I'm preparing to update the main components of my system for the first time in quite a while.
The existing PC, running Win 7 64 Ultimate, has:
- Q9450 cpu
- a fairly cheap motherboard, can't remember which
- 8 gb RAM
- various HDDs, all 1 or 2 TB in size
- 580 GTX
I use the onboard sound. Also linked is a Sysology NAS DS211J with 2 x 1 TB drives in there.
I want to upgrade to start fresh when Windows 8 comes out. The system itself probably needs a reinstall to get the best out of it and I thought it would be good to bring things back up to speed. The PC currently struggles badly on I/O performance, and if I'm moving large files - photographs mainly - it will do very little else, internet browsing included. I've no idea where the bottleneck is.
My gaming needs are very infrequent these days - what I use it for more frequently is image editing and sometimes video. The NAS also runs as a home media server.
So my plan is to get the thing built and then fresh install Windows 8 onto it in October. Right now I'm assembling components and will probably buy bit by bit over the next couple of months. I'm keeping the 580 GTX, as it seems to work fine when I do play some games. What I need is something sufficiently snappy to remove any lag from Lightroom or Photoshop.
I used to overclock but haven't done so for ages - my Q9450 is left on 3.2 ghz or something since the last time I played around. I will do so if it is easy enough to do, but I'm certainly not chasing every ounce of performance from the system. More than anything I just want quick, quiet and reliable.
These are the new components I'm planning. Could I please get opinions / reassurance that they'll all work together ok?!
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-147-SA
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-404-IN
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-389-GI
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-164-CR
And of course, Windows 8 once available. I already run two monitors, but is there anything else I should be thinking of?
Thanks,
The existing PC, running Win 7 64 Ultimate, has:
- Q9450 cpu
- a fairly cheap motherboard, can't remember which
- 8 gb RAM
- various HDDs, all 1 or 2 TB in size
- 580 GTX
I use the onboard sound. Also linked is a Sysology NAS DS211J with 2 x 1 TB drives in there.
I want to upgrade to start fresh when Windows 8 comes out. The system itself probably needs a reinstall to get the best out of it and I thought it would be good to bring things back up to speed. The PC currently struggles badly on I/O performance, and if I'm moving large files - photographs mainly - it will do very little else, internet browsing included. I've no idea where the bottleneck is.
My gaming needs are very infrequent these days - what I use it for more frequently is image editing and sometimes video. The NAS also runs as a home media server.
So my plan is to get the thing built and then fresh install Windows 8 onto it in October. Right now I'm assembling components and will probably buy bit by bit over the next couple of months. I'm keeping the 580 GTX, as it seems to work fine when I do play some games. What I need is something sufficiently snappy to remove any lag from Lightroom or Photoshop.
I used to overclock but haven't done so for ages - my Q9450 is left on 3.2 ghz or something since the last time I played around. I will do so if it is easy enough to do, but I'm certainly not chasing every ounce of performance from the system. More than anything I just want quick, quiet and reliable.
These are the new components I'm planning. Could I please get opinions / reassurance that they'll all work together ok?!
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-147-SA
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-404-IN
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-389-GI
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-164-CR
And of course, Windows 8 once available. I already run two monitors, but is there anything else I should be thinking of?
Thanks,
