The (new) Official PC building thread!

mrk44,
It sure looks like one sweet card and it's the higher performance model too. Check the Specs! Another 95% from Newegg too. That's out of 156! I get the feeling that MSI builds some really good video cards looking at those numbers!

Russ

 

I guess I can build everything else, and then buy the GPU a little later. It's not like I have to power up my build immediately....
But I'll probably go w/ the 8800GTS in the end.

One last question: Of the two following choices, which would you guys recommend?? THIS or THIS??

 

@mrk44
I have read that popping the cooler on the 4850...and replacing the thermal paste...with some Arctic Silver...will drop those temps right down...
If you can wait a couple days...I will have a new 8800GT 1GB...and a 4850 512MB...to run tests with...

 

Looking at the quality, or rather the quantity of the thermal paste on some coolers I can imagine how that could be the case. Sometimes you wonder whether they use a tube of the stuff for every card they make!


Global High resolution scores (composite current game score left, High detail new game score right)

9800GX2: 795, 186 VFMI: 2.516fps/£
GTX280: 745, 155 VFMI: 1.717
GTX260: 630, 132 VFMI: 2.325
HD4850: 554, 134 VFMI: 3.986
HD3870X2: 585, 123 VFMI: 2.167
8800GTX: 471, 104
9800GTX: 447, 105 VFMI: 2.470


Statistics based on HD4850 review by TheTechReport. Composite high detail scores are sum of fps recorded in Call of Duty 4, Enemy Territory:Quake Wars and Half Life 2:Episode Two, using modes 1680x1050, 1920x1200 and 2560x1600 - 4xAA, 8xAF and Maximum detail applied for all tests.
High detail new game score is sum of fps recorded across four tests from Crysis, Assassins Creed and GRiD, using maximum detail and high screen resolutions (1920x1200x0x0 for Crysis, two tests, one test each for Assassins Creed at 2560x1600x4x8 and GRiD at 1920x1200x4x8)

For the lulz:
Crysis 1920x1200 (Mean of High detail and Very High detail score)
9800GX2: 30
HD4850 Crossfire: 26
GTX280: 25
GTX260: 21
HD3870X2: 21
9800GTX: 19
HD4850: 19
8800GTX: 17

 

mrk44,
I've always found the Samsungs vibrate too much. Not buzzy, but shaky! My only experience with the Pioneer DVR-215DBK DVD/CD Writer, was a bad one. The one I installed for a customer was annoyingly loud and buzzed like a bee! I'll stick with what I know works well. I'll replace my drive with an Optiarc AD-7200A. I really don't care about bitsetting as I have no real need for it, and I can always flash it anyway, but after this experience with flashing Optical drives, I don't think I try again!

Russ

 

That would be just like Samsung's hard drives as well then!

My LG DVD ROM is relatively good across the board at full speed, but vibrates like you wouldn't believe at scan speed (2x or whatever it is). When I held it in my hand whilst it was running (long story) it was almost hard to keep hold of it!

My NEC ND-4570 DVDRW was free from almost all vibrations but made a ridiculous din of airborne and tonal noise. Thankfully I didn't use it much. I also had an LG GSA-4163BA which was excellent for all noise, except well, laser noise? A very high pitched whine that persisted whenever the disc was spinning, quite loud.

 

Mayn, there are pretty much no nice, quiet, reliable optical drives out there, huh? I have a BenQ installed right now, but they've disappeared from optical drives. Can't find any of their drives anywhere anymore...

Well since that's the case, anybody have ANY suggestions on reliable SATA optical drives? Don't care about bitsetting or anything special like that. Just a drive....that works....
If not, then I'll just go with an Optiarc like theonejrs said, or a nice LG...

 

Acer/Benq are one of the companies on my 'do not buy' list because of disgusting build quality when I used them a few years back. They might have changed now, but I'm still going to keep away from them to be safe. The only instances I know of where a company trades in the same market in the same country with two different brand names are usually pretty dodgy affairs.

 

Well I've started ordering parts, was getting ready to order MOBO when I ran across this http://www.globalcomputer.com/appli...tails.asp?EdpNo=3523225&body=MAIN#detailspecs
Unless their are any CONS on this Board, I'm really swayed towards it
The price seems OK, its got the perfect amount of PCI 2 Slots
USB is a little short(4 only), but can pick up a card at newegg 4 about 10.00bucks
Its right in line with GA-X48-DS4
I would just appreciate some expertise in this area as MOBO & CPU are really a major, & important buy
Everybody,so far have been of great help, I've read, and payed attention
to all
I did go with the LG DVDRW 26.00 ea

 

!!!!!! I strongly suggest you don't buy the 780i IF you are going to be watching DIVX movies, or just videos in general. The 700 series nVidia boards have this annoying little bug where the video gets corrupted and looks extremely choppy.
Read this: http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=65855
It's a major bug, still not fixed yet. It goes for all 700 series boards. Go with the X48-DS4. That's the same thing I ordered today.

Oh, and if anybody has any suggestions on a good SATA ODD, please share. Still haven't found anything sure-fire enough to buy.

 

I'd get an LG. Not all of them make the same noise mine did, and overall they're quiet, solid drives apart from that. No idea if they can bitset though.

 

What about the 680i, these boards seem to have the most PCI Express X16 Slots:
or maybe this one, it pretty much fits my needs
Intel DX38BT Motherboard CPU Bundle - FREE Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 PC Game, Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 Processor 2.66GHz OEM, Two (2) ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro PCIe 2 x 256MB Video Cards
http://www.globalcomputer.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3827767&CatId=2406

Now keep in mind I'm mostly into video, no gamer. The free Ghost doesn't interest me
I probably won't use the ATI Cards, as I have an ati all in wonder

 

680i boards aren't worth having either, trust me.

I wouldn't go with that bundle as well, the motherboard isn't very good, and the graphics cards are hopeless, even when there's two of them.

 

rick5446,
If it was me, I would stay with the X48 chipset. I think it's a better MB! You'll certainly have less problems!

Russ

 

I don't know much about the X48, but if the X48-DS4 is anything like the X38-DS4 you'll like it!

Man, why is it so hard to find cheap Socket 939 boards knocking around these days? My third and final Asus board is on its last legs, but I'm not paying for a replacement when it's essentially the same cost as a new P35 board...

 

rick5446,
That Intel is all but worthless! You can't even get in the setup let alone overclock it! There's a few other knocks as well! First the Chipset, X38/ICH9 vs the X48/ICH10 in the DS4. Then there's the memory, DDR3, which last time I looked had horrible Latencies and was more expensive than DDR2! You can get a pair of 1GB DDR2 Dominator 1066MHz memory for $49 with the MIR! With DDR3, the lowest cas latency is 6, and naturally they cost the most! More affordable memory is cas 7-9!

I would take the P35 over this one!

Russ

 

russ then why dont you moan about the latencies of DDR2 to DDR1? with the 2.5s of DDR vs the 4 of DDR2

 

because DDR2 didn't cost much more than DDR1. PC6400 CAS4 was barely any more than PC3200 CAS2. Since most PC3200 was actually CAS3 it was better. DDR3 is a higher speed still, but unlike with DDR1, the extra speed is all but pointless.

 

umm DDR2 just last year was about £150 for 2x1GB PC-5300

now you can get PC-1333 2x1GB DDR3 for about £100.

DDR3 has a Quadpumped FBS, unlike DDR2, which is double pumped.

 

indeed, and at a similar time PC3200 CAS2 stuff would set you back £150 for two gigs as well...