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Geek Culture / DevStorm Custom Development PC Systems - 10% TGC Launch Discount!

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The Wilderbeast
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Joined: 14th Nov 2005
Location: UK
Posted: 2nd Sep 2011 23:10 Edited at: 2nd Sep 2011 23:44
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Hi all, it's been a long time in conception - but DevStorm is finally ready to launch! To sum things up briefly, DevStorm offers a small range of systems designed from the ground up for game development. More importantly we also custom build systems to your specification depending on what your needs/requirements are.

A few people showed an interest in the idea when I mentioned it a few months ago, so to encourage others we are doing a 10% discount to any TGC member quoting the discount code 7ESabraSup#3frar.

Features ideal for development (focus on the Fractal R3 model)
-Intel Sandybridge quad core CPU for enhanced multithreaded compilation
-High performance CPU cooler increases overclocking headroom while maintaining low temperatures and a low noise output
-Nvidia GTX 570 supports hardware PhysX and SLI - will crunch through DirectX 11 rendering effortlessly
-6GB 1333MHz DDR3 memory increases multi-tasking capability
-Dedicated OS solid state drive speeds up boot times and reduces disk access resources leaving secondary hard disk drive free for applications and media
-650W Corsair power supply gives enough headroom for a second card to be added in SLI
-Multi award winning Fractal Design R3 chassis keeps the whole system cool while barely being audible

You can check our pre-configured rigs here, or use our contact form to request a quote on a system. If you're not entirely sure what you need then you can either ask here, or on our support forums.


Prices start from £249 for a simplistic barebones rig, but our flagship Fractal R3 rig is definitely recommended.


We've also got a single Beta prototype up for grabs, the details of which can be found below.


Beta (prototype) - £319 (No discount available)
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 B35 2.9GHz (Overclocked on request)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium x64
Memory: 4GB DDR3 1333MHz (2x 2GB)
Hard Drives: 250GB S-ATAII 3.0Gb/s
Optical Drive: 22x DVD?RW DL S-ATA
Graphics card: ATI HD 5670 1GB DDR3 (Overclocked on request)
Sound card: Onboard Audio
Chassis: NZXT Beta
PSU: Corsair CX430 430W
Warranty: 2 Year Bronze Warranty


Discount code: _HuquwAjaprah8gA







10% TGC Discount!
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lazerus
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Joined: 30th Apr 2008
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2011 01:02
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Might wanna check you link

Also not to be a prick, but i bought a rig for £200 (Yesterday)that was near exactly the same but better in ram and processor.

Few things to looks into;

You also don't mention the manufacturer version of the graphics card's, theres a £100 difference between brands and performance/reliability. The fractal 3 case seems a tad boorish choice aswell for the price. Antec series, the 900 II, in particular offers great cooling and storage.

All the best anyway.


http://lazerus-reborn.deviantart.com/
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The Wilderbeast
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2011 01:23 Edited at: 3rd Sep 2011 01:30
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The forum software doesn't like parsing some of the links for some reason (I think it's the %).

Would you be able to link me to the rig that you bought? To be honest I don't think £319 is too unreasonable seeming as it includes the Windows 7 install as well as the acoustic foam and a replacement CPU cooler - don't forget that I'm not a huge corporation (I wish!) so I pay consumer prices for components and have to add on a reasonable level of markup to make a profit. In fact I have no idea how they would get it so low as:
OS - £70
Decent Case + PSU - £80 (OEM prices)
Together those parts total £150, and there is still the mobo, CPU, GPU and RAM to go. And if it's a performance build there is also the added cost of a heatsink and any noise treatment material.


The HD 5670 and 5770 are manufactured by XFX, and the GTX 570 is by Asus - I have had numerous good experiences with both companies.

I really wanted to avoid gaming cases as I found them to be poorly treated (acoustics) and rather distracting (too many lights!). While the 900 is a very nice case, the Fractal Design has won a stupendous number of awards and is extremely quiet which makes it a no-brainer for me - - but it's all a matter of personal choice I guess. Regardless, they are "base" rigs: they are there to customize as you see fit.

Thank you for the feedback.

[EDIT] I also don't mean to sound scathing in my reply - it sounds like you got yourself an awesome deal!


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crispex
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2011 15:04
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The biggest thing that would concern me, is are you actually offering a legitimate install of Windows 7? There are a LOT of PC building companies, mainly independent ones, who use pirated copies then go selling them off saying they've spent x amount on the operating system. If I bought one of these I would want the Windows 7 disk along with the licensing info for it.

The CPU is very outdated compared to the new processors being put out. For that amount of money (converted to USD) I would require at least a 3.0 GHz quad core, but for that kind of money put some effort forth and at least get a Phenom II x6, as they're cheap for the quality you get. The graphics are well...dissapointing. Again, for that sort of money you could be putting something better in. I understand the idea is to profit, but putting the minimal hardware (which is by modern standards, aging) is inadvisable. Anyone can Google and realize these parts are much cheaper.

That's of course, pending that you're not selling them at this price because of the "building fee."


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Fallout
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2011 15:55 Edited at: 3rd Sep 2011 15:58
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I really don't want to put a downer on things, but you're making machines for people with the knowledge and ability to do it themselves. I really respect the home business idea, but it's a bit like selling a custom build car business to a bunch of mechanics. Really the only way you can sell a service is if it's something too difficult or time consuming for your target audience to do it themselves. I can't imagine many devs wouldn't want to build their own machine.

I do wish you luck with it, but I would suspect that aiming at devs who don't want to build their own PC is a very small market.

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Kevin Picone
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2011 16:49
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Quote: "I can't imagine many devs wouldn't want to build their own machine. "


Dunno about that, I've little to no interesting in building my machines anymore.


Hmm, I wonder what's coming in 2011?
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Jeku
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Posted: 4th Sep 2011 00:48
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^^ Ditto. I haven't built my own machine for about 10 years, and see no need for it. I can plan exactly what I want, and have the company build it for me. As a bonus they'll give me a warranty because they build it.


Software Engineer - Metamoki
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Fallout
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Posted: 4th Sep 2011 01:12 Edited at: 4th Sep 2011 01:13
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So you guys gonna consider using his service then? Support a fellow dev and all!

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swissolo
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Posted: 4th Sep 2011 02:29
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I'm unfortunately with Fallout here, I'd just do it myself, but this looks like a pretty clean job Wild

swis
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Eminent
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Posted: 4th Sep 2011 04:01
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Yeah, I'd build it myself probably. And even if I were being a lazy couch potato, I could get my father to do it as he has more experience than me.


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The Wilderbeast
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Posted: 4th Sep 2011 13:55 Edited at: 4th Sep 2011 13:55
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Sorry for not getting back sooner guys, I started a reply and then my phone ran out of charge. I'll address some of these points now.


@crispex:
I'm afraid you can't make comparisons based on price as hardware in the UK is a fair bit more expensive than in the US - so if you convert the overall price to USD then of course it is going to seem quite expensive to you.

All systems are sent out with a legitimate OEM copy of Windows 7 including the license key and install disk.

I'm not sure how you can say the CPUs used are outdated. The Fractal R3 features a 2nd gen Intel i5 (Sandybridge) which absolutely trounces a Phenom II X6 1090 and the Beta prototype has a 2.9GHz Phenom II X4 which is 100MHz under what you specified (makes no difference). In fact all processors used are AM3 (with the exception of the i5), so they are not outdated in the slightest - especially as Bulldozer is not out yet and APUs would cost more for less performance. And I'm sorry, but no-one on here is going to be using 6 cores fully - end of.

The HD 5770 is a perfectly respectable entry-level card and I think you are missing the point entirely: these are workstations not gaming rigs. That said, take a look at benchmarks for the HD 5770, it performs perfectly well with current-gen games. None of it is diminishing hardware, it's all current gen stuff and I think you're just being snobby.

I'm only actually adding an extra 10% to the price (after discount). So if you consider the fact that all systems have optimum cable management, sound proofing and configuration - it's far from being unreasonable.





@Others:
I was always aware that most people here would be capable of building a system from scratch. But there's still a considerable proportion who would pay for a well-configured and built system. Just look at the number of threads from people asking what PC they should get - they don't have a clue in some cases.


Thanks for the feedback guys


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lazerus
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Posted: 4th Sep 2011 14:11 Edited at: 4th Sep 2011 14:16
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Amd Phenom II 1090 is only 4 places below the intel i5 2500

Pass mark link;

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-2500+%40+3.30GHz

(wont actually link xD)

The price difference is £40 and is performance is really negligible since you can Oc the crap out of the x6's without much effort. As for people having no clue, yup took me a while to get my head around the few things you need to balance and what you should be looking for. So yeah people will buy prebuilt's.

And i didn't take offense wilderbeast, you gave pretty valid points so


http://lazerus-reborn.deviantart.com/
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