Check my spec

Matblack · 28-08-2007, 14:13

OK

I'm going to upgrade the home PC, this is what I have got so far

Its going to be an HTPC primerily but is also my main rig so it needs to be capable of doing all the usually stuff (not playing games though) and also be reasonably quiet and discrete.

The jury is still out on the Quad Core but this one has a lower power consumption so hopefully wouldn't put out too much heat.

LN19488

Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q6600 G0 SLACR, 95W, S775, 2.40 GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB Cache, Retail£149.99£176.24 LN12200

2Gb (2X1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC5400 (667), 240 Pin, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 4-4-4-12£44.54£52.33 LN18964

Gigabyte GA G33M-S2 iG33 Express, S775, PCI-E (x16), DDR2 667/800, SATA II, ATX, On Board VGA£54.39£63.91 LN17166

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64Bit 1Pk OEM (DVD)£58.87£69.17 LN16546

500 Gb Samsung HD501LJ Spinpoint T, SATA300, 7200 rpm, 16MB Cache, 8.9 ms, NCQ£52.89£62.15 LN16974

Silverstone Grandia GD01B-MXR Black Desktop Alu' Case with Card Reader MCE/Vista Ready w/o PSU£106.00£124.55 LN16131

400W Silverstone SST-ST40EF+ super silent, 80%+ eFF' , v.1 ROHS£42.00£49.35 LN14034

Silverstone SST-NT06 V2 CPU cooler P4 Socket 478, LGA775, AMD Socket 754, 939, 940, AM2 RoHS£29.49£34.65

Might get one of those SATA DVDs too

MB

Feek · 28-08-2007, 14:16

Hard drive is a good 'un, I run a pair of them.

Daz · 28-08-2007, 14:21

Quad-core really is a waste of money and power for the desktop - except possibly the most uber of gaming systems. Hell, I have database servers supporting hundreds of users that dont need more than 2 cores to do their job. The Core2's are relatively cheap, well established now and will give you all the performance you need - so I'd save yourself the money tbh, few people will really be able to justify the risk of being an early adopter.

Only other thing I'd suggest is maybe going for 2X250/300GB disks rather than 1 big one and RAID them - assuming you already have some sort of separate backup device in place anyway.

Matblack · 28-08-2007, 14:23

Raid for speed or Raid for redundancy?

MB

Daz · 28-08-2007, 14:27

Speed. If you're generally responsible with your data (ie, back it up often) then there's no reason not to. While the speed of CPU/memory have gone up rapidly the speed of a single disk hasn't really followed the same trend. None of my desktop/workstation systems have anything other than RAID-0 or 10, simply because I couldn't go back now - having the extra disk bandwidth (we have the bus' to take it now) makes for a more balanced system these days. No point in having a system that can churn through reams of data if it's waiting for it to be read off a disk.

Stan_Lite · 28-08-2007, 14:31

I only really got my quad for Folding, since I stopped that, I can't say I've noticed any time when I've used more than 2 cores. However, if you would be doing a lot of multitasking then 4 cores may occasionally come in handy. Otherwise, the only reason really to get one would be future proofing - I'm sure there will be applications in the future which will utilise all 4 cores.

Feek · 28-08-2007, 14:35

/me ponders if FSX uses all four

/edit, yes

Daz · 28-08-2007, 14:37

The same is true of dual-core though - any multi-threaded apps will happily use every core it can get it's hands on, but unless those processes are particularly long real world difference will be minimal.

Folding is a good use though - bet it got pretty hot when all 4 cores were loaded? They're also damn useful if you're looking to license a SQL server but I imagine you're not

Matblack · 28-08-2007, 14:40

Bugger, that mobo hasn't got raid and the one that does isn't in stock

MB

Stan_Lite · 28-08-2007, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daz

Folding is a good use though - bet it got pretty hot when all 4 cores were loaded?

Bloody right it did - 4 cores at 95-100% = about 80C according to Core-Temp, with one of those Amanda TEC coolers (idle temps were about 42C).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daz

They're also damn useful if you're looking to license a SQL server but I imagine you're not

Oddly enough, not in the near future

28-08-2007, 14:13	#1
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	Check my spec OK I'm going to upgrade the home PC, this is what I have got so far Its going to be an HTPC primerily but is also my main rig so it needs to be capable of doing all the usually stuff (not playing games though) and also be reasonably quiet and discrete. The jury is still out on the Quad Core but this one has a lower power consumption so hopefully wouldn't put out too much heat. LN19488 Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q6600 G0 SLACR, 95W, S775, 2.40 GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB Cache, Retail£149.99£176.24 LN12200 2Gb (2X1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC5400 (667), 240 Pin, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 4-4-4-12£44.54£52.33 LN18964 Gigabyte GA G33M-S2 iG33 Express, S775, PCI-E (x16), DDR2 667/800, SATA II, ATX, On Board VGA£54.39£63.91 LN17166 Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64Bit 1Pk OEM (DVD)£58.87£69.17 LN16546 500 Gb Samsung HD501LJ Spinpoint T, SATA300, 7200 rpm, 16MB Cache, 8.9 ms, NCQ£52.89£62.15 LN16974 Silverstone Grandia GD01B-MXR Black Desktop Alu' Case with Card Reader MCE/Vista Ready w/o PSU£106.00£124.55 LN16131 400W Silverstone SST-ST40EF+ super silent, 80%+ eFF' , v.1 ROHS£42.00£49.35 LN14034 Silverstone SST-NT06 V2 CPU cooler P4 Socket 478, LGA775, AMD Socket 754, 939, 940, AM2 RoHS£29.49£34.65 Might get one of those SATA DVDs too MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

28-08-2007, 14:16	#2
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	Hard drive is a good 'un, I run a pair of them. __________________

28-08-2007, 14:21	#3
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	Quad-core really is a waste of money and power for the desktop - except possibly the most uber of gaming systems. Hell, I have database servers supporting hundreds of users that dont need more than 2 cores to do their job. The Core2's are relatively cheap, well established now and will give you all the performance you need - so I'd save yourself the money tbh, few people will really be able to justify the risk of being an early adopter. Only other thing I'd suggest is maybe going for 2X250/300GB disks rather than 1 big one and RAID them - assuming you already have some sort of separate backup device in place anyway. __________________ apt-get moo

28-08-2007, 14:23	#4
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	Raid for speed or Raid for redundancy? MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

28-08-2007, 14:27	#5
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	Speed. If you're generally responsible with your data (ie, back it up often) then there's no reason not to. While the speed of CPU/memory have gone up rapidly the speed of a single disk hasn't really followed the same trend. None of my desktop/workstation systems have anything other than RAID-0 or 10, simply because I couldn't go back now - having the extra disk bandwidth (we have the bus' to take it now) makes for a more balanced system these days. No point in having a system that can churn through reams of data if it's waiting for it to be read off a disk. __________________ apt-get moo

28-08-2007, 14:31	#6
Stan_Lite Stan, Stan the FLASHER MAN! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In bed with your sister Posts: 5,483	I only really got my quad for Folding, since I stopped that, I can't say I've noticed any time when I've used more than 2 cores. However, if you would be doing a lot of multitasking then 4 cores may occasionally come in handy. Otherwise, the only reason really to get one would be future proofing - I'm sure there will be applications in the future which will utilise all 4 cores. __________________ Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I...

28-08-2007, 14:35	#7
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	/me ponders if FSX uses all four /edit, yes __________________ Last edited by Feek; 28-08-2007 at 14:42.

28-08-2007, 14:37	#8
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	The same is true of dual-core though - any multi-threaded apps will happily use every core it can get it's hands on, but unless those processes are particularly long real world difference will be minimal. Folding is a good use though - bet it got pretty hot when all 4 cores were loaded? They're also damn useful if you're looking to license a SQL server but I imagine you're not __________________ apt-get moo

28-08-2007, 14:40	#9
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	Bugger, that mobo hasn't got raid and the one that does isn't in stock MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

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