New Quad Core Spec

[mad_scot_99]

CPU
Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q6600 (G0 Stepping).

Reckon I can get bout 3-3.4 out of it.

Motherboard
Asus P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP, iP35

RAM
2Gb OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 CL5 EPP

GFX Card
640MB XFX 8800GTS PCI-E (x16), Mem 1600 MHz, GPU 500 MHz
Due to the fact that god knows how DX10 titles will go.

Optical
A DVDRW and a seperate DVD drive

Cooling
scythe ninja rev B or Ultra-120 Extreme

O/S
Vista Ultimate (32 Bit) - Due to crappy driver and app support atm

PSU
620W Corsair HX Series Modular

HDD's
150GB Raptor - System Drive

750GB Hitachi - Storage

Case
Antec P182

Sound Card - can anyone recommend a goodsetup for speakers?
Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtream Gamer Fatal1ty Professional

Monitor
Samsung SM-226CW 22" Widescreen

Any constructive feedback woudl be recommended. This is my 2nd refinement lol. Budget is bout £1550 atm.

[Nemz0r]

I'd say get 2x 500Gb Spinpoints (Samsung) raid0 'em and make a 150Gb partition - will be faster, and cheaper than raptor + 750gb drive.
As for HSF: Ultima-90i/Ultra-120/Ultra-120 Extreme <- All excellent.

[staffsMike]

I wouldn't say it was faster but certainly more quiet and you won't notice much difference with the 7200 spinners.

You would probably get away with the 320mb version of the GTS but i went with the 640mb.

I'd personally have the scythe ninja rev B its a fantastic cooler, very quiet and fits particularly well with the P182.

[mad_scot_99]

I'd say get 2x 500Gb Spinpoints (Samsung) raid0 'em and make a 150Gb partition - will be faster, and cheaper than raptor + 750gb drive.
As for HSF: Ultima-90i/Ultra-120/Ultra-120 Extreme <- All excellent.

cheers but the plan is eventually to just get a second 750GB drive for a mirrored array, the raptor is only for apps and games lol.

[master811]

cheers but the plan is eventually to just get a second 750GB drive for a mirrored array, the raptor is only for apps and games lol.

well you could always just get another 750GB instead of a raptor (and you could have the benefit of Raid 0 and raid 1 on separate partition using Matrix Raid (which that mobo supports)

[mad_scot_99]

I prefer to keep the data and system drives physically seperate. i know there are pros and cons but might even drop the mirrored drive and just get a 750GB NAS.

aiming for the raptor jsut due to the seek tims, i know on terms of write speeds there are rivals i.e. the 750GB and 1TB drives

[staffsMike]

Make sure you get a silencer for it.. should make it more tolerable.

[mad_scot_99]

yeah was prob going to go for a drive enclosure for the raptor, are they audibly very noisy? read all the spec sheets but never actually heard one yet

[staffsMike]

I havn't heard one myself but a mate did a build with one and says its very errr clicky i believe he said..

It's very loud anyway and the clicks will be heard in rooms underneath etc..

Your build except for that will be pretty much silent so that thing is going to ruin it a little.

[mad_scot_99]

mm ight think bout another 750gb drive then...mmm decision decisions

[staffsMike]

you could get a couple of 160's and raid 0 them for your OS then have your 750's for data

[mad_scot_99]

you could get a couple of 160's and raid 0 them for your OS then have your 750's for data

dabbled with the idea but then i have 2 points of failure

[cotswoldcs]

I have a 150Gb Raptor in a Scythe Quiet Drive and am very impressed with it. It's really not that noisy but the Quiet Drive has made a noticeable difference. The previous 36Gb & 75Gb drives were noisier IMO.

Despite what people might tell you the 150Gb Raptor is still the fastest drive money can buy. A RAID 0 array comes close and will perform better in some tests but the Raptor will still be on top. No regrets here! I agree with your ideology of keeping OS & Apps on a separate drive.

[mad_scot_99]

cheers cotswoldcs, will look into those enclosures, id assume they stilal llow the drive to fit in a standard 3.5" enclosure?

[staffsMike]

Wouldn't disagree that the raptors are the fastest options and if the silencers work well then go for it.

[Clunk]

cheers cotswoldcs, will look into those enclosures, id assume they stilal llow the drive to fit in a standard 3.5" enclosure?

Nope, they need to go in a 5.25 bay.

I have a raptor in a scythe quiet drive and I also had it in a zalman thing (not sure of the name) and the zalman did an incredible job of quieting it down, even though the drive wasnt sealed inside a box.