Processor: Intel Core i7 965 Extreme 3.2GHz
OS: Vista Ultimate 64 Bit with Service Pack 1
Motherboard: Asus P6T Deluxe
Graphic Cards: BFG Nvidia GeForce GTX 295 SLI
Hard Drives: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB
(Storage) Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB (Set up as Raid 0)

My Question: Optical Drive- LG GGC-H2OL BLU_RAY Combo Drive.
Is this Blu-Ray Optical Drive Compatible with the 64 Bit operating system?

Note: My System is similar to your > 'The Double-Stuff Workstation', in your
'TR's February 2009 system guide!
P.S. This is my first 'Posting'. I hope it was done properly, and to the point!
Your quick response would be much appreciated!!! Thank You.

I'm a student going into the 3D modeling/art section of gaming. i want to purchase a new comp to get me through a year or two. the utility player with the motherboard/processor upgrade and a sapphire 1gb looks right to me(newegg all the way).

My question is:
--Can i run 8-16g of ram on this? If so which should i choose. and which type of ram specifically should i purchase.

Also, a more specific quesetion is about the operating system i should choose. I run Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop, Unreal 3 Editor mainly. All four at once basically.

I'd prefer XP but as i understand it doesn't support the extra ram? I'm not willing to use "Windows 7". . is Vista 64 my only option? Will this run with my needed applications now and in the future?

Any advice on the system as a whole (choosing different options etc) is also welcome!

I like the idea of spending under ~1000$ . .

Thanks,
-jb

e-mail if needed: justin.bradley@mymail.champlain.edu

I've been seeing the Pentium Dual Core in the Econobox for quite some time now. I have an Intel System (E7200 @3.16GHz/1333FSB) and X2 4200+(2.2GHz). I used the Pentium DC E2160 for a year but was extremely unhanppy with the slow system responsivness compared to the AMD. In my view FSB 1333 at least is required for Intel to give a system that's peppy enough to compare to the lowest X2. Sure in heavy loads, the Intel rushes forward, but AMD's systems are always more responsive. Also Intel's budget chipsets still use the ICH7 southbridge that is not a good performer in SATA. SATA HDD's seem to perform well even in Via K8T800 chipsets compared to ICH7.
All in all, synthetic tests are not conclusive. And food for thought- in media encoding, we all have to wait- my E7200@3.16 GHZ took 2.5 Hrs to encode a 3hr movie to mpg format. Intel does not offer immunity from frustration!
My next platform will definitely be AMD, no matter what the tests say. Even a humble X2 4000+ is a splendid budget build compared to the E5200.

Hey Cyril, have you guys ever considered doing a test on more than one or two games for X-Fi compatability with the Xonar DX or D2X? Because with my Xonar DX I seem to have bad luck actually enabling EAX, ANY EAX, even 2.0, in some slightly older (>2 yrs) games under Vista x64.

Great job, but I think you could've done a little better with the kitchen PC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeywell_316#Kitchen_Computer

On the OS front. If you don't mind a little info being sent back to Microsoft (It could be personal if it sends a crash dump back that has data in memory) Windows 7 Beta is surprisingly stable. License keys are still available but you will have to turn to torrents for the .iso files. You will have a basically free OS until August of 09. That should be enough time for Windows 7 to hit the street.

Be warned though as stable as Windows 7 beta is. Its still a beta. So I would not run your business or write your dissertation on it. But if your just using it for multimedia and gaming and have good backups, I would use Windows 7 beta until the real thing comes out and skip Vista all together.

I think one of the harder systems to recommend is an HTPC. The case is something everyone will see, unless you hide it (where's the fun in that?!) The aesthetics is not , height requirements, and significant other approval makes for unlimited options.

Then, depending on where you live and what kind of signal source you have, the tuner may or may not work - and you can't just recommend a middle-line card and hope it works for everyone. From what I have read, the Canadian regulations don't support clear-QAM, so there goes most things of importance.

I would stay away from HTPC recommendations for a normal build until all of the basics (including a tv-tuner) is a standardized option.

Btw a new monitor that's been impressing people: Dell 2209WA. 22" 1680x1050 e-IPS, list price is $300 but as usual with Dell it's available for much less.

Thanks for an interesting guide, that does seem to make sense.

It would be nice indeed to have quick benchmarks, to see how much moving up the chain actually improves performance.

Also, personnal request: I like my PCs small, it would be handy to have a Micro ATX MB listed in the alternatives, for each config.

Comments:

The kitchen PC might do better with a monitor with built in speakers for the saving on cabling mess.
(To be honest, I just take my laptop in to the kitchen when cooking but anyhow)

Also:
Really don't understand the point in recommending Vista x64, period.
I would hunt down a copy of the Windows 7 x64 beta, which can still be downloaded from several places and keys are everywhere.
I'd rather run the Windows 7 beta than PAY MONEY for an OS which is about to be completely swept under the carpet (trust me in 18 months time, we'll be debating XP and Win7, Vista is going to become the forgotten child)

Finally:
Recommending soundcards,... really?
I disagree that saying people with nice headphones or speakers would like a nice soundcard!
Quite the damned contrary, I have been using onboard audio exclusively since the NF2 motherboards, HOWEVER I do use a 'proper' home theatre amp and some decent speakers and my audio is fantastic.
People with crap speakers might need a discrete soundcard to make up for their speakers but honestly, just buy some really nice speakers and onboard is good.

Another article that is biased and poorly written. Is this site run by teenagers?

I just wanted to give a shout out for the Kitchen PC. I'm a fan of the idea of having a really inexpensive desktop for a use like this. I saw this deal recently too and thought of a similar use for it:

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?Ed...=4471587&sku=B69-0017&SRCCODE=COMEM199C&cm_mmc=E...[a.com]

TR should add a Media Center PC and drop the Kitchen PC
and exellent work TR :)

I'm a little surprised by the Gigabyte recommendation on the X58 mobo. The newegg reviews are decidedly mixed on it; anyone around here using one? I've been waiting for a pro review on techreport or anandtech, but no sign of it yet. Other than that, this guide is great!

Peripherals and such:

- Logitech's G5 Laser is still my favourite, as is their new Illuminated keyboard.

- The G5 is wired and has adjustments for weight and DPI response, the latter can be adjusted on-the-fly with *no* software just the standard USB mouse driver. I have used several wireless mice, even newly released models, but the lag is still too much of a compromise for me.

- The Illuminated keyboard has keys that have a light tactile feedback that can take some getting used to, I have to admit, but I got used to it quickly enough, and I it feels like a solid, quality product.

Graphics and Monitors:

- With great performing video cards capable of driving 1920x1200 game resolutions in the less-than $200 price range these days, anyone who is still tied to a monitor under 24" shoud shake the change out of their pant pockets and go buy one at least that big.

Why am I going on so much about non-core components for a system?

Simple: a computer is all about Input and Output - what you use to work on it or play on it, and what it gives you back in output.

And while you are at it - pay good money for some good speakers... you will not regret it.

Could we please get reasonable heat sink recommendation some time? The Thermaltake choice is just... bleh, every time. It is not a top performer, it's mounting mechanism is nothing to write home about, and despite the thought large fan != instant quiet.

Sunbeam's Core Contact, the new Titan heatsink, the Xigamtek products, Thermalright's always great products, Thermolab BARAM, or Noctua. All of which either out perform, perform the same and are quieter, or both than the Thermaltake heat sink.

What's the lowdown on SB750 these days? I remember reading it's had problems with AHCI, is that resolved? Are there any other issues?

This XFX offering isn't the cheapest 4870 by far, but it's the only one we could find with all three of the following: lifetime warranty coverage (double lifetime, as a matter of fact), a "factory overclocked" GPU speed, and a stock AMD cooler.

Oh dear.

Am I the only one who finds it odd to slap higher end SLI graphics into a workstation?

I'm thinking work =\ gaming and 3D work would need something different.

Other than your dubious reliance on Newegg customer reviews, this is a very good system guide.

When are you going to add the car PC to the guide?

It seems that maybe there may be more to the "The way it's meant to be played" program, according to the utility player alternatives explanation for why you went for Nvidia.
I think I heard someone once say in the podcast that you would be posting something about image quality in games between the two companies but it never happened =(.

Oh yea, the company besides Nvidia is ati/amd
(above double spaced comment is for lolz)

The Double Stuff system refers to the Asus P6T Deluxe, but the Newegg link is to the non-Deluxe version. The Deluxe is still up around $300.

Ugh, when a same sized monitor as the one I have shows up on a Kitchen PC, it's time to upgrade...

An HTPC would be a nice category to look into in the future maybe.

You can get a MSI 260 with a nice overclock for $199 after a $30 rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127409

I'm still reading through it, but two suggestions spring to mind

For the Utility Player:

I would suggest replacing the XFX 4870 XXX with this:

Sapphire 100243-1GTXSR Radeon HD 4870 1GB

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102815

For $20 more, you get 1GB of memory, higher clocks, and a (supposedly) better cooler.

For the Sweeter Spot:

I would suggest replacing the Crucial 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3-1066 with:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820609361

SUPER TALENT 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3-1333. For a $1.99 more you get a bit more speed and still decent timings (8-8-8-24). For:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231225

G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3-1600. For $4.99 more you get much more speed but loose timings (9-9-9-24).

It would almost be nice to see what a few small benchmarks would look like for each of the setups to see what each dollar amount is really getting you.

However I would imagine it would be about impossible to get all of that hardware every month.

Being able to write a system guild recommnedation list has to be one of the better perks of this job. I have spent countless hours doing same and it never gets old. An alternative to the Kitchen Pc: Nvidia Ion with a monitor/tv mounted to the wall.

I'd go with less graphics on the sweet spot/utility player alternative, more HDD/storage, but that's because I don't think I'll have 30" LCD around for a while yet. I think the vast majority of your readers also don't fit this spot either...

Also, I liked the sweet spot pricepoint, because you could look back historically over years and see what you could get at a certain pricepoint.

Man. With a $1000 tax refund, I'm a bit tempted to pull the trigger on that Utility Player...

but I'd rather not starve to death :(