Building my GF a new system: critique please

ddrueding

ddrueding

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It's been nearly 3 years since I built her current system, and it's beginning to look a bit drab. She's plays games everyday, and is taking an intern job at a law firm. As a graduation/birthday gift, I've decided to get her a new system. She has a condo in Santa Cruz, but will be spending weeknights in San Jose. With the dauting task of building 2 computers and dealing with data syncronisation, or getting a gaming-capable laptop; I decided a SFF PC with a carrying case would work better than either.

Here's what I've come up with so far:

Antec Aria SFF
Gigabyte GA-K8VT800M
Mobile A64 2800+ (62W)
Samsung 160GB w/8MB SATA
Mushkin 512MB PC3200
Radeon 9600XT Ultimate Edition
Pioneer DVR-107 (8x, black)

Total w/shipping: $860 :cry:

What are people's thoughs on this? I'm particularly interested in comments on:

1. Compatibility between the "mobile" A64 and the Gigabyte motherboard.
2. Any cooling issues using the "ultimate edition" (fanless) in a SFF enviroment.
3. Choice of DVD-burner (I know and like Pioneer, and need it in black)
4. Any sugestions for a carrying case/handle.

TIA


David
 
J

Jan Kivar

Learning Storage Performance
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ddrueding said:
2. Any cooling issues using the "ultimate edition" (fanless) in a SFF enviroment.
Click to expand...
Is this the one with a Zalman HP-80? The area between an AGP slot and the ARIA PSU is quite minute. I don't think that any extrusion from the GFX card is allowed (towards PSU, that is).

Also, I don't think that it's not so beneficial to buy a mobile version of A64. Don't be fooled by the 89W figure from AMD. Allow me to link to a test @ Anandtech.

Cheers,

Jan
 
Mercutio

Mercutio

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Why not an NEC DVD-R? One of the ones that's flashable to dual layer, maybe?

The Gigabyte board you've proposed is a really nice little guy. I've used it several times and I like it a lot. Does it fit in an Aria, though? I know there's a fairly short list of acceptable boards...
 
Santilli

Santilli

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David:
I don't like it.

I think she's going to get sick of disconnecting, and re-connecting everything.

If she has an old computer, leave that in the place she is the least, and put the new one in San Jose. If she's working as an intern for a law firm, the data problems are easy. Most of the stuff, check, all of the stuff I did, was put on a couple floppies, or a CD. Law firms are famous for archaic computers, so if she is going to bring work home, you better check what kind of POS she's got to work on at work. Make sure that the new box you build has a removable storage that is similar. I suspect it's going to be floppy disks.

Also remember girls are girls, and she may have grown attached to the computer she has, because you gave it to her, and she likes it. I have a similar situation with a Dell 400 mhz P2 in the other room. Any changes are really traumatic, and have to be done while she's away, and all data backed up first. I recently put the G550 in her machine, and it's crystal clear, but she almost didn't like the change, because it was a change.


Have you considered a romantic weekend with all that money, instead of a new computer?

Give her a choice, and I think you might have a different result, happier girlfriend, and maybe, save some money.

A weekend at the Big Sur Inn, or a hotel on the beach in Mendecino(sp?)
county, with a hot tub, champagne, flowers, and a beautiful view might be
more to her likeing.

Or, for that kind of money, a week in Hawaii...

s
 
ddrueding

ddrueding

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Wow, thanks for the comments!

Jan:

This video card uses a much smaller version of that cooler. The 2 passive "blocks" are only a few inches a piece and connected by a heatpipe. Big image available here. I think this would fit. :-?

I read the review you linked to, it seemed to me more focused on the Intel numbers than on the A64s. I did see the numbers on the chart, though. That definatly talked me out of my cheap alternative (XP 2500+). Considering the cost diffrerence is about $15, I still think it's worth it. Besides, I wonder about how the mobile version not having a heatspreader may have affected the results.

Mercutio:

I've never had a NEC DVD-R. I would definatly like the ability to go dual layer (I just got my DRU-700A). Which one would you recommend?

From what I've read, the Aria supports all MATX boards, and it looks like a good fit from the pictures I've seen.

Buck:

Will do. I'm afraid the killer LCDs will have to wait until christmas, her 191Ts will do for now :roll:

Santilli:

I agree that dis/re-connecting stuff is a pain, but she'll only be doing it twice a week. One of the issues is that she wants to be able to move not just documents, but all her savegames and accounts as well. These are more difficult. Plus her old system will probably be going to her parents.

I've spoken with her about this, and she seems to think it's a good idea. One of my new clients is the owner of the Post Ranch Inn, so as soon as I have time there will be a romantic weekend or two. And we're going to Hawaii in November :p
 
J

Jan Kivar

Learning Storage Performance
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Messages
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ddrueding said:
This video card uses a much smaller version of that cooler. The 2 passive "blocks" are only a few inches a piece and connected by a heatpipe. Big image available here. I think this would fit. :-?
Click to expand...
Here's simply the best review (and the only one I've read :)) about Aria. Check on page five for the fitting.

ddrueding said:
I read the review you linked to, it seemed to me more focused on the Intel numbers than on the A64s. I did see the numbers on the chart, though. That definatly talked me out of my cheap alternative (XP 2500+). Considering the cost diffrerence is about $15, I still think it's worth it. Besides, I wonder about how the mobile version not having a heatspreader may have affected the results.
Click to expand...
Perhaps this one is more illustrative. Especially as it is in German. :D Bottom line: You'd need to undervolt a Barton (or use a mobile version) to get to the low power level of 2800+.

Cheers,

Jan
 
Santilli

Santilli

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Cute case, but I like this one.

http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/yeong_yang_cube_server_case/index.shtml

It's way more expandable, doesn't have any of the limiting issues, and she can grow into it. It has casters, and if you use one of those airport
suitcase carriers, she could wheel it around, no problem.

I don't much like limiting yourself to the mini-factor stuff, and not having room for expansion. I don't think you can do a decent gaming rig in that box, after looking at it. What scares me is the blower taking up a pci slot being an integral part of the cooling solution. NOT a good design.

s
 
Santilli

Santilli

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Aren't shuttles kind of big, and don't they require NASA support?
Gary, where are you???
:mrgrn:

gs
 
Bozo

Bozo

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Windows XP has a "Files and settings Transfer Wizard" which might help with moving stuff from one PC to another. Don't know for sur as I've never used it.

Bozo :mrgrn:
 
Handruin

Handruin

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Mercutio said:
The Gigabyte board you've proposed is a really nice little guy. I've used it several times and I like it a lot. Does it fit in an Aria, though? I know there's a fairly short list of acceptable boards...
Click to expand...

I thought you expressed some concerns in another thread about the stability of this board? You prefered a less expensive board over the gigabyte? (searching for that thread)
 
Buck

Buck

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Handruin said:
Mercutio said:
The Gigabyte board you've proposed is a really nice little guy. I've used it several times and I like it a lot. Does it fit in an Aria, though? I know there's a fairly short list of acceptable boards...
Click to expand...

I thought you expressed some concerns in another thread about the stability of this board? You prefered a less expensive board over the gigabyte? (searching for that thread)
Click to expand...

Was it an Albatron?
 
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