Power-House All-Use/Gaming Rig

- Case: XClio A380BK
- Mobo: Asus P6T Deluxe V2 XOC w/ Turbo V
- CPU: Core i7 920 2.66GHz OC @ 3.33GHz w/ TurboBoost
- RAM: Patriot Viper 6GB (3x2GB) 1600 MHz OC @ 1800MHz
- GPU: HD Sapphire Radeon 4890 XOC 1GB GDDR5
- HD: Western Digital Caviar 1TB Black 3.0Gb/s
- Optic: 2x Sony Optiarc 24x/48x DVD/CD Burner Combo
- PSU: SeaSonic S12 550W
- Display: Asus 24" 1080p HD Widescreen 1920x1200
- Key/M: MicroSoft Wireless Desktop Pro 2.0
- Speakers: Creative Inspire T3100 2.1
- OS: MicroSoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition
- Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver Compound
- Extra Case Fan(s): RoseWill 120mm Fan
- Scythe 3000 92mm CPU Cooler

- Price - $1,835

~ System w/ only hardware (no Keyboard/Mouse or Speakers) - $1,750 / $1,665 after mail in rebates ~

Leave feedback.
Thanx!

- WhiteWelcomer a.k.a. SevenWhite7

Message edited by WhiteWelcomer on 05-14-2009 at 04:58:01 AM

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Good build.

Do you need the extra features of Vista Ultimate?

Reply to jpdykes

Not really, but it comes in a combo package with the 4890 XOC for $60 cheaper, and a $20 mail-in rebate. It's effectively the same price as getting them separate, and Home Premium instead.

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

How long do you think it'll last before I have to upgrade, given the all-too-familiar speed with which the Gaming Industry is expanding?

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

i7 build that includes two gtx 275's running in SLI, and monitor

You want to make sure you flash to the latest bios with that board, and then afterwards download the latest drivers for it.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/g [...] ,7463.html <--- Gigabyte: Enable SLI On X58 Boards

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119137 $74.99
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139006 $119.99 ($99.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-EX58U3R $178.99 | $163.99 after rebate Free Ground Shipping
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD3R Core i7/ Intel X58/ DDR3/ CrossFireX/ A&GbE/ ATX Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.192479 Combo Discount: -$7.00 Combo Price: $367.98 $20.00 Mail-In Rebate
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1600LV6GK - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233029 $39.99 Free Shipping*
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835154003 $4.99
Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130475 $249.99 ($229.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130475 $249.99 ($229.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827118030 $25.99 Free Shipping*
Sony Optiarc Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD/CD Rewritable Drive - OEM | New 24X burner from Sony Optiarc

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.186064 Combo Discount: -$20.00 Combo Price: $149.98
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - OEM
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824005125 $229.99 Free Shipping*
LG W2353V-PF Black 23" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Full HD 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 50000:1 w/ Smart Package - Retail

Total: $1,692.88 | $1,597.88 w/mail in rebates

Message edited by Why_Me on 05-12-2009 at 11:17:18 AM

Reply to Why_Me

I'm going to assume you miss-posted in this thread, as your reply in no way answers any questions, nor critiques my build with which I opened this, my thread.
Am I correct in my assumption?

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

WhiteWelcomer wrote :

I'm going to assume you miss-posted in this thread, as your reply in no way answers any questions, nor critiques my build with which I opened this, my thread.
Am I correct in my assumption?

Here I'l help ya out. The title of the thread is; "Power-House All-Use/Gaming Rig" and after I saw your total cost was $1,700 I wanted to show you what a real "Power-House All-Use/Gaming Rig" is for that price.

In other words... critiquing your build...you posted a build that gives you a lot less for your money then what it should in order to be considered a; "Power-House All-Use/Gaming Rig"...unless I misread the title of this thread ?

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by Why_Me on 05-11-2009 at 08:54:54 AM

Reply to Why_Me

Why_Me wrote :

Here I'l help ya out. The title of the thread is; "Power-House All-Use/Gaming Rig" and after I saw your total cost was $1,700 I wanted to show you what a real "Power-House All-Use/Gaming Rig" is for that price.

In other words... critiquing your build...you posted a build that gives you a lot less for your money then what it should in order to be considered a; "Power-House All-Use/Gaming Rig"...unless I misread the title of this thread ?

Agreed.

This guy just made a awesome build for the same price and got you TWO graphics card instead of the ONE you had. Thank him much..

Reply to the_one111

I'd swap the two cards out for two 4890's though, ATi's cards scale better in dual GPU formation.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Helloworld_98

Very good build for the price... I think when its all said and done you will realize you won't need an upgrade for a long time...

Reply to Kill@dor

I wouldn't bother with a 4890 unless you're grabbing the Sapphire Atomic Edition.

1GHz core clock =o

Reply to Fortunex

and hexus got it to 1020 with 4920mhz ram clock.

Reply to Helloworld_98

Helloworld_98 wrote :

I'd swap the two cards out for two 4890's though, ATi's cards scale better in dual GPU formation.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews [...] ire/9.html
If you SLI'd 2 GTX 275's most likely it would give greater or equal performance. The 4890s need to be OC to reach their full potential, that might be more difficult when you have 2 right next to each other.

Any combination is fine, but I just prefer 2 GTX 275s.

Reply to radiowars

The build isn't better than what I posted, just different. What you spec'd isn't any more a PowerHouse than mine is, nor mine yours.
And you don't have to agree with me, for me to be right

Message edited by WhiteWelcomer on 05-12-2009 at 05:12:15 AM

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

Main Differences:
Yours has a more expensive Case.
You have to have a bigger/more expensive Power Supply (mine's 550W 'cause the two 4890 x2's only draw 43.7W ea. @ idle, 240.6W together @ peak).
I have a more expensive MotherBoard, 'cause it's better (IMHO).
I have Speakers and a Keyboard/Mouse included, you do not. Just pointing that out.
I have two Optical drives (you have one).
The 275's are slower than the 285's, and the 4890's are slightly faster than the 285's, and scale better in CrossFireX than the 285's do in SLI (i.e. 2x 4890's in dual-gpu solution = more for your money.)
You also have no OS incuded (Vista Ultimate, in my build adds $185)

If I took out the Speakers, Keyboard/Mouse, one Optical drive, and added another 4890, they'd be very close, with only minor (personal prefference) differences (i.e. GPU's, Monitor, Case etc...)

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by WhiteWelcomer on 05-12-2009 at 04:59:56 AM

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

WhiteWelcomer wrote :

Main Differences:
Yours has a more expensive Case.
You have to have a bigger/more expensive Power Supply (mine's 550W 'cause the two 4890 x2's only draw 50W ea.).
I have a more expensive MotherBoard, 'cause it's better (IMHO).
I have Speakers and a Keyboard/Mouse included, you do not. Just pointing that out.
I have two Optical drives (you have one).
The 275's are slower than the 285's, and the 4890's are slightly faster than the 285's, and scale better in CrossFireX than the 285's do in SLI (i.e. 2x 4890's in dual-gpu solution = more for your money.)
You also have no OS incuded (Vista Ultimate, in my build adds $185)

If I took out the Speakers, Keyboard/Mouse, one Optical drive, and added another 4890, they'd be very close, with only minor (personal prefference) differences (i.e. GPU's, Monitor, Case etc...)

Lol...no,no,no.
4890's do NOT draw 50W of power lol, or else they wouldn't require a 6 pin connector. The Gigabyte mobo is fine. 2 Optical drives, who really cares, unless you're consistently burning CD's/DVD's.
GTX 275's are practically equal to GTX 285's, and the 4890 is slower than the GTX 275 unless OC to 950 and above (However, if you OC the GTX 275's pretty well, than they should compare to the 4890 OC.)

OS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.186064 Combo Discount: -$20.00 Combo Price: $154.98
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - OEM
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM

It was right there in the combo deal with the HD. Nice catch.

Also, Why_Me's build came with a CPU cooler and thermal paste.

One of the best reviewer sites http://www.techspot.com/review/164 [...] page2.html
Matches the 4890 with the GTX 275, both come out even.

Tom's Hardware: http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 66-14.html
Total power used is ~300W. Add another card on there and you're looking around 400W. If you have fans, OC (especially if you OC 2 4890's at least 11% increase in power draw, then you get pretty damn close to a 550W PSU running @ a perfect 80% efficiency. You want a 750W or above. Anything less, you'll just stress the *** out of your components.

Reply to radiowars

- SeaSonic S12 550W: 88% efficiency - "Nice Catch"
Besides, even if you have to up it, you won't need 200W more. A 600W PSU would suffice (unless of course you went w/ the GTX 275 or 285).

Vista Home Premium is also about $85-$100 cheaper. My point still stands.
Were I to get Home Premium instead, in that combo, my build would be a few $ cheaper rather than a few $ more expensive.
The argument between the two builds is almost as pointless as an argument of semantics.

Again, you don't have to agree with me for me to be right.
I, once again, assert that it's a matter of opinion. The builds are very similar, and are priced very nearly within range of each other.

Thank you for proving my point, though =)
'Tis very much appreciated.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by WhiteWelcomer on 05-12-2009 at 05:25:39 AM

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

Excuse my mistake on the Watt consumption. 43.7W @ idle, 120.3W @ peak.
So, even if your computer was drawing 250W without the GPU (which, the two most power consuming parts in a system are the CPU, and GPU), the Core i7 never exceeds 130W (unless you tell it to), so everything else would have room to swim in the other 120W. Then, 2x 4890's add 240W peak. That leaves you @ 490W, when/if everything hits peak (assuming you use up all 120W of 'swim'-room).
You've still got 60W, AND it's an 88% efficiency PSU.
I rest my case.

Message edited by WhiteWelcomer on 05-12-2009 at 05:20:39 AM

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

u like dishin out the advice more than taking it friend

Reply to daidalas

I don't mind taking advice at all. I just defend my point(s) well.

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

WhiteWelcomer wrote :

- SeaSonic S12 550W: 88% efficiency - "Nice Catch"
Besides, even if you have to up it, you won't need 200W more. A 600W PSU would suffice (unless of course you went w/ the GTX 275 or 285).

Vista Home Premium is also about $85-$100 cheaper. My point still stands.
Were I to get Home Premium instead, in that combo, my build would be a few $ cheaper rather than a few $ more expensive.
The argument between the two builds is almost as pointless as an argument of semantics.

Again, you don't have to agree with me for me to be right.
I, once again, assert that it's a matter of opinion. The builds are very similar, and are priced very nearly within range of each other.

Thank you for proving my point, though =)
'Tis very much appreciated.

Maybe you should have clicked radiowars link. The 4890 uses more juice than the gtx 275. You are the first person on here that has even contemplated running two 4890's in Crossfire using a 550w psu.

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,2266.html <--- gtx 275 reviews

Message edited by Why_Me on 05-12-2009 at 06:48:57 AM

Reply to Why_Me

Guess that makes me special =)

Aside from the fact that I know first hand it works, no problems. My friend set up something similar, with 2x 4890 XOC's in CrossFireX w/ that same 550W PSU, and it had yet to give him any issues.
You just can't buy poor quality PSU's; those PSU's are why most people swear the "need" for 750W, 900W etc...
They're 4890's; not 4870 x2's.

Message edited by WhiteWelcomer on 05-12-2009 at 01:46:45 PM

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

Now, if/when I were to get 4890 x2's, THEN I'd need something like an 88% efficiency 750W PSU.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

WhiteWelcomer wrote :

Now, if/when I were to get 4890 x2's, THEN I'd need something like an 88% efficiency 750W PSU.

I'm sorry, but if I recall, Why_Me's build had 2 GTX 275's in SLI, thus requiring at least a 750W PSU. You just completely defered the arguement.

Reply to radiowars

You're ALMOST right. You see, the argument about the 750W PSU was pertaining to the fact that some believe I need one in my setup, whereas I do not, being that I have only ONE GPU in my setup; I said, when/if I were to have 2x 4890's, then I, too, WOULD, in fact, need a 750W PSU. If I posted something that appeared to you as contradictory, please, do inform me and I will do my best to clarify =).
Thank you in advance.

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

Also, part of my point was that the 275's use more power than the 4890's. I incorrectly types 4890's, where I meant to put 275's. So it SHOULD read similar to 'when/if I had 2x 275's, then I might need a 750W PSU.
Check the config in a Watt calculator.
My whole setup, EVEN WITH [u]TWO[u] 4890's, AND asuming the CPU is OC to 3.33GHz w/ 1.25V, and EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT (including the CPU while OC) at 100% load, it's 571W. I made the point that I would never come close to that.
I also made the point that the CPU (still, while OC) being at 85%, and the total system load at 90%, I'm only at 493W.
Which, is still on an 88% efficiency PSU.
I conceed that I might need to bump it to a 600W PSU to be safe. But someone was convinced that I would need 'at least a 750W PSU', with only a single 4890.
Have I clarified everything?

Message quoted 2 times
Message edited by WhiteWelcomer on 05-14-2009 at 05:15:50 AM

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

WhiteWelcomer wrote :

Also, part of my point was that the 275's use more power than the 4890's. I incorrectly types 4890's, where I meant to put 275's. So it SHOULD read similar to 'when/if I had 2x 275's, then I might need a 750W PSU.
Check the config in a Watt calculator.
My whole setup, EVEN WITH [u]TWO[u] 4890's, AND asuming the CPU is OC to 3.33GHz w/ 1.25V, and EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT (including the CPU while OC) at 100% load, it's 571W. I made the point that I would never come close to that.
I also made the point that the CPU (still, while OC) being at 85%, and the total system load at 90%, I'm only at 493W.
Which, is still on an 88% efficiency PSU.
I conceed that I might need to bump it to a 600W PSU to be safe. But someone was convinced that I would need 'at least a 750W PSU', with only a single 4890.
Have I clarified everything?

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 66-14.html <--- gtx 275 and 4890 power consumption at idle and under full load.

Message edited by Why_Me on 05-14-2009 at 08:21:22 AM

Reply to Why_Me

WhiteWelcomer wrote :

Also, part of my point was that the 275's use more power than the 4890's. I incorrectly types 4890's, where I meant to put 275's. So it SHOULD read similar to 'when/if I had 2x 275's, then I might need a 750W PSU.
Check the config in a Watt calculator.
My whole setup, EVEN WITH [u]TWO[u] 4890's, AND asuming the CPU is OC to 3.33GHz w/ 1.25V, and EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT (including the CPU while OC) at 100% load, it's 571W. I made the point that I would never come close to that.
I also made the point that the CPU (still, while OC) being at 85%, and the total system load at 90%, I'm only at 493W.
Which, is still on an 88% efficiency PSU.
I conceed that I might need to bump it to a 600W PSU to be safe. But someone was convinced that I would need 'at least a 750W PSU', with only a single 4890.
Have I clarified everything?

You can't just rely on a PSU calculator.
A 600W PSU with 2 GPU's an OC Ram, CPU, GPU is not safe. If it really was that easy, why wouldn't everyone be buying 600W PSUs for all their SLI/CF setups. Sure, get the 550W psu, throw 2 4890s in there, and ignore our advice.

Reply to radiowars

Haha if I were to do that, I know it would work because I've USED my friend's computer that HAS that exact setup. You should be taking MY advice.

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

There are plenty of forums that have graphs on the power consumption, and EVERY one I've seen is different. I trust what I've seen first had over the confused, misinformed (as often the information on the Internet/Media is) multitude.
I, once again, state that whether you agree with me or not doesn't change the facts.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

WhiteWelcomer wrote :

There are plenty of forums that have graphs on the power consumption, and EVERY one I've seen is different. I trust what I've seen first had over the confused, misinformed (as often the information on the Internet/Media is) multitude.
I, once again, state that whether you agree with me or not doesn't change the facts.

Your correct...all of us who post on tomshardware are complete morons when it come to PC hardware. In fact I don't know why you even started this thread seeing how you know so much better than the people who run those test...including the manufacturer. BTW after reading your post on here and seeing the edit jobs you have done on your first post throughout the week I find it doubtful your friend is running two 4890's in Crossfire on a high power consumption cpu such as an i7 build seeing how your a habitual liar.

Reply to Why_Me

Ah, an expert and a know-it-all; great. Who's next?

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

C'mon, no one?
Why_me sure has a lot to bitch about, anyone else care to attempt to best him?

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

^ Your friend is not running that same setup on a 550w PSU.

Just to give an example that 550w is what it take's from the wall, a non-oc'd i7 with a single 4870 which uses less than a 4890, will just about get by on one of those Seasonic's because the recommended amount for a year of usage would be 480w usage which it just about passes. If he's using it for over 1 year it won't power it.

Now 4890's use about 30w more than the 4870 putting it over the limit of that PSU.

These are single graphics cards we are talking about here, If you are going to add a second 4890 then you will have about 610w of power consumption and half of that is just the gfx cards. Not to mention most PSU's in that power point don't have dual 8 pin and dual 6 pin which is what you'll need if you go with a 1ghz 4890.

Reply to Helloworld_98

I'll not argue about it further.
I thank you all for your opinions and helpful insight, but I will not be told what I know and do not know; if I get around to making a video, showing to you that his setup is JUST that, (DVD/CD drive are different, Monitor, Keyboard/Mouse as well) I'd be more than happy to do so. Until then, the discussion is over. No one appears to give any ground.
Note: just think to yourself why I'd make such an argument if it weren't true; I know, I know, save the trouble. We'll just have to agree to disagree.
Thank you, once again. I know you won't believe me when I say that I appreciate it, truly, but it won't change the fact that I do.

Message edited by WhiteWelcomer on 05-17-2009 at 05:05:29 PM

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

It's going nowhere, and it's making enemies where there shouldn't be any (I hold nothing against anyone, but I might guess there are some who do against me).
Let it just close and/or be deleted.

I don't plan on buying the system in the immediate future, so the discussion about it can come at a later time, when, parts may be improved and/or the build changes dramatically (i.e. when Core i5 comes out).

Reply to WhiteWelcomer

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