Building Computer, Criticism Wanted

[slackwarelinux]

Anyways, I am stuck right now on a Sempron 2100+ with 256mb of RAM and a PCI video card, so I thought it was about time for an upgrade. Socket 939 looks like it won't be very fun, so I think I am going to go with a dual socket 940 motherboard. That way, I can stick in a pair of dual core processors when the price comes down. Er.. that is how I am justifying it anyway.

This is not really for hardcore gaming (1024x768), so I sorta skimped on the video card and went all out on the CPUs instead. I figure I can upgrade the video card later on after DirectX 10 comes out. I know the cooler is a tad small, but I don't think I will have much room for a larger one because the two sockets are pretty close, and I won't be doing any overclocking. I know 1GB is going to be a bottleneck, but I can always stick 10 more gigabytes in after prices drop.

The computer will be running exclusively Linux, so I suppose that matters with hardware compatibility. Everything more or less checks out, except the ethernet controller on the motherboard, so I am just buying a cheap PCI card.

I know there is going to be quite a bit of tweaking to get the hardware and software installed, but I am not afraid of that. That is the fun part about building a computer.

Anyways, on to the parts list:
AMD Opteron 246 s940 (x2)
ASUS K8N-DL eATX Motherboard
1GB Trancend ECC DDR 400 RAM
BenQ LightScribe DVD Burner
Black eATX Case
Seagate Barracude 7200.9 200GB SATA HDD
Encore PCI Ethernet
MASSCOOL 80mm fans (x6)
Thermaltake 550W Power Supply
eVGA GeForce 7600GS 256mb
Dynatron K8 Heatsink/Fan (x2)

Anyways, this comes out to a reasonable $1200 shipped. I just wanted to put this out for ideas before I ordered the parts. What do you guys think?

Edit: Based off of the replies, I have changed some of the components:
CPU Cooler is now Sunbeam Silent Whisper
I have added a fan controller
The power supply has been changed to a Sparkle 550 Watt
I am no longer using ECC RAM, and I am using a pair of 512 sticks for dual channel
I will also remove the PCI ethernet card.
I will also drop the amount of fans to 4.

 

[sniperruff]

1) you don't need the ethernet card
2) 6 fans will make a lot of noise
3) i don't think you need ECC ram?
4) thermaltake PSU's are really top-notch stuff
5) come to think of it, a dualie is sort of an overkill. it won't give you any performance boost under normal cirsumstances.

 

[goobernoodles]

Definately look into another case. I used to own that exact case... in red. However, that design is 5+ years old, I believe. For 70 bucks, you can get a decent case with 120mm fans.

 

[slackwarelinux]

Originally posted by: goobernoodles
Definately look into another case. I used to own that exact case... in red. However, that design is 5+ years old, I believe. For 70 bucks, you can get a decent case with 120mm fans.

The problem is that I need a case that supports eATX (12x13). I did not find any eATX cases that took 120mm fans on newegg.

1) you don't need the ethernet card

You are right, I might not, but I read about some issues with the intergrated chipset, so I decied to be safe and spend another $5 on getting a dedicated card.

2) 6 fans will make a lot of noise

They look like pretty quiet fans.. Anyways, I will take some out if I don't need up needing the extra cooling.

3) i don't think you need ECC ram?

I might not, thanks for pointing that out. I will check the owners manual online. That would save a bit of money.

5) come to think of it, a dualie is sort of an overkill. it won't give you any performance boost under normal cirsumstances.

I do video encoding, but yeah. It is a little overkill.

 

[goobernoodles]

Well, if you do need to go with that case, I'd drop 20 bucks into a fan controller.

 

[snoturtle]

You will need 2xx sereis opterons and not 1xx series ones
The 1xx series is only for single cpu setups

You will need ecc reg memory all dual and up opterons require it

You also don't need a eatx case
That board is only a hair larger than atx and not a true eatx size
Just about any large case will work fine with that board

Could also look at the MSI K8N Master2-FAR which is atx size

 

[slackwarelinux]

Originally posted by: snoturtle
You will need 2xx sereis opterons and not 1xx series ones
The 1xx series is only for single cpu setups

Thanks for point that out. The 146 was a typo, it linked to a 246.

You will need ecc reg memory all dual and up opterons require it

Ok

You also don't need a eatx case

Nice to know, I will look around for another case.

Well, if you do need to go with that case, I'd drop 20 bucks into a fan controller.

Good idea, I am looking at this one.

 

[snoturtle]

Depending on how many sticks of memory you plan on getting you may be better off getting 512 meg sticks

That way each cpu will run dual channel and numa will be active

Check out this cooler also

link

 

[alimoalem]

i think your building this is really pointless. if you're going to be adding ram when it's cheaper, buying a new video card when DX10 comes out, and put in 6 fans when your rig will (probably) be cool enough, why build it? socket f is coming out which i'm sure would be better. i don't know what ram it uses but the price should be about the same. it'll be out around when DX10 arrives (i think).

i know i don't have too much knowledge about this stuff but you might as well just wait if you're going to be sitting at home with a severely bottlenecked rig while waiting for prices to drop.

 

[snoturtle]

Good points

What are you using the machine for?

It will be cheaper to build a dual core system

Or just go all out and get dual core 2xx series chips now

Originally posted by: alimoalem
i think your building this is really pointless. if you're going to be adding ram when it's cheaper, buying a new video card when DX10 comes out, and put in 6 fans when your rig will (probably) be cool enough, why build it? socket f is coming out which i'm sure would be better. i don't know what ram it uses but the price should be about the same. it'll be out around when DX10 arrives (i think).

i know i don't have too much knowledge about this stuff but you might as well just wait if you're going to be sitting at home with a severely bottlenecked rig while waiting for prices to drop.

 

[slackwarelinux]

Originally posted by: snoturtle
Good points

What are you using the machine for?

It will be cheaper to build a dual core system

Or just go all out and get dual core 2xx series chips now

Originally posted by: alimoalem
i think your building this is really pointless. if you're going to be adding ram when it's cheaper, buying a new video card when DX10 comes out, and put in 6 fans when your rig will (probably) be cool enough, why build it? socket f is coming out which i'm sure would be better. i don't know what ram it uses but the price should be about the same. it'll be out around when DX10 arrives (i think).

i know i don't have too much knowledge about this stuff but you might as well just wait if you're going to be sitting at home with a severely bottlenecked rig while waiting for prices to drop.

Honestly, I don't really need this fast of a computer, and I know it would be overkill, and a tad pointless, but it looks like it would be a lot of fun. I don't think it will be too severely bottlenecked for what I am going to use it for anyway. It is overkill now, but hopefully it won't be in a few years.

I have not been too impressed with socket AM2, so I am not expecting much of socket F, although I suppose I should wait awhile for some benchmarks.

Check out this cooler also

Looks great.

 

[snoturtle]

Seems your set on a dually which I can't say I blame you
was what I used up until the opterons came out

celerons, P3's, P4 based xeons

Check out Monarch they have 248's for about 200 and 265's for about 300

 

[kmrivers]

i would definetly look into the dual core 2xx series, they just saw a price drop about a month ago.

if you have some extra cash maybe look into a better board. Tyan or SuperMicro. The SuperMicro H8DCE has 8 SATA ports on board, so if space is a necessity you might like that. Dual Ethernet, also supports SLI. A slew of other things too. It is close to $300, but will spank that Asus and give you much more expandability.

Definetly some more memory if you are video encoding, especially for a rig like this.

I am going to have to agree that this is a pointless build with prices being what they are now. Maybe save some more money and then build.

And again, why do people insist on putting nice components(for the most part in the case) in a cheap ugly case. I understand ugly is subjective... but come on.

 

[LxMxFxD3]

Slack,

I JUST built a server with that mobo and 2ghz opterons. I went with 2x2 for the 4 cores. The server now screams.

The mobo is awesome under fedora core. How it performs under windows or slackware i cannot say.

The integrated ethernet is the best in the biz. Broadcom will eat anything else for breakfast including 3com. I should know, this servers is pushign 175Mbits through that port.

You dont need ECC ram unless you are major paranoid. I Have 4GB of regular ram in there haven't seen a problem yet.


Hope that helps.

 

[slackwarelinux]

Originally posted by: LxMxFxD3
Slack,

I JUST built a server with that mobo and 2ghz opterons. I went with 2x2 for the 4 cores. The server now screams.

The mobo is awesome under fedora core. How it performs under windows or slackware i cannot say.

The integrated ethernet is the best in the biz. Broadcom will eat anything else for breakfast including 3com. I should know, this servers is pushign 175Mbits through that port.

You dont need ECC ram unless you are major paranoid. I Have 4GB of regular ram in there haven't seen a problem yet.


Hope that helps.

Cool, sounds great. If I don't have to use ECC ram that saves quite a bit of money.

And again, why do people insist on putting nice components(for the most part in the case) in a cheap ugly case.

I happened to think the case looked rather nice .

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: slackwarelinux
The problem is that I need a case that supports eATX (12x13). I did not find any eATX cases that took 120mm fans on newegg.

There are some Thermaltakes towers that support eATX on Newegg. Not under server cases where they should be though.. must be the flash.

I think your MB needs an EPS12V PSU. Enermax Noisetaker 600W is one..

 

[LxMxFxD3]

Oh yeah btw slack, I do own 2 of those cases you linked to. One runs the rig in my sig and another runs my amd 2100+. Both of them are the "old school" version with out the opaque side there, but I think the cases look good (one silver, one beige). Unlike all these geeks here though, I dont stare at my computer like these weirdos do, I prefer to stare at my 24" dell

Just my 2 cents.

 

[slackwarelinux]

Originally posted by: Madwand1
I think your MB needs an EPS12V PSU. Enermax Noisetaker 600W is one..

What is EPS12V? Would a Sparkle 550 watt do?

 

[kmrivers]

Originally posted by: LxMxFxD3
Oh yeah btw slack, I do own 2 of those cases you linked to. One runs the rig in my sig and another runs my amd 2100+. Both of them are the "old school" version with out the opaque side there, but I think the cases look good (one silver, one beige). Unlike all these geeks here though, I dont stare at my computer like these weirdos do, I prefer to stare at my 24" dell

Just my 2 cents.

it isn't all about looks, it also about quality. when i think chenming, quality isnt in the same sentence.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: slackwarelinux
What is EPS12V? Would a Sparkle 550 watt do?

Server standard, also denoted SSI sometimes, has an 8 pin MB connector in addition to the 24 pin.

That Sparkle looks fine. Note that there are a few similar but different versions.

http://www.sparklepower.com/proPCPS_EPS.html

 

[snoturtle]

Originally posted by: LxMxFxD3
Slack,

I JUST built a server with that mobo and 2ghz opterons. I went with 2x2 for the 4 cores. The server now screams.

The mobo is awesome under fedora core. How it performs under windows or slackware i cannot say.

The integrated ethernet is the best in the biz. Broadcom will eat anything else for breakfast including 3com. I should know, this servers is pushign 175Mbits through that port.

You dont need ECC ram unless you are major paranoid. I Have 4GB of regular ram in there haven't seen a problem yet.


Hope that helps.

What memory are you using?