Mfusick's New HTPC Build !!! (Pictures included) - Page 3

Here is another PC I built at the same time.

it is based on a 2500k and a 6850 card. Asus Z68 with 16mb DDR3.

One step down on just about everything... but a super nice PC for under $800.

Ok. Everyone said my old PC was huge.

It was a 10 BAY thermaltake Armor FULL TOWER.


http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Produc...7&ID=1405#Tab2

Now,

The new coolermaster COSMOS II makes it look like a little inadequate child

Thanks man!


It is actually the quietest PC I have ever owned.


I am not joking.

I might post a youtube video with SPL meter because no one would believe me.

I can turn down the fans. They are basically silent on low mode. Quieter than the SSD based 2500k machine I built with a single stock intel cooler.

Plus,

The PC is not in the same room as my theater

Yeah. lol. Stuff makes a mess too. I ended cleaning that up a bit after I finished the pic.





I stole the video cards. New Egg had them for $129 each. Not a bad card at all for that price.

I will probably upgrade late in the year when the prices come down. The value spot is in the good, but not cutting edge stuff. You get the best bang for you buck. I doubt I could have better graphics for only $260 anywhere.








lol. Thanks man. Yeah.. I definitely favor EXCESS. Too much is almost enough for most things. This case was absolutely designed with this in mind.

I was also looking at an Asrock Xtreme9 with 12 SATA ports and 6 SATA III's but it seemed too expensive to go with a LGA2011 build.

Once I learned there will be a new socket to support IVY I decided to wait. This PC will become my office daily driver when I decided to upgrade.

My Next step will be to build home server and a micro ATX based HTPC for another room to network into. My budget for that is about $300 so it will probably be Asrock LGA1155 Micro ATX w/ Sandy G620 in a cheap case and 60GB SSD.

I am thinking an LGA1155 Asrock Mobo ($70ish)
G620 CPU $69
$39 case. Some mushkin 8GB DDR for $39

I have a spare extra SSD... so the build is totally reasonable for $300

And,

Yes upgrade to SSD.

Normal HDD's should be against the law for installation of an OS.

I actually built (5) LGA1155 machines in last 30 days. The lesser 2500k CPU machine is for the office. (My partner and I game at work some times)

I built a very nice Asrock H61 with a G620 for the office I was super impressed with. It totally owns EXCEL, WORD and PDF's. (We do lots with this) Our book keeper runs it with dual monitors. The best PC I think possible for under $300. Totally a nice machine.

The set up in my home just allows me to use my main daily driver PC as a HTCP. It's not in the same room- but the range of the wireless keyboard and mouse remote operates it just fine. Since all the storage is on this machine anyways it just makes sense in my set up. It's not about using another PC. I even have a spare PC if I needed a HTPC in that room- but reality is that performance is just best using the BIGBOY. All it requires is the HDMI cable to the Onkyo receiver.

I will be building a $300 budget HTPC on LGA1155 very soon- but this will be for the living room.

I don't use this PC because I have to do it. I use it for HTPC because it performs best and my set up just makes it make sense. I can't justify another PC to replace it- even if it is overkill. I spend lots of time on it in the office using it for PC duties so it's on double duty


Yup. I know. I said earlier I cleaned it up and thinned it before I installed the cooler after that photo was taken. The clump in the middle kinda squirted out by accident. I removed it and just spread what was left around. It came out ok.

I actually scraped it off and put it on the other CPU as I did not want to waste it.... lol.





First- again it is not in the same room. So sound is not an issue. If this was right next to me, overclocked, with all the Fans on HIGH speed I can totally see what your saying. I would make the same assumption you are; and I totally agree with what your saying. It's just a non factor in my set up being in a different room. Basically the PC has a room and closet all to itself

Second- I said earlier it's not really a HTPC. It's an enthusiast level PC and daily driver- that just also does HTPC duties. I did not build it just for HTPC. I built it cause I like PC's and I use it for encoding, ripping, gaming, and just about everything a PC enthusiast would use a PC for. For HTPC alone it's way more than you need. It's probably more than you need for the other stuff I do... lol.

I currently have two G620's, a 2500k and a 2600k, as well as an LGA775 E8500 core2Duo, and two Socket 939's X2's. I could use any of them for HTPC but it just makes sense to use my main machine because of it's location.

I don't mind the extra OOMPH and power

Last, This PC has fan controls. I can turn off every fan and turn down the CPU fan to almost nothing in BIOS. The case is pretty sweet with integrated fan controllers. On Low- it is honestly the quietest PC I have ever owned. The case does and excellent job of sound absorbing and isolation. It's a massive case.

I only crank it up to high setting when I am overclocked- or doing some intensive stuff. I have different profiles set up- and the PC restarts in about 8 seconds-

When I am in quiet mode (if I choose it) it's the quietest PC I have every owned. It's quieter than the 2500K machine I posted up top with only SSD, one fan and on energy mode setting in BIOS. I will SPL meter a youtube video because honestly no one would believe me unless they see it.


Again not in the same room. And not on display. Once the case is closed you can't see much of anything. I just had those so I installed them to mess around because it was fun.

This PC lives in a dedicated PC closet of sorts. It's in a ventilated cabinet under my side desk- easy to access but out of the way. It's totally hidden and quiet most of the time. The back is open.. but the front and sides are closed.

I really can't hear or see this PC ever unless I take it out. I am putting it on a small roller platform for ease of use in this. This PC weights 100 pounds!

YES !!!!

YES and YES !!!

Your so right.

20 fans on very low, assuming they are new fans, are very, very quiet !

On a large case like this- where air flow is very well engineered, thoughtout and well designed- the cooling is top notch with almost no sound. Check out the benchmarks for this case with no extra fans as stock- you will find it's top performing already.

I honestly will probably never have the fans on higher than LOW setting ever because even at 4.5Ghz the temps were totally under control. I can't see myself pushing my clock speed much more- I am not going for a world record.

My benchmark was already about 15% higher than what I have seen for 2600k CPU's and I was not even all the way juiced up yet.

There is a wall of diminishing returns where only reliability is sacrificed. I don't want to hit that wall.

Depends on the core measured. Between 28 and 39 celcius.

I think that is like 80-100 F but I forget the exact conversion.

I had to really beat it up to get it past 40 degrees Celcius, my CPU cooler is pretty good. There is certainly enough cool air in my case.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/%5B...212_evo_review

I saw a few reviews of it- but not the maximum PC one. I might check it out.

Thanks.

lol. Made at the same plant. Same thing. Notice the cords are the same cords that come with the Corsair or Seasonic?

Rosewill does not MFG them. They just brand and market it.



http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...urer,2913.html

A good read if your interested:

Also- Corsair as you mentioned does not do it's own production either. They design but do not MFG or build them.

Here is a solid review of the ROSEWILL if you want to know:


http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...Story&reid=258







Take it apart..


And you see:



lo and behold! We have here a Super Flower Golden Green 1300W! The only real visual difference between this unit and that other one is the color of the heatsinks!

lol. LMAO.

I have a full ATX motherboard.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131791

It just looks small because this PC CASE is so FACKING HUGE !!!!!

Also,


6950 = $300

Two 6870's = $260



Sometimes two is better than one.

Lowest Core was 26 degrees and highest was 36 degrees while OCed @ 4.6ghz and encoding a movie.

Hope that helps.

What issue are you having with your PC?

What components do you have?

But if you go LGA1155 which most would... you can always upgrade your CPU with IVY ...

I probably would do that in a year time...

a 2600k should still sell for good money second hand on ebay... or I could use it in another PC.

Keep in mind I am at 4.6ghz

But yeah you sound a little high. I would just upgrade the cooler.

What kind of room do you have?

Could you install a few small low speed case fans ?

Also note the size of my CPU cooler. It's not a stock by any means. For $35 it's a steal based on performance but it won't work in small cases.

There is many that will. Can you fit a Noctua ?