News

**Monkeyfister** · (This post was last modified: 08-26-2012 07:12 PM by Monkeyfister.)

My old (good) computer fried it's motherboard a few weeks ago. I'm using a piece of crap emachine while I build my new machine.

I bought a Barebones SZ68R5 from Shuttle for $300. http://us.shuttle.com/barebone/Models/SZ68R5.html :

Quote:The Shuttle SZ68R5 features the latest Intel® Z68 Express Chipset and supports 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i processor. This platform delivers the most flexibility and performance for the LGA 1155 socket, providing the best built-in visual features of 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i processor family. It accommodates up to 32GB DDR3 memory which makes it an ideal workstation for users. The SZ68R5 offers an advantage of Intel’s Smart Response Technology which enables an SSD drive to bolster the system performance. With a Shuttle Smart USB Port with 2 Amp power feed on the front, the SZ68R5 is able to speed charge the power hungry devices such as an iPad/iPhone. A 500 Watt power supply with 80 PLUS BRONZE certification comes pre-installed in the tiny footprint.

It's liquid-cooled via an over-sized fan and radiator set-up.

It came with a free 60Gb Solid State Drive (my first for this type of drive).

New stuff should arrive on Monday:
-- I bought another 120Gb SSD for it ($90). Will buy another next week.
-- I bought an Intel I7 2600 3.4Gh quad core "Sandy Bridge" CPU for it ($290). Can safely over-clock to 4.1Gb.
-- I bought 8Gb of DDR3 RAM for starters ($40).

Scavenged from the old computer:
-- I have an nVidea GTX550ti 2G graphics card in it (from my old machine). http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814130652
-- I took the DVD/CDRW from the old machine, and put it in, along with the great multi-card reader.

Basically, I'll have built a $1000 computer for $740.

I think this should be a good machine for at least a few years.

The SSDs should be awesome. I need to figure out how to set them up as a RAID Array... I've never done it before, but everyone seems to be saying that SSD RAIDs are smokin' fast. Some folks say it is sorta like having a huge cache of RAM to use for everything all at once.

Here's a 360-view of the Barebones. Notice all the really cool built-in features:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbHV3yU2qaw

L lop guest User ID: 87007 08-25-2012 05:36 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCyJRXvPNRo

**Monkeyfister** · **Monkeyfister** CENSORED User ID: 99872 08-25-2012 06:50 PM **Posts: 3,550**

I am really looking forward to playing DISHONORED when it comes out in October.

http://www.dishonored.com/#/home

**Vlad**

Very nice little thing Hugs

I love ssd´s, but raid is over the top when big ass games, and all my 3ds max stuff, and maya, and Revit suite, and, cryengine 3 sdk, and, and.

out of 3 240gb kingstons soon Tissue

I wish nvidia support Cuda better for gpu render like Ocatane Vray on 680´s but no go Tissue

I still stuck with a 680, that performs worse then my 580.

**Vlad**

Monkeyfister Wrote:

I am really looking forward to playing DISHONORED when it comes out in October.

http://www.dishonored.com/#/home

I´m on fire over that 1, and Arma 3 alpha.
I also like Planetside 2 when code more so on.

WarThunder some serious fun, but not allowed to tell why ha ha.

**spɹɐʍoɔ snoɯʎuouɐ**

now I'm getting inspired ...
Cheers

I built my current desktop in 2007 with one of the intel dual cores going around at the time.. it has served me very well.. the need of an upgrade as been on the cards for awhile...

**Monkeyfister** · (This post was last modified: 08-26-2012 07:13 PM by Monkeyfister.)

spɹɐʍoɔ snoɯʎuouɐ Wrote:

now I'm getting inspired ...

I built my current desktop in 2007 with one of the intel dual cores going around at the time.. it has served me very well.. the need of an upgrade as been on the cards for awhile...

I did just about the same thing. A nearby lightning strike to a transformer took out my old machine, sooo... Upgrade time.

This little box seems to have a LOT under the hood:

Built-in HD 7.1 Realtec audio which I can run straight to my NAD home theater receiver
Several video outputs
Tons of USB ports
Lots of cables and connectors in the bundle
Built-in ethernet card
Other useful sockets on the motherboard

Shuttle seems to be a German company... the craftsmanship and placement of everything is really clean and streamlined. Seemed like the best deal out there for my fell porpoises. Was looking for a larger box, but this li'l feller seemed the best choice for me.

Should have a review by next weekend, once all the parts are here, and I've got everything loaded up.

I suspect that SKYRIM will be an incredible thing to behold and play with this machine running it at max everything.

**Monkeyfister** · **Monkeyfister** CENSORED User ID: 99872 08-25-2012 07:37 PM **Posts: 3,550**

Vlad Wrote:

Monkeyfister Wrote:
I am really looking forward to playing DISHONORED when it comes out in October.

http://www.dishonored.com/#/home

I´m on fire over that 1, and Arma 3 alpha.
I also like Planetside 2 when code more so on.

WarThunder some serious fun, but not allowed to tell why ha ha.

Exciting!

**Luvapottamus** · (This post was last modified: 08-25-2012 07:40 PM by Luvapottamus.)

Those are pretty neat little machines.

I got to work one one for a friend who had the front panel connections wrong.

Pretty potent and feature-rich for a mini board.

I never got to play around with it, he snatched it back as soon as I told him his mistake.

chuckle

**Monkeyfister** · **Monkeyfister** CENSORED User ID: 99872 08-25-2012 08:05 PM **Posts: 3,550**

Luvapottamus Wrote:

Those are pretty neat little machines.

I got to work one one for a friend who had the front panel connections wrong.

Pretty potent and feature-rich for a mini board.

I never got to play around with it, he snatched it back as soon as I told him his mistake.

Good news!

I was pretty nervous buying a barebones from a company I had never heard of before, and the mini-design sort of throws me a bit, still. But, all the reviews I've read say the cooling works well, and it really is all that... so hearing this from you makes me feel pretty good about my decisions.

Thanks!

Heartflowers

**Monkeyfister** · **Monkeyfister** CENSORED User ID: 99872 08-25-2012 08:07 PM **Posts: 3,550**

I don't quite understand the CMOS reset button as a feature on the back.

Why would I want to reset my CMOS so quickly? Or need to for that matter.

Pi Infinity User ID: 3.14159265 08-25-2012 08:07 PM

You do gfx design?

Pi Infinity User ID: 3.14159265 08-25-2012 08:08 PM

Monkeyfister Wrote:

I don't quite understand the CMOS reset button as a feature on the back.

Why would I want to reset my CMOS so quickly? Or need to for that matter.

Opening up the case and manually resetting the cmos when you are overclocking - especially if you're on a crash course is a MAJOR pain in the ass.

I love ASrock boards. Hit the reset button 3 times and it resets to default.

**LoP Guest** lop guest User ID: 64292 08-25-2012 08:11 PM

Forget about the RAID.

1. You likely won't fit a dedicated RAID controller card in that thing, so performance will suffer as your CPU gets burdened with the job.

2. You don't need it. Good SSD's are plenty fast anyway.

**Monkeyfister** · **Monkeyfister** CENSORED User ID: 99872 08-25-2012 08:22 PM **Posts: 3,550**

Pi Wrote:

You do gfx design?

Yes. Adobe and AutoCAD design. I try not to take my work home with me, but, it is nice to have a machine up to the task if I need it.

At home, I mostly game, and watch movies. This should do me well for a while.
Might upgrade to a BluRay DVD drive, once that gets more mainstream.