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ForumsDiscussion Forum → Unusual desktop build dilemma
Unusual desktop build dilemma
2009-03-05, 1:44 AM #1
To make it short:

  • I live on the west coast
  • I go to school on the east coast
  • I want to build my computer on the west coast and then somehow move it to the east coast, or
  • vice-versa

Does anyone know of a practical, not ridiculously expensive way to transport a full assembled desktop cross-country without it breaking in transit?

The alternative would be to buy a laptop, but building a desktop is much more cost-effective.

Edit: Also, I've never built a desktop before and probably don't know what I'm doing. I've specced the below; there is probably a lot of fat that can be trimmed to reduce the price. And I'm not sure if everything is compatible. Can anyone provide any insight?


1 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK
$52.99

1 Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$64.99

1 OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI 700W ATX12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply
$119.99

1 Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600
$197.99

1 SAPPHIRE 100259L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
$164.99

1 LG Black LG Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner SATA Model GGC-H20LK
$109.99

1 GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
$134.99

1 Antec Performance One P180 Silver cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
$129.99

Total (pre tax/shipping): $975.92
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 2:15 AM #2
Pack it really damn well. Don't ship it ground. Delivery services throw stuff around, and sliding around the back of the truck slamming into stuff is not unusual.
If you fly or take the train perhaps you could pack it as luggage?

Any particular reason for buying an expensive high wattage power supply? I've been happy with the one that came with my Antec case. I'd go with more ram. Its cheap enough and being able to keep a lot of processes going is nice.

What are you using the machine for? Hard to know what kind of power is really needed.

o.0
2009-03-05, 2:55 AM #3
Thanks for the link!

The high wattage PSU is a side effect of frustration w/ my HTPC (which I made a thread about "upgrading" earlier) with a 120W PSU. That Antec case + 500W looks perfect, though. That'll drop my price by $120!

I originally had 2x that RAM pack but I dropped it to keep it under $100. Minus the PSU now, though, looks like I can add it back on.

This machine will primarily be a workhorse computer for stuff like schoolwork, businessy/work work, graphic / digital media design, programming, and games (main reason for the upgrade since before I'd always thought 'meh I never play games anyways' and then put myself in a position where I *can't* play games) and just an all-around desktop to last me for, hopefully, 4 or 5 years. I multitask a lot and I'm not entirely sure how much processing power I'll need because I'm not clear on the compiling and/or rendering requirements I might have in the future but I want to keep it an option. I really like the Q6600, though <_< and want to keep it unless it doesn't make any sense to do so.
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 3:37 AM #4
Macbook?

<.<
>.>

Oh come on! It's still funny!

:(
2009-03-05, 6:31 AM #5
Any particular reason you really need 4 cores over 2? If it's a gaming system you'd be better off with a faster 2 core CPU than a slower 4 core one.
2009-03-05, 6:44 AM #6
Yea unless your getting the new AMD Phenom II processor quad cores are not good for gaming.

And as for transporting it, you can carry it on the plane as a carry on, or keep the original boxes and ship them in those and reassemble(probably the safest way).

Graphics card is good, i would recommend a tagan psu over an OCZ one though.

And RAM what os (bit) will you be using. If its 32 bit vista or xp then that amout of ram is all you can use. If you go 64bit then dont even think about getting anything but vista.
"The world will look up and shout 'Save us!'... And I'll whisper 'No.' "
2009-03-05, 6:56 AM #7
If you cant just ship the parts to your new location individually, make sure to pack the bjesus out of the box. Do not leave any cards in slots (including RAM) as back and forth slamming that WILL occur could damage the slots or the pins on the cards. Make sure not to leave any discs in any drives. I would also remove the hard drives because slamming those things around can be iffy. It really just depends how far you are willing to go. There is a chance you could ship it entirely and it would be fine... but thats a $1000 gamble for you.
Quote Originally Posted by FastGamerr
"hurr hairy guy said my backhair looks dumb hurr hairy guy smash"
2009-03-05, 7:36 AM #8
Yeah, seriously overpack your box. Make sure it can absorb impact from all sides.
My favorite JKDF2 h4x:
EAH XMAS v2
MANIPULATOR GUN
EAH SMOOTH SNIPER
2009-03-05, 1:28 PM #9
Thanks for the advice on the packing.

Re: the quad ... I don't REALLY have a reason other than the aforementioned 'not sure how much processing power I may need in the future and I want to keep options open'.

Originally posted by Archerzz:
Yea unless your getting the new AMD Phenom II processor quad cores are not good for gaming.

And RAM what os (bit) will you be using. If its 32 bit vista or xp then that amout of ram is all you can use. If you go 64bit then dont even think about getting anything but vista.


Yeah I'm aware of the RAM addressing limit ... I was gonna do Vista 64 and then W7 64. That was another reason I was going with the quad (more fitting for Vista and W7). I had considered the Phenom IIs -- I'll take another look.

Thanks for all of your guys' inputs so far.
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 2:04 PM #10
I took a look at dual-cores and the E8400 looks good. Any thoughts?
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 2:40 PM #11
That is a fine chip. Recenty got one for myself and it destroys anything I throw at it.
"Honey, you got real ugly."
2009-03-05, 2:58 PM #12
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
Any particular reason you really need 4 cores over 2? If it's a gaming system you'd be better off with a faster 2 core CPU than a slower 4 core one.


No, you're not. The only games that are CPU bound enough for CPU speed to actually matter are usually multithreaded to the point where having a quad core will also make a noticeable difference. They said the same thing about dual core vs. single core a couple of years ago, but a couple of years later, the dual cores still have legs, and the single cores just can't cut it.
2009-03-05, 3:02 PM #13
Because times change? For now a fast duel core is better for most tasks then a quad, but this is going to change over time.
2009-03-05, 3:25 PM #14
I think I might just take it as carry-on luggage on an airplane :X

So anyways, I've come up with these two builds:

[quote=Dual-core build]1 Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM$64.99

1 SAPPHIRE 100259L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
$164.99

1 GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
$134.99

1 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400 - Retail$164.99

2 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail$105.98

1 SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F - OEM$23.99

1 OCZ StealthXStream OCZ500SXS 500W ATX12V / EPS12V Active PFC Power Supply - Retail$59.99

1 Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail$109.99

Subtotal: $829.91[/quote]

[quote=Quad build]
1 SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F - OEM
$23.99

1 Antec Sonata III 500 Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail$129.99

1 GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail$134.99

1 SAPPHIRE 100259L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
$164.99

1 Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail$197.99

2 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail$105.98

1 Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM$64.99

Subtotal: $822.92[/quote]

Whatcha think?
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 3:43 PM #15
What OS are you running? 8Gb RAM is probably overkill.

Regardless, here's 4Gb Corsair DDR2 for $14.99 after $30.00 rebate, shipped free.

I might buy some. :ninja:
woot!
2009-03-05, 4:14 PM #16
Planning on Vista 64 and then W7 64.

The 8 gigs is prolly overkill for now ... I upped it just cuz I could <_< probably/might go with 4gigs now then up it another 4 later.

I'm having the biggest trouble with the case + PSU ... I have no idea what I'm looking for or should be looking for.
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 4:14 PM #17
Originally posted by Obi_Kwiet:
No, you're not. The only games that are CPU bound enough for CPU speed to actually matter are usually multithreaded to the point where having a quad core will also make a noticeable difference. They said the same thing about dual core vs. single core a couple of years ago, but a couple of years later, the dual cores still have legs, and the single cores just can't cut it.


Yes, you are. Source engine games in particular see quite a big difference, and only L4D is even slightly multithreaded.

And they didn't say the same thing about dual cores 2 years ago, they said it at least 4 years ago. At which point you should be upgrading regardless.
2009-03-05, 4:16 PM #18
Quote:
I took a look at dual-cores and the E8400 looks good. Any thoughts?


Yep just one.. E8500. Cheap, faster, win.
"They're everywhere, the little harlots."
-Martyn
2009-03-05, 4:18 PM #19
It costs like 30 dollars more and the only difference is it's clocked slightly higher :ninja:
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 4:24 PM #20
Heh, gonna overclock?
My favorite JKDF2 h4x:
EAH XMAS v2
MANIPULATOR GUN
EAH SMOOTH SNIPER
2009-03-05, 4:42 PM #21
Get the Q9300, not Q6600. Dual core vs quad core is moot considering that the quad cores blow away the dual cores regardless. Or go with the low-end i7, that will blow everything out of the water.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2009-03-05, 4:46 PM #22
Can you give me an idea of what's better about the Q9300? (it's also oos right now <_<)
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 5:37 PM #23
Originally posted by Emon:
Get the Q9300, not Q6600. Dual core vs quad core is moot considering that the quad cores blow away the dual cores regardless. Or go with the low-end i7, that will blow everything out of the water.


My E2180 and 4870 runs Fallout 3 max'd out..not 60fps, but playable.

i7 and Crossfire would be :awesome:
woot!
2009-03-05, 6:05 PM #24
Argh, does anyone have any case+PSU recommendations?
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 6:08 PM #25
Nothing wrong with the Sonata III in your quad build...
"Honey, you got real ugly."
2009-03-05, 6:32 PM #26
Originally posted by llibja:
Nothing wrong with the Sonata III in your quad build...


I agree. If you are looking for cheaper, I always liked the Antec 300.
My favorite JKDF2 h4x:
EAH XMAS v2
MANIPULATOR GUN
EAH SMOOTH SNIPER
2009-03-05, 7:00 PM #27
Any opinions on the Antec 900? There's a combo deal right now that makes that + 500W PSU just slightly more expensive than the Sonata III.
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 8:07 PM #28
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
Yes, you are. Source engine games in particular see quite a big difference, and only L4D is even slightly multithreaded.

And they didn't say the same thing about dual cores 2 years ago, they said it at least 4 years ago. At which point you should be upgrading regardless.


Source? He's using a Core 2 and a 4870. His frame rate will not matter. At all. He's guaranteed to get 150-200fps.

I mean, yeah you could probably say the some thing about Quake III but who cares? 400fps vs. 500fps doesn't make any difference.

Also, I said a couple, which is non-specific. Four is about right. Regardless, dual cores retained their usefulness much longer than single cores bought at the same time. Sure, you'd need to upgrade now, but that's better than upgrading a year or two ago.

The point is, CPU speed is rarely a bottleneck, so you should try to make the CPU last a long time, especially considering their cost, and that they are tied to a platform, which is also costly to upgrade. You want to look at how fast your CPU will be at the end of it's life rather than the beginning, because that's when it will matter. Ideally, you can buy several video cards over the life of a CPU with out being held back by to much.
2009-03-05, 10:22 PM #29
Quote:
Argh, does anyone have any case+PSU recommendations?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137

I was looking at that case for myself. My only problem with that is all the airholes will lead to massive dust in a matter of a week. Especially so if you keep it on the floor and/or have pets.
"They're everywhere, the little harlots."
-Martyn
2009-03-05, 10:26 PM #30
Sorry, one more question --

I priced out a Phenom II X4 920 build and rather than paste the whole giant list again, I'll just post the changed components (everything else is the same as the above Q6600 build):

GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4 AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

+
AMD Phenom II X4 920 2.8GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Processor Model
Combo price: $
322.89 - $40 discouhnt = $282.99

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $79.99

Total:
$862.93 - $40 = $822.93

I researched a bit and it seems like going with a Phenom II would be better than going with a Q6600 (or even Q9300) bang-for-buck wise. Any thoughts?
一个大西瓜
2009-03-05, 11:22 PM #31
Well no doubt that Phenom II X4 will out perform the Q6600 at stock speeds, so in that regard it is a better bang-for-buck, but it does run a little hotter and use more power.

Also on the intel-side you should probably have considered the Q8200, it runs @ 2.33 ghz but with its faster FSB the performance is on par with a stock Q6600 (despite more cache and slightly faster speed). The Q8200 uses less power than the Q6600.

It's not until you consider overclocking does the Q6600 show itself to be a better choice than the Phenom2 or the Q8200.
My favorite JKDF2 h4x:
EAH XMAS v2
MANIPULATOR GUN
EAH SMOOTH SNIPER
2009-03-05, 11:41 PM #32
I read that the PII X4 920 OCs fairly well? I'm not really into CPU OCing anyways (never really had a need for it, the only times I need performance boosts past stock usually are in games and there's GPU OCing for that) so I probably would value stock speeds relatively more ...


(Btw, side point -- I don't know if you remember but I have a crappy 8500GT in an HTPC case right now and I managed to OC it 50% from 459/918 core/shader to 674/1348 stably and finally get some stable framerates without games looking like **** :P)
一个大西瓜
2009-03-06, 7:27 AM #33
It does but you really need to prepare and get a custom cpu heatsink/fan if you intend on doing that. The PII's use more watts (125 vs 105) and have a lower safe operating temp (62C vs 71C), so you really need to plan to dissapate heat.

Since your not overclocking, get whichever is cheapest or whatever platform you are most comfortable with.
My favorite JKDF2 h4x:
EAH XMAS v2
MANIPULATOR GUN
EAH SMOOTH SNIPER
2009-03-06, 8:03 AM #34
Originally posted by Obi_Kwiet:
Source? He's using a Core 2 and a 4870. His frame rate will not matter. At all. He's guaranteed to get 150-200fps.



Seeing as I have a Core 2 and a 4870, no, he is not guaranteed to get 150-200fps. You have no idea what you're talking about.
2009-03-06, 8:49 AM #35
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
Seeing as I have a Core 2 and a 4870, no, he is not guaranteed to get 150-200fps. You have no idea what you're talking about.


Your both right depending on the details:
HL2 or L4D? 1024x768 or 1920x1080? 16xAA or none? E4300 or E8600? OS? MEM? ect, ect, ect.

BTW, I had read in a tweak guide a long time ago that with HL2 and CSS the source engine defaulted to running 3 threads. And that if you are running with a quad core, you might see a minor performance increase by using the '-threads 4' parameter in the steam launcher. I dont know if this still applies to the updated games like TF2, PORTAL, and L4D. I would assume they handle this automaticly. I never noticed a difference either way.
My favorite JKDF2 h4x:
EAH XMAS v2
MANIPULATOR GUN
EAH SMOOTH SNIPER
2009-03-06, 9:58 AM #36
Only L4D has any multicore support, the others can have it "hacked in", but it is very buggy and often results in crashes.

I am referring to 1440x900, E8500 OC'ed to 4Ghz, and running at 4xFSAA and 16xAA. I hold right around 60fps during all but the most congested fights in TF2. I don't think I've ever seen 200fps under these sorts of settings, but again, as he said, we're not talking about running it under a ridiculous 640x480 model where you're capped solely by CPU.
2009-03-06, 10:31 AM #37
Originally posted by Pommy:
Any opinions on the Antec 900? There's a combo deal right now that makes that + 500W PSU just slightly more expensive than the Sonata III.


While I can't comment on the 900, my 300 with the same fans (the 120mm ones anyways) are near silent on the "low" setting and still push a fine amount of air.
"Honey, you got real ugly."
2009-03-07, 1:59 PM #38
Thanks for all your help, guys.
一个大西瓜
2009-03-07, 2:33 PM #39
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
Seeing as I have a Core 2 and a 4870, no, he is not guaranteed to get 150-200fps. You have no idea what you're talking about.


What resolution and AA/AF levels are you running at? I'm sure you can bring it under a hundred if you try, but if you doing getting anything stays consistently under 60-70 fps you are doing something wrong. And it won't be a function of your CPU speed either. I had no problem cranking any source game to the max with an Opteron 165 @2.4GHz and 8800GT @ 1920x1200.

Granted I haven't played L4D yet, but that game shows significant gains going from a dual to quad core in situations where you really hammer the CPU. I image that L4D will really hit the CPU compared to other source games though, due to the large amounts of NPCs.

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,667611/Left-4-Dead-GPU-and-CPU-benchmark-review/Reviews/?page=3

Originally posted by Cool Matty:
Only L4D has any multicore support, the others can have it "hacked in", but it is very buggy and often results in crashes.

I am referring to 1440x900, E8500 OC'ed to 4Ghz, and running at 4xFSAA and 16xAA. I hold right around 60fps during all but the most congested fights in TF2. I don't think I've ever seen 200fps under these sorts of settings, but again, as he said, we're not talking about running it under a ridiculous 640x480 model where you're capped solely by CPU.


Have you tried turning v-sync off? 16X AA is a bit ludicrous, but I still don't see it giving you that bad performance in TF2. Maybe so.

All things considered, though, 60fps is nothing to worry about, so it's better to worry about future, heavily multithreaded games anyway.

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