2005 SPCR Readers' Choice Components Award

Post by **MikeC** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 5:52 pm

Just an idea, probably a bit late, but it might be worth running a poll. I am thinking of a winner and a runner-up in a bunch of categories, picked from products we've reviewed in 2005 (or not as the case may be -- it's your votes that count).

A poll would be set up in each component category, with a relatively short list of choices. You'd have the option of explaining your vote. At the end of Jan, we'd compile the results in one place, maybe write a short article.

Complete/SFF systems
Shuttle SD11G5 Pentium M SFF barebones PC
Kloss KL-I915B SFF Barebones PC
Puget Custom's Silent WC Pentium-M Rig
AOpen EY855-II Pentium M SFF
Shuttle SN95G5: A64-939 SFF

Heatsinks
Thermalright HR-01
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
Asetek Vapochill Micro CPU heatsink/fan
LS Cable SHS-X500 heatsink/fan
Scythe Katana
Zalman 9500
Scythe Ninja
Scythe Kamaboko
Scythe Kamakiri -
Arctic Cooling Freezer
Arctic Cooling 4 Ultra TC HSF
Zalman CNPS7700-AlCu

PSU
Antec TruePower II - 430 PSU
Ultra X-Finity ULT-XF500 power supply
Seasonic SS-300SFD 80 Plus
FSP400-60GLN Green 400W PSU
Enermax Liberty ELT500/600AWT
ePower Lion EP-450P5-L1
Antec Neo HE 430
Fortron Zen fanless 300W ATX12V
Seasonic SS-400HT, 80 Plus version
Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-450
Cooler Master Real Power RS-550-ACLY
Coolmax CU-400T & 600T Detachable Cable PSUs
Seasonic S12-500 & S12-600
Antec Phantom 500 "Hybrid" PSU
Thermaltake W0029 Fanless Purepower 350
Seasonic S12-430
Raidmax RX-520XPW
Enermax Noisetaker EG701AX-VE SFMA 2.0 -
Clever Power SPS-400 Power Supply
FSP Blue Storm AX500-A -

etc....

You are welcome to add to the lists; I will fill out the rest of the categories later.

Bob_the_lost · Post by **Bob_the_lost** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 6:08 pm

I don't think there's much point in a case category, unless you rule out the p180, then it'd get interesting (untill people notice the p150 and then it's the same old tune

)

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:22 am

It would be interesting but at the same time very few people will have experiance with more than one product so it could come down to company preferance.

I think something like "Innovation Awards" would work better where users can vote for the product they though was the most unique/advanced design in each catagory as that's something easier to judge without owning the products. Of course that's probabaly almost the same thing anyway...

I'm sure whatever got the best review will win the award though

JazzJackRabbit · Post by **JazzJackRabbit** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:53 am

Jordan wrote:It would be interesting but at the same time very few people will have experiance with more than one product so it could come down to company preferance.

True. I own quite a few products from the list above, but very few from the same category, it just doesn't make sense for me to buy two different products when one of them works best (in my opinion/research which can be subjective).

Jordan wrote:I think something like "Innovation Awards" would work better where users can vote for the product they though was the most unique/advanced design in each catagory as that's something easier to judge without owning the products. Of course that's probabaly almost the same thing anyway...

It may work better, but still two problems. One is P180 problem as mentioned by Bob_the_lost

And another one most unique/innovative does not mean the best or even good. Take the new vaporchill heatsink, innovative? Yes. Miserably failed to provide decent performance? Hell yes!

However don't listen to a pessimist like me, I like the idea, let's try it and see what comes out of it.

Krazy Kommando · Post by **Krazy Kommando** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 5:00 pm

tis a good idea, but i can see the results already!
scythe ninja
seasonic S12 430w (or perhaps even the neo HE??)
antec P180
asus passive mobo

djnotepad · Post by **djnotepad** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:05 pm

i think its a good idea. if there was something like this the first time i signed up for the boards it wouldve been helpful. even though everyone is just going to vote for whatever they have, i.e. P180, scythe ninja, so it'll be a more what are you using poll but would still be of a great help in my book

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:44 pm

it sounds like a good idea, i know which ones id vote for as #1 in each catagory.

SFF/Barebone: SD11G5
HSF: Scythe Ninja
PSU: Seasonic SS-300SFD 80 Plus
Case: Antec P150

Sizzle · Post by **Sizzle** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 6:36 pm

Catagories I'd like to see.

SFF Cases
Cases
Passive video card
CPU Heatsink
PSU
Hard drive
Optical drive
Motherboard (maybe just AMD based since most Intel are passive)
Innovation in system silencing (aftermarket gpu coolers, nb hsf, hdd enclosures, damping materials, etc)

I am not familiar with watercooling, but have some for those devices as well.

PositiveSpin · Post by **PositiveSpin** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:10 pm

I think the Scythe Ninja wins in a walkover, but I'd vote the the Antec P150 over the P180 (and I have one P150 and three P180s, so I know both).

The video card category goes to the NVidia 7800GTX chip (lots of cards) - amazingly quiet in normal operation, but awesome 3D (admittedly, not quiet in games, but I don't mind that). If you insist on a silent video card, then it goes to Gigabyte 256Mb 6600GT Silentpipe (I have a machine with two of these and four monitors - lovely!).

But although I've tried several in 2005, I don't have a decided preference on motherboard, CPU, or PSU.

PositiveSpin · Post by **PositiveSpin** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:11 pm

Should we have a category for fans?

Elixer · Post by **Elixer** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 9:10 pm

As long as it doesn't take too long. You guys have things in the works I'd like to see reviewed and I'm impatient and would hate to delay you!

Firetech · Post by **Firetech** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 11:53 pm

Elixer wrote:You guys have things in the works I'd like to see reviewed

Agreed. As I'm new here I'd really like to see the sites recommended fans updated with recent results. I'd like to know how some of the new, less costly (read Glacialtech etc) 120mm's match up with the mighty Nexus for example.

cAPSLOCK · Post by **cAPSLOCK** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 1:15 am

I think that you can probably already award the reader's choice awards from what you can see in the Gallery... P180, Scythe Ninja, Seasonic S12, Nexus fan, Samsung HDD, AMD X2 CPU, etc...

but, also like said above, something like innovation awards would be good, something where we vote more on the idea behind the product than the product itself (I'm thinking FSP Green Power (simple design), NeoHE (single 80mm fan, modular cables), or Seagate single platter 160GB HDD, etc..)

Gandalf6696 · Post by **Gandalf6696** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 3:59 am

I would like to see DVD rom and DVD writer as categories.
Those items get always mixed reactions in the forums.

jewk · Post by **jewk** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 5:55 pm

PositiveSpin wrote:Should we have a category for fans?

yes i agree

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 5:19 am

PositiveSpin wrote:Should we have a category for fans?

A catagory for Nexus you say?

2005 SPCR Readers' Choice Components Award

Should we have a Readers' Choice Award Contest?

2005 SPCR Readers' Choice Components Award

Updates please.

Other categories

yes