast as 2 sticks is harder for the motherboard to control at higher speeds and can lead to instability (blue screens, games crashing)

I could run 4GB on a 32 bit version of Vista but it will be maxed out. Which means if it is not enough, I can't add more. I already know that 4GB is recommended and I don't like the feeling of being stuck like that.

Thus, I arrived at 8GB.
I hope this makes sense.

[davids]

Common applications I run include Games, Visual Studio, Graphics Programs, SQL Server, etc. They tend to be memory intensive as well.

[SlideFox]

Thanks for the explanation!!

I asked because, I am about to burchase a new HP laptop and obviously Vista is the OS, but it only comes with 2GB of RAM. I can't think of anything I hate more than waiting for my computer to catch up to itself.

[davids]

Originally Posted by SlideFox

Thanks for the explanation!!

I asked because, I am about to burchase a new HP laptop and obviously Vista is the OS, but it only comes with 2GB of RAM. I can't think of anything I hate more than waiting for my computer to catch up to itself.

If you can get more, I suggest you do, even if you have to stretch your wallet another $100

You will be happy that you did.

[SlideFox]

Originally Posted by davids

If you can get more, I suggest you do, even if you have to stretch your wallet another $100

You will be happy that you did.

That's what I figured. I was thinking a long the lines of 4GB of RAM.

Sorry for the OT!

Your setup should be awesome!!

[Kirk Lazarus]

Dave, is there a reason you opted for AMD vs Intel?

[Kirk Lazarus]

Originally Posted by SlideFox

Thanks for the explanation!!

I asked because, I am about to burchase a new HP laptop and obviously Vista is the OS, but it only comes with 2GB of RAM. I can't think of anything I hate more than waiting for my computer to catch up to itself.

If your new laptop can handle ddr2-800 rather than the most common standard of ddr2-667 for laptops, opt for the ddr2-800.