So I'm looking at the Enermax MODU82+ 625W (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194027) as the power supply I want to get in conjunction with my new graphics card.
- I would probably be fine with a 500 W PSU but I want to have some room to grow if I need to without having to get a new PSU.
- Trying to get peak efficiency while gaming. Not as critical when doing non-CPU intensive tasks like web browsing where the system won't be generating as much heat.

Concerns:
- Exhaust fan on the top of the PSU. My current PSU has two exhaust fans, one in the interior side of the PSU pushing air from inside the case into the PSU and the other on the back of the PSU pushing the air outside of the case. My case has an exhaust fan on the top as well but I'd prefer having the PSU push the air outside the case rather than inside the case and let my case exhaust fans pull the PSU-generated heat out.
- Modular cabling. I like the idea of only using the cables I need and not having to tie up the non-used cables and leave them inside the case. Don't know if there are any issues with modular cabling's longevity though.

Concerns:
- Exhaust fan on the top of the PSU. My current PSU has two exhaust fans, one in the interior side of the PSU pushing air from inside the case into the PSU and the other on the back of the PSU pushing the air outside of the case. My case has an exhaust fan on the top as well but I'd prefer having the PSU push the air outside the case rather than inside the case and let my case exhaust fans pull the PSU-generated heat out.
I wouldn't worry too much to be honest. What the design of this fan does (by drawing air in and pushing it down) is cause a circular airflow inside your case. You want to keep the air, and more importantly, dust, moving and the psu generates a "jet stream" if you will of forced air. Although the fan is on top of the case, it will actually point down when you mount it (notice the off corner screw is on the bottom of the psu casing) Same as how my psu (http://www.sharkyextreme.com/img/2007/07/ex_guide/ultra_x3.jpg) is pictured. ;)

Drawing air in the psu from the back, then pushing it out/down cools the psu, generates the 'jet stream' and allows your case fans to complete the cycle. It's along the same system as when ppl mount front case fans. Those should always be mounted to bring air "IN" not push air out ;)

- Modular cabling. I like the idea of only using the cables I need and not having to tie up the non-used cables and leave them inside the case. Don't know if there are any issues with modular cabling's longevity though.I swear by modular cabling since while its convenient to use only the cables you want.. it's also more streamlining to let air flow freely without too much breaking up (see jet stream above). The cabling is actually far sturdier than most people think and it's often flexible enough to zip-tie etc to your hearts' desire.

The 80 mm fan on my current Cooler Master Mini Aquagate is locking up on me. I checked and Cooler Master doesn't sell the Mini Aquagates anymore so I interpret that as meaning it's time to find a different CPU cooler for my system. :D

I'm looking for recommendations for an effective air-cooled solution for my socket LGA 775 mobo but not wanting to invest a lot of money into it since I plan on upgrading to a Bloomfield CPU next summer/fall. So I guess a good value cooler sums it up.

i'm guessing that you have a Core 2, right?? if you don't have it overclocked, these will do just fine:

Thermaltake CL-P0378 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106106) - $22.99 @ Newegg
Cooler Master Dream 4 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103039) - $9.99 @ Newegg (this one very closely resembles the stock coolers that ship with the Core 2 processors)

if you do have it overclocked, well, you shouldn't have much to worry about since your sticking with Intel. most coolers that work for the 775 socket work just fine since Intel didn't mess with the mounting method for the coolers. that is, of course, assuming that you'll be taking parts out of your current rig for the new one. if not, then i would go with the Cooler Master i picked out earlier. its cheap, and it will do the job.

happy shopping. :)

It would depend on how much room is in your case, but right now this Xigmatek direct-touch heatpipe cooler (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233014) is on sale for $12.99 after rebate at GougeEgg, and looks like a great deal as long as you don't mind mail-in rebates. If you don't like the push-pins you'll have to get the bolt-through mounting bracket, though. These direct-touch heatpipe Xigmateks have the performance of the high-end (>$50.00) coolers and are quite a bit cheaper. They offer monster overclocking headroom if you're into that kind of thing.

stinger and Q,
Thanks for the advice. As for my CPU it's a Pentium 4 660 running at a factory clocked 3.6 GHz.

Just to drop in here, my favorite PC modding magazine swears by the ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134), at $24.99 it's great value, amazingly quiet and it can keep even a heavily overclocked C2D cool ;)

It's a legend amongst the C2D overclockers!

So it should be more than adequate for a P4, even though they run notoriously hot :)

Just to drop in here, my favorite PC modding magazine swears by the ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134), at $24.99 it's great value, amazingly quiet and it can keep even a heavily overclocked C2D cool ;)

It's a legend amongst the C2D overclockers!

So it should be more than adequate for a P4, even though they run notoriously hot :)
Yeah, this thing is looking better and better every time I see it. Wouldn't mind getting one myself as I'm liking the direct touch, copper base and directional fan (up/down/front/back as opposed to 'out' ).

Not exactly 'hardware' but can anyone suggest a nice ceramique based paste? I know the silver based cools a little better.. but ceramique is comparable and won't short my board should any drip.

I usually use Arctic Silver's (http://www.arcticsilver.com/ceramique.htm) but if anyone knows of/has better experience with a different compund.. any feedback is greatly appreciated. :)

^^^^
out of luck here, man. the only thing i use is Arctic Silver. and if you're worried about drips, just remember: more does not equal better with thermal grease/paste. ;)

Hey, right now I'm using a Pentium D 920 2.8ghz, and I was looking toward a cheap upgrade, possibly to one of the Phenom quad-cores.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

its always a matter of how much you'll be willing to spend. its possible that you could be able to pick up a Core2 for your current system, but i don't think you'll find any available (and determining compatibility could be a nightmare as well). of course, that means a new motherboard, and that opens up a whole new can of worms.

before you can really even think processor, you're going to have think about what hardware you can reuse with the new board such as the hard drive(s), disc drives, PSU, RAM, and video card (if you have one). just keep in mind that some of that hardware isn't going to transfer well or at all. if you have an AGP-based video card, then you'll have to think about a new video card as well. you'll also want to check what kind of RAM is currently installed on your system. if you have DDR, you're out of luck since all boards from the past couple of years use either DDR2 or DDR3 RAM.

you'll also have to keep in mind that it will invalidate your copy of Windows installed on your current hard drive which means that you'll have to at least uninstall Windows on that hard drive. you'll have to reinstall it and then activate it somehow depending on what version you have.

anyways, just keep these things in mind for the moment. since you'll probably have to upgrade the motherboard, you'll probably want to start thinking about just getting a new system entirely. again, though, its all going to come down to how much you're willing to spend. ;)

OK. So I want to build a PC for both folding and HTPC use.
- want to go with an AMD quad-core CPU
- want to use the SMP client
- want it to be as power-efficient as possible within economic reason (it will be folding when it's not doing recording or playback so I realize this won't be a low power setup)
- HD playback/recording capability is a nice to have but not required
- I was also thinking of possibly using a Linux OS
- and of course I want to spend as little as possible, hopefully less than USD$500

Recommendations? :D

a low power folder/htpc is entirely possible on a shuttle ;)

I have similar plans to yourself and am looking at the SN78SH7 (http://us.shuttle.com/barebone/Models/SN78SH7.html)

getting a barebone is cheaper. Add your own GPU, HD, RAM and CPU...

The only problem with this setup is if you have a dual slot card, you are limited to using a usb tuner for htpc functionality. If youre not planning on using this with a dual slot card, you could go for a cheaper variant. Of course, you could ditch the card altogether and use the onboard nv8200 for htpc purposes. You could likely use it for folding as well as integrated 8200 is cuda enabled (http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_8200_mgpu_us.html)

There are many linux htpc variants. These sre chiefly used by 3 types:
*advanced setups, arch linux severs etc
*people who like the advanced tinkering
*people who hate MS

Feel free to have a squiz around the Linux area at the htpc site (http://www.xpmediacentre.com.au/community/linux-media-center-solutions/) I contribute at. I have a cataclysmic personality clash with the guy who presides over this area, so you wont see much of me in there :D Lots of great info though...

Alternately, you could get a ps3..games, folds, bluray and pvr functionality with playtv addon. ;)

mtfbwya

I've considered the PS3 but haven't researched it a great deal. It doesn't seem like PlayTV has made it to the U.S.A. and even if it has I'm not so sure I want to risk getting locked into a Sony proprietary system.

I looked at the SN78SH7 but it doesn't support AM3 processors and I really wanted to get a Phenom II. Also I would much prefer to get a system with NVIDIA 9300 onboard graphics. Only problem seems to be that there aren't any motherboards out there that support AM3 processors and NVIDIA 9300. Maybe I should just wait to see what Shuttle comes out with later in the year since they're the only ones who seem able/willing to support AMD and NVIDIA on the same motherboard.

....Only problem seems to be that there aren't any motherboards out there that support AM3 processors and NVIDIA 9300... Maybe I should just wait......

lolz. I dont think there's any other course of action if those are your requirements Char! :D Give it to the end of the year

mtfbwya

Well, not requirements exactly but yes, as I continued doing more research that is kind of where I ended up with. :)

I decided I wanted a 45 nm processor and it seems like the Phenom II's are the only AMD processor that meets that. Of course I could always go with Core 2 Quad but I did want to try an AMD processor in this setup. I think I could be happy with an AMD Phenom II x3 720. I've read a few accounts of people saying they've been able to unlock the 4th processor on these but I'm good with this CPU even if I can't unlock the 4th core.

I'm curious what your thoughts as to the onboard graphics solution would you go with for an HTPC setup right now. My initial thought is that NVIDIA 9300/9400 is one of the best onboard solutions out there for this and a significant step up from the 8200. Maybe I've missed seeing a better solution in the onboard graphics arena.

If you want more than 2 cores, the PII X3 is simply the best value out there right now.

As far as onboard graphics go, the AMD 790 is the most powerful, but since you're a Folder, Nvidia may be a better option for you. Don't expect stellar gaming performance from either one of them, though. ;)

I definitely like the price point on the Phenom II X3's. :D

Don't plan on playing any games on this system. The only reason I want to go with NVIDIA 9300 is because it seems to consume significantly less electricity than the 790 GX according to this Anandtech report (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3432&p=11). Otherwise the two seem to be comparable in overall performance.

I definitely like the price point on the Phenom II X3's. :D

Don't plan on playing any games on this system. The only reason I want to go with NVIDIA 9300 is because it seems to consume significantly less electricity than the 790 GX according to this Anandtech report (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3432&p=11). Otherwise the two seem to be comparable in overall performance.

Low power AM2 folder with onboard nv GPU... cant beat this atm:
- Socket AM2 HTT 3000 MHz AMD® Opteron™ with HyperTransport Technology
- AMD Phenom, Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 (CPU ≤ 65W)
- NVIDIA GeForce 8200 mGPU (MCP78S) single chipset supports DirectX 10 / PureVideo HD
- 1 * 240-pin DIMM Sockets for unbuffered Dual DDR2 800 SDRAM up to 2 GB
- Support 4 * SATA-2 Devices with RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5 Functions
- Realtek ALC883 8-Channel Azalia HD Audio CODEC
- Advanced 3-Phase PWM Design W / OC-CON Capacitors
- Support 1080i / 1080p / HDCP / Blu-Ray HD DVD playback
- Dual Gigabit LAN / Dual Display / Dual Core Supported
- 1 * 32-bit PCI Slots
- 2 * Ultra DMA 133 / 100 / 66 IDE Devices Supported
- 1 * VGA / 1 * DVI / HDMI 1.3 Ready / SPDIF out

http://www.jetwaycomputer.com/NC62K.html)

http://www.jetwaycomputer.com/images/j6c2_large.jpg)

put in in a lovely mimi-itx case by www.aywun.com) and you're all set ;)

There are mini-itx boards touting 9300, but intel flavour only atm(they also have pcie x16!) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500022)

mtfbwya

On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer, but I've been burned enough times to know to ask first. Do I need to worry about compatibility with slightly older games like SW:KotOR - TSL or Morrowind?

Should I spend the $20 extra and get the EVGA GTS 250 SC instead?

Thanks in advance!

On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer, but I've been burned enough times to know to ask first. Do I need to worry about compatibility with slightly older games like SW:KotOR - TSL or Morrowind?

Should I spend the $20 extra and get the EVGA GTS 250 SC instead?

Thanks in advance!

Just make sure you have the proper PSU for it.. I'm having a hell of a time with my 280 :headbump Check those amps and make sure you have the proper connectors. Looks like the 250 only requires a 6pin (not the dreaded 8pin) so as long as you have the amps I'd say you won't have any problems.

Are you using XP or Vista? (32 or 64 bit). Alot of users don't seem to have 'much' problems getting older games to work in Vista... but 64 bit is a different story. (again, I've learned the hard way... hehehe) ;)

On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer, but I've been burned enough times to know to ask first. Do I need to worry about compatibility with slightly older games like SW:KotOR - TSL or Morrowind?
It shouldn't have any compatibility problems that your 8600GTS didn't.
Should I spend the $20 extra and get the EVGA GTS 250 SC instead?

Thanks in advance!
I don't know why you would want to do that. The GTS 250 is nothing but a re-badged 9800GTX. Yes, it would appear that Nvidia has taken a page from the George Lucas turd-polishing handbook (8800GTS 512 to 9800GTX to GTS 250). There are minor hardware changes between them, but all three are essentially the same card.

BTW: don't you have a 30" monitor? Wouldn't you want something a little more capable of running games at native res? How much were you willing to spend on that 9800GTX/GTS 250? There is a huge price war going on between ATI and Nvidia right now, and you should be able to pick up something a lot better like a GTX 260 or 275 (if you must have Nvidia -with notable exceptions, the real bargains have all been ATI cards) for not much more green. A card like that would provide a lot more horsepower to feed your monster monitor. To give you a ballpark figure, the most recent killer deals have been an XFX GTX 260 (216-shader) for $155.00 and an MSI HD 4890 for $183.00. With prices that low, the 9800GTX/GTS 250 has ceased to be any kind of a bargain unless you can find one for ~$100.00.

Oh, and please take ChAiNz's advice and check your PSU's +12V amperage and connections and tell us what you've got.

It shouldn't have any compatibility problems that your 8600GTS didn't. Great news. Thanks!

I don't know why you would want to do that. The GTS 250 is nothing but a re-badged 9800GTX. Yes, it would appear that Nvidia has taken a page from the George Lucas turd-polishing handbook (8800GTS 512 to 9800GTX to GTS 250). There are minor hardware changes between them, but all three are essentially the same card.I'll take your word for it re: GPU, but the RAM increase is dramatic (8600 = 256, 9800 = 512, GTS 250 = 1GB). That's really the motivation behind my sudden desire to shop..

BTW: don't you have a 30" monitor? Wouldn't you want something a little more capable of running games at native res?Meh. I'm pretty happy with 1280x800 (or 1440x900).

How much were you willing to spend on that 9800GTX/GTS 250?140 vs 160 respectively. I'm not unhappy with the card I have now, but it wouldn't hurt my feeling to run NWN2 with a few more bells and whistles either.

Oh, and please take ChAiNz's advice and check your PSU's +12V amperage and connections and tell us what you've got.Will do when I get home. :)

Thanks again, guys!

Great news. Thanks!
Compatibility would be the same for cards with the newer GT200 GPU as well. The architecture is very much the same as the older G92; there's just a lot more of it.
I'll take your word for it re: GPU, but the RAM increase is dramatic (8600 = 256, 9800 = 512, GTS 250 = 1GB). That's really the motivation behind my sudden desire to shop..
It's been argued that the G92 (the GPU on a 9800GTX/GTS 250) lacks the power to take advantage of that extra VRAM except in very specific situations, and that it's mostly a marketing gimmick (think 6200 256MB, if you remember that fiasco). I'll admit that I'm not 100% sure about it, myself, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time that either Nvidia or ATI has stuck a ton of memory on a less-capable card as a selling point.
Meh. I'm pretty happy with 1280x800 (or 1440x900).
A GTX 260 would reliably allow you to play most modern games at 1920x1200, and older ones at your monitor's native 2560x1600. Ask Astro about KotOR2 at 1600p. From what he tells me, it's awesome.
140 vs 160 respectively. I'm not unhappy with the card I have now, but it wouldn't hurt my feeling to run NWN2 with a few more bells and whistles either.
In that price range, I would definitely recommend the GTX 260 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150361), because it is a significant improvement over a 9800GTX/GTS 250. Just take a look at the number of stream processors (shaders) in their respective GPUs: 216 vs. 128. The GTS 250 would have to be sub-$125.00 to be worth buying, IMO.

It's basically all going to come down to your power supply and how much juice it puts out. You might have to get a new one for either card.

POWER
· Silent X 400W(PFC) Power Supply Unit
· Input 100-240V AC???

Searching...

Do you have a Shuttle PC? I see a lot of references to Shuttles when I Google this particular model. It will complicate things if you do.

I do. I have the SN27P2 (http://global.shuttle.com/product_detail.jsp?PI=189).

Edit: *reads*

"New for 2006...". My baby is not old!

Uh-oh. :(

I don't know if that PSU design is proprietary, but it is certainly non-standard and would be difficult and expensive to replace, especially on a computer that's what, 2 years old now? I don't think that it would be worth the investment. At least you have the 400W model and aren't stuck with a 300W.

I think that you would be better off getting a card that will work with your current PSU. The GTS 250 may indeed be a better choice for you. It would still be a monster improvement over what you have. As long as your PSU has one 6-pin PCIe plug, which I think it does, you should be OK. One of the improvements of the GTS 250 compared to the 9800GTX+ is reduced power consumption; it only requires 1 6-pin plug instead of 2. Astro is the Shuttle guy here, and would know way more about anything regarding Shuttles than I do.

PSU aside, we'll need to know if the card will fit in that itty-bitty case. IIRC, Astro has managed to fit first a 7950GX2 and later on an 8800GTS 640MB into his Shuttle case, so I'm sure that it's possible, but once again he's the guy to ask.

In the meantime, I'll keep my eyes open for a bargain GTS 250 for you. :)

Ok, I'll hit Astro up via PM (not sure how regularly he visits here). Thanks for all your help!

Are you kidding? This is his lair. :p

And you're welcome!

Are you kidding? This is his lair. :pNote to self: Pay more attention.

Are you kidding? This is his lair

lolz... now I have a lair :D A trait common among arch criminals, satanists and despots.

I do. I have the SN27P2 (http://global.shuttle.com/product_detail.jsp?PI=189).

Edit: *reads*

"New for 2006...". My baby is not old!

oooh....a kindred spirit :)

Ive got, and am now stuck with the very same model :D It still works super mind you, but is a bit limited from a GPU upgrade perspective.

The 400WPSU is not an issue for the 250 at all ;) The only issue is the size of the case.

As the the SN27P2 is an older model, its support list is not updated on shuttle's site. The best other resource for all things shuttle are sudhian forums. (http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/forums/viewforum/4/)

Ive had a quick squiz for you and it looks sorta promising ;) One user reports sucessfully cramming the evga GTX 250 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130470) into his SD27P2(the intel version of the SN37P2)

see this thread for more info about the P/P2 chassis GPU limitations. (http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/forums/viewthread/105356/)

and this thread about the SN27P2 specifically (http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/forums/viewthread/104387/) Of course, you can always join and ask the specific question if need be. Im not 100% sure how identical the SD37P2 and SN37P2 are in terms of connector placement near the pcie - which is teh crucial factor. Youd want to compare notes with a SD37P2 owner first before forking out for the 250 ;) The specific post by the user who has the 250 for his SD37P2 is here (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130470)

I am currently using an 8800GTS 640 and dont have any difficulties with the type of games you mentioned, including at resolutions above 1440x900. I play mass effect at 1080p, NWN2 even higher, crysis at 1080p but uber effects dumbed down a bit ;) I have to admit, since I discovered the EVGA overclocking app, I can get much more out of the 8800GTS than I believed possible, though I dont game that much to really test it out on a wider range of games.

good luck mang ;)

mtfbwya

Achilles, if you're looking for a ridiculously cheap solution that would cost you less than half of what a GTS 250 would, then look no further than this card (http://shop1.frys.com/product/5837943). This is the older (and better) 96-shader model (the new 9600GSO only has 48 and isn't worth buying). It might not have 1GB, but 768MB isn't too shabby at all and is probably all that the card can handle. When overclocked, this baby is roughly comparable with Astro's 8800GTS 640MB. The only hangup is the cut-down memory bus, but I have one of these cards myself and both the core and the memory overclock very well. I've got mine at 650/1630/950 (core/shader/memory) and I haven't even begun to push it yet.

Best of all for your case, this card is truly single-slot and will not intrude into the adjacent expansion slot on your motherboard. Even so, its cooler is still effective because it has a shroud that directs airflow over the memory as well as the GPU. This card is easily twice the card of your 8600GTS. You can't do better for $50.00, and this is the most sensible upgrade for a computer that's approaching 3 years old, IMO.

The rebate is large, yes, but PNY rebates are known to be reliable. As long as you jump through all of the hoops you'll get your money. I bought one of these for the workstation that I'm borrowing from my folks, and right now it's making a lot of sense to get a second one for the computer that I'm building for a $100.00 SLI setup that would approach a GTX 280 in performance. I just need to find a good, cheap SLI motherboard and decide whether to go with an Intel or AMD CPU.

I have no experience with PNY. Should I take this as an endorsement?

EDIT: Also, I have no experience with overclocking. How does one go about doing this and what other considerations do I need to take into account (aside from voiding warranties, potentially shortening lifespan...). You mentioned that this card runs fairly cool. Will I need to purchase additional cooling equipment?

Sorry for the n00b questions.

@Astro: thank you, sir!

I have no experience with PNY. Should I take this as an endorsement?
Yes. The build quality on my card is good. I haven't gotten my rebate yet, but I just checked their site today and it has gone through and the check is on its way. Several other people at Anandtech forums have bought this card and all have gotten their rebates. This card is immensely popular over there because of cheap SLI and it's usefulness with Folding@home (Nvidia cards are better at folding). I can't believe that there are any left. So yeah, I endorse this card wholeheartedly. I think that it would perfect for your needs since you don't require native res, and it's extremely cheap to boot.
EDIT: Also, I have no experience with overclocking. How does one go about doing this and what other considerations do I need to take into account (aside from voiding warranties, potentially shortening lifespan...). You mentioned that this card runs fairly cool. Will I need to purchase additional cooling equipment?
No. I'm doing my O/C with the standard cooler, which is quite good for a single-slot job. Overclocking is perfectly safe with the right utilities. Download and install RivaTuner (http://downloads.guru3d.com/RivaTuner-v2.24-download-163.html) from Guru3D and use it to adjust your fan speed up from the woefully inadequate stock settings (where it was idling in the 70s) to a level where the noise is as loud as you can stand. I only have mine turned up to 58%, which is the highest I can set it before I can hear it over my case fans, and you'd probably want to do the same. At 100% it sounds like a blow-dryer.

When overclocked to 653/1633/950 over the stock speed of 575/1438/850 at 58% fan speed, the GPU idles at 52° C and doesn't go over 60° C when playing VtMB, which is sadly the most demanding I have ATM. Modern games would be way more demanding, but GPUs are built to function at 90+° C if you can believe it, so there is really no danger of damaging it as long as you're sensible. Anything under 80° C is totally safe. The card will start to display artifacts onscreen or start to CTD when you've reached the limits of it's clockspeed, and that will usually happen well within its thermal envelope.

And you don't have to operate it overclocked 24/7 like you would a CPU. Once you learn your card's limits you can put it back to its factory settings for everyday operation, open RivaTuner and overclock it before starting up your game, then return it to factory settings when you're done.

So let's go over the card details, shall we? This card used to be known as the 8800GS (yes, more Nvidia turd-polishing). Basically, it's a cut-down version of the 9800GT (8800GT), which is itself a cut-down version of the 9800GTX (8800GTS 512). This 9600GSO has the same GPU as the 9800GT and the 9800GTX (the G92), only it has 96 stream processors compared to 112 for the 9800GT and 128 for the 9800GTX, and its memory bus has been cut down from 256 bits to 192 bits. It's performance is roughly equal to the 9600GT when it's been mildly overclocked, and comes close to the 9800GT when heavily (but still safely) overclocked. You can expect roughly double the performance of your 8600GTS from it.

At half the cost of a 9800GT and little more than a third of the cost of a GTS 250 it's easily the best bang for the buck out there ATM. Your power supply will have no problems with it, because it only requires 26 amps on the +12v rail and one 6-pin PCIe plug. The card is 9 inches long, so if Astro can fit an 8800GTS in his Shuttle, you should have little trouble fitting it in yours. Just measure from the back of your case 9 inches towards the front and see if you run into anything. Since the card is no longer than a micro-ATX motherboard, the most likely obstruction that you're going to encounter are cables that are plugged into your motherboard, so in a worst-case scenario you'd have to buy a flat-plugged cable to fit under it.

*returns to hunting down a cheap SLI motherboard*

Card has been ordered and I am installing RivaTuner right now.

I really do appreciate all the work you've put in to helping me with this. Thank you.

You're most welcome. :)

Are your drivers up to date? You won't have to change them if they are. GeForce 8 and 9 cards use the same driver. If they're not up to date, then you should update them. Nvidia has made some big improvements in performance over the last few months that have been confirmed by independent users.

Did you print the online receipt? You'll need a copy of it for the rebate.

You're most welcome. :)

Are your drivers up to date? You won't have to change them if they are. GeForce 8 and 9 cards use the same driver. If they're not up to date, then you should update them. Nvidia has made some big improvements in performance over the last few months that have been confirmed by independent users.

Did you print the online receipt? You'll need a copy of it for the rebate.No printer, though I did take a screen shot so that I could print it later from another PC. I also have the email receipt.

You might want to call the number on the rebate form to make sure, but the screenshot should work, as it is a copy of the original receipt.

I'm just uber-paranoid about rebates, even though I've always received every one that I've ever applied for. Their whole purpose is to get people to pay full price for an item while offering the manufacturer the opportunity to get out of paying the rebate on a technicality.

You might want to call the number on the rebate form to make sure, but the screenshot should work, as it is a copy of the original receipt.

I'm just uber-paranoid about rebates, even though I've always received every one that I've ever applied for. Their whole purpose is to get people to pay full price for an item while offering the manufacturer the opportunity to get out of paying the rebate on a technicality.The website didn't really give me a "print receipt" option. It did tell me that I would be receiving an email, which I should print (and I intend to print at some point from another PC), but I always take screenshots as a backup.

I printed the page with the order summary as soon as my order was confirmed, and PNY accepted that. The email receipt would probably do as well, but like I said, it wouldn't hurt to call and ask just to be sure before you send it in. The number is (888)808-5931.

As far as RivaTuner goes, it's installation is hardware-specific, meaning that it configures itself to your particular hardware configuration as it installs, so you'll want to install it after you've installed the new card. If you have already installed it, it's no problem; just completely uninstall it and reinstall it when you get the new card. If you do already have it installed, you can learn how to use it with your old card.

Amazing stuff Q, where did you source that deal from, thats a darn good buy for $50USD(after rebate)!

I really do appreciate all the work you've put in to helping me with this. Thank you.

When it comes to sourcing a bargain, Q is the man ;)

@Astro: thank you, sir!
No probs... thats what we set up this place for after all. It was curious for me to come across another shuttle owner here, esp one with the same model.

and this is the most sensible upgrade for a computer that's approaching 3 years old, IMO.

Whoa....has it really been that long. Man Im getting old :( Unless shuttle comes up with a high end Phenom supporting platform... my next upgrade may be to the SX58H7 which is an Intel only rig.... the shame of it. The two rigs I have that are intel have free (salvaged) or very cheap CPUs($30 for a celeron I put into a shuttle kpc for the missus recently), the thought of paying intel full price for one irks me :p

*goes off to search soul and ponder* :p

mtfbwya

Amazing stuff Q, where did you source that deal from, thats a darn good buy for $50USD(after rebate)!
Anandtech's Hot Deals forum (http://forums.anandtech.com/categories.aspx?catid=40&flcache=1180535). It's very convenient because it distills all of the exploits in the RPG of life deals found at forums like FatWallet.com and SlickDeals.com by filtering out most of the uninteresting crap and mainly featuring the deals that suit my interests such as computer hardware and electronics.
Whoa....has it really been that long. Man Im getting old :( Unless shuttle comes up with a high end Phenom supporting platform... my next upgrade may be to the SX58H7 which is an Intel only rig.... the shame of it. The two rigs I have that are intel have free (salvaged) or very cheap CPUs($30 for a celeron I put into a shuttle kpc for the missus recently), the thought of paying intel full price for one irks me :p

*goes off to search soul and ponder* :p
Surely there's a DIY alternative to Shuttle? One that doesn't try to pigeon-hole you by using (*shudders*) proprietary components? (*shudders again*)

Surely there's a DIY alternative to Shuttle? One that doesn't try to pigeon-hole you by using (*shudders*) proprietary components? (*shudders again*)

Yes and no there :) As you know, the case is specially designed small form factor where everything fits in like an intricate lego set, sometimes allowing literally milimters leeway. In this instance, its no surprise that they came with their own speciallty designed PSU. Its a simple fact that shuttle PSU do their job spectacularly... eg. a 500W PSU that can run a GTX 295. If you fool around with the case and trays etc, you can fit thrid party PSUs in there, but a 500W Thermaltake etc will NOT run the GTX 295 the 500W shuttle PSU can.

mtfbwya

Yeah, I noticed that they were high-quality units when I was searching for an amperage rating for Achilles. Active power factor correction and 80+% efficiency (I assume that it's 80+ from the fact that it has such high +12v amperage) were not the norm for OEM PSUs three years ago. Is the motherboard of a proprietary form factor as well?

BTW: I just received my $40.00 rebate from PNY yesterday. Less than 2 months from the purchase date is awesomely fast for a mail-in rebate, and I didn't even mail it in right away. Achilles, if you mail in the form as soon as you get your card, you can expect your rebate check in about 6 weeks. :)

Is the motherboard of a proprietary form factor as well?

Its ALL custom/propietary. The maiboard format is called Flex-ATX IIRC, made only by/for shuttle. They are the bees knees [IMO] :D Whatever I may think about intel and their business policies... the SX58H7 is one fine piece of work..

Astro

I thought that I'd add that the price on those 9600GSOs has just fallen to $39.99 after rebate with free shipping, so I bought 2 of them to throw in the new rig that I'm building. Yes, I know that I'll have to buy an SLI motherboard and put up with one of those craptastic Nvidia chipsets, but for $80.00, I just couldn't resist, since the performance level is comparable to a GTX 260 at half the price. It ought to be a F@H monster. :D

If I can find an Nforce 780a or 780i at a good price (I haven't made up my mind whether to go with AMD or Intel yet), I might even get a third one and blow the GTX 285 away with 288 stream processors. :p

It ought to be a F@H monster. :D

teamLFN will always welcome you back Q.

OffTopic: Those fractal avvies of yours, they arent fractalised rude pictures are they?? I know a guy who does that, and claims he can see the original picture just as clearly.... I'd dismiss him as an idiot were he not a PhD in mathematics

Here is a julia fractal he showed me once, the original of which would have me banned in about 3 seconds flat. In its current form, its quite pretty :)
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc288/Astrotoy7/julia.png)

mtfbwya

Nope, no hidden pr0n. :p

I believe that both of the ones that I've used are, um, religious in nature, actually. ;)

EDIT: HAHA! I found a motherboard! (http://www.amazon.com/Zotac-NF780I-A-E-nForce780i-Supreme-SLI-Motherboard/dp/B001NGP6F4/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1)

nice bit o kit indeed Q. To grab one of those down here is near $400AUD :(

mtfbwya

For Core i7 mainboard, I'm considering Gigabyte's GA-EX58-UD4P (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128374) and Asus P6T (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359). Anybody want to offer opinions on which board would be the better choice? :)