Some system scores

[kaiweiler]

Hey guys, just ran a few benches on my rig and came up with some decent numbers so I thought I'd share.

Vista Experience Score (for what it's worth)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/kaiweiler/vistaexperience.jpg

PC Pitstop Score
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/kaiweiler/10135.jpg

3DMark06
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/kaiweiler/14k3dmark.jpg

Fairly satisfied, although my cheap RAM is holding me back significantly.

Specs:
Intel Q6600 GO (2.4Ghz stock @ 3.4Ghz)
Abit IP35-Pro
EVGA 8800GT (600/1500/900 stock @ 724/1810/1030)
4GB Crucial Rendition PC5300 (667Mhz stock @ 756Mhz)
2x250gb Sata2 7200rpm drives in Raid-0
750gb Hitachi 7k1000
Vista Ultimate 64bit

Just getting the feel of this Intel experience...

[clocker]

Wow.

That quad just kills my Wolfie and I'll never overcome the difference.
In the Pitstop tests, my RAM score is about 1000 pts. higher- so you may be right about the low performance of yours.

Your Disk I/O is also suspiciously low- do you have "write back" enabled in the Matrix manager?

I see they have a new internet test on the site...hmmm, think I'll wait till next week after Comcast "upgrades" my service.

I just got a top 3% rank with only 7500 points...the curve is oddly bell shaped I suspect.

Nice PC, K.

[kaiweiler]

I enabled write back and my disk score dropped slightly? Is it better to have write back enabled or disabled?
But then again neither test was run after a fresh restart so there could have been some activity during the run.
My RAM is crap, I know it. but for $15/gb I can't complain at all. I ran it around 840Mhz on my old AM2 setup with relaxed timings, but for some reason this IP35-Pro does not like me playing with timings whatsoever.
I have the RAM running at 756Mhz on 5-5-5-15 timings but I can't even boot with 6-6-6-18, no matter what the frequency.

Oh and the test I just ran with write back enabled, I scored just over 10k and it put me in the top 1%? I think this means that it gets the % score as an average of all the subcategory percentages, and not your final score.

[clocker]

I'd have thought that write back would help.
Still odd that your disk scores are so much lower (notice how I'm focusing on the only score that I win at?).

You should score some good memory while it's still so cheap.

[kaiweiler]

Yeah I'm not sure why my disk scores are lacking. It could be because I'm using two different drives in the array, while yours are symmetrical.

I am thinking of grabbing a 2x2gb G skill set. Just don't know if the extra 44mhz is worth the $100+. I need some reason to justify it in my head, but I'm sure I'll come up with something.

[clocker]

This stuff (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231145) works quite well.

[Detale]

I got that Gskill ram after clocker recommended it and it is fantastic And it comes with a VERY cool case sticker that is the first one I have ever put on my case, How bout you clocker are you too cool for Case stickers??

[clocker]

Of course I am.
I'd wear a t-shirt if they sent one though.

[kaiweiler]

This stuff (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231145) works quite well.

Yeah that's a nice kit.
I don't think I'd need DDR2 1000 though.
On the Q6600 GO, 800Mhz would give me 3.6Ghz at 1:1 and I could probably even push the RAM to say even 425Mhz, giving me over 3.8Ghz.

There's a Mushkin EM 2x2gb kit of DDR2 800 for only $77 but I have not heard too much about it.
The cheapest I can find that G.Skill kit for here in Canada is $115, most are around $150.

I know Mushkin used to make great RAM back in the DDR1 days, have you heard anything about the DDR2 EM stuff?

[clocker]

At the shop, we stopped using Mushkin a few years ago (during DDR/s939 era) because the compatibility issues got so bad.
Haven't tried any since then.

Patriot became my "go-to" brand and G.Skill is my new fave.

The 1k MHz RAM can come in handy if you decide to lower your multiplier and up the FSB.
My chip for instance, is happier running 8 x 500 than 9 x 450 and the RAM is 1:1 with the 500FSB.

Just a thought.

[kaiweiler]

Well I got my quad up to 3.5Ghz stable, and I am confident it can go to at least 3.6, probably higher.
I got my RAM running at 780Mhz with the stock 5-5-5-15 timings.
Before I got much higher I need to work on some temperature control. My PWM gets too hot for my liking, I think I will do the bolt-through mod to the heatpipes on my IP35-Pro this weekend. I'd love a case with a little better airflow...

[sacebac]

Good benchs that you have there....

I have my cpu E6750 2.66Ghz works at 3.6Ghz with my ram works at 900Mhz.....

[Detale]

Well I got my quad up to 3.5Ghz stable, and I am confident it can go to at least 3.6, probably higher.
I got my RAM running at 780Mhz with the stock 5-5-5-15 timings.
Before I got much higher I need to work on some temperature control. My PWM gets too hot for my liking, I think I will do the bolt-through mod to the heatpipes on my IP35-Pro this weekend. I'd love a case with a little better airflow...

Well I have the Antec 900 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021&Tpk=antec%2b900) Gaming case and I have to say it has the airflow of a wind tunnel

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/11-129-021-18.jpg

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/11-129-021-08.jpg
http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/11-129-021-11.jpg

[kaiweiler]

So I've heard, but in my opinion it would look like someone puked on my desk... ;)
I prefer a more simple, stylish look. Somewhat classy, like the Antec P182 or something.

[clocker]

Yeah...take that, D.!

[kaiweiler]

Maybe that came off a little bit harsh, but I'm just not a big fan...
Case airflow is hurting me though, I came up with this ugly contraption just for a test, and yes my CPU temps dropped about 8C across all 4 cores under load. That's with an 80mm fan at 7v...
Time for a new case as well as new RAM, and a bolt-through mod for my IP35 PRO.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/kaiweiler/25696.jpg

[Detale]

Puked on your desk!? Look at that Frankenstein Cyclops thing there. It looks like there are pieces missing or something. Honestly I am thinking new case soon too nothing wrong with it at all but I am getting sick of looking at it, Prob no lights this time.

[kaiweiler]

That was just my temporary mod to be sure that it was insufficient airflow that was preventing my Scythe Ninja from full potential.
Normally that big gap is filled with black bay covers, similar to the two above it.

[Deluxe100%]

Ohh its all good

[Detale]

All ball busting aside, you could get a 5.25 bay fan (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000255&Description=bay+fan&name=Case+Accessories) or something like that maybe even get a window kit to add more fans

[kaiweiler]

nahh I'm getting a new case :P
Just gotta decide which one!

[clocker]

What are you thinking about?

Clocker LIKES new cases, oh yes he does...

[kaiweiler]

Possibly Antec P182, Sonata, something of the like.
I like the Gigabyte iSolo 210 as well...
What I really want is this:
fairly simple, smooth lines
compatibility for at least 2 120mm fans
preferably 90° rotated hard drive mounting
good cable management
preferably black
most of all I need good airflow, but still quiet

any recommendations?

EDIT I guess the always recommended CM 690, or Centurion 590 are possibilities as well...

[Detale]

BOring dude! Na JK I was looking for a 90 degree HDD mountin style case myself a while ago and didn't find anything so please let me know what you go with as I said I might get an upgrade also. I was thinking something like this here

COOLER MASTER COSMOS 1000 RC-1000-KSN1-GP (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119138)

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/11-119-138-21.jpg

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/11-119-138-12.jpg

http://images.tigerdirect.com/itemdetails/C283-1180/C283-1180-out2-wg.jpg




What do you think?

[kaiweiler]

The cosmos is a gorgeous case, no doubt about it!
Pricey though, even more so up here in Canada.

[clocker]

There is also a new Cosmos that is set up to accept a 120.3 rad in the roof- predrilled and everything.

Coolmiester from the UK consulted on the design and it should be out very soon.

[Detale]

I saw that the Cooler Master RC-1100 but the HDD rack is regular
http://images.tigerdirect.com/itemdetails/C283-1180/C283-1180-out4-wg.jpg

[clocker]

What's the big advantage to the other kind of HDD rack?

[kaiweiler]

I actually meant rotated 90° horizontally, I like it better for cable management and give some room for airflow to move from the bottom half of the case to the top, without the HDDs and GPU completely blocking the path.
Not sure of the advantage to vertical mounting, I can't see any really.

[Detale]

I also like it for cable management easier to plug/unplug when needed

[clocker]

I also like it for cable management easier to plug/unplug when needed
But really, how often do you do that?

I still don't like the Antec P-series...I think they have fatal design flaws that no amount of tweaking will overcome.
Don't have any alternate suggestions though.
These days I'm kinda "meh" about cases and haven't seen anything that ignites lust like the TJ07 did (even though I'm semi-bored with it as well).

[Detale]

I do it more often than you might think thats why I got the USB to SATA/IDE/PATA cable thing because it was a pain to get in there and swap out drives

Also I found a prob with the Cooler master 1000 all the reviews say that the HDD rack is flawed in that the temps get screaming hot in there because the whole thing is surrounded by metal so that case is out damn

[clocker]

...I found a prob with the Cooler master 1000 all the reviews say that the HDD rack is flawed in that the temps get screaming hot in there because the whole thing is surrounded by metal so that case is out damn
Jeez, you didn't see that coming?

This is how you want drives to be mounted...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/Raptor4.jpg

[clocker]

Slightly altered setup and new scores.
Now running Vista 64 and three 250GB drives in RAID0...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/7dca1288.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/507e81cc.jpg

Back to you, K.

[clocker]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/PCPSv64SP15.jpg

[Detale]

Clocker is that with Vista or XP? I would think vista because of the 6 MB or Ram there, also Specs man Specs ( mostly so I can copy :) )

[clocker]

That's Vista x64 SP1.
6GB of RAM, Q9300 running at 3.3GHz (with only 1.15v vCore!), 8800GT using the latest 175 beta drivers.
Now have 4 x 250GB Seagate SATAs running RAID0 and one WD 500GB standalone.
The OS is in a 40GB shortstroked volume, the second volume takes up the remaining 891GB.

Damn thing still won't come out of "sleep" state properly.
I think I might reset the BIOS to default and reload the OS with the original disk- this install is a vLite gutted special- to see if that'll work.
I really liked sleep when it worked...

[kaiweiler]

Nice disk speeds clocker
Also, with your 6gb of RAM, you are using 2x2gb and 2x1gb right? Does this still allow Dual Channel?
I'm going to guess yes, otherwise you'd be better off with just 2x2gb, but hey you never know.

[clocker]

Yeah, dual channel still works.

Even better- and unlike the older NF4 chipsets- populating all four DIMM slots doesn't seem to affect the overclocking much (if at all).