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New System Build Recommendations

Tsuyoi said:
Keep in mind the Crucial M4 sale is limited time, so pick that up ASAP.

I don't think you'd need that X-1250 PSU, the X-1000 should be plenty for everything you have even if you SLI in the future. I'm running a 940 clock OCed 580 with a 4.5GHz Oced i7-2600k off of the X-750, and i'm no where near the upper range of the PSU.

Also, for case fans, I love GELID NanoFlux Bearing fans, I have two of them in my case, and they are extremely quiet even at high RPM. There are fans with lower dB ratings on Newegg, but an in person comparison has shown the GELID To be the highest CFM for least noise. Plus, they come with rubber mounts for the case, removing the noise from vibration entirely.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendation on those fans, I decided to go with them. Also, Newegg had a $42.00 coupon for the Corsair MX1200, can you say MINE! :D

Here's what I procurred tonight (a little disappointed that my work couldn't get my OT on this check, had to hold back on some components! :mad:)

1 - CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX1200 - 237.99
2 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SSD - 359.98
1 - Microsoft Windows 7 Professional - 249.99
7 - GELID Solutions FN-PX12-15 120mm Case Fan - 104.93
 
Why crucial and not corsair GT series? i think they are more faster than m4...
 
Because the Corsair GT uses the Sandforce controller, which has been known to result in random BSODs in multiple cases. We usually prefer reliability over a slight increase in speed.
 
Tsuyoi said:
Sounds great, looking to be a sick build!
Click to expand...

Thanks! My wife thinks I'm nuts to get so excited about building a computer, but I wish I could do this for a living. I thoroughly enjoy scouring the web for reviews and shopping for various parts and putting it all together. Guess it comes from my electronics background.
 
I have the machine up and running thanks to a cheap video card. The performance is exactly what I expected. System has been running stable for almost a week now with no issues. I am still waiting for my next paycheck to complete the build.
 
Well, I have put together the last components needed to finish the computer. I am leaving out the keyboard and monitor and will need to get those later as I still am deciding what I want. Here is my list to complete, any suggestions/comments?

2 XSPC RX240 Radiator - 72.99ea ($145.98)
1 evga gtx580 hydro copper 2(3GB) - $729.99
1 Koolance CPU-370 Waterblock - $79.95
2 Silver Kill coil - $5.99ea ($11.98)
1 Indigo Extreme - $18.99
10' Primochill 3/8" x 5/8" LRT Black Tubing - $2.00/ft ($20.00)
14 Bitspower Compression Fitting (BP-MBRCPF-CC3) - $12.99ea ($181.86)
1 W-343LB Lian Li Left Side Window Panel - $29.95
1 Lian Li PC-343B Blind for Dual 80mm Fan Holes - $12.95
2 Lian Li PC-343B Radiator Brackets - $19.95ea ($39.90)
3 120mm Fan grill - $1.99ea ($5.97)
3 Primochill Antikink 5/8" Gloss Red - 40" $3.95ea ($11.85)
2 Seagate Momentus XT ST750LX003 750GB Hybrid Drive - $229.99ea ($459.98)
1 LITE-ON Blu-ray Burner with 3D Playback iHBS212-08 - $109.99

Total - $1859.34
 
Modified shopping list a bit. Found cheaper prices

2 XSPC RX240 - 69.99ea ($139.98) Sidewinder Computer
1 evga gtx580 hydro copper 2(3GB) 03G-P3-1591-AR - $659.99 Newegg
1 Koolance CPU-370 Waterblock - 79.95
2 Silver Kill coil - 5.99ea
1 Indigo Extreme - 18.99
10' Primochill 3/8" x 5/8" LRT Black Tubing - $2.00/ft ($20.00)
14 Bitspower Compression Fitting (BP-MBRCPF-CC3) - 8.99ea ($125.86) Sidewinder Computers Inc
1 W-343LB Lian Li Left Side Window Panel - $29.95
1 CCBLIND80D Lian Li PC-343B Blind for Dual 80mm Fan Holes - $7.99
2 Lian Li PC-343B Radiator Brackets - 15.99ea ($31.98) FrozenCPU
3 120mm Fan grill - $1.99ea ($5.97)
3 Primochill Antikink 5/8" Gloss Red - 40" $3.95ea ($11.85)
2 Seagate Momentus XT ST750LX003 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache 2.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Solid State Hybrid Drive
- 209.03ea ($418.06)
1 LITE-ON 12X 8MB Cache SATA Blu-ray Burner with 3D Playback iHBS212-08 - 109.99
Total: $1672.54
 
Why the hybrid drives? If you have an SSD, you won't get benefits from the hybrid. Just get normal HDDs and the crucial M4 SSD.
 
I'm getting the hybrids because everything I have will be stored on them. My music, videos, pictures, documents, programs, etc.,. so I want fast access times. Only the OS and installed apps are going on the SSD's
 
Still not a very good economic case for the hybrid drives, especially for that use. If you need SSD speed for the programs, put them on the SSD, and why would you need SSD-type speed for documents and pictures? A fast normal hard drive (for half the price or less) will provide pretty much the same performance for opening documents or pictures.
 
The reason I am getting two drives is for raid 1. I do realize I am paying a premium with those drives, but I use my "backup" drive all the time. I don't store files to my c: drive. I wanted to keep the speed of the SSD drives with the reliability of a mech drive.
 
Keep in mind, the way a hybrid drive works, is it caches frequently accessed files into the SSD, and leaves everything else in the HDD. This typically means that the majority of data is still in the HDD, and files you use a lot, or files currently being accessed, are then in the SSD portion.

However, since all your core programs will be on an SSD already, and with that much RAM you can essentially cache entire programs onto your RAM, this wouldn't help you.

In terms of access times for videos, music, documents, and pictures, typically the load time for these are all caused by the time it takes the application used for them to launch (I.E, winamp, iTunes, Photoshop, VLC, etc). That's why once the application is open, it's an instantaneous switch between docs/videos/songs etc (think about scrolling through a playlist, or an album, it's instantaneous).

Therefore, at most, you're talking about improvement in access times at most in milliseconds, for about double the price. Hybrid drives were designed to be an affordable alternative to having an SSD, not a supplement.
 
Ok, here is what I was thinking about when I originally thought about using hybrid drives...

Say I am working on a program in C#. I have all of my source files on the hybrid drive. The first time I access the source files and load them into my IDE, it will be the same access time as a typical hard drive. The next time I go to work on that program, it will (hopefully) be cached and will therefore open my project much quicker as it is then acting like an SSD. The same could be said of anything I am currently working on. Editing a video, audio file, programming, etc.,.
 
SuperSheep said:
Ok, here is what I was thinking about when I originally thought about using hybrid drives...

Say I am working on a program in C#. I have all of my source files on the hybrid drive. The first time I access the source files and load them into my IDE, it will be the same access time as a typical hard drive. The next time I go to work on that program, it will (hopefully) be cached and will therefore open my project much quicker as it is then acting like an SSD. The same could be said of anything I am currently working on. Editing a video, audio file, programming, etc.,.
Click to expand...

That's true, as long as you keep opening the same files. I don't know about the logic of the caching software, but assuming it puts the most recent stuff in the cache, then the more different things you open the less the benefit (since the wrong stuff will be in the cache). But really, unless those are seriously big files, the HDD isn't going to be that much slower accessing them then if they were in the cache. The hybrid drives are good for OS drives because the OS files can be loaded into the cache and provide a SSD-like boost to overall performance. Just reading data files off a hard drive one-time isn't going to make that much difference, unless you just have money to burn.
 
Usually when I work on projects, be it editing a video, programming, creating graphics, modelling, I will be working on the same project for days, even weeks. That's not to say I don't do other things during that time. The "other things" could cause a problem with the cache performance from what I am gathering?

If that is the case, do either of you have a good recommendation for a 750GB 2.5" drive or higher that has great performance?
 
It would depend on how the cache software decides what to cache, and I haven't really seen any discussion of that anywhere (though you might find something on Google). Does it have to be a 2.5" drive?
 
I would prefer a 2.5" drive as I already have a backplane installed that allows mounting up to 4 2.5" drives in one of my 5.25" bays. The advantage is if one drive fails (I've had this happen twice before) I can simply remove the drive, order up another, and stick it in when the new one comes.

My alternative is to mount the drives on a 120mm drive adapter and stick it on one of the rear fan ports. I could then use 3.5" drives however downsides with that are 80mm fan instead on 120mm. Need to open case to replace drive.

Perhaps I have been spoiled by servers where you can fit a ridiculous number of drives in the front bays and swap them out anytime one goes bad.
 
Just to get an idea, how big are the files that you typically have to load for editing/programming? If you frequently have to access files a few Gigs large, then you would probably benefit more from a hybrid drive. For good hybrids, instead of simply caching whatever was used last, they have a record of how many times you've accessed each file, and cache the ones you've accessed the most. That's why their performance tends to improve over time, as it establishes a record of your file history. Of course, if you are constantly creating and working on new projects, the benefits diminish.

The problem with 2.5'' drives is that they are typically much more expensive than a similar 3.5'' drive. Typically you're looking at twice the price if not more for the same performance.
 
For programming, the average file size is small but the number of files is large, sometimes numbering in the 100's or 1000's. The total size of all files would probably be 100MB or so. For video and audio files, the size can be quite large as well.

I realize I am paying a premium for a 2.5" drive, however with the current state of HD prices, it seems they are all overpriced.
 
Yes, but at current prices, a 1GB 3.5'' is around 110-130, while a 500GB 2.5'' can run you 170.

I'd say if you work with files under 1-2GB at least, a hybrid won't really help you.
 
Alright, I have completed most of the purchasing. At least the computer will be done now. Still need a keyboard and monitor at some point but that can wait for a bit.

2 XSPC RX240 - 69.99ea ($139.98)
14 Bitspower Compression Fitting (BP-MBRCPF-CC3) - 8.99ea ($125.86)
3 120mm Fan grill - $1.25ea ($3.75)
1 Koolance CPU-370 Waterblock - 79.95
10' Primochill 3/8" x 5/8" LRT Black Tubing - $2.00/ft ($20.00)
2 Primochill Antikink 5/8" Gloss Red - 40" $3.95ea ($7.90)
1 Indigo Extreme - 19.95
1 Lian Li Left Side Window Panel - $29.95
1 Lian Li PC-343B Blind for Dual 80mm Fan Holes - $12.95
2 Lian Li PC-343B Radiator Brackets - 19.95ea ($39.90)
1 Lian Li PC-343B Rear HDD Holder for (3) HDD - 34.95
2 Silver Kill coil - 5.99ea (11.98)
1 Gelid 80mm Fan - $8.99
1 80mm Fan Guard - $3.49
1 evga gtx580 hydro copper 2(3GB) - $659.99 Newegg
2 Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB - 159.99ea (319.98)
1 LITE-ON Blu-ray Burner with 3D Playback iHBS212-08 - 109.99

Total w/Shipping- $1704.03
 
I have finished the computer build. I really appreciate all of the help that you have all given. This build, although expensive, went together quite well. I didn't have any major issues and it is quietly running under my desk as I type this. To say I am pleased with how everything turned out would be an understatement. Even though I blew my original budget out of the water, I know this computer will serve me for years to come.

I was going to make a separate build thread but I am not really doing anything special or that hasn't been done before, so I will simply post the pictures here in this thread in closing.
 
extremepc1.jpg
 
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