Search found 355 matches

by tehcrazybob
Fri Feb 07, 2014 12:22 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Fractal Design Arc Mini R2 microATX Tower
Replies: 4
Views: 7103

Re: Fractal Design Arc Mini R2 microATX Tower

Where did you install the fans for this test? I have the original Arc Mini, and I found that I got the best results with three fans, all at the top and rear acting as exhaust. The shape of the fan grills made any intake fans unacceptably loud. I've had my Arc Mini for about a year, and I love it. It...
by tehcrazybob
Sun Jan 06, 2013 8:32 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Best choice for Micro ATX gaming system?
Replies: 7
Views: 8836

Re: Best choice for Micro ATX gaming system?

2) Must have separately-vented power supply with enough space for an extra-long modular unit. Bottom mount preferred. How long a PSU do you need? I got a good deal on a 550-watt Kingwin Lazer Platinum. It's 170mm deep. And it's probably overkill, but the reviews looked good and the price was right....
by tehcrazybob
Sun Jan 06, 2013 10:14 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Best choice for Micro ATX gaming system?
Replies: 7
Views: 8836

Best choice for Micro ATX gaming system?

I'm trying to decide what case to use for a fairly hot and fast Micro-ATX gaming system. Think overclocked i5 and mid-range to high-end video card. I'm using an Accelero on the video card and probably an HR-02 Macho on the processor. Storage is SSD-only, so I don't much care about hard drive mountin...
by tehcrazybob
Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:48 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: Seasonic G360W gold for $60 - Review & Giveaway!
Replies: 169
Views: 247184

Re: Seasonic G360W gold for $60 - Review & Giveaway!

I love the efficiency, and it sounds like this would be great for a moderately-powerful system which gets left on a lot. For extreme low power, a PicoPSU would be more efficient (although possibly louder - the AC brick for mine whines like crazy). I'd love to wind up winning a free one - it could de...
by tehcrazybob
Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:01 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Why Ad Blocking is devastating to the sites you love
Replies: 142
Views: 180701

I block ads by default. The vast majority of ads on the internet bother me, and I've chosen not to put up with them. I also habitually install AdBlock on computers I fix for others, because it makes a huge difference in the number of repeat service calls, thanks to the large number of "Click here to...
by tehcrazybob
Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:33 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Gutting failing HTPC, looking for component suggestions
Replies: 10
Views: 5828

Does the latest version of Flash allow GPU acceleration? More importantly, does Hulu support it? I ask, because if the answer to either question is "no" (and I'm fairly confident that's the case), you absolutely want the dual-core processor. Hulu, and other sites running Flash-based media players, a...
by tehcrazybob
Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:18 pm
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: Pico PSU Connectors
Replies: 22
Views: 12899

It might be relevant as the PCI-E slot supplies up to 75w to the video card, and the 6 pin connector the rest of it. For this 80w video card, that would translate in a big question mark on what takes its power from... I don't actually know, but I doubt that very much. The PCIe slot is rated to prov...
by tehcrazybob
Tue Jan 05, 2010 3:30 pm
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: Noise and build quality of Intel PSU
Replies: 4
Views: 3307

I have never come across one of these, but I don't know if it'd be a great choice. I think Intel typically values reliability and quality in their components, even at the expense of features and cost (as compared to mass-market companies like HP and Dell, who are lowest-bidder throughout), but that ...
by tehcrazybob
Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:38 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: How do you recommend monitoring power usage of electronics?
Replies: 4
Views: 3040

Must have been a serious microwave; the meter is rated for 1875 volt-amps (which would also be 1875 watts, if the power factor is good). Most microwaves are around 1000 watts - in fact, I can't think of a single 120-volt appliance or device capable of handling more than 1875 watts, including the rec...
by tehcrazybob
Sat Jan 02, 2010 6:49 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: How do you recommend monitoring power usage of electronics?
Replies: 4
Views: 3040

Seasonic makes a similar device called the Power Angel, which I believe SPCR uses in reviews. However, I've got the original Kill-a-Watt (not the newer KaW EZ), and it shows zero when nothing is plugged in, and seems very accurate when I use it to measure a known load like an incandescent light bulb...
by tehcrazybob
Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:44 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: C430 vs E1400 vs E5200 - power consumption?
Replies: 19
Views: 30607

How come you said the Celeron 430 is the power hog of the system compared to maybe a e5200 or e3200? The e5200 and e3200 are both 65w processors, whereas the 430 is a 35w. I initially picked up the 430 because it was the lowest power 775 cpu (correct me if Im wrong). Because the numbers you're quot...
by tehcrazybob
Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:11 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: VelociRaptor or SSD?
Replies: 36
Views: 43596

This makes zero sense. It must be some other issue causing the slowdown (maybe an almost-full drive with no TRIM or hidden swap memory?). Fragmentation should not affect SSDs, since there's no read head to physically move to different locations to access data. Every piece of data on an SSD should t...
by tehcrazybob
Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:25 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: VelociRaptor or SSD?
Replies: 36
Views: 43596

I helped a friend pick out some computer parts this weekend. He decided to go with an SSD, and having seen what he paid, I'm really considering it as well. A 120 GB OCZ Agility is coming dangerously close to what I paid for a Velociraptor a bit over a year ago, and if you can get by with 60 GB, you'...
by tehcrazybob
Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:14 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: VelociRaptor or SSD?
Replies: 36
Views: 43596

RAID0 is a terrible choice . It's great for server use, but it gives nearly no real-world improvement for single-user desktop/workstation applications, while doubling your chances of data loss. A few years ago, a friend of mine ran a RAID0 of two original Raptors. He never lost personal data, but o...
by tehcrazybob
Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:59 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Windows 7 - Not a question thread, an answer one instead.
Replies: 22
Views: 11924

I felt the same way after switching to Vista. Yes, a new operating system takes a while to get used to, and yes, running them at the minimum system requirements is never a good idea. On the other hand, if you've got a decently powerful system, you get to take advantage of all the neat new tricks (in...
by tehcrazybob
Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:48 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Transform 'Cuda 7200.11 1.5tb into Velociraptor Killer
Replies: 78
Views: 82869

[It's arguably more impressive to get the same/better performance without needing to increase the rotational velocity. It certainly would be. Unfortunately, the modification described in the article actually doesn't achieve a worthwhile performance improvement at all - read back through the respons...
by tehcrazybob
Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:56 pm
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Transform 'Cuda 7200.11 1.5tb into Velociraptor Killer
Replies: 78
Views: 82869

I'm not sure I see the point of the article. The Velociraptor isn't noted for its sequential performance, which can be approached, if not matched, by a great many high-capacity drives. It's noted for ridiculously short seek and random access times, which make the computer more responsive in day-to-d...
by tehcrazybob
Sun May 03, 2009 7:25 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Anyone actually bother to undervolt anymore?
Replies: 55
Views: 24494

I do, on my E6550 from just over a year ago (Christmas 2007, actually). I haven't spent hours dragging it down to minimum stable voltage or anything like that, but I dropped it far enough that I estimate CPU power is down to half. If I bought a newer 45nm chip, I might not bother, but I'd still cons...
by tehcrazybob
Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:38 pm
Forum: Deals, Vendors and Classifieds
Topic: Samsung SLC SSD's are Cheap at Geeks--64GB now OOS
Replies: 22
Views: 12828

Cov : I can see how that article might make you think twice about SSDs, but there's some serious performance to be gained there. Some of the issues are totally unavoidable and will happen with any SSD (like the erasing pages to write files), but most of those things are transparent and won't even b...
by tehcrazybob
Wed Apr 15, 2009 6:20 pm
Forum: Deals, Vendors and Classifieds
Topic: Samsung SLC SSD's are Cheap at Geeks--64GB now OOS
Replies: 22
Views: 12828

SLC drives aren't really going to be obsoleted, but they probably will be left for the server market. The better MLC drives are more than good enough for consumer use. Don't get hung up on speed, though. Those huge sequential transfer rates come at the cost of the 'stuttering' problems sometimes rep...
by tehcrazybob
Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:01 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: C430 vs E1400 vs E5200 - power consumption?
Replies: 19
Views: 30607

Thanks for all the replies! Looking at those XBit articles, the E5200 seems like the way to go for sure. My motherboard choice is already done; as I said originally, this is in the case of buying a Shuttle system. Normally if I were looking for low-power parts, I'd start with AMD, but I really like ...
by tehcrazybob
Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:46 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Quiet Family laptop?
Replies: 2
Views: 2621

I can't really offer any suggestions because I haven't used a modern laptop in about five years. However, if you stick with integrated graphics and sane processor choices (I typically recommend the slowest dual-core offering, or at least the slowest of a particular family like Core2), most laptops a...
by tehcrazybob
Sun Apr 12, 2009 2:11 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: C430 vs E1400 vs E5200 - power consumption?
Replies: 19
Views: 30607

C430 vs E1400 vs E5200 - power consumption?

I'm looking at getting a Shuttle KPC (now that they've bundled it with their custom heatpipe cooler) for a fileserver. As such, I need a dirt-cheap processor with the lowest power requirements possible. I've narrowed it down to three processors, but I've been unable to find any power consumption fig...
by tehcrazybob
Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:14 pm
Forum: Notebook Systems
Topic: Bought a Dell Mini 9 and Highly Recommend It
Replies: 30
Views: 37708

Which EEE did you have? I haven't used the Dell, so I can't make direct comparisons, but the EEE 901 has a multi-touch touchpad which makes scrolling considerably easier than on more typical laptops.
by tehcrazybob
Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:58 pm
Forum: Notebook Systems
Topic: Bought a Dell Mini 9 and Highly Recommend It
Replies: 30
Views: 37708

Have any of you used both an EEE PC and the Dell? I'm curious how much better the Dell keyboard is, because the multi-touch on the EEE 901 is hugely compelling. Fanless is nice, but if that's controllable through software on the EEE then it really becomes a question of good touchpad vs good keyboard.
by tehcrazybob
Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:22 pm
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: NoVibes III questions......
Replies: 5
Views: 3879

The NoVibes III doesn't appear to have the bottom mounting holes you're looking for, but you could probably just zip-tie it in place. If that doesn't appeal to you, you shouldn't have too much trouble building your own suspension system; take a look around the gallery to see how much creativity has ...
by tehcrazybob
Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:35 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: What sticky film on my HR-01?
Replies: 15
Views: 7214

Those films are usually fairly obvious. Check your temps, though; if they don't give you a heart attack, there's no film.
by tehcrazybob
Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:14 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Everest cpu power consumption indicator
Replies: 13
Views: 6475

Those numbers sound about right. I'm not sure what technology Everest uses to make those measurements, so I don't know how accurate the numbers are. However, they're probably good enough to compare processors.
by tehcrazybob
Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:06 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Is the EVGA X58 motherboard cooler silent?
Replies: 9
Views: 5759

I have never in my life stumbled across a motherboard where the active chipset cooler was anything less than the absolute loudest thing in the system. This doesn't just hold true for SPCR-type systems designed with silence in mind; chipset coolers are often the loudest things in very typical loud co...
by tehcrazybob
Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:40 pm
Forum: Watercooling
Topic: Ahhh.. nice simple new CHECK THIS!
Replies: 23
Views: 16352

I've run across systems like this before. Don't let your expectations get too high; they tend to have very low-quality pumps and make an incredible amount of noise for their size. I'm not sure how effective they are, but for the target audience on SPCR, a good air cooler gets a better result for les...