Session 4 - Graphics Card and Sound Card Installation

Today's Session was focused on the installation of the graphics and sound cards. Below are both cards and the associated documentation and fun stuff included with the XFX ATI Radeon HD 5970 Black Edition Graphics card.

The image below is of both the Graphics card and Sound card installed into the case:

This Graphics card is huge at just over 12 inches long and as such I had to remove the fane shround to get it to fit into the case. The picture below is a close up view of the minimal clearance between the fan and the card:

So the next step is to get all of the power and data cables connected and then the first power on (AKA smoke) test will be ready to occur.

Assembly Session 2 and 3

OK - I have been working on the system off and on for the last week. Below are the picutres from last Sunday and One from today that show the motherboard and it componenets and the CPU with cooler and fans installed.

Above: Motherboard Box

Above: Power Genie, DLED Display, X-FI Sound Card and Motherboard (underneath).

Above: All the stuff in the motherboard box.

Above: MSI Eclispe SLI Motherboard

Above: Motherboard With CPU Installed

Above: Xigmatek Thor's Hammer Cooler with 2x Antec 120mm fans for CPU Cooling.

Next Comes the Graphics Card and Sound Card!

First Assembly Session

I have begun assembling my new system and I took quite a few pictures both before  and during this sessoion so this entry will be mostly a pictoral of my first session, in which I installed the Power Supply, card reader, optical drives and the hard drive. So here goes the picture show.

All of the parts before assembly.

The Box for the case was nearly 30 inches tall!!!

The Drives, card reader, RAM OS and Graphics Card!

Motherboad, CPU, CPU Cooler and Power Supply.

The Case being unboxed!

The Unboxed Case - Its big for a "mid-tower".

Top views (with and without cover).

Case Interior

Power Supply Components - the bag on the left for cables. The PSU is in the felt bag. Parts bag and Ac Cable - Fancy packaging.

Front views of what has been assembled so far.

Finally the PSU in its mounted position. The case has a 3 way securing system for the PSU - the screws, velcro strap and a mounting bracket!.

Overall I am pleased so far. Tomorrow begins the motherboard installation.

Parts Have Arrived

Well the ordering is done and the parts have arrived. Next Step is to inventory and build the system. There have been two updates to the design - so the final as ordered system now is as follows:

Component	Qty
12GB DDR3-1333 - 3 sticks of Crucial CT51264BA1339 RAM (4GB each)	1
Silverstone Raven RV02-BW Case	1
Xigmatek Thor's Hammer CPU Cooling Fan	1
ATI Radeon HD 5970 Video Card - XFX Black Edition	1
Flash Media Reader/Writer - Rosewill RCR-IM5001	1
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit	1
Corsair HX850 Power Supply	1
MSI Eclipse SLI	1
Blue Ray Burner - Plextor PX-B940SA	1
Intel Core i7-920 CPU	1
Hard Drive (1 TB) - Western Digital Caviar Black	1
DVD+/-R/RW Dual Layer Drive - Samsung SH-223C	1

So my original cost estimate for this system was $3026.58 (does not include shipping) and my final actual cost before shipping and rebates is $2877.87 (a savings of $148.71). Shipping added 44.36 to this. I have one rebate to process which will lower the cost by $10.00 thus my final cost will be $2912.23 for a delta savings of $114.35 from the original build cost estimate. Now the fun begins - building it and documenting it all here.