I found this case in my basement. Should I use it?
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"I need a New PC!" 2012 Thread. 22nm+28nm, Tri-Gate, and reading the OP. [Part 1]
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Thanks for your answer. I wasn't able to do it the way you said (one added difficulty is that my version of W7 is in French, so I can't just input commands in English in the search box), but then I remembered Sean Webster's SSD installation guide, and sure enough, using cmd and the diskpart command worked. My HDD is now properly recognized.
I know right? With a Core i5 3570K I should expect it to boot even faster than my netbook.
I'm positive the OS is on the SSD. W7 patching is currently in progress. I'll see if that changes anything tomorrow.
I've got firmware 000F on my SSD, which is the latest. Also, a quick benchmark on AS SSD tells me it's properly 4K aligned. I really can't see what's wrong with it. I hope it's just W7 acting funny because it's not up to date.
I'm not 100% on this, but I believe it boils down to speed, density and stability for HDD speeds. I guess it's one of those "pick 2 of the 3" deals.
As for recommendations, I know I'm not one of the regular replies, but i5 is top recommendation for most situations. I doubt you'll run into a situation where an i7 would have performed drastically different from an i5, unless if you have money to burn. i3 is apparently a great budget processor too, but I think quad-core is a much better investment at this point.
As for socket changes, I haven't kept up with intel news, but it feels like for each new generation of intel processors, you will need a new motherboard. I could be wrong, but reading some news, it seems like the current socket (1155) is at the end of its lifespan.
So don't buy a cheap i3/i5/i7 now, expecting to use a future one on the same mobo.
HIS is one of the well known brands. It's sort of synonymous with Asus/Gigabyte/MSI for me. Haven't heard of any specific problems with them.
[edit] Where's the delete/merge post button, when you need it?
I've been using them since the day they were released without any issues. I haven't found a reason to roll-back.
JustProgress
Member
Getting tired of how loud my computer is. I have the Corsair 600T with the mesh door. In it are SLI 580s (regular EVGAs) and my proc cooler is a 212 EVO.
My cards gun when playing games, mainly because my custom fan profile looks like an exponential curve. But even when not playing games there is an audible sound coming from the case fans, one that none of my other friends' computers have.
Everything in my case is stock. Anyone have any tips for reducing noise? New fans? If so, which ones? Also, should I just use the default fan profile and watch my cards get up to 80 degrees C during graphic intensive games?
Lots of questions, sorry, but any help would be greatly appreciated.
My cards gun when playing games, mainly because my custom fan profile looks like an exponential curve. But even when not playing games there is an audible sound coming from the case fans, one that none of my other friends' computers have.
Everything in my case is stock. Anyone have any tips for reducing noise? New fans? If so, which ones? Also, should I just use the default fan profile and watch my cards get up to 80 degrees C during graphic intensive games?
Lots of questions, sorry, but any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi GAF I'm in need of some enlightening.
How do these 2 processors compare? One is older but has a higher clock speed, just what should I be reading to make a correct decision?
i5-650
http://ark.intel.com/products/43546/Intel-Core-i5-650-Processor-(4M-Cache-3_20-GHz)
i5-2300
http://ark.intel.com/products/52206/Intel-Core-i5-2300-Processor-(6M-Cache-up-to-3_10-GHz)
I'm obviously not limited to these 2 but someone is selling them at what I'd consider a good price so that's why I'm asking.
My main doubt is that, right now I have a 4yr old CPU that clocks at 3 GHz. I'm right to assume that buying the CPU from the 2nd link would be a sort of a downgrade? Or there's more to it? Is the 1st one better despite being older? Or is the 2nd one better despite the lower clock speed?
This wouldn't be for a gaming pc, but It could see the occasional gaming. Thanks a bunch! I'm mainly looking to be educated and know what to look for.
How do these 2 processors compare? One is older but has a higher clock speed, just what should I be reading to make a correct decision?
i5-650
http://ark.intel.com/products/43546/Intel-Core-i5-650-Processor-(4M-Cache-3_20-GHz)
i5-2300
http://ark.intel.com/products/52206/Intel-Core-i5-2300-Processor-(6M-Cache-up-to-3_10-GHz)
I'm obviously not limited to these 2 but someone is selling them at what I'd consider a good price so that's why I'm asking.
My main doubt is that, right now I have a 4yr old CPU that clocks at 3 GHz. I'm right to assume that buying the CPU from the 2nd link would be a sort of a downgrade? Or there's more to it? Is the 1st one better despite being older? Or is the 2nd one better despite the lower clock speed?
This wouldn't be for a gaming pc, but It could see the occasional gaming. Thanks a bunch! I'm mainly looking to be educated and know what to look for.
Quick answer before I ship off to bed.
Second one is better. Newer architecture = better performance per clock (among other things).
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/144?vs=363
Not the exact same processor (not on their charts), but close enough to give you an idea.
It's late and I dont have the time to put together the pictures and screenshots, so I hope some data will suffice.
It's pretty hot here, ambient in the room is about 75F/24C. CPU was hastily OC'd to 4.5GHz @ 1.38V, 7970 had the sliders moved to the right (1125/1575), was pulling about 110W more than a stock 670, and probably about 70 more than your average OC on a 670.
Setup is the two 140mm stock fans in the front as intake, BitFenix Spectre Pro 120s on the rear top as exhaust and exhausting over an H60 through the rear. So, added two fans to the system, though it was almost as quiet as my fully watercooled 3820/GTX 690 that is running nothing but 18dB fans. Ran uniengine on loop for two hours. CPU maxed at 73 average, GPU maxed at 58. Pretty damn amazing for a 'silent' chassis, and certainly an improvement over my Lian Li V700.
So far, this has exceeded my expectations in every respect. I can't think of a single thing I'm disappointed about with the chassis, and the 7970 DCII is pretty sweet as well. Quick and dirty cell pic before bedtime. Hopefully I'll be able to get lighting setup for some decent DSLR pics tomorrow.
It's pretty hot here, ambient in the room is about 75F/24C. CPU was hastily OC'd to 4.5GHz @ 1.38V, 7970 had the sliders moved to the right (1125/1575), was pulling about 110W more than a stock 670, and probably about 70 more than your average OC on a 670.
Setup is the two 140mm stock fans in the front as intake, BitFenix Spectre Pro 120s on the rear top as exhaust and exhausting over an H60 through the rear. So, added two fans to the system, though it was almost as quiet as my fully watercooled 3820/GTX 690 that is running nothing but 18dB fans. Ran uniengine on loop for two hours. CPU maxed at 73 average, GPU maxed at 58. Pretty damn amazing for a 'silent' chassis, and certainly an improvement over my Lian Li V700.
So far, this has exceeded my expectations in every respect. I can't think of a single thing I'm disappointed about with the chassis, and the 7970 DCII is pretty sweet as well. Quick and dirty cell pic before bedtime. Hopefully I'll be able to get lighting setup for some decent DSLR pics tomorrow.
Yep, the R3 was great for me, except for not having the modular HDD cage (I'm only using 2 HDDs and an SSD atm), and being a bit cramped for cable routing behind the mobo, both of which were addressed with the R4
Squirts Macintosh
Member
There are a few things you could do with your case but you are always going to have the two cards as the loudest part in the system.
1) Remove front and top mesh panels. Bend back the mesh metal tabs that holds the mesh to the plastic frame. Cut out all of the plastic save for a really basic skeleton. Then, reattach mesh.
2) Assuming you have three or fewer HDDs, remove the top HDD bay and move the lower one into the other low position next to the PSU.
3) Get better fans. The crappy situation with that case is that it is heavily weighted towards negative air pressure. This means you need a fairly powerful 200mm fan on the front to keep up with the rear/top or install the mesh panel. You could drill mounts for 120mm fans in the front if you are handy with a dremel and a drill. Get some Corsair SP Quiet Edition 120s for the Hyper 212, AF Quiet Edition 120s for the rear and top (3 total), and a nice 200mm fan that puts through as much CFM that you can find below 22dB. BitFenix Spectre Pro 200mm is a great fan, but needs to spin slower than full to not be obnoxious.
4) Look at some aftermarket coolers for your 580s, put them under water, or sell them and get a pair of Gigabyte 670 Windforce cards.
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The CM Quickfire Rapid Red is the least expensive gaming keyboard I'd recommend. The red part is important as the regular quickfire rapid has cherry blue switches which are better than membrane boards, but not nearly as nice as the reds for gaming.
Iacobellis
Junior Member
It's late and I dont have the time to put together the pictures and screenshots, so I hope some data will suffice.
It's pretty hot here, ambient in the room is about 75F/24C. CPU was hastily OC'd to 4.5GHz @ 1.38V, 7970 had the sliders moved to the right (1125/1575), was pulling about 110W more than a stock 670, and probably about 70 more than your average OC on a 670.
Setup is the two 140mm stock fans in the front as intake, BitFenix Spectre Pro 120s on the rear top as exhaust and exhausting over an H60 through the rear. So, added two fans to the system, though it was almost as quiet as my fully watercooled 3820/GTX 690 that is running nothing but 18dB fans. Ran uniengine on loop for two hours. CPU maxed at 73 average, GPU maxed at 58. Pretty damn amazing for a 'silent' chassis, and certainly an improvement over my Lian Li V700.
So far, this has exceeded my expectations in every respect. I can't think of a single thing I'm disappointed about with the chassis, and the 7970 DCII is pretty sweet as well. Quick and dirty cell pic before bedtime. Hopefully I'll be able to get lighting setup for some decent DSLR pics tomorrow.
Holy cable management. I hope I can pull off something like that when I start my build.
Iacobellis
Junior Member
Anytime! I am having a look at the guide as we speak.
Wolf Akela
Member
I wish I could've done something like this.
Seasonic cables are so short, and my NZXT Lexa S has pretty small cable holes and little room in the back. I couldn't get the drive cables through without a lot of force.
D
Deleted member 22576
Unconfirmed Member
Do any of you guys game with dual monitor setups? I know dual monitor setups are fairly common, but I was reading a few threads lately and realized that it has ALWAYS been my life dream to game on two monitors. I only needed to look up JustCause2 videos and a few L4D2 snippets to reaffirm my nerdlust for double displays.
I'm trying to be pragmatic about it, the build I'm working on[slowly but surely!] has a gtx680 and a core i7. I'm expecting to play source engine games and less demanding titles in all their dual monitor glory, but also am not trying to get my hopes up for BF3 or even Borderlands2 [my most anticipated game] working 100%. It seems kinda gimmicky still, but from the videos I've seen even if it only works in Burnout Paradise and Left4Dead2, thats worth the price of entry right there.
Plus, you know. Non-gaming stuff.
Anyway, just wanted to hear if anyone here is a sorta dual display aficionado... Any tips? Anything to keep in mind? Personally speaking I think the experience of playing a game on medium/high settings with no AA across two 23in panels seems infinitely more engaging than the same game on ultra/16aa settings on one panel. More is more. That being said, I'm still hoping that Source Engine games will be more or less buttery smooth no matter what I configure them to.
I know I saw mkenyon note that he'd be wearing of running a 1440p display with 2gigs of Vram , which is about the same number of pixels as two 1080p displays..
Beautiful build man! Can't wait until mine is 100%!!!
I'm trying to be pragmatic about it, the build I'm working on[slowly but surely!] has a gtx680 and a core i7. I'm expecting to play source engine games and less demanding titles in all their dual monitor glory, but also am not trying to get my hopes up for BF3 or even Borderlands2 [my most anticipated game] working 100%. It seems kinda gimmicky still, but from the videos I've seen even if it only works in Burnout Paradise and Left4Dead2, thats worth the price of entry right there.
Plus, you know. Non-gaming stuff.
Anyway, just wanted to hear if anyone here is a sorta dual display aficionado... Any tips? Anything to keep in mind? Personally speaking I think the experience of playing a game on medium/high settings with no AA across two 23in panels seems infinitely more engaging than the same game on ultra/16aa settings on one panel. More is more. That being said, I'm still hoping that Source Engine games will be more or less buttery smooth no matter what I configure them to.
I know I saw mkenyon note that he'd be wearing of running a 1440p display with 2gigs of Vram , which is about the same number of pixels as two 1080p displays..
Beautiful build man! Can't wait until mine is 100%!!!
The 2300 is better.
Quick update in case you were wondering. As I said earlier, I used cmd diskpart to have my HDD detected. I suspect one other possible reason why it was not detected (besides not being formatted) is the default option in Windows where empty drives are hidden. Who thought that was a good idea, seriously.
You were right about the SSD too. All the computer needed was an up-to-date Windows. It's now booting very quickly.
In other words my new computer is now fully functional with no problems insight. Thanks GAF
. If only I had decent cable management skills. Mkenyon's pics make me envious. Maybe I should cut some cable ties and rearrange stuff the way he did.
Alexios
Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
So, I'm thinking of getting these bits in the end.
CPU
INTEL CORE I7-2700K 3.50 GHZ LGA1155 - BOX
Unless you think an I5 like the INTEL CORE I5-3570K is reasonably close, since they're quite a bit cheaper (69~89)!
If that's the case then I could add a couple of new fans or a keyboard/mouse or speaker set or some things I detail later instead.
MOBO
ASUS P8H61 REV3.0
Or a variation if you think it's better and with a very similar price.
Or something a bit more expensive if I can save on that CPU.
RAM
CORSAIR CMSO8GX3M1A1333C9 SO-DIMM 8GB PC3-10666
It seems to be about the best those CPUs can support, no 1600 or higher is listed for them.
GPU
ASUS HD7770-2GD5 2GB PCI-E RETAIL
Unless a NV card like the GIGABYTE GEFORCE GTX560 GV-N56GOC-1GI 1GB PCI-E RETAIL is practically better.
Or something a bit more expensive if I can save on that CPU.
COOLERMASTER HTK-002-U1 THERMAL COMPOUND KIT DOW CORNING
Whatever, right?
All for 626.31 €
They should fit with my NZXT LEXA Blackline, CoolerMaster Real Power M700 PSU (I was mistaken, it's 700W, not 500W), 2x250GB 7200 SEAGATE BARRACUDAS (until I can get an SSD with decent capacity) and 1280x1024/1680x1050 monitors (until I can get 1080p) just fine, correct? Will (1080p) performance be a huge improvement over my E8500/4GB DDR2/GTX285 1GB rig (for the likes of The Witcher 2 and Battlefield 3 for example) and last for a few years without many issues like this rig did (since around 2008 with a later GPU upgrade due to a fried ATI card iirc) or should I just wait instead?
CPU
INTEL CORE I7-2700K 3.50 GHZ LGA1155 - BOX
Unless you think an I5 like the INTEL CORE I5-3570K is reasonably close, since they're quite a bit cheaper (69~89)!
If that's the case then I could add a couple of new fans or a keyboard/mouse or speaker set or some things I detail later instead.
MOBO
ASUS P8H61 REV3.0
Or a variation if you think it's better and with a very similar price.
Or something a bit more expensive if I can save on that CPU.
RAM
CORSAIR CMSO8GX3M1A1333C9 SO-DIMM 8GB PC3-10666
It seems to be about the best those CPUs can support, no 1600 or higher is listed for them.
GPU
ASUS HD7770-2GD5 2GB PCI-E RETAIL
Unless a NV card like the GIGABYTE GEFORCE GTX560 GV-N56GOC-1GI 1GB PCI-E RETAIL is practically better.
Or something a bit more expensive if I can save on that CPU.
COOLERMASTER HTK-002-U1 THERMAL COMPOUND KIT DOW CORNING
Whatever, right?
All for 626.31 €
They should fit with my NZXT LEXA Blackline, CoolerMaster Real Power M700 PSU (I was mistaken, it's 700W, not 500W), 2x250GB 7200 SEAGATE BARRACUDAS (until I can get an SSD with decent capacity) and 1280x1024/1680x1050 monitors (until I can get 1080p) just fine, correct? Will (1080p) performance be a huge improvement over my E8500/4GB DDR2/GTX285 1GB rig (for the likes of The Witcher 2 and Battlefield 3 for example) and last for a few years without many issues like this rig did (since around 2008 with a later GPU upgrade due to a fried ATI card iirc) or should I just wait instead?
Quick update in case you were wondering. As I said earlier, I used cmd diskpart to have my HDD detected. I suspect one other possible reason why it was not detected (besides not being formatted) is the default option in Windows where empty drives are hidden. Who thought that was a good idea, seriously.
You were right about the SSD too. All the computer needed was an up-to-date Windows. It's now booting very quickly.
In other words my new computer is now fully functional with no problems insight. Thanks GAF
Congrats, it's a nice feeling to get your pc up and running. Cable management is worth it, I managed to get this done with a few cable ties, but it did take me a while. Temps dropped about 7 degrees which was more than i was expecting!
IIRC you can't overclock with H61 chipset motherboards, so that might be something to keep in mind (especially since you got a unlocked processor and are looking for your rig to be long lasting). Z68/Z77 are the chipsets you can most reliably overclock with.
I'd go with the 3570k over the 2700k unless you're doing heavy rendering/photoshop tasks etc.
Both GPUs you've listed are a bit weak. Stay away from the 560, it's awful (The 560 TI is good, but not the plain 560). Your GTX285 is actually faster than a HD7770 already, I believe. The GTX 660TI is releasing very soon, you might want to look at that as it'll mince anything at 1080p. You might have trouble squeezing it into your budget though (rumours/sightings of it going for $299).
The processor upgrade alone will be better than the E8500, but the GPU's you've picked out are not good and will not last at maxing stuff 1080p/60.
Depends on your useage. If you're doing serious 3D rendering, video production, or using other multithreaded media software then hyperthreading will benefit you. If you're gaming and the like a 3570k/2500k is for you.
MOBO
Get a Z77 board.
That is laptop memory... Get this.
Check benches to see what one's best for you. 6870 would be better iirc.
Is this just the thermal paste, or do you already have a heatsink? Get a Hyper 212 if you're OCing.
Alexios
Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Thanks guys. I wasn't thinking of OCing unless it was simple/didn't require extra expenses since I'm stretching the budget. I do have a Hyper Z600 (iirc) cooler (but without fans, but they're cheap) but it just doesn't fit in my LEXA NZXT Blackline case...
Edit: well, editing was a bad idea after all those new posts so I'm gonna make a new.
Edit: well, editing was a bad idea after all those new posts so I'm gonna make a new.
Prax
Member
Thanks for the input, guys!
I didn't actually mention, but my ~$800 budget includes taxes. And taxes in Ontario are 13%, soooo... something that costs around $800 before taxes would be essentially be in the $900 range. I am trying to aim for $700 in parts with maybe +$20 wiggle room to hit the $800 mark after taxes.
I somewhat feel like I am entering into processor/videocard fanwars territory and it's kind of scary. xD Intel is better "value", but I don't really want to spend 300+ for a cpu/mobo...
Can't I just stick with my crappy and cheap stuff and wait for that other stuff to get cheaper? I'll always be a couple of years behind, but I am not too concerned about playing the latest and fanciest pc games.
Since I have CS 5.5, and in the future will likely upgrade to CS6 (I do have access to it depending on my sister's whims), would it be wise to stick with the HD7850 then?
I want to stick with the XFX gpu for their lifetime warranty, but is MSI that much better?
Thanks a bunch. I figured as much. Why do vendors mention clock speed so adamantly, though? My confusion is probably not that uncommon in people that aren't that knowledgeable about this stuff.
Thank you. The link to your pic doesn't work though. Seems to have expired.
Skimp on the GPU then, down to something like a 6870. Game performance is still great, and if you can get CS6 you can use hardware acceleration. It's just having that acceleration that is necessary, any card that supports it is more than enough. It's much more important that you've got a well performing CPU.
I'm not really sure where you're getting the idea of fanboism with this stuff. All of it comes down to price
erformance, and you or anyone can research it yourselves. AMD just hasn't been able to keep up with Intel post the Core series. Spending the money one time now will save you from having to spend more later.Why not buy used? I'm sure you could find previous generation stuff for pretty cheap. Where in Ontario are you?
It isn't a fan war thing. Intel really is way way way ahead of AMD these days. And if you can find a 2500k or 3570k and make it work for your budget, it should last you years.
It isn't a fan war thing. Intel really is way way way ahead of AMD these days. And if you can find a 2500k or 3570k and make it work for your budget, it should last you years.
Yeah I'd go for the 7850, really good card and if you get one that overclocks well it's phenomenally good value for money.
XFX, at least here in the UK, aren't a great brand and have pretty poor CS.
Prax
Member
Skimp on the GPU then, down to something like a 6870. Game performance is still great, and if you can get CS6 you can use hardware acceleration. It's just having that acceleration that is necessary, any card that supports it is more than enough. It's much more important that you've got a well performing CPU.
I'm not really sure where you're getting the idea of fanboism with this stuff. All of it comes down to price
It's not really HERE that I am experiencing fanwar stuff. It's in reading other tech forums for comparisons and opinions to try to do research... What a miserable rabbit hole..
What is more likely to change drastically over the next couple of years: cpu or graphics card? That'll probably determine what I want to skimp on. I figure in two years, I'll have ~$200 to upgrade computer parts.
I live in Toronto.
Seems to work for me, weird. It's nothing fancy, just a bit cleaner.
GPU generations go by a lot quicker. A solid CPU like a 3570k can last you 4 or 5 years. Stick more to benchmarking sites like Anandtech and OC3D more than forums so you get less caught up in opinions.
Prax
Member
Okay Thanks! This has all helped me a lot!
Skimp on Graphics card. Get a 6870 or even a 6850. Both are around or under 160$ and do just fine in games (though not the latest and greatest at high). Generally a cpu will last longer and is a more expensive upgrade when you need to make it as usually you will have to change the motherboard and ram when you do a major cross generation upgrade.
For a future $200 upgrade it's probably worth mentioning SLI and Crossfire. This way your initial investment is retained and improved by your upgrade.
I should probably post pics of my build since this thread helped me decide my parts list, the next time I open it up I'll try to remember
I should probably post pics of my build since this thread helped me decide my parts list, the next time I open it up I'll try to remember
A quality 650w would do it but I'd go 700w just to be on the safe side and give yourself plenty of headroom.
RibbedHero
Member
Exactly how does one game across two screen? Tons of people play them on a triple monitor setup, but a dual monitor setup won't work unless you're playing only RTSs or you cut your monitor until there's no bezel.
Infinite Justice
Member
it deals with energy efficiency of the PSU and 80% is the minimum amount (i.e 20% or less will be wasted energy) hence the "80plus" stuff .
The bronze, gold version indicates how much efficiency the PSU has with the number increasing with each one (white/no color - 80%, bronze - higher , silver-higher than bronze, gold-higher than silver, platinum-higher than gold, etc).
I want to prevent my pc from getting loud. I know to keep the pc dust-free. But my pc tend to get loud in a few weeks right after purchase.
I want to know if the outlet can have a part in this. That the outlet is stressing the PSU? is something like that possible?
Is there something I can do to prevent my pc getting loud by doing something with the outlet?
Thanks
You can get 850W for almost the same price. If you look at a game like Metro 2033 (which IMO has awful coding) it can be power consuming going up to 333W. I don't know if you would use 2 cards, that it would double the WATT. So 666.
I want to know if the outlet can have a part in this. That the outlet is stressing the PSU? is something like that possible?
Is there something I can do to prevent my pc getting loud by doing something with the outlet?
Thanks
You can get 850W for almost the same price. If you look at a game like Metro 2033 (which IMO has awful coding) it can be power consuming going up to 333W. I don't know if you would use 2 cards, that it would double the WATT. So 666.
Actually nevermind.
I've read around and it seems you need 700W minimum, not recommended but minimum with a recommended being about 800-850W if you want to overclock. A decent 800W PSU is almost double the price of a 550-650W PSU. And in two years there will probably be a GPU that will be around the same price as the added cost of a 800W+another 670 that will run on a 550-650W PSU given how important performance per watt is these days that will be arguably more powerful anyway. Especially with more demanding next-gen ports
Doesn't seem worth it to me.
Thanks anyway.
TyrantGuardian
Member
If you're building a PC for gaming, you should definitely not skimp on the GPU. Get the absolute best one you can afford (assuming it's cost to performance efficient) and perhaps save on some other components. A CPU can always be overclocked so with an intel K you'd be hard pressed to get bottlenecked by it.
Vigilant Walrus
Member
Here is my current system:
950 i7 3 GHz
2x Giagabyte 470 in SLI super OC'ed from factory non-referenced card. (3 gig vram)
12 gigs of DDR3
Asus something mobo socket 1366
2x Corsair Force 3 GT 120 SSD in raid 0
x3 1 TB HDDs
800 Watt PSU non modular
------
Now that I am going through the budget, I estimated the cost of making a build with the 670 and the ivy i7 would cost around 1800-2000.
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I love the setup in this: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6104/origin-chronos-review-the-ultimate-lan-box/1
he talks about a config for 1500, but the one i see on the site is around 2000.
how much can be saved from buying the components myself versus getting this origin?
The reason I want a small computer;
I have a Laptop I love. Its a Sony Vaio 13-inch made of magnesium alloy and carbon fiber. it has a semi-matte screen and is almost ultrabook thin. its small and lightweight and I get around 9000 points in 3dmark 06. But its not the crazy gaming machine. it does pretty well, and amazingly well for the size. its 640m LE is a decent card. it never goes above 50 degrees even under load.
I decided with myself that I love having such a cool running laptop. I dont want temps in the 80s and 90s.
So I need a machine that can be on all night downloading, have tons of storage. and still be cool when doing 6+ hours of BF3.
The problem is that my current case Corsair 650 D, while amazing (i have 9 fans! all coolermaster excalibur). 3 on side panel, two front, two top, one bottom and one exhaust in the back.
But its cumber some to carry around. its to crazy to carry around. It was a mistake to do SLI. Not that I have had any problems. at all. but heat/power/size/connectivety wise, I regret not getting one card.
I also regret focusing on 2560x1440 gaming. I felt it was too much, and on the 27 IPS display I couldnt see that drastic of a difference. I feel 1080p is the sweet spot.
So my scenario is this; I have a powerful desktop. But I cant take it with me when I move. I have to go to the states.
so its bwetween this;
either salvage components from main rig ( dvd drive, 2x older SSDs, ram, hard drives and then buy;
mobo mini-itx
i7 3770k
670 referenced 2 gb
psu modular
compared to the rig I have.. I don't know. Maybe the benefits will be marginal. Maybe I need to let more time pass. wait until the next generation to see bigger gains. But Ivy bridge and kepler have impressed everyone, right? it seems logical to upgrade now.
finally, I saw someone in the comments section on YT talking about the bitfenix as being very large for a mini Itx?
But thats the price of being able to fit even a 590 in there right? the only thing they could do would be to make it only work with a SFX power supply, but do they even go above 450 watt? then your limited with power, and will get a big power brick. and how much room are you really killing with that? if you compromise much more, cable management will be difficult.
i personally dont need an optical drive. never use that. if you remove the hdd cages, and then mounting them on the back sidepanel then maybe it can be shortened.
But I dont know. it does seem like the silverstone ft03 mini is not very portable if the panels come off so easily. small footprint and ultra power that is well cooled has always been an issue.
/ramblings
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