All in favor say "I"

Comments

  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    That PSU is decent, but doesn't give the most stable voltages I've ever seen.

    The 2600+ should OC to 11.5x400 = 2.3 GHz, but you won't be able to change the multi to bump up FSB any more.

    The Tornado will be LOUD, but give EXCELLENT cooling on that 900A. The SLK-900A roxors.

    Good choices overall. I'd say go for it, but maybe think twice and swap something adjustable for the Tornado...
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    PERSONALLY, I don't like the case. Not because of the way it looks (I don't think it looks that bad, myself) but because the airflow in these new cases with the perpendicularly-oriented hard drive cages is AWFUL. Those hard drive cages block >75% of the air coming into the case.

    I can recommend a case that may be better, with a similar color scheme, if you'd like...

    Also, the power supply in there is no good. You should stick to Antec, Enermax, or PC Power & Cooling. Or, at the very least, make sure that the PS is 350w+ and is on this list off AMD's site:

    AMD Athlon™ XP Processor Power Supply Manufacturers:

    A1 Electronics
    AGI
    AOpen
    Allied
    Amaquest
    American Media Systems
    Antec
    Austin
    Channel Well Technology
    Codegen
    Deep Electronics
    Deer
    Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Dynapower USA
    Enermax
    Enhance Electronics
    Enlight Corp.
    FSP Group
    Fortron/Source
    HEC
    HIPRO
    High Power
    Huntkey
    Jou Jye
    KeyMouse Electronics
    Lite-On Electronics
    Macron Power
    Meridian
    PC Power and Cooling
    Sea Sonic Electronics
    Seventeam
    Sinotech
    Skyhawk
    Sparkle Power Inc.
    Super Power
    TSP
    TTGI
    Task International Inc.
    Topower

    Other than that, I'll just point out that the Tornados are loud as hell; they're loud enough that I can't handle them for day-to-day use, and I used to have a system with 5 Sunon BX-6s and a 120x38mm 130cfm CPU fan. If it bothers me, it'll probably bother you...

    Also, my preference would be for an ASUS or Built-by-ATi card, because I've dealt with both of their RMA departments, and I know that I can get the card replaced if necessary. I've never dealt with sapphire, so I won't recommend them to people until I try them, but they're supposed to be good, so it's up to you.
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited December 2003
    I know how loud the Tornado is, Disvengeance has 1 (he doesnt use it because its so loud ;D;D;D ) I have also heard that ATI's customer service is horrible, so thats why I chose Saphire....that and it's the cheapest. Throw a case at me Geeky1, but its gotta be flashy. Not ricey......but some bling, bling sh*t. As for the PSU, will I actually run into problems using it? I wouldnt think that a PSU would be very picky....but I guess it could be.
  • ketoketo Occupied. Or is it preoccupied? Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Might wanna spend a couple extra bux on a boxed processory instead of OEM, just due to warranty.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    PSU: Like I said, it's decent. Turbolink is MADE BY CWT (Chanel Well Technology) and as such is on the AMD Approved list. I have one and I find it worthy of my girlfriend's OC'd XP2100+ - it's run perfectly fine at 2.17 GHz for a long time, and was in my rig for a year or so. The PSU is at least as good as the Powmax in Omega's Sig, one of which I also have. Voltages are as stable as the Powmax, but slightly less stable than my Tt PurePower 420.

    Sapphire should do you just fine - I've never dealt with their support either, but their cards come off the same production line as many BBA products, since they produce a lot of ATI's "built-by" cards for them.

    Oh, and Geeky: How the heck do you even get in touch with Asus' RMA department? I tried and all I got was a link to their product support page, but no RMA information at all...?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Change the Vantec Tornado to a Thermaltake SmartFan II. Roughly the same CFM, much quieter.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Is there an alternative to the SF2 that's in 92MM size?
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    Any of the Cheiftec Matrix/Dragon cases on this page that have 6 cd bays:
    http://www.directron.com/fullall.html

    They're the Chieftec version of the Antec SX1240 full tower, which is bigger than the SX1080/1040 and the one you were looking at (which is the same thing as the 1080/1040, but green and with a different PS).

    Here's a green one:
    http://www.directron.com/max01gnd.html

    They have better cooling than the smaller 1040/1080s do; 5 80mm fans vs. 4. And, if you look carefully, some of those cases will have the Antec style PS mount, which has a 92mm fan above the PS. Unfortunately, the green one doesn't, but the case is so tall that it shouldn't make a big difference in terms of cooling capacity.

    As for the power supply, the PS is the most important component in your system. Period. A low-quality PS can cause anything from occasional flakiness and instability to outright system crashes. It can even destroy your entire system.

    Your best bet is to get a 400w+ Antec, Enermax, or PC Power & Cooling unit.

    Oh, one other thing... you have 1 hard drive; hard drives are so cheap now that you should get a second one, preferably the same size or larger. All of my systems use 2 drives or more if possible. Why? One is the primary drive, the other the backup. You back up all your stuff to the second drive (or just keep it there from the get-go) and reinstalling windows goes from a huge ordeal involving backing everything up onto CDs to a 2 hour operation. It makes life a LOT easier.
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited December 2003
    keto had this to say
    Might wanna spend a couple extra bux on a boxed processory instead of OEM, just due to warranty.

    Wont I lose the warranty overclocking anyway?
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    (SHHH!) They won't know if you do all your OC'ing thru BIOS... ;)
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited December 2003
    GHoosdum had this to say
    (SHHH!) They won't know if you do all your OC'ing thru BIOS... ;)

    ;)
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited December 2003
    How do you feel about Theramltake cases?
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Saphire cards are not bad, look at and check RAM speed though. I have seen them put cheap RAM on cards that are sold real low for nominal model.

    Overall, Saphire is not bad if you watch out for little things like that.

    John.
  • leishi85leishi85 Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    But if u are ordering online, mostly likely u won't beable to know what type of ram is ued on the card until u get the card in your hands.
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