Pre Order Spec Check

shadowake · 25 Jun 2009 at 19:15

Get paid in 5 days woohoo!

Anyway, thanks to all your help with specs etc. Finally decided to go AMD rather than i7.

I already have two 150GB raptors for aplications and a 1100W Tagan PSU to salvage from my old system + the peripherals.

Anyway just wanted you lot to cast you eyes over this before I buy it on pay day next tuesday:

RJC · 25 Jun 2009 at 19:22

Spec looks good, is the solid state drive a bit on the small side :confused:

just a thought.

skippy2421 · 25 Jun 2009 at 19:24

looks fine but what's the 80 mil fan for?

shadowake · 25 Jun 2009 at 20:44

RJC said:
Spec looks good, is the solid state drive a bit on the small side just a thought.

It's only for the OS, I was going to just get the 30GB but for the 50quid extra thought I'd may as well get the 60GB. I already have two 150GB raptors for RAID0 for apps and a network drive for music/video etc.

skippy2421 said:
looks fine but what's the 80 mil fan for?

The CM690 has an 80mm fan slot at the back of the CPU. I'll add some extra 120 noctunas to the rest of the case as I go along.

Le Samourai · 25 Jun 2009 at 22:00

The only things I can think of are - double-check the size of the cpu cooler compared to the width of the case.

I've got a coolermaster centurion case that has 2 x 120 fans fitted on the side panel and my arctic cooling freezer extreme heatsink is within millimeters of the fans and they knock together any time I have to remove and replace the side panel.

Might be worth comparing the sizes of the 2 cases and the 2 heatsinks (it might just mean you'd have to do without one of the side panel fans).

Is all DDR3 dual-channel RAM AM3-compatible. Not sure if you need to check, just because I've seen the OCZ stuff that mention they're AM3/AMD compatible.

Last one - is arctic silver 5 still the choice for thermal compound or is it all much of a muchness thesedays?

And... I'm also moving to the same mobo and AMD955 as well - also from an Abit IP35 Pro XE and Q6600. My 4870x2 is killing the IP35. Thought I would try AMD.

skippy2421 · 25 Jun 2009 at 23:01

word of warning regarding the 80 mil fan check the dimensions of it against what the case can take, if memory serves when i looked into it the case will only take 80x80x15 mil fans.
As for cooler should fit fine, i've got a sunbeam and that leaves like 20 mil spare atelast.

Dauthi · 25 Jun 2009 at 23:13

Edit: Nvm your reusing your PSU

Vir · 26 Jun 2009 at 08:35

I have a CM690 case, it's pretty good. I thought it's not a 80mm fan on the back but something a bit smaller like 60mm, could be wrong though...

I don't get the 60GB SSD...

shadowake · 26 Jun 2009 at 09:27

Le Samourai said:
Is all DDR3 dual-channel RAM AM3-compatible. Not sure if you need to check, just because I've seen the OCZ stuff that mention they're AM3/AMD compatible.

As far as im aware. I think the AMD stuff is just 'optimised' for AMD.

Le Samourai said:
Last one - is arctic silver 5 still the choice for thermal compound or is it all much of a muchness thesedays?

I think MX-2 is rated better. I hope so because I already have some arctic5 lying round somewhere.

skippy2421 said:
word of warning regarding the 80 mil fan check the dimensions of it against what the case can take, if memory serves when i looked into it the case will only take 80x80x15 mil fans.

Yeah just checked the coolermaster site and it is 80x15, anyone know the width on the 80mm Noctua's? If it won't fit I might just get an Antec 300 instead and put a couple in the front. I just liked the cable management better in the 690 (more space behind the motherboard tray).

Vir said:
I don't get the 60GB SSD...

How do you mean? It's just for OS might get the 30GB instead to save 50quid. I already have drives for apps etc.

ac1d1ty · 26 Jun 2009 at 11:48

Looking good.

Go Intel though

skippy2421 · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:03

System_ofa_Down said:
Looking good.

Go Intel though

fancy explaining why?

as for case, cm690 is a great little case dont get an antec 300 join the cm 690 crew cos we're cool init brap brap lol

. i never saw the point in that side fan anyway as it's the otherside of the motherboard tray. If you must buy fans buy some for the top and bottom.

shadowake · 26 Jun 2009 at 19:55

System_ofa_Down said:
Looking good.

Go Intel though

Thanks for that useful gem :rolleyes:

Care to explain?

skippy2421 said:
as for case, cm690 is a great little case dont get an antec 300 join the cm 690 crew cos we're cool init brap brap lol . i never saw the point in that side fan anyway as it's the otherside of the motherboard tray. If you must buy fans buy some for the top and bottom.

Might do it looked a bit gimicky but I thought i'd give it a try. Is the CM690 as good as the 300 for cooling? If it is, with its better cable managment for a fiver extra I might get it, torn between the two!

skippy2421 · 26 Jun 2009 at 23:02

well i can't really answer that as i've never had an antec 300, seeing them being used on here put me off tho (cable management like you mentioned). However i have no problems with temps, you are going to have some beefier hardware in there than me but i imagine it should be fine if anything actually cooler. The extra space is extremely handy when fiddling about inside there, my case looks slightly empty and is making me want to buy more to fill it. As for that side fan go for it if you want to try it, i will warn you finding a good fan that fits was hard when i looked, however times do change.

PureAlpha · 26 Jun 2009 at 23:23

I'm about to buy the components for an AM3 955 rig as well - very nice spec you have there!

Can I ask why you selected that Gigabyte board? I've currently selected the Asus M4A78T-E (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-335-AS).

Is the Gigabyte supposed to work better with the 955?

PureAlpha · 26 Jun 2009 at 23:24

And did you select the Powercolour 4890 over the XFX 4890 XT because you want Battle Forge or does it have 3rd party cooling / run cooler?

shadowake · 27 Jun 2009 at 08:48

PureAlpha said:
I'm about to buy the components for an AM3 955 rig as well - very nice spec you have there!

Can I ask why you selected that Gigabyte board? I've currently selected the Asus M4A78T-E (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-335-AS).

Is the Gigabyte supposed to work better with the 955?

Supports slightly faster memory 1666MHz instead of 1600MHz plus it has dual BIOS which is handy + better north/south bridge cooling. Although the Asus supports hybrid crossfire so there isn't much in it really. Just depends if you prefer Asus or Gigabyte

PureAlpha said:
And did you select the Powercolour 4890 over the XFX 4890 XT because you want Battle Forge or does it have 3rd party cooling / run cooler?

Higher clock speed, looks nicer and a better fan

jaket · 27 Jun 2009 at 09:05

CM690 is a great case, will fit all of that inside.

I have a Ultra-120 Mounted which fits with about 10mm free of side panel so I am unable to mount Fan on top slot, but enough room for anything smaller than the Ultra.

Everything else looks great.

Le Samourai · 27 Jun 2009 at 14:54

PureAlpha said:
I'm about to buy the components for an AM3 955 rig as well - very nice spec you have there!

Can I ask why you selected that Gigabyte board? I've currently selected the Asus M4A78T-E (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-335-AS).

Is the Gigabyte supposed to work better with the 955?

That Asus board is a GX chipset which has onboard graphics. As mentioned, it supports hybrid crossfire.

http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/ati-hybrid-graphics/Pages/ati-hybrid-graphics.aspx

If that's your budget, then I'd go with the Gigabyte UD4P (I've got one coming as well as part of the overclocked bundle).

If you want to add a bit more to the budget, I'd recommend the Gigabyte UD5P. But you'd need to shop around for that one.

lukext · 27 Jun 2009 at 17:58

Believe it or not but the MSI GD 70 is meant to be the best am3 board out from what ive read
The new asus crosshair III is interesting thou...

I can recommend the uD5, mates got it, got his 720 up to 3.7Ghz