i7 spec

Sharlaw · 12 Oct 2009 at 15:08

Another spec thread, I've chopped and changed a few bits. Definatley going i7 because I want this machine to last for a long time, but trying to keep the cost to a minimum without compromising too much on performance and futureproofing.

Any comments??

Intel Core i7 920 D0 Stepping (SLBEJ) 2.66Ghz (Nehalem) (Socket LGA1366) - Retail + Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising Game £206.99
(£179.99) £206.99
(£179.99)
Asus ATI Radeon HD 4890 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card £157.99
(£137.38) £157.99
(£137.38)
Asus P6T SE Intel X58 (Socket 1366) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard £149.99
(£130.43) £149.99
(£130.43)
OCZ Obsidian 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600Mhz Triple Channel Kit (OCZ3OB1600LV6GK) £99.99
(£86.95) £99.99
(£86.95)
Coolermaster Storm 'Scout' Gaming Case - (No PSU) £79.99
(£69.56) £79.99
(£69.56)
OCZ ModXStream Pro 600w Silent SLI Ready Modular Power Supply £66.99
(£58.25) £66.99
(£58.25)
Samsung SpinPoint F3 1TB SATA-II 32MB Cache - OEM (HD103SJ) £58.98
(£51.29) £58.98
(£51.29)
Corsair H50 High-Performance CPU Watercooler (Socket LGA775/1366) £57.99
(£50.43) £57.99
(£50.43)
Sub Total : £764.28
Shipping cost assumes delivery to UK Mainland with:
DPD Next Day Parcel
(This can be changed during checkout) Shipping : £12.50
VAT is being charged at 15% VAT : £116.52
Total : £893.30

Franksi · 12 Oct 2009 at 15:10

how about adding a smaller F3 that you can short-stroke for your OS and Apps? Would make things perform a little better...

cmndr_andi · 12 Oct 2009 at 15:10

Looks good, but I suggest spending the extra on this GPU and this PSU.

kcer · 12 Oct 2009 at 15:27

From what I've been reading lately, unless you're one of the people who use the 2% of desktop applications that actually need and use what 1366 has and will have to offer, then you're just wasting your money by not building a system around an i5.

For a lower price you can have the day to day performance of an i7 (since you won't utilise it fully), plus increased performance for gaming applications without locking yourself out of future upgrade opportunities.

Reconsider an i5 (which saves you money on your CPU, mobo and memory), get a better graphics card, get a different case (you can't fit the newer graphics cards in that case, so I've heard) and change down to smaller HD size (unless you actually need that much). I'd be inclined to change to a Corsair or a Seasonic PSU, but that's just my personal preference really.

-VK- · 12 Oct 2009 at 15:35

Looks like a nice selection of components. The additional expense on a 5850 would probably serve you well in the long run, thought it depends on what games (if any) you play really.

Sharlaw · 12 Oct 2009 at 16:30

Thanks for the advice guys, I really want to stick with i7 as my old machine lasted over 5 years and I want to make sure I get the same longevity from this one.
I'd also really rather not spend much more than then above spec. Is the PSU I've specced not a good one??

kcer · 12 Oct 2009 at 16:32

You can't future proof computers, it's not possible.

What will be the main use of this setup?

Sindri · 12 Oct 2009 at 16:33

The psu you specced is fine, it's just that a lot of people swear by corsair. My OCZ psu hasn't been anything short of perfect in my i7 rig.

cmndr_andi · 12 Oct 2009 at 16:35

Sharlaw said:
Is the PSU I've specced not a good one??

It's fine, but the one I specced is £6 more, more efficient, 50W more specified capacity and higher build quality.

However, the OCZ is modular while the corsair uses captive cables.

EffBee · 12 Oct 2009 at 18:41

You sound the sort of person who is a little reluctant to be an early adopter of new technology.

The newest ATI video cards are too new for me use just yet. I want to wait till "silent" models are released. On this topic OP, maybe look at the 4890 Vapor-X series.

The newest 1156 mobos and processors have only just been released. The 1366 mobos and processors have been around for a while. BIOS upgrades should be available to fix isues. The technology is mature without being old. Especially if you keep your stuff for a long time I think you are taking the right route.

Are you sure about that water cooler - it will be out of warranty in a couple of years. Will it last. Will it leak. Do you keep your new system more than 2 years?

Purely personal thing - I don't trust Samsung drives. Some people love them. Some hate them. There is anecdotal evidence they are not reliable enough. I prefer WD.