I cant believe its 9 years old.

[traxcorp]

Hi, I purchased this on march 2011 and it is still running well. I think that the grfx card is under powered and I am going to have more time to indulge in games, so would appreciate and advise on suggestions to upgrade this or start fresh ( I have someone willing to take it off my hands) ... I have decent budget, so dont hold back,, finally I am running 3 screens and would wish to continue with that. Speed and quietness and the ability to deal with whatever I chuck at it... have to say the current configuration worked perfect and only replacments were 2 new water coolers fitted and few extra case fans... otherwise was pretty good and for 9 years incredible value for money.. .. Now on Windows 10 Professional.

Spec is ..


PCSPECIALIST.CO.UK SPECIFICATION

The specification below has been formatted so you can easily copy and paste this to our forums when discussing your specification. Once you've copied the specification, please click here to continue.
Case
COOLERMASTER COSMOS 1000 SILVER SILENT CASE
Overclocked CPU
Overclocked Intel® Core™ i7-2600k Quad Core (3.40GHz @ max 4.80GHz)
Motherboard
ASUS® P8P67 (NEW REV 3.0): USB 3.0, SATA 6.0GB/s, CrossFireX™
Memory (RAM)
16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X GENESIS DUAL-DDR3 1600MHz, X.M.P (4 x 4GB KIT)
Graphics Card
2GB AMD RADEON™ HD6970 - 2 DVI,HDMI,2 mDP - DX® 11, (Special Offer)
1st Storage Drive
120GB INTEL® 510 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (up to 450MB/sR | 210MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
2TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD2002FAEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
1st Storage Drive
2TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD2002FAEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
12x BLU-RAY ROM DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (XD, MS, CF, SD, etc) + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Power Supply
800W Quiet 80 PLUS Quad Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan
Processor Cooling
COOLIT ECO A.L.C (ADVANCED LIQUID COOLER)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC COOLING MX-3 HIGH THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB/Thunderbolt Options
6 x USB 2.0 PORTS (MIN 2 FRONT PORTS) AS STANDARD
4G Module
NONE, I WILL BE USING BROADBAND
Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Monitor
IIYAMA E2473HDS 24" LED WIDESCREEN, 2 HDMI/DVI-D 1920x1080
Monitor Cables
2 x 2 METRE GOLD PLATED V1.4 HDMI CABLE
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 9 to 11 working days
Price: £0.00 including VAT and Delivery

 

[SpyderTracks]

It’s not worth upgrading, think a new build is definitely called for.

You can transfer the windows license to the new build and save some cash.

How to link your Windows 10 product key to a Microsoft account

If you're using a local account, use this guide to link your Windows 10 product key to your Microsoft account for easier re-activation.

www.windowscentral.com

I would wait until Thursday when new CPUs are being announced.

 

[traxcorp]

I am looking at the specs and as a non-techie ( in that field ) I am finding it hard to choose,,

I am looking at a very powerful and Quiet system to last another few years - really I want to be able to check pretty much anything at it and not worry too much about the ability of the machine to cope.. .. no BS like lights / gizmos/ LEDS also on CPU coolers i am on my 3 rd cooler on the 9 year old system now on

Corsair Hyrdo Series H115i Pro 280mm Liquid CPU Cooler and seem to be fine.​

Intel i9-10900 processor or better processor
MOBO - but which one
Case - tower - but which one with lots of quiet cooling
Thinking of s a1 T ssd for OS and a 2 T SSD for program overlap / data then 2 x 4T Hdd for projects.. again which ones.
Need 32 or possible 64 GB fast ram
GRFX card to drive 3 x llama Prolite E2473hds monitors and really good games.. again which one. or even which 2..

Budget is flexible to get the right unit.........

Any advice appreciated..

 

[traxcorp]

Thanks for that Nursemorph Yes I do game and want to game across all three - crossfire ??> I believe. so a monitor upgrade and the necessary card would be good.. I can see that everone seems to be AMD centered but I always find that they run for hot... and cooling / noise is an issue - which is why I went for the Intel.... is there really such an advantage on the AMD apart from the GPU on the lower res Monitor/.?

 

[traxcorp]

Thanks for that@ Nursemorph - very interesting and thank you for talking the time - so on the AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT above do I need grfx card if using the 3 monitors I have in "crossfire mode" and if I get some new 1440p monitor and game across all three , what grfx card would you recommend ?

 

[traxcorp]

would the 3950X be a better option in CPU. for the cost.?

 

[SpyderTracks]

You would need a 3090 for 3 x 1440p monitors.

I wouldn't suggest that though, these days it's a poor choice.

A superwide like the samsung g9 would be far better and pair well with a 3080

PC Monitors | Computer Monitors & Screens | Samsung United Kingdom

Browse the full range of PC monitors, desktop computer monitors & screens. Compare models by price, specs & features. Plus, enjoy free delivery at Samsung UK.

www.samsung.com

You don't want any of the 3000 series processors, you'll want the 5900x if it's for gaming.

 

[traxcorp]

I would not give deskspace to the @A superwide like the samsung g9@ awful looking yoke... fugly. May look at 3 x 24@ 1440p's but not that -- so any recommendations for the monitor ( small bezels ) and grfx card

 

[traxcorp]

This is looking like the final specification.. any comments appreciated.. especially on these two questions my key goals it MUST be as quiet as possible and I am looking for a unit that is very much capable of most tasks requested.. from games to photo editing and possible some light graphic design.......

Would this specification work as well in a mid size case.> ?

Suggestions on mouse / keyboard ?

Thanks

PCSPECIALIST.CO.UK SPECIFICATION

The specification below has been formatted so you can easily copy and paste this to our forums when discussing your specification. Once you've copied the specification, please click here to continue.
Case
FRACTAL DEFINE 7 XL BLACK QUIET TOWER CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i9 18 Core Processor i9-10980XE (3.0GHz) 24.75MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® WS X299 PRO: ATX, USB 3.1, SATA 6 GB/s - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (4 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2070 SUPER - HDMI, 3x DP GeForce - RTX VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA 120 2.5" SSD, (up to 560MB/sR | 540MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA 120 2.5" SSD, (up to 560MB/sR | 540MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive
4TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 128MB CACHE
1st Storage Drive
4TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 128MB CACHE
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H150i RGB PRO XT Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 8 CHANNEL (7.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
2 x 10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORTS (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 6 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Professional 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [MUP-00003]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Supplied on USB Drive
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
2 - 3 DAY DELIVERY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 7 to 9 working days
Price: €3,209.92 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-x299-workstation/rCJ7dxPKed/

 

[Stephen M]

An AMD build would be better, they are way ahead of Intel in all areas. Running temperature is no longer a problem with AMD but the Intel i9 did not get the name "Arsonists Friend" for no reason. Intel are also still on an old architecture with quite a few security vulnerabilities and while they are still OK in some ways the company has stagnated in a similar way AMD did before Lisa Su performed what many thought impossible and not only made the company viable again but a market leader.

 

[traxcorp]

@Stephen M Well, the OP was made aware of the multiple deficiencies that Intel have vs AMD but has clearly chosen to go with Intel anyway.

@Stephen M Well, the OP was made aware of the multiple deficiencies that Intel have vs AMD but has clearly chosen to go with Intel anyway.

Hi Nursemorph - again I have to stay thank you for your advise and I did not mean to offend you by not following it. Indeed to non-geek like me I could just barely follow the options. It is not as clear cut as your vast experience would seem to a non geek like myself.



For instance when I went to decide what I needed from the specification suggested I could not understand why they was no grafx card, when I wanted to add more fans it gave errors, I could not understand why the top AMD chip may not be best for games but best for movies editing. ?? Also on coolers I am on my 3rd on my current set up, maybe water cooling is not the way to go.. when I tried to add fans to the spec the system would not accept them I have no idea what crossfire is or why I should care- I usually go for full towers but wonder would a mid-size be a better option..



While it is glaringly obvious to you that AMD are netter than Intel, in my ignorance I thought it would be good at some items and not so good at others, or based on “bang for bucks’ or heat generated or specific performance issues, and basically subject to some personal subjectiveness, I was not aware that it was a cut and dried fact.



I had AMD previously and had Intel since.. it is easier to understand Intel ( and its limitations ) however in saying that I have – what I thought was a very simple option. I have 3 x 24” 1080P monitors and may ( someday ) replace with 3 x 24’ 1440P units… I am NOT interested in curved screens or single widescreen. I have no need for transparent cases or flashy lights or other “childish” waffle. I just want a quiet box, under the desk that is the quietest and one of the most all around powerful on the site.. I do game and want to game across all three monitors, It should be as good as possible for games, editing and pretty much whatever I chuck at it – a Ferrari in a Mondeo skin if you like, so I assumed the top chip would do it… I am not interested in waiting for some launch date of some new AMD chip…. I have sufficient budget, I would have guessed it was pretty straightforward.



I was hoping that one of you gurus would say.. ok the intel option would be and the AMD option would be and I would be able to go do some research and find out what questions I needed to ask.

So I was not ignoring your advice, I was having problems around the rest of the specification and once again thank you for your most appreciated contributions.

 

[Scott]

It's quite confusing as even with just Intel there are multiple platforms. Unfortunately clicking what appears to be the premium platform of Intel, isn't actually the best Intel platform to go for. X299 is REALLY old now and you would need a freezer of a cooler to have it running well. AMD are quite substantially better with any professional goals in mind, Intel were previously marginally better at gaming but this is all about to change at the end of the month with AMDs new releases which wins at every level now.

For some brief reading you want to check here...

AMD Vs Intel

So some of you aren't aware of the reasons why so many people are heading away from Intel to AMD, so thought it would be important to lay that out for people to refer back to. A lot of you will go to cpubenchmark or userbenchmark to find performance metrics for CPU's. These sites are complete...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

and here

Desktop Building Guide - April 2023

A "quick" reference guide to building the perfect system. This is the sort of logic I go through when suggesting systems, so thought I would jot it down on the page. Clearly this is an ever changing suite of options but I'll update periodically as my default go-to's change... I'm noticing the...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

 

[traxcorp]

It's quite confusing as even with just Intel there are multiple platforms. Unfortunately clicking what appears to be the premium platform of Intel, isn't actually the best Intel platform to go for. X299 is REALLY old now and you would need a freezer of a cooler to have it running well. AMD are quite substantially better with any professional goals in mind, Intel were previously marginally better at gaming but this is all about to change at the end of the month with AMDs new releases which wins at every level now.

For some brief reading you want to check here...

AMD Vs Intel

So some of you aren't aware of the reasons why so many people are heading away from Intel to AMD, so thought it would be important to lay that out for people to refer back to. A lot of you will go to cpubenchmark or userbenchmark to find performance metrics for CPU's. These sites are complete...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

and here

Desktop Building Guide - April 2023

A "quick" reference guide to building the perfect system. This is the sort of logic I go through when suggesting systems, so thought I would jot it down on the page. Clearly this is an ever changing suite of options but I'll update periodically as my default go-to's change... I'm noticing the...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

Thanks Scott - o I have raging headache and am more confused,, BUT I will accept the consensus and follow the AMD route and have 2 questions.

Which chip would you choose now as best for games photo / movie edit
After the October AMD launch.. Which chip would you choose as best for games photo / movie edit

Thanks you

 

[traxcorp]

Suggested by sales team/. - need to re-organise drives but GRFX looks way over the top and not sure it will run my 3 monitors - comments ?

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The specification below has been formatted so you can easily copy and paste this to our forums when discussing your specification. Once you've copied the specification, please click here to continue.
Case
NZXT H511 MID-TOWER GAMING CASE (BLACK)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 16 Core CPU (3.5GHz-4.7GHz/73MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF X570-PLUS GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0, CrossFireX) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3200MHz (4 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
24GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3090
1st Storage Drive
4TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 128MB CACHE
1st Storage Drive
4TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 128MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W AX SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® TITANIUM
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H115i RGB PLATINUM Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
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Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
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3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
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Standard Build - Approximately 7 to 9 working days
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[Scott]

Thanks Scott - o I have raging headache and am more confused,, BUT I will accept the consensus and follow the AMD route and have 2 questions.

Which chip would you choose now as best for games photo / movie edit
After the October AMD launch.. Which chip would you choose as best for games photo / movie edit

Thanks you

It would be completely budget dependent but seeing that you are over the 3k Euro mark anyway I don't think it's too much of a concern.

With your gaming needs in mind. As much as you have suggested 3x1440p monitors...... are you sure this is for in-game and not for productivity with the applications you're looking to use?

 

[Scott]

Suggested by sales team/. - need to re-organise drives but GRFX looks way over the top and not sure it will run my 3 monitors - comments ?

PCSPECIALIST.CO.UK SPECIFICATION
The specification below has been formatted so you can easily copy and paste this to our forums when discussing your specification. Once you've copied the specification, please click here to continue.
Case
NZXT H511 MID-TOWER GAMING CASE (BLACK)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 16 Core CPU (3.5GHz-4.7GHz/73MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF X570-PLUS GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0, CrossFireX) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 3200MHz (4 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
24GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3090
1st Storage Drive
4TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 128MB CACHE
1st Storage Drive
4TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 128MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W AX SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® TITANIUM
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H115i RGB PLATINUM Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
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ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
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MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
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Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
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I hope they were wearing a mask when they came up with that one.... and not just for covid

I jest a little as that is a very high end spec for your uses. If that's where your budget is at then fair enough. That sort of system would be aimed at the highest level of professional.

Are you keeping your old system? Just asking as the Windows license could be transferred. Do you really need professional for your uses? Are you using the features that Professional brings?

 

[Voeille]

You may want to take a look at the build suggested to me by @SpyderTracks, it's very similar to yours but slightly lower-end (8TB drive was my original choice, but I then downgraded it to 4TB as that should be more than enough).

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[Gavras]

The motherboard seems an old choice compared to rest of build.

would be looking at Strix or ideally Hero.

would also populate both M.2’s, one at 500GB for OS and one 1TB for most frequently used Apps and games.

Other storage for photos and other usual computer junk. 4 TB and buy a decent NAS for stuff that’s either backup or very infrequent.

Just normal thermal paste.

Also what applications are needing 64GB?

 

[traxcorp]

I hope they were wearing a mask when they came up with that one.... and not just for covid

I jest a little as that is a very high end spec for your uses. If that's where your budget is at then fair enough. That sort of system would be aimed at the highest level of professional.

Are you keeping your old system? Just asking as the Windows license could be transferred. Do you really need professional for your uses? Are you using the features that Professional brings?

Thanks I though it was a little over the top... I am getitng rid of the old unit.. but keeping the 3 1080P screens and may upgrade to 1440P and really I am trying to future proof as much as possible.. budget is not restrictive but also not unlimited. I am interested in games small amount of CAD some photo / film editing and there may be more of that in the future.. I really want a machine that just deals with it.... QUIETLY and as effortlessly as possible,

 

[traxcorp]

The motherboard seems an old choice compared to rest of build.

would be looking at Strix or ideally Hero.

would also populate both M.2’s, one at 500GB for OS and one 1TB for most frequently used Apps and games.

Other storage for photos and other usual computer junk. 4 TB and buy a decent NAS for stuff that’s either backup or very infrequent.

Just normal thermal paste.

Also what applications are needing 64GB?

Are the M2's better generallY ?