1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Computer Usage:
Software Development: Linux (Ubuntu 9.10), Eclipse, Kate, etc
Mid (Not that Big) Data: Marklogic Community Edition (6gb XML database), 24 million tripple RDF store (Jena TDB), 1 million row PostgreSQL database
Gaming: Windows 7, Orange Box, Dawn of War II, Mass Effect (2 when it ships)
Media: Would like to be able to watch a Top Gear episode (H.264) while waiting for results to come back from RDF store (multi threaded), listen to music while compiling, running queries, etc.
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$1800-2000 pre monitor less money is of course better
3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
USA
4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
I will never buy a WD drive again... at least for a year or two had 3 fail in one week. nVidia for graphics is sadly required do to Linux driver issues.
5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Replacing iMac 24in, and G5
Currently using T61p laptop which uh, gets a bit hot under load. (Only one burn mark)
Reusable parts:
74 GB Raptor (??)
1TB Seagate
Mouse, Keyboard, Speakers, Monitor, etc
6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
Yes, but haven't seen much anywhere with people building work/gaming machines. The Linux/Windows issue doesn't seem to be covered well.
7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
24/7 Overclocking not aiming beyond 3.6~8 Ghz
8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.
1920x1200, will have two monitors.
9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
October 2009
Current Design:
Case: Silverston Raven RV-02 $180
Don't like the looks -that- much, it's not too ugly. Do like the cooling design, do like the well ventilated 3 hard drives and separate SSD mount. Will be under desk mounted so top cable exit sounded good. Don't want to spend more $200 on a case.
CPU: i7 920 $280
Was waiting to see what the new i7/i5 CPUs were like, but I think I'm better off with the the 1399 socket stuff. I guess the i7 860 might work too?
Motherboard: ASUS Rampage II Gene $210
Don't really need any extra PCI slots, seems to be a good OC board. No floppy connector! Wish it didn't have an IDE connector too
Layout seems excellent.
Memory: Okay, I can explain how memory gets allocated how to make it faster in Linux, how kernel memory differs from kernel buffers and process memory, can happily hack away on memory mapping/management code for mid scale data systems... but I haven't a clue how CAS timings/PC3 1600/etc interact with performance or price or motherboard compatibility. It's RAM! I stick stuff in it... often in large chunks. Help? Reading about it has only made it worse half seem to say it doesn't matter the other half that it's massively important. The motherboard reviews on newegg with comments like "Everythings working great, but I can only see 2GB of my 4GB of memory" do not inspire confidence.
6 GB is a minimum, will likely buy another 6GB in the coming months.
CPU Cooler: Gah, yeah this is where I get confused again. Can't seem to find most of the recommended ones online. Some form of large air cooler seems to be the way to go. Looks to be $40-90.
Video Card: Some form nVidia GTX260 $170-185
I don't think spending less money here is effective. I guess the 9600 GT is a possibility, but meh.
Drives:
Goal: Linux Boot from SSD, Windows Boot from dedicated drive, shared 1TB media (existing drive), 1TB data storage for Linux
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1TB $80-90
Uh, it's a 1TB drive.
OCZ Agility 120GB $310
15% Cheaper then other 120GB SSDs within 5% of performance? Sounds good to me!
Not sure if reusing the Raptor is a good idea it's 4 years old, was under 24/7 load for 3 of them. Thoughts?
Power Supply: Need one of those... modular cords would be nice. Not really sure of how to pick one. Flip a coin?
Computer Usage:
Software Development: Linux (Ubuntu 9.10), Eclipse, Kate, etc
Mid (Not that Big) Data: Marklogic Community Edition (6gb XML database), 24 million tripple RDF store (Jena TDB), 1 million row PostgreSQL database
Gaming: Windows 7, Orange Box, Dawn of War II, Mass Effect (2 when it ships)
Media: Would like to be able to watch a Top Gear episode (H.264) while waiting for results to come back from RDF store (multi threaded), listen to music while compiling, running queries, etc.
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$1800-2000 pre monitor less money is of course better
3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
USA
4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
I will never buy a WD drive again... at least for a year or two had 3 fail in one week. nVidia for graphics is sadly required do to Linux driver issues.
5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Replacing iMac 24in, and G5
Currently using T61p laptop which uh, gets a bit hot under load. (Only one burn mark)
Reusable parts:
74 GB Raptor (??)
1TB Seagate
Mouse, Keyboard, Speakers, Monitor, etc
6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
Yes, but haven't seen much anywhere with people building work/gaming machines. The Linux/Windows issue doesn't seem to be covered well.
7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
24/7 Overclocking not aiming beyond 3.6~8 Ghz
8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.
1920x1200, will have two monitors.
9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
October 2009
Current Design:
Case: Silverston Raven RV-02 $180
Don't like the looks -that- much, it's not too ugly. Do like the cooling design, do like the well ventilated 3 hard drives and separate SSD mount. Will be under desk mounted so top cable exit sounded good. Don't want to spend more $200 on a case.
CPU: i7 920 $280
Was waiting to see what the new i7/i5 CPUs were like, but I think I'm better off with the the 1399 socket stuff. I guess the i7 860 might work too?
Motherboard: ASUS Rampage II Gene $210
Don't really need any extra PCI slots, seems to be a good OC board. No floppy connector! Wish it didn't have an IDE connector too
Layout seems excellent.Memory: Okay, I can explain how memory gets allocated how to make it faster in Linux, how kernel memory differs from kernel buffers and process memory, can happily hack away on memory mapping/management code for mid scale data systems... but I haven't a clue how CAS timings/PC3 1600/etc interact with performance or price or motherboard compatibility. It's RAM! I stick stuff in it... often in large chunks. Help? Reading about it has only made it worse half seem to say it doesn't matter the other half that it's massively important. The motherboard reviews on newegg with comments like "Everythings working great, but I can only see 2GB of my 4GB of memory" do not inspire confidence.
6 GB is a minimum, will likely buy another 6GB in the coming months.
CPU Cooler: Gah, yeah this is where I get confused again. Can't seem to find most of the recommended ones online. Some form of large air cooler seems to be the way to go. Looks to be $40-90.
Video Card: Some form nVidia GTX260 $170-185
I don't think spending less money here is effective. I guess the 9600 GT is a possibility, but meh.
Drives:
Goal: Linux Boot from SSD, Windows Boot from dedicated drive, shared 1TB media (existing drive), 1TB data storage for Linux
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1TB $80-90
Uh, it's a 1TB drive.
OCZ Agility 120GB $310
15% Cheaper then other 120GB SSDs within 5% of performance? Sounds good to me!
Not sure if reusing the Raptor is a good idea it's 4 years old, was under 24/7 load for 3 of them. Thoughts?
Power Supply: Need one of those... modular cords would be nice. Not really sure of how to pick one. Flip a coin?
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