[Daniel135i]

This I put together a bit over a year ago. I need to upgrade the hard drives, upgrade to faster memory with DDR5 and lower latency, and I want to get the newer GeForce Graphics cards to scream this rig.

Thermaltake Armor+ Gaming Case - Black

Cold Cathode Neon Light Blue

1200 Watt -- Thermaltake Toughpower W0156RU Power Supply Quad SLI

Intel Core i7 Extreme Processor 965 (4x 3.2GHz/8MB L3 Cache)

Coolermaster V10 Hybrid TEC CPU Cooling Fan System Full cover of DRAM & CPU cooling for best cooling performance

MSI Eclipse SLI Intel X58 Chipset CrossFire and SLI Supported w/7.1 Sound, Triple-Channel DDR3, Dual Gb LAN, S-ATA Raid, USB 2.0, Three PCI-E Mother Board

6 GB [2 GB X3] DDR3-1866 Triple Memory Module Corsair Dominator

2x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 1GB w/DVI + TV Out Video - running SLI mode -

Gaming HARD DRIVE [Serial ATA-300, 10,000 RPM] WD Velociraptor WD3000GLFS 300GB 16M Cache Hard Drive

Gaming HARD DRIVE [Serial ATA-300, 10,000 RPM] WD Velociraptor WD3000GLFS 300GB 16M Cache Hard Drive

CD/DVD Drive ( [5X Blu-Ray] Sony Optiarc BC-5100S BLU-RAY Reader & DVD±R/±RW Burner Combo Drive

CD-RW/DVD-RW Drive ( [Lightscribe Technology] Sony 20X Dual Format/Double Layer DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Drive Black

Auzentech Home Theatre HD 7.1 sound card

Meter Display ( XION Flip Up Colored LCD Thermal Control Panel )

Flash Media Reader/Writer ( 12-In-1 Internal Flash Media Card Reader/Writer Black

Operating System Microsoft Windows7 Home Premium 64-Bit


Display - Sony Bravia 52in LCD
Receiver - Sony 7.1
Speakers - Cerwin Vega system 7.1 setup with Yamaha sub

[c0nstant]

nice

[kaykay]

Nice setup

I was never a fan of the Velociraptors

You should also be running Win 7 x64 Pro or Ultimate (I run Pro in all my systems)

And 1,200 watts? Wow

[UltimateBMW]

You might not want to hear this, but your machine isn't that bad off. Coming from 2 285's in SLI, you'd have to spend the money for 2x 480's to beat your current setup. And that will be at least $800, probably more like $900.

On your HDD's, you have dual vRaptors. Going from that to an SSD might give you some increases, but it won't be by a large margin and it won't be cheap also.

In the end, you'll be spending over $1000 for very moderate to negligible increases. Not to mention, unless you are running 3 monitors at full resolution each, there won't be any game where you will see a big difference in performance with. I guess the biggest thing you would get from going from GTX285s to GTX480s is tesselation and DX11. Both of which aren't widespread yet, but growing.

If I was you, I honestly would wait. Wait until 2011 when Nvidia releases 'Fermi2' which should be based off the awesome GTX460 design. Also, SSD tech will have even more time to evolve, become cheaper, and faster. I feel like you will be much more satisfied from your purchase then.

Of course, if you really feel like dumping money, then go for the upgrades. Asus Ares. Check it out.

[UltimateBMW]

I forgot to mention, if you feel your current system is beginning to run sluggish. Reformat.

[kaykay]

I would upgrade to an SSD for your OS and keep the Velociraptors for storage.

I've benched the Western Digital Caviar Black vs. the Velociraptors and the MB/s transfers aren't that much better. I've also benched the WD Caviar Black with 4 SSD's and the transfers aren't that much better either.

DDR5? DDR3 RAM was released 6 months ago... Maybe you're referring to GDDR for your GPU...

I have an EVGA GTX 470 (Fermi) and that car just screams, no need for SLI in my system.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130549

Maybe even swap the MB, get SATA 6 GB/s and USB 3.0 - I would definitely do that.

[UltimateBMW]

Originally Posted by kaykay

I would upgrade to an SSD for your OS and keep the Velociraptors for storage.

I've benched the Western Digital Caviar Black vs. the Velociraptors and the MB/s transfers aren't that much better. I've also benched the WD Caviar Black with 4 SSD's and the transfers aren't that much better either.

Maybe I read that wrong, but aren't those 2 statements conflicting? You said you would upgrade to an SSD over a Velociraptor, but then go on to say both a SSD and a VR aren't that much faster compared to a Caviar Black from your tests?

Also, I believe it is too early to get a USB 3.0. Not too early to buy one, but the market isn't quite there yet. I personally would wait til it becomes a bit more mainstream. Which should happen next year.

I personally am going to build a whole new system next year. There should be some great steps forward. As well as the games to actually put them to the test.

[radix]

Originally Posted by UltimateBMW

Maybe I read that wrong, but aren't those 2 statements conflicting? You said you would upgrade to an SSD over a Velociraptor, but then go on to say both a SSD and a VR aren't that much faster compared to a Caviar Black from your tests?

Also, I believe it is too early to get a USB 3.0. Not too early to buy one, but the market isn't quite there yet. I personally would wait til it becomes a bit more mainstream. Which should happen next year.

I personally am going to build a whole new system next year. There should be some great steps forward. As well as the games to actually put them to the test.

If you don't currently use RAID, then you could configure the two drives as a RAID-0 array, providing you don't mind halving the MTBF. If your currently unprotected, then this shouldn't be too much of an issue and could save you money as well as boost performance. Just make sure you take regular backups.

Two striped 10k RPM drives still wouldn't give you the IOPs capacity of one SSD. It'd probably take somewhere around eight to ten striped drives to do that, minimally.

[Daniel135i]

Forgot to clear up, in the pics of my GTX 285s, I have the Fatality sound card still installed, this is swapped with the Auzentech HT HD witch is twice as long.... >.< and it hits my cooling pipes.

Thanks for the comments. I got the 2 GTX 285s when they were to top dawgs, they didnt have the new ones yet. I built this over a year ago!

I used the Raptors becasue like you said, the SSDs werent that much of a gain over the two, and I dont raid them. I was thinking of getting a SSD 300g for the OS, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

The GTX 285s make use of DX 11 and tessellation from the new drivers. There isnt a game out on the market that I cant run at Max resolution and Ultra High settings and still have crisp clear performance. But, i do WANT the new cards, I wait for the new ones to come out. And ill always go for SLI, why, because I can, and it helps it run just that more faster. I just wish my new Auzentech card wasnt so massive so I could get in Tri SLI. Thats the shit right there, bragging rights like a mofo.

1200 watts, yeah, thats upgrade proof. And my Italian home circuit breakers hate it lol. Power pops off every few weeks or so when I have all the electronics in my house going.

I just recently did a fresh reformat and install of Win 7, so im clean, no sluggs. Whats the big hoorah to Pro or Ultimate over HP, as HP works wonders for myself. I dont mess with the OS too much.

[UltimateBMW]

If you are going to upgrade to a new SLI system. It will either be SLI GTX460s or GTX480s. I don't view a GTX470 SLI setup to be really an option. Not for what he is looking for.

Both have cons though.

The GTX460 SLI upgrade: Won't be that much of a performance boost I don't think from your 285's.

The GTX480 SLI upgrade: Will run HOT. I mean raise the temp in your room by 2-3 degrees hot. And it isn't necessary so really you will just make your computer atmosphere less comfortable.

As I mentioned, I'd wait for Nvidia's next gen Fermi cards. Even more so if you are perfectly happy with your current performance.

[Daniel135i]

I like where I am at as of now. Probably more memory later on, but right now its ok. I ran the Auzentech HD audi so I could run both audio and video through HDMI to my reciever, and not have to dick with changing settings on my reciever and computer.

But... I cant get it to work right. I input the video to the input on the audio card, then output the audio to the reciever and I (cant remember exactly - this was a year ago) either get noise and blank screen or nothing at all.

It might have been a driver isue with non 64 bit and 64 bit software, and I havent tried it since I freshened the whole system up. Maybee it works no, or maybee the reciever still cant figure out the signals.

[NYCGarbagePrince]

What do you play? ... Everyone is so focused on hardware...

[UltimateBMW]

Originally Posted by NYCGarbagePrince

What do you play? ... Everyone is so focused on hardware...

OP said he wanted new hardware. So he got hardware responses.

[abisson]

Bro.

1200 Watts? LOL. I would wait at least a 0.5 year or so. Def not worth it performance gain/price wise.

My 0.02.

[Daniel135i]

Originally Posted by abisson

Bro.

1200 Watts? LOL. I would wait at least a 0.5 year or so. Def not worth it performance gain/price wise.

My 0.02.

What are u talking about??? I ave had the 1200w power supply scin e the start.

[Daniel135i]

Originally Posted by UltimateBMW

OP said he wanted new hardware. So he got hardware responses.

True... And what I play is every game I can find that I can try and max out the rig. Everything that's graphically intensive and realy puts it to the system. I haven't found anything that can bog it down yet.

[abisson]

Originally Posted by Daniel135i

What are u talking about??? I ave had the 1200w power supply scin e the start.

lol. It's just that 1200W is a lot. EVEN for your setup. It's just funny lol.

[Daniel135i]

Originally Posted by Railgun

Crysis?

Ran it full out, and I still got my 52 in TVs max resolution.... and the system held strong. Not a fan of Crysis though. I have warhead thats been sitting in the wrapper for 6 months?!

Originally Posted by abisson

lol. It's just that 1200W is a lot. EVEN for your setup. It's just funny lol.

Sure it is a lot, but its upgrade proof to quad sli if I want to go there. Shit, and it wasnt that much more over the 900w PSU either, so I thought, Durrrr.

[Freakazoid]

Originally Posted by Daniel135i

Ran it full out, and I still got my 52 in TVs max resolution.... and the system held strong. Not a fan of Crysis though. I have warhead thats been sitting in the wrapper for 6 months?!



Sure it is a lot, but its upgrade proof to quad sli if I want to go there. Shit, and it wasnt that much more over the 900w PSU either, so I thought, Durrrr.

cool story......

bro

[Daniel135i]

First off, I am not your "bro", and second, thanks for not believing in my story and hurting my e feelings.... run along now and post random stupidity elsewhere.

[UltimateBMW]

For the people questioning a 1200W PSU. 2x GTX 480 in SLI will take up about 1KW. 3 would probably need 1200W. It isn't as absurd now days.

[Daniel135i]

Exactly.