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Build Advice Assistance Please

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by LithiumDesign, 6 Nov 2009.

  1. LithiumDesign

    LithiumDesign 3dsMax User

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    I have had quite a bit of help on this forum with the spec for my first build but unfortunately, recently the help has stopped and i havent finished with the spec, so i was wondering if you guys and gals could give me this one last bit of reassurance that this build will work and that im getting enough power for my buck. The budget is £850 for everything, monitor and OS.
    Here's me final plan:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: 6 Nov 2009
  2. smc8788

    smc8788 Multimodder

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    I would:

    1. Swap the HDD for a Samsung F3 500GB/1TB.
    2. Drop the RAM and get this set.
    3. Consider dropping the 5770 for the cheaper and generally faster 1GB 4870.

    Oh, and XP? Are you insane? Swap that out for Windows 7.
     
  3. LithiumDesign

    LithiumDesign 3dsMax User

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    Thanks for reply, why wud i need a bigger HDD. Im thinking of getting into UBUNTU so instead of partitioning my hdd i mite get two. Does the 4870 support HDMI input ?

    oh and why get windows 7, i only have £850budget...
     
  4. smc8788

    smc8788 Multimodder

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    A single large hard drive like the F3 will perform better than multiple smaller hard drives, and also has a lower cost per GB.

    HDMI input? Do you mean HDMI output? Well, that varies depending on the manufacturer but generally no, they usually come with 2 DVI ports, so you could just use a DVI --> HDMI cable/converter.

    Because it's not a horribly outdated OS, better features, better user interface, DX11 support, and last but not least the ability to use all of your RAM (amongst other things). Buying a 32-bit OS in this day and age is madness; out of an £850 budget it's easily worth the extra £10.
     
  5. LithiumDesign

    LithiumDesign 3dsMax User

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    Yes i meant output :p I didnt even bother looking at F3's until now, they sounded very expensive. Common naivity... I didnt know that you could just convert DVI to HDMI, is the quality the same as straight HDMI. Last thing, you sed that buying a 32-bit OS these days is madness, does this mean i need to buy the 64-bit ?
     
  6. PureSilver

    PureSilver E-tailer Tailor

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    It's not madness - it's SPARTAAAA

    No, in all seriousness, a 32-bit OS can only address (use) less than 4GB of RAM, amongst other limitations. They are to be avoided.

    Also you would have to be insane to buy XP when the vastly more advanced and generally well-received 7 is only a tenner more. Buy 7 x64.
     
  7. LithiumDesign

    LithiumDesign 3dsMax User

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    Okay, so apart from that it's all good ?
     
  8. smc8788

    smc8788 Multimodder

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    They're only £58 on ebuyer, and as they're currently the fastest mechanical HDDs on the market (bar the expensive Raptors), that's a bargain.

    The image quality is the same as they both carry digital signals, but DVI doesn't carry sound so if you want that you'll have to use the motherboard sound output.

    Windows XP 64-bit is a pile of crap. Windows 7 Retail comes with both 32-bit and 64-bit discs, but as you're building it yourself you can get the cheaper OEM version, so you'll have to choose the 64-bit version (this one).
     
  9. LithiumDesign

    LithiumDesign 3dsMax User

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    Thank you very much, i will post the final list in a sec and will get my parents to order it tomorrow :p Can't wait.
     
  10. LithiumDesign

    LithiumDesign 3dsMax User

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    The final spec. I will buy the ram from here.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. PureSilver

    PureSilver E-tailer Tailor

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    Parents? If you're a student you can get W7 for £30.
     
  12. LithiumDesign

    LithiumDesign 3dsMax User

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    Unfortunately I am 15 and don't qualify for "student". Will that set-up work ?
     
  13. PureSilver

    PureSilver E-tailer Tailor

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    Looks good although if you can, I would get a cheaper OEM processor and get a decent heatsink (the supplied one will suck, really, really badly). Does the 300 need any further fans? I don't know what it's supplied with but you will need one intake and one exhaust.
     
  14. Volund

    Volund Am I supposed to care?

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    the 300 comes with mounting points for 2 front 120mm fans, but no actual fans....

    pick 2 up if you can, along with a decent aftermarket heatsink for that processor :D
     
  15. bigdunge

    bigdunge What's a Dremel?

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  16. smc8788

    smc8788 Multimodder

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  17. bigdunge

    bigdunge What's a Dremel?

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    Fair point. I think I would take the £30, and use a dvi-vga adapter, but that's just me (and i happen to have an adapter lying around).

    edit: Then possibly spend that £30 upgrading to a 4890.

    I did just do a bit of reading though, and I think that, in hindsight, I bow before SMC's wisdom.
     
    Last edited: 6 Nov 2009
  18. PureSilver

    PureSilver E-tailer Tailor

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    VGA's not worth it if you have DVI outputs on the 'card; why go to all the trouble of buying a decent 'card to then lose it all in translation?

    Looks like you needs some fans and a heatsink. BT's 'what hardware should I buy' and 'what's the best 120mm fan' should solve those...
     
  19. bagman

    bagman Minimodder

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  20. LithiumDesign

    LithiumDesign 3dsMax User

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    REMEMBER: Budget £850

    Im glad someone noticed that othewise I wouldnt have noticed! Where can i save money to be able to afford 2 fans and a heatsink ?
     

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