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IRL (In Real Life) => Tech Talk => Topic started by: airboy on August 26, 2020, 05:41:26 PM

Title: Need Another Desktop
Post by: airboy on August 26, 2020, 05:41:26 PM
We have bought a second home in the NC Mountains.  I don't want to haul my Falcon Northwest Desktop back and forth.

What I'm looking for:
1] Desktop
2] Runs Windows (including Office)
3] Liquid Cooled (no exception - my last air cooled sounded like a jet engine)
4] I am not building it.  I do not have the skill set and don't want or need to learn.

My gaming needs are pretty low.  I don't play shooters.  I don't do VR.  I don't do flight sims or high end train sims.

What do I play - Wargames, 4x Strategy, RPG and occasional other things.  I write enough reviews that what I do and don't play are known to many.

I'm leaning towards another Falcon Northwest desktop.  I looked at Newegg - but everything there is air cooled.  Alienware is out because their systems are air cooled.  I've had two liquid cooled systems and they are so quiet I never plan to go back.

I realize the Falcon's are way, way overpowered for the gaming I do.  But I've never had one go bad (other than replacing a video card) and they are sooooo quiet. 

I'm willing to entertain other options.  My fear is that I'm going to end up with two high end gaming rigs if we move in the next couple of years full time - so I'm willing to go down to a lesser system if I can get it liquid cooled.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Gusington on August 26, 2020, 06:20:30 PM
I too am getting a new desktop soon and I too would like a liquid cooled rig. Recommendations welcome! Apologies for the hijack.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Dammit Carl! on August 26, 2020, 06:26:22 PM
No suggestions, but post pics after you get your goods.  Love to see peoples' setups.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Jarhead0331 on August 26, 2020, 06:34:48 PM
I'm surprised air cooled is such an issue for you with your list of needs. Wargames, 4x titles and strategy fare aren't typically too demanding on the GPU or CPU and don't really trigger the fans. Liquid cooling is usually for high-end systems that run AAA games that really raise the heat inside the box.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Gusington on August 26, 2020, 06:59:34 PM
My only complaint about my current rig is the noise from the fans (it's an Asus). Other than that it has been a great gaming machine. And I do play a lot of AssCreed, Witcher 3, Total War and similar games. I am hoping my first game on the new rig will be AssCreed Valhalla.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: steve58 on August 26, 2020, 07:05:09 PM
Still very happy with what I got from iBuyPower last December.  All name brand parts except case had their brand.  Case is a mid tower...very robust.  ...and yes, liquid cooled, well the gpu cpu is.  Cant say its quiet though...but not loud enough to bother me.  Sound is mostly from the case fans.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Con on August 26, 2020, 07:09:54 PM
I would go back and recheck the Alienware specifically the Aurora model. In the customization options they offer several different liquid cooling setups.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Jarhead0331 on August 26, 2020, 07:16:14 PM
What is your budget?
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: SirAndrewD on August 26, 2020, 07:37:05 PM
100% good track record with Cyberpower. 

Trick with them is to make sure you buy all name brand parts.  Getting any no-name part, ESPECIALLY the PSU ends up causing grief for a lot of users. 

My last three rigs I got from them all still run, one after more than 10 years even though I downgraded it to just a media server.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: MengJiao on August 26, 2020, 07:43:45 PM
Quote from: SirAndrewD on August 26, 2020, 07:37:05 PM
100% good track record with Cyberpower. 

Trick with them is to make sure you buy all name brand parts.  Getting any no-name part, ESPECIALLY the PSU ends up causing grief for a lot of users. 

My last three rigs I got from them all still run, one after more than 10 years even though I downgraded it to just a media server.

  I agree.  The key seems to be the generous size of their cooling space.  And some parts (eg. the ethernet receivers can be a bit cranky), but the basic machine are quite robust.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Gusington on August 26, 2020, 08:34:49 PM
I have bought from iBuyPower and Cyberpower in the past and never had any issues...both machines are still working, used by my daughters.

My budget is 3000.00, including a monitor, which I would like to be a 35".
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: airboy on August 27, 2020, 03:29:40 AM
My budget is 6k max including monitor and Windows Office.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Anguille on August 27, 2020, 08:55:27 AM
I wish i had the budget you have guys! You can really buy some cool machines with that amount.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Jarhead0331 on August 27, 2020, 09:01:26 AM
Quote from: airboy on August 27, 2020, 03:29:40 AM
My budget is 6k max including monitor and Windows Office.

SIX THOUSAND!?!?!?!

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/db/3a/31/db3a314fd9364c0354f3f2270647845c.gif)
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: airboy on August 27, 2020, 09:12:52 AM
Working 3 jobs concurrently for 30 years, investing, and coming very close to a heart attack as a result has some payoffs.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Gusington on August 27, 2020, 09:25:37 AM
My budget is half that, literally. But with 6k the PC gaming world of desktops is your oyster.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Sir Slash on August 27, 2020, 09:39:42 AM
Our new Gaming Lord arises!  :notworthy:
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: airboy on August 27, 2020, 10:29:07 AM
^ I think "gaming jester" is more appropriate.  A high end machine to play mid to low end computer resource games sounds like a jester instead of a lord. 
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: Sir Slash on August 27, 2020, 11:49:03 AM
How about a, 'High End Machine' for a..... 'High End Guy' then?  :coolsmiley:
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: jamus34 on August 27, 2020, 01:15:26 PM
Quote from: Sir Slash on August 27, 2020, 11:49:03 AM
How about a, 'High End Machine' for a..... 'High End Guy' then?  :coolsmiley:

For the guy that doesn't drink his bottom shelf, plastic bottle bourbon from a chipped glass?
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: airboy on August 29, 2020, 01:22:06 PM
Attached is a pdf of the Falcon NW I'm considering.  Price includes a 27" monitor and keyboard - but not shipping.

Those of you who know what you are doing - look this over to see if I need to change anything.  This machine is probably not as good as my other Falcon, but I don't want to haul my desktop machine back and forth.

This also has a 1T Samsung SSD drive in the 2.5" slot and a 1T Western Digital data drive in the SS2 slot which is not on the printed pretty pdf I downloaded.
Title: Re: Need Another Desktop
Post by: MengJiao on August 29, 2020, 03:06:07 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on August 27, 2020, 09:01:26 AM
Quote from: airboy on August 27, 2020, 03:29:40 AM
My budget is 6k max including monitor and Windows Office.

SIX THOUSAND!?!?!?!

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/db/3a/31/db3a314fd9364c0354f3f2270647845c.gif)

  Yeah...I could buy 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 of what I'm playing on for that