- Joined
- Mar 17, 2008
- Messages
- 652 (0.11/day)
- Location
- Bay Shore NY
System Name | BACKTOTHEFUTURE |
---|---|
Processor | Stock I7 920 |
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-EX58-DS4 BIOS F6 |
Cooling | 4 120mm 1 140mm top fan |
Memory | 12 gigabytes of DDR3 1333 RAM |
Video Card(s) | EVGA GTX 780ti |
Storage | Samsung 1.5 terrabyte Steam Drive and 2 Samsung 750 gig Sata 2 in Raid 0 |
Display(s) | HP LP3065 30" Monitor |
Case | Antec Three Hundred |
Audio Device(s) | Asus Xonar DS |
Power Supply | Solid Gear Neutron 750 watt |
Software | Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit |
A couple of weeks ago I set out to go Core I7 with gusto. Well I did complete my Core I7 project with some huge sucesses and some huge bone headed and expensive bungles. Here are the components I wound up with. I will link to Newegg to not only give you a chance to see what I got but also so you can see just how affordable it is to go Core I7.
Case: Antec 300 with two front fans added and a side fan. (Has 140mm top fan and 120mm rear exhaust built in)
The 300
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
The front fans are Antec 120mm 3 speed fans set at low
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835209005
The side fan is a red Thermaltake fan that has one high speed good for a powerful single intake but too loud to be used in tandem. With multi-gpu setups the less wires running around inside the case is better so I do not like connecting the 3 pin connector for speed control via the motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999138
The top fan and rear exhaust fan are both set at medium.
Power Supply: Rosewill RX850-D-B (No longer availabe but I have a great suggestion from Antec the Truepower 1000 watt supply)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371012
The motherboard: Gigabyte EX58-DS4
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128366
HUGE BUNGLE: I was taking out graphics cards and failed to press the lock on one of the PCI Express slots thus snapping it in half. I'm on motherboard number 2. Don't work on your computer when you are tired and or otherwise impaired. <>__<>
CPU: Core I7 920 (It is way faster than necessary but since when is that a bad thing)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202
Note: DO NOT USE THE STOCK COOLER. It sucks and is handily outdone by this mean looking easy to install monster that fits in my tidy Antec 300 with no problem at all.
Aftermarket CPU Cooler: Vigor Monsoon III LT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835702007
It is so superior to the stock cooler it is not even close. I had idle temps of over 50 at stock speed and now I'm getting around 30 degrees celcius idle. I have not been able to test load temps but the thing doesn't seem to want to budge much when I check after running benchmarks like Devil May Cry 4 and FEAR. It is an absolute must. Just know that you need to attach a part provided with the Monsoon under your motherboard for mounting so it is best installed with a fresh build but even if you have to take everything apart it is still worth it.
System RAM: 12 gigabytes of DDR3 1066 RAM (2 6 gig triple channel kits from Crucial)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148246
Video Cards: There are three of them.
1. Asus Radeon 4870 512 meg (Mine no longer available linking to comparable product)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121276
I chose to lead the way with a 4870 because when you disable crossfire your single card performance will be higher than a 4850
2. Asus Radeon 4850 512 meg(Mine no longer available)
3. Asus Radeon 4850 512 meg
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161235
The HIS model I linked to seems to be one of the growing minority that are still reference design and still single slot.
When using 4850s in crossfire mode do not install later than Catalyst 8.10 drivers because 8.11 and 8.12 cause a BSOD and frankly the fix is not worth the aggravation. Not to mention that even if you manage to fix the BSOD it is still possible that crossfire will be disabled with those drivers. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Its true.
Sound Card: Soundblaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 USB in two channel mode outputting gorgeous 24 bit 96 khz stereo digital audio to my Kenwood VR-7070 receiver with a laser light toslink cable. I'm using DCM KX6 Series two bookshelf speakers and a KLH 120 watt 10" powered sub that goes down to 24 hz.
Monitor: HP LP3065 30" IPS Monitor with 2560 * 1600 resolution
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824176071
2560 * 1600 is a tough nut to crack due to frame buffer issues with 512 meg cards. It is great but you can get a surprisingly similar experience with a more stable frame rate with an HDTV like the Toshiba 32RV530U 1080p set.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889253134
The Sharp Aquos might be a good value as well.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889101108
They both cost around 700 and will look very comparable other than the 16:9 ration versus 16:10 which is not that big a deal.
I recently bought the Sceptre X32BV-Full HD for $599 but unfortunately that awesome TV is now $1000!!!!!!! I guess I got a great deal from the egg around Black Friday. It is going in my other I7 rig that I will overview at another time.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889112024
Funny I had no idea it was THAT good a deal.
Storage: 2 Western Digital 500 gig hard drives running independantly. I chose not to RAID with this setup deeming it unnecessary.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136178
Removable Storage: 1 ASUS SATA DVD Burner and 2 ASUS SATA DVD ROM drives
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488
I'll add a post with benchmark results in a little bit. I've been rambling here for almost two hours listing to cheesy 80s music. <>___<>
Case: Antec 300 with two front fans added and a side fan. (Has 140mm top fan and 120mm rear exhaust built in)
The 300
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
The front fans are Antec 120mm 3 speed fans set at low
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835209005
The side fan is a red Thermaltake fan that has one high speed good for a powerful single intake but too loud to be used in tandem. With multi-gpu setups the less wires running around inside the case is better so I do not like connecting the 3 pin connector for speed control via the motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999138
The top fan and rear exhaust fan are both set at medium.
Power Supply: Rosewill RX850-D-B (No longer availabe but I have a great suggestion from Antec the Truepower 1000 watt supply)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371012
The motherboard: Gigabyte EX58-DS4
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128366
HUGE BUNGLE: I was taking out graphics cards and failed to press the lock on one of the PCI Express slots thus snapping it in half. I'm on motherboard number 2. Don't work on your computer when you are tired and or otherwise impaired. <>__<>
CPU: Core I7 920 (It is way faster than necessary but since when is that a bad thing)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202
Note: DO NOT USE THE STOCK COOLER. It sucks and is handily outdone by this mean looking easy to install monster that fits in my tidy Antec 300 with no problem at all.
Aftermarket CPU Cooler: Vigor Monsoon III LT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835702007
It is so superior to the stock cooler it is not even close. I had idle temps of over 50 at stock speed and now I'm getting around 30 degrees celcius idle. I have not been able to test load temps but the thing doesn't seem to want to budge much when I check after running benchmarks like Devil May Cry 4 and FEAR. It is an absolute must. Just know that you need to attach a part provided with the Monsoon under your motherboard for mounting so it is best installed with a fresh build but even if you have to take everything apart it is still worth it.
System RAM: 12 gigabytes of DDR3 1066 RAM (2 6 gig triple channel kits from Crucial)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148246
Video Cards: There are three of them.
1. Asus Radeon 4870 512 meg (Mine no longer available linking to comparable product)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121276
I chose to lead the way with a 4870 because when you disable crossfire your single card performance will be higher than a 4850
2. Asus Radeon 4850 512 meg(Mine no longer available)
3. Asus Radeon 4850 512 meg
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161235
The HIS model I linked to seems to be one of the growing minority that are still reference design and still single slot.
When using 4850s in crossfire mode do not install later than Catalyst 8.10 drivers because 8.11 and 8.12 cause a BSOD and frankly the fix is not worth the aggravation. Not to mention that even if you manage to fix the BSOD it is still possible that crossfire will be disabled with those drivers. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Its true.
Sound Card: Soundblaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 USB in two channel mode outputting gorgeous 24 bit 96 khz stereo digital audio to my Kenwood VR-7070 receiver with a laser light toslink cable. I'm using DCM KX6 Series two bookshelf speakers and a KLH 120 watt 10" powered sub that goes down to 24 hz.
Monitor: HP LP3065 30" IPS Monitor with 2560 * 1600 resolution
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824176071
2560 * 1600 is a tough nut to crack due to frame buffer issues with 512 meg cards. It is great but you can get a surprisingly similar experience with a more stable frame rate with an HDTV like the Toshiba 32RV530U 1080p set.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889253134
The Sharp Aquos might be a good value as well.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889101108
They both cost around 700 and will look very comparable other than the 16:9 ration versus 16:10 which is not that big a deal.
I recently bought the Sceptre X32BV-Full HD for $599 but unfortunately that awesome TV is now $1000!!!!!!! I guess I got a great deal from the egg around Black Friday. It is going in my other I7 rig that I will overview at another time.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889112024
Funny I had no idea it was THAT good a deal.
Storage: 2 Western Digital 500 gig hard drives running independantly. I chose not to RAID with this setup deeming it unnecessary.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136178
Removable Storage: 1 ASUS SATA DVD Burner and 2 ASUS SATA DVD ROM drives
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488
I'll add a post with benchmark results in a little bit. I've been rambling here for almost two hours listing to cheesy 80s music. <>___<>
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