custom-built/hotrod computers

[john turner]

anybody here have any? just curious, haven't seen nearly as much responses in my other threads as i expected (since we are all geeks after all ).

if not, you guys need to get off your duffs and start making your own computers.

 

[FL Knifemaker]

I recently had one custom buit. I have a list of all the components but basically it's a liquid cooled, neon lit, gaming computer, LOL!! I do a lot of CAD work and run dual monitors. It has 3 hard drives, one for storing CAD and photos. Not sure what the other two do. I have about $2500tied up in it, about what high end Dell would run but I don't have to call India for service Its very fast and totally silent!!

 

[trog]

The only computers I ever build are rather unspectacular cheapo boxes for use as fileservers etc.

 

[DigMe]

I might build my next box. Haven't decided yet.

bc

 

[jenderfazz]

At the rate that computers go obselete and new features are released, I can't justify building my own super-computer. It would buy me a couple extra years of use to get a good one but I'm not a huge computer nerd. I might someday decide to build my own but definitely not a hugely modded one that will hurt my wallet.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I built a pretty damned good computer, that im still using, 2 or 3 years back.

MSI motherboard
Intel P4 3.2Ghz Prescott Core
1024Gb DDR400 ram
Creative soundblaster live 24 bit (into 7.1 creative speakers)
74.6Gb WD Raptor (10,000RPM) SATA harddrive (windows XP Pro installed on this drive)
250Gb Maxtor DM10+ (7,200RPM) SATA harddrive, specifically for games and software
200Gb Maxtor DM9+ (7,200RPM) SATA harddrive, specifically for media (pictures, music, videos, webpages (i make alot of em) )

Hercules 128Mb 9800Pro, which burnt out with a few other components when my original PSU burnt out.
Now it has an IceQ Artic Cooling 128Mb 9800 Pro

It has an MSI DVD Rom, and MSI DVD-RW, i cant remember the speeds, but they arent much slower if at all from current production drives. Also has a multicard reader slot

Use a Viewsonic VP121b monitor, its not the biggest but i like having space

Use a Logitech MX550 mouse and wireless chieftec keyboard

The PC is housed in a Chieftec Matrix case in black/grey, it also has a side window, uses antec blue led fans and an Akasa 460 watt PSU, with blue LEDs


It really isnt that much anymore, but when i built it, it was almost very high end.

Still tho, manages to play HL2/CSS, Doom3, Quake4 etc etc fine

 

[john turner]

nice stuff, guys. i agree that going custom is not the most economical thing in the world, but then again, it sure is a fun build. .

 

[john turner]

I recently had one custom buit. I have a list of all the components but basically it's a liquid cooled, neon lit, gaming computer, LOL!! I do a lot of CAD work and run dual monitors. It has 3 hard drives, one for storing CAD and photos. Not sure what the other two do. I have about $2500tied up in it, about what high end Dell would run but I don't have to call India for service Its very fast and totally silent!!

nice! what kind of processor you using?

 

[MJ5150]

I'm lame. I build my PC's on Dell.com and then buy them. After fixing and working on computers all day at work, the last thing I want to do is come home and work on one some more.

-Mike

 

[Kibuddy]

My computer is just good enough to run Oblivion on medium with the occasional hiccup/freeze.

1.7 ghz Pentium IV processor (I know, I know. I'm working on it)
Radeon 9800 Pro
768 mb RAM

Nothing too fancy, but it gets the job done.

 

[john turner]

hey kibuddy, you oughta give oldblivion a shot - it's an oblivion mod that uses older, easier to load and faster running shaders.

 

[Trevor.A]

yep

DFI nF4 Ultra-D
AMD X2 3800 @ 2740mhz
-using a Scythe Ninja for cooling, that thing is HUGE. I had to move my hdd into the 5.25" bays. I want to go water cooling soon though. It does keep it cool, temps max at about 42*C at full load with a quiet 12cm fan, even in this heat
eVGA GeForce 7800GT Co (470/1100)
Patriot 2GB mem. kit (sucks, won't OC at all)
OCZ Modstream 520 PSU
WD SE 250GB SATA2 HDD. it has some vantec hdd cooler that i used to move it out of the way of the HSF, but it doesn't really help anything.

i guess that's it as far as performance parts goes. I use an Antec case with the side window, but can't use the side fan because the damn hsf is in the way , i need some cooling on that gpu, i've been planning to make a new window since the old one is just held in by crappy little plastic rivits. i've also got some uv fans and lights to take advantage of the mobo's uv reactiveness. planning on some top windows and some other weird stuff along with the watercooling once i figure out what all i need.

she purrs like a kitten

 

[canopener]

I was gradually upgrading my old computer until I received a new one as a graduation present a while back.

I put in an ethernet card, XP upgrade (from Me), and more memory. This was for a 700 mhz Celeron...the upgrades were the equivalent of a bad ground effects and fart cannon exhaust to a Neon; hardly a custom-street rod computer.

 

[Kibuddy]

hey kibuddy, you oughta give oldblivion a shot - it's an oblivion mod that uses older, easier to load and faster running shaders.

I may wind up doing that, but for now, I'm willing to play at 20fps and get the beautiful scenery in the vanilla version.

 

[DougP]

i have a G5 Quad with 2.5 GB of RAM and 500GB of storage. i have no need to customize any further.

 

[truckin88]

mmmMMMmmmm MAC, I like the custom shuttle boxes, gamers are big on them, then again a dell/ Pent dual core with flat screen is what 499?

 

[froovs]

im a self-emplyed 'puter geek for my dayjob

almost all the PCs ive built for folks havent been super duper belters tho

mostly its people wanting me to do them a dead basic box that will let them do a little light surfing and email aunt edna in australia, for as little money as possible

of course theres bugger all money in that for me

but believe it or not im not just in it for money

and i find that someone who i build a cheapo for invariably becomes a long term customer for a bit of tuition or troubleshooting anyway

cheers
Lucy

 

[Geoff St. Germaine]

I'm always put off of building such a custom machine due to the diminishing returns side of it. I don't really care if I'm playing a game on the medium or ultra-high graphics settings, so long as the game has good game play and a good plot. IMO, a lot of game companies have been placing too much emphasis on the graphics and not enough on the game play experience (plot, etc). I do like to see a machine running the games with the ultra-high settings, but I tend to adjust to the graphics within a couple of minutes to the point that if they aren't so bad as too affect gameplay I don't really notice that much.

 

[Chunk-O-Funk]

Yep, I like to build my own. It's been a while since my last one though.

Intel P4 HT 2.6
Mother board - Abit IC7-Max3
Video card - Gainward G-force FX5900
Sound card - Creative Audigy 2 ZS
Memory - Couple stick of 512, DDR400 IIRC
IBM SATA 80gb X2 in raid 0
Plextor CD-R
Toshiba (?) DVD-R

It's all in an Antec mid-tower with a custom pain job. Actually this case has seen three rebuilds and a few up-grades.


Suites me fine right now. The last game I bought was Doom3 so I guess you could say I just don't have that itch right now. Every time someone says "64 bit" my ears perk up though, and the duel video cards out now have got my interest up. Damn! There's that itch again! See what you started.

 

[lamborghini98]

I'm lame. I build my PC's on Dell.com and then buy them. After fixing and working on computers all day at work, the last thing I want to do is come home and work on one some more.

-Mike

+1

Well, I dont build or work on computers at work, but I do it all the time at my house and at the homes of others. I used to looove building computers, but recently things have been going downhill, and Im just not feeling it so much anymore.

Currently, Im waiting on a new motherboard for a pc Im building. Its a good budget system for college, but a budget system nonetheless.
AMD 3500+
2Gb Corsair XMS DDR400
256MB PNY 7600GT
Creative Audigy 2 ... cheapo version... ZS? I dont remember.
Abit AN8 SLI
160Gb SATA HDD with 3Gb/sec. transfer rate
Samsung DVD-RW
Modded (nicely, so far) Cooler Master Centurion 5 case.

The case mod is going to be a crazy window with possibly 1 light to light the machine up. Otherwise, I think Im going to try to install some LEDs in the window behind the cut out design so it sort of glows.

right now absolutely nothing is happening with this half built computer (still cant figure out why the mobo died).. but it will. Or something.