Timo
11.02.2008, 10:28 PM
Matt noted an interest in my new proposed build, so here are the specifics in case anyone else is interested.
Will be building it over the next month, as the CPU I'm after is to be released (at the earliest, depending on availability) March 17th.
* CPU: Intel Q9450 (specs: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 12MB L2, SSE4, 45nm, LGA 775 socket).
The Q9450 will effectively be the successor to the current Q6600 (Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB L2 cache, SSE3, 65nm) of the same 775 socket.
Reason for choice: Both Q6600 or Q9450 are dead cheap, offer stacks of processing power, and don't run too hot. At the moment the AMD stuff simply can't compete (which, incidently, is why the Q9450 is being released two months late, Intel, you barstards! :) Should've been a January 17th release.)
The Q6600 with the G0 stepping is now £158 which is awesome value, and the G0 version is a great overclocker. The Q9450 will be £219 at release. I'm deciding to go with the latter as it will generate less heat/wattage (due to the 45nm architecture), has 4MB extra L2 cache and, as I'm not intending on upgrading for the next few years, it supports SSE4 for future programs/apps. It's not quite so good as the Q6600 for OCing, though, as it has a locked multiplier of x8 (as opposed to the x8.5 of the Q6600).
* Motherboard: The current Intel DP35DP favourite with audio geeks (based on the Intel P35 chipset) used for the current Q6600 quads will also be able to use the new 1333MHz FSB based quads (ie. Q9450) with a simple BIOS update, so this is what I'll be using.
Reasons: Reknowned stability for audio use. Sports a Texas Instruments native firewire chipset, which is ideal for high-bandwidth, low-latency firewire audio (I have a Motu Traveller firewire soundcard). Also has: 3 x PCI slots, 3 x PCI-Express x1 slots, 1 x PCI-Express x16 (graphics) slot, 6 x SATA channels, 1 x PATA channel, support for 12 x USB v2 ports, 2 x firewire (one internal, one external). Basically a decent all-rounder, and also inexpensive. Not amazing for overclocking, feature-wise, but I'm not intending on going overboard, so this is a non-issue.
* RAM: 2 x 2GB DDR2 PC2-6400 (800MHz) CA5 Corsair RAM.
Reason for choice: The DP35DP motherboard dictates that only 1.8v RAM modules can be used (as opposed to the 2.1v variety), and that the RAM timings must be 5-5-5 or 6-6-6 for 800MHz modules.
If my maths and computer system theory is correct, as the FSB is quad-pumped (irrelevant to the quad cores on the CPU) the CPU itself would need to be greater than 3.2GHz before it would benefit from RAM speeds higher than 800MHz.
(4 [quad pumped FSB rate] x 800MHz [RAM speed] = 3.2GHz [CPU])
So the 2.66GHz CPU is well within these limits for optimal 800MHz RAM usage. Even 667MHz RAM could stretch to that upper limit (667MHz [RAM speed] x 4 [quad pumped FSB rate] = 2.66GHz [CPU]), but there would be no headroom.
However, if ever I wanted to overclock the CPU to 3.2GHz, because the CPU has a locked multiplier of x8, an FSB buss overclock speed of 400MHz can be chosen (3200MHz [CPU] / 8 [CPU multiplier] = 400MHz [FSB speed]), which is probably what I will be doing as opposed to using the default FSB of 333MHz (for the default 2.66GHz CPU and effective full rated FSB speed of 1333MHz). I wouldn't like to go further than 450MHz FSB (= 3.6GHz CPU, overall effective FSB of 1800MHz) using just air-cooling, though, and certainly for a 4GHz CPU the required 500MHz FSB overclock (effectively 2000MHz FSB overall) would be out of the question!
But, if you think about it, if all cores are used at the same time, which they pretty much are in multi-threaded applications like sequencers, and if you overclocked the 2.66GHz CPU to 3.2GHz, it'd give you a theoretical speed of 12.8GHz at full tilt (3.2GHz[CPU] x 4[cores] = 12.8GHz) if utilised at 100% efficiency. Now the Core 2 architecture is between 1.5x and 2x times faster than an equivalently rated Pentium 4 (from years ago), due to increased efficiency on a clock-cycle per clock-cycle basis, so the comparable speed would be akin to anything between a 19.2GHz to 25.6GHz Pentium 4. Enough, methinks!
Note: On a XP32 system partition I think only 3.5GB of RAM can be "seen" and used by the system. Only under 64-bit will the full 4GB be accessible (incidently I think you can install up to 8GB on this board for 64-bit usage).
* OS: Dual boot: Windows XP 32-bit, and Windows Vista 64-bit.
It'll be dual-boot XP32 and V64, running them in parallel to see what I'll stand to lose in the move to V64 (my eventual goal, seeing as the CPU & mobo support the full 64-bits, and that more and more applications natively support 64-bit).
However, I've just learnt that Vista and XP on the same system disk may be asking for trouble if ever Vista becomes corrupted, as Vista alters the MBR (master boot record) in such a way that you wouldn't even be able to boot into your other XP partition if that occurs. So it looks like two physical system hard-drives are on the cards.
* Graphics: EVGA 512MB nVidia 8800GT
Reason: A bit of a luxury I've allowed myself. The nVidia 8800GT is nearly as powerful as their flagship 8800GTX, but at a much lower price point, and with a lot less heat (the GT version was released a while after the rest of the series, but uses a new 45nm architecture compared with all of the other 8800 cards of the same series). A no brainer, reading all the reviews. Looks like it's a great card and tbh I can't see myself upgrading.
There's loads of 8800GTs by different manufacturers, though, but EVGA allegedly give free warranty for life (this is something I'm double checking), so I think that'll my choice if so. I can't see myself upgrading to anything else in the next few years, I'm not a heavy gamer.
If the card ever runs too noisily I may possibly slap a Thermalrite HR-03 (http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=16211) on it for passive cooling while taking advantage of passive air-currents from the main CPU's Zalman fan.
* CPU cooler: will either be the horizontally mounted Zalman CNPS8700NT (http://www.shopbot.ca/i-ca/2007/6/2422754229_small.jpg), or the vertically mounted Zalman CNPS9500 or CNPS9700 (http://www.elara.ie/products/images/products/9700_9500.jpg), or something like the Thermaltake 120 (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Cooler/Retail/CL-P0310-01/+_image/03_angleview_450.gif).
[edit]Actually, looking at the DP35DP motherboard (http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/pix/dp35dp_lg.jpg), the northbridge heatsink looks damn tall, which means I'll have to drop the horizontally mounted fan idea, as clearance might be an issue.
* Hard-disks:
WD Caviar Sata2 250GB 16mb (system XP32 + data/backups)
WD Caviar Sata2 500GB 16mb (system Vista64 + data)
Maxtor Diamond Max9 IDE 300GB (data) (one of my old IDE drives)
* PSU: Seasonic S-12
Either the 430 or 500W version.
Reason: High quality, stable wattage throughput under load, and quiet. The Seasonic PSUs are often recommended and used in commercial audio installs.
* Case: Nzxt Lexa case.
http://www.comtec.ca/images/Cases/NZXT-Lexa.jpg
Reason: Has plenty of airflow with up to 5 fans (http://i30.tinypic.com/16k5bmd.png) (3 x 120mm, 2 x 80mm) in all the right places, allows for tool-less HD and PCI-card installation, has 2 x USB ports and 1 x firewire port on the outside, light in weight, and looks cool.
Not too fussed about fan noise as I rarely use microphones. Just so long as it's unobtrusive. Not sure what the bundled (4 x) fans will be like noise-wise, but may replace them if they're overly noisy.
* DVD-RW: preferably with lightscribe. (Lightscribing allows you to flip the disc and use the same DVD laser to etch your own monochrome artwork onto the back of it.)
I can only seem to see lightscribe DVD-RWs for Samsung, Asus, and Optiarc, but unfortunately not Plextor or Pioneer [which would have been my first choice]. So undecided at the moment.
Total PC cost will be about ~£850 inc. VAT but excluding P&P.
Will be building it over the next month, as the CPU I'm after is to be released (at the earliest, depending on availability) March 17th.
* CPU: Intel Q9450 (specs: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 12MB L2, SSE4, 45nm, LGA 775 socket).
The Q9450 will effectively be the successor to the current Q6600 (Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB L2 cache, SSE3, 65nm) of the same 775 socket.
Reason for choice: Both Q6600 or Q9450 are dead cheap, offer stacks of processing power, and don't run too hot. At the moment the AMD stuff simply can't compete (which, incidently, is why the Q9450 is being released two months late, Intel, you barstards! :) Should've been a January 17th release.)
The Q6600 with the G0 stepping is now £158 which is awesome value, and the G0 version is a great overclocker. The Q9450 will be £219 at release. I'm deciding to go with the latter as it will generate less heat/wattage (due to the 45nm architecture), has 4MB extra L2 cache and, as I'm not intending on upgrading for the next few years, it supports SSE4 for future programs/apps. It's not quite so good as the Q6600 for OCing, though, as it has a locked multiplier of x8 (as opposed to the x8.5 of the Q6600).
* Motherboard: The current Intel DP35DP favourite with audio geeks (based on the Intel P35 chipset) used for the current Q6600 quads will also be able to use the new 1333MHz FSB based quads (ie. Q9450) with a simple BIOS update, so this is what I'll be using.
Reasons: Reknowned stability for audio use. Sports a Texas Instruments native firewire chipset, which is ideal for high-bandwidth, low-latency firewire audio (I have a Motu Traveller firewire soundcard). Also has: 3 x PCI slots, 3 x PCI-Express x1 slots, 1 x PCI-Express x16 (graphics) slot, 6 x SATA channels, 1 x PATA channel, support for 12 x USB v2 ports, 2 x firewire (one internal, one external). Basically a decent all-rounder, and also inexpensive. Not amazing for overclocking, feature-wise, but I'm not intending on going overboard, so this is a non-issue.
* RAM: 2 x 2GB DDR2 PC2-6400 (800MHz) CA5 Corsair RAM.
Reason for choice: The DP35DP motherboard dictates that only 1.8v RAM modules can be used (as opposed to the 2.1v variety), and that the RAM timings must be 5-5-5 or 6-6-6 for 800MHz modules.
If my maths and computer system theory is correct, as the FSB is quad-pumped (irrelevant to the quad cores on the CPU) the CPU itself would need to be greater than 3.2GHz before it would benefit from RAM speeds higher than 800MHz.
(4 [quad pumped FSB rate] x 800MHz [RAM speed] = 3.2GHz [CPU])
So the 2.66GHz CPU is well within these limits for optimal 800MHz RAM usage. Even 667MHz RAM could stretch to that upper limit (667MHz [RAM speed] x 4 [quad pumped FSB rate] = 2.66GHz [CPU]), but there would be no headroom.
However, if ever I wanted to overclock the CPU to 3.2GHz, because the CPU has a locked multiplier of x8, an FSB buss overclock speed of 400MHz can be chosen (3200MHz [CPU] / 8 [CPU multiplier] = 400MHz [FSB speed]), which is probably what I will be doing as opposed to using the default FSB of 333MHz (for the default 2.66GHz CPU and effective full rated FSB speed of 1333MHz). I wouldn't like to go further than 450MHz FSB (= 3.6GHz CPU, overall effective FSB of 1800MHz) using just air-cooling, though, and certainly for a 4GHz CPU the required 500MHz FSB overclock (effectively 2000MHz FSB overall) would be out of the question!
But, if you think about it, if all cores are used at the same time, which they pretty much are in multi-threaded applications like sequencers, and if you overclocked the 2.66GHz CPU to 3.2GHz, it'd give you a theoretical speed of 12.8GHz at full tilt (3.2GHz[CPU] x 4[cores] = 12.8GHz) if utilised at 100% efficiency. Now the Core 2 architecture is between 1.5x and 2x times faster than an equivalently rated Pentium 4 (from years ago), due to increased efficiency on a clock-cycle per clock-cycle basis, so the comparable speed would be akin to anything between a 19.2GHz to 25.6GHz Pentium 4. Enough, methinks!
Note: On a XP32 system partition I think only 3.5GB of RAM can be "seen" and used by the system. Only under 64-bit will the full 4GB be accessible (incidently I think you can install up to 8GB on this board for 64-bit usage).
* OS: Dual boot: Windows XP 32-bit, and Windows Vista 64-bit.
It'll be dual-boot XP32 and V64, running them in parallel to see what I'll stand to lose in the move to V64 (my eventual goal, seeing as the CPU & mobo support the full 64-bits, and that more and more applications natively support 64-bit).
However, I've just learnt that Vista and XP on the same system disk may be asking for trouble if ever Vista becomes corrupted, as Vista alters the MBR (master boot record) in such a way that you wouldn't even be able to boot into your other XP partition if that occurs. So it looks like two physical system hard-drives are on the cards.
* Graphics: EVGA 512MB nVidia 8800GT
Reason: A bit of a luxury I've allowed myself. The nVidia 8800GT is nearly as powerful as their flagship 8800GTX, but at a much lower price point, and with a lot less heat (the GT version was released a while after the rest of the series, but uses a new 45nm architecture compared with all of the other 8800 cards of the same series). A no brainer, reading all the reviews. Looks like it's a great card and tbh I can't see myself upgrading.
There's loads of 8800GTs by different manufacturers, though, but EVGA allegedly give free warranty for life (this is something I'm double checking), so I think that'll my choice if so. I can't see myself upgrading to anything else in the next few years, I'm not a heavy gamer.
If the card ever runs too noisily I may possibly slap a Thermalrite HR-03 (http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=16211) on it for passive cooling while taking advantage of passive air-currents from the main CPU's Zalman fan.
* CPU cooler: will either be the horizontally mounted Zalman CNPS8700NT (http://www.shopbot.ca/i-ca/2007/6/2422754229_small.jpg), or the vertically mounted Zalman CNPS9500 or CNPS9700 (http://www.elara.ie/products/images/products/9700_9500.jpg), or something like the Thermaltake 120 (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Cooler/Retail/CL-P0310-01/+_image/03_angleview_450.gif).
[edit]Actually, looking at the DP35DP motherboard (http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/pix/dp35dp_lg.jpg), the northbridge heatsink looks damn tall, which means I'll have to drop the horizontally mounted fan idea, as clearance might be an issue.
* Hard-disks:
WD Caviar Sata2 250GB 16mb (system XP32 + data/backups)
WD Caviar Sata2 500GB 16mb (system Vista64 + data)
Maxtor Diamond Max9 IDE 300GB (data) (one of my old IDE drives)
* PSU: Seasonic S-12
Either the 430 or 500W version.
Reason: High quality, stable wattage throughput under load, and quiet. The Seasonic PSUs are often recommended and used in commercial audio installs.
* Case: Nzxt Lexa case.
http://www.comtec.ca/images/Cases/NZXT-Lexa.jpg
Reason: Has plenty of airflow with up to 5 fans (http://i30.tinypic.com/16k5bmd.png) (3 x 120mm, 2 x 80mm) in all the right places, allows for tool-less HD and PCI-card installation, has 2 x USB ports and 1 x firewire port on the outside, light in weight, and looks cool.
Not too fussed about fan noise as I rarely use microphones. Just so long as it's unobtrusive. Not sure what the bundled (4 x) fans will be like noise-wise, but may replace them if they're overly noisy.
* DVD-RW: preferably with lightscribe. (Lightscribing allows you to flip the disc and use the same DVD laser to etch your own monochrome artwork onto the back of it.)
I can only seem to see lightscribe DVD-RWs for Samsung, Asus, and Optiarc, but unfortunately not Plextor or Pioneer [which would have been my first choice]. So undecided at the moment.
Total PC cost will be about ~£850 inc. VAT but excluding P&P.