Spec Check - £900 build

Mr Jack · 10 Sep 2007 at 11:42

This for use as a development PC. Quad core is a must, as is decent disk access and a redundant RAID array (I'm planning on use RAID 5 on those three discs). It also needs respectable graphics performance, but I can live with being off the bleeding edge. I also need Remote Desktop so I'm pretty much stuck with Vista Ultimate (Business would also do fine, but OC don't do it). I'm going to be bringing a DVD re-writer and (if I need it) a floppy drive over from older PCs.

I plan on overclocking the CPU to about 2.8-3.0 GHz. A quiet running and stable computer are both more important than ultimate performance. I have £900 to spend as a hard limit.

Thoughts?

(edit) Oh, and I've got keyboard, monitors and mouse already so I don't need those either.

semi-pro waster · 10 Sep 2007 at 13:17

All looks fine, I can't see any obvious flaws as Raid5 is supported by the motherboard, however is there any particular reason for Vista 32bit?

Mr Jack · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:01

semi-pro waster said:
All looks fine, I can't see any obvious flaws as Raid5 is supported by the motherboard, however is there any particular reason for Vista 32bit?

Yeah, the stricter driver requirements, and the lack of 16-bit support.

Mr Jack · 10 Sep 2007 at 18:23

Anyone else have any thoughts?

snow patrol · 10 Sep 2007 at 18:28

if you're using 64bit vista then i'd recommend stretching to 4 gigs of ram

Teaf · 10 Sep 2007 at 18:31

Could swap out the spinpoint's for AAKS, since the AAKS have 16mb cache and only £2 more per drive, same size too. Would probably also drop the OcUK RAM and get the OCZ stuff on this week only since it's only £3 more. I'd also drop the AS5 and get some MX-1 which is arguably better and £4 cheaper.

Other than that the system looks great.

hp7909 · 10 Sep 2007 at 18:31

Mr Jack said:
{snip}It also needs respectable graphics performance, but I can live with being off the bleeding edge.{snip}

For gaming?

Might want to get faster HDs e.g. Seagate 7200.10 or WD AAKS. Rest looks ok

Mr Jack · 10 Sep 2007 at 18:45

flibby said:
I'd also drop the AS5 and get some MX-1 which is arguably better and £4 cheaper.

How much benefit will these show over the one shipped with the cooler, anyway?

Mr Jack · 11 Sep 2007 at 17:22

All ordered now

I went for the OCZ memory, and the 7200.10 drives, and the MX-1 compound. All nudged in just under the £900.