New rig spec (i7 based)

Hotwired

Hotwired

Hotwired

Soldato
Joined
17 Aug 2009
Posts
11,113
A small upgrade from current P4 3ghz + 1GB ddr + 3850 AGP + 250watt PSU (yes it ought to have died already but that 250 seems immortal).

First computer build, started plotting it a couple of weeks back :)


Case: CoolerMaster Scout

Mobo: Asus P6T SE

CPU: i7 920 D0

CPU Cooler: Scythe Mugen 2

G-Card: Sapphire 4890 Toxic (1GB GDDR5 960mhz)

RAM: Patriot Viper 3GB DDR3 1600mhz 8-8-8-24

HDD: 1TB Corsair Caviar Black SATA

PSU: Corsair 650watt TX


Plus some whatnots like AS5 to replace the standard stuff shipped with the Scythe, all-round optical drive, maybe 2 extra case fans on top of the 2x140mm and 1x120mm shipped with the Scout.

The Toxic is a replacement for a 2GB 4890 Vapor since after some rummaging it seems the extra 1GB of GDDR5 did jack for the cards performance so I decided to plump for a faster card with a good cooling system which still cost less.

Only 3GB RAM as I'm sticking with XP which won't see more than 3.5 and triple channel only comes in multiples of 3GB. Didn't fancy wasting money on 6GB for the extra half GB of useable.

Pricetag is currently cruising at ~£837 delivered, still some leeway.

Something bugging me is if the Mugen 2 will pitch itself on a few memory slots, some pictures seem to think it will hog the first one... Also if the 650watt would be acceptable if the i7 was OC.

How does it look from your end? Anything you'd change?
 
I doubt I'd pay the premium for a brand new series card but waiting for the price to drop on the last one might be worth it.

Or perhaps not. If it's going to drop £10 in three months time that's not a huge incentive to hold off (for me).

Ack. need to be up again in 5h for work :(
 
I would suspect the price drop will be fairly quick, and depending on price/performance of the new generation it could be quite radical. The rumoured price-points and performance gains definitely look worth holding your purchase for a short while at least.
 
I personally would get a better cpu cooler if your going to be overclocking this (such a waste if you dont imo)
Here are the top three air coolers imo
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-005-NC

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-068-TR&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=1395

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-000-PL&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=1395
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-002-PL&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=1395

You will need to buy a fan or two for the 2nd and 3rd choice as the dont come with one.I also linked the fan clips you need for the Prolimatech.
If your looking for the best peformance (using good fans the Asaka apaches) the Prolimatech seems to be the best at the moment.

There is also the Corsair h50 (again using 2 Apaches) that seems to perform as well as the Prolimatech and a little better in some cases.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-001-CS&groupid=701&catid=193&subcat=1038
 
Humm.

I was musing between the Mugen 2 and the Noctua but in a fair few reviews they seem to be almost identical in cooling and noise with just the stock fan. The only significant difference appears to be that the Mugen 2 is umm... 2/3 the price of the Noctua.

I'll take the gamble on the Mugen 2 and I'll get back on how it works out :) Thanks for the extra viewpoint though. I did actually swap out the Mugen for the Noctua in my saved shopping basket for about 6 hours then back again after more consideration.

Added an Akasa apache for the one free side fan position, the other is likely to be blocked by the cooler. The 120mm that comes with the case can stay.


Oh hell. Price is now £794.31

I've missed something I know I have. It was over 850 a minute ago *arggh*.


*edit: a certain retailer has a horrible way of removing items from your basket without warning if they run out of stock -_- nicked the flippin power supply...
 
Last edited:
it really might be worth looking at the socket 1156 platform, somethingalong the lines of an 860 plus mobo plus 4 gig RAM, outperforms the 1366 and is cheaper too, why you not pre-ordering w7?, you really should move over to 64 bit operating system
 
95thrifles said:
it really might be worth looking at the socket 1156 platform, somethingalong the lines of an 860 plus mobo plus 4 gig RAM, outperforms the 1366 and is cheaper too, why you not pre-ordering w7?, you really should move over to 64 bit operating system
Click to expand...

I agree, long term you will have to upgrade to a 64 bit OS, and I'd get 6GB of the matching RAM. Might as well get Windows 7 while it is cheap too!
 
I'm tempted by the 750...

Always thought the 920 was a bit too OTT in several departments. I think I might go MATX with a 750.

Alright, build is cancelled til October and perhaps some saving may go towards a new series card.
 
Second thoughts, I don't think I can be bothered with a new card. They'll be £200+ and current gen is still more than good enough.

Hmm, overpowered mini tower attack:

Case: CoolerMaster Elite 341
Mobo: Asus Maximus III GENE
CPU: i5 750
RAM: 4GB DDR3 CL8 1600mhz... yes its the ripjaws
G-card: Sapphire HD 4890 1GB Toxic
HDD: 1TB Caviar Black
PSU: Corsair TX 650watt
Cooler: Scythe Mugen 2 (it will fit, even if I have to drill the holes myself, alternatively I use the stock for a bit)
Optical: [tick]

About £786.

May throw in 4 120mm for case fans - 2 front (it doesn't know it can have 2 front fans yet), 1 side, 1 rear so probably looking at a bit under £850.
 
Last edited:
Hi mate

Used the Scythe Mugen 2 on my last i7 build. its a nice cooler, dropped the temps by over 10 degrees from the stock. But I had an issue.

The cooler is wide so when I had the fan on the right side to draw air from the right to left it would not fit as it was fouling on the ram.

I did have the patriot ram which as high coolers. So just check that with your new spec it will not hit the ram otherwise you will have to fit it on one of the other sides/top/bottom
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom