5.13.2009

New System Build

I decided it was about time to upgrade my main PC again. The new system is up an running using:

CPU AMD Phenom II x4 940 (3.0Ghz x 4, AM2+)
MoBo Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P (Socket AM2+)
RAM 8GB Generic DDR2 (4x2GB modules)
Video eVGA GTX285 1GB
Boot HD 2 x WD Raptor X 150GB SATA drives in RAID0
Other HD 3 x 750GB Seagate SATA drives
LITE-ON 22X SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe (iHAS222-06)
Case Coolermaster Cosmos 1000

It is definitely not all top-of-the-line hardware (several re-used items to be truthful) but it is a sizable upgrade for me from my prior Intel E8500 and GTX260 system- and I made it fit in my budget. My overall system speed is significantly better than before; a WinRAR extract that took about 5 prior now takes about 4 minutes. My frame rates in Dalaran are much better than before- rarely dropping below 20fps (at 1680x1050 window with effects on ‘ultra’).

Windows 7 indicates my current bottleneck is still my hard drive throughput:

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But HD Tach shows me as much better than a u320 SCSI for burst speed:

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I believe one of my issues is that the Raptor X is SATA 150; I would need to move up to the VelociRaptor for SATA 300- and two 150B VelociRaptors are a bit our of my budget at $180 each. The next option would be a Corsair SSD drive- but 128GB for $300 is very cost prohibitive at this time.

With my eVGA purchase and registration, I was given a free license for 3DMark Vantage and a $10 discount code on badaboom- nice extras that I wasn’t expecting.

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I also picked up a few blue LED 12cm fans- just to add a little glow when the front case door is open.

Here are a few quick shots of the gutty-works of my new system:

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:00 PM

    whatever... the gtx285 can rip through any game currently on the market.

    the fact that this test has 3d gaming and aero desktop with the same exact score is proof that it's a piece of crap.

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  2. Anonymous3:03 PM

    is if aero can push your gpu to the same limits as crysis. pshhh. besides, just like most other 3d performance testing software, they use routines (even the ones that similate actual games) that doesn't really get used in real titles. either through design or optimization.

    theory as opposed to actual (actual actual, not simulated actual) implementation.


    i was considering getting the 285 or the 295 when the next gen stuff came out.

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