Gateway P-6831 FX Review - Page 4

I ordered, and hope to have, my T9300 tomorrow. I'll post some pictures, as well as benchmarks this weekend on it.

I'm also sending my two 60 gb Hitachi HD's back and getting a second WD 250 gb Scorpio HD, which I'll install w/the original one, which I'll run as RAID 0. I'll post some pictures of it, as well as some benchmarks of it this weekend also.

I've also got a 1 gb Intel Turbo Memory card coming next week. I'll also post pictures of it. together w/some benchmarks. For $25, I figured what the heck.

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Thx.

Just want to help people, and to show how easy it is to upgrade this baby.

The P-6831 FX may not be a Sager or an Alienware, but for the price, it allows a lot of people, who couldn't afford such machines, something comparable, that can be upgraded.

Also the more expensive a system is, the less likely people are to upgrade, or modify it, for fear of effecting the warranty.

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Well I guess Spinitch has surpassed me. I didn't know about that one. I guess there's no need for anything further from me.

Sorry.

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I just installed my T9300, using Arctic Silver 5 (AS5) as a thermal compound (T/C), and it is presently running 40C, for Core 0, and 35C, for Core 1, unloaded.

I do have to say, Gateway did a good job w/their installation of the original T5450, in that they used what appeared to be a Silver T/C on it, as well as it having a good complete coating. Some manufacturers tend to not put a sufficient coating of T/C on, much less even use silver, but rather the white silicon stuff. The standard white silicon T/C works, don't get me wrong, but silver has a much better heat transfer than silicon does.

The installation of the T9300 was very easy. I do recommend using a Philip's head jeweler's screw driver, for removing the heat sink screws, as well as for the case cover screws, which can be purchased at Radio Shack (RS), as well as a small straight edge screw driver, for unlocking the cpu from it's socket, which too can be purchased at RS. Of course you'll need the AS5, or if you can't find it, regular white silicon T/C from Radio Shake will do. Before disassembling, take a small magnet and run the Philip's head screwdriver that you will be using, across it a few times, enough to put a small magnet force on it. If you don't have a magnet, look around for some speakers. Reason, the screws on the heat sink are very small, as well as there being a couple of small springs on it too, that can all fall very easily off, and into the case. Rubbing Alcohol and a Q-Tip will be helpful for cleaning the T/C off of the heat sink, as well as a tooth pick for applying the T/C. Take the tooth pick and apply a "very" small coating of T/C on the CPU surface. Lay the heat sink down onto it and press it down w/your finger, then take it off to inspect the heat sink surface for a complete transfer of the T/C. If it wasn't complete, add just a little more to the areas that didn't get transfered, and then assemble. Tighten the screws according to the marked number sequence on the heat sink. Total install was maybe a half hour in my case, because of my dropping a couple of the screws into the case , requiring me to look around myself, for a magnet for my screw driver. Other than that, it was a piece of cake. The system booted up and saw the T9300.

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