Tech Jawa > Core i7

Well, I finished the Core i7 build last week sometime, just been really busy to make a post about it, that’s all.

Anyhow, it’s been running great, CPU temps idle are maxing out at about 26 dgrees, GPU temps are a little hot, but thats what I get for getting a single-slot cooler on it.

All in all there is nothing I’d really do differently, rather than get a modular power supply. There are so many damn cables inside that case, and I know my airflow could be WAY better if I got modular… not that it matters with the 10 total fans I have inside the case.

Anyhow, photo time.

Rest of the photo set is located here.

Here’s me and Tim Fiore trying to mount the motherboard to the heatsink… yes, in that order. This heatsink is MASSIVE. I really couldn’t of done this build without his help, I was so far behind in the world of hardware it was absurd.

Oh yeah, one more thing…

8 CPUs IS AWESOME!

Well lets see here. Nearly everything is purchased. I got a little bit ahead of myself…

Admittedly, its like an addiction once you start buying computer parts.
I explain it like a hobby. Some people knit, some go fishing. Some go mountain biking.
I build a computer once every couple of years.

There are far more expensive hobbies out there.

There’s just some minor things left to purchase, like… oh. The i7… haha. No seriously though, I’m waiting for payday this Friday to pick that up, as well as the DVD burner. I have the 500GB drive in hand, it’s Tim’s. I’m just going to pay him for it at a later date.

I’ve taken some photos of the inside of the case, and it looks really slick at this point, even though it is still currently empty… haha.

The 1TB drive should be here on Wednesday, and the Motherboard and PSU should get here Thursday, and everything else should be here Friday… It’s actually a perfect scenario. The 1TB drive can get formatted, and everything can be copied over to it over night. Installing the motherboard and PSU and GFX card would work for Thursday evening, and Friday/Sat/Sun is the rest of the build.

Updates to follow. Also, probably getting a new domain name and logo/theme!?!

Iseriously need to upgrade my computer.

Running a P4 HT just doesn’t cut it at this day in age with everything that I need to get done, between work, school, gaming, and HD content… I need to upgrade. Well, I might as well just jump a few generations of processors and go straight for the Core i7 right? Exactly.

So I have my NewEgg Wish List completed with pretty much everything I’d like to get in this build. I have a Cooler Master CM 690 Case already, that I picked up from Micro Center. A few things on that list I KNOW I can get for cheaper at MicroCenter, like a power supply (not on the list though) They generally have 800W PSU’s that are modular for about $100. I’m also probably skipping that EVGA GeForce GTS 250 SC for now, as a friend of mine (Mike Rziemkowski) is going to sell me a PNY GeForce 8800 for a great price, cutting more than $100 off the total build price (for now). The Core i7 processor is also on sale at Micro Center for around $230 rather than the $288 NewEgg wants to charge. My ideal plan is to slowly build this over the next two months or so. If I time rebates and special offers/sales correctly, I think I can come in at roughly $1,000 total. This does not include a monitor. I have a 19″ Acer 4:3 LCD screen that’s just going to have to do for now. I’ll upgrade to a 24″ widescreen model sometime in the future, I just can’t afford one now. I have to purhcase a HDD today, probably the Samsung model (32M cache) in the Wish List, and it has to be today because NewEgg is offering 10% off on any HDD, so I can get the drive for $89.99 with free shipping. Not bad for a Samsung drive. You’d expect that price for the Hitachi drives that are famous for failing.

Anyhow, I’ll for sure be creating a Flickr collection about the new build, and I’ll be posting photos here as well as the system comes along.

PS. One thing I forgot to mention. I already have a legitimate copy of Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 x64 that I… obtained. No really though, it is fully legal. Microsoft ran the “Live Search Club” back when the Live search was just launching. Me and a few users of some underground forums built macro programs to basically play the games on the site for us, and win points. We just sat back, went to work/school, and came home to order legitimate copies of Vista… However most of our accounts were blocked/banned and our points reduced to zero and locked. Well… after what must of been some court dates for Microsoft and the Live Search Club, they (without notice) started sending out the prizes to the people who’s accounts had been banned. I can’t complain, I ended up with four copies of Vista Ultimate SP1 and some wireless 360 controllers as well.

Well, I’m sure this will be the first post of many in my Core i7 build stories.

Frustration entries are sure to ensue.