The Official PC building thread - 4th Edition

Okay so i thought i would compare scan and OcUKs system builds. I wanted to find out which manufacturer they use most for the mobo, and for what type of systems, and if its intel or AMD. I only used Gaming system, OcUKs "Gamer - Titan" and "Gamer - Ultima", and for scan, Their "3XS - Gaming" systems. 42 systems in total were checked.

27 were ASUS.
15 were GB.
31 were Intel.
11 were AMD

Of the 27 asus;
20 were intel
7 were AMD

Of the 15 GB;
12 were intel
3 were AMD

OcUK have 9 "ultima" systems (though one is EVGA), of them 4 are GB and 4 are ASUS.
Scan's 3XS gaming systems are split with 6 being "Ultra High End" (though one is EVGA). Of these 5 are ASUS and 0 are GB.

one can make their own conclusions on how bad ASUS are.

 

Proves what exactly? It's not as if RMAs are going to financially harm stores. I'd expect OcUK to use scummy parts anyway.

 

proves that these enthusiats stores, would uses these boards unless they were rock solid... you really think they like to loose out on the business from there top systems? both OcUK and scan use the boards in their highest end systems, heavily OCed, with multiple cards.

they use both GB and ASUS, (well scan just seems to use ASUS for the uber high end) and clearly they wouldnt if it bought about bad business.

I would rather see people see the middle road, than one thats always angling one way.

 

Shaff, CyberPower used Striker boards almost exclusively, despite hundreds and thousands of RMAs. They didn't learn. I think there's some sort of contractual obligation for stuff like this to be honest. I'm willing to bet most stores that use Asus boards do so because they can get them cheap.

 

they didnt learn.... the strikers were horrible, but there wasnt a debacle like that before. nvidia chipsets for along time were the top dog. im sure after cyberpower stopped using them.

also, scan and OcUK clearly know about that. and they clearly need assurance before they decide to build a system and sell it, not to mention insure it etc etc. if they are using both companies, and people on forums else where use both without fail, what is the problem here with recommending both?

and its not just mobos, there seems to be bais (albetit from all of us) for all types of products. coolers/ram/GPUs/CPUs/ etc etc. really we need open ourselves.

PS jeff i am also sad that DFI went down, glad i got to use one of their products before they did. though its a shame i couldnt get it to Oc as much as i can now.

 

Shaff,
I agree 100% with Sam on this one. Unless the UK get's better RMA service than the US, because in the US, Asus Technical service and the RMA process just plain sucks to a very high degree. How can people expect to get competent Technical advice, when a lot of technically proficient customer knows more about the product than the Asus Tech's do? Look at my previous problems with Asus! I had to threaten Legal action, just to get a motherboard repaired, that was still under warranty! Even then it took 27 days, and they lied about a problem with the socket and tried to charge me $40 for it, sending me a picture of a motherboard that wasn't even the same one I sent in. When I finally did get the motherboard back, it had the exact problem I sent it in for, in the first place, requiring another 21 days to get it right. The repaired motherboard lasted exactly 14 days beyond the original warranty, even though Asus had the board in their possession for 49 days!

Gina got charged an outrageous sum, plus tax and Shipping for two advance replacement P5N-E motherboards, and it took almost 6 months for her to finally get her money back, not to mention the Phone costs for all the time spent trying to solve the problems we were having, before even allowing us to get an advance replacement. The price was more than 4 times the cost of a new motherboard, and you don't get the Tax back! I tried to get them just to charge tax on the retail price of the motherboard, and a non taxable deposit for the rest, but they said that they had no way to do that (a lie), and they wouldn't budge. To be told that she should have bought a better motherboard, was just plain wrong! It makes one wonder how many people just gave up and threw it in the bin? I personally know 6 people that did just that, out of utter frustration!

Funny thing about getting a bad taste in your mouth. Sooner or later if it doesn't go away, you have to spit it out! In spite of all that, I try to be fair, and I will still recommend a highly rated Asus motherboard, but only after it has shown a good track record!

Respectfully,
Russ

 

Ok. I posted that before I thoroughly thought that through Yuden T02 media (Taiyo Yuden +R 8X) is rated at 8X. Most of my burners can burn them at 12X and more, while remaining confident that they're burning well. Taiyo Yuden is after all the best. Period. But some burners do not support going beyond 8X. I'm confused why the 7241S and 7261S cannot. I'll be researching that further. Because I'm currently burning a TYG03 (TY -R 16X+) at 12X without hitch from the WD20Ears. What it boils down to, is the firmware of said Optiarc drives. Perhaps there are updates out there

 

To be honest Russ, that's what chargebacks are for. Just claim fraud and reclaim the money that way.
I don't really bias for products much, I just highlight brands that will inevitably cause angst, and Asus is one of them.

 

5 day turn around in the UK russ

 

Is what it says on the website...

 

HeY omegaman7 This is From CincyRob

I'm doin 3rd Party Posting here he E-Mail this to My Phone so he can response to You Here!

OM7, Cincyrob here.

I have both the AD7240S and the AD7260S and I can burn the 8x-r TY’s at 12x on both drives with my 500gb WD green drive. I have no problems with either burner burning the 8x TY’s at 12x. truly don’t think it is a ODD problem. As far as firmware goes. But it might be a issue with the compatablity between the ODD’s and the HDD. Not knowing much about the 2tb green drive I cant honestly say. but having the 500gb green drive I have no issues with burning from it at 12x with said media. Like you I also have the liteon ihas324s(yours is the ihas424 right) and you can burn at 12x all day long with it from the 2tb drive right? I think it’s the issue with the 2 drives working together with the hdd? Someway some how.

I hope you find out the problem cause im wanting to get that same HDD you have for back up as well, and like you I will burn from it also..lol im wanting to get away from having so many hdds in my tower so if I could get 2 x 2tb drive and replace the other 4hdd with just 2 I would be happy.lol

 

I'll run some more testing now. But I have a feeling it has something to do with timing of the drives, coupled with the write strategy. There's nothing wrong with 8X, but darn it! I prefer 12X

It's also possible that imgburn behaves differently about engaging HDD's than Nero. I'm burning a Verbatim +R now at 12X, and its succeeding. (It just succeeded)

I'll try a Yuden T02 with Nero next. Then I'll try imgburn yet again.

I haven't burned any T02's yet, But Verbatims seem to do fine, and they're +R's in the same general specification. I don't burn with the T02's lightly. They're the best discs I have, and I don't like squandering them I'll have to pick something to burn...

So far, I'd have to say that it is NOT the Green drive causing the problem. I don't like the slight lag that it has, but it is not causing the burn speed issue. In fact, I'm seeing transfer rates that are slightly quicker than the WD1001FALS drive. Burst, to be sure, but definitely quick!

 

lmao @shaff, your waisting your time...lol

OM7
something to look at also. have you done the FW update for the 7261S yet? to bitsetting one? if i remember correct i couldnt burn anything pass 8x until i did the update. all be it you are burning Verbs at 12x....hmmmmm it might just be you have a drive that isnt to fond of the TY write strategy?? i know my 16x liteon would not burn a TY at all. and when it did burn the 8x stuff it would only do it at 4x.. sorry to be off topic in here..lol

so on that note. i will be ordering my new 1156 platform mobo either tonight or tomorrow.
1pc at a time. i'm getting the board first then the CPU in a month or so.then most likely the MEM and then i can actually use it while waiting on the rest of the stuff to get in.

my board but im getting it for $150 shipped.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138159
my cpu. hope to find it cheaper.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116368

 

LOL! You called me on it rob. I was thinking about that last night too. But passed out, and forgot to look this morning. Sure enough though. I have not updated my firmware yet. And apparently, both the 7261S and 7241S are limited to 8X on Yuden T02. Not to be confused with TYG02, which probably has the same limit. Don't know, I don't buy TYG02 anymore...
I had a feeling about the firmware. Since Verbs and TYG03's are doing fine I never looked, since I'm so used to burning literally everything at 12X

 

Shaff,
That means 7 days! They quote working days, and don't count weekends! With GigaByte, MSI, Biostar, Foxconn and Asrock, I send something in on Monday, and usually get the replacement on Wednesday. If it's something they need to look over first, it's usually 5 (7) days. I sent my 790X and the 785G in last Thursday afternoon, and got my 790X on Monday and the 785G, the following day. Newegg is pretty much overnight, if I call before 2 PM, and it's shipped from there. Even from Their Eastern locations, it's 3 days. UPS comes about 8:30 AM. Most companies are within 50 miles of me, with about 90% of them located in The City of industry, Ca. USA. One of the perks of living in Southern California! LOL!! Well, that and Surfing! ROFLMAO!!

Russ

 

The K-series is largely unnecessary, you can just up the base clock to achieve the same result. An i7 860 will do just fine.

 

Rob,
Question! Just out of curiosity, what are you planing on cooling it with, as I understand from the reviews that they run fairly warm with air cooling?

Best Regards,
Russ

 

Depends how far you overclock them, you'd have to get them pretty fast (near or at 4Ghz) to put out as much heat as a Phenom II, remember the i7 8 series has the same 95W TDP as the Core i5 Quad. It's only the LGA1366 chips that have the 130W rating.
The Intel stock cooler is so puny for a reason - if they can get away with it, the chips can't need that much cooling
I think the issue here is really, people try and over-cool their CPUs, and get concerned when they can't reach the icy temps they're looking for. I've not heard of a CPU failing due to overheat (unless it's mega-serious, like routinely over 85ºC, and even then it's rare) and having felt a Phenom II system and the heat it puts out stock, my i5 at 4.12Ghz is no worse.

 

From CincyRob

as Sam stated the 1156 platform I7's dont run no where near as warm as the 1336's

i plan on useing my OCZ Vendetta 2(with 1156 adaptor) or getting the CM Hyper N 520



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103057



i know a few guys that have it on a I5 and running in the high 20's- low 30's(c) at idle OC'd at 3.9-4.2ghz. which is about where im gonna run mine. thats with the artic silver ceramique paste. i have no need or desire to attempt water cooling. something about water and electric that dont just set right with me..lol i thought about the ECO cooler you all got, but no need in me tareing down my OCZ vendetta when i got the same temps.



im pretty excited about this build when i get it all said and done.i might pass on the I7 875k but if I do it will be for the I7 870. im still thinking over the mobo. newegg has a open box for $109 i think it is. my buddy here at work has the same board i can use his install disc for drivers and such. just not sure if i want to risk someone else's return???

 

Sam,
No offense, but I guess you haven't been keeping up with the changes that AMD has been making then. Heat is no longer an issue, unless you have a very poor cooling case. My 955BE/C3 Idled at 30C, and fully stressed managed a worse case 53C, on a very hot day with the Freezer 64. In more reasonable temperature environment, it won't hit 45C at 3.8GHz. With the CoolIt ECO, the CPU temp maxes out at 43C running IBT. The Phenom II 1090T-BE runs even colder, and can easily hit 4.1GHz-4.2GHz. They are nothing like the older C2 stepping Phenom IIs or the older Phenom II 940!

My 955 at 3.8GHz idles at 28-29C in an ambient room temperature of 26-27C, and doesn't go over 43C under any conditions using the CoolIt ECO. At a stock 3.2GHz, it doesn't hit 40C. Monday, when I installed the new motherboard, and started out at stock speed, it didn't get warmer than 38C with the CoolIt ECO. It runs very cool! And like I said, the 1090T-BE runs even cooler.

Here's my temps right now at 27C room temperature.



The cores stay at 0C when using the ACC. I finally figured out how to turn it on and make it stay on! LOL!!

Russ