# Phenom's Summer Upgrade Log



## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 27, 2012)

Welcome to my Summer Upgrade Project log. This log is to allow you to keep track of my very much anticipated upgrade.

Just this morning with my first full time paycheck from my job I ordered my stuff for my Summer Upgrade. Here is what I ordered






So obviously the GTX680 is the main focus of this upgrade. However as you can see I have ordered new memory. I am currently using Corsair Vengeance 1866 8gb memory with huge flamboyant heat sinks that do not allow me to put a fan on the front side of my cooler. So to eradicate this problem and make my rig look nice I have ordered the blue G. SKill Ares kit which is 8GB at 2133 and its low profile. So with that I got the new Corsair SP120 fans to do push pull config for cooling. As you may know the Corsair fans allow for some slight customization with colored rings so I already have 4 AF120 fans with the blue rings, these new fans will also have the blue and then with the G. skill ram it will match and finish the look of a Blue and Black themed build. 

As always there will be unboxing pictures and pictures throughout the upgrade process. So Stay tuned for this.  

Here is what the Rig looks like currently:


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## Ravenas (Jun 27, 2012)

I don't know if I'm the only one wondering this but how does this have anything to do with Phenom (a codename for a very successful AMD line of processors)? 

I like the card great pick! Congrats man.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 27, 2012)

Ravenas said:


> I don't know if I'm the only one wondering this but how does this have anything to do with Phenom (a codename for a very successful AMD line of processors)?
> 
> I like the card great pick! Congrats man.



its my name is games. Has nothing to do with AMD line

my name in games is MxPhenom 216

I race motocross and my number is 216. and everyone calls me phenom in team speak.


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## Ravenas (Jun 27, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> I race motocross and my number is 216. and everyone calls me phenom in team speak.



Ah ok, cool man that makes more sense.


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## ThE_MaD_ShOt (Jun 27, 2012)

You'll like the Gskill Ares memory. I have a set of the 1600 stuff in one of my x6 systems and that stuff is nice.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 27, 2012)

So my card, fans, and memory will be here Friday. I am tempted to take a Half day at work so I can be home when the stuff comes and get it all installed!


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## brandonwh64 (Jun 27, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> So my card, fans, and memory will be here Friday. I am tempted to take a Half day at work so I can be home when the stuff comes and get it all installed!



Do it! I usually do if I have "Important" packages arriving LOLZ


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 27, 2012)

brandonwh64 said:


> Do it! I usually do if I have "Important" packages arriving LOLZ



it is very tempting haha!


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## ThE_MaD_ShOt (Jun 27, 2012)

I have a "special" package coming in today. And yes I am getting ready to leave work now. Cutting the day 2.5 hrs short.


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## cadaveca (Jun 27, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> So my card, fans, and memory will be here Friday. I am tempted to take a Half day at work so I can be home when the stuff comes and get it all installed!



DON'T DO IT!!!




Practice patience!


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 27, 2012)

cadaveca said:


> DON'T DO IT!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have to practice patience for 3 whole days before it all comes!


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## erocker (Jun 27, 2012)

New job = Don't take half days. Work all you can/are allowed to.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jun 27, 2012)

erocker said:


> New job = Don't take half days. Work all you can/are allowed to.



And beg for more.


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## TheoneandonlyMrK (Jun 27, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> And beg for more.



eww


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 27, 2012)

erocker said:


> New job = Don't take half days. Work all you can/are allowed to.



yeah i know


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## cadaveca (Jun 27, 2012)

So, uh, where are the pics of the rig currently?


Are we gonna get a step-by step process rundown?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 27, 2012)

cadaveca said:


> So, uh, where are the pics of the rig currently?
> 
> 
> Are we gonna get a step-by step process rundown?



most likely. unless i get carried away and forget about the camera there might be some skipped steps haha.

picture of current state of rig is in first post.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 28, 2012)

wow!

My stuff is coming today. 1 day early. I probably won't get to install all of it and what not till tomorrow night. Tonight I am finishing up on a clients computer.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 28, 2012)

my 680, ram, and fans were delivered and hour ago. And guess where i am! Im still at work! FML

EDIT: Pictures coming in a view hours. unboxing


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 29, 2012)

680 is here in my hands.................................I need new pants   

Pictures coming soon.


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## manofthem (Jun 29, 2012)

Very awesome upgrade parts! 

Let me/us know what you think about the fans.  I am running 3 right now (bought them after we talked on your af120 review) on my rad, and they are a little louder than I thought they'd be.  I suppose I should have known considering they were high rpm and good airflow.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 29, 2012)

They aren't baby blue Alex. 
















GIANT POSTER! didnt think it was going to be that big. Regardless its going on the wall above my desk 




Accessories




And the card!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## ThE_MaD_ShOt (Jun 29, 2012)

Nice man


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 29, 2012)

GTX680 is installed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to install the ram and new fans this weekend. I want to play games right now and mess around with the 680 tonight and tomorrow im going to a party then Saturday ill install the new ram and fans and overclock my 2500k to 4.7

Out with the old









In with the NEW!


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## MT Alex (Jun 29, 2012)

I have the same screwdrivers.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 29, 2012)

MT Alex said:


> I have the same screwdrivers.



haha NICE!


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 29, 2012)

This GTX680 has got to be the best upgrade I have gotten for a long time!


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## TheMailMan78 (Jun 29, 2012)

If you want the BEST screwdrivers pick up a set of Stanley's. They are more money but will last you forever.

ANYWAY sweet card man.........rig needs more pink.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 29, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> If you want the BEST screwdrivers pick up a set of Stanley's. They are more money but will last you forever.
> 
> ANYWAY sweet card man.........rig needs more pink.



hahaha. I have a full set of computer tools. has everything I need really.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 29, 2012)

Benchmark galore tonight when i get home from work. stay tuned!

3d mark vantage
3dmark 11
Heaven
Metro 2033 benchmark


What else do you guys want to see?

EDIT: Im going to have to uninstall and reinstall Metro 2033. The benchmark is crashing. It won't even start up.


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## t_ski (Jun 30, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> Out with the old...
> 
> In with the NEW!



What was the old card?


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## cadaveca (Jun 30, 2012)

Gtx470.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 30, 2012)

cadaveca said:


> Gtx470.



yeah Metro 2033 benchmark is broken for me for some reason. Won't run. Itll go black screen then ill CTRL ALT DEL and it says it it crashed. idk whats going on.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 30, 2012)

NVM on the benchmarks lol


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## v12dock (Jun 30, 2012)

I prefer craftsman screwdrivers when building a computer Also is your cpu fan pulling?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 30, 2012)

v12dock said:


> I prefer craftsman screwdrivers when building a computer Also is your cpu fan pulling?



yes. that fan is going away though. I got 2 Corsair SP120s that are going to do push pull.

For some reason 3dmark11 wont record my score and im using Basic and then I dont know where to get 3dmark vantage. I would really like to get advanced versions of both, but i really don't want to pay.


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## Nordic (Jun 30, 2012)

Till I checked your system specs, and then realized the lack of sound proofing foam... I thought we had the same computer case. Both corsair, but I have the 550d. Has identical internal layout.


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## cadaveca (Jun 30, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> For some reason 3dmark11 wont record my score and im using Basic and then I dont know where to get 3dmark vantage. I would really like to get advanced versions of both, but i really don't want to pay.



3dmark11, free version, only does online score reporting. Also, it might need an update? I dunno...

As to finding downloads, TPUs got 'em!

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Benchmarking/Futuremark/


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 30, 2012)

cadaveca said:


> 3dmark11, free version, only does online score reporting. Also, it might need an update? I dunno...
> 
> As to finding downloads, TPUs got 'em!
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Benchmarking/Futuremark/



Dave get in TS!

I love this 680. Im getting 80FPS in BF3 maxed out with 4x MSAA at 1920 x 1200 all Ultra. I just went 21 and 5 in a match and right after that won a game of Gun Master. Lovin it!


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## cadaveca (Jun 30, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> I just went 21 and 5 in a match and right after that won a game of Gun Master. Lovin it!



So the higher framerate lets you play better...?


Heh. Is Idaho playing better too, now that he has the GTX670?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 30, 2012)

cadaveca said:


> So the higher framerate lets you play better...?
> 
> 
> Heh. Is Idaho playing better too, now that he has the GTX670?



hey you even said yourself you play better at higher frames.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jun 30, 2012)

Today it is memory and fan install day. Except theres a dilemma I do not have another fan cable to my fan controller so push pull will happen next week when I get another cable. So Now its just Push and then the new ram is installed.






Ram installed, love the look




Now with the push fan on




So Sexy 








Looks SO DAMN GOOD! Don't yeah think?





A thank you shout out to Cadaveca for helping me out getting the ram set up in my bios. At first running it at XMP Profile 2 did not work and blue screened at windows start up. So he asked me to send him screenshots of my bios and walked me though changing all the ram settings by hand and now my system boots and runs SuperPi at 32M without issue. Thank you Dave!


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## Nordic (Jun 30, 2012)

cadaveca said:


> So the higher framerate lets you play better...?
> 
> 
> Heh. Is Idaho playing better too, now that he has the GTX670?



Not talking about me are you? I have a 6950 and I am the only Idahoan around these parts that I know of.


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## cadaveca (Jun 30, 2012)

james888 said:


> Not talking about me are you? I have a 6950 and I am the only Idahoan around these parts that I know of.



We have a member, Idaho49ers, that I was referring to. He'd be another Idahoan I think.


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## Nordic (Jun 30, 2012)

cadaveca said:


> We have a member, Idaho49ers, that I was referring to. He'd be another Idahoan I think.



I tried finding an idaho user name but couldn't. You are thinking of 
boise49ers who is also in Idaho.


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## cadaveca (Jun 30, 2012)

james888 said:


> I tried finding an idaho user name but couldn't. You are thinking of
> boise49ers who is also in Idaho.



Yeah...


 he uses Idaho in BF3, i think. We play together quite often, so he's Idaho in my mind.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 1, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> If you want the BEST screwdrivers pick up a set of Stanley's. They are more money but will last you forever.
> 
> ANYWAY sweet card man.........rig needs more pink.



They are stanley's lol


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 1, 2012)

Benchmarks!

Finally got the shit working. Had to reinstall physics for Metro 2033 benchmark run.

Love this 680!

Metro 2033 MSAA off and DOF off




Metro 2033 MSAA on and DOF on





More benchmarks coming later.

Vantage


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## Irony (Jul 3, 2012)

Awesome man, You make me need a job.

Hey, did you ever get 3dmark11 working? It stopped working as soon as I got my 670. I re dl'd it a couple times and reinstalled drivers and everything but it still doesn't show my score. It loads the site but there's nothing there.


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## DannibusX (Jul 3, 2012)

Sorta on topic.

Based upon one of your photos and the pasteyness of your hand, I know envision you as looking like Powder.

Maybe a grotesque mashup of Powder and Skeletor.


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## Irony (Jul 3, 2012)

DannibusX said:


> Sorta on topic.
> 
> Based upon one of your photos and the pasteyness of your hand, I know envision you as looking like Powder.
> 
> Maybe a grotesque mashup of Powder and Skeletor.



Hehe, you're not alone...


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 3, 2012)

DannibusX said:


> Sorta on topic.
> 
> Based upon one of your photos and the pasteyness of your hand, I know envision you as looking like Powder.
> 
> Maybe a grotesque mashup of Powder and Skeletor.



haha. it was just the flash of the camera making me look really white. Im not that pastey.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 5, 2012)

fan cable i needed to put my 2nd fan for the cooler in comes today. So ill install it and post some last pictures.


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## MT Alex (Jul 5, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> haha. it was just the flash of the camera making me look really white. Im not that pastey.



I think the only way you could prove that you aren't frail and pastey is to post some pictures of your sister.  Right Now!

Did you order any extra fan cables?  They are nice to have around.  I have bought enough fan controllers, and such, over the years that I have a smaller tool box that is a tangled snakey mess of 2, 3, 4, & molex wires.  If I don't have one I can almost always build one.  Also, didn't you order some sleeving, as well?  I can't remember.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 5, 2012)

MT Alex said:


> I think the only way you could prove that you aren't frail and pastey is to post some pictures of your sister.  Right Now!
> 
> Did you order any extra fan cables?  They are nice to have around.  I have bought enough fan controllers, and such, over the years that I have a smaller tool box that is a tangled snakey mess of 2, 3, 4, & molex wires.  If I don't have one I can almost always build one.  Also, didn't you order some sleeving, as well?  I can't remember.



yeah I only ordered one just for this one fan I have left. and I have sleeving from a while ago. TO MUCH!


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 6, 2012)

well that was a fail. Tried sleeving the cable i got and my sleeving is way to tight and fucked up the cable so had to order another one! UGH!


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 10, 2012)

Just got my new fan cable. Going to put the 2nd fan in for push pull right now.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 10, 2012)

*Part 1 of my Summer Upgrade is done!*

Part 1 of my summer upgrade is done. Here is the finished product. Next upgrade will be monitor and higher capacity SATA III SSD










And my overall setup. Don't mind the pooh bear paintings. My mom use to be an artist and painted those when I was really young


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## MT Alex (Jul 10, 2012)

Those paintings are super sweet.  You got Owl, too?

It would be nice if Corsair made it so the colored rings could go on either side of the fan, so in a push/pull the rings could both be on the outside.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 10, 2012)

MT Alex said:


> Those paintings are super sweet.  You got Owl, too?
> 
> It would be nice if Corsair made it so the colored rings could go on either side of the fan, so in a push/pull the rings could both be on the outside.



nah just pooh bear with 3 honey jars, piglet, and eor, then Dumbo, Thumper, Bambi, and the bird from Bambi on the other walls.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jul 10, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> nah just pooh bear with 3 honey jars, piglet, and eor, then Dumbo, Thumper, Bambi, and the bird from Bambi on the other walls.



Ya know man when we had that talk the other night on TS I was trying to help ya out. Give ya some pointers on bar room etiquette so you could hang with the drunks in TS. Then you go and post pictures of your room with Winnie the Poo characters painted on your bedroom walls? Dude you better PRAY Brandon, Erocker, Reayth or even Cadaveca don't get stoned/drunk and remember those pictures. No amount of high score in BF3 or taken dog tags is gonna balance this out.  

Anyway Ill be on tomorrow night. Just spent the night rebuilding my wife's friend computer........again. Torrents are the devil. I told my wifes friend "I just fixed your computer again. Do you want me to down load a bunch of viruses for you? Save some time?"


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 10, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Ya know man when we had that talk the other night on TS I was trying to help ya out. Give ya some pointers on bar room etiquette so you could hang with the drunks in TS. Then you go and post pictures of your room with Winnie the Poo characters painted on your bedroom walls? Dude you better PRAY Brandon, Erocker, Reayth or even Cadaveca don't get stoned/drunk and remember those pictures. No amount of high score in BF3 or taken dog tags is gonna balance this out.
> 
> Anyway Ill be on tomorrow night. Just spent the night rebuilding my wife's friend computer........again. Torrents are the devil. I told my wifes friend "I just fixed your computer again. Do you want me to down load a bunch of viruses for you? Save some time?"



Its not my room. Its a big room that just has my TV, computer, couch and shit in. It used to be where me and my sisters would play when we were really young. We are painting over them soon, because we are selling the house. My parents are moving to Wanatchee and im going to a university.


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## MT Alex (Jul 10, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> It used to be where me and my sisters would play when we were really young...



Barbies and such?  Did they at least let you be Ken?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 10, 2012)

MT Alex said:


> Barbies and such?  Did they at least let you be Ken?



No, I don't ever remember my sisters play Barbies. LMAO


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## Nordic (Jul 10, 2012)

I basically have the same fan setup. Except I have a bottom fan. I really like positive pressure in my cases just to try and keep dust out.


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## Irony (Jul 10, 2012)

Your walls make me want to cry. I started to hate pooh and all his chronies after watching about 10,000 hours of it when i was little. Now I cant stand to even see it lol.

Your Computer's getting to be pretty awesome though lol. Love the fans.


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## brandonwh64 (Jul 10, 2012)

Ken dolls HAHAHAHAHA


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## Wrigleyvillain (Jul 10, 2012)

This is the most entertaining project log in some time and it definitely has nothing to do with the project.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 10, 2012)

Irony said:


> Your walls make me want to cry. I started to hate pooh and all his chronies after watching about 10,000 hours of it when i was little. Now I cant stand to even see it lol.
> 
> Your Computer's getting to be pretty awesome though lol. Love the fans.



God you would hate to be in team speak when Alex, Cadaveca and I are in there. Alex and Dave can talk just like the Gopher. Its hilarious.


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## nleksan (Jul 11, 2012)

Where's the H2O?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 11, 2012)

Id like to do water, but what id want to do costs $500 and id rather put that towards my motocross bike and a new mountain bike.


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## TheMailMan78 (Jul 11, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> Id like to do water, but what id want to do costs $500 and id rather put that towards my motocross bike and a new mountain bike.



Put it in the bank man! Take 100 to 150 a WEEK and put it in the bank! While you are young and can! Trust me young shaver!


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## brandonwh64 (Jul 11, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Put it in the bank man! Take 100 to 150 a WEEK and put it in the bank! While you are young and can! Trust me young shaver!



He has a point. If I saved 100$ a month I would be sitting pretty right now. 

IMO if you want water just stick with a AIO water loop as they have been proven to cool very well. I have a Thermaltake Water2.0 Performer on my 2600K 4.5ghz 1.33V crunching 24/7 100% load never going over 55 degrees so I think it does its job LOL


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## TheMailMan78 (Jul 11, 2012)

brandonwh64 said:


> He has a point. If I saved 100$ a month I would be sitting pretty right now.
> 
> IMO if you want water just stick with a AIO water loop as they have been proven to cool very well. I have a Thermaltake Water2.0 Performer on my 2600K 4.5ghz 1.33V crunching 24/7 100% load never going over 55 degrees so I think it does its job LOL



Exactly. If I had saved 100 bucks a week from my check since I was 19 I would have 78,000 right now. That's a nice chunk of investment money and that's if I NEVER used a long term high interest rate of some kind. Think of money like a game score. The more you have in the bank the better your score, and remember debt is not wealth. 

As for the rig stick with air. No need to water cool anything IMO.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Jul 13, 2012)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Put it in the bank man! Take 100 to 150 a WEEK and put it in the bank! While you are young and can! Trust me young shaver!



Im actually putting $350 in the bank each paycheck. except for the next one im spending $1500 on a mountain bike at the end of the month


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