My New E6600 Rig!!

[V_R]

Well i took the day off yesterday to build my new PC. So far i am well impressed!

Heres the original thread

As a reminder, here's what i got....

Antec Nine Hundred Ultimate Gaming Case
Corsair HX 620W ATX2.2 Modular PSU
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
ASUS P5B Deluxe
GeIL 2GB PC6400C4 800MHz Ultra Low Latency DDR2
Zalman CNPS9500-LED

and i used the following from my old system...

2x 200Gb Hard drives
Creative X-FI Extreme Music
Plextor PX-740A
....and until i get my 8800GTX my 7900GTO graphics card.

Build didn't take too long, The hardest part was the hard drives, you really need a magnetic screwdriver, which i didn't have! But i do have a screw grabber thing (Looks like a pen, push down on the top and three metal prongs come out of the bottom to grab a screw or something if you dropped it and cant grab it with your fingers.) which worked well to get them in place and then tighten them up. If you have read any reviews of the case then you will probably know what i mean.

Spent a while trying to get the cables as neat as i could, and tucked away for maximum airflow!

The case is a good looking one in my opinion and is very quiet, all fans on low at the moment and i cant honestly hear it!

As i sit here now the temps via speedfan are... (This is running BOINC of both cores (100%CPU))

MB - 32
CPU - 41
HD 1 - 21
HD 2 - 28 (Sits under the other one.)

Core temp reads 34 + 36 for the cores so a little discrepancy there.

Not overclocked it yet, will let t he AS5 Cure first (as per the instructions on their website)

Some pics.....

Just installing windows here

Lit up all pretty! See the nice Asus logo lit up at the bottom of the mobo, nice touch i thought.

Side panel back on, running normally

PSU and sata leads

The Zalman CNPS9500 Cooler does a real good job!

Got room for one more fan on the side panel if i want to, dont think i need to though

One of the hard drive bays, can fit three in each for those with lots of disks.

200mm exhaust fan in the top, dont spin fast, but moves a lot of air!

Maybe i need to get a black DVD drive now...Nah, i love my Plextor! Two 120mm fans

Switches, USB and firewire ports.

 

[Adywebb]

Nice neat job V_R

You will always find a difference between SpeedFan and/or AsusProbe and Coretemp - but normally coretemp is higher....

 

[V_R]

Yeah, i know their usually different, but dont know why core temp is lower...

May try that TAT thing postil was on about a while ago.

 

[Abarbarian]

Ooooooooooooooooh you flash thing . Nice looking pc mate .

 

[floppybootstomp]

Looking good

You could always spray the front panels of your Plextor drive, I've done that a few times.

Rub down with fine emery paper; wipe down with meths; spray with 'Makes paint stick' (from B & Q); a couple of coats of dark grey primer; a few coats of matt black; a final coat of protective varnish/laqueur - all available in spray cans.

But - cost of all those spray cans is about £20.00 so unless you gonna do quite a few drives, probably not worth it.

Am I thinking out loud here? I do believe I am

No floppy drive then?

And I think The Antec case is an acquired taste, I think I like it but I'd have to see some more pix I think.

Anyways, hurry up and get your 8800GTX then you be in Gamin' Nirvana

 

[Adywebb]

Yeah, i know their usually different, but dont know why core temp is lower...

May try that TAT thing postil was on about a while ago.

On my E6600 @ 3.2GHz I get 42C with SpeedFan and 53C/56C with CoreTemp

 

[Ian]

Very nice! Next upgrade a black DVD drive?

That is going to be a beast with your new graphics card!

 

[muckshifter]

Oh, I say ... a Disco PC.


That err, case is, err ... no comment, don't want to upset you, you is happy.

Nice spec though ... very nice indeed.

 

[V_R]

Cheers guys! I do think it looks awesome tbh, and my mates were drooling over it yesterday!

I know the case is an acquired taste, i like it! But you cant deny the cooling on it is second to none! Putting your mobo on a box in open air is the only better solution, and i still have the fans all on low setting so could turn them up if needed.

Flops, I thought about painting it black, i would like a black drive. But that Plextor is a fantastic drive and i won't change it until it dies. It was £50 new too! But yeah, shame its not black.

I nearly put the floppy drive in, but i decided against it, i have no need for it now really, BIOS can be updated via the BIOS itself from a USB stick, Memtest can be run from a USB stick too so i guess its kinda obsolete now....If i really need to use one i'll just have to hook it up i guess.

Cant wait to get the 8800GTX, will be a monster gaming rig then, installed most of my games again last night. Half of me wants to play Stalker now, the other half of me wants to wait until i get the 88!!

Ady, I noticed i had the previous versions of SF and CT, so i updated to latest ones last night, SF now gives me a few temps the old version didn't, will post a screeny tonight.

Cheers Ian, I did wonder what you would make of it mucks!!!

 

[Rush]

Excellent rig m8

 

[michael 118]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice

*drools*

That beige drive sort of makes it look uncool , but apart from that.... that rig deserves a place on the cool wall

 

[V_R]

Maybe, but that drive is a very good one, cost £50 new, and i cant justify buying a new one just for the colour...

I may paint it though....

 

[V_R]

You know the more i think and read about it, i may just get the GTS 640mb version.....

From the reviews i have read and googling i have done it seems the GTX is only worth the extra money if your playing at monster resolutions. (2048 x 1536 and up.) As i am only playing on a 19" Vx922 at 1280x1024 it seems that there is almost no difference between the two cards.... Then there is the size, power and price to take into consideration. We've been here before ain't we!

I dunno, still trying to justify the GTX over the GTS.....Come on guys help me out!

 

[PotGuy]

If you go for anything, get the GTS. Even that is almost overkill for a 1024x1280.

The new ati card won't tip up until August, so I would just get the GTS.