TheBeast2 is alive (geeks only)

[Munson]

Thought I'd start a new thread

No tweaking yet, only powered her up this afternoon.

For those unaware (and if you've read this far you must be slightly interested or very bored), the spec is Asus M2N32 SLI Delux, AM2 4600+, 2GB 800mhz DDR2, Nvidia 7950GX2

3DMark'06

TheBeast (Optimized) c. 2850
TheBest2 (Stock) c. 7900 (should be able to crack 8k easily)

Just about exactly what I expected. That 7950GX2 is a monster card, and all the time through the run, the whole machine was virtually silent

 

[Peperami]

Lots of numbers! My mates well into computers, he wants one of those alienware things, he showed me the prices, christ!

From what i understood of the above, bet thats well good Roy.

 

[Munson]

MASSIVE pictures for the geeks;

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pip_taylor/images/TheBeast2/IMG_0506.jpg

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pip_taylor/images/TheBeast2/IMG_0505.jpg

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pip_taylor/images/TheBeast2/IMG_0507.jpg

 

[James.]

All that money just to browse cliosport

 

[BenWall]

I was going to but that case. Very nice pc btw, like the heatsink, althou u should get it water cooled

 

[BenWall]

how much did that set you back if you dont mind me asking?

 

[Munson]

Lots of numbers! My mates well into computers, he wants one of those alienware things, he showed me the prices, christ!

From what i understood of the above, bet thats well good Roy.

Yeah the numbers are good, but they are only really a way of comparing mods and tweaks on one machine, although there's no denying that big numbers mean big power. What is far more important though is how it performs in games, and so far I'm totally chuffed. The machine posted first time, caused me no bother at all, and is rock soild ultra fast and SILENT. I couldnt be any happier, and this is before I've even started overclocking, which should be a doddle with that motherboard The actual build itself though was heart breaking.

RE: Alienware, superb quality machines but you pay the earth, however they do use top quality components. I've always said that the serious PC gamer has two real options - Alienware or self build.

 

[Munson]

All that money just to browse cliosport

LOL not even that mate, she's only for gaming, I'm on the lappy just now

 

[Munson]

how much did that set you back if you dont mind me asking?

The whole lot was about £1100 in the end including the Zalman HSF, Arctic Silver ceramic compound, and a couple of cable tidying kits. The only stuff I salvaged from TheBeast was the HDD and PSU. Pretty much everything else was spanking new.

 

[BenWall]

nice one

 

[Rasclart]

Not a bad price at all

I still have my Waterchill 939 cooling kit sat in the spare room and the Massive Akasa case. And a Asus A8N Deluxe as well.

Might build her up again.

This time though I want a PC more focussed on mediaside of things so thinking of switching over to Intel. Need to do some research.

I have 3 X 250GB HDD's sat here waiting as well.

 

[Rasclart]

Where did you buy the components from Roy

 

[Daz]

I still have my Waterchill 939 cooling kit

Haha,
I built a PC at work with a 939 Waterchill kit (Athlon FX-55 etc.. when it was first out).
Was well high spec everything when we built it.

One of the waterblocks cracked the other week.. :quiet:
I didn't fix it, but by all accounts, things got wet! :rasp:

All working now tho with the replacement block

 

[172.com]

That's a £1,000 p**n browser, right there.

 

[wozzaa]

Id never buy an alienware machine rather do it myself cheaper and you get the exact same things.

But some good scores there.Think i got around 6,000 with a 4400+ and a 7800gtx 512.

 

[Rasclart]

Haha,
I built a PC at work with a 939 Waterchill kit (Athlon FX-55 etc.. when it was first out).
Was well high spec everything when we built it.

One of the waterblocks cracked the other week.. :quiet:
I didn't fix it, but by all accounts, things got wet! :rasp:

All working now tho with the replacement block

LOL yeah it was when I bought it, got the dual 120MM rad version

Good system and mine never leaked touch wood

I bet it did get a bit wet

 

[Daz]

LOL yeah it was when I bought it, got the dual 120MM rad version

Good system and mine never leaked touch wood

I bet it did get a bit wet

This was solid for ages..

Then, like, just past a year.. water was lost

Only got the single 120mm on this one tho..

 

[Munson]

Where did you buy the components from Roy

I had previously been a fan of Tekheads, but this time I used Overclockers UK for everything except the GX2, which I did use Tekheads for.

 

[Darren S]

Yey - good scores there Roy! I'm on 6,070 with identical kit to you, bar your 7950 being a 7900GTX in mine.

To be honest, you'll be fine with that for some time. Unless I really stretch the settings, I'm having trouble stressing the 7900GTX. Still, that M2N32SLi mobo is a superb piece of kit (as I'm finding out! ) - and when we do finally get to upping the spec, we've always got another gfx slot to fill up.

D.

 

[Munson]

But some good scores there.Think i got around 6,000 with a 4400+ and a 7800gtx 512.

Just shows that the 7950GX2 is truly a monster card and, IMO, well worth the extra over a 7900GTX, especially when you consider the prospect of Quad SLi later this year perhaps. Thats an extra 2k marks over and above a 7900GTX 512, and less than 1k behind 2x7900GTX at considerable extra cost. It worked out damn good value in the end if you ask me :approve:

 

[Munson]

Yey - good scores there Roy! I'm on 6,070 with identical kit to you, bar your 7950 being a 7900GTX in mine.

To be honest, you'll be fine with that for some time. Unless I really stretch the settings, I'm having trouble stressing the 7900GTX. Still, that M2N32SLi mobo is a superb piece of kit (as I'm finding out! ) - and when we do finally get to upping the spec, we've always got another gfx slot to fill up.

D.

Well you cant beat two cards bolted together with two GPUs and 1GB RAM. Sharing the same PCIE bus of course, but still PWNS the 7900GTX as we have seen

 

[Rasclart]

I was just reading that Nvidia have now made the drivers to enable quad SLI available to everyone not just OEM to dell and that!

Used overclockers loads but not Tekheads

Shame as I work for an IT company but are suppliers as we dont buy much high end stuff in bulk dont offer great prices. In fact sometimes more price than overclokers etc

 

[tommyboy]

LOL at the 1st pic, thought you had acquired a UFO for a grand.... nice one



p.s nice pc tho

 

[James.]

How hard is it to build one of these things?

Easy if you know what your doing? But what if you dont

 

[Rasclart]

Take your time and it isnt too hard fella!

 

[Batman]

i build my own my current is a intel p4 3.0hgz overclocked to 3.4 with 2gb of pc3200 ram and a 256mb 9800xt it isnt the fastest thing ever but it runs all my games sweet as a nut

 

[Munson]

How hard is it to build one of these things?

Easy if you know what your doing? But what if you dont

Well I know what I'm doing but this build was a ball ache. But it was nice to spend the time on it. It took a lot of work to get it presented that tidily inside :approve:

 

[Munson]

Basically it isnt too hard to build a PC, but it gets harder when you get fussier. I spent at least three hours today just routing all the cables

For a newbie it really is juts a case of plugging all the bits in. Installing Windows is a small hurdle after that, and then you're away.

 

[James.]

You can definatly tell from the pictures its been done well, all the pretty colours and that

Seriously though it does look suberb

Im going to look into building one as it seems really interesting, and I presume it costs less than buying a fully built one?

 

[Munson]

You can definatly tell from the pictures its been done well, all the pretty colours and that

Seriously though it does look suberb

Im going to look into building one as it seems really interesting, and I presume it costs less than buying a fully built one?

Cheers dude I have to say that presenting it that well without a modular PSU was very very hard work. I spent a lot of time building this setup, more than I needed to really but at the end of the day it's very rewarding. Of course the games are what it's about, but it doesnt hurt to have it looking so good too.

 

[KyleB]

looks excellent that Roy

Wish i had the money to build a gaming rig

 

[Darren S]

Basically it isnt too hard to build a PC, but it gets harder when you get fussier. I spent at least three hours today just routing all the cables

Yep, and you can understand why, when you see my pre-tidyup pic below.

You then spend just as much time unplugging and replugging things back in to optimise the space the cables take up.

Jaybee - it's like most things m8. Building a PC is very straight-forward these days. It looks difficult, but its not. Much in the same where I draw my 182 maintenance limits at cleaning it and the regular oil change. Beyond that, I wouldn't know where to start - or more likely, be too sh1t-scared of damaging something.

D.

 

[Rasclart]

LOL I know the feeling

I also had to butches my spanking new Akasa Eclipse case to mount the Dual Rad for the Watercooling in the roof of the case, then piss around with water. Which went everywhere.

Spent hours tidying cables etc. Was worth it in the end. Will try and dig out a piccy of it later!

 

[David]

Nice i've got a zalman in mine too...tbh though it looks like the sort of machine that would make more noise than a washing machine. Still if you say it's silent i believe ya! bet playing FEAR on that would be interesting

 

[Lee]

Lots of numbers! My mates well into computers, he wants one of those alienware things, he showed me the prices, christ!

From what i understood of the above, bet thats well good Roy.

No one should ever buy an Alienware PC. We bought over £110ks worth last year. At the time it was the fastest one they sold. Out of the 34 everyone of them has had to have a new chipset fan. Alienware claim they test all components before deciding what to use. b****cks do they. They cable tie everyting so tight it looks neat and tidy but puts undue presure on cables. One even snapped the SATA connector on a hard drive.

You can buy better components than they use, build it yourself and save over a grand.

 

[Lee]

I was just reading that Nvidia have now made the drivers to enable quad SLI available to everyone not just OEM to dell and that!

Used overclockers loads but not Tekheads

Shame as I work for an IT company but are suppliers as we dont buy much high end stuff in bulk dont offer great prices. In fact sometimes more price than overclokers etc

Read the article on Toms hardware about Quad SLI.

 

[Lee]

Yep, and you can understand why, when you see my pre-tidyup pic below.

You then spend just as much time unplugging and replugging things back in to optimise the space the cables take up.

Jaybee - it's like most things m8. Building a PC is very straight-forward these days. It looks difficult, but its not. Much in the same where I draw my 182 maintenance limits at cleaning it and the regular oil change. Beyond that, I wouldn't know where to start - or more likely, be too sh1t-scared of damaging something.

D.

You should easily be able to make it look like this one Darren: http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=159566

 

[Tyson-182]

Looks like you need optimax to run that thing!! How much does it drink

i wish i knew what the hell you lot were talking about! My Dell needs a serious upgrade!

Tyson.

 

[Darren S]

LOL Lee - it's not quite as clean and tidy as yours, but a damn-sight better than the pic above! Those P180 cases are superb, aren't they?

Tyson - if you ever need to consider upgrading/spending/etc, give me a shout. You're in the neighbourhood, so I could always pop round. Coffee, white, no sugar please.

D.

 

[Lee]

I love the P180. I've bought loads of them. Getting the cable from certain power supplies neat isn't always easy, but they are nicely cooled and there's plenty of room, although some motherboards leave the bottom GFX card alittle close to the cable hole when SLI'd.