New Rig (revisited)

[jakedeez]

Ok -

So, it has taken me longer then expected to actually build my new rig, so the inevitable has happened, I have decided to upgrade parts which makes me both and

So here is where I am at now: (bear in mind, I am not so much of a gamer as I am into building a rig that just looks fing amazing and I'm not so much of a craftsmen having tried a number of mods, all which ended up reminding me of models with WAY too much glue)

Case:

Lian Li v1000 B with a full window and v1000 laser etched in the bottom right corner - all cables in the case fully sleved.

PSU: Seasonic 600 watter fully loomed (neither the hiper nor the silverstone zeus I got fit)

Mobo: Here is a toughie, right now I think it will be a DFI-expert, but, and this is a big one, I can't get my mine off of a Venus. I know its a pointless $100 extra, BUT, I really am all about how a rig looks, and that board is just so pretty - plus, as somewhat of a collector of rare/unusual computer junk, it would be a nice piece.

CPU: Done and done, got me an opty 180

Ram: Another question, I have 2 choices, either 2 x 1 GB ddr500 of crucial balistix (my preference since it smokes and matches the dfi board (remember I am all about the aesthetics) or 2 x 1 GB of OCZ ddr400 Titanium 2-3-2-5...

GPU: I think I am pretty set on the 7800gtx w/AS3, first because I already have it, second because I love that heat sink...

HDDs: Kinda interesting here, going with all three raptors, a 150, 74, and 36. The 150 will be my XP boot drive, the 36 will have I think Debian, or something of that flavor, and the 74 will be shared FAT32... Additionally I will have either a 300 gig 16mb cache seagate, or 3 x WD 250 woot drives in raid 5, or 2 of the woot drives in raid 1... stilll trying to decide

Opticals: Can't live without my plexy slot loader, also grabbed me a benq light scriber...

Cooling: Replaced the lian li fans with some nice panaflos, and have an xp90c, but am thinking about the idea of water...


Additional Cards:

Haup 350

SB Audigy 2ZS (cant for the life of me justify getting an xfi when I have a 2zx)

Floppy drive for no real reason at all

I have a lian li card reader, but I hate internal card readers now because of the whole drive letter thing, plus the fact is I have one anyway in my 2405 FPW

Also I have a 1905 FP, a 2405 FPW, some decent 2.1 speakers (5.1, 7.1 freaks me out when I am watching a movie, man, door bells ringing all behind you and stuff, that?s some startling effects, a stylus photo R200, an HP laserjet 4050, a logitec cordless freedom dealy with a wireless trackball, a wacom tablet, ipod dock... bla bla lotsa junk.

Finally I will be putting a lot of effort into the sleeving/wire management, because as I have said, aesthetics are very important to me. This case should look bangin, without any crazy mods, just really clean and nice. (Nothing wrong with crazy mods, I just suck at them)

So what do you all think? Am I just nuts to be thinking about a venus? I know I have said I have a lot of parts to chose from, but I do have to sell the ones I don't use, since I pretty much buy and sell hardware for a living now... (hence having so much nice junk to chose from)

Am I crazy to go with the Venus?

Cliffs:

Case: v-1000b
Mobo: DFI expert or Venus
CPU: Opty 180
Ram: either balistix ddr500 or OCZ ddr 400 2x1 GB
GPU: 7800gtz w/AS3
HDDs: raptors + storage
Opticals: plexy and benq
Cooling: xp-90c
PSU: Seasonic 600
other: Haup 250, Audigy 2ZS

 

[Geomagick]

Performance wise I can't see there being any real benefit of going for the Venus over the Expert, especially given the price difference.

Are you going to be overclocking this rig? If you are then go with the ddr500 else go with the ddr400.

 

[Crescent13]

Case: That is an eccelent case, however, it dosn't work with the mobo that I am going to reccomend. I would get the Antec P180.
Mobo: STAY AWAY FROM DFI BOARDS!!! ESPECIALLY THE EXPERT!!! I got one and it was constant trouble. I returned it and got a Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe. Best mobo evar IMO. The Asus is passively cooled though, and can't be mounted upside-down in the lian-li case, so get the antec p180.
CPU: Get the opty 165 and overclock
Ram: Get OCZ DDR500 Gold.
GPU: Get a 7900GT or 7900GTX (you could probably afford the 7900GTX with the saved money from the CPU)
HDD: Don't get a raptor. Get a good storage drive, and use the saved money from the raptor to get yourslef a second 7900GT or if possible a second 7900GTX.
Optical: You don't need two. Plextor is a waste of money just get a benq.
Cooling: I would reccomend the Scythe Ninja or the Zalman CNPS9500 (what I have) instead.
PSU: good
Sound Card: Get an Audigy 2ZS or a X-Fi.

 

[jakedeez]

Originally posted by: Crescent13
Case: That is an eccelent case, however, it dosn't work with the mobo that I am going to reccomend. I would get the Antec P180.
Mobo: STAY AWAY FROM DFI BOARDS!!! ESPECIALLY THE EXPERT!!! I got one and it was constant trouble. I returned it and got a Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe. Best mobo evar IMO. The Asus is passively cooled though, and can't be mounted upside-down in the lian-li case, so get the antec p180.
CPU: Get the opty 165 and overclock
Ram: Get OCZ DDR500 Gold.
GPU: Get a 7900GT or 7900GTX (you could probably afford the 7900GTX with the saved money from the CPU)
HDD: Don't get a raptor. Get a good storage drive, and use the saved money from the raptor to get yourslef a second 7900GT or if possible a second 7900GTX.
Optical: You don't need two. Plextor is a waste of money just get a benq.
Cooling: I would reccomend the Scythe Ninja or the Zalman CNPS9500 (what I have) instead.
PSU: good
Sound Card: Get an Audigy 2ZS or a X-Fi.

Case: There is no way I would use any case other then a lian li, I am perhaps the biggest lian li fanboy in history... the case is locked.

Mobo: I am going to go with DFI without question, I like the way they look and clock better. I think that Asus is like an engineer's wet dream, huge overkill way too much stuff on that board, more even then on the DFIs...

CPU: Already have the 180 ordered, and I don't want a 165, I want the higher multi. I have plenty of 165s, and 170s in stock (as I said I buy and sell hardware for a living) but I really want the 180.

Ram: Already have the two choices I listed

GPU: I don't want a 7900gt, I have the 7800GTX AS3 already, I paid only $320 for it, and I love it. I have a 7900gtx Superclock ordered, but I think it will be sold.

HDD: No way, raptor fanboy as well.

Optical: Already have them

Cooling: Already have it

Sound Card: I have a sz2