new computer. thoughts?

[mdunn]

building myself a new machine over christmas. i play some games, i go on B&B.. thoughts on this setup before I go buy?

• OS: win7 64 bit (not going to 8!!!! )
• CPU: i7 3820
• motherboard: asus P9X79-pro
• HD: samsung 840 250gb SSD (and my terrabyte spinning HD which is moving from the old machine)
• RAM: corsair vengence 1600mhz ddr3 4x4GB
• Graphics: gigabyte gtx660ti
• Case: corsair carbide 400r mid tower
• CPU cooling: corsair h60
• PSU: corsair 750v2

(already have monitors/DVD burner/keyboard & mouse)

 

[Pkrankow]

Looks solid.

I am in a similar boat. I want to go with an ASUS rampage iv extreme for the upgradable ram. I want a I7 3930 hexacore. Both these choices mean I should just stuff ram in the machine for a few years. Both these choices are EXPENSIVE!

I went with an Antec EA 750 bronze power supply because of several reviews.

I bought a Cooler master 912 based on reviews and I just need a box. It goes under a table. I don't need fancy, lights, and thingamadoohickies. Ventilation, capacity, ease of use.

External USB blue-ray DVD-RW, since I have one my wife bought for a work machine, used 1x, and packaged back up. Maybe the internal DVD-RW from the old dell, just because I have it already and it works.

I am undecided on RAM brand (not sure it matters..), video card(my Linux desire is the only limitation), HDD (probably 2T), OS... I hear good about Windows 8. I hear good about Windows 7. I hear bad about Win8, and Win7 too. I can't play certain games in Linux (and I miss my dead Linux laptop). Multiple boot is an option though.

It's all expensive and I can't buy it all at once.

Phil

 

[cb91710]

Subbed

I really need to build a new machine. This one is an Athlon XP2600+ that I originally built in 2001 or 2002 and upgraded the drives with a fresh Windows install around 2006.

 

[mdunn]

get a SSD (at least to boot from) it will make your life as a dream. Have a SSD in my work computer, hot damn that thing boots up fast!

 

[Blue_2]

I'd throw in another hard drive for a mostly offline backup drive, they're cheap enough. I'd hate to lose a 1+ TB worth of data.

 

[mdunn]

hmmm... maybe raid on my 'data' drive (as opposed to the OS only SSD). so ive got a duplicate...something to consider. good thinking!

 

[chibi]

Can't offer much because i use a Mac (partitioned for games etc) But yes, SSD for sure.

 

[cb91710]

Backups are good. The more work that goes into it, the more valuable it is.
Working on assembling a new file server for the traffic management center.
Two identical 4-drive HP servers, one will be in the TMC, the other will be off-site in the maintenance yard.
Each will begin with a pair of 2tb drives in a mirror raid, and the server in the maintenance yard will be a mirror of the TMC server, so we'll have a total of 3 copies of the primary drive.

Ultimately, we'll add another set of 4 drives so we'll have 4tb total, mirrored 3x.

 

[mdunn]

thats probably more redundancy than my skyrim saved games need

 

[smalltank]

Another option if you want a simple online backup option is Carbonite ..my dads good friend who always suggests it..Rockwell Industries uses it so it might be worth the trial

 

[Dusty1]

I just finished up my I5 build yesterday, with the same ssd and ram as you. Its screamin fast. I went with the ssd for booting, and my old disk drives set to raid 0 for important stuff. I also am happy with Windows 7. You'll be surfin' the badger in style!

 

[JayMars]

Get the i5 3570k, you can overclock it got 15 second bootup time with an ssd on mine. plus its got pretty good stock graphics.

 

[barneykiller]

Another option if you want a simple online backup option is Carbonite ..my dads good friend who always suggests it..Rockwell Industries uses it so it might be worth the trial

I've used Carbonite, Once the initial upload is completed, the backup is hardly noticeable.

 

[TSWebster]

Will you be doing much graphics work? The i7 just seems like overkill for just general use and some gaming I run Skyrim just fine with an i5 3570K. (But then I'm cheap when it comes to building my systems )

 

[Mick]

get a SSD (at least to boot from) it will make your life as a dream. Have a SSD in my work computer, hot damn that thing boots up fast!

If you want fast, get a PCI-e card based raid 0 (stripped) SSD array. I did this last time and never looked back. Mine only runs OS and programs but monsters like some of the Adobe products (photo shop and dreamweaver) load instantly.

http://www.infostor.com/index/blogs...nfostor/Jeff-Layton-Blog/post987_6546010.html

My storage drives are 15k rpm scsi 320 raid 5 arrays that I have been using for the past 10 years (this is the 3rd system both these arrays have been placed in). More than enough speed and safety with a spinning disk raid 5 array. Using 5 drives in each array I would need to have 2 drives fail simultaneously in either array to lose any data. Not much chance of that happening.

Make sure you have some form of secondary backup. Either a raid 1 USB, or raid NAS, or a dedicated back up server with a raid array.

You did not mention a UPS. This is a must have for any computer.

 

[bakerbarber]

http://blog.laptopmag.com/cotton-candy-tested-fastest-pc-on-a-stick-can-take-over-any-screen

The article above and picture below is interesting. It's not commercially available yet that I know of.

I want something portable that I can use anywhere without being stuck to one machine. I was thinking of something like the PC on a Stick may be viable soon. That, along with a memory card, a hefty USB data stick and some cloud storage- I should be able to do most of what I need to do from anywhere I can find a screen, a keyboard and a fast internet connection.

For my personal things at home, I just backup to two NAS drives. I don't have anything I can't live without if I lost it though.


I always drool over the kits Tiger Direct puts together. I wish I had the skills and aptitude to build my own PC.
It seems like buying the components a la carte and putting them together is close to half the cost of buying a machine off the shelf.



My buddy has offered to help me put a tower together with a SSD for the OS and high end graphics and processors when I get moved into a new house. I've budgeted for a media room and I plan on future proofing it as much as I can so I can swap out tech as needed.

This guy is hardcore though. He made his own liquid cooled heat sink. If I knew half of what he forgot I'd be ready to go big.

My biggest problem with failure to launch is because I know the day I get something new there will be some newer - cooler - fancier gizmo coming out. I'm way overdue for an upgrade now.

 

[maxman]

Looks fine to me.
I'd check that video card and see what others say about it.
Video drivers can cause a lot of problems. Ugh. A friend of mine just bought a computer with all premium parts in it and one of his games threw up all over his video card.
The drivers were bad. He had to call Dell to get drivers that would work.

The SSD is a cool thing to do.

 

[mdunn]

Will you be doing much graphics work? The i7 just seems like overkill for just general use and some gaming I run Skyrim just fine with an i5 3570K. (But then I'm cheap when it comes to building my systems )

yeah, I considered that.. but I got the i7 and a good price, plus may as well go the new 2011 socket

raid 0 (stripped) SSD array

holy moly mother mercy that would be quick!!!

 

[Mick]

If you want fast, get a PCI-e card based raid 0 (stripped) SSD array. I did this last time and never looked back. Mine only runs OS and programs but monsters like some of the Adobe products (photo shop and dreamweaver) load instantly.

holy moly mother mercy that would be quick!!!

It is fast and well worth the cost as you can move it with you to your next system and your next and so forth

 

[Pkrankow]

I'm looking at I7/I5/I3 1155 m-boards because of suggestions above. They halve the cost or less (some for $100 or less!). The I5 chip also halves the cost vs the I7's. I was kinda looking forward to getting up to 64 GB of ram though.

The SSD is pricy. I know 8gb chokes WinXP. How small can I "get away with" reliably with Windows 7 (or 8)

My EEE was running XP with two 8GB SSDs. I switched to Ubuntu Linux and never looked back till I cracked the m-board. I am using a hand-me-down Macbook which used to be pretty sweet...7 years ago. It is still rather nice for internet, not so much for gaming. Someone will prove me wrong, but it sucks for CAD. Microsoft Office doesn't even run right with compatibility problems between the non-Mac versions.

The Dell I am replacing is 8 and is coughing random components. Sound dumped recently, not that I care, game sound effects and music are...not all that. Network is now over a pull from a 15 year old machine since the NIC took a dump. I replaced the video card about 2 years ago, which was the first component to go. That is a games system. Internet. Some CAD, Microsoft Office. Between unit lag and coughing components it is overdue for replacement.

I run computers till they are rather long in the tooth. Starting with a top quality system, with proper upgrades, has carried me though quite well as long as the hardware holds up. I just don't like pulling something to replace it with the same, but better which is why I started pining for the I7 etc...

No money till after Christmas so...

Phil