Next Rig - Your Thoughts?

[Vimeous]

I believe I've narrowed down the components I require for my next rig but am I right?

I want a quiet, future clockable (not initially) PC for VM's, gaming and F@H.
Two unchangeable components are the gfx card and SCSI controller.
I'm also keen to stick with the current CPU and not drop to a Q6600.


To Buy:
Case: Antec 300
CPU : Intel Q9450 OEM
Fan : Zalman CNPS9700-LED Super Aero Flower Cooler
Mbd : Asus P5E WS Professional
RAM : Corsair TwinX DDR2 XMS2 Dominator PC8500 - 2x 1Gb
HD : Samsung F1 750Gb x2 (RAID1)
PSU : Corsair 650W TX
Cost: £640 ish with P&P

Fixed:
Gfx : ATi Radeon HD2900XT
Ext : Adaptec PCI-X External SCSI controller
Opt : Pioneer DVDRW

The price already has me wincing (£650 max).
What do you think?

[staffsMike]

So I assume the motherboard you picked is because it has PCI-X so thats fixed or difficult to change.

I'd change the HSF, the zalmans are form over function and too expensive. Scythe mine/ninja, thermalight ultima 90 or ultra extreme 120 (today only).

I'd go for a modular PSU, the corsiar 520W HX would be more than enough power.

I'd also get 640GB sammys or preferably western digital AAKS drives, very fast and still plenty of storage

I'd personally go for a better case to if the budget exists, coolermasters CM-690 is very nice at £60 (used to be £45 though )

[Vimeous]

Spot on with the motherboard.
I can't find the P5Q WS anywhere yet but it's done away with the on-board e-sata which I'd like too keep so I'm not too bothered.

I'll look at the alternative CPU coolers. I chose the Zalman as my current 8500 is ultra-quiet and had hoped it could do the same. Do your suggestions have any issues noise wise or is it purely based on the fan used?
I originally planned to use an Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 but I was worried the noise levels with the Q9450 would to more than I wanted.

Modular PSU is good but expensive. If I were to OC would 520w be enough?
The 550W VX is another £10 less if I can put up with cable ties...... hmm
TBC

I'll be running RAID1 and therefore slower than normal. I was hoping the 32Mb cache sammys would redress that a little. Also the 750's cheaper per Gb.
TBH if sammy or WD did 500Gb 32Mb cache I'd be sorted. Sticking with these so far .....

The CM690 is nice and I'd not looked at the 590 - lots of quiet fans
Both are deeper - more working space - but heavier making LAN's more of an issue.
More pondering needed!

[staffsMike]

Freezer 7 is naff for noise. The scythe ninja can actually be run passive, so noise is no major concern. It ships with a 120mm very quiet fan, for the thermalrights you would need to buy a fan for them.

The zalmans are always OK and i'll take your word on noise but the ninja is the quietest HSF's i've ever had and is weel respected over at Silent PC Review.

I prefer the fan layout on the CM-690, you can make it mainly bottom to top which is great for cooling and it is near silent setup that way.. it suprised me a lot!

520W is more than enough for that system, overclocked or not If you are worried the TX would probably make more sense than the VX.

One question if I may, why the 2900XT?

[Vimeous]

freezer 7 is naff for noise. The scythe ninja can actually be run passive, so noise is no major concern. It ships with a 120mm very quiet fan, for the thermalrights you would need to buy a fan for them.

The zalmans are always OK and i'll take your word on noise but the ninja is the quietest HSF's i've ever had.

I prefer the fan layout on the CM-690, you can make it mainly bottom to top which is great for cooling and it is near silent setup that way.. it suprised me a lot!

520W is more than enough for that system, overclocked or not If you are worried the TX would probably make more sense than the VX.

One question if I may, why the 2900XT?

I'll look again at HSF's - thanks for that.
You've confirmed my Arctic thinking

The 2900XT was a friend-purchase sometime ago but I've only just got round to assembling the rest of the machine! Granted now there are better choices but it's staring at me and it was a bargain.

[staffsMike]

I seem to remember it's brief affair with us was a power hungry, hot running, noisey and underperforming one but I guess it depends on your gaming needs

If it's still in the box I would consider selling it but it should be step up from what you have listed now

[format]

I use the arctic freezer and it can only just be heard over my 19DBa sharkoons, having said that, I will be changing for a nirvana zerotherm soon

[staffsMike]

Musn't be working very hard then, because even at stock clocks it keeps spinning it's annoying fan in my PC.

[SiM]

If you are going to have lots of hard drives and fans in the system, then you would probably find that you are using all the modular cables anyway... so you may as well get the TX psu... Modular is over priced for what you get and is only neccessary if you have a cable tidy fetish - like mike does

[format]

Musn't be working very hard then, because even at stock clocks it keeps spinning it's annoying fan in my PC.

Could be something to do with my mobo, IIRC Abit's temp management controls the HSF speeds appropriately.

Also, my CPU idles at around 38-40 with no OC, so temps aren't that great.

[staffsMike]

If you are going to have lots of hard drives and fans in the system, then you would probably find that you are using all the modular cables anyway... so you may as well get the TX psu... Modular is over priced for what you get and is only neccessary if you have a cable tidy fetish - like mike does

Well it is much nicer to have for cable tidying indeed

How many HDD's are you planning on having? oooooo it's gonna get messsssssyyyy

[Biscuit]

Im with u mike Modular FTW!

[Vimeous]

We're running 2 modular PSU atm but this time I'm cutting back - only 2 HD's this time.
I want to run RAID10 but it's simply not practical (cost & space - 4x750's!)
I do need the 2x 6+2 gfx connectors of the Corsair's though.

Radical thought - save cash, use the retail HSF - request quieter kit for Chrisy? hmmmm....

[staffsMike]

Radical thought - save cash, use the retail HSF - request quieter kit for Chrisy? hmmmm....

are you mad?

[Biscuit]

nothing wrong with retail fans unless there is overclocking. Practically silent with bios fan controller on unless they get seriously stressed. If your overclocking then spend the money!

[Zhaoman]

yeah lol, and the 750Gb drive is a fantastic choice! more than capable of holding its own against a Raptor.