AMD 3700+ Rig - Am i missing anything?

W

Wolfsbane2k

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 17, 2005
Messages
228
Morning.

Just about to click buy on the following complete system - Mainly Photochop with BF2 in the evenings!

Sound card is to remove as much load as possible from the processor, and the Leadtek Gfx is the cheapest 6800GT at stock speeds that i can find. Can't find a 3700+ in OEM form, which is why i have the retail version and the XP90C& Vantec 92mm fan.

Can anybody point out any obvious mistakes or problems?

AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego 90nm (Socket 939) - Retail (ADA3700BNBOX)
DFI LanParty UT NF4 SLI-D (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard
Corsair 2GB DDR XMS3200C2PT TwinX (2x1GB) CAS2 (MY-079-CS)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 Plus NCQ 80GB ST380817AS SATA 8MB Cache - OEM
2xSeagate Barracuda 7200.8 Plus NCQ 300GB ST3300831AS SATA 8MB Cache - OEM
Antec P180 Advanced Super Midi Tower Case - No PSU
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value 7.1 PCI Sound Card - OEM
Leadtek WinFast GeForce 6800 GT 256MB DDR TV-Out/DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail
ThermalRight XP-90C (Socket 754/939/478) Heatsink
Vantec SF9225L Stealth 92mm fan - Retail
Antec TruePower 2.0 550W PSU
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (3.5g)
Vantec SF12025L Stealth 120mm fan - Retail
Vantec SF8025L Stealth 80mm fan - Retail
NEC ND3540 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM

Hyundai ImageQuest L90D+ 19" LCD Monitor

Thanks in advance.

Wolfsbane
 
Wolfsbane2k said:
Morning.

Just about to click buy on the following complete system - Mainly Photochop with BF2 in the evenings!

Sound card is to remove as much load as possible from the processor, and the Leadtek Gfx is the cheapest 6800GT at stock speeds that i can find. Can't find a 3700+ in OEM form, which is why i have the retail version and the XP90C& Vantec 92mm fan.

Can anybody point out any obvious mistakes or problems?

AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego 90nm (Socket 939) - Retail (ADA3700BNBOX)
DFI LanParty UT NF4 SLI-D (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard
Corsair 2GB DDR XMS3200C2PT TwinX (2x1GB) CAS2 (MY-079-CS)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 Plus NCQ 80GB ST380817AS SATA 8MB Cache - OEM
2xSeagate Barracuda 7200.8 Plus NCQ 300GB ST3300831AS SATA 8MB Cache - OEM
Antec P180 Advanced Super Midi Tower Case - No PSU
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value 7.1 PCI Sound Card - OEM
Leadtek WinFast GeForce 6800 GT 256MB DDR TV-Out/DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail
ThermalRight XP-90C (Socket 754/939/478) Heatsink
Vantec SF9225L Stealth 92mm fan - Retail
Antec TruePower 2.0 550W PSU
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (3.5g)
Vantec SF12025L Stealth 120mm fan - Retail
Vantec SF8025L Stealth 80mm fan - Retail
NEC ND3540 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM

Hyundai ImageQuest L90D+ 19" LCD Monitor

Thanks in advance.

Wolfsbane
Click to expand...

Looks just like my machine. Only thing i can recommend go with the 7800GTX...your machine is nearly animal...might as well give it fangs. With the $463 deals going on..it is silly almost not too ($100 more for ~30% more FPS). Kyle and staff also showed that the 6800GT/Ultra just isn't cutting it for BF2, but the 7800GTX does. Please look (article just posted today).

-tReP
 
Get a XP-90, not an XP-90c. Less weight, price, and same cooling.

"Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 Plus NCQ 80GB ST380817AS SATA 8MB Cache - OEM"

Now I don't know much about HDDs, but I believe 7200.7 usually means 7 mb cache? Why does it say 8 mb later on, and why are you getting one 80gb but two 300s that seem to be exactly the same except for this???? I'd just drop this thing. Or get a Raptor if you need it. (10000 rpm)
 
Correct, a WD740GD would blow away the 80GB Seagate in desktop performance.

The 80GB 7200.8 is simply a rebadged 7200.7. It uses the same 80GB platter, although the firmware may have been tweaked slightly over an older 7200.7. Both series ship with an 8MB buffer on the SATA drives. To make room in the budget for the Raptor, you may consider going to the 250GB 7200.8s - they are ridiculously cheap right now. By axing the 80GB drive altogether and dropping from 300GB to 250GB data drives, you only stretch the budget an extra $20 to get a Raptor (if you cash in on the $20 rebate that's available), and it will be a huge performance boost. Also, the Raptor ships with a five year warranty like the Seagate drives. Whatever you do, do NOT get a 36GB Raptor. Also, you should shop for your hard drives on ZipZoomFly, as they do a better job of shipping HDDs than Newegg does.
 
Trepidati0n said:
Looks just like my machine. Only thing i can recommend go with the 7800GTX...your machine is nearly animal...might as well give it fangs. With the $463 deals going on..it is silly almost not too ($100 more for ~30% more FPS). Kyle and staff also showed that the 6800GT/Ultra just isn't cutting it for BF2, but the 7800GTX does. Please look (article just posted today)
Click to expand...

I must admit i'd love to get the 7800, but being in the UK causes a lot of grief. that system above is £1550 over here - that's almost $2,745.40 USD at current exchange rates. The cheapest i've found the 7800 over here is £380, or ~$664 USD, which is way more than the £250 or $443 for the 6800 GT - which if i was in the states i could get the 7800GTX for.
Yes, I hate this rip off country :mad:

Russ said:
Get a XP-90, not an XP-90c. Less weight, price, and same cooling..
Click to expand...
Not sure about the XP90 or XP90c - it's being driven by a vantec stealth rather than a panaflow, which is about 10cfm less than recommended - so better cooling with a quieter fan for a larger cash injection which is why i made the change

RUSS said:
"Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 Plus NCQ 80GB ST380817AS SATA 8MB Cache - OEM" Now I don't know much about HDDs, but I believe 7200.7 usually means 7 mb cache? Why does it say 8 mb later on, and why are you getting one 80gb but two 300s that seem to be exactly the same except for this???? I'd just drop this thing. Or get a Raptor if you need it. (10000 rpm)
Click to expand...

The 80gb is for booting, installation programs etc - the 300gb is for data storage.
I like to keep them seperate, especially as i'll end up putting one of the 300gb's into a server when i get around to re-building it! The .7 in this case indicates the version of the discs, specifically the platters.
Trying to keep it quiet which is why i haven't gone for a 74gb raptor for photoshop scratch space!
 
DougLite said:
Correct, a WD740GD would blow away the 80GB Seagate in desktop performance.
Click to expand...

Yeah i know, but it's the noise.

Would cost me an extra £30 to do what you suggest, ($44). When spending that much, i guess it makes sense, and i believe using the antec p180 will help muffle the sound somewhat.

Wolfsbane.
 
Thanks to Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) Motors, the Raptor's idle noise is pleasantly low. The seeks are more of a deep rumble than a chirp/chatter like on a 7200RPM drive. Given that you are using a P180, the noise of a Raptor shouldn't be an issue. Also, you may be disappointed to know that Seagate's reputation for quiet operation has taken a hit with 7200.8, especially if you turn NCQ on. Given that you are air cooling, I'd be more worried about fan noise than HDD noise.
 
DougLite said:
Thanks to Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) Motors, the Raptor's idle noise is pleasantly low. The seeks are more of a deep rumble than a chirp/chatter like on a 7200RPM drive. Given that you are using a P180, the noise of a Raptor shouldn't be an issue. Also, you may be disappointed to know that Seagate's reputation for quiet operation has taken a hit with 7200.8, especially if you turn NCQ on. Given that you are air cooling, I'd be more worried about fan noise than HDD noise.
Click to expand...

Yeah, ideally i'd use a set of 250GB Samsung Spinpoints, but their not on the market yet.
I'm aware of the NCQ problems with the 7200.7s, but they seem the most suitable for the reliability/noise/speed trade off.
Fan noise is being reduced with the addition of 2 x 120mm vantec stealths for case, a 80mm stealth by the gfx card, and a 92mm stealth on the cpu - should be dead silent when up and running!
 
Actually, you're lucky to be in the UK. The 250GB Samsung drives hit availability in Europe before they hit the channel in the 'States - look here. They say they have 100+ of them in stock. Good luck!
 
Antec TruePower 2.0 550W PSU

Dose that PSU have native 24pin ATX? and PCIe plug(s)?
 
DougLite said:
Actually, you're lucky to be in the UK. The 250GB Samsung drives hit availability in Europe before they hit the channel in the 'States - look here. They say they have 100+ of them in stock. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Wow, good spot! Thats the only shop that seems to have them though! Still, at £4 cheaper than the 250GB seagates each, it's a done deal!

Shopping in the UK is weird - the poor public don't have a major supplier such as newegg that's much good with prices, which makes it really complicated to get good prices!
 
On the SP2504C, £87 is about $130, for a w/VAT price, that's pretty darn good. These drives should go for well under $125 if they ever hit the channel in the 'States. However, I'm beginning to worry if they ever will see retail availability over here. I've been searching for them about once a week, still no luck. ZZF has the 200GB version in stock, but still no 250GB drives :(
 
I(illa Bee said:
Sweet deal!

But no PCIe plugs :( converters suck
Click to expand...

Awh Crap. I haven't bought any.

I'd mainly gone on what it had said in this thread and other forum posters, and forgot to check those!

Rest of the system is ordered, due Monday - but from 5 different suppliers :S Will have to go to my local overpriced pc shop :/
 
I(illa Bee said:
Sweet deal!

But no PCIe plugs :( converters suck
Click to expand...
Umm, the TPII-430 I recently installed into a friends computer has 1 PCIe connector.
 
I(illa Bee said:
Sweet deal!

But no PCIe plugs :( converters suck
Click to expand...

Killa - I owe you one heart attack.

The Antec 550W does have a PCIe gfx connector.. says so right here

However, a beer will do!
 
Wolfsbane2k said:
Killa - I owe you one heart attack.

The Antec 550W does have a PCIe gfx connector.. says so right here

However, a beer will do!
Click to expand...

Hey ill buy you a beer if I get to drink one myself! :p I love beer....

Anywho... Where was that PSU when I was buying a SLI ready PSU....arg...expensive enermax 600... lol
 
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