Spec Check Please?

Lemin said:
Just remember, we like build pics ;)
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I definitely will be posting pictures :D

Another question for you guys :-)

I have selected the Kingston HyperX RAM purely based on reviews - plus my research shows its a highly reliable brand.

In the Hardware forum, I haven't seen it being recommended much, is this because there are better/cheaper alternatives that do the same job?

Also, what are people's opinions on 128GB vs 256GB SSD - Will only be used for OS, pictures, programs and games. Will 128GB be sufficient as I don't have that many pictures etc? Or, shall I try and future proof by getting the 256GB? :confused:
 
Nothing wrong with the Hyper-X, I’ve got 16GB of the same running in my PC at the moment. There are just cheaper alternatives available at the moment.

A 128GB SSD combined with a mechanical drive would be big enough. It’s still possible to get away with a 60GB SSD as a boot/OS drive if you're careful. My 128GB SSD is only about a third full, but I don’t play games.
 
I like the Samsung Green RAM but they are more expensive than the HyperX still ~£40 for 8GB is pretty good.

I think I will go for 128GB SSD. I'll play games but I won't play that many to fill up the SSD imo.

Thanks.
 
Thanks again peeps :-).

I have looked at the MSI MPower Motherboard but there has not been many reviews yet so I don't know if I should be sticking with the UD3H or get the newer MSI Board :(
 
haha i saw that too
im going to dismiss it bcos i dont like the colors
but guys do!?
whats cool about black & yellow, wasps are black & yellow, wasps are not cool.

id rather get a nice looking board with a pointless thunderbolt^^
 
Dodger said:
Thanks again peeps :-).

I have looked at the MSI MPower Motherboard but there has not been many reviews yet so I don't know if I should be sticking with the UD3H or get the newer MSI Board :(
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The MSI is a newer board so there will be less reviews. Both are very good boards. Gigabyte have excellent customer service whereas MSI can be hit and miss, might be worth considering should you ever run into problems.

With regards RAM go for low profile to be on the safe side, especially if your going with a big top down CPU cooler. There's not really much notable real world difference between low latency RAM at the same frequency these days. If you want to overclock your RAM go with the Samsung green. Otherwise Kingston hyper x is very reliable but I'd go with Low profile Corsair vengeance myself if not over clocking.

If you want cool and quiet you're gona need a fan controller. How many fans are you going to fit in your r4?
 
I'm inclined to go for the new Motherboard if i'm honest, just don't know if that's the right call given the few reviews.

With regards to overclocking RAM, i'm pretty sure with the i5, I can get away with just overclocking the CPU without overclocking the RAM?

I am guessing you would go with this RAM scwba06?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-336-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=1517

The R4 can control fans via a switch near the front fans. I was going to fit everything in, see the temperatures and then decide whether or not I needed to get any further fans. Are you suggesting to get a dedicated fan controller or?
 
Dodger said:
I'm inclined to go for the new Motherboard if i'm honest, just don't know if that's the right call given the few reviews.

With regards to overclocking RAM, i'm pretty sure with the i5, I can get away with just overclocking the CPU without overclocking the RAM?

I am guessing you would go with this RAM scwba06?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-336-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=1517

The R4 can control fans via a switch near the front fans. I was going to fit everything in, see the temperatures and then decide whether or not I needed to get any further fans. Are you suggesting to get a dedicated fan controller or?
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Yea low profile = small RAM heatsinks should fit under cooler. Yea but check how many fans you can run off the stock fan controller, I know the arc midi has a 3 channel controller, you can always run extra fans off the motherboard but the whole point of a fan controller is so you can control temps/noise.

You can pick up a 6 channel fan controller for not much, I'm not too clued up on fan controllers though might be worth reading into it. The bitfenix recon gets mixed reviews and thats the only one that seems to be discussed on these boards at the minute.

Overclocking RAM will give minimal boost in frame rates and can be extremely fiddly with voltage changes and stuff. Youre right in that a CPU overclock gives the most notable performance boost, a lot of people don't bother ocing ram
 
You can run 3 fans off the stock fan controller in the R4 as far as I am aware.

Yeah I will not bother with overclocking the RAM. Will only be overclocking the CPU :).

I don't personally think I need a fan controller so will purchase on at the moment, maybe in the near future if I feel I need it.
 
Lemin said:
Noctua in a R4...

15s9fz5.jpg


As your other parts were fairly high spec i didnt think a cheap cooler was apt. ;)
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I just had to say that's a beautiful shot!

As for sound:
Z-5500 speakers for me sound better than the Z906 ones from Logitech.
I saw some Z906 whilst I was travelling in America - not only are they really ugly, but it didn't sound as good (to my ear, whilst in the shop)

So take my advice on that one, with a pinch of salt.
If you ask me - the Z-5500 looks brilliant, and has been serving me for several years now - no problems.


Soundcard - now I know this might sound odd - but I recently got the EPH-O2D headphone amplifier for review - I have to say, headphone quality wise, it puts my Xonar D1 to shame.
So take as you will - but my D1 > on-board sound of my P5K premium (I know that's dated)
 
Thanks TD. Z5500 look better than the Z906's but have not heard the latter.

I will do some more digging later today and see if I can come to a conclusion.

Regarding sound card, I will stick to Asus Xonar DGX 5.1 - highly recommended, very cheap :)
 
Dodger said:
Thanks TD. Z5500 look better than the Z906's but have not heard the latter.

I will do some more digging later today and see if I can come to a conclusion.

Regarding sound card, I will stick to Asus Xonar DGX 5.1 - highly recommended, very cheap :)
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the Z906 got replaced by the Z-5500, so I don't know if you'll be able to find it at all - but hey, you might find it at a cheaper, or more expensive price (depending on the markets)

As for that soundcard - that's a sound choice (literally :P)

The other is an amplifier, highly regarded for its price to amp ratio - put it that way :)
 
Lemin said:
Get retail cpu for 3 year warranty...

Corsair Professional Series HX+ 650W '80+ Gold' Modular Power Supply (CP-9020030-UK) [CP-9020030-UK]
£99.98 inc VAT
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-095-CS&groupid=701&catid=123&subcat=1084
Click to expand...

For anyone to answer...

I may do SLI in the near future, add a few more storage hard drives but will not be doing RAID. Will 650W from the PSU be enough for my future needs, or shall I opt for 750W version of the Corsair Series HX+?
 
Also, which 7950 Graphics Card?

MSI HD 7950 Twin Frozr III OC V2 3072MB GDDR5 has a 3 year warranty.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-148-MS

Should I go for this card or are any of the other 7950 better in terms of brands?

I have seen the Gigabyte HD 7950 WINDFORCE 3X OC 3GB GDDR5 being mentioned quite a lot and can get that card for ~£270 from another retailer. Would this be the better card to go for?

Opinions please? :-)
 
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