• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

New rock solid build (ASUS Maximus III ) ?

L

lesurderf

Junior Member
Looking to build a new system to replace my old rig. I built a couple of machines for others last year and now it's my turn and I need some advice.

Budget up to 3k or so. Make my living using this so I need stability. ( of course I have a couple of laptops as backups )

Uses.... Stock trading, web based and java based applications that take few resources. browsing, listening to music, maybe something else.

No gaming. I have a separate setup for that. A SAMSUNG ToC T240HD Rose-Black 24" I watch TV on with a PS3 hooked up to it which I rarely turn on.

Would like it to last a few years. Set it up and probably won't overclock or tweak.

Waiting on Win 7 to order but thinking of this list.

ASUS Maximus III Formula LGA 1156 Intel P55 Intel Motherboard - Retail $249.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131482

Intel Core i7 860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail $299.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115214


Also which Ram ? I've read a bit but not sure about the difference DDR3 1333 PC3 10666 and DDR3 1333 PC3 10600...also 1.65 vs 1.5 voltages

System stability is key. Between these two ? or another ?

1st choice = 2 x Patriot Viper II Sector 5 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop $199.98 6-6-6-2- timings 1.65 v
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820220431


2nd choice = 2 x mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop $165.98 9-9-9-24 timings 1.50v
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820146740

LIAN LI PC-7F Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811112194

CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V $169.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139010

EVGA 896-P3-1255-AR GeForce GTX 260 $194.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130434

Intel X25-E Extreme SSDSA2SH064G1 2.5" 64GB SATA II SLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) $799.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820167014

2 x UltraSharp 2209WA 22-inch Black Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor $289.00
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna [...] ku=2209WA3

PLEXTOR Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X ..... 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD/CD Writer LightScribe Support $52.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827249051

I think on board sound will suffice hooked up to these Audioengine A2's $199.00
http://www.audioengineusa.com/a2_home.php

Cooler, is there a quieter, better than stock cooler recommended ? I had looked at a Cogage True Sririt but it's for a 1366 socket. If I buy a cooler I'd like a bolt thru kit as well. Haven't found one that fits yet.

Anything I forgot except a few extension cables or maybe cooler paste with a new cooler ?

Please keep in mind the budget is high for a reason. I set a specific goal on a trade a couple of weeks ago for a new rig and got lucky enough to buy several of these rigs after taxes so I'd like to splurge this time.

$ 2800 and change so far without Win 7 64 bit and a cooler. I looked at my storage uses on this current machine using XP Pro sp3 and I currently use 21 gigs of a 80 gig drive so obviously I don't have storage needs.

Any and all comments welcome. Great board you have.

Thanks
 
I really don't understand why you're going to drop three grand on a computer that will only run programs that by your own words use few resources. Just cuz you made a ton of money doesn't mean you need to throw it away on something you won't use. My recommendations:

- Buy and i5 and a ~$100 mobo. The mobo you have picked out right now is a feature-heavy gamer mobo which is waaay overkill for what you need. If you're not overclocking you also shouldn't need an aftermarket heatsink.
- There is absolutely no reason to have 8 GB of RAM for your purposes. You'll have a hard time maxing out 4.
- 750W PSU is way more than you need, could probably get away with a 500W instead.
- If you must have dual monitors then the GPU you've picked out is fine, otherwise, again, way overkill for your system.
- There is absolutely ZERO reason to need a X25-E SSD. You can buy two of these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16820167005) for the same price and have almost 3 times the capacity.

If you absolutely must spend $3k on it then yeah, your system looks fine. For what you're going to use it for though, you're paying about 3x too much.

BTW, none of your newegg links work.
 
The MLC intel drive will last you for years and years and years. The SLC is better, sure, but the MLC is very fast in its own right, and if nothing else you can get 2 and RAID0 them for even more speed (though from a data security standpoint that is a bad idea).

The PSU is overkill, a good solid PCP&C 500W will take care of you there, and the GPU is also a little over the top.

If you do keep the GPU, then take the other savings and invest in a 30" monitor.
 
Thanks for your response.

"I really don't understand why you're going to drop three grand on a computer that will only run programs that by your own words use few resources. Just cuz you made a ton of money doesn't mean you need to throw it away on something you won't use. "

I don't know. Why do some people buy 300k cars ? Why do some spend 1000 an hour on a hooker (service provider) when there are plenty available at 300 or lower an hour. Why buy the latest tech knowing the value for the dollar is out of proportion to most things available in tech, or any other expenditure ?

I could go to Wally world and bring home a $600 box that would probably fill my needs. Where is the fun in that.

I could read dozens of threads here about great $1200 rigs and base my build on that.

Some say that when a product is priced too high relative to their targeted market and movement of such product is slow that prices will fall until sales rise. That cuts two ways. If too few buy the latest most expensive products it can in some cases delay product development or kill the project entirely. Take a look at the Pioneer KURO plasma story for an example.

I'm in a position to spend more that I need. Maybe I'll tone it down a bit and donate the difference to my local Kiwanis Club or Red Cross.

I know the value of a dollar and work hard to earn what I can. Haven't put much money into tech in the last decade. I paid off my home last year. I drive a 15 year old Ford Explorer worth $375 and have a $6K home theatre I bought earlier this year and that was more than I needed too. But it looks and sounds great. fwiw

Panasonic TP 50G10
Marantz SR6003
KEF Q Series
SVS sB-12 Plus

Shake the house sound if you want it.

So.....back to computers. I would appreciate your opinion.

What is the difference in these ram sets ? Which is more stable at stock speed ?

Isn't lower voltage more stable ? I don't need the speed but 9-9-9 is 50 % slower than 6-6-6-if I understand what I read ( not that I would notice ) I used Corsair Ram in the past but thought these Mushkin or Patriot sets might work.

6-6-6-20- timings 1.65 v
9-9-9-24 - timings 1.5 v

Again not sure what or how much yet but I appreciate your response. In most all other things I would agree with you and be looking for value based on my needs.

Just not this time.

Sorry about the link problem, must have not read something here.

I received the Dell 2209WA's yesterday. I posted in the graphics thread about them.

Thanks again.






 
sometimes the links are wonky when you create your post. Usually you can check them afterwards and edit if needed. But as long as you put the brand/model name in there it's no big deal.

Anandtech had a great review not too long ago about SSDs. It's a long read, but interesting (or just skip to the conclusion). Long story short, get the Intel G2 instead of the G1 series. Especially since you are waiting for Win7 which supports TRIM which is a new feature that will help SSDs long-term performance. They are currently out of stock pretty well everywhere, but since you're waiting for Win7 anyway it's not a big deal. They are around $4-500 or so including a big markup (MSRP is actually lower). So you can pay less and get more performance.

For RAM, there is very little real world difference between the timings, and between the speeds (1333 vs 1600 for example). So the main thing you are looking for is the lowest timings, at the fastest speed, at stock voltage (1.5v) at a reasonable price. With the voltage being the most crucial. Stick with 8GB, there's no reason not to.

I agree with the PSU comment. And it's not just "it's more than you need", but with the system you've specced out you will probably draw only about 100w at idle probably even less looking at the reviews of the i5. That's only 13% of the rated 750w which means the PSU will be operating at a pretty inefficient level. You want to aim to have the idle wattage about 20% of the rated power and make sure that you have enough watts to cover you at load. I'd look at some of the modular PSUs in the 400-500w range give or take. Corsair, seasonic, PCP&C have some good models in this range. Anandtech's i5 article had a system very similar to yours and it pulled 83w at idle and 184w at full load.

The case looks pretty good, and I think, with some crafty fan choices you might be able to make that system near silent
 
While there is some merit to the "dont buy 750w for a 100w at idle rig" mentality we really need to look at it closer.

Assuming 100w idle, 300w load which is fairly typical for a system like suggested

PSU 1 - TX750 - Roughly 84% eff at 300w, roughly 79% eff at 100w

300w/.84 = 357w AC = 57w "lost" at load
100w/.79 = 127w AC = 27w "lost" at idle


Compared to something more along the line of fitting the load range of the computer with the efficiency range of the PSU

PSU 2 - VX450 - 83% eff at 300w, roughly 78% eff at 100w

300w/.83 = 361w = 61w "lost" at load
100w/.78 = 128w = 28w "lost" at idle

Do you see how the higher powered PSU is actually more efficient overall than a PSU more matched to the load of the computer? Modern quality PSU's don't drop precipitously to 50% efficiency at idle load levels, and are often more efficient overall than lower rated but equal quality PSUs


(numbers taken from jonnygurus review of those models)
 
I agree it ain't the worst thing he could do (and lord knows he wouldn't be the only one 🙂 ). And yes, past a certain point we're just quibbling over a few percentage points.
[sidenote: i looked up the 450vx at 80plus.org and they list the efficiency at 111w (20%) at just over 81% efficient. Not sure how 80plus tests, but they have more models to pick from for comparisons]

However, just for the sake of discussion, I think even that 100w number is a little high. The Anandtech article had the i7 860 with an SSD, 4GB of RAM and a GTX280 idling at almost 88w (max 181w), compared to the OP's SSD, 8GB of RAM and GTX260. I'd guess the 260 would idle at less than the 280, wouldn't it? I'd guess maybe 10-15w lower? (Is that not a valid assumption?) So the real numbers would be more like 75w idle for the whole system? That would be 10% of the TX750.

The other part of efficiency isn't just the actual wattage, which might only add up to a few bucks per month, but the heat as well. Not sure if it's relevant to the OP, but if he can keep the heat down, he can probably get the system near silent. WHich would be huge considering the amount of horsepower he'd have at his disposal...
 
Originally posted by: lesurderf
I don't know. Why do some people buy 300k cars ? Why do some spend 1000 an hour on a hooker (service provider) when there are plenty available at 300 or lower an hour. Why buy the latest tech knowing the value for the dollar is out of proportion to most things available in tech, or any other expenditure ?

/snip
Click to expand...

That was a lot of words to say "because I can".

Like I said, if you want to spend that much on a computer, your list looks fine. Honestly its pretty hard to put together a bad computer (from a quality perspective) for $3000. The only things out of line with what you're after are the mobo, which is heavily slanted towards gaming (going so far as to prioritize network traffic for your games over your other applications), and the PSU which is way larger than you need.
 
Originally posted by: lesurderf
So.....back to computers. I would appreciate your opinion.

What is the difference in these ram sets ? Which is more stable at stock speed ?

Isn't lower voltage more stable ? I don't need the speed but 9-9-9 is 50 % slower than 6-6-6-if I understand what I read ( not that I would notice ) I used Corsair Ram in the past but thought these Mushkin or Patriot sets might work.

6-6-6-20- timings 1.65 v
9-9-9-24 - timings 1.5 v

Again not sure what or how much yet but I appreciate your response. In most all other things I would agree with you and be looking for value based on my needs.

Just not this time.

Sorry about the link problem, must have not read something here.

I received the Dell 2209WA's yesterday. I posted in the graphics thread about them.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

If you are looking for a "stable system" then you must not be looking for faster timing speed. If you have hover this forum for awhile, you must know that sometimes what the label tells you it will run, it won't. Based on the amount of money you are willing to spend, would you be willing to fickle with it to make sure it is ALWAYS running stable? I think not.

What I am saying is that get the most money for stability not just to show what you can buy with your money. From your list, I would not say it is the most stable.

My reasoning are these below:
1. The motherboard is in its original revision. Many bugs have yet been uncovered. You can proceed to buy it just because...OR...you can wait until some other people get some headaches into the board, the mfg makes revision to clear the bug out and you can enjoy your stable computer life that you are seeking.
2. Although Dual Channel DDR3s have been around for awhile (X48s, Nvidia 790is, AMD AM3 chipsets), it has not quite matured yet compared to DDR2s. For sure, Lynnfield will pushed these manufacturers to bring better yields. Since it is not at the moment, you want to get the best of both worlds...for the time being, unless you have some brand preferences. Looking at the minimum stock voltage, we can find that it is 1.5V then for the lowest latency at that voltage is currently CAS 7. It is not quite the 6 that you are looking for, however, it is close enough and much stable. When the yields are better, you can always buy better ones.
3. Graphics card. Hold on to your bulls because the ATI is coming with better video cards next month. Or if you are Nvidia Fan, GT300 series is coming at the end of this year. I'm thinking of getting one of each (I own an Nvidia based and an Intel/Crossfire based systems). Heck, if I'm spending 3 grand on a system, I might as well have the best card available whether I game or not. Right?
4. Cooling. Go with whatever that comes with LGA1156 adapter first then the biggest radiator next. If you don't mind fickling with water, go water! I think I'll stick with air for easier to mount cooling.
5. Don't like Lian-Li. My brother bought one and it does nothing but collecting dust (inside the case). A case that expensive should have better protecting the internals of a PC than a vacuum cleaner. I'd go with Cooler Master ATCS 840 because: (a) I am a CM fanboy and (b) if I were to build a professional looking, no non-sense, no gaming computer, I will built it around that case. It is available with a side window cover if you still need to show off your friends what an awesome stuff you have inside your $3000 computer yet it doesn't look like a custom computer from afar.

Other than that, have fun with your build.

Cheers 🙂
 
You know, I'd take a look at this in a completely different light..

You feel like spending and building a nice pc..

I presume you want to build it yourself, and not by some premade gaming monster 🙂..

It really seems like you're not completely focused on what you REALLY want.. Because what I think you REALLY want is a kickass stable silent pc.

First of all, find a SILENT case, and not some max cooling overclockers one.. Something stylish..

Get a simple watercooling setup and cool the whole damned thing with passive radiators.

Get that SSD, by all means, and stock up on cheap storage for all your music and pictures.

Get two lazy 120mm fans. One in the front and one in the back, just to get some air moving across your mobo..

Buy a fanless psu.. 500w is mooooore than enough for your needs..

There you go.. A system that will make your surfing and stockexchange needs fly by, and it won't say a thing.. Spend the money on making it silent - that's my advice..
 
Originally posted by: BTRY B 529th FA BN
Asus = fail
Click to expand...

Uh, what?

/brandish pitchfork and torch


More to the point, you'd be better of spending the extra cash on more monitors, not a crazy video card or 8gb of ram.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top