Topdog build

[topdog]

I'm at the point where I needed a new rig so I just thought I'd share what I've ordered. It's not a very compromising build (IMO), but it's not an OTT jawdropper one either (with perhaps the exception of the storage choice, that's about the most extravagent piece I've gone for I would say):

 

CPU: i7 2600k

RAM: 16GB (4x4GB) mushkin blackline LV

MOBO: Gigabyte P67 UD7-B3

GFX: 3GB Geforce 580 *

PSU: BeQuiet Dark Power 850

Cooler: Noctua NH-D14

DISK: OCZ Vertex 3 240GB (SSD) *

CASE: Coolermaster Haf X

Monitor: Acer HN274H 3D / 120Hz *

HTU: TrackIR5 / pro clip **

Stick: TM Warthog Hotas **

Cockpit: Obutto **

OS: Win7 home premium 64-bit

 

* = pre-orders, not in stock yet

** = existing gear, listed just for setup's completeness

 

I'll be looking to get 4.6Ghz out of the CPU minimum, maybe a little more maybe not.

 

The RAM is rated at 1600 @ 1.35v, other than that it was mostly picked for being low profile and good mojo in a 4GB per stick format, and not having to be all that fussy about it with a sandybridge other than for making sure it fits under the fat-ass Noc !

 

Will be using a 460 until the new graphics cards come into stock, upon which I'll make my selection but I'll be leaning towards an MSI Frozr II or similarly built card.

 

Finally buckling down and getting 3D vision kit once the new 27" 3D panel based monitors launch in the next few weeks/month, most likely going with the Acer at this point but I may change my mind depending on the competition.

 

I have NAS so don't really care for extra on-PC storage much, but so long as it remains quiet enough I may keep a 1TB sata 3 hard drive inside too.

 

I do not like noisy PCs but don't get all crazy about it either, so some of the choices have been made with that in mind.

 

All except the pre-order parts should be arriving this Friday, I'll make do with some other existing kit until that arrives. I've been waiting for the revision B3 motherboards to come back in stock before I put the order in, so now's the time - quite looking forward to assembling it together.

Edited March 24, 2011 by topdog
Apparently it's make DO not DUE, never bothered to check before :p

[topdog]

So, had a bit of time off there.. stuff has all arrived (finally - had the monitor for 2 weeks now approx.), been getting to grips with 3D Vision and overclocking and SSDs and Win7 64 bit etc. etc. all at once. I game/compute a lot so after a hiatus it was time to get BlackShark deactivated on my old system and installed here.

 

Verdict: I'm in love again <3

 

:D

 

Surprisingly few 3D Vision artifacts (surprising in that, as far as I know the game wasn't written with stereo3d in mind, and that there appear to be very few 2D tricks used in the rendering pipeline).

 

I think the biggest/main one I've seen so far is that if you get close to the cloud layer then it renders the clouds near you at screen depth, which almost caused be to crash out of disorientation :D

 

Well it may have been the clouds, or it may have been that I've been trying to fly the Shark using my G27 wheel... don't have my hotas hooked up yet so that proved a bit of a challenge too ("what does this pedal do, oh, it's the pedal that flips me onto my back - ok!").

 

Good times :D The NVG work OK under 3D Vision mode too, I thought especially that might be one area that might not like it much.

 

If anyone thought the Shark pit was impressive before, in stereo3D it was a whole new beast, very very good indeed.. I'm really quite pumped and going to give A10C a blast now too (I haven't even really had an opportunity to properly play that yet since beta ended).

 

Edit: Sense of altitude is incomparably better with stereo3D too.

Edited May 22, 2011 by topdog