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Need help building dream machine......

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  • Need help building dream machine......

    I'm wanting to build a bad ass system for gaming and making digital graphics. (mainly using Unreal Tournament 2003, Adobe photoshop, Illustrator, ect.). I am considering a AMD dual processor system with a watercooler. If you had unlimited funds to build a spetacular system of your dreams tell me how far you would go. If anybody has any suggestions or advice please email me. About anything Cases, Mobo's, CPU's, Videocards, Cooling systems, ect. Thank you all that can help. : peace: : peace:

  • #2
    Unless you're dead set on an AMD rig, then at this time I would probably go with an Intel system. They have the power and then some right now that AMD can't touch. And before you start bagging me for being a biased Intel fan, it might help you to know that I've been using AMD processors exclusively for nearly two years now. Things may change when the vaunted Hammer hits the streets, but this isn't the case now. Intel will give you the better power user performance, and since you say that money is no object in your project, then this point becomes a no-brainer. The 3GHz processors with Hyper-Threading are the way to go if you can find them in stock somewhere.

    Now, onto motherboards. Not too long ago, the best performance for any amount of money came from the i850 chipsets paired with RDRAM1066 memory. But then a little thing hit the market called "Granite Bay" and set the whole performance scale on its ear. The Granite Bay chipset allows you to use standard DDR RAM modules in pairs to create a true dual channel memory pipeline. Mainboards based on this chipset have been matching and in some cases beating the i850 boards using the faster (and much more expensive) RDRAM modules.

    In video card land, the ATi 9700 Pro boards are currently the cream of the crop. Of course, they're fixing to be unseated within the next month or two with the arrival of the nVidia GeForce FX boards. These monsters will be based on the new NV30 GPU from nVidia and will feature memory speeds up to 1GHz! That's right, your video card will run at 1GHz! Of course, ATi isn't sitting still either and you can expect some video cards coming from them in the near future as well that fall into the Monster category, but for right now, the 9700 Pro is the answer for the true Power Connoisseur.

    As far as cases go, I have long used Antec branded models since they have plenty of space, excellent cooling built in and come with top notch power supplies. But recently, I had the chance to test out a Lian-Li enclosure and haven't gone back. In particular, I am using a modified unit from Xoxide. It is the Warrior series case and can handle four optical devices and up to five hard drives. It also has space for a pair of floppy sized drives and has better cooling than the Antec cases that I had used for so long.

    Finally, when it comes to cooling your system, this is more personal than anything else. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of water cooling, but that is just because I don't like the idea of adding a liquid to a bunch of electronic components. Water and electricity don't mix, so I tend to stick with air. But again, this is personal. I would say, though, that unless you have plans on some massive overclocking, then water, peltier and/or phase change cooling is a waste.

    Good luck and let us know how your project goes. :)
    Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill
    My Toys

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    • #3
      Well thanks for all the help. I am going to do some over clocking. As much as it can handle. I'm not to crazy bout water cooling either but have heard from techs that are close to me that it's almost impossible to over heat with a water cooler. The last rig I built I had a custom co2 cooler that me and my friends had built. Using compressed air never ever over heated. And is still running strong. I would like to go with the raiden 9700 but have heard that there were problems with drivers. Should I just wait for the NV30. As far as processors go I would like to stick with AMD because of an incendent that happend to a friend. His P4 only lasted two weeks while being over clocked.I know it wasn't the processor but if it can't take what I'm giving it I don't want to waste my money. My AMD has taken everything I have thrown at it and is still running beautiful and smooth. Again money is no problem so tell me about top of the line hardware. Thanks again...: peace:

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      • #4
        Do ya have to do it right now or could ya wait 3-4 months for some dual Athlon64 action? :?:
        <center>:cheers:</center>

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        • #5
          Well I would like to start as soon as possible but I can wait if necassary. If it would make that much of a difference. Is there a place I can check out the new Athlons ?: peace:

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Mr. BG Dicky
            Well I would like to start as soon as possible but I can wait if necassary. If it would make that much of a difference. Is there a place I can check out the new Athlons ?: peace:
            YES it will!

            Everything now adays is coming in beast form. I mean look at the NV30 based Geforce....and the new Granite Bay.... For not much of a wait you will get a big amount of performance...

            If you want to wait for AMD's Hammers..that will take a lil longer...

            I am builing my buddy a machine (he can't wait at all...he has no machine) he is going from a SLOT 1 P3 with 128 MB SDram and 20 gigs of HD and TNT 2 to a :

            AMD 2600+ 333, 9700 Pro, 512 MB (DUAL CHANNEL), 120 GB SE WD HD and so on...i think its a fair system for now...but waiting a lil longer would get him a GFFX or if not a cheaper 9700 pro. Just waiting for the nv30 i believe is well worth it.

            Lian Li will have to be the choice if "money ain't a thing".

            I could be wrong but i assume that have DUALS won;t overclock to well and might have stability problems...when overclocked

            And duals aren't really the GAMERS performance machine...Single actually gives a bit better performance than Duallies in the gaming side of things.
            - Damien

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            • #7
              If you're planning on building your system now, then by all means do so. There will always be something bigger and better right around the corner. If you continually wait for something newer, then you'll never get your new system built.

              Right now, the Intel is the best on the block bar none. If you want to wait for the latest and greatest AMD processor to finally make it to market (it has been delayed several times and yes, I'm getting impatient), then you'll see something else that will be released soon. Then something else and the cycle goes on.

              Something else to consider is that if you're serious about alternative cooling, then the P4 3.06GHz processors have had some success at over 4GHz when overclocked. And when you consider Hyper-Threading, you're talking Kick-Ass all the way.

              I'm still an AMD guy, but Intel has certainly come a long way from two years ago.
              Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill
              My Toys

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Darthtanion
                If you're planning on building your system now, then by all means do so. There will always be something bigger and better right around the corner. If you continually wait for something newer, then you'll never get your new system built.
                Thats very true but the 9700 compared to the Geforce FX and only waiting a month and half or two...i think that wait will cover a decent gap...The thing is that not only is better but by a huge margin...its not getting the 2200+ when you already have 2000+ we are talking kickass video cards and new sockets (AMD ) etc etc
                - Damien

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                • #9
                  OK everybody this is what I want from you post me specs. of what kind of rig you would build for gaming and graphics everything from mobo's, CPU's, Videocards, cooling, everything. I don't neccasarly have to have it right now ,but would like to start within the next few months. I want to beable to upgrade as much as possible when neccasary. Post links if ya have them for parts. So I can see.
                  I have pretty much decided to wait for the NV30 for a videocard. Thanks for all the help...

                  As soon as I get started I will post Pics of my rig so everyone can see how they contributed....: peace:

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                  • #10
                    Well, i posted my friends lil rig up there...

                    Look around in retailers like:
                    Shentech.com (they are real cheap but don't cover shipping at alland use UPS)
                    newegg.com (they use FedEx and conver most shipping charges ends up being around the same pricing as shentech after shipping)
                    - Damien

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                    • #11
                      I'd probably have to go with NewEgg of the two etailers listed. Shentech seems to be getting very mixed comments on www.resellerratings.com so buyer beware.
                      Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill
                      My Toys

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Just wanted to thank everyone for the help it is surely appreciated. I will keep posted on my rig so everyone knows how they contrbuted. So far I have purchased a NEC PlasmaSync 61MP1 61'' Plasma Display for a monitor and am about to put in a purchase for a tower. If anyone has any more suggestion feel free to post them.
                        Again thanks for the help.
                        :smokin:

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                        • #13
                          Hey.if u wanna know how to build an ultima PC. I would recomend u buying the december issue of Pc Upgrade. It has tons of info on gaming pc and much more. my computer is ok for gaming(like CS,and diablo2).heres my list ,(o,and i just got this rig last month ;) .so is pretty new.

                          mother board intel 850emv2l
                          CPU- intel p4 2.53ghz 512k
                          ram-512 ddr 400
                          video card. RADeOn 9700 128mb
                          sound card-MSI 6 ch. 5.1 surround card
                          case-no brand--but is a silver case with window side
                          fans-4 fans -one on cpu-1 on side of case-one of power supply and one one HD

                          my rig cost me arround 2500 CANadian.

                          O.and one thing,,DONT USE WATERCOOLERS-
                          my friend use to have a water cooler,but then he had to just throw away his computer ,cause after one year of use,he saw a little hole in the tube,,and it just made his computer usless.

                          Good luck making ur ultima computer

                          p.s. if u really ar stuck in not knowing what to buy,,just go buy a voodoo or a falcon computer.they ar really good//

                          from---mr.pc.guy!:shoot3: : peace2: :cheers: :shoot3:

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