Video Graphics Power Hack Build

[cinemalone]

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COOLER MASTER COSMOS S RC-1100-KKN1-GP Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail 169.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16811119150

 

(3) Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://secure.newegg.com/Shopping/ShoppingCart.aspx (164.97)

 

(2) CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8D - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820145224

-$10.00 Instant

$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card20-145-224

 

$459.98

$439.98

($219.99 each)

Or should I just go with OCZ gold 12800 ddr3 ram?

 

GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813128422 $15.00 Mail-in Rebate Card

 

$289.99

 

SAMSUNG Black Blu-ray Combo Drive - Bulk SATA Model SH-B083L/BSBP LightScribe Support - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16827151199

104.99

 

Kingston SSDNow V Series SNV425-S2/128GB 2.5" 128GB SATA II Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Retail 259.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820139135

I know this is a slower ssd, but it is the largest I could find for the price. I have a ton of programs and probably wouldn't be able to fit them on one 80gb INTEL ssd, which is running at a great price right now. This SSD will still whip the pants off of a velociraptor wont it?

 

 

CPU = i7 930 for $230 at Micro Center

This is the stuff I could use some advise on.

Heatsink I was thinking the SCYTHE OROCHI http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8993/cpu...SCORC-1100.html

But my case is basically built for water cooling... perhaps the corsair H50? I don't know where to spend my money here.

 

Power Supply I was thinking this: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10335/ps...ABT-1050MM.html

 

Admittedly I have no idea what I'm doing with extra fans on my case. I just am not sure where I would put them, or where the case lacks?

 

My GPU I found a craigslist post for a gtx 295 for $350. Overkill maybe? I also hear they are hard to get working. And I believe my power supply can handle it but I'm still becoming hardware literate. Anyone want to double check to see if I missed something?

 

As for the monitor. I will probably get a Dell 2209wa, the 22" ultrasharp monitor. I think I can get it for $200.

I will probably need a second one to watch the playback in full rez. Was hoping to wait for the 24" ultrasharp price to drop.

 

So I am looking at about $2300,

plus a subscription to lynda.com... which will leave me with enough money to go on foodstamps...

[nebraskaboy]

CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8D - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820145224

-$10.00 Instant

$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card20-145-224

 

$459.98

$439.98

($219.99 each)

Or should I just go with OCZ gold 12800 ddr3 ram?

 

GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813128422 $15.00 Mail-in Rebate Card

 

$289.99

 

Interesting Buddy.

We're building very very similar systems, and it looks like we're purchasing the parts from the same places on the same weekend.

 

 

CPU

I'm interested to know what people think about your CPU choice. The i7 920 is the one that everyone around here has been using, but I'm also going with the 930. I was about to throw up a post asking if anyone knew of any issues with it.

 

Have you found any posts of someone using that chip?

 

Motherboard

why are you choosing this board? It has way way less support than other similar boards, at least based on my research. I would *love* to get something forward compatible with USB3, and was considering this board briefly for that reason.

 

But I realized that a) there's no real assurance on when OSX will allow USB 3, and when that day comes, you can get a PCI-Express card enabling USB 3 for $40 right now, probably less in the future.

 

As an X58 board, I'm sure you'll be able to get it to work eventually (the current Mac Pros also use X58 boards), but

for slightly less money I'm going with the GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5, which lots of folks around here have gotten running easily.

 

RAM

I'm interested in your thoughts on this ram.

I'm going with Patriot's.

Patriot Viper 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666), and because I don't have as much money to burn I'm only getting one trip-channel kit (6gb) instead of the 12gb you're getting.

 

GPU

 

I'm also going with a more compatible GPU:

 

EVGA 01G-P3-N981-TR GeForce 9800 GT 1GB

 

it works out of the box for most people, and compatibility / stability is really important to me on this build since it'll be my work computer.

 

Otherwise though, we're building very similar systems.

Same CPU, nearly the same motherboard. And those are the two that are most important.

[cinemalone]

Interesting Buddy.

We're building very very similar systems, and it looks like we're purchasing the parts from the same places on the same weekend.

 

CPU

I'm interested to know what people think about your CPU choice. The i7 920 is the one that everyone around here has been using, but I'm also going with the 930. I was about to throw up a post asking if anyone knew of any issues with it.

 

Have you found any posts of someone using that chip?

 

I have found posts of people intending to use the chip, and some overclocking reviews. It performs slightly better on average in overclock than the 920 d0 step. But I have seen nothing thorough about building a hackintosh with it. Really, there is nothing useful out about it yet. I don't believe there are any issues with using the 930 vs the 920 or any 9xx for that matter. I chose it because for $30 more at microcenter the .14 standard speed is worth it.

 

Motherboard

why are you choosing this board? It has way way less support than other similar boards, at least based on my research. I would *love* to get something forward compatible with USB3, and was considering this board briefly for that reason.

 

But I realized that a) there's no real assurance on when OSX will allow USB 3, and when that day comes, you can get a PCI-Express card enabling USB 3 for $40 right now, probably less in the future.

 

As an X58 board, I'm sure you'll be able to get it to work eventually (the current Mac Pros also use X58 boards), but

for slightly less money I'm going with the GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5, which lots of folks around here have gotten running easily.

 

I am actually considering buying the gigabyte's ex58 rather than the ex58a now that you mention that about the usb 3 pci-e adapter. I originally was planning on getting a Radeon graphics card, because there was a $30 off deal when I put it in my basket. However, I believe I read something about there being a better heatpipe or something for the 58a rather than the 58. And as for installation, I was not aware that it would be at all different between the boards... except maybe getting it to recognize the future usb and sata 3... But what are you using to install? Efi?

 

RAM

I'm interested in your thoughts on this ram.

I'm going with Patriot's.

Patriot Viper 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666), and because I don't have as much money to burn I'm only getting one trip-channel kit (6gb) instead of the 12gb you're getting.

 

Well it was mostly for pragmatic reasons, the OCZ gold ram is the other option, but this one is normally more expensive but after a mail in rebate they are the same price. That and years ago I bought OCZ ram and got a dead stick. This stuff is suppose to be hand tested, and ready for overclocking (which I am new to, but is my primary interest), and the builds I was looking at seem to be using it.

Honestly all I really understand about ram is that higher numbers mean more power, and more money USUALLY means the assurance of quality. I can tell you that dealing with a dead ram stick is not worth the time to trouble shoot.

 

 

GPU

 

I'm also going with a more compatible GPU:

 

EVGA 01G-P3-N981-TR GeForce 9800 GT 1GB

 

it works out of the box for most people, and compatibility / stability is really important to me on this build since it'll be my work computer.

 

Yeah, I am really ambivalent about investing in a gpu when Nvidia's latest Fermi architecture is around the corner.

 

Where are you getting a 1gb 9800 GT? I was considering this too. I see B and H has it for pretty cheap, but I don't think I want to give them any business. I walked in there in NYC looking for a job and they said they weren't hiring. I was very polite and inquired thoroughly. But they cold-walled me. However a friend of mine sporting orthodox Jewish garb had no problem getting an application. They're pretty much racist, or at least very culturally incestuous.

Why not a gts 250?

 

Otherwise though, we're building very similar systems.

Same CPU, nearly the same motherboard. And those are the two that are most important.

 

Yeah I will probably go with the normal 58 mobo because it is on a great sale right now. Save myself about $50

 

What are you going for cooling and heatsink?

[cinemalone]

OK, i went with the GTS 250 1gb. I know people say it is just a "rebranded" 9800 gt, nvidia says they did that because there was confusion about having both lines available simultaneously. The big question is, does any bootloader that includes support for the 9800 therefore also include the gts250? (are they entirely synonymous?)

[nebraskaboy]

What are you going for cooling and heatsink?

 

RE: Cooling

I'm actually doing nothing.

 

I got all my parts in, and the stock fan seems fine. I'm not planning on overclocking until and unless everything else is really stable. This is my work computer, so stability is essential.

 

If I do I'll go back and rethink stuff. I got an amazing CoolerMaster case

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IZZ7MW/ref=oss_product

 

which I really recommend. With all that airflow, I just don't think any fancy cooling will be needed.

 

I also got the other parts in my sig.

They're hooked up, but I'm still in the middle of the install so I can't yet say what works or doesn't.

 

The slow part of this process so far? Restoring the 10.6 SL disk to a thumb drive. It took ~8 hours. I'm not sure if that's normal, or if it's just my aging macbook defaulting to USB 1.1 speeds, or my thumb drive (which is newish and 16gb) being slow.

 

It's not even done yet, still showing 39 minutes. So in an hour or so is when I get to start my actual install.

[JaE-V]

OK, i went with the GTS 250 1gb. I know people say it is just a "rebranded" 9800 gt, nvidia says they did that because there was confusion about having both lines available simultaneously. The big question is, does any bootloader that includes support for the 9800 therefore also include the gts250? (are they entirely synonymous?)

 

 

the 9800GTX+ is the rebranded gts 250 not the 9800gt...if it doesnt work out the box with graphics enabler option just generate strings...its one of the easiest cards to get working