Next Build Redux

[2di4u]

Looks like a sweet system- it should fly with the combo ram and video card you have, along with the raptor drive. When you have it built, post some scores so we can all envy you!

 

[MenOpaws]

Speed.

I've only heard of a few cases where RAID0 has failed, it's not as common as some people make it out to be. In any case, you should make regular backups of anything important.

~Gooda~

I agree about the backups, but with the price of HD these days, I wouldn't want to go through the hassle of having to reload my whole partition because one drive failed (no matter how reliable your HD are, it is not a matter of "if", but "when". At least with a RAID 10 you get the same speed and the redundancy on top of that to reduce the missery of reloading your software.

But why would you need a RAID for speed on a single user system? If your game starts to use your HD, then it means you're running with not enough memory. RAID 0 makes sense for servers running databases, where multiple clients need data fast, this is where it makes sence to run a configuration where your partition is spread over multiple drives. Not on single user systems.

 

[Jubei]

Why run RAID 0?

Mostly because you can. It's fun. It's neat to boot your machine in less than a minute (because of which I don't use sleep or hibernate at night, I just power off). The hard drive setup is, by far, the slowest thing going in a modern machine, why not give it a kick in the pants?

I also have 53GB of digital camera pics over 30,000 files. Of course I have them backed up (several places, actually). Lightroom runs like a turd on the other machine with 4GB of RAM and a single drive, but on this machine (4GB RAM, RAID 0) it is smooth as silk. There's not more than 500MHz speed difference between the PC's and they both run Vista 64 - so the drive setup is the big difference.

Besides, with PC's there is a big difference between want and need. I don't need lightning fast load times and indexing, I want it. I don't need 4GB of RAM, I want it. I don't even need or use my 8800GT's in SLI, but I have it anyways - cause, you guessed it, I want it.

It's a lot like hot rods. My neighbor doesn't need his Saleen Mustang to go to and from work (or whatever it is he does) he just likes the ride (or noise or maybe he likes spending extra money on gas, I dunno). I don't need a high end PC, I want it. Some people splurge on stuff for their house, some on cars, others on PC's.

 

[Wal-Mart Security]

My suggestion, buy a computer that's runs thing well and don't overdo it. Save some money and buy better parts when they become available instead putting all the money you have into parts which have been out for more than 4 months.

Buy a little bit here, a little bit there, you only need around 50fps max. Anything over that is pointless and servers no purpose other than to give you bragging rights....

Unless you plan on playing highend games like crysis, World in Conflict, Stalker Clear Sky exclusively for the next 6 months there really is no justification in spending 2.2 grand on a computer that will only last around a year and not only that but can run your most played games (assuming that they are source games and COD4....) at 150-x00 fps (and like I said anything above 50-60 won't really make a whole lot of noticeable difference)

Only go quad if you do alot of rendering, modeling, compiling, or processor intensive work. (Even then it doesn't help a whole lot unless the software is multithreaded) Most games that are out right now and coming out don't/won't even utilize more than 1 if not 2 of the cores completely or effeciently. By the time it becomes standard you'll need to upgrade anyways. Stick with a dual-core if you are going to get any kind of processor for gaming.

You will not need two raptors, much less in RAID 0.... Again, unless you're thinking about it/expecting it you wouldn't notice a difference. The only exception to this is booting into your OS, which you WILL notice a large difference in. But really... is 30 seconds of waiting worth another 300 dollars in hardware that will become slow and old within a year?

So, again, only spend that much money on a computer if you're actually going to use it to it's full potentional for it's expected lifespan. Otherwise, buy mid-high end parts, and when the newer parts come out buy them and upgrade.

If all you're doing is playing mostly games like COD4, CSS, TF2, then most of the hardware in your build is a complete waste of money and gives nothing more than bragging rights, and unjustified empty pocketbook.

But it's your money, do what you want with it.

Edit: Just remember that you didn't plan on doing RAID, but what I said still goes for anyone reading it. If you are set on getting something 10,000RPM just get two 160GB 7200RPMs and RAID 0 them. Cheaper.

I do play games like Crysis, and I would like to get myself Stalker: Clear Sky sometime. The machine I have now will be good for a while so this gives me time to slowly add or take things away when newer and newer hardware comes out. One thing I can't wait for is when Intel's Core i7 comes out then LGA775 boards and CPUs will eventually get cheaper in the process.

I'm also not just buying this all at once. I will first start with the things that are already compatible with my machine then work my way up.