New Build Complete - 3XS Vengeance Z77 SLI - Recommendation & Query

[Bodin]

I have now taken delivery of the my 3XS system, got it set up, played a bit of Battlefield 3 and I am downloading some games off steam. A few things to say;

1. I am a difficult and demanding customer. With this caveat I have to say that despite a shaky start in terms of getting a build and estimated completion date early on in the process I have been incredibly impressed with Scan's customer service. As an Operations Manager for a law firm I know a thing or to about managing client expectations and delivering on your promises. It is genuinely rare to see companies going the extra mile for clients in my experience but this is what Scan have done for me. Thank you guys.

2. The system is incredibly tidy, well built and runs smooth (so far, touch wood). I am impressed with the presentation of the build. Exactly what I asked for and what I was expecting. I play BF3 on the PS3 and whilst it is good, this rig blows it out of the water. I expect that will translate to the multiplayer. It presents a genuinely immersive experience. I cannot wait to download some other games particular with high res textures/mods.

3. A particularly big thank you must go to Philip he has really looked after me. If any one else is in the market for a rig I will be recommending him to them.

I do have a couple of queries though. Those of you who have gone before may be able to supply the answers;

1. Do I need to register the individual components in the system. For example I have 2 x GTX 680s and whilst I have the user guides and disks I dont have the boxes to register them. Do scan take care of this under their 3 year warranty?
2. How do I do about measuring temperatures of the GPU. EVGA have Precision X and OC Scanner. Whilst I will not be doing much if any overclocking I will still like to be able to monitor to GPU temps and I cannot see there is anything in the current set up that will allow me to do that and I could feel the window on the 650D getting warm during BF3 maxxed out (cool down quick after mind). Maybe I am missing something?


The rig specs are in the profile and I will look to upload some piccies after I have pryed myself away from games and generally investigating all this system can do!

[DLUK]

Bodin for GPU temps there is EVGA P's and MSI After burner both branded versions of Riva Tuner, they are the two most used and can display GPU temps in windows or on a overlay like Steam does it thang. If temps are too high in games, you can manually increase fan speed OR add a fan controller to case and ramp up system fans (or do that through software). Rule of thumb is 80c and below is fine for 680 and 70c or below for CPU. Perfect is 70C max on 680's but that takes better case fans or stock cooling in general.

Lazy way is for demanding games like BF3 is manually turn the fan up from 'stock' monitor it in game and you will find what percent fan speed it takes to keep the GPU as cool as you want. Decent gamer headphones mean fan noise is never a issue On older games turn Vsync on and that stop a GTX 680 trying to spit 400FPS and getting hot or noisy for no reason!

Warrenty wise this differs by OEM and even what is covered vs the Scan 3XS warrenty which should always be your first port of call. So some Mobo's-PSU (and GPUS) or memory may have 5 years warrenty that exceeds the Scan one (check as they might want you to register on their site the purchase or not). Keep the 3XS receipt safe for OEM returns for after the scan warrenty runs out. By looking at your 3XS parts on the scan site you can also then check them vs the OEM site to see if their are any extra's over the 3 years offered by Scan.

Some PSU's RAM SSDs and GPUs (and even cases!) do have 5 years on offer or an upgrade path with OEM for 5 years coverage.

[Jockbh0y]

Can I just ask quickly what the sound is like?

In the other thread a few seem to be talking out the pump being noisy, and since i'm looking to order this exact computer, I just want to make sure i'm not getting some noisy brute.

[Bodin]

Can I just ask quickly what the sound is like?

In the other thread a few seem to be talking out the pump being noisy, and since i'm looking to order this exact computer, I just want to make sure i'm not getting some noisy brute.

I am unable to differentiate between the H100, the case fans and the 2 680s but the H100 seems to be more quiet than the GPUs. Together, running BF3, Arma 2 and Sleeping Dogs with High Res Texture pack the temps have remained at the level DLUK suggest they should...in fact a little cooler. Fans on the GPUs have remained at 34%. So it is coping with everything turned up to "11".

I was concerned about noise but it is no more than a desk top fan on low/medium speed or an air conditioner at night when you are holiday. So you can hear it but it is not intrusive. Like DLUK said get some decent headphones and you will not notice. to put it in context if you are worred about family members, my computer room is hot and without windows so I have a tower fan on as well as the computer and I am sat on a mezzanine level about 10 feet from my wife watching TV. Last night I asked if the noise was ok as she is really sensitive to intrusive noise and she was cool with it. So in all I am quite happy with. I would say I got the SC Sig 2 GPUs as with 2 x fans I was expecting them to run a bit quiter than the vanilla SC Signatures.

[Lee H]

I have my H100 on low when using the PC for media usage such as XBMC, sky go or playing via VLC and switch the profile to medium once I decide I'm playing games (thank god for the corsair 600T easy release panels!)

If you want to make the H100 even quieter than normal you could always use the corsair SP120 fans on it to reduce the noise even further but still offer great cooling performance.

We are also getting the corsair link kits in stock and these are going to be able to give you even more precise control over the fan settings and speeds very soon!

Best Regards,

[Jockbh0y]

Though it doesnt give you the choice to amend the cooling options when you order, so for example put in the two extra fans.

I didnt realise though you need to change the fan parameters based on what youre doing. Is it not a bit of a hassle constantly changing it? Most of the day the computer i get will be used for fairly heavy 3D rendering, so i assume i'd need them fairly high.

[Bodin]

Though it doesnt give you the choice to amend the cooling options when you order, so for example put in the two extra fans.

I didnt realise though you need to change the fan parameters based on what youre doing. Is it not a bit of a hassle constantly changing it? Most of the day the computer i get will be used for fairly heavy 3D rendering, so i assume i'd need them fairly high.

My comments regarding noise were with the H100 set on balanced. The middle of 3 settings. The GPUs take care of themselves and you can get a fan controller fitted to your case. Theorectically you could set up profiles depending on what you are using it for. I could not tell what difference that would make to rendering but given the games I am running and the settings I am running them at, I would be surprised if it made a massive difference.

[Scarletsboy]

I have to say Scan have been very good even when I was unhappy at the delay in getting my p.c to me, I do have a couple of issues with the hard drive making a noise every 3-4 mins like its being read and is loud out side the case which is not right and the H100 I can hear the pump spinning/grinding Does anyone else hear the noise of the H100 pump ? I will call scan about that tomorrow. I have register my items just to be on the safe side as I have the evga gtx690 and taken out the extra 7 year warranty for 39 pounds to give me a 10 year one, but this has to be done in the 1st 30 days of the product, The reason I have done it is I seem to eat video cards and after spending £900 on one I want it to last My temp for the cpu is 27-29 at ide and 40-43 after playing heavy games for 4-5 hours with the pump set to minimum and my card never goes about 58 on either gpu with the fan at 40% right not the cpu and gpu are both at 29 with the room temp at 23 so the H100 works well

[DLUK]

I am unable to differentiate between the H100, the case fans and the 2 680s but the H100 seems to be more quiet than the GPUs. Together, running BF3, Arma 2 and Sleeping Dogs with High Res Texture pack the temps have remained at the level DLUK suggest they should...in fact a little cooler. Fans on the GPUs have remained at 34%. So it is coping with everything turned up to "11".

I was concerned about noise but it is no more than a desk top fan on low/medium speed or an air conditioner at night when you are holiday. So you can hear it but it is not intrusive. Like DLUK said get some decent headphones and you will not notice. to put it in context if you are worred about family members, my computer room is hot and without windows so I have a tower fan on as well as the computer and I am sat on a mezzanine level about 10 feet from my wife watching TV. Last night I asked if the noise was ok as she is really sensitive to intrusive noise and she was cool with it. So in all I am quite happy with. I would say I got the SC Sig 2 GPUs as with 2 x fans I was expecting them to run a bit quiter than the vanilla SC Signatures.

You can always buy super low noise fans and change them yourself or pay a build cost with scan and get them to do it. You can also add noise reduction foam to case. Or even better buy the 'mrs' a decent set of wireless headphones with noise reduction and ask her to enjoy her music-tv-films or the radio when your gaming (btw I did this, because I swear like a trooper in FPS games and she never moans now). The noise pollution wasn't my rig it was me....

[Bodin]

As promised piccies. Didn't intend it by the all the lights are blue - keyboard, monitor and CCFL.

http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/...1/89a024ce.jpg

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http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/...1/57f6f532.jpg

http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/...1/5ff4ba2c.jpg

http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/...1/bac974f8.jpg

http://http://i1245.photobucket.com/...1/f0a2210f.jpg

[Scarletsboy]

Sweet system nice pictures, how do you find the noise from the H100, Im going to change my to Noctua NF-F12 PWM and is the keyboard worth the money ? I thinking of getting one

[Bodin]

Don't really notice the H100 because I game with headphones. It is definitely noticeable on balanced but not intrusive. I am quite happy with.

Keyboard is good. Not had chance to mess with keybindings/macros but I definitely will do for chaining spells and the like in Skyrim. Lighting is good for playing in the dark and the mechanical switches appear to be pressure sensitive which is great for creeping in games.

I will probably add the keybindings to the mouse for BF3 - so set up sprint and crouch on the mouse buttons - this will improve movement as it is always a bugger to switching from one to the other and the M90 has lots and lots of buttons! Enough for peaking round a corner...great to be able to use my right thumb in a game!