View Full Version : New computer: request for moral support
horvendile
28-Mar-2006, 13:59
After a long, long, looong wait, I have finally ordered my new computer, designed to last me for a while and retire my current rig that originates from 2001. The important specs:
Case: Antec P180
Motherboard: Asus A8R32-MVP Deluxe (RD580)
CPU: AMD X2 4400+
Memory: 2 Gb
Graphics card: Radeon X1900XT
Hard drive: Hitachi Deskstar 7K500
Now, since I'm suffering from Post Payment Stress Disorder I'm not really interested in suggestions as to how I could have made better choices - after all, the choices have already been made, good or bad. What I do need is reassurance that this is going to be a great system. So please, let me see some "Great rig!" posts! I need that. ;)
That is a sweet-ass, ho-pimpin' rig.
Unless you bought the 2GB as 16 x 128MB PC133.
Edit - personally I'd have gone for a WD Raptor 75/150 + a cheap 300 gigger, but the 7K500 should still be excellent and also provide some warmth in the cold winter months.
akira888
28-Mar-2006, 14:35
You really have nothing to worry about; all of your choices were solid. I just replaced my 2003 era system with one almost exactly identical to yours (with the exception of a slightly smaller hard drive) and I couldn't be any happier with it right now.
Rodéric
28-Mar-2006, 14:53
Definetly a good choice.
(I'm considering moving this topic to General Forum though...)
AlStrong
28-Mar-2006, 15:08
Where's the uber soundcard?!!??
Just kidding :wink:
horvendile
28-Mar-2006, 15:21
That's the spirit!
2 Gb as 16 128 Mb PC133 sticks would undeniably have provided comic relief, but I went the boring route with two 1 Gb DDR sticks...
It will be very interesting to observe the ambient sound level of this system when it is assembled. My goal was to build a rather quiet system - not extremely quiet, but rather quiet. Hence the P180. To that end, the PSU will be a Seasonic S12 430 W, the CPU cooler a Scythe Ninja (with 120 mm fan) and the GPU cooler an Arctic Cooling Accelero 2. They should all be fairly quiet, but I honestly have no idea how it will sound when put together. I'm thinking that at least it's going to be way more quiet than my current box'o'noise.
horvendile
28-Mar-2006, 15:27
Edit - personally I'd have gone for a WD Raptor 75/150 + a cheap 300 gigger (...)
That exactly was indeed my original plan, but... well, the Hitachi is nearly as fast as the Raptor according to Storagereview, it was cheaper than the combined purchase (at least where I live) and I rather fancy not having to contemplate for every single program whether I should put it on the fast or the slow disc.
In fact, the realistic alternative was not to buy a Raptor and a cheap 300 gigger, but to buy just a cheap 300 gigger. Or possibly a Western Digital 400 gigger.
digitalwanderer
28-Mar-2006, 15:41
Dude, no regrets allowed! That is one fine-assed looking gaming weapon you're getting yourself. :cool:
Cartoon Corpse
28-Mar-2006, 17:17
just 'one' step below my new rig (2 weeks old)...i went with x1900xtx and the fx60 cpu and an sli mboard (bulletproof). same antec case. does good job cooling BTW.
680W psu. what's yours?
That's the spirit!
2 Gb as 16 128 Mb PC133 sticks would undeniably have provided comic relief, but I went the boring route with two 1 Gb DDR sticks...
It will be very interesting to observe the ambient sound level of this system when it is assembled. My goal was to build a rather quiet system - not extremely quiet, but rather quiet. Hence the P180. To that end, the PSU will be a Seasonic S12 430 W, the CPU cooler a Scythe Ninja (with 120 mm fan) and the GPU cooler an Arctic Cooling Accelero 2. They should all be fairly quiet, but I honestly have no idea how it will sound when put together. I'm thinking that at least it's going to be way more quiet than my current box'o'noise.
You might have problems with the length of the ATX and auxiliary 4-pin mobo power cables from the Seasonic to the sockets on the mobo. Did you check this? You might need some extensions...
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page3.html
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/ati-crossfire-xpress-3200_7.html
Looks like the auxiliary power is going to need an extension.
The good news is you might be able to run the Ninja without a fan... Dunno, not my field of expertise.
Jawed
Guden Oden
28-Mar-2006, 18:32
personally I'd have gone for a WD Raptor 75/150 + a cheap 300 gigger
That'd been more expensive and less efficient. You'd have two pools, one fast yet very small, and one big and slow. With the 7K500, you have one pool that's very large and very fast (for non-server use).
and also provide some warmth in the cold winter months.
Hitachi's HDDs are actually pretty lean-running, especially when starting up...
That'd been more expensive and less efficient. You'd have two pools, one fast yet very small, and one big and slow. With the 7K500, you have one pool that's very large and very fast (for non-server use).
Hitachi's HDDs are actually pretty lean-running, especially when starting up...
You did well to get the hitachi 7k500.
Buying a raptor and a 300gig is not a bad idea though. I just got a 250gb to go in my puter. It is nice to have another physical hdd to back up any vital data. If your 7k500 dies then you lose everything, whereas if you have two hdd while the chances that a HDD will fail goes up, the chances that both would at the same time are minscule.
I would have personally gone with two 300 GB drives, would cost around the same or even less with more space, but Hitachi is a good brand.
Hitachi's HDDs are actually pretty lean-running, especially when starting up...
They are in general but the 7K500 is a bit of a toaster, IMHO. I installed one in a P180 (which has above-average HDD cooling) and it still ran noticeably hotter than most other drives when busy. No big deal provided it's adequately ventilatied, of course. Nice HDD.
Awesome rig man. Now where is the widescreen, fast LCD? :)
IgnorancePersonified
29-Mar-2006, 03:19
Good case!
horvendile
30-Mar-2006, 11:50
You might have problems with the length of the ATX and auxiliary 4-pin mobo power cables from the Seasonic to the sockets on the mobo. Did you check this? You might need some extensions...
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page3.html
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/ati-crossfire-xpress-3200_7.html
In fact, I had forgotten about those pages despite having seen them before. I am, however, aware that the assembling may become a bit arduous. In order to alleviate that I have prepared myself by living 100 m from a computer shop with, I hope, ample supplies of extension cords should the need arise...
horvendile
30-Mar-2006, 11:52
Awesome rig man. Now where is the widescreen, fast LCD? :)
Still being developed, I hope! In the meantime I am quite comfortable behind my 2-3 years old iiyama 22" CRT.
think about it, your graphics card has 300+ million transistors! your entire previous computer probably didn't have 1/4 that!
it certainly smokes my machine (well except for my raid0 raptors :twisted: - ignoring storage space that is :wink: )
drpepper
30-Mar-2006, 22:07
How are you going to work with your new nuclear weapon simulator without a mouse and keyboard? :razz:
horvendile
09-Apr-2006, 22:26
Update:
I'm in the semi-early installation phase now. Lots of things can still go wrong, but one thing really impresses me:
I'm in Windows, not really doing anything besides typing this and formatting a hard drive partition (which looks to be finished, ooh, any hour now). Absolutely not a heavy workload. Under similar conditions, my old T-bird 1200 reached about 50 degrees celsius (55 if not -dust cleaned for a while). The new configuration reaches 37-38 degrees... WITH PASSIVE COOLING! :D I think that calls for capital letters.
Of course, there's still no telling what will happen when I throw some work at it. But I choose to be glad when I can!
Teehee, glad to hear that the passive CPU cooling option is getting at least a trial run!
Jawed
Go horvendile, Go! Remember, women want to be with you, and men want to be you.
And Andrzej Bania said to tell you that you are fragrant as well. (But then I think he says that about all new X1900 owners. Derek Perez prolly has a line about mistaking new G71 owners for Brad Pitt).
:grin:
horvendile
10-Apr-2006, 13:41
Teehee, glad to hear that the passive CPU cooling option is getting at least a trial run!
Yep! Though I have a question about that. But on second thought, I'll take that in a separate thread.
And BTW, you were right about needing an extension for the aux. power cord.
horvendile
10-Apr-2006, 13:42
Go horvendile, Go! Remember, women want to be with you
Indeed! After all, that is why we keep buying new computers!
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