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Custom computer special: an overclocker's dream


prophetik music
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hey, everyone. for those who don't know, i build custom computers.

i've recently been thinking that i haven't had a computer sale in a while. well, time to fix that! i've got a few lightly used parts i want to sell, and i think that this is a great way to pass them onto someone else.

here's what you'd be getting. this is a tweakable build, of course, that would be a monster at gaming, music, video editing, and just about anything else you can think of.

intro1.jpg

-dual-core intel 2.93ghz processor

-hand-sanded and lapped CPU cooler/fan system

-4gb of ram

-GTX 260 core 216 896mb vram - one of the best price-to-performance graphics cards ever (originally around 240$)

-1tb hard drive

-750w 80 plus GOLD power supply - 80 plus GOLD refers to the efficiency - basically, this is one of the most efficient power supplies available (originally around 200$)

-dvd burner, motherboard, case pictured above (cooler master elite 335)

-windows xp SP3

i'll overclock this CPU to at least 3.4, possibly as high as 3.75ghz, for no extra charge! =) in doing so, i'll ensure that there's no excess heat or anything that could damage it for the long term, meaning that the included clock rate would be able to be used 24/7. i'll also overclock the RAM and graphics card as necessary to ensure highest possible performance overall. considering that this setup just maxed out StarCraft II for me earlier today on a 1080p TV, you should be able to use this setup to do the same on Diablo 3 and FFXIV when it comes out.

total cost? a cool $950.

like i said, there are upgrade options available.

if you want to:

-upgrade from that case to the storm scout, a great steel case with a sturdy handle build into the top, add another 40$.

-upgrade to a 3.16ghz dual-core processor, add 70$. these are the easiest to overclock - i should be able to hit 3.75ghz no problem, and possibly as high as 4ghz or better.

-upgrade to a quad core processor, add either 80$ (i5-750, 2.66ghz) or 175$ (i7-860, 2.8ghz with hyperthreading for 8 cores). i'll still overclock these, but i might not be able to get up to 3.4 without changing some voltages. should still be long-term stable.

-upgrade to more hard drive space, let me know how much you want. another terabyte would be about 90$, and it scales from there.

-add another dvd burner, add 25$

-add blu-ray functionality, add 60$ for a reader (separate from the dvd burner drive) or 110$ for a burner.

-upgrade to windows 7, add another 30$ (or i'll use the key from your current system if you've got one with w7 on it already)

contact me for more details! if you'd prefer to talk over the phone, PM me and i'll get you my phone number.

happy summer, OCR people!

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I'm pretty sure that since I can max out Mass Effect 2 on a resolution of 1920x1080, the GTX 260 would easily max out StarCraft II. I can see what you're going at, but I think it would benefit others to know that the GTX 260 will still have room left over after maxing out SCII. Hell, it even runs Cryostasis well.

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My current rig is having difficulty playing certain games because the cooling is inadequate for high-task gaming during the summer. This is only a big issue when I come back from a weekend away (when I shut my AC off, ambient temp in the house climbs to 85 F), but it's really annoying.

Last time I looked into it (years ago) water-cooling was prohibitively expensive. Now it seems more of a standard. What price should I be looking at for a water cooled case to fix me up, and assuming that I know how to install things into a standard case, how difficult is it to figure out?

I'm under the impression that adding one more standard fan probably isn't going to fix this unless I make my computer super-loud, which is the last thing I want to do...but let me know if I'm off base.

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you don't want water-cooling. you want a better air-cooling rig. it's totally possible to get a system air-cooled in those temperatures. water-cooling is a huge, huge hassle that won't actually be as effective as air-cooling in those conditions. it's only better in situations where you've got a really low ambient temperature and a really high core temperature, like 40 or 50C difference.

the thing to remember is that all cooling is relative to the ambient temperature. also, work in celsius =) so, if you're living at a max of 30C for your ambient temperature, the absolute best cooling system in the world will get your CPU to 40C at idle and 45C at load, which is respectable. GPU temps are generally 15-20C higher, which works because they're OK up to almost 100C (if actively cooled) or above (if passively cooled). i'm assuming that your system is reaching into the 70s for CPU and 85C or so for GPU, right? if you're not sure, get the free program HWMonitor (same company that makes CPU-Z) and leave it open to check.

a good CPU fan combined with a decent-sized case, proper airflow, and good fans will still be pretty quiet when under load. for example, my case has six high-end fans, a big CPU cooler with a big fan, and a double-slot graphics card (complete with large cooler) in it, and it's just above the ambient noise level when sitting halfway under my desk. the trick is using large fans, since the bigger the fan, the slower it has to spin to push the same or more air as smaller ones. so, avoid 80mm fans, and go with at least 120mm fans at all times. if you have the room, use 120mm fans that are 38mm thick instead of the normal 25mm, since they can push way more air than the normal 120s.

pm me some temps, what your computer's loadout is, and maybe a picture of the inside of your case (not really needed), and i'll tell you what to do.

or you could sell it and buy my system above :<

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