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Chris.

Chris.

Chris.

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Joined
3 Oct 2010
Posts
477
Right, this is a year old now, but as I'm planning to make a few changes in a few months I thought I'd start a log. For the most part for me to keep track of what I've done! lol

The original shopping list(s):

spec2.jpg

Spec1.jpg


Memory was upgraded at the time to 8Gb, and the H50 was a chosen option with a motherboard bundle.

NB: Never got my Hawx 2, unless theres a code somewhere I missed?
 
So the bits came through the post, and unfortunately i didnt really take many pics, but you get the idea of the build:

DSC_0107.jpg

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May have actually skipped a lecture as I was so excited for the delivery lol how sad.
 
Then in a few small stages and about an hour later it was finished minus a Graphics card....

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Don't worry proper cable management is coming later :D
 
After I could gauge what space I had for a GPU (wanted AMD 5850 but no way was that fitting over the SATA ports (Massive flaw an GB design there!). I bought the slightly smaller but actually I thought better option of a Zotac AMP edition GTX460

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Then I did a bit of cable management to keep the case as clutter free as I could. Really wish I went modular now as its a nightmare. However the deal with the case was too good to pass up.

Went from this.........

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...
 
To This... (sorry for the iPhone pic quality in these two :O)

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Dont ask me why theres a filter standing there, and yes its dusty lol.

This is how it is now, the GPU has been over-clocked to 885/1770/4200, it can go so much more I think from reading reviews, but that PCI card under it is way to close to put it under any more stress and it keeps overheating over 1.025 V

How this rig is now, in terms of Crysis 2 it will play it on full but without the DX11 tessellation and the new High Res upgrade.
 
£1065 for everything delivered. But I wish 10000% that I had specced a better mobo, and will never try and save money there again! lol
 
Plans for the upgrades are:

Asus M5A99X EVO AMD 990X
Another GTX460
SSD for the new copy of windows

If I can afford the bits I would also like to try and build a better cooling system of my own including GPU/memory coolers, but I'm going to have to do my research first.

Will probably use my current HDD as slave as I have 1000s of RAW photos on it that will take me ages to go through and cant be arsed. Not sure where to go in terms of SSD though, none seem big enough for what i want them for! (Want to install a few games and main proccessing programs I use on it as well.
 
I dont know what you plan to do on ur main ssd but I am getting by pretty well with my 128gb heres a list of a few things on there

Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
AutoCAD
Corel
Adobe fireworks
Adobe dreamweaver
Adobe flash
Bad Company 2
Battlefield 2
ccs
codbo
r6v2
graw
and too many other programs to mention!! but 128gbs gets me by
 
ReU_VOoDOo said:
I dont know what you plan to do on ur main ssd but I am getting by pretty well with my 128gb heres a list of a few things on there

Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
AutoCAD
Corel
Adobe fireworks
Adobe dreamweaver
Adobe flash
Bad Company 2
Battlefield 2
ccs
codbo
r6v2
graw
and too many other programs to mention!! but 128gbs gets me by
Click to expand...

Fair enough!

I was looking at a 128Gb one so youve pretty much answered my question :)
 
Few changes, I think I have s serious temp problem, as with the aforementioned crap mATX system the WIFI card is literally covering a third of my GPU cooler fan :O.

With the recent temps ive reduced the overclock to 840 Core 1680 Shader and 4000 memory and switched the fans so they work like so:

Side fans:

Intake over GPU
Exhaust at top over CPU obviously fan+convection driving GPU heat up here and also its helping my H50 a bit.

Front:

Huge 140mm fan now not obstructed by drive cages :)

Top/Rear

Intake through my rad
Exhaust working with the side fan exhaust.

Seems to be maxing at around 78/79 ish, from what I can tell, and weirdly since I reduced the clock it runs crysis 2 a hell of a lot better! (Heat must have been really slacking the card!!). Now running Extreme as before (sadly not ultra) but with full DX11 and the High res texture package.

Havent noticed a drop in FPS yet but fingers crossed :)

For people who have my card, im now at stock 1v power running the mentioned OC, compared to 1.050v with the 885/1770/4200 setup.
 
gpuidle.png


GPU temps:

On the left is the idle at 29 Degrees

And the two load readings on the right are of me playing crysis 2 at full+DX11+High res textures albeit in windowed 1768x992 so I could take the shots. Basically ran round, got shot at, threw lots of grenades and kept switching cloak and armour, etc etc to increase load.

From what I can tell by instantly alt+tabbing from 1920x1080, or leaving afterburner running in the background at harsh points, such as the ending when you are inside the spore and there is a hell of a lot going on around you, the temps are more like 76-77 max, but im well happy with what one fan change has done! :D

Oc is now 870 core at 1025, and its running Metro 2033 at very high with AAA x4 and Advanced DOF off at 1980x1080. Some of the cutscenes have a bit of tear but gameplay is fine and at very good fps from eye only. It did drop a bit during trolley combat when there are simultaneous explosions around you, so I switched to high for that (was still playable but less than great fps annoys me :D), but everywhere else is fine right up to the end.

In light of this, im leaving the SLI upgrade until Last light comes out and i can see how it runs on mine. If i can run it as high as 2033 I wont bother.
 
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