BlindBrick 0 #1 January 19, 2007 I want a really high end PC, but am on a bit of a budget constraint (~$1200). Rather than settling, I thought about getting just a bare bones foundation system and then adding more components every 4 months or so. I've got a Case and drives I can salvage from an older comp. The components I'm looking at are: DFI LANPARTY UT NF590 SLI-M2R/G Mobo AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ FoxCon 7950 GT Apevia Iceberg 680W SLI-Ready PSU 2 Gigs OCZ Gold DDR2 800 RAM I'm thinking that will give me a solid foundation to upgrade on, but would appreciate any input others might have. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #2 January 19, 2007 You'd do better with an Intel Core 2 Duo... they're running MUCH cooler than the AMD's and outperforming them. Here's an example of an inexpensive machine using an Intel 805 processor... you could do a bit of upgrading with that's left. Good luck!Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #3 January 19, 2007 I second that. Core2 is the new top dog by a significant margin and Intel finally got their pricing right. 2GB is the obvious choice for RAM. Investing in an SLI PSU and mobo suggests you're big on graphics. 7950GT isn't a bad choice but consider an 8000 series if you can stretch to that. NVIDIA partners are launching 8600 & 8300 series cards right about now, dunno if they'll be SLI (I expect some will). Either way this may be a suboptimal time to buy a 7 series card because they'll come down once the 8k product line is fleshed out. http://www.nordichardware.com/news,5442.html Pricing on the 320MB 8800 GTS isn't too shabby either, but I expect you'll want the video ram going forward. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #4 January 19, 2007 Quote Investing in an SLI PSU and mobo suggests you're big on graphics. Yeah. The 7950 is just a stop gap for 4 months. Every 4 months I get to sink another grand into the system. I'm thinking the first upgrade would be to bump to 4 gigs RAM and go to an SLI config using a pair of cards from the NVIDIA 8000 family. Next upgrade would probably be some WD Raptors for RAID 0 goodness and probably a Physics card. Third upgrade cycle would probably see a faster CPU and move to a liquid cooled-system to explore OC'ing. Question for you though. I've been an AMD fan for a long time since Intel left a bad taste in my mouth back in the early 90's. I know that right now the Core Duo 2's have AMD beat hands down, but AMD's supposed to have something beefy coming out this year. Given that AMD is comitted to supporting the AM2 socket, do you think it's worth staying with the AMD given the plan to upgrade the CPU towards the end of the year? -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #5 January 19, 2007 On the Raid thing - the new Seagate Barracuda's in SATA 2 (10.72 model, I think) are running a close second to the Raptors. As for AMD - I've heard of some new dual proc boards coming out that will support their X2 procs... but it's still going to be catchup to the Intel line... which is coming out with their own dual proc Core Duo boards. The Intels are still running MUCH cooler than the AMD's. All my machines (and my current machine) has been AMD - but Intel is going to be my next build.Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #6 January 19, 2007 I used to prefer the AMDs too, the last system I built was AMD based. If you go that route the mobo would need t be compatible with the new chip, and frankly Intel has the better value right now, AMD used to be a big winner on price performance but not anymore IMHO. Intel has the quad core chips too so there's your upgrade path IMHO. Just make sure the mobo can handle it. Remember though the OS has to support those chips (normally XP license is capped at 2 I think), I dunno if they'll make an exception for quad core chips, hyperthreading initially caused them licensing issues and quad core chips might raise similar issues. If you're running linux then you needn't worry about it. Brand loyalty is your option, I just don't see the point when buying computer chips from a choice of 2 great companies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bloody_trauma 2 #7 January 19, 2007 new egg and Refurb depotFly it like you stole it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #8 January 19, 2007 AMD's stuff is nowhere near the Intel Core2 stuff right now, especially with the prices. I've got one of the Core2 E6600's up to 3.6GHZ on air with little trouble, so if you're looking to OC, they're great for it. I believe that a few people have had the E6700 and X6800's over 4Ghz on air, and a little higher with water cooling. If you're going to OC, be sure and stick with the Intel 965 chipsets, they're doing better than the newer 975's right now. I recommend the Asus P5B-Deluxe. The Quad cores are cool, but there isn't much out that has been designed to take advantage of them. As far as drives go, you can and pick up two or three Seagate 250/320GB 7200.10's for 75-85$ each, run RAID 0+1 with Intel's new Matrix RAID setup. It'll get you nearly the same bandwidth as the Raptors, but not the seek times. With the video cards, I'd just pick up an 8800GTO and wait until more games that support DX10 are released, then upgrade once some newer stuff is out and prices drop a little bit. The 8800GTO will easily outperform the 7950's, and does a little better than even two of them in SLI if I remember correctly. If you plan on going SLI, might want to look at a 1kw PS. These newer cards are real power hogs. Whatever you decide to get, Newegg.com is the way to go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BlindBrick 0 #9 January 19, 2007 Ok, how about this setup EVGA 680i SLI Mobo PCP Silencer 750 Quad PSU E6600 CPU G-Skill 2 Gig DDR 2 PC 6400 RAM Foxcon 7950 GT It's about 25% more expensive than the AMD setup, but that comes from the higher watt PSU and more expensive RAM. However, I've discovered I'd ultimately need the higher wattage anyway, and the RAM is more high end plus gives me the ability to have 8 vs 4 Gigs. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites justinb138 0 #10 January 19, 2007 QuoteOk, how about this setup EVGA 680i SLI Mobo PCP Silencer 750 Quad PSU E6600 CPU G-Skill 2 Gig DDR 2 PC 6400 RAM Foxcon 7950 GT It's about 25% more expensive than the AMD setup, but that comes from the higher watt PSU and more expensive RAM. However, I've discovered I'd ultimately need the higher wattage anyway, and the RAM is more high end plus gives me the ability to have 8 vs 4 Gigs. -Blind I love the PCP power supplies, they're some of the best currently available. E6600's great, and can easily overclock to outrun the faster stock Intel chips, even on air. Is the G-Skill a 2GB stick, and do you know the timings? If it's a single stick, keep in mind that you'll lose the dual-channel capability if you're using only one stick to start out with. What's the 7950 running right now? If it's in the $300 range, I'd recommend just picking up one of the 8800GTO's instead, I've seen them for under $400 in some places recently. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BlindBrick 0 #11 January 19, 2007 Quote Is the G-Skill a 2GB stick, and do you know the timings? If it's a single stick, keep in mind that you'll lose the dual-channel capability if you're using only one stick to start out with. What's the 7950 running right now? If it's in the $300 range, I'd recommend just picking up one of the 8800GTO's instead, I've seen them for under $400 in some places recently. It's a single stick Latency 5 timing 5-5-5-15. Didn't realie that I'd take a performance hit by having only 1 stick, but then again I don't want to buy memory I can't use if I want to go up to 8 gigs either. What's your thoughts on that? The 7950 is running ~$250 with a game and game pad bundle. It'd be nice to go with a 8800GTS, New Egg has both a eVGA and Leadtek (I love both brands) version for ~$360 after rebate. I'd love to not have the waste of the 7950 when I ultimately plan to go with 8800's, but it adds an extra $150 to a shopping list that's already about 25% over budget. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites justinb138 0 #12 January 19, 2007 Quote It's a single stick Latency 5 timing 5-5-5-15. Didn't realie that I'd take a performance hit by having only 1 stick, but then again I don't want to buy memory I can't use if I want to go up to 8 gigs either. What's your thoughts on that? If it was me, I'd go with the 1GB sticks. They're a little cheaper, and by the time 4GB isn't enough memory, I'm sure that there will be something completely new out. I've been running 2GB with my E6600, and have had absolutely no trouble running anything, games, HD video editing in Vegas and Canopus, etc. Check out the Corsair XMSII PC6400 stuff too, I think they run 4-3-4-12, and they overclock pretty well also. Quote The 7950 is running ~$250 with a game and game pad bundle. It'd be nice to go with a 8800GTS, New Egg has both a eVGA and Leadtek (I love both brands) version for ~$360 after rebate. I'd love to not have the waste of the 7950 when I ultimately plan to go with 8800's, but it adds an extra $150 to a shopping list that's already about 25% over budget. If you're planning on getting one or two of the DX10 cards eventually, it's not a bad deal, they'll run pretty much anything that's out right now, and do it well. There aren't a whole lot of DX10 games out right now, and once ATI releases their DX10 stuff, prices are sure to come down some too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Slappie 9 #13 January 19, 2007 /tracks this thread for future use I should be building a new machine soon. "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites justinb138 0 #14 January 19, 2007 What OS are you planning on using? If you're going to use XP, I may have an extra copy of XP Home lying around the house (a legal one) that I could send ya. I've got a few PCs in parts with licenses I'm not using for it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BlindBrick 0 #15 January 19, 2007 QuoteWhat OS are you planning on using? If you're going to use XP, I may have an extra copy of XP Home lying around the house (a legal one) that I could send ya. I've got a few PCs in parts with licenses I'm not using for it. I'm going with XP Pro 64 w/ the free Vista Upgrade -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dorbie 0 #16 January 19, 2007 You might wanna wait on the card purchase at least until 8600 hits the shelves. Don't you have an older card you can slip in for now? Or go way down market and get a bargain bin card, seems a waste to aim that high for something you know you're throwing away soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BlindBrick 0 #17 January 19, 2007 Quote Don't you have an older card you can slip in for now? Nope, I've put off this upgrade for way too long, all my cards are AGP's -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zenister 0 #18 January 20, 2007 honestly what system set up NEEDS a 750w PSU? i know actual output is lower than rated, but seriously.. unless you are running dual video, maxed sound etc isnt 750 overkill?____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites justinb138 0 #19 January 20, 2007 Quotehonestly what system set up NEEDS a 750w PSU? i know actual output is lower than rated, but seriously.. unless you are running dual video, maxed sound etc isnt 750 overkill? Not really. The newest video cards can draw an amazing amount of power. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BlindBrick 0 #20 January 20, 2007 Quotehonestly what system set up NEEDS a 750w PSU? i know actual output is lower than rated, but seriously.. unless you are running dual video, maxed sound etc isnt 750 overkill? 750 is the minimum wattage that NVIDA will endorse for a dual 8800 GTX setup. Tack on a Physics card, two DVD drives, multiple cooling fans, 8 gigs high end RAM, 4 high RPM hard drives, a wireless card and high end mobo and then overclock the whole mess, and I'm not sure 750 will be enough. But I'm hoping it is, cause the better 1Kw PSU's are running $500-600. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dorbie 0 #21 January 20, 2007 I don't see physics cards catching on any time soon. There's GP GPU for massive vector stuff and multi-core for the rest. Physics solutions are more heterogeneous and the solutions are not as scalable as graphics for most stuff. It's a solution in search of a market. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zenister 0 #22 January 20, 2007 why put a wireless card in a desk top? cat 5/6 is soooo much cheaper and more reliable.. also depending on how long you plan to keep the machine.. why bother with overclocking as well as it significantly lowers the life expectancy of your CPUs under best conditions.. if you have a cooling failure then your DOA that much faster.... not trying to pick you apart here but you DID specify 'bare bones' you should look at the applications you intend to run, determine how long you expect to keep that box viable and THEN find the components that fit your need.. you dont need massive high end harddrives for MOST applications...do you really expect to fill up 4 HDs? perhaps a regular back up/restore solution will work more efficiently for applications you only launch maybe once a year...____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites justinb138 0 #23 January 20, 2007 Quotewhy put a wireless card in a desk top? It's easier. Quote also depending on how long you plan to keep the machine.. why bother with overclocking as well as it significantly lowers the life expectancy of your CPUs under best conditions.. My machine runs certain things much faster overclocked than stock. I have two profiles saved, one stock, and one OC'd about 1GHZ over the stock settings. I only use the OC'd setting when I'm doing CPU-intensive stuff (rendering a video, etc..). Lowers the life? Yep. Significantly? Maybe. Am I likely to replace the CPU before it does die? Absolutely. Quote if you have a cooling failure then your DOA that much faster.... The new Core2 chips run very cool. They can be overclocked on air fairly easily and effectively. A failure would be no worse than a normal cooling failure, oc'd or not. Quote do you really expect to fill up 4 HDs? perhaps a regular back up/restore solution will work more efficiently for applications you only launch maybe once a year... It's not that difficult. I've got 1260GB of storage on my desktop PC, and I could easily fill that if I wanted to. Video takes up alot of space. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zenister 0 #24 January 20, 2007 you could easily burn the videos to DVD when you are not viewing/modifying them daily. Sure i could fill every harddrive i have if i wanted to, but having a back up library is cheaper, more efficient and prevents loss in the case of catastrophic HD failure. and wireless easier? what is easier than plugging in a cat 5 cable? you certainly dont have to worry about anywhere near the security issues or configurations.____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BlindBrick 0 #25 January 20, 2007 Quotewhy put a wireless card in a desk top? cat 5/6 is soooo much cheaper and more reliable.. Cause I'm in a rental where I'm not allowed to mess with the walls, and I have 1 toddler and another on the way. Quote if you have a cooling failure then your DOA that much faster.... I'm not going to be bleeding-edge about it. So, with temp sensors and a fast automated SCRAM command, I should be ok. not trying to pick you apart here but you DID specify 'bare bones' Slight misunderstanding here. The final system will have somewhere between 5 to 7 grand invested in it, but I've only got about $1200 now (with the rest coming in 1 grand installments every 4 months). Because of that, I'm more interested in laying a good foundation so maybe bare bones was a bad choice of words on my part. Quote you should look at the applications you intend to run, determine how long you expect to keep that box viable and THEN find the components that fit your need 3D Animation rendering, video editing, bleeding edge gaming, and DVD watching. Quoteyou dont need massive high end harddrives for MOST applications...do you really expect to fill up 4 HDs? Yes, cause in reality I'll only have two. The 10K RPM drives will be in a RAID 0 config for high-end gaming while the 7200's will be in RAID 1 for redundancy. 300 Gigs isn't a whole lot for modern games, maybe 20 intalled at most. OTOH, I'm hoping the .5 Tb of main storage will last for awhile, but between my music, movies and porn, I've already got near 250 Gb on my current system. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #9 January 19, 2007 Ok, how about this setup EVGA 680i SLI Mobo PCP Silencer 750 Quad PSU E6600 CPU G-Skill 2 Gig DDR 2 PC 6400 RAM Foxcon 7950 GT It's about 25% more expensive than the AMD setup, but that comes from the higher watt PSU and more expensive RAM. However, I've discovered I'd ultimately need the higher wattage anyway, and the RAM is more high end plus gives me the ability to have 8 vs 4 Gigs. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #10 January 19, 2007 QuoteOk, how about this setup EVGA 680i SLI Mobo PCP Silencer 750 Quad PSU E6600 CPU G-Skill 2 Gig DDR 2 PC 6400 RAM Foxcon 7950 GT It's about 25% more expensive than the AMD setup, but that comes from the higher watt PSU and more expensive RAM. However, I've discovered I'd ultimately need the higher wattage anyway, and the RAM is more high end plus gives me the ability to have 8 vs 4 Gigs. -Blind I love the PCP power supplies, they're some of the best currently available. E6600's great, and can easily overclock to outrun the faster stock Intel chips, even on air. Is the G-Skill a 2GB stick, and do you know the timings? If it's a single stick, keep in mind that you'll lose the dual-channel capability if you're using only one stick to start out with. What's the 7950 running right now? If it's in the $300 range, I'd recommend just picking up one of the 8800GTO's instead, I've seen them for under $400 in some places recently. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #11 January 19, 2007 Quote Is the G-Skill a 2GB stick, and do you know the timings? If it's a single stick, keep in mind that you'll lose the dual-channel capability if you're using only one stick to start out with. What's the 7950 running right now? If it's in the $300 range, I'd recommend just picking up one of the 8800GTO's instead, I've seen them for under $400 in some places recently. It's a single stick Latency 5 timing 5-5-5-15. Didn't realie that I'd take a performance hit by having only 1 stick, but then again I don't want to buy memory I can't use if I want to go up to 8 gigs either. What's your thoughts on that? The 7950 is running ~$250 with a game and game pad bundle. It'd be nice to go with a 8800GTS, New Egg has both a eVGA and Leadtek (I love both brands) version for ~$360 after rebate. I'd love to not have the waste of the 7950 when I ultimately plan to go with 8800's, but it adds an extra $150 to a shopping list that's already about 25% over budget. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #12 January 19, 2007 Quote It's a single stick Latency 5 timing 5-5-5-15. Didn't realie that I'd take a performance hit by having only 1 stick, but then again I don't want to buy memory I can't use if I want to go up to 8 gigs either. What's your thoughts on that? If it was me, I'd go with the 1GB sticks. They're a little cheaper, and by the time 4GB isn't enough memory, I'm sure that there will be something completely new out. I've been running 2GB with my E6600, and have had absolutely no trouble running anything, games, HD video editing in Vegas and Canopus, etc. Check out the Corsair XMSII PC6400 stuff too, I think they run 4-3-4-12, and they overclock pretty well also. Quote The 7950 is running ~$250 with a game and game pad bundle. It'd be nice to go with a 8800GTS, New Egg has both a eVGA and Leadtek (I love both brands) version for ~$360 after rebate. I'd love to not have the waste of the 7950 when I ultimately plan to go with 8800's, but it adds an extra $150 to a shopping list that's already about 25% over budget. If you're planning on getting one or two of the DX10 cards eventually, it's not a bad deal, they'll run pretty much anything that's out right now, and do it well. There aren't a whole lot of DX10 games out right now, and once ATI releases their DX10 stuff, prices are sure to come down some too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slappie 9 #13 January 19, 2007 /tracks this thread for future use I should be building a new machine soon. "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #14 January 19, 2007 What OS are you planning on using? If you're going to use XP, I may have an extra copy of XP Home lying around the house (a legal one) that I could send ya. I've got a few PCs in parts with licenses I'm not using for it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #15 January 19, 2007 QuoteWhat OS are you planning on using? If you're going to use XP, I may have an extra copy of XP Home lying around the house (a legal one) that I could send ya. I've got a few PCs in parts with licenses I'm not using for it. I'm going with XP Pro 64 w/ the free Vista Upgrade -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #16 January 19, 2007 You might wanna wait on the card purchase at least until 8600 hits the shelves. Don't you have an older card you can slip in for now? Or go way down market and get a bargain bin card, seems a waste to aim that high for something you know you're throwing away soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #17 January 19, 2007 Quote Don't you have an older card you can slip in for now? Nope, I've put off this upgrade for way too long, all my cards are AGP's -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #18 January 20, 2007 honestly what system set up NEEDS a 750w PSU? i know actual output is lower than rated, but seriously.. unless you are running dual video, maxed sound etc isnt 750 overkill?____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #19 January 20, 2007 Quotehonestly what system set up NEEDS a 750w PSU? i know actual output is lower than rated, but seriously.. unless you are running dual video, maxed sound etc isnt 750 overkill? Not really. The newest video cards can draw an amazing amount of power. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #20 January 20, 2007 Quotehonestly what system set up NEEDS a 750w PSU? i know actual output is lower than rated, but seriously.. unless you are running dual video, maxed sound etc isnt 750 overkill? 750 is the minimum wattage that NVIDA will endorse for a dual 8800 GTX setup. Tack on a Physics card, two DVD drives, multiple cooling fans, 8 gigs high end RAM, 4 high RPM hard drives, a wireless card and high end mobo and then overclock the whole mess, and I'm not sure 750 will be enough. But I'm hoping it is, cause the better 1Kw PSU's are running $500-600. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #21 January 20, 2007 I don't see physics cards catching on any time soon. There's GP GPU for massive vector stuff and multi-core for the rest. Physics solutions are more heterogeneous and the solutions are not as scalable as graphics for most stuff. It's a solution in search of a market. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #22 January 20, 2007 why put a wireless card in a desk top? cat 5/6 is soooo much cheaper and more reliable.. also depending on how long you plan to keep the machine.. why bother with overclocking as well as it significantly lowers the life expectancy of your CPUs under best conditions.. if you have a cooling failure then your DOA that much faster.... not trying to pick you apart here but you DID specify 'bare bones' you should look at the applications you intend to run, determine how long you expect to keep that box viable and THEN find the components that fit your need.. you dont need massive high end harddrives for MOST applications...do you really expect to fill up 4 HDs? perhaps a regular back up/restore solution will work more efficiently for applications you only launch maybe once a year...____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #23 January 20, 2007 Quotewhy put a wireless card in a desk top? It's easier. Quote also depending on how long you plan to keep the machine.. why bother with overclocking as well as it significantly lowers the life expectancy of your CPUs under best conditions.. My machine runs certain things much faster overclocked than stock. I have two profiles saved, one stock, and one OC'd about 1GHZ over the stock settings. I only use the OC'd setting when I'm doing CPU-intensive stuff (rendering a video, etc..). Lowers the life? Yep. Significantly? Maybe. Am I likely to replace the CPU before it does die? Absolutely. Quote if you have a cooling failure then your DOA that much faster.... The new Core2 chips run very cool. They can be overclocked on air fairly easily and effectively. A failure would be no worse than a normal cooling failure, oc'd or not. Quote do you really expect to fill up 4 HDs? perhaps a regular back up/restore solution will work more efficiently for applications you only launch maybe once a year... It's not that difficult. I've got 1260GB of storage on my desktop PC, and I could easily fill that if I wanted to. Video takes up alot of space. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #24 January 20, 2007 you could easily burn the videos to DVD when you are not viewing/modifying them daily. Sure i could fill every harddrive i have if i wanted to, but having a back up library is cheaper, more efficient and prevents loss in the case of catastrophic HD failure. and wireless easier? what is easier than plugging in a cat 5 cable? you certainly dont have to worry about anywhere near the security issues or configurations.____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #25 January 20, 2007 Quotewhy put a wireless card in a desk top? cat 5/6 is soooo much cheaper and more reliable.. Cause I'm in a rental where I'm not allowed to mess with the walls, and I have 1 toddler and another on the way. Quote if you have a cooling failure then your DOA that much faster.... I'm not going to be bleeding-edge about it. So, with temp sensors and a fast automated SCRAM command, I should be ok. not trying to pick you apart here but you DID specify 'bare bones' Slight misunderstanding here. The final system will have somewhere between 5 to 7 grand invested in it, but I've only got about $1200 now (with the rest coming in 1 grand installments every 4 months). Because of that, I'm more interested in laying a good foundation so maybe bare bones was a bad choice of words on my part. Quote you should look at the applications you intend to run, determine how long you expect to keep that box viable and THEN find the components that fit your need 3D Animation rendering, video editing, bleeding edge gaming, and DVD watching. Quoteyou dont need massive high end harddrives for MOST applications...do you really expect to fill up 4 HDs? Yes, cause in reality I'll only have two. The 10K RPM drives will be in a RAID 0 config for high-end gaming while the 7200's will be in RAID 1 for redundancy. 300 Gigs isn't a whole lot for modern games, maybe 20 intalled at most. OTOH, I'm hoping the .5 Tb of main storage will last for awhile, but between my music, movies and porn, I've already got near 250 Gb on my current system. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
