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"Building a PC mk2"

Ok, finally the finances have been confirmed so looking to build a new tower in the next couple of weeks (Unless CrossFire & R520 arrives in the next 4 weeks!)

Here's what I have so far:

Akasa Eclipse 62 Aluminium Case
OCZ ModStream 520w ATX2.2 Power Supply
MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum nForce4 Ultra (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard
Corsair 2GB DDR XMS3200C2PT TwinX (2x1GB) CAS2
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice 90nm (Socket 939) - OEM
Zalman CNPS7700-CU Ultra-Quiet CPU Cooler
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (3.5g)
HIS Excalibur ATI Radeon X850 XT PE ICEQII 256MB DDR3 VIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)
2x LG GSA-4163BA 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM
2x Hitachi Deskstar T7K250 NCQ 160GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (OA31637)
2x Akasa AK-183-L2B Ultra Quiet 120mm Fan - 3 pin


Viewsonic VP191B 19" LCD Monitor 1280*1024

Apple iBook 12" (Wife)

Windows XP Pro SP2 OEM

Total: £2,409.35

Just got to check that the HIS GFX card will fit on the Neo4!

Tyla wrote:
> Viewsonic VP171B-2 17" LCD Monitor 1280*1024

I have that monitor, I love it. I thought the portrait mode was going to be a bit of a gimmick but I actually use it quite a lot.

Wish some of the rest of my system matched your specs :(

Notorious Biggles wrote:
> Not fancy going dual core and getting an Athlon 64 X2?

Have concidered it, but makes no difference unless I'm wanting to run several apps at once. Serves no benifit over gaming though and the prices are ludicrous at the moment.

Not fancy going dual core and getting an Athlon 64 X2?





















Yeah, I'm just trying to make you spend more :-D

Yay, finally settled on the final spec... Unless by some act of God the R520's appear in the next 4 weeks (which I doubt), then this is my order;

Akasa Eclipse 62 Aluminium Case
OCZ ModStream 520w ATX2.2 Power Supply
MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum nForce4 Ultra (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard
Corsair 2GB DDR XMS3200C2PT TwinX (2x1GB) CAS2
AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego 90nm (Socket 939) - Retail (ADA3700BNBOX)
Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 CPU Cooler (Socket 754/939/940)
BFG GeForce 7800 GTX OC 256MB GDDR3 VIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)
LG GSA-4163BA 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM (x2)
Western Digital Raptor 74GB 10,000RPM SATA 8MB Cache - OEM
Western Digital Caviar Special Edition 200GB 2000JD SATA 8MB Cache - OEM
Akasa AK-183-L2B Ultra Quiet 120mm Fan - 3 pin
Viewsonic VP171B-2 17" LCD Monitor 1280*1024
Windows XP Pro SP2 OEM

Total: £1,780.33

Suck on that Battlefield 2!;)

sPiKeCaSt wrote:
> I think I'll wait for the new ATI cards to be honest
> because Nvidia will release an updated version of their new 24 pipe
> card when ATI launch theirs, which will be 32 pipes.

The 32 pipes on the ATi's isn't confirmed, looks like they'll be 24. Heard mixed reviews about the 7xxx series so may giv ethem a miss.

Any news on release dates on the R520's? I heard July, but most places say September.

I think you can saw off one bit of plastic to fit the HIS card into the DFI board but it's probably not worth wrecking your warrenty over. I've the 3700 SD 1mb cache..very nice and fast CPU, can't go wrong with that. I think I'll wait for the new ATI cards to be honest because Nvidia will release an updated version of their new 24 pipe card when ATI launch theirs, which will be 32 pipes.

sPiKeCaSt wrote:
> Nice spec there mate. I've got roughly the same spec but a better CPU
> and board. However I got that ram this morning that you have chosen
> and it's quality stuff, X850 is a fast card too. I've got the
> platinum edition :D you'll love it.

Been having a nightmare with Mobo's. Was originally going to get the DFI nf4 Ultra-D (Non-SLi), but there's issues with the HIS X850XT PE with it, so settled for now with the Neo4 (Though may still go for the Abit fatal1ty).

Hate mobos, all to confusing, though people are highly reccomending the Epox EP -9NPA+ Ultra.

CPU wise, looks like I'll up it to the 3700+ San Diego just for the 1Mb Cache and it's only £40 more!

Waiting for the 7800's to appear today. If there's a significant performance increase over the X850XT PE, I may go for the 7800GTX instead. Though the HIS is CrossFire ready!

The HIS I've gone for is about as far as you can go with the X850XT PE so the only other option in a next gen card!

One things for sure. Defo settled on the case!;)

Nice spec there mate. I've got roughly the same spec but a better CPU and board. However I got that ram this morning that you have chosen and it's quality stuff, X850 is a fast card too. I've got the platinum edition :D you'll love it.

Akasa Eclipse 62 Aluminium Case
OCZ ModStream 520w ATX2.2 Power Supply
MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum nForce4 Ultra (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard
Corsair 2GB DDR XMS3200C2PT TwinX (2x1GB) CAS2
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice 90nm (Socket 939) - OEM
Zalman CNPS7700-CU Ultra-Quiet CPU Cooler
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (3.5g)
HIS Excalibur ATI Radeon X850 XT PE ICEQII 256MB DDR3 VIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)
2x LG GSA-4163BA 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM
2x Hitachi Deskstar T7K250 NCQ 160GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (OA31637)
2x Akasa AK-183-L2B Ultra Quiet 120mm Fan - 3 pin


Viewsonic VP191B 19" LCD Monitor 1280*1024

Apple iBook 12" (Wife)

Windows XP Pro SP2 OEM

Total: £2,409.35

Just got to check that the HIS GFX card will fit on the Neo4!

Coin wrote:
> Tyla wrote:
> RAM s**tuff.
>
> Brand of ram doesn't mean sh*t, in my opinion. I've had two 512
> modules, one Corsair and one GELL Value.

It's less to do with performance and more to do with the quality of the s**tuff. Corsair have a much better record when it comes to quality as well as offering a lifetime guarantee on the RAM.