Quiet i7 Machine Build

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kwazimoto

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Thanks for the replies in advance! Upgrading from a P4 system that I build in 2003 - works great still, but too slow for my evolving work needs. Machine will stay on 24/7 and silence is optimal as it will be in my home. The main purpose of the machine is editing video angiograms (radiologic movies) and images for various presentations. Also will be doing Photoshop editing. No gaming at all.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: this week
BUDGET RANGE: up to $1000-1200 (without the cost of monitor)

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Case - Already using Antec Sonata III w/ 500W Power supply:
http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=MjA=

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg, mwave, any online store with good reviews

PARTS PREFERENCES:

CPU:
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920

MOTHERBOARD:
ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard

MEMORY:
OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK
vs.
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ

Perhaps using this combo from newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.201647

CPU FAN:
Using stock Intel fan vs aftermarket - is Noctua NH-U12P 120mm SSO CPU Cooler worth the added price for silence? No plans for overclocking.

HARDDRIVE:
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

VIDEO:
any recommendations for a fanless card for my needs as listed above?

MONITOR:
recommendations for 24" appreciated

OVERCLOCKING: No
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: I don't think I'll need this since this is not a gaming machine, right?

Will I need new optical drive with this motherboard?


Thanks again for your time and input!!!

 
Proximon

Proximon

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kufan64

kufan64

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To start... You do not need to spend the extra money for the P6T Deluxe V2 unless you are going to use SLI or Crossfire or plan on doing heavy overclocking. There is a chance you may want SLI/XFire if you want to be able to use more than 2 monitors, but I assume that is not the case, so I would go with THIS BOARD and save yourself a little green.

You may also want a second hard drive as a backup if you don't already have one. Two internal drives set up in RAID 1 will give you peace of mind regarding losing important data.

Matrox makes great fanless video cards. We use them in the office, but they ARE a bit on the expensive side.

I am currently using an Acer P243WAid 24" monitor, which I think is great. The item has since been deactivated from newegg though... :(

If your optical drive is still IDE (ribbon cables) I would recommend upgrading to a SATA one. They are only around $20, they free up room in your case, and the one I bought (THIS ONE) was quite a bit quieter and faster than my old IDE one. If you don't want to upgrade, check to make sure the motherboard you are purchasing has an IDE (aka PATA or ATA) port if that is what your optical drive uses.

Both the ASUS P6T Deluxe V2, and the P6T SE have this port.

Hope I've been helpful.

Edited for grammer and clarification
 
hunter315

hunter315

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May 12, 2009
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There are only two SSDs on newegg that are cheaper than that HDD, and if you are talking about two 64GB in raid 0 you are talking triple the price of the HDD. If it was me i wouldnt spend $200 more just to get slightly less noise that will fill up extremely quickly with the videos he needs to edit.
 
K

kwazimoto

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I appreciate all the prompt replies! Many suggestions will be taken.

As for storage - yes, I will need large amounts of disk space. The videos are very large, and can fill up space quickly. I've been using external drives as backup, but perhaps dual drives is the way to go. The video editing is the main reason for this system upgrade - it's just taking too long to process them with my old system.

2 monitors is definitely a possibility down the road. Certainly use 2 monitors at work, and thus the option to expand is nice.

Great point with regards to software compatibility - I'll definitely double check, although there has been no problems with any system that I've used.

Is 500W enough power? If you think I'll need 750W, then a quieter powersupply suggestion would be appreciated.

The recommended optical looks nice - will add to list.

Thanks again to all!!!
 
Proximon

Proximon

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The EA500 you are using now is probably adequate. The Corsair 650TX would be slightly quieter but I would only get it if you think you'll run out of connectors on the EA500, and that's probably not a worry.
 
kufan64

kufan64

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I should probably clarify something... You can have 2 monitors on a single video card, but if you want to be able to use 3 or more monitors, you will need to get a second video card.

Corsair's 650TX, 750TX, and 850TX PSU's are all great options in the event you discover that you need to buy a new PSU. They are reliable, quiet, and have a bunch of connectors for your devices. They aren't modular, but if you take the time to manage your cables, they are cheaper and better than most other PSU's on the market.
 
K

kwazimoto

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Proximon -
appreciate your video card input. You mentioned the HIS Hightech H465PS512P Radeon HD 4650. What about the 4670? Seems to get better overall reviews and only marginally more expensive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161272

heat dissipation issues?
this is the last component of my system I haven't settled on.
Thanks!
 
Proximon

Proximon

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I probably didn't look at that as it would be overkill for video work. Still, it's the same basic chip so unless you are pushing it hard in a game it's not going to get any hotter or consume any more power, so it makes little difference.
 
skit75

skit75

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A Matrox sollution is probably more up your alley for your video card. The cards Proximon mentioned are gaming cards and aren't exactly optimized for the work you will be doing. I'm not trying to step on your toes here Proximon as I am aware of your power posting skills. The people I know in this industry all prefer the Matrox card for this type of work & I'm sure it's for a good reason.
 
Proximon

Proximon

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Sounds great to me! I remember Matrox from the good old days and it would not surprise me a bit.

newegg reviews are sparse and scary though, and the cards cost a good bit. One fellow said there were no 64-bit drivers.

A quick google with the name of the programs involved and "video card" ought to net some results.
 
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