Long time no build!

kaktus

kaktus

kaktus

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Joined
28 Jul 2003
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1,219
Hi guys

Could you please have a look at this spec and let me know what you think? I am planning on ordering today but there's a couple of things I haven't selected because after a lot of research I still don't know.

They are:
Motherboard (Thinking Asus PK5 or Abit IP35) - would be nice to have onboard wireless but not necessary
HDD - Need something dead silent so I was thinking a 2.5" but I don't know of a good one so i selected Seagate just for the hell of it. Samsung / Hitachi perhaps?
RAM - No idea, maybe the low latency OCZ "Reeper" series
TFT - Again, not sure, most of the 20"+ seem to be Widescreen for some reason which is kinda dumb
120mm Fans - I need 1 fan for the CPU to go with thermalright ultra, and 3 more fans for the case/GTS 8800 (I might put an arctic heatpipe on it and add a 120mm on top @ 5v).

This is a SILENT AS POSSIBLE build so really needs to be creme of the crop in silence. Don't mind extra cost on HDD / Fans just has to be absolutely silent.

Thanks a lot, appreciate suggestions.

2000175944926418393_rs.jpg
 
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Duke said:
2.5" drives are going to hold the system back performance wise, so keep to standard 3.5". I've got a Samsung and it is extremely quiet - especially as it is in an enclosure as well.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-039-SA&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=768


It is worth going for a custom gfx card cooler as well, as the stock ones do not tend to be quiet. e.g http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-053-TR&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=787 + a 92mm fan.
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really? I heard the opposite about the 2.5" drives - they apparently rival 3.5" for performance yet they're supposedly silent.
 
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sansnom said:
really? I heard the opposite about the 2.5" drives - they apparently rival 3.5" for performance yet they're supposedly silent.
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They are quiet as well, but you will pay a bit more for them still. The latest 2.5" 7200RPM drives are catching up with their 3.5" counterparts, but I'd still keep to 3.5". £120 for a 200GB 2.5" vs £50 for a 320GB 3.5" which will be quicker and not noticeably more noisy.
 
Ben M said:
~20 quid more gets you an ocuk GTX.

food for thought at least.
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yep I did notice that but its actually more around 30-50 difference without weekly specials. Not that I mind the price its just that the two seem so close in performance, have the same number of shaders and in quite some benchies it out performs the GTX
 
Duke said:
They are quiet as well, but you will pay a bit more for them still. The latest 2.5" 7200RPM drives are catching up with their 3.5" counterparts, but I'd still keep to 3.5". £120 for a 200GB 2.5" vs £50 for a 320GB 3.5" which will be quicker and not noticeably more noisy.
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I guess I could suspend the drive... But what's the undisputed king at the moment? I don't really need storage space just silence and performance
 
kaktus said:
yep I did notice that but its actually more around 30-50 difference without weekly specials. Not that I mind the price its just that the two seem so close in performance, have the same number of shaders and in quite some benchies it out performs the GTX
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I've only seen ones where the GTS is pretty much the same as the GTX, but in most it isn't as good.

And as soon as AA and AF are turned onm the GTX will win by a country mile =p
 
For two case fans I was thinking nexus real silent

But I still need one for the CPU and for the gfx. What's the consensus on the best silent 120mm for these applications.

Any suggestions on the motherboard/ram?
 
4x Yate Loons, forget the nexus.

Stick 1 in the front of the case, 1 in the back, 1 on the cooler and 1 on the card and hook them all up to a fan controller. I doubt you'll ever need to have them above 7v at any time so should be silent.

For the hard drive anyone's guess really is the impression I get nowadays, nobody seems to know definitively what's what so I wouldn't bother asking. Just get any 7200rpm drive and suspend it with elastics.

As for the motherboard, I've never liked ABIT. I don't know why, I just think they're crap. I would go with the Asus P5K-E Deluxe or just the P5K-E if you don't need all the added crap.

I would actually consider the GTX instead of the GTS. For £30 more it's worth it imo especially if you're going for a 22" TFT.

And Speaking of TFT's, I'm not so sure the 22" widescreen is really a good idea for gaming, perhaps someone else can give you some better advice here.

RAM - OCZ, any pc6400 don't bother with the latencies it makes no difference.
 
sansnom said:
4x Yate Loons, forget the nexus.

Stick 1 in the front of the case, 1 in the back, 1 on the cooler and 1 on the card and hook them all up to a fan controller. I doubt you'll ever need to have them above 7v at any time so should be silent.

For the hard drive anyone's guess really is the impression I get nowadays, nobody seems to know definitively what's what so I wouldn't bother asking. Just get any 7200rpm drive and suspend it with elastics.

As for the motherboard, I've never liked ABIT. I don't know why, I just think they're crap. I would go with the Asus P5K-E Deluxe or just the P5K-E if you don't need all the added crap.

I would actually consider the GTX instead of the GTS. For £30 more it's worth it imo especially if you're going for a 22" TFT.

And Speaking of TFT's, I'm not so sure the 22" widescreen is really a good idea for gaming, perhaps someone else can give you some better advice here.

RAM - OCZ, any pc6400 don't bother with the latencies it makes no difference.
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Thank you but I'm incredibly confused with the array of P35 boards from Asus and Abit.

I like the IP35 Pro from Abit and it seems to be recommended often but I also hear that the Asus is faster, more stable and comes with WiFi which would save me buying another wireless card.

I don't need the dual gigabit lan on the Abit and don't need anything overboard. I don't RAID etc.

So which one should I go for?
 
so is there anyone that can tell me the difference between the Asus P5K boards?

I've pretty much decided on everything else but this is holding me up...

Right now it's a toss up between the Abit IP35 Pro and one of the countless Asus P5K motherboards (I really can't tell what the difference is, and why prices are differing)

thanks.
 
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