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Are these pc specs and price good?
Author
I'm a CS student interested in graphics and AI programming who will be buying a computer soon and wanted to know if the specs and price of the desktop I'm planning to buy are good. I will appreciate all of your advices but keep in mind that I only have $1300 to spend on the computer.
NOTE: Aside of programming I will be playing Flight Simulator X and Crisis
Here are the specs:
Case: Apevia X-Jupiter Jr.
Fans: 120mm fan ( Qty: 3 )
PSU: CoolerMaster Unit 600 Watts Extreme Power-SLI Supports
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 @ 2.66GHz
CPU Cooling: CoolerMaster Liquid CPU Cooling
Motherboard: Asus P5N-D nForce 750i SLI
RAM: 2GB (2x1GB) Corsair Value
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT 512MB 16x PCI Express (Only one)
Monitor: 19" ViewSonic VA1903 WB WXGA+
HDD: 320GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM
Optical Drive: 20X DVD DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER
Optical Drive: 16X DVD ROM
Sound: Integrated 7.1 Sound
Speakers: Logitech (BLACK) X-540 70Watts 5.1 Configuration Speaker System
Network: PCI Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Network Interface Card
Media: 12 in 1 Flash Media Reader/Writer
Software: Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
All for a total price of $1238 before shipping and handling
Is the 600W PSU a good option or should I get a 500W or 535W PSU instead?
Thanks in advance, CircuitX
[Edited by - CircuitX on February 13, 2008 7:56:28 PM]
I have a 600 watt PSU in a very similar system (same processor, but 8800GTS) and it is more than enough for the system. Actually way more than I really needed. I've personally been happy with mine (OCZ StealthXStream. I was surprised when I was shopping for power supplies, at how limited my choices where if I didn't want it to have LEDs) and means I don't have to worry about upgrading with more drives and that. I haven't found any drawbacks to it as of yet.
First thing I would suggest, unless you are planning to really overclock that CPU, ditch the cooling. Stock Air is way more than enough (Mine idles at 30 something C, and stresses out at 60 something when pushed)
I can't really think of a valid second, other than my very strong dislike of cases such as that. I don't think I'll ever want anything too different from my Antec P-180. (the only drawback to my case is it is fricken huge! and heavy.)
First thing I would suggest, unless you are planning to really overclock that CPU, ditch the cooling. Stock Air is way more than enough (Mine idles at 30 something C, and stresses out at 60 something when pushed)
I can't really think of a valid second, other than my very strong dislike of cases such as that. I don't think I'll ever want anything too different from my Antec P-180. (the only drawback to my case is it is fricken huge! and heavy.)
Author
Thanks for your reply. I have a little doubt about what you mean when you say ditch the cooling (I'm a Spanish speaker with average english knowledge). Are you referring to the cpu liquid cooling or the extra fan when you said ditch the cooling? About the PSU then I think a 500W should do it because the 8800GT is less power hungry. Am I right or should I stay with 600W? You said you didn't liked the case, can I know why? Is it bad for upgrades or messy to deal with the cables on it?
Do you have a specific reason for getting a burner and a non-burner drive? If you aren't doing disc-to-disc copies I'd just get one (the writer).
Then again you'd only save like $30 so it's not that big of a deal.
Other than that the price looks spot-on for the components you listed.
I agree with Talroth - I wouldn't buy the liquid cooling system because a good fan should be good enough.
Then again you'd only save like $30 so it's not that big of a deal.
Other than that the price looks spot-on for the components you listed.
I agree with Talroth - I wouldn't buy the liquid cooling system because a good fan should be good enough.
I'd ditch the water-cooling. It's not necessary, and there's too many things that can go wrong if you're not experienced with it.
Use the money you save on that to upgrade to a Q6600 CPU (If you're doing computationally heavy AI stuff, you'll love the Q6600 over the E6750).
If you get a Q6600 G0 then the fan that comes with it is sufficient to keep it running cool.
Use the money you save on that to upgrade to a Q6600 CPU (If you're doing computationally heavy AI stuff, you'll love the Q6600 over the E6750).
If you get a Q6600 G0 then the fan that comes with it is sufficient to keep it running cool.
Author
Thanks guys for all your advice. I will stay with the stock CPU fan and the 600W PSU. Also I will change the case to the Apevia X-Telstar Jr.
Now my PC will cost $1197 so it is a good price.
Now my PC will cost $1197 so it is a good price.
I assume you are ordering from www.cyberpowerpc.com ? I got a pc from them and its great but I have been very unsatisfied with their service. First my order took 33 days to build and ship! Second I ordered the mushkin extreme memory but when the pc arrived it had regular mushkin ram. It then took them 3 weeks to verify and ship out the correct memory, which when this happened they charged me for the correct ram, did not tell me they were going to charge me, and claimed they would refund the money once the wrong ram was sent back to them. Its been two weeks since they received the wrong ram back from me and I have yet to be refunded this second charge. I have been trying to call them and they do not call back. So buy at your own risk from them, they have good reviews on some sites but there are horrible ones like mine mixed in with them.
Sorry about that CircuitX.
I did mean to not bother with the Water Cooling system (They're risky, and eat up a lot of electrical power).
As for the case, I can't really comment on it beyond I simply hate the look of it. But to each their own. (That is assuming the one Google showed me which had all the bright lights and clear parts to the case is the same one you are getting)
I agree on using the money you would have spent on the water cooling system to upgrade to a quad core processor.
Side note question. Any idea if the difference in FSB would have much of an effect on the processors? Q6600 being 4 cores at 2.40GHZ and 1066 FSB, vs the E6750's 2 cores at 2.66GHZ and 1333FSB? How much of an impact is that likely to make for single core programs?
Any reason why the Core 2 Quads aren't at 1333, only Xeons?
I did mean to not bother with the Water Cooling system (They're risky, and eat up a lot of electrical power).
As for the case, I can't really comment on it beyond I simply hate the look of it. But to each their own. (That is assuming the one Google showed me which had all the bright lights and clear parts to the case is the same one you are getting)
I agree on using the money you would have spent on the water cooling system to upgrade to a quad core processor.
Side note question. Any idea if the difference in FSB would have much of an effect on the processors? Q6600 being 4 cores at 2.40GHZ and 1066 FSB, vs the E6750's 2 cores at 2.66GHZ and 1333FSB? How much of an impact is that likely to make for single core programs?
Any reason why the Core 2 Quads aren't at 1333, only Xeons?
Author
Quote:
Posted by Talroth
I did mean to not bother with the Water Cooling system (They're risky, and eat up a lot of electrical power).
Don't worry Talroth you didn't bother me instead you gave me a very good advice that I will follow, and about the case I was in doubt of it so I change it for a better looking Apevia X-Telstar Jr (blue color), I like cases with side windows on it ;).
Quote:
Posted by Talroth
Side note question. Any idea if the difference in FSB would have much of an effect on the processors? Q6600 being 4 cores at 2.40GHZ and 1066 FSB, vs the E6750's 2 cores at 2.66GHZ and 1333FSB? How much of an impact is that likely to make for single core programs?
Any reason why the Core 2 Quads aren't at 1333, only Xeons?
Well I don't know too much of the differences between Quad and Dual Cores but my Computer Science Professor told me that it will take long for programmers to take advantage of the 4 cores so I should stick with 2 cores for now. I'm taking his advice, he is an electric/computer engineer and he must be doing some intensive calculations because his specialty is in neural networks. That is as far as I can go because I don't know too much about that, I'm only in my second year of CS.
In reply to xDS4Lx,
Do you order it during christmas rush?
Your guess was right I'm ordering from cyberpowerpc and it's good to know that there's a chance of having some issues with them, at least I can be sure that my pc will arrive if I order it. Maybe it will took long for me to be shipped because I'm from Puerto Rico but that price can't be matched, I had checked some other sites and no other is giving those specs at that price, they are at $1400 and over. I will have to think if I will take the risk of having those kind of issues. I will check more reviews of them.
[Edited by - CircuitX on February 13, 2008 11:57:22 PM]
I ordered my PC Dec 1. I expected some delay but not 33 days to build, especially since when I called I was told nothing was on back order. The pc works great I have no complaints other then them switching out cheapo memory on me. And I have the same case, the Apevia Telstar Jr, I like it.
This topic is closed to new replies.
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