My PC build

[NZ255]

I figured I might as well document my PC build for something to do, and anyone eles interested.

This is my first build, but am very fimiliar with PC's and installing hardware, so shouldn't be too hard. Famous last words???

We here we go.....

Got woken up at ten to seven this morning......courier! The Corsair TX-650 PSU and 2 gigs of Crucial Ballistix ram arrives.

The Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme (phew) arrived at 3, and I had my first go a trying to sign my name on those electronic signing things. It's like an art!


I can't seem to add reply's with out it adding onto my first post.

[Anthony]

Nope you can't add replies straight away, you have to wait a while - I'm not sure how long but I seem to have done it before.
It's to stop people from posting lots of things after each other to increase their post count, but it gets in the way of things were multiple posts make sense and are preferable.

Anyway good to hear that stuff has started to arrive.
Obviously you'll keep us posted.
Good luck and don't fry or blow anything up.

[NZ255]

QUOTE (Anthony @ Jul 16 2008, 03:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good luck and don't fry or blow anything up.

Touch wood....or touch metal in this case.....to get rid of any static electricity

Case, graphics card and DVD drive will probably be here tomorrow......hopefully mobo and CPU as well, but doesn't really matter as I'm going out tomorrow so won't be able to start or finish build.

[brownbox]

you will be fine. I did my first rebuild a few weeks after i got my first ever pc and i managed to pull it off. Just remember to take the screwdriver out of the case before you turn it on.....
Good to see that the stuff is starting to arrive. Did the case get there without any problems? No dents or anything?

[NZ255]

QUOTE (brownbox @ Jul 16 2008, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you will be fine. I did my first rebuild a few weeks after i got my first ever pc and i managed to pull it off. Just remember to take the screwdriver out of the case before you turn it on.....
Good to see that the stuff is starting to arrive. Did the case get there without any problems? No dents or anything?

Haven't got case yet, arriving tomorrow

[Anthony]

I looked at your specs again and you're missing a harddrive and an OS.
Thus I assume you are keeping what you've got?
Also out of interest where are you ordering from?

[Charl]

Be great to get some photos as y'go...

[deeknow]

QUOTE

I looked at your specs again and you're missing a hard drive and an OS.[/quote]
Oh ! Yeah, I've got an old IDE HDD, lying around, that I'll install XP on from one of our old PCs.

QUOTE

Also out of interest where are you ordering from?[/quote]
I ordered the:
Case, TRUE (CPU cooler), PSU and RAM from Ascent. Best prices/only prices for these items. Really easy, direct credit (both with ASB so they got the payment straight away) very fast shipping, next day and 2 days for the case. Free shipping!

Graphics card and DVD drive from OCZone. Best prices, 2 days to arrive, easy to deal with.

CPU and Mobo from Ifocus. Best prices, 2 days to arrive, easy to deal with, free shipping for items over $100 and under 10lbs.

Over all a great buying experience, and so far everything is intact, and hopefully working!

QUOTE

Be great to get some photos as y'go...[/quote]
I've finished the build, will fire up tomorrow as I've still got to erase HDD and dad wants us to go to bed. I don't know if I'll get to sleep though, too excited.

Pics to follow, probably tomorrow.

Nick

NZ255

NZFF Pro

 

Topic author

Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:57 pm

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[deeknow]

QUOTE

Pics to follow, probably tomorrow.[/quote]
Yeah right, been playing Call of Duty 4 too much!

It's great! Running COD4 on every thing maxed out, no lag! Not sure how many frame rates but I haven't noticed any lagging. Having said that, COD4 is....forgiving with bad hardware, but great with good hardware!


What could these be?

Snaps finger....

Oh right.

The rest speak for themselves...

















The massive TRUE! Hopefully it won't snap the mobo because it seems a bit heavy. I guess that's what the back plate's for...?

























Some cable management

Cover on



In it's final resting place....before it got moved to on top of the desk.

Haven't reinstalled FS9 yet, but expecting it to be very good.

Q6600 running on stock, 2.4GHz at max 30 C

Might upload some game play videos later.....in the mean time, it's my go on the comp!

Any Q's?

Nick

Last edited by NZ255 on Sun Jul 20, 2008 12:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Anthony]

Wicked, thanks for the update and the pics. Have fun!
The TRUE is huge! I was expected a piddly little heatsink and maybe a fan, but not that monster.

Do you mind if I ask how much you spent on this build?

[NZ255]

$1390, including GST and shipping. Mind you that's not including the hard drive, XP, monitor, keyboard and mouse etc

[deeknow]

QUOTE (NZ255 @ Jul 20 2008, 01:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

$1390, including GST and shipping. Mind you that's not including the hard drive, XP, monitor, keyboard and mouse etc

Good stuff Nick, good on ya for assembling it yourself, it really is bloody satisfying aye to build your own machine from parts you've hand-picked. Nice looking case too huh with tons of room to move

I didnt notice any anti static measures being taken in your pics, all part of the thrill I guess

You plannin on running FSX eventually?

[NZ255]

Didn't bother with anti static stuff, I did plug in the PSU (Not on at the switch though), and touched that every time I felt it was necessary. Not sure if it did any thing, but everything works!

Yeah I'm looking at FSX, but will have to wait a while....the build just about cleaned out my bank account

Nick

[brownbox]

heh, gotta love the palit frog thing.
Nice case too. Similar to mind but slightly different.

I have to ask though, whats performance like?

[NZ255]

Its good, installed FS9 today, PMDG 737, Real NZ Wellington, mesh, all sliders maxed.......not sure exactly, but it was dipping from 25 - 55 fps. COD4 is great..all sliders maxed....no lag in sight, other than that we haven't played any other games yet.

[brownbox]

great to see its all working nicely mate

[jastheace]

looks like you have got a good system there, glad to hear it is working well, it is great fun and a real sense of accomplishment when you finish building it and turn it on for the first time

[NZ255]

Haha, funny you mention that....turning it on that is. First time, i turned on the PSU at the back and pressed the button.............nothing....oh no!

Second time plugged in the PSU, pressed the button....nothing !!

Third time turned the switch on at the wall Hooray!

Few

[cowpatz]

Gidday Nick,
Now that your system is bedded in what are your opinions of it? What, if anything, would you change with the benefit of hindsight?
How does the card handle FSX (if you have it) or if still with FS9, how does it handle weather?
From what I can see on Toms hardware (03 quarter of 2008) the humble 8800 GTS still seems to be the best choice for FSX and even holds it own in other games.
Did you go Win XP or Vista?

[NZ255]

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Sep 24 2008, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gidday Nick,
Now that your system is bedded in what are your opinions of it? What, if anything, would you change with the benefit of hindsight?
How does the card handle FSX (if you have it) or if still with FS9, how does it handle weather?
From what I can see on Toms hardware (03 quarter of 2008) the humble 8800 GTS still seems to be the best choice for FSX and even holds it own in other games.

Would I have made any changes.....hmmm? I can't think of anything, maybe (if I had more money) get a newer (technology) CPU, not that there's any thing wrong with the Q6600 I haven't yet OC'ed her, but kind of want to save that until I get FSX (very soon). I think if you want to run FSX with add-ons, and future proof it, a newish Quad CPU is probably the way to go. If you can hold off (not sure when it will be out but soon I think) Intel are releasing a new line of CPU's. This will probably mean cheaper (oldish) CPU's , hopefully. But in saying that I have no idea when they're coming out.....just giving a HU.

That answers another Q....I don't yet have FSX but am probably wasting time I could have been playing it

FS9 runs amazing, well compared to our old one, were I could hardly use it let alone other games. Weather....I run 100% 3D clouds but nothing add-on.

Perhaps I might have got a Nvidia card but for what the ATI was offering for the price, I had to get it really.

My (well our (mine and my brothers)) build was held back because of money. You don't get paid very well living with your parents.

What are you looking at in your build?