Search found 117 matches

by Engine
Sun Jul 03, 2011 5:29 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Intel Core i3-2100T & Core i5-2400S Low Power CPUs
Replies: 48
Views: 42805

Re: Intel Core i3-2100T & Core i5-2400S Low Power CPUs

Due in huge part to this review, I'm building a machine [alas, not for myself] this week with an i5-2400 that I'll be undervolting on an ASUS Z68 board. I won't have it in hand long enough to do any exhaustive testing, but I hope to learn enough while building it to get me the next step closer to th...
by Engine
Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:43 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: AMD A8-3850 Quad Core Desktop APU (updated July 10)
Replies: 43
Views: 31450

Re: AMD A8-3850 Quad Core Desktop APU

Great review of the new APU! Will there be an article about how these characteristics effect silencing, the sonic characteristics of the stock HSF, that sort of thing?
by Engine
Thu Jan 29, 2009 12:10 pm
Forum: Fans and Control
Topic: If the SPCR recommended 120mm fans article was updated today
Replies: 23
Views: 13488

I have had a few Slipstreams die untimely bearing-wear deaths - wherein they still spin, but produce enough vibration to no longer remain silent - so I lean toward the Nexus for my own purposes, but recommend the Noctuas [with their 150,000 hour MTBF] when I'm building for others, unless it's a situ...
by Engine
Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:23 pm
Forum: Deals, Vendors and Classifieds
Topic: Needed: Pentium 3 [Socket 370] Coolers
Replies: 5
Views: 3559

I just found a pair - four, actually; I'm buying spares - of Supermicro 2U server passive heatsinks, which ought to more than do the trick with the right airflow. Happy ending!

Thanks, Olle; I'm all set now.
by Engine
Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:27 am
Forum: Deals, Vendors and Classifieds
Topic: Needed: Pentium 3 [Socket 370] Coolers
Replies: 5
Views: 3559

Needed: Pentium 3 [Socket 370] Coolers

I've got a dual-processor Pentium 3 system in dire need of new [quiet] heatsinks, but availability is obviously extremely low. On my own personal system, I've been using a pair of Zalman CNPS 6000cu coolers; I've had great luck, but no luck finding another new pair to buy for this second computer I'...
by Engine
Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:50 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Rec'd Cooling for E8400+GTX 260+P182
Replies: 5
Views: 2933

There is [or soon will be, rather; March availability] finally another option for GTX200 cooling: Arctic Cooling has finally gotten their product ready to go to market; no word yet on whether it'll have the right RAMsinks for the 55nm parts, but if nothing else, it could likely be worked out by an e...
by Engine
Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:22 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Rec'd Cooling for E8400+GTX 260+P182
Replies: 5
Views: 2933

As for the GTX260, how do I know if a particular board is based on the 65nm or 55nm part? Guess? ;) I buy from Newegg, which usually has the good grace to clearly label things like this [in red text, apart from the description]. There aren't many 55nm parts out there right now; the only ones I know...
by Engine
Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:49 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Rec'd Cooling for E8400+GTX 260+P182
Replies: 5
Views: 2933

I'm working on building a new machine with similar specs. All the CPU coolers I'd recommend are off the table if you can't buy Thermalright, but a Ninja will probably do you well, with the right fan on it. [Overclocking to 4ghz, though, is going to put off serious heat; the GA-EP45-UD3P is a good ch...
by Engine
Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:43 pm
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: Finaly moved my system into a P182
Replies: 13
Views: 10334

just a little update, after many hours of swapping fans and stresstesting, ive found that flipping the rear fan so it faces in towards the cpu reduces the cpu temp by a whopping 10 - 12.c!! I've been thinking of doing this, but with both the rear and top fans on the P182. This means cold air coming...
by Engine
Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:47 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Passive wraparound VGA heatsink
Replies: 5
Views: 3286

That's the one I was thinking of. Thanks! Looks like they've been updating it nicely since I last saw it, increasing its range of compatibility. Excellent.
by Engine
Wed Sep 10, 2008 11:09 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Passive wraparound VGA heatsink
Replies: 5
Views: 3286

Passive wraparound VGA heatsink

I'm looking for a VGA cooler that's a large passive radiator connected by heatpipes to a contact plate. There are several to choose from, but I'd like one that mounts above the video card, with the heat pipes wrapping around above the card. I'm certain I've seen at least one of these before, but I c...
by Engine
Wed Sep 10, 2008 11:07 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: whats the biggest graphics card that fits the Antec Solo
Replies: 6
Views: 3659

I actually installed a BFGTech 8800GTX in a Solo for a client; even at its length, all that was required was a one centimeter "notch" on one side of the hard drive cage, cut with a hacksaw. Pretty much anything else should be okay.
by Engine
Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:30 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: [Yet another] Request for advice on a new system
Replies: 10
Views: 4922

I'm considering - gods know why - getting a 7900GT instead of a 7600GT. [I'll be sticking with nVidia, for software reasons.] First, how great is the performance difference, really? Second, what good fanless 7900GTs are out there? If I can't find one I like that'll work, I have no problem putting a ...
by Engine
Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:25 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: [Yet another] Request for advice on a new system
Replies: 10
Views: 4922

Looks like I'm getting the Corsair HX520, which actually will work out pretty well. I've seen a system wired with it, so I know the cable's will reach, and I may be able to leave off the tunnel fan if the power supply fan is sufficient to cool the drives in the tunnel. I am going to stick with AMD. ...
by Engine
Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:00 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: [Yet another] Request for advice on a new system
Replies: 10
Views: 4922

If you do a lot of gaming or other CPU-intensive tasks, Core 2 Duo is the optimal solution. If you spend a lot of time with your CPU idling, then AMD is better at that. Of course, both C2D and X2 are very good overall and could work well in either situation, so it's not my intent to sway you one wa...
by Engine
Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:02 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: [Yet another] Request for advice on a new system
Replies: 10
Views: 4922

[Yet another] Request for advice on a new system

The time has come for me to build my new computer. I've planned a socket 939 quiet system for about a year now, but it looks like I'm going to do Socket AM2, instead. I've considered a Core 2 Duo system, but I'm not familiar enough with the components to design one I'm fully confident in. So this is...
by Engine
Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:27 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: P180 airflow - fanless vga?
Replies: 15
Views: 8259

Re: P180 airflow - fanless vga?

It will probably be a GeForce 7600GT, mounted on an Intel motherboard with the new Conroe CPU. This will all be enclosed in a P180 case. I was thinking about getting a fanless system for the video card, maybe Zalman or something. My concern is that the ambient temperature inside the case would go t...
by Engine
Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:16 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Silencing web site (not sure where to post)
Replies: 8
Views: 6934

Pgh wrote:It still has one of the coolest logos of any site even after all these years.
If you want it, you can have it. It's just jscript, and you can apply it to any image. They have a whole package of such things.
by Engine
Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:27 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: How to silent a socket 7 Pentium 200?
Replies: 9
Views: 5454

Yeah, I had a couple of passive Socket 7s; the 200 doesn't produce too much heat, and a passive cooler - mine were all tallish - works fine if you have decent airflow. Unfortunately, fewer decent passive coolers were available for the 7 than were available for Slot 1; I had a passive cooler on a P2-...
by Engine
Thu Jul 27, 2006 4:29 am
Forum: Consumer Advocacy
Topic: Should we be buying new Vista ready computers?
Replies: 43
Views: 41643

Re: How about 2 choices of hardware and Software?

That power, you have. Inform yourself, and vote with the best ballot of all: money. Now, you should know, you're in the minority. Most people won't care, and will happily shell out their dollars for crippled hardware and DRM-protected crap, and so your vote probably won't mean much, but it means mo...
by Engine
Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:57 am
Forum: Consumer Advocacy
Topic: Should we be buying new Vista ready computers?
Replies: 43
Views: 41643

I should point out none of that vitriol is directed at you, thegoldenstrand: your post was just the gate to my rant. No offense was intended or implied.
by Engine
Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:46 am
Forum: Consumer Advocacy
Topic: Should we be buying new Vista ready computers?
Replies: 43
Views: 41643

Re: How about 2 choices of hardware and Software?

It would be nice to have a choice? It would. Of course, it'd be nice to have a lot of things, but dreaming doesn't make it so. Car manufacturers have been doing this for years: proprietary parts, uncapable of functioning with the competition, protected by government fiat. We put up with it, because...
by Engine
Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:34 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Open to advice/suggestions
Replies: 37
Views: 16245

I don’t think you mentioned whether the size of the system case is an issue for you! If it is, then check the dimensions of the P180, as it comes highly recommend by many including myself, but it is big. Real big. In that case, go for a P150 or something its size. I'd actually recommend the P150 ...
by Engine
Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:34 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Open to advice/suggestions
Replies: 37
Views: 16245

Re: Open to advice/suggestions

Let's start there, then: which programs do you use to make music? If you're just doing pure wave recording of live instruments, for instance, and then editing them, you'll need performance in different areas than if you're doing softsynths [hard disk versus processor]. If you're doing simple MIDI s...
by Engine
Fri Jul 07, 2006 4:47 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Open to advice/suggestions
Replies: 37
Views: 16245

Re: Open to advice/suggestions

For me silence/quiet is the paramount feature. Yes it would be nice to have a fast system, but not at the expense of noise. I'm not a gamer. I have zero games. I'm a musician, so when I make recordings, quiet is very important. Let's start there, then: which programs do you use to make music? If yo...
by Engine
Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:57 am
Forum: Consumer Advocacy
Topic: Should we be buying new Vista ready computers?
Replies: 43
Views: 41643

I use computers for work, production, and when home think of them in terms of information as well; a no-gas consumption trip to the library. Then Vista is /so/ not for you. Heck, XP isn't for you. Low-power, low-consumption computers with "sturdy" OSes are definitely the way to go. Vista has a lot ...
by Engine
Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:12 am
Forum: Consumer Advocacy
Topic: Should we be buying new Vista ready computers?
Replies: 43
Views: 41643

Re: Vista, XP, 2k, NT, 98se, 95, 3.11, dos

I just realized this is my 22nd year of playing with computers. AutoCAD is now v16? v17? and, was 2, or something similar when the drafter who took CAD classes announced, with reverent awe, that he was inserting a 1 mega-byte memory chip into his IBM compatable. In primary school, we had PETs, and ...
by Engine
Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:36 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: will speedfan control zalman cnps7000b fan
Replies: 21
Views: 10933

Re: asus 8n-sli premium and speedfan

there is a second controllable fan connector called CHA_1 which is controllable but i am not sure what it is for. The "chassis fan." my speedfan which i have not configured properly yet seems to go down to 50% on the cpu fan... currently i am getting better results with qfan down to 1200 rpm instea...
by Engine
Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:22 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: will speedfan control zalman cnps7000b fan
Replies: 21
Views: 10933

Which fan header were you trying to control? CPU1? I noticed that some of the headers were giving me some problems with not reporting RPM, and as it turns out, the implemenation of fan headers on that mobo is...ah, extraordinarily strange. Some can be controlled by QFan, some can't report RPM, etc. ...
by Engine
Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:18 am
Forum: Consumer Advocacy
Topic: Should we be buying new Vista ready computers?
Replies: 43
Views: 41643

It's funny that they will just drive me to download movies instead of buying them. And you won't be alone. Ultra-restrictive DRM schemes will do nothing more than drive more people to pirate content, particularly since every new DRM scheme seems to be cracked within days of release. DRM isn't stopp...