The Nemesis - Pictures+Video+my experience with PCS

samx300

samx300

Enthusiast
Below is the Order Summary, Pictures, Video and the Pros and Cons of my experience with PCS :sailor:

- This thread supersedes my previous thread in the 'Show Off' section.

Production Dates

Processed Date
25-04-2011

Pre-Production Date
03-05-2011

Build Date
05-05-2011

Test Date
10-05-2011

QC Date
17-05-2011

Awaiting Dispatch Date
18-05-2011

Dispatch Date
20-05-2011

Total number of working days taken till delivery: 17

Who Worked on This Order?

Built By
Sanjit Ghosh

Tested By
Garnet Heller

QC'd By
Craig Whiteley

Packed By
Anthony Cunliffe

PROS: :)
  1. Great Pre-Sales Advice and Suggestions
  2. 'Best in the Business' Prices - Very Competetive
  3. Knowledgeable Customer Support (Sales)
  4. Nice enough to accommodate requests for installing additional components (purchased by myself and mailed to PCS)
  5. Excellent cable management inside the HAF-X case (with custom cable ties etc)
  6. Well built PC (overall)
  7. Followed (almost) all my instructions and requests in the 3 page cover letter I sent with additional parts for my system
  8. Included all accessories with Motherboard and PSU (power cables, SLI bridge, SATA cables, etc)
  9. Creative X-Fi Extreme Gamer is brilliant and the drivers were pre-installed for Win7 - no issues here
  10. Secure packaging for transit purposes

CONS: :(
  • Not informed about delay/cause of delay in QC stage - I called on Friday the 13th (May) to enquire if all was OK with my system for Saturday Delivery on the 14th of May. I was told that there 'was' some problem in QC stage and it has now been fixed and the system will be dispatched in time for delivery the next day.
    At around 1530hrs, I called again to check and was told that my system must remain in QC stage to test the fix. This caused a delay of 1 week and my system was delivered yesterday (21st May). - I don't blame PCS for this - its better if they fix the issues than me.
  • Tracking Number displayed no information - The tracking number I received in the dispatch text (and email) did not display any information at all. My system is delivered, and it still says 'No Details Available' - I don't balme PCS again - As long as I received my system in good condition, I'm A-OK.
  • Misinformed about the Graphics Card in my system - I called in to check which GTX 590 I have received in my system, and I was told its a 'MSI GTX 590'. When I received the system, it turned out to be a 'INNO 3D GTX 590'. I don't know what the difference is in quality, but would've appreciated if I was supplied as informed - MSI GTX 590.
  • Incorrect settings for Kingston Hyper-X T1 Dual-DDR3 2133MHz - The RAM was running at 1600MHz by deafult when I received my system. I had to bump it up to 2133MHz myself using the EFI BIOS. This posed further issues since I am receiving rounding errors in P95 with the RAM at 2133MHz running along with the 4.6GHz OC from PCS. Since the RAM wasn't tested at 2133MHz during the testing stage, I am on my own with potentially an unstable system.
  • Wireless Card does not fit properly - If I tighten the screw to secure the PCI Card at the back of the case, it automatically unhinges itself from the PCI Slot. My only option was not to fix it with a screw. Poor thing is just hanging in there..
    Update: This issue has now been resolved by bending the metal PCI plate slightly (based on PCS's advice)
  • High Pitch Noise from Speakers and Freeze - The system at times (under idling conditions) releasing a extremely excruciating high pitch noise from the speakers (at full volume, and I have a massive cambridge soundworks speakers system!) and everything freezes. I have to hard shutdown and restart. Upon restart there are no critical windows messages but the event viewer does show something to do with power. Could be a case of a faulty PSU (HX1000), but I wouldn't comment further since this issue is under investigation by PCS.
  • Had to wait approx 12-20 minutes everytime I called Customer Care [0844 499 4000]

Pictures:
97 High Res Pics (clicked from my EOS 500D) uploaded to my Picasa WebAlbum

https://picasaweb.google.com/sidhaa...authkey=Gv1sRgCPyRvMXg75fuwAE&feat=directlink

Video:
Short Overview+Overclock video

http://youtu.be/yHjZP6DOuj4?hd=1

Sorry about the shakiness and focussing problems in between. I was handling a heavy dSLR without a Tripod with one hand!

Enjoy!!

Full System Specs:
Case
COOLERMASTER HAF-X FULL TOWER GAMING CASE
Overclocked CPU
Overclocked Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core (3.40GHz @ max 4.80GHz)
Motherboard
ASUS® P8P67 DELUXE (NEW REV 3.0): USB 3.0, SATA 6.0GB/s, CrossFireX™ / SLI
Memory (RAM)
8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X T1 DUAL-DDR3 2133MHz, X.M.P (4 x 2GB KIT)
Graphics Card
3GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 590 - 2 DVI,mHDMI - DX® 11, 3D Vision Ready
Memory - 1st Hard Disk
120GB OCZ VERTEX 3 SERIES SSD, SATA 6 Gb/s (upto 550MB/sR | 500MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk
2TB WD CAVIAR BLACK WD2002FAEX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
12x BLU-RAY ROM DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW (£49)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1000W PRO SERIES (HX1000) 80+ MODULAR PSU (£170)
Processor Cooling
COOLIT ECO A.L.C (ADVANCED LIQUID COOLER) (£49)
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC COOLING MX-3 HIGH THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
Sound Card
Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ Xtreme Gamer (£59)
Network Facilities
ONBOARD GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps PCI CARD (£16)
USB Options
6 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL (MIN 2 FRONT PORTS) AS STANDARD
Operating System
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Monitor
IIYAMA E2473HDS 24" LED WIDESCREEN, 2 x HDMI/DVI-D HD 1920x1080 (£169)
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour) (£5)
Delivery
SATURDAY DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (BEFORE 12 NOON) (£19)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 11 to 13 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £2,372.00 including VAT and delivery.

Additional components sent to PCS for installing in 'The Nemesis':

1. Coolermaster Megaflow 200mm RED LED Fan x 2 - for top mounting on the HAF-X
2. Coolermaster Megaflow 200mm BLUE LED Fan x 1 - for side mount on the HAF-X, assisting the GPU
3. Kingston HyperX RAM Cooling Fan - to keep those HyperX T1's running cool
4. NZXT Sentry 2, 5.25" Bay Touchscreen Fan Controller - controlling 3 x CM Megaflow Fans and the HyperX RAM Cooling Fan

Estimated cost of above components + postage to PCS - £85

Self upgraded components:
Configured the CoolIT ECO ALC in a Push/Pull config with 2 x Akasa Apache Black Fans (120mm). See link below for pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/sidhaa...authkey=Gv1sRgCNzbo-GSmZvx9QE&feat=directlink

Components bought beforehand:

Keyboard
Razer Lycosa Special Mirror Edition Backlit Gaming Keyboard - £69
Mouse
Razer Lachesis 5600dpi 3.5G refresh Gaming Mouse with customisable lighting - £67

Total cost of the entire system: £2620 :smartass:
 
Last edited:
Maestro

Maestro

Guest
Thanks and a good review.

The only comment would be regarding the GPU. As you probably know the GTX 590 is incredibly hard to get hold of at the moment. Only a select few manufacturers have been given a licence to produce these and they are literally trickling into the UK. For example, last week the whole of the UK received just over 50 cards. If we are lucky we will get 2-3 cards a week. We have to take them from which ever manufacturer is available. If not you would be waiting till Christmas for your pc. I suspect it was miss-communication and the chap on the phone probably meant that what we had in when you enquired was MSI. This doesn’t necessarily mean this will be what is in your pc. This is also why when it comes to GPU we don’t list the manufacturer on our site because supply is always up and down and we can’t reply on one manufacturer.

Also surprised about your wait times figure. I have looked at the figures for last week and average wait was just over 3 minutes. I guess you were unlucky and called at peak times. For future reference if you check here http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/call-waiting/ before calling you will get a live call waiting info which will allow you to call when the phones are less busy.

Once again thanks for feedback, it helps us to continually improve our service.
 
samx300

samx300

Enthusiast
Maestro said:
Thanks and a good review.

The only comment would be regarding the GPU. As you probably know the GTX 590 is incredibly hard to get hold of at the moment. Only a select few manufacturers have been given a licence to produce these and they are literally trickling into the UK. For example, last week the whole of the UK received just over 50 cards. If we are lucky we will get 2-3 cards a week. We have to take them from which ever manufacturer is available. If not you would be waiting till Christmas for your pc. I suspect it was miss-communication and the chap on the phone probably meant that what we had in when you enquired was MSI. This doesn’t necessarily mean this will be what is in your pc. This is also why when it comes to GPU we don’t list the manufacturer on our site because supply is always up and down and we can’t reply on one manufacturer.

Also surprised about your wait times figure. I have looked at the figures for last week and average wait was just over 3 minutes. I guess you were unlucky and called at peak times. For future reference if you check here http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/call-waiting/ before calling you will get a live call waiting info which will allow you to call when the phones are less busy.

Once again thanks for feedback, it helps us to continually improve our service.
Click to expand...

Thanks for responding.

For the GPU - I remember that the operator said he'd check with the building guys as to what had been installed in my system and he actually put me on hold...when he returned, he confirmed it was a MSI.
Waiting times - I do believe I called during peak hours, as I called from work during the lunch break.

Cheers
 
samx300

samx300

Enthusiast
jayjay said:
nice, how do you find the haf x is it noisy, would you recommend it thanks, like the video
Click to expand...

Thanks, HAF X is a great case - I would certainly recommend it if you are planning to install components that pack a punch (and generate a lot of thermal activity). Personally, I chose the HAF X over others because I had additional 200mm fans to install in the case, plus the GTX 590 and finally OC of the entire system (CPU, GPU and RAM).

PS* Do keep in mind that the HAF X is huuge and is HEAVY (very!), so portability may be an issue.

Overall, the case is a 10/10 with USB 3.0, air filters, tons of space, excellent airflow and possibility to install XL-ATX motherboards with 9 PCI slots at the back! :)
 
Teaz

Teaz

Godlike
The hafX shouldnt be heavy when it comes to rolling in wheels since the case comes provided with the 4 wheels which is good unless you plan to do alot of weight lifting with it lol.
 
samx300

samx300

Enthusiast
My CoolIT ECO in a Push/Pull Config

The 2 x Akasa AK-FN058 120mm Apache Military Standard Fans arrived in the mail today, and so did my PWM fan Y-Splitter :) Just need to go and buy a screwdriver for the entire operation. I found the instructions below on the CoolIT forums helpful for the preparation:

"You would need a type #1 Phillips type screw driver. Most hardware stores will carry the smaller type, but as you mentioned they are usually covered in a plastic which you must remove.
The screws are standard 6/32 X 1/8 inch in length.You could find these at any hardware store."

Will post pictures on Saturday while the operation to mod my CoolIT ECO in a push/pull config is underway :)
 
F3AR

F3AR

Well-known member
samx300 said:
The 2 x Akasa AK-FN058 120mm Apache Military Standard Fans arrived in the mail today, and so did my PWM fan Y-Splitter :) Just need to go and buy a screwdriver for the entire operation. I found the instructions below on the CoolIT forums helpful for the preparation:

"You would need a type #1 Phillips type screw driver. Most hardware stores will carry the smaller type, but as you mentioned they are usually covered in a plastic which you must remove.
The screws are standard 6/32 X 1/8 inch in length.You could find these at any hardware store."

Will post pictures on Saturday while the operation to mod my CoolIT ECO in a push/pull config is underway :)
Click to expand...

Mind posting Links to EVERYTHING i need (Amazon please)
And, I've ordered 3x 200mm CM fans (All blue :p )
And the same fan controller
And, im tempted to order the Apaches
And, i finally ordered my Baby (Razer Mamba)
 
samx300

samx300

Enthusiast
I haven't yet..The information I noticed was on one of the official CoolIT forums. Guess I'll have to arrange the screws and the screwdriver before this saturday..
 
samx300

samx300

Enthusiast
F3AR said:
Mind posting Links to EVERYTHING i need (Amazon please)
And, I've ordered 3x 200mm CM fans (All blue :p )
And the same fan controller
And, im tempted to order the Apaches
And, i finally ordered my Baby (Razer Mamba)
Click to expand...


Hey F3AR, how you doing?

Unfortunately, I don't have the links to the Screwdriver and the Screws, but I can provide you with the rest (not Amazon though :( ):

Akasa Apache:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290490015769&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

PWM Fan Y-Splitter:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190526204244&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I will probably go hunting for the screws and the screwdriver within the next two days during my lunch break..will let you know if I find them anywhere. I work in Central London (Oxford Street).

PS* Good job with ordering rest of the parts! I look forward to seeing the blue monster :) and of course, the venemous Mamba :p
 
Teaz

Teaz

Godlike
samx300 said:
I haven't yet..The information I noticed was on one of the official CoolIT forums. Guess I'll have to arrange the screws and the screwdriver before this saturday..
Click to expand...

ah right as its the same similar info on the screw size when i asked one of the coolit admins. as im still searching for them myself and no luck, looked everywhere. my last shot to look is maplins which i have a funny feeling will be no luck either. not even the giant B&Q provided such screws :wacko:

plus any crosshead screw driver will work, just make sure it has the small pole so it goes through the screw hole when you screw the fans in.
 
Last edited:
samx300

samx300

Enthusiast
Teaz said:
ah right as its the same similar info on the screw size when i asked one of the coolit admins. as im still searching for them myself and no luck, looked everywhere. my last shot to look is maplins which i have a funny feeling will be no luck either. not even the giant B&Q provided such screws :wacko:

plus any crosshead screw driver will work, just make sure it has the small pole so it goes through the screw hole when you screw the fans in.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip about the screwdriver. I think I probably won't have to buy a new one :)
But its kind of a bummer not being able to find the screws :( Anyways, I am in no rush, and the search will continue! I will surely let everyone in this Forum know if I find them anywhere..
Cheers
 
Teaz

Teaz

Godlike
samx300 said:
Thanks for the tip about the screwdriver. I think I probably won't have to buy a new one :)
But its kind of a bummer not being able to find the screws :( Anyways, I am in no rush, and the search will continue! I will surely let everyone in this Forum know if I find them anywhere..
Cheers
Click to expand...

Yes please! need these screws myself as im still hunting for them. no hardware or diy store ive come across stock these screws. do let me know if you come across the same ones supplied with the coolit rad stock fan.
 
F3AR

F3AR

Well-known member
Oh Jesus. I Can't afford two Fans it turns out, but do you think one will work?

Thanks :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top