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Harbl
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
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re: Re: Building a WoW Machine
 by Harbl on 08/18/2009 7:40 am
I'm gonna throw you some general advice. If you want more specific advice I'll be happy to provide that as well. If anybody disagrees with my advice, that's fine. If you wish to discuss it with me we can do it off forum. This doesn't need to turn into an X v. Y debate.
First off:
| Frost-wyrm wrote: |
From what I hear, WoW relies more on the proc than the video card. My choices reflect that.
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is absolutly not the case. You have a shit vid card and it's gonna run like shit. I promise, I tried it.
On to the general advice.
First, the *minimum* graphics card you should be looking at is a Nvidia GTX 260 with 216 cores or an ATi 4870 with 1G mem (*not* 512M). You can get a 4890 for not much more than the 4870's right now and they run almost as good as a GTX 285 and in some cases better.
The vid card is absolutely crucial. Much more than the CPU. You can get by on an average CPU, you can't get by on an average vid card.
Second, get an i7. Yes I know they are expensive, however they wipe the floor with everything else and will be your best bet if you plan to keep this compy for 3+ years.
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Frost-wyrm on 08/18/2009 8:38 am
Argh, I'd like to keep it beneath $650 or $700. Your recommended video card and proc will hike the price another $400-500. I'm not going for top of the line, just something that will beat the shit out of my macbook  . I'm not trying to play crysis at max settings :P.
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Harbl
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Harbl on 08/18/2009 8:42 am
Well if you can only do one of the things I suggest, get the vid card. It will only up your outlay another $100 or so.
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Loafkeeper on 08/18/2009 10:19 am
I would defiantly go with a better video card. You can save some $$ by not buying an OS then running the Win7 RC till next year.
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Harbl
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Harbl on 08/18/2009 10:22 am
| Loafkeeper wrote: | | I would defiantly go with a better video card. You can save some $$ by not buying an OS then running the Win7 RC till next year. |
I totally missed vista in the list. Definatly don't buy that. Use that savings to get a 4890.
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MaculaOfficer
Joined: 25 Jan 2008
Posts: 1410
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Macula on 08/18/2009 14:02 pm
Just a thought and others can correct me if its a dumb one. Maybe do 2 hard drives. One for your OS and then one for all the other applications and storage. The OS hard drive could be much much smaller.
_________________ "You deserve what you tolerate."
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Harbl
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Harbl on 08/18/2009 14:24 pm
2 drives is defiantly a valid tactic. I'm running my box that way currently. I don't think it really has any advantage though.
The stuff looks good. I'm sure you could have stayed with that other mobo and been fine and saved some bones, but either way it should run well.
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Frost-wyrm on 08/19/2009 15:06 pm
I am anxiously awaiting my order to come in, but I have a question. What should I do about cooling(fans and such) and should I buy a thermal paste such as:
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
to put on the proc. If I need this, do I have to do it before I put the comp together and get it running?
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ChylerArchivasRaider
Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 653
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Archivas on 08/19/2009 16:13 pm
| Frost-wyrm wrote: | What should I do about cooling(fans and such) and should I buy a thermal paste such as:
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
to put on the proc. If I need this, do I have to do it before I put the comp together and get it running? |
Thermal paste is absolutely required! The cpu usually comes with a bit on it, but any custom-built computer needs to have it. The l33t builders usually scrape off the factory-applied paste, and apply the (better) Arctic Silver paste.
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Frost-wyrm on 08/19/2009 18:37 pm
A quick question about actually building it:
What size screws should I have laying around that will work for putting together my PC? I am only a college student so I dont just have screws sitting around the apartment thatll work for my PC. I keep reading reviews or whatnot and a lot say to have a bag of screws handy. Also, the dvd drive and hard drive I bought are OEM so they won't be coming with screws (I don't believe my case has screw-less drive placement whatever).
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RenindarbRaider
Joined: 21 Apr 2009
Posts: 218
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Renindarb on 08/19/2009 18:40 pm
YES!!! you definitely want to get some Arctic Thermal paste, that shit owns!!! When you go to clean off the factory paste make sure you use Q-tips and rubbing alcohol to make sure the surface is fully cleaned before you put the Paste on there.
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Frost-wyrm on 08/19/2009 18:48 pm
I bought 3 120mm fans for this case (2 already come with it). Two go into the front part behind the filter, which will be both intake to push air over the hard drive and whatnot. There is one near the top of the back plate and the one on the top of the case itself, those will both be exhaust to get the hot air out. Now what should I do about the fan on the side? Should I make it another exhaust and have 2 intake fans and 3 exhaust? Logic tells me that would be the best so that I have more air leaving the case than I do entering. I guess I could set the speed to the exhaust fans a little slower so that intake and exhaust are a little more even. Anyway, I'm not an expert in any of this so I could use some more advice.
What should I do about the fan situation?
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MaculaOfficer
Joined: 25 Jan 2008
Posts: 1410
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re: Building a WoW Machine
by Macula on 08/19/2009 22:45 pm
I have that exact case. I am just running the stock fans. With a system that is a step behind yours. Its fine. Temp is never a problem. If you really want just put one blowing on the video card and call it good.
_________________ "You deserve what you tolerate."
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