# My new (non-human) baby!!! Also, share your own custom PC. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 4, 2011, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467 "2011-03-04T09:04:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/1 "2011-03-04T09:04:38Z")
I’ve finally got her up and running, and boy she is a beauty! At 21" long and over 24" high, weighing approximately 1.5 tons (seriously, the case is huge), Starbuck has arrived in this world and made me the proud owner of a badass new desktop. Of course, [I have pics](https://www.dropbox.com/gallery/6042382/2/03%2003%2011%20Starbuck/CPU?h=9faa29) and specs: **CPU:** Intel i7 950 3.07 GHz **Memory:** 12 GB DDR3 SDRAM @ 1600 MHz **PSU:** Cooler Master Silent Pro 800W **HD:** 1 TB SATA/600 7200 RPM 64MB buffer **Motherboard:** Asus Sabertooth X58 **GPU:** EVGA GTX 460 1GB **Case:** Cooler Master HAF X full tower **DVD drive:** Asus 24X DVDRW **OS:** Windows 7 Professional **Monitors:** 25.5" Asus widescreen and a 19" Dell standard dual monitor set-up (had these before I got the computer) This is my first custom build, and there was a bit of a struggle getting the motherboard to recognize all the memory (it kept posting 8 GB out of the 12 GB I installed). Turns out there is a long list of reasons this can happen including but not limited to: incorrect BIOS settings, too much tension on the heat sink, not enough tension on the heat sink, CPU mis-seated in the motherboard socket, faulty memory, faulty CPU, faulty motherboard, etc. After playing with it all night and even returning memory sticks for a different brand on the motherboard manufacturer’s “approved list” (I didn’t even know such a list existed when I first bought the components), I finally figured out the problem - it was actually a design flaw in the way Intel designed the 1366 CPU socket, and I had to reseat the CPU to fix it. But anyway, now it’s recognizing all 12 gigs and I’ve been installing my programs onto it including the OEM version of Windows 7 Professional (which only cost me $130 from Newegg instead of the almost $300 retail price). Sooooo nice having a clean install of the OS with no crapware/bloatware pre-loaded onto it for once! Also, I eventually plan to upgrade to 24 GB of RAM since the motherboard supports 6 slots of triple-channel and I am only using 3 right now. That was the reason for getting Windows 7 Pro instead of the Home Premium version, since the latter only supports up to 16 GB of RAM but Professional allows much more. She is indeed a beast. Now I need a really graphics-intensive game to test with… lately I’ve just been playing SC2. (gaming wasn’t the primary reason for getting the higher-end gear: I do video and effects processing/editing that sucks up system resources like no tomorrow. But I game sometimes too) Of course, not to just make this all about me feel free to share your own custom builds. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/2 "2011-03-04T09:12:58Z")
I am consumed by envy of your 12gb of RAM. Try playing some Civ V in dx11, see if it bogs down at the end game when you’ve all got a dozen cites and mass quantities of units. ---
**Author:** ![Hennessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hennessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hennessy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/3 "2011-03-04T09:57:11Z")
I was on a super tight budget, I ended up only spending $400 - $500 **Case** - [Thermaltake Armor](http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1277&ID=1405) — I got this out of the trash in perfect condition **PSU** - Coolermaster something… ---- Was in the case **CPU** - AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition **Motherboard** - M4A88TD-V EVO/U Socket AM3 880G ATX AMD Motherboard **Memory** - Extreme Performance Sector 5 G Series 4GB DDR3-1333 **Hard drive** - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7,200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" **DVD Burner** - Pioneer DVR-118l ---- Already had this \*\*OS \*\*- Windows 7 Ultimate — This too… **GPU** - NVidea GT240 1 GB ----- I had to have something and had no money. It’s doing the job, for now… \*\*Monitor \*\*- JVC 42’’ LCD — Had this… Add a couch, wireless keyboard and mouse, good to go… Resolution is limited but tis not bad… Also my first build and I call her my baby as well, haven’t named her yet though. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/4 "2011-03-04T10:14:09Z")
My first was last June. Nothing was salvageable from the old system(8 years old) so it was an expensive budget build. 😉 Case Cooler Master 335 PSU Corsair tX 650W Motherboard Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 CPU Intel i5-750 OS Windows 7 64-bit OEM Home RAM Kingston 2X 4G Drives SABRENT Internal card reader 2-LG DVD/burner Western Digital Blue 250G Western Digital Blue 500G Video Card Gigabyte Radeon 5770 Monitor Asus 23" LCD Speakers Logitech S-220 2.1 Input Logitech Trackman and standard keyboard 56k modem(for faxing) Blue LED fan (to prove I’m hip) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/5 "2011-03-04T16:20:20Z")
I just built my new HTPC. My first new build in a long time. First time I didn’t take anything from an old machine (other than a spare HDD with files on it, and the speakers). Are these all “when I get my tax refund…” builds? 🙂 **Case:** LIAN LI Black Aluminum PC-C33B ATX Media Center / HTPC Case **PSU:** CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W **Motherboard:** ASUS P7P55D-E LX LGA 1156 **OS:** Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit **CPU:** Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor **RAM:** Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) **Hard Drives:** 640 GB WD Caviar Black SATA, 1TB WD Caviar Green SATA, 1TB other drive from other computer **Optical Drive:** HP BD Combo **Video:** PowerColor AX4650 1GBK3-H Radeon HD 4650 1GB **Monitor:** 40" Sony Bravia **Speakers:** Creative 5.1 **Input:** Logitec wireless mouse & keyboard, PC remote control Since a video game will never cross the path of this machine, the pussy GPU doesn’t matter 🙂 I am a big proponent of airflow because my HTPC stays on 24/7, so I didn’t want to go too crazy with the CPU or GPU if I didn’t have to. Cost me $1117 (minus the TV) Works like a charm! ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/6 "2011-03-04T16:50:53Z")
I included pics, you guys have to as well. What’s a baby thread without pics? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/7 "2011-03-04T18:38:16Z")
I’ve built all out pc’s - I tend to build on a tight budget, for affordable performance rather than blazing speed so I stick with AMD processors (although if I had the scratch I’d love to build a super-fast high-end Intel system). Here’s the most recent system I built; my first quad core. Case: CoolerMaster Elite 360 (desktop case) PSU: Rosewill 500W RP5002 Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-880GMA-UD2H CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640, with a Xigmatek Cobra D984 low profile cooler RAM: WINTEC AMPX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 1333 HDD: old WD 250GB SATAII - not sure of model # Optical: Blu-ray drive Video: Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4830 512MB DDR3 Monitor: Acer 21" 1080P Speakers: Logitech X-530 5.1 (only using the front channels, as I’ve nowhere to put the rear) Input: MSFT Ergonomic 4000 keyboard, Logitech MX400 mouse, Belkin N52TE gaming keypad (all plugged into a USB switch that in turn is plugged into an older system, my work laptop, and my home server) OS: Windows 7 Premium 32-bit Most of my components were recycled in the last build - only the mobo, CPU, RAM and OS were new. It’s nothing special, but having the quad core is nice when I’m multitasking or transcoding video - doing any CPU intensive task used to bring my system to a crawl, and now it’s still pretty snappy. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/8 "2011-03-04T19:58:14Z")
> [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](#): > > I’ve built all out pc’s Sorry, that should read “I’ve built all **our** pc’s” - “I’ve built all out pc’s” comes off as boasting. I don’t have the budget for boasting. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-non-human-baby-also-share-your-own-custom-pc/573467/9 "2011-03-04T20:03:19Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I included pics, you guys have to as well. What’s a baby thread without pics? 😛 My PC is a flat black case with the few lights electrical-taped over. It sits on a shelf in a cherry cabinet against a dark brown wall in a room with poor lighting. I can barely see it, let alone capture it on film 🙂