Putting PC Together, looking for advice

[ajocius]

Ok, puting my PC for your judegement and advice:

https://prisguiden.no/vis_handlevog...waggon_id=14531

 

Here is a copy from handlevogn:

 

Produkt Antall Pris/stk. Rimeligste forhandler Linjesum

AOpen Aelous 6600 GT 128 MB 1 1595,- PS Data 1595,-

Arctic Silver Arctic Silver 5 1 54,- Databutikken.com 54,-

ASUS P5AD2-E Premium 1 2034,- Mamoz 2034,-

Cooler Master Stacker STC-T01 1 1174,- PCutstyr.no 1174,-

Corsair XMS2 TWINX DDR2-675 1024 MB (2x512) 1 2159,- Mamoz 2159,-

Intel Pentium 4 540J (3.2 GHz) 1 1844,- PS Data 1844,-

Logitech Logitech Cordless RumblePad 2 2 344,- PS Data 688,-

Nec MultiSync LCD1770NX 1 2625,- Netshop 2625,-

Nec ND-3520A 1 459,- MPX 459,-

NoName Adapter 20-pins til 24-pins 1 27,- Cray.no 27,-

SanDisk Mini Cruzer 128MB 1 204,- EFAST.no 204,-

Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 200 GB Plus 2 825,- Databutikken.com 1650,-

Thermaltake Aquarius VGA Waterblock 1 195,- MPX 195,-

Thermaltake Big Water Cooler 1 695,- MPX 695,-

Western Digital Raptor 73,4 GB 1 1470,- MPX 1470,-

Yesico FL-420 Vifteløs strømforsyning 1 1595,- Netshop 1595,-

Rimeligste totalsum 18468,-

 

The focus is on price/functionality ("Value for money") also silence. PC should be ready to watch high quality video via projector (haven't selected one yet) ready for HDTV. Also capable for gaming, although I am not looking for the latest game or highers resolution. Let say mid range gaming.

 

My concerns that I stil have are:

 

HD

I still reading/thinking regarding Raptor. Seems many people are happy and even hw.no has it in every recommended setup. Although some people point to the extra noise it makes... On the other hand I saw some people use some kind of HD hanger specificly designed to reduce noise.

 

CPU

I don't know how to calculate if it will be enough CPU for everthing I selected (3 HD in particular).

 

RAM

When it cames to RAM, I have selected 675 MHz. Somobody tod me that pro is not necessary better , but it is in fact cheaper that non pro... Her is a list of corsair RAM that I find :

https://prisguiden.no/vis_kategori....25&submit=S%F8k

 

Even 800MHz is not much more expensive is that makes any "value added" (just 110 NOK more).

 

Gamepad

Chose wireless, since I would prefer to play on TV that is in next room to where PC is. Have read it works 30 feet, that is enough in my case (I guess wall does not matter much as long as it is without metal inside). However wireless devices not always good on precision and who wants to miss the ball when Valerenga is close to score a winner against Real

 

I write in English, since I know it better, but I can ready answers in Norwegian.

 

Certainly will appreciate your comments before going out to buy.

[GRendal]

here is a copy from handlevogn, hehe..

 

on topic: everything looks good, save the CPU perhaps. I would rather go for the 6xx series. The better thermal management, EIST and EM64T Support, as well as slightly better performance for roughly the same price, makes it a no-brainer.'

 

I take it you are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of choosing Pentium instead of AMD64 concerning applications and the performance related to these, and will therefore not comment on whether you should go for th one or another.

 

I would perhaps choose a pair of cheap 1024 sticks rather than the memory you listed, as it gives more bang for the buck.

 

having a fanless PSU will, aside from setting you back by a significantly larger margin, require exceptionally good airflow within in the walls of your case.

 

In other words, unless you know what you are doing, I wouldnt risk having a fanless PSU due to the increase in heat it will cause. They are not entirely silent either, and additionally they might very well cause the need for another case fan or two in order to maintain acceptable temperatures, thus eliminating the very purpose of its design.

 

If you are looking for silence, I would rather advice you to have a look at the MIST 500W offered by Microplex and Digitalimpuls. You can read a review at www.overklokking.no ( I take it you can comprehend norwegian), where it was praised for its acustic qualities.

 

 

I hope that gave you at least some guidance.

 

Good luck with your setup.

Endret 11. april 2005 av GRendal

[ajocius]

Thanks, you certainly gave me some guidance, and pushed the date I will have my PC since I have some more reading to do... That was the point in asking, anyway

 

Do you have specific CPU in mind? My current selection was supposed to be good value for money ready for my tasks.

 

I am sure that there is more reading available then I have lifetime left for Intel vs AMD. I haven't read that all yet. But got the impression that AMD is better for gaming, and Intel is better for video. At that point I stopped reading about CPU. However is there is clear article, comparing those two (advantages/disadvantages), would appreciate a link.

 

Take your point on PSU. Will read about it and consider. Fanless choice was selected based on advice that is gives least noise.

[GRendal]

Thanks, you certainly gave me some guidance, and pushed the date I will have my PC since I have some more reading to do... That was the point in asking, anyway

 

Do you have specific CPU in mind? My current selection was supposed to be good value for money ready for my tasks.

 

I am sure that there is more reading available then I have lifetime left for Intel vs AMD. I haven't read that all yet. But got the impression that AMD is better for gaming, and Intel is better for video. At that point I stopped reading about CPU. However is there is clear article, comparing those two (advantages/disadvantages), would appreciate a link.

 

Take your point on PSU. Will read about it and consider. Fanless choice was selected based on advice that is gives least noise.

hi again. both CPU choices are viable depending on your most frequent application type, but bear in mind that AMD is closer to Intel performancewise than Vice versa when it comes to having their levels of expertise.

 

As for the CPU I Would from a price\performance-ratio perspective recommend the Intel 640. As far as CPU performance in general go, check out anandtech.com or tomshardwareguide.com for general info.

 

Tagan 480-U22, and Nexus 4090 are good alternatives concerning silent PSUs.

for PSU noise, consult www.silentpcreview.com, these are experts in the field.

[Wooho]

Of topic:

 

Here is a copy from handlevogn:

LOL :!:

 

On topic:

 

The PC looks OK but since you are paying: 18468,- what about a better CPU?

[GRendal]

Of topic:

 

Here is a copy from handlevogn:

LOL :!:

 

On topic:

 

The PC looks OK but since you are paying: 18468,- what about a better CPU?

that is highly a subjective matter as some people prefer X while others prefer Y, and is also directly related to which applications you run on a most frequent basis.

 

As for the cpu vs. total cost arguement, you need to see the whole picture.

To put it into a perspective, if I spent 5000 on 800GB of Harddrivespace, and 3000 on a soundcard of high quality as well as a 20 inch LCD, and then, perhaps invested 2000 NOK in a AMD 3000+ and 1GB of value memory, objectively, yes the CPU and Memory investment would perhaps seem a bit underestimated compared to the total cost, but it boils down to a concideration concerning what is relevant for your computing needs.

 

In this case, I can hardly see that the CPU is a bottleneck.

[ajocius]

Yes, the price is high because there is LCD included, 3HD, some gamepads and even keybord with mouse... Usually, when people talk PC they rarely include those things. Therefore I consider my PC a good mid class runner. As I mentioned I consider price/value ratio. My concerns were listed above. Those were PSU, Raptor HD, gamepads. O got good advice on PSU that I will try to read more about. Raptor sounds to be a noise maker. Since I didn't hear how will I benefit from it, I will probably skip it. I do not consider that waiting a second or five longer for windows start up as a problem. So if this is where it is faster, then it is not for me. I look for PC to watch high quality video (postprocessing in mind) some video compressing work and some gaming.

 

Thanks for all help so far,

 

Arunas

[GRendal]

Yes, the price is high because there is LCD included, 3HD, some gamepads and even keybord with mouse... Usually, when people talk PC they rarely include those things. Therefore I consider my PC a good mid class runner. As I mentioned I consider price/value ratio. My concerns were listed above. Those were PSU, Raptor HD, gamepads. O got good advice on PSU that I will try to read more about. Raptor sounds to be a noise maker. Since I didn't hear how will I benefit from it, I will probably skip it. I do not consider that waiting a second or five longer for windows start up as a problem. So if this is where it is faster, then it is not for me. I look for PC to watch high quality video (postprocessing in mind) some video compressing work and some gaming.

 

Thanks for all help so far,

 

Arunas

for Video quality, perhaps a HD-tv Certified X700 card with the Ati all-in-wonder function?

 

concerning video quality it appears to me that Ati has a slight edge.

 

the Powercolor X700Pro SCS is heatpipe-cooled and will thus make no sound?

 

it sells for about 1900,-

[Playmofetish]

Thumbs up for about everything Grendal has advised you to change. Specially the PSU. I´m having a hard time finding out what the purpouse of a fanless PSU in a powerfull PC is. You´ll only add up to the heat generatet by hard drives, CPU, graphics card and other components. Accept, with a fanless PSU, you won´t have any main fan blowing this hot air out from the case. I really think you should consider Tagan 480W or MIST 500W, as mentioned.

 

As to the CPU, I think you´ll be pleased wether you choose Intel or AMD. But it could be smart to add upp 2-3-400,- to a 6xx series Intel processor, unless you deside to choose AMD. Later this year, we´ll probably see Windows XP 64-bit version, giving an advantage to every AMD Athlon 64 or Pentium 6xx users.

 

Putting a Raptor in your PC could make significant differences using this hard drive as an OS/application drive. But the 10 000 rpm´s makes a bit more high pitched noise than standard 7200 rpm drives. Still, the extra noise a Raptor makes should be easily managed with either a home made or a purchased rubber isolation. Typical a 5,25" to 3,5" adapter with noise isolation such as rubber.

 

With these changes, and minor adjustments, I think this could be a really great PC for your needs. (I suppose you realize there are many other options to the SanDisk Mini Cruzer 128MB as an example. Do not choose where you buy your components out from which of the webshops have this Sandisk in stock

 

Good luck!

[ajocius]

Thanks a lot. When it comes to CPU du you mean

Intel Pentium 4 640 (3.2 GHz) This cost around 2250 NOK. 3,4 GHz cost about 100 NOK more. I would prefer to be 64 bit windows ready. Understand this system is ready to perform well in high CPU using applications, which is postprocessing of video and compression.

 

I already read material regarding PSU change based on Grendal advice and considering changing.

 

I am very insterested to see those rubber noise isolation. Do you have a link to one of these. Does it really take the noise out. Many people complain on "klatring" (don't know what it is, but suspect it is anoying noise). Would this rubber isolation help somehow?

 

Sandisk is only for backup of my precious password information etc. Somehow do not want to leave them on PC these days. For that one 128 Mb should be enough.

 

Strange, seems no gamers in this forum... No advice on gamepad. That is something I never used or even hold in my hands. Would precision be lost if I choose wireless, as it is with wireless mouses sometimes?

 

Thanks everyone for every advice.

[Muffinman]

Strange, seems no gamers in this forum... No advice on gamepad. That is something I never used or even hold in my hands. Would precision be lost if I choose wireless, as it is with wireless mouses sometimes?

 

Try the gamer`s forum ;-)

[GRendal]

Thanks a lot. When it comes to CPU du you mean

Intel Pentium 4 640 (3.2 GHz) This cost around 2250 NOK. 3,4 GHz cost about 100 NOK more. I would prefer to be 64 bit windows ready. Understand this system is ready to perform well in high CPU using applications, which is postprocessing of video and compression.

 

I already read material regarding PSU change based on Grendal advice and considering changing.

 

I am very insterested to see those rubber noise isolation. Do you have a link to one of these. Does it really take the noise out. Many people complain on "klatring" (don't know what it is, but suspect it is anoying noise). Would this rubber isolation help somehow?

 

Sandisk is only for backup of my precious password information etc. Somehow do not want to leave them on PC these days. For that one 128 Mb should be enough.

 

Strange, seems no gamers in this forum... No advice on gamepad. That is something I never used or even hold in my hands. Would precision be lost if I choose wireless, as it is with wireless mouses sometimes?

 

Thanks everyone for every advice.

yes the 640 would be a nice investment.

 

When it comes to gamepads, I would suggest looking at the Steelpad S&S, which has harvested recommendations on many acknowledged sites.

Another good pad is the Icemat, though the noise will put off quite a few..

The Qpad XXL is another good mousepad, provided you have ample deskspace

 

regarding raptor, its knatring, and it translates into " a combination of constant scraping and clicking". Anyway, that is highly subjective, so I think anything but first-hand experience would not suffice as far as the noise levels go.

A consideration regarding performance vs. noise would be the only thing you could regard prior to actually testing one for yourself. The user reviews ( and reviews for that matter) vary greatly.

 

As for noise, the newest Western digital with FDB are said to even surpass samsung harddrives what noise is concerned, as remarkable as it may seem ( their earlier models where not very acknowledged for noise *hark*)

 

 

anyway, fire away with more Qs

[Playmofetish]

I am very insterested to see those rubber noise isolation. Do you have a link to one of these. Does it really take the noise out. Many people complain on "klatring" (don't know what it is, but suspect it is anoying noise). Would this rubber isolation help somehow?

Check out www.Microplex.no. Go to "Drevrammer" and "støydempende" in the column to the left. These anti-vibration kits is said to remove up to 99% of the vibration noise caused by a hard drive transferring its vibration to the PC case. I haven´t tried any of these my self, but I´ve heard they are pretty good.

[ajocius]

Those ones sound promising. Looks like this might be a solution for harddisk vibration sound. But this does not apply to "knatring", does it? Does anyone have experience with this? Need to put reading/thinking cap again

[GRendal]

Those ones sound promising. Looks like this might be a solution for harddisk vibration sound. But this does not apply to "knatring", does it? Does anyone have experience with this? Need to put reading/thinking cap again

well no thats related to the bearing system of the Hard-drive, though the knatring may very well be amplified by sloppy casehinges or the like.

 

as I said, Western digital FDB disks are very very silent, read SPCR forums..

[Caliber]

Hey there.

I would just like to express my view on the raptor drives, considering the fact that I am the owner of both the 36gb and the 74gb versions. They both perform spectacular in my opinion, but yes; the sound of the 36gb does have a tendency to irritate as time passes. Believe me I know, ive had two of those running in raid 0 for quite some time, until one of them died. I then replaced both of those discs with a single 74gb raptor, and i would highly recommend that one instead if noise is an issue.

 

In case you're wondering, ive also tried those zalman heatspreaders, and they did indeed cancel a lot of noise the discs produced due to vibrations.

 

Good luck with your new piece of hardware, feel free to ask us about anything!

[GRendal]

Hey there.

I would just like to express my view on the raptor drives, considering the fact that I am the owner of both the 36gb and the 74gb versions. They both perform spectacular in my opinion, but yes; the sound of the 36gb does have a tendency to irritate as time passes. Believe me I know, ive had two of those running in raid 0 for quite some time, until one of them died. I then replaced both of those discs with a single 74gb raptor, and i would highly recommend that one instead if noise is an issue.

 

In case you're wondering, ive also tried those zalman heatspreaders, and they did indeed cancel a lot of noise the discs produced due to vibrations.

 

Good luck with your new piece of hardware, feel free to ask us about anything!

is it just me, or did we just turn more serious when english became the language of preference?

[B4stian]

Hey there.

I would just like to express my view on the raptor drives, considering the fact that I am the owner of both the 36gb and the 74gb versions. They both perform spectacular in my opinion, but yes; the sound of the 36gb does have a tendency to irritate as time passes. Believe me I know, ive had two of those running in raid 0 for quite some time, until one of them died. I then replaced both of those discs with a single 74gb raptor, and i would highly recommend that one instead if noise is an issue.

 

In case you're wondering, ive also tried those zalman heatspreaders, and they did indeed cancel a lot of noise the discs produced due to vibrations.

 

Good luck with your new piece of hardware, feel free to ask us about anything!

is it just me, or did we just turn more serious when english became the language of preference?

Hehe... maybe it's because the teenagers don't speak English so well (well, I don't speak so good either )

[GRendal]

Hey there.

I would just like to express my view on the raptor drives, considering the fact that I am the owner of both the 36gb and the 74gb versions. They both perform spectacular in my opinion, but yes; the sound of the 36gb does have a tendency to irritate as time passes. Believe me I know, ive had two of those running in raid 0 for quite some time, until one of them died. I then replaced both of those discs with a single 74gb raptor, and i would highly recommend that one instead if noise is an issue.

 

In case you're wondering, ive also tried those zalman heatspreaders, and they did indeed cancel a lot of noise the discs produced due to vibrations.

 

Good luck with your new piece of hardware, feel free to ask us about anything!

is it just me, or did we just turn more serious when english became the language of preference?

Hehe... maybe it's because the teenagers don't speak English so well (well, I don't speak so good either )

hehe probably, or that we just want to appear serious

[ajocius]

Hi,

 

I can't express how amazed I am on the english skills people have in Norway. I can read Norwegian, but if that filters away teenagers, then English is better:)

 

@GRendal

 

QUOTE "FDB disks are very very silent, read SPCR forums"

 

My pc skills are lower than you could expect. What is FDB disk and where can I find SPCR forum. Would like to read a bit there. On the other hand I am almost convinced to bring Raptor back into my case with some silencer. This one looks promising:

http://www.microplex.no/rubweb/php/rd.php?rd=SBHDS2&toc=2660