if you had to build a system tomorrow...

[erikmorgan]

CPU = i7-920 D0 <- under $300 CDN - stepping 3916B089 - looks like good results from most of the late model 920's

Gigabyte X58A-UD3R <-has USB 3 and SATA 3

Patriot Viper 1600 6G set <- low end ram, but the price was right

HD = Patriot Torqx 64G <- not the best, but I'm cheap

Corsair HX1000 <- I cheaped out on a lot of parts but after a few bad experiences, I refuse to cheap out on PSU.

ASUS 5850 DirectCU TOP <- bang for buck? I hope?

came to $1682 CDN total, including OS (win7 pro) and tax

Thanks again for all the support and tips

I like what you've picked out.
and I do expect some pics when it's all said and done



Sidenote: I didn't see it until after I submitted, but this is my 100th post! Yay!

[shmadz]

and I do expect some pics when it's all said and done

Pics huh? I guess since I came in a few hundred shy of my budget I can spring for a camera

Anyways... the weekend is here and I've started to unbox all the new toys.
I only upgrade every 4-5 years so I try to take my time and enjoy it when I finally get to build a system for myself - so not nearly "all said and done" but here are some preliminary pics... (I'm sure everyone's familiar with all these products but they're just so shiny and, well, blue that I just had to post 'em.)


The heart of the system,


A really nice looking board, and those stickers sure are shiny, but I can't imagine that they don't drastically reduce airflow across the heatsinks, so off with their heads!

actually, to my eyes the naked heatsinks look better. those stickers are kinda gaudy. and that heatpipe looks to be entirely cosmetic as well. you probably can't tell from the pic but it looks to be simply hotglued to the two heatsinks. I don't imagine it serves much purpose.

*I stopped myself just shy of removing all the heatsinks and replacing whatever thermal paste or pads lie beneath with AS5, but I figure I should make sure the board actually works first. if anyone has re-done the heatsinks on this board, please let me know what effect - if any - it had on temps.

And now, power supply


more blue, bonus!


just a coincidence that the cheapest 6 gig set I could find was also blue... no really!


I was a little disappointed that I would have to rotate the cpu heatsink (or maybe just force the ram in at a slant ) if I want to go with 12 gigs of ram... can you just install 10 gigs? or will it mess with ram timings?

And finally a shot of the HD

you'll never see it once the system is put together but hey, it's got blue on it too and kinda dusty from a test drive in my current system for the past week or so

That's as far as I'm going tonight, maybe tomorrow I'll actually get it into the case

***EDIT*** I just realized I neglected to acknowledge the excellent AMD build advice from SoulsCollective and others: I have had nothing but AMD+ASUS machines since the K6-2 days and I just felt like doing something a little different. Many thanks for trying to drag me back toward the light, but for the immediate future at least, this soul has succumbed to the lure of the dark side

[shmadz]

The weekend was a complete gong show, but the machine is finally all in one piece!


bottom half


top half


full box with the side on.

I tried taking some shots with no flash, but I could not get them to focus properly, let's just say, it's very bright!

*problems I ran into with this build:
- not sure I can run with 12 gigs of ram, even if I rotate the CPU heatsink.
- the side fan touches the top of the heatsink, it doesn't seem to be putting uneven pressure on the cpu, but I wonder...
- can't use my old IDE dvd drive. I was totally stoked that this board still had the old IDE interface (and a floppy port too) but cable will not reach to the top of the case

All in all, very happy with this build so far, and it's suprisingly quiet considering there are 9 120mm fans and 1 200mm fan, all you can hear is a soft low whoooosh. (can't hear it at all over the AC which will be going 24/7 'till sometime in sept.)

[OC Nub]

Very nice build!! Congrats.

Clip the corner off the case door fan and it should fit under the HS. Just one side of a corner, the side that touches the HS. Measure first to see before chopping up a good fan.I had to do that with my antec 1200 when using a TRUE.

[shmadz]

Thanks OC Nub, I can't believe I didn't think of that, should work like a charm.

now I just need to steal, err.. borrow, someone's dremel