Official "System Builders" Thread

[Toxxyc]

The response time pretty much indicates the time it takes the screen to turn a pixel from off (black) to on (white) and off (black) again completely. 8ms is a **** fast time, meaning it can do that 125 times a second, if it wishes to. That's FAST, and you won't really notice it.

[Griff3n]

I think I am going to save up for a tad and get a BIG ASS A-FREEKING-MAZING screen at rAge.

Now on a side note. I should probably start looking into upgrading my system. I bought my current PC back when I was in Gr11 [fast approaching 5 years ago] It is still going strong.

Current specs are:

1 TB Segate HDD
Radeon HD 4850
4 GB DDR 2 800MHz
Intel Core 2 Quad 2.83 Q9550
ASUS P5Q SE2

I am pretty sure that the motherboard is still viable for a few more years. The thing is I want to start going into Mini desktops much like the Alienware Mini Desktop. The specs of the desktop look fairly decent but I dont know if it is a good idea as the console may be hard to fix if anything happens. So are there options to build on myself of is this going to be something that I am going to need to get pre-built?

[Wesley]

The X51 is a great little thing and there is some room for expansion and upgrading so long as you opt for the stronger power supply. There are ITX chassis available for cheaper prices and you might be able to put together something for much cheaper than the asking price of the X51. Bear in mind that even with the Core i7 and the GTX555 in the X51 you'll be limited to gaming at 1080p and medium settings and 720p on high.

As for your current system, it's okay even for today's standards. I think the DDR2 RAM might hurt your performance in the long run but you'll be able to offset that with a GPU upgrade. Five years is a long time though, and it might be a good idea to start looking around at prices for a brand new setup. You're going to be paying a pretty penny for a decent ITX setup but its worth it from a size point of view. Some of the mini chassis are also pretty portable and make going to LANs easier.

[.exe]

The thing is I want to start going into Mini desktops much like the Alienware Mini Desktop. The specs of the desktop look fairly decent but I dont know if it is a good idea as the console may be hard to fix if anything happens. So are there options to build on myself of is this going to be something that I am going to need to get pre-built?

I'd be wary of something like that personally. Looks awesome, but maybe it's a bit too specialised.

[Griff3n]

I'd be wary of something like that personally. Looks awesome, but maybe it's a bit too specialised.

In terms of fixing it myself should something go wrong? or what?
Ok then how about going the way of evetech in terms for buying a machine pre-built?

[Wesley]

I'd be wary of something like that personally. Looks awesome, but maybe it's a bit too specialised.

There's not much that can't actually be replaced by end users in the X51. There is a custom motherboard but its covered by Dell's three-year warranty, so there's not a lot to worry about if something does go wrong. Everything else in the X51 can be upgraded/replaced: the hard drives, the GPU (standard one, btw), the RAM and even the CPU and heatsink cooler can be replaced with something else that you feel works better. Its a great system and well worth the money if you're looking for something high-end in the ITX department.

In terms of fixing it myself should something go wrong? or what?
Ok then how about going the way of evetech in terms for buying a machine pre-built?

Evetech is a great company but you'll find that they are overpriced because they use bigger and more expensive brand names for their components. Building something yourself is much more rewarding and will save you money with your purchases.

[Griff3n]

Evetech is a great company but you'll find that they are overpriced because they use bigger and more expensive brand names for their components. Building something yourself is much more rewarding and will save you money with your purchases.

So I could build a better system putting it together myself for the same about of dough? I would love to go ITX but dont you need to have mini parts for your rig then?

[Cranky]

I dont like ITX.

Not enough space for expansion slots .. Like your network card dies due to thunder storm.. Now you can add a Expansion PCi network card.

Build a small rig ATX board :D

[Wesley]

So I could build a better system putting it together myself for the same about of dough? I would love to go ITX but dont you need to have mini parts for your rig then?

You'd need to have at least the motherboard and chassis in the ITX class - everything else can be standard size. For example:

Intel DH77EB EB Lake @ R1077

That's the ITX board I'd recommend for starters. Its not too expensive and comes with the H77 chipset, so there's everything you need for a single-GPU, high-end build. You then stick with the stock cooler and figure out which chassis works best for you. Cooler Master's Elite 120 is the cheapest by far and has space for very long GPUs (think GTX680 length) but its also best pairing up the case with a modular power supply. In fact, any ITX setup needs a modular PSU because things get really cramped really fast if there's a huge run of cable to move around. There's also more expensive, console-like ones from Lian Li, like the PC-TU200 and the PC-Q11.

The biggest caveat about ITX, though, is power requirements. Very often you have to mould the setup around the PSU you'll be using in there and some chassis take out the DVD drive bay to slim things down even further. That's why custom designs like the X51 and even Falcon's Tiki work better in the end because the chassis is designed around high-end setups, not minimalistic ones that most ITX chassis try to move to. Its certainly worth some thought if you're looking for something smaller, or a gaming laptop might also be a worthy consideration.

[Wesley]

System Builder's Guide: August R4000 to R6500

In the months between June and August I had another sequel in my Laptop Buyer's guide series that may or may not have influenced NAGlings to invest in some mobile computing performance for their pleasure. I also had a look at a builders guide specially for AMD fans and concluded that while things at the high-end were easier because the lower price of high-end parts from the red team allowed for more graphical muscle, I decided that CPU performance could be better and games and certain applications would most certainly benefit from it.

With Intel's Ivy Bridge Core i3 and Pentium chips nowhere in sight its still Sandy Bridge that takes a commanding role in the low-end market and we'll see what those options are in a moment. Nvidia also has some work to do in the low-end graphical department and only the GT650 can remedy this - the new GT640 and GT630 are rebrands of previous-generation cards at the same price point and are based on Fermi architecture. AMD, then, is using every ounce of its GCN design to make sure it wins even the bottom line.

Mind you, once the GT650 and the GTX660 and GTX660Ti hit the floor, it will be a whole different ballgame for gamers and those in need of an upgrade. Watch this space.

Linky

[Griff3n]

I think I am going to have to stick with a Midi case :/ I would rather have a system that is easy for me to move around in as well as replace things with out having to break an arm to get my hand in there. Plus I am not so sure that the case will look as nice if it is plugged into my 5.1 with 3-4 usbs and the screen cables protruding from the back. I think the cables at the back are going to kill the sleek small look i was trying to achieve.

[Wesley]

I think I am going to have to stick with a Midi case :/ I would rather have a system that is easy for me to move around in as well as replace things with out having to break an arm to get my hand in there. Plus I am not so sure that the case will look as nice if it is plugged into my 5.1 with 3-4 usbs and the screen cables protruding from the back. I think the cables at the back are going to kill the sleek small look i was trying to achieve.

Yeah, I'm waiting until I can get everything set up with a much cleaner look as well. That's why I'm waiting and saving up for a possible ITX build with a motherboard that supports Thunderbolt and putting that together with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

[Griff3n]

Yeah, I'm waiting until I can get everything set up with a much cleaner look as well. That's why I'm waiting and saving up for a possible ITX build with a motherboard that supports Thunderbolt and putting that together with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

I will probably get a new graphics card tho so that when I get a new 23" screen I am not going to have any issues.

[Toxicnitr8]

hey guys , so my new pc has 2.5 dock thingy , its a cm storm trooper hwen would i ever use this ??

[Wesley]

hey guys , so my new pc has 2.5 dock thingy , its a cm storm trooper hwen would i ever use this ??

It becomes really useful, for example, if you fix a lot of laptops or external 2.5" drives and don't want to mess with those more expensive dedicated docks. Also makes for a great backup solution if you have a case with the same capabilities both at home and work. Use it, don't use it.

[Toxxyc]

I've had trouble with the hot-swap 2.5" dock on my case before, so I don't really like them. I plugged it in to test it, used a simple 2.5" HDD and it wouldn't read the drive. Got a USB enclosure for the drive and issues solved! Take note it was an older drive though.

[.exe]

hey guys , so my new pc has 2.5 dock thingy , its a cm storm trooper hwen would i ever use this ??

Cool case! I'm waiting for the Storm Stryker at the end of the month. (Can't do without the side window:))

[.exe]

Does anyone know if there is a 4-pin to 3-pin converter out there? The reason I ask is that the 4-pin connector on my board packed in a few days ago, and all my fans are 4-pin. I have a 3-pin connector on my board though, so I guess I could just buy a 3-pin case fan, but it seems a bit of a waste of money if I can get a converter instead.

[Wesley]

Usually you can use a three-pin connector on a 4-pin connector and vice versa, so long as you don't plug in the cable responsible for the voltage regulation, as fans that have four cables are PWM one, and have a variable rotation speed.

[.exe]

Thanks for the advice. I'll give that a shot.