Building a new PC

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Boojak, Nov 29, 2009.

  1. Boojak

    Boojak Private E-2

    I need to get rid of this PC and build a new one. Here's the list I've made so far:

    - Intel i7 920, D0 SLBEJ S1366, Bloomfield, 2.66 GHz, QPI 4.8GT/s, 8MB Cache, 20x Ratio, 130W, Retail

    - Asus Rampage II Extreme, Intel X58, Sok 1366, PCI-E 2.0, DDR3 1600(OC)/1800(OC), SATA I/II, ATX

    - 6GB (3x2GB) Corsair XMS3 DDR3, PC3-12800 (1600MHz), 240 Pin, Non-ECC Unbuffered, Classic, CAS 8, XMP

    - 2x 1TB Seagate ST31000520AS Barracuda LP, SATA 3Gb/s, 5900rpm, 32MB Cache, 5.1 ms

    - 1792MB Gigabyte GTX 295 55nm, 2000MHz GDDR3, GPU 576 MHz, Shader 1242 MHz, 480 Cores

    - 850W Corsair TX Series ATX, 4x PCI-E/ 8x SATA, PS/2 PSU

    Are these okay? Should I get the ATI video card, instead of GTX 295? Anything else?

    I'm also unsure about what kind of coolers to get. I'm expecting to overclock this system, so I need a few good coolers. Is GTX 295 a big card? If so, I need a big case, right? Hmm... which case...

    Thanks in advance!
     
  2. pclover

    pclover MajorGeek

    You may want to look into a 275. It's cheaper and can play games very well if you want to save some cash However 295 is the best of the nvidia cards right now.

    As for case a good mid tower or full ATX case would be good for you.

    Rest of setup seems good.
     
  3. Boojak

    Boojak Private E-2

    Thanks!

    I just heard that 2x HD 5850 in crossfire is better than 1 GTX 295 and kinda close in price. Not to mention that HD 5850 can run DirectX 11?
     
  4. pclover

    pclover MajorGeek

    Well it's up to you however if you were going to go the ATI route I would just get one 5850. No need for two really.

    Also make sure you get a case long enough if your going to get a 5850. The card is 11 inches long.
     
  5. BILLMCC66

    BILLMCC66 Bionic Belgian

    I am running an i7 950 and the same Mobo you have chosen with a GTX 260 card and it is lightening fast.
    I have a GTX 295 in my other rig and am considering changing it over but at the moment i am sooooooo happy with the i7 rig.


    As an after thought read the manual for setting up the Asus rampage board before starting as it needs to be just right (i know from experience) or it will not run properly.
     
  6. BILLMCC66

    BILLMCC66 Bionic Belgian

    I just took a snapshot of mine.

    The temps look a bit high but i am folding and it's under stress.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Boojak

    Boojak Private E-2

    Nice. If I was that rich, I'd get Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 975 3.3GHz Processor *drools* and it costs way over £700 here which is $1,153 in dollars...

    Hopefully the price of that beast drops when the i8 series comes out...

    I've seen charts that 2x HD5850 suppresses GTX 295 and HD5875 both in performance. Even better if you overclock these HD5850s. Price-wise, the HD5850s are worth it.

    Correct me if I'm wrong!
     
  8. BILLMCC66

    BILLMCC66 Bionic Belgian

    At the time i bought the 950 (last week) i toyed with the idea of the 975 but was not prepared to pay 900 euros for it but the 950 is excellent at 470 Euros.
     
  9. BILLMCC66

    BILLMCC66 Bionic Belgian

    I just re read your post and yes the GTX 295 is a big card so it needs a big case, i use a coolmaster CM690

    http://techgage.com/article/cooler_master_cm_690/

    For overclocking the Rampage is ready to go with a built in overclocking system that means you do not need to play with the bios.
    It is also ready to accept water cooling all you need to do is remove the heat sinks.

    When i bought the 950 (last week) i toyed with the idea of a 975 but was not ready to pay 900 euros so the 950 was an excellent buy at 450 euros.
     
  10. pclover

    pclover MajorGeek

    Yes there is a bit of an improvement but you have to consider if that little extra is it's worth it.

    Also your PSU should be able to handle it if you do go 5850 corssfire if your wondering.
     
  11. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    A big case is not the issue - a case that provides excellent cooling is. So you need a case that supports multiple large (at least 120mm) fans - preferably at least one large exhaust fan in back (besides the PSU fan) and one large fan in front drawing cool air in.

    Also, consider yourself warned - if you purchase a retail boxed CPU (either Intel or AMD) that comes supplied with a heatsink fan (HSF) assembly, the use of ANY other cooling solution VOIDS THE WARRANTY! Also, any damage caused by overclocking is NOT covered under ANY warranty - not the CPU's, not the motherboard's, not the graphics card maker's.
     
  12. BILLMCC66

    BILLMCC66 Bionic Belgian

    I have just read all the warranty instructions that came with my Asus Rampage II extream and as long as you use the built in overclocking system (how do they know) the warranty is good.
     
  13. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    That is NOT true as far as the CPU (or other attached devices) is concerned. There is NO way ASUS will pay for a fried CPU. And if the CPU fails to shutdown to protect itself during thermal events and destroys the CPU socket, ASUS will not cover it, nor will the CPU maker!

    I've had this conversation many times before, thus I prepared this canned text:
    It should be noted that using a 3rd party cooler on retail (not OEM) versions of Intel and AMD CPUs that come with heat sink fan assemblies voids the warranty!!! And damage attributed to overclocking is not covered under any CPU warranty either, regardless any overclocking features or software provided by motherboard makers. Certainly, this is not a concern for some enthusiasts. But it is a concern for many others, and everyone should be aware of it.

    Intel CPU Warranty Information (my bold added)
    Intel warrants the Product (defined as the boxed Intel® processor and the accompanying thermal solution)... ... if the Product is properly used and installed, for a period of three (3) years. This Limited Warranty does NOT cover:
    • damage to the Product due to external causes, including accident, problems with electrical power, abnormal electrical, mechanical or environmental conditions, usage not in accordance with product instructions, misuse, neglect, alteration, repair, improper installation, or improper testing; OR
    • any Product which has been modified or operated outside of Intel's publicly available specifications

    AMD CPU Warranty Information (their bold)
    AMD is more straightforward on their page where it says the following concerning their retail, Processor In A Box (PIB), versions of their CPUs:
    This Limited Warranty shall be null and void if the AMD microprocessor which is the subject of this Limited Warranty is used with any heatsink/fan other than the one provided herewith.

    This limited warranty does not cover damages due to external causes, including improper use, problems with electrical power, accident, neglect, alteration, repair, improper installation, or improper testing.
    The good news is since both AMD and Intel warranty their boxed CPUs for three years, and since replacing them at their cost is not something they want to do, both make excellent cooling solutions both in terms of cooling abilities, but also in noise levels.​
     
  14. BILLMCC66

    BILLMCC66 Bionic Belgian

    I did not mean to imply they would cover 3rd party product but they will cover the board in the event of failure.
     
  15. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    I'm not talking about anyone covering 3rd party products. If something fails on the motherboard that can NOT be attributed to the CPU overheating and causing damage, then yes, ASUS will cover the board, but ONLY the board. ASUS will not cover the CPU, graphics card, drives, RAM or anything else connected to the board, even if the board is at fault.

    But, as happens when things go wrong, if an overclocked CPU overheats and damages the CPU socket (not hard to tell as the socket will discolor, crack, and/or warp), then neither ASUS nor the CPU maker (or any 3rd party HSF maker) will cover any damages. All replacement costs will come out of your own pocket.

    The only all inclusive warranty that might cover overclocking/overheating damages is with prebuilt computers from a major maker - but then again, you would be stuck with their cooling solution, not a 3rd party cooler of your choice.
     
  16. Boojak

    Boojak Private E-2

    Thanks guys!

    Digerati, how can they know if you actually voided warranty, though?
     
  17. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Because you're an honest person and would tell them what happened, right?

    Nevertheless, if a CPU is damaged by overheating, they could determine that. If the motherboard is damaged by excessive heat from the CPU, that could be determined too. And a fried motherboard, if the BIOS CMOS chip survives, could be analyzed by the motherboard maker to determine its last setting, if not reset before sent in.

    So yes, it would be difficult, at best, for the CPU makers to determine if you overclocked or used alternative cooling if you covered your tracks before submitting for an RMA. I suspect you would get away with it, once.
     
  18. Bold Eagle

    Bold Eagle MajorGeek

    K back n topic.

    Have you considered a SSD (just for OS and primary apps) instead of just 2 x 1TB Drives?

    IMHO the 2x5850 will smash the 295 and have Dx11.0. But if you want to get complicated you could always try a "hybrid" (ATI + nVidia) build and have an ATI with PhysX (you really need to do the research on this!).

    No offence Digerati but ambiguities about manufacturers warranties etc seem moot with high end gear when they come "with so many OC tools and implements in the products and has become the actual selling point"!!! Most high end gear will "just BSOD" if poor instructions are defined!
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2009
  19. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Ambiguities? Huh? I posted direct quotes and links to the Intel and AMD warranties pages - there's nothing ambiguous about it. If you don't use their supplied coolers, you void the warranty. If you use abnormal voltages, you void the warranty! Period. Plain and simple. Their message - and I'm ensuring folks are aware of it.

    ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, etc. providing utilities with motherboards and making that a selling point is what's moot! Motherboard makers do NOT warranty, nor will they pay to replace fried CPUs!

    There's no overclocking utilities disk that comes with CPUs. And there's no agreement between the motherboard makers and the CPU makers to cross-cover warranties.

    So no offense Bold Eagle, but I suggest you get your facts straight before criticizing me about informing people of the facts. Motherboard makers may allow users to apply abnormal voltages to CPUs, but do not for a moment think, or suggest to others they will replace a CPU that fails should something go wrong due to overclocking. And do not for a moment think, or suggest to others that TT, Zalman, Arctic Cooling, Cooler Master, or any other 3rd party cooler maker will cover replacement costs of a fried CPU or damaged motherboard if their cooler fails.

    Who's be ambiguous? "Most"? And "high end"? What about the others? "Most" users who buy motherboards don't buy "high end". What about them? :( But even so, until man can create perfection, even the best of the high-end can fail - and they do.

    That fact is, most new, and not just high-end, motherboards today DO accommodate some form of overclocking, even if only 2 or 3 fixed "presets" for "turbo mode" or the like in the BIOS. And the fact is, most CPUs can take it. But my whole point here, as I said in my warranty post above, is that people need to be aware that if they overclock, or use alternative cooling solutions if a cooling solution is provided, and something goes wrong, they will have to lie (directly or via a lie of omission) to get it replaced for free, or expect to pay for replacements out of pocket.
     
  20. Bold Eagle

    Bold Eagle MajorGeek

    A lot of energy you are wasting there (I don't care and I wont debate) and you are thread hijacking!!!!

    Get back to OP!
     
  21. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    You did not need to add your OFF TOPIC criticisms, but you did. All I did in two lines of one post (# 11) was warn the OP of published Intel and AMD policies BECAUSE he had indicated he wanted to OC and use alternative cooling. My comments were APPLICABLE! I was not expressing my policies. Nor my opinions. But important facts for potential OCers to know. Others asked questions. I answered. Then you drove it off further by challenging and criticizing me about the CPU maker's policies. :(

    Now I agree this is wasting time - but don't blame me for driving it OT.
     

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