My new build

[TX-Kingsnake]

better than this one

[TX-Thunderbolt]

I'd advise to save the $300 and just go with the i7 920. It's got plenty of headroom and especially the D0 stepping variants are easily able to sit at 3.8ghz-4.0ghz on air cooling stable as the rock of Gibraltar. That's more than enough juice to put the load back on the GPU...for now.

I'm always one to lean towards building my own, but if you want to save the time and effort (and get a bulk cumulative warranty on the rig) then by all means look into a package. I'd make sure that it has a really good cooler AND that it won't void your warranty if you oc because if it's not already oc'd, you'll be leaving waaaay too much performance on the table if you don't oc it yourself.

Keep us posted. 

[TX-ScubaSteve]

Thanks for the suggestions Thunderbolt.

After reviewing CyberpowerPC on several different websites and forums, I'm amazed it is still in business.  I just wish there was a way to order the parts (not removed from the original packaging) from them, and put the system together myself.  Alienware seems to have become less uptight about using their odd sized power supplies, and locked out bios... which is good news, however, they're more expensive than what I can do for myself.

So, I think I'll stick to building something myself, perhaps with water cooling.

[TX-EcoDragon]

Get an I7 D0 stepping. They will OC great, though the recent batches aren't as good as they used to be at overclocking but you should still be able to do 3.8-4.1 on average if you pick good hardware to match it.

Get an EVGA X58, Asus P6T (non-deluxe or deluxe), or you may have decent enough luck with the cheaper Gigabyte X58. Buy the Megahalems cpu cooler and you won't need to bother with or pay for water cooling. . .and get a PSU like the Corsair 750 TX.

You'll be pleased with that setup, and I've built dozens of them in the last three months and they total around 1,300-1,800 for the builds I've been doing (buying the i7 920 for 199 at Microcenter).

[TX-ScubaSteve]

Thanks Eco.  What is D0 stepping?  When you mention the EVGA X58 and Asus P6T, you're referring to two different motherboards, correct?  The X58 handles triple memory streams, while the P6T handles dual?

BTW, my current problem was indeed my graphic's card.  I thought for sure I had tested it with an old ATI X800 card I had, and observed the same issues of scrambled text on video post... Also, after some research figured out that usually when a CPU goes bad... it goes BAD, and nothing works... so I suspected my motherboard (after trying out the other two PCI-e slots with similar results).  When I was about to yank my motherboard out and send it back to EVGA, I decided to double check with my ATI card one last time, and it worked just fine!  (Which left me scratching my head--had I just had a vivid dream of taking the ATI card out of my old computer and testing it out with my current one, a week before?).

The sad part, is that I had registered my 8800GTX with EVGA 40 days after ordering it from newegg.com, and just found out that the limited lifetime warranty only applies if you register within the first 30 days!  I paid more money for that card than my cpu and motherboard combined.  I've decided for now just to replace the GPU, and put on hold building a new system, until I can justify spending the quality time of tweaking a new machine--something I can't really do, when most of my spare time has been trying to "beautifye" my Oahu Scenery, and get that project finished for once.

In any case, I appreciate your suggestions Eco... when I'm ready, I'll start buying those parts (unless something even more fun comes out before then).

[TX-Thunderbolt]

D0 stepping is just the latest generation run on the i7 920 chips that are supposed to be better overclockers in general. Mine is C0 and it's solid, but if I'd had a choice I'd have gotten the D0 as well.

Both of those mobos handle triple channel DDR3 too btw. Mine is a P6T Deluxe v2 which is the same chipset as the vanilla P6T. Both are excellent overclockers. 

The "tweak" time really isn't too much. There's enough info online such that when you do decide to take the plunge, you can do some research beforehand and basically step right in with the throttle wide.   

[Voxman]

Interesting reading here as well.  I was really impressed with your rig TB when I came down to Fla. I'm looking to upgrade in the coming months and looking at i7s as well....   Unfortunately I have to really work within a tight budget and that's why I'm about a year behind.  In any case, I notice that you prefer the D0 stepping, but I'm curious, do you ask for that when ordering a CPU?  What I mean is say I build a rig from NewEgg and order an CPU, do I let them know I want a D0 chip, or don't they just give me whatever is in stock?

[TX-Thunderbolt]

I think they usually just send what they have in stock. As far as I know, the only way to verify before purchase is to go online and get the D0 lot numbers and take those with you to a retailer where you can look at them before buying.

Honestly though, I wouldn't fret over that particular spec too much. Mine is an early C0 and it's been humming along at 3.8ghz on air for over 6 months.

[GOZR]

I agree too any I7 would be good if you are not OC like a maniac .

[TX-EcoDragon]

I've also recently built a few machines using the P55 chipset, and both Core i5 and the newer i7-860s. They are a fair bit cheaper, and actually give a lot of performance for the cash, but my experience thus far is the i7-860s run very hot compared to the 920, and so overclocking is more prone to be temp limited. These may be problems with the early batch that we got.

I'm really wondering if I can run RoF on our cluster (12 separate i7-920 machines OCed to between 4.2 and 3.8 ) that should do away with the CPU usage issues eh?  

[GOZR]

That would be a good test... with pictures etc..   do it .. do it ... do it ..

[TX-EcoDragon]

I do plan on bringing my stick, pedals and maybe even TrackIR to Santa Cruz so I can get some sim time going. I'll probably be flying it on the I7-860 based machine (at stock - running really hot in a Lanbox). . .I don't think I'll be taking the cluster down to try RoF though it does sound fun!

[TX-Thunderbolt]

I do plan on bringing my stick, pedals and maybe even TrackIR to Santa Cruz so I can get some sim time going.

That would be awesome Eco. It'd be cool to see you around again. 

. . .I don't think I'll be taking the cluster down to try RoF though it does sound fun!

Too bad. That would be probably the most cool test for RoF yet. 

[TX-Gunslinger]

If the application is fully threaded it should work!

Hope you get enough time/space to try it.......

Eco - come home........ 

S~

Gunny

[TX-Rahman]

Ok Gents!  Salute first of all!  Good to see all you guys still around!

I'm about to start purchasing parts for a new box myself...  Should I also go with the i7 920?  I have a Microcenter here so I can pick one up locally then probably build the rest of the machine when tax returns and flexpay money arrives.  I'll probably go with the EVGA X58 mobo with 6GB Corsair Dominator DDR3 1600 and the Mega cooler that Eco suggested.  The proc will be purchased with combination Christmas cash and football pool winnings! (My Saints won and I won my first ever football pool!)

Please post any other suggestions you guys may have...  As always, looking for something that I can upgrade in the future and get the most possible out of FS9, FSX, IL2, and ROF.

Thanks in advance for you guys help...