Im thinking that this hardware is kinda outdated. What do you think? Now will be a good time for me to figure out if i need to change anything before i get much further with my casebuild, mostly due to space issues and the stealth im gonna build all over the diffrent parts. Hardware: Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3P CPU: Intel Core2 6300 Memory: 2x1GB OCZ PC2 6400 dual CH GPU: 2xAti radeon 1950pro running crossfire Soundcard: Onboard, i havent figured out which to purchase to get REAL hifi sound for my amplifier HDD`s: Samsung spinpoint 1000gb Western digital 500gb 2xwestern digital 160gb running raid0 DVD: 2xPlextor PX-820A Its not that i really need the PC to run faster, but im thinking that it might make sence to get a newer CPU. Is there anyone available that will use less power than the one i have in the system already and that will fit in the socket already on the motherboard? Also the GPUs, any better choice out there that will use less power? Also im taking in to consideration how the hardware looks. My current hardware has all diffrent colors. But i would like to make it look more even using parts that will look nice with ashwood. A somewhat white \ cream colored wood. Its been a long time since i last looked up hardware, so im feeling kinda n00b not knowing what to look for. And once again im gonna ask for choice of soundcard. Im spending a lot of money on a Highend HIFI system, but i still havent figured out how to get best sound posible from soundcard to DAC to amplifier.? Thx in advance
Well what's the budget? The 965 chipset's a bit long in the tooth, so I really don't think that you'll be able to get a new CPU that would really be effective with that board. For the GPUs, I can recommend a single HD5770, that's quite the powerful card. As for a new CPU, the i5 750 + a decent P55 motherboard should suffice. This is assuming you can afford it of course.
Honestly i dont have a budget limit. Doesnt meen i want to spend a million on it thou Im gonna be using the PC for playing 1080p video \ music, some 3D rendering ( nothing very complex ). Also gonna use it to play Diablo3 and starcraft2 whenever they arrive. What im really looking for with the hardware is how it looks and if its power efficient. Also this PC will be turned on 24\7 for the next year till i get my next build done. ( have to finish current first offcourse). Thx Elton, im gonna look into the hardware advises you gave me when i get back from work. Keep em coming, and thx in advance peeps
6300 should be fine, what speed is it running at? Only thing really needed is a GPU update. Seems your up grading anyway, so check out the build in this thread or here. Should get the ball rolling for you.
Well if you are intending to do some rendering, I guess a quad core would serve you quite well. The HD5770 is a bit unneeded but it is a powerful piece of kit regardless. And go with those threads, they're quite good.
Well if he is, then he'll steal my thunder, I've always been to lazy to actually compile builds for people. I'll build them myself, just too lazy to compile one.
Won't let me edit my last post =/ If money isn't a problem, then top end would be:- i7 920 Asus P6TD Deluxe Corsair Dominator 6GB (3x2GB) as elton said tho i5 would be perfect. No point in overspending. I was refering to the thread he made accusing me of repping myself xD Ironically those where the 2 threads he accuesed me of doing it on lol.
Instead of you repping yourself, I'll rep you! And although an i7 920 would be nice, it's idle power usage is a bit on the big side.
mate quick easy update a nice quad(q9550s), the p965 is still a good chipset for the 775 range. would be nice to know your budget. maybe a 4 gig face lift, and a nice ati hd5770 windows 7 64 and you'll be ready to rock.
Its runnimg at 1.87ghz. Think i might have downclocked it at a time i had some hardware issues. At least know i have had it clocked to over 2ghz at some point. Yes a quad core was also what i was thinking. Just cant remember how it was with my socket. Somthing was diffrent with the rev3 of my motherboard. Guess i will have to look up my manual. Will look at the threads right now Hmmm, dont like hogh idle power, and especially not when i have to have it turned on 24\7. A shame thou. I have no budget limit. But i dont want to spend money on stuff thats overkill compared to what i need to use it for. Thou i must say that if the hardware looks nice and fits the design for my build, i WILL spend fortunes. Ive saved some 20.000$ for this whole build ( HIFI equipment, LED screen, hardware and materials ). So i want it to look the best and function the best for my needs. Aint gonna save money if it makes sense to spend em Im gonna look into all of your advises now to se what i come up with. Probably a lot more questions. Been away from the Hardware forums for some 3-4 years. Everything have changed For the better i hope Thx for all advises so far nice peeps.
$20k? You'd better tell us exactly what you have in mind. It doesn't sound like you need a $20k computer, are you an audiophile or a home theatre geek or something and have a specific build in mind?
No, no typo Ive been thinking of this build for some 3 years. Started planning it a year ago. Started building it 2months ago. Many of the materials im using is quite expensive. Some dark glass, Ash wood, aluminium. The varnish isnt that cheap neither. Some 7000$ is gonna be spend on amplifier DAC and 2front speakers. Then in 2011 \ 2012 im gonna spend some 7000$ more on the HIFI equipment. Making the total cost of the build reach approx 27.000$ \ 30.000$ Thats also why the look means so much to me. Im not a very well paid employee. Just been dreaming of this whole build for so long. Having saved up money for so long. So im gonna spend what it takes to make it how i want it. Edit: Loves PCs. Loves Audio. Loves furnitures well designed. Im educated as a master cabinet maker. All this costs. But i want it badly Edit: Oh, loves sweet looking 1080P also !
Sounds to me like an i5 or higher end AMD-setup is what you need. Even for occasional rendering/gaming I'd pick a quad core, even if it isn't as energy efficient as a dual would be. Future proofing and all that, also the overall experience just is better on a quad. No need to go crazy with the rest of the setup either, HD5770 will play most games at 1080p just fine and will also have very, very low idle power usage. The sound card is a harder thing, I'd actually ask that from a hifi forum or wherever music makers live. The Xonar/X-Fi/whatever just have always seemed so "gaming" and trendy to me, I just think for audio listening there are better offerings out there. Might be just me, but when a product name has "X" in it, it just seems tacky Some DACs/external audio cards also work over firewire, how about those? Also helps with interference inside the chassis, but then again, it's not a huge problem with digital output anyway.
So this is what ive come up with so far. I still feel like a n00b. **** i got a lot to read up on. GPU: MSI R5770-PMD1G (1 GB) http://www.edbpriser.dk/Product/Details.aspx?pid=711691 Dont know if thiss is the smartes buy. But all the other cards looked horrible for my build. CPU:Quad-Core Xeon X3330 6 MB (Intel Boxed) http://www.edbpriser.dk/Product/Details.aspx?pid=503129 Is my motherboard a socket775. Seems it aint produced no more. And its only some 4 years old i think . Hehe Dont even know if my mobo will be able to use this CPU. Any suggestions on cooling for this CPU ? ram: OCZ Platinum 2x2GB http://www.edbpriser.dk/Product/Details.aspx?pid=390953 Will this RAM make sense to buy ? Sorry for linking to a danish site, but specifications is in english so i think you will be able to understand. Oh i know this is hard. Ive tried a few forums, getting all diffrent answers both on intern cards and external. Only thing ive learned is that im gonna need a DAC. So the soundcard issue is my biggest problem at the moment. Looking forward to hear what you have to say about my "research" so far. Thx in advance peeps
If you consider any kind of USB3.0 and/or SATA 6G functionality (either as add-in cards or bolted on to the motherboard) you might want to stay away from any socket 1156 build, as the chipset is severely bandwidth-limited. Look at a socket 1366-based build (X58 chipset) instead. Other than that, I agree that a simple CPU and GPU upgrade might be just fine. On the downside, you're using a Gigabyte motherboard. Gigabyte makes fine boards, BUT they're very quick to release new (hardware) revisions of their boards leaving users of the earlier revisions without an upgrade path. What really speaks in favour of going Core i-something is its power efficiency. I don't think there's been as much of an advancement in power efficiency in a new CPU since AMD released the original Athlon 64s introducing Cool'n'Quiet. If you decide to stick with your current platform, then a Xeon CPU is out of the question for your board. Gigabyte lists revisions 2.0 and 3.3 for the GA-965P-DS3P, and neither lists Xeon compatibility. There should be no problem throwing in a Core2 Quad though, in either revision.
