The Building Of A New Beast (Phase IV)

So now we have the next quarter of the brain. Welcome (drum roll..) the CPU of the moment.. the Ryzen 5 1600.

So that irony that I was talking about before.. The first PC I ever owned that wasn't a rescue from the stone age was the Acer Aspire T160, a pre-built sporting an AMD Athlon 64 3400+ 2.4Ghz. It was a capable box but that was over ten years ago, and time has not been kind to it. So having walked through the Intel sweet shop since I started this search, it's funny to find myself full circle.

Anyway I digress.

Why AMD, and with nine (soon to be fifteen) CPU's in the family to choose from, why this particular one?

With Ryzen (and the higher tier Threadripper range, which sits well beyond my needs and budget) AMD managed to effectively sideswipe Intel, who with little competition to inspire them have incrementally tick-tocked the development of consumer processors at a rate which seems to have been insultingly conservative. AMD re-crafted the architecture and brought a range of CPU's to the consumer market with core counts and multithreaded performance previously only found in the enthusiast domain. Whilst Intel can still technically claim to have the faster single core clock speed at the price, what we have with Ryzen is a range of CPU's which can still stand shoulder to shoulder with Intel's offerings AND compete mercilessly on price/performance. The flagship Ryzen 7 1800x with its 8 cores and 16 threads entered the market at a very sweet £499 compared to Intel's closest offering at the time, the Core i7 6900K, which retailed typically for around £1000. Multithreaded performance tests confirmed its ability to take on those tasks with a real zest, further refinements are smoothing out low level quirks endemic to newer platform releases and overall the Ryzen range seems to have carved a respectable place for itself. I feel I have to clarify that I'm not talking as any kind of AMD fanboy here. I would be happy with either an Intel or AMD CPU in the driving seat, and for the majority of this project time Intel did in fact hold pole position, with both X99 and Z170 platforms.

Why this particular CPU? Interestingly the Ryzen family seems to mirror Intel's nomenclature with series 3, 5 and 7, and generally speaking they carry four, six and eight core models across those categories. Balancing price against overall expected personal requirements six core, twelve thread felt about right. The leap from the nominal price of this chip (£175) to the eight core, sixteen thread 1700 (£260) was one I kept returning to - you find when assembling a PC project that the temptation is always there to go for more, but ultimately I couldn't justify it - even less so when I managed to bag my 1600 for £136. Still a reasonable upgrade path does exist, and with AMD's commitment to the platform for the next three years in concert with my consumer restraint, there's probably more than enough life in this. Another undeniable benefit is the included CPU cooler - not all models have them, but it is a welcome thing from a budgetary perspective, particularly when they turn out to be as half decent as reviewers seem to claim. It's probably not going to be in there for the whole nine yards. I don't know whether I'll stick with air cooling or move to an AIO water cooling solution down the line. I don't find myself being that interested in chasing an aggressive overclock, something about having water in a PC strikes me as a discomforting thing and to include a pump is to introduce another point of failure. Given that I'm changing up from a Yugo to a Ferrari it's not something that overly concerns me at this point. It will just be nice to be able to work better.

The Building Of A New Beast (Phase III)

Well the delivery services are certainly keeping me on my toes with this project blog! Here I was expecting parts to be scattered to all four corners of the world and yet one after the other they seem to be dropping through with relative ease, a couple even in advance of their original ETA! The latest to appear is one quarter of the brain department, one half of the storage. Say hello to the result of more passive/aggressive costing and swearing.. the Samsung 960 EVO 250Gb 2280 form factor M.2 Nvme SSD (rolls off the tongue so easily doesn't it..).

This behemoth undoubtedly exists in my project thanks to the three year project span. Originally I was quite content to settle for a couple of Western Digital or Seagate hard drives, even as SSD's began to creep into the market place to challenge their speed limitation. Various models from various companies reared their heads, most notably Samsung's 2.5" 850 EVO SATA SSD range, with a recognised competitive edge in performance and reliability. Whilst I think it can be argued nowadays that manufacturing has improved to the point that the market doesn't feel quite as desperately distinct as it once did, Samsung have held their own and on paper the 850 EVO continues to prove to be a stubbornly relevant contender. What I didn't anticipate was both the emergence and significant drop in price for Nvme SSD's, to the point that the long cherished 850 EVO with its £85 price tag became overshadowed very recently by the 960 EVO's £114 price/performance backhand. This cousin to their own industry leading 960 PRO stick certainly isn't lacking in performance. In fact I might question the value of the PRO range beyond bragging rights, or a demand for absolute performance irrespective of cost.

So why Nvme? For all its speed SATA has a fundamental 600Mb/s transfer speed limit, perfectly adequate for the typical 100-150Mb/s performance of regular hard drives. SATA SSD's, whilst blisteringly fast with their typical 500Mb/s speed upwards, do still hit that limit. Nvme on the other hand uses the PCI lanes on the motherboard for conversation, the result being that this little bugger sports write/read speeds of up to 1.5Gb/s and 3Gb/s respectively! These figures are no idle "peak music power" marketing boast either - for a change, tests seem to show that they do indeed reasonably meet the criteria.

So often decisions about PC hardware fall into categories of "need" or "want" - you "need" a CPU or motherboard, versus say the "want" of that three-way SLI stack of Titan Xp's or that £10,000 custom PC set up. In this case it seems to be a no-brainer, with a leap and a half in performance for an extra measly £28. Of course the cost per gigabyte of Nvme SSD technology vs conventional hard drives is still in its infancy, but it's getting better. It's for certain that 250Gb is enough for my current needs, with adequate room for the operating system and a few programs. I'm currently running on a 320Gb mechanical drive for everything - operating system, programs, documents, the lot! To help out with storage of larger files and general media I've sensibly elected to retain a mechanical drive in the design (the second half of the storage department).. but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The Building Of A New Beast (Phase II)

With barely a breath drawn, here we are again! In Phase I we took a look at the heart of the build - today we have the arterial system of our soon to be newborn.. the motherboard. After lots of scrambling, doodling, comparing, sizing, worn-out pencils, scrapping, tantrums and swearing I present to you the Asus Strix B350-F.

So why this one? I can't deny that it's probably one of the better looking boards out there, especially at this price bracket (£107), even if it sits in the mid-high range on the B350 spread. It's still a very reasonable price for a mainboard imho, especially when you look into it as much as I have. There have been plenty of opportunities to spurn choices of board as one might say spurn a rabid dog, but on paper this is not one which succumbed to such distain.

LINK: The Asus Strix B350F Spec Sheet

What else did you look at? Hmm.. To answer this one has to consider the project as a whole. As you may have guessed, given that I've been pouring over specs for the last three years or so it's a pretty sound bet that I'm not one for chopping and changing on a frequent basis. Both the cooker and fridge I own are an equal sixteen years old and still kicking, with no reason to change them. It's just how I roll.. So the same goes for my reasoning with this build - it's not something which is going to sprout change on a regular basis. With reasoning like that I can pretty much justify any form factor size, and it's true that I have come within a hairs breadth of landing in m-itx territory more than once, simply because whilst not necessary (and frequently more expensive in spite of less actual "product"!?) the itx form is cute, desk friendly and it's fun to have a lot of power packed into something which doesn't look capable. Having said that there's a lot to be said for managing case temperatures, and consideration for case purchases which could accommodate future motherboards has repeatedly crossed my mind, even if it isn't something I expect to consider frequently (an atx board will not fit in an itx case without the application of something like a saw). So in spite of all the above I found myself looking with more pragmatic eyes, which whittled it down to atx and m-atx, of which there were still many choices out there. In that respect the battle was won on reputation, and whilst none of the main competitors really fail by that measure ("except maybe Biostar" the fanboys cry), it came down to which company I ultimately felt I could trust, backed up by the sage advice and experience of the main tech You Tuber's whom I follow. Whilst they themselves are quite unbiased when it comes to throwing systems together, whether it be Jason (JayzTwoCents), Paul (Paul's Hardware) or Kyle/Wifeysauce (Bitwit), they do all seem to return to Asus a lot. That can't help but offer a helpful float when floundering amidst the choppy, salty depths of possibility.

Since the board is there for all to see then it's the worst kept secret that this is indeed a Ryzen build (the full circle irony I alluded to in Phase I), a choice which is better saved for discussion when the part itself drops through the letterbox. Given the dearth of itx boards (yes I did see the upcoming Strix itx, and behind its beauty I witnessed its expected price tag..) another choice which helped to narrow this was the subtext - X370, B350 and A320. To cut to the chase the X370 boards have the most features but not ones I'm likely to use, and the A320 shouldn't in my opinion exist at all since it's essentially a B350 with all the joy sucked out of it. So B350 it was to be! Justifiably cheaper than the X370 range and yet cheekily capable (which I think parallels the Intel/AMD competition as it presently stands). You get the usual plethora of paraphernalia; backplate (of the nice black, padded variety that isn't cheap enough to eat your fingers), SATA cables in straight and right angled flavours, M.2 screws, sticky labels (interestingly some of which are designed to be applied to your cables, to help trace which to where after installation. Very considerate Asus - have some brownie points), a nice but pretty much always redundant DVD and coaster (it's easy to get those mixed up, but the DVD will probably last longer). There was a much closer battle fought betwixt m-atx and atx form factors after that decision, even some skirmishes with dark vs white motherboards for reasons mostly no more complex than aesthetic, but ultimately on price, looks, reputation and technical merit (in no particular order) this bad boy couldn't help but float to the top. Also one cannot underestimate the sheer power of a product which comes with something called Overwolf.. Not just a wolf, and even beyond wolf plus.. I mean how can that fail!?

I wonder which part will be next?

The Building Of A New Beast (Phase I)

Wow.. it's been a while since I've done a blog in here.. 2014 by the looks of it! How the time flies. So what now? Well it's high time I got a new computer, and it's been a long time in the making - for those who are mindful of such matters this has been in the pipeline since the X99 platform was brand new.. coincidentally as long as the time since the last blog.. funny that. Anyway I imagined that if I were ever to do another blog it would be a little something to share the exploits and pitfalls of this long besieged project - my first PC build. I've owned a couple of pre-built computers, each quite sufficiently capable for the tasks at the time. Still even for those readers whose own interests in computers are merely cursory, it is well known that things move on quickly and user skills and demands broaden, so unless I was destined to renounce computing altogether then this was pretty much inevitable. I have to say though it feels as if it's taken forever to get to this day.

There have been a number of interventions and setbacks between that original dream and the present. As I struggled on with my old AMD PC, which knocked the socks off Intel when it was new - yes it's that old (ten years for the uninitiated), dedicated to music production and precious little else, the plan began with the dream of the aforementioned X99 platform and the intended Intel processor of the time - the 5820K. Then the project stalled, time passed and it evolved into the Z170 platform and the reasonably priced Intel 6600K processor, before stalling yet again and finally coming to land in the present, with irony to spare. Tech has moved on quite a bit over the intervening time. Now thanks to a twist of pricing fate which pushed me into action (the CPU of choice appeared from it's £219 RRP, and more nominal £175 selling price, down to an undeniably outrageous £136 for one weekend only as the saying goes) the system is now forced into the light, and the first of my internet parcels arrived today. Somewhat lacking in obvious glamour but nevertheless quite important and underappreciated - the power supply.

Yes I know it's not all that exciting on the face of it, but to be honest there is something really inspiring and cool (aka geeky) about receiving something even as simple as a PSU in the flesh as it were. When you finally get your mitts on something you've only ever known as photos and spec sheets, it all becomes more tangible and interesting. Still after spending so much time pouring over the possibilities and promise of innumerable incarnations and permutations, something which at least a couple of my friends can easily testify to, all is now coming into focus - no bad thing for a project which has been ongoing in earnest and sufferance for a little over three years.

So with a foot now planted firmly on the path this concludes the first of several reveals, which will build upon the choices, progress and assembly as we go. As I stand right at this moment roughly 80% of it is settled, bought and en route though the various couriers, somewhat sooner than I'd intended due to said CPU bargain. The two concessions which I have to make at this point are knowing neither which graphics card nor which case I'm finally going to settle upon. The card will almost definitely be a GTX1070 variant to meet the demands of the 1440p resolution I'm running (not to mention driving two screens), though which model remains a mystery even to me at this point thanks to the inflated costs incurred as a result of the scourge of cryptocurrency mining. Nor am I at this point going to divulge the remaining components. Like a fine wine or pleasant meal it's not to be consumed or revealed in a rush, and makes the blog a bit more fun. So we'll be back with phase II just as soon as the next part(s) assemble.

Garden Of Words - Shinkai returns to the urban environment.. very nicely!

You Tube Trailer (Japanese with English subs)

Well, where to begin..  After the oh so traditional, painfully long wait for this anime to arrive on the UK shores, and a back-to-back viewing twice through, I can say that for me it sits very proudly amongst Shinkai Makoto-san’s body of work.  Whether he tackles a story via themes of sci-fi (“Voices of a Distant Star” and “The Place Promised In Our Early Days”), the fantastic (“The Children Who Chase Lost Voices”) or something more reserved and urban (“She And Her Cat” and “5 Centimetres Per Second”), he manages to weave the heartbreak and denouement which pervade so much of Japanese culture in such a painfully exacting way, that every feature leaves an indelible trace of itself upon the viewer, long after it’s finished.  His latest work, “Garden Of Words” fits nicely into the urban setting after the previous, more exotic “Children Who Chase Lost Voices”, and is I think it is no exception in quality, suffused with every bit of the bittersweet character of courage with which he is so synonymous.

All his features are renowned for his trademark visual style, as distinguishable as a Studio Ghibli production, which is why I suspect he earned himself the accolade of embodying the next Miyazaki, even if the title does a disservice to the core of both artists.  Whether it’s the colour palette he may choose, or the way in which he manages to fuse sound, vision and semantics with impeccable timing (the rocket launch in the second story arc of “5 Centimetres Per Second” still twists the emotion of a scene as powerfully as any I can recall, anime or live action), I think even those who aren’t necessarily big fans cannot deny he has a certain flair.  With “Garden Of Words” I think the artwork establishes a new level of quality, even for Shinkai.

The story itself concerns the relationship between teenage wannabe artisan Takao Akizuki and the beautiful, ponderous Yukari Yukino, and it’s a testament to Shinkai-san’s ability to tell a story in a succinct manner that it manages to feel complete with a running time of only 45 mins or so.  I should say that when I provide opinions or critiques of anything I prefer to omit any great detail unless it serves explanation, since such foreknowledge can dilute a viewing experience (and I would only be duplicating Wikipedia anyway) so as with any such piece I produce I prefer to stick to the causes of justification and furthering recommendation.  Since I managed to avoid any details myself prior to viewing I can wholeheartedly recommend this as the best way to view it, so set a little time aside and enjoy!  As an aside, I’m still on target for Evangelion 3.33 as I type this, and I’ve been avoiding any details for about two years!  What I will say is that if you have enjoyed any of his works to date, this shouldn’t disappoint – though as with the “Ironman” movies, just ensure you keep watching to the very end.

I watched this on DVD, and it looks and sounds glorious throughout (I suspect the Blu-ray cannot fail either).  It comes with audio presented in English 5.1 and Japanese 5.1 with subs, and commentary tracks similarly in English and Japanese with subs – excellent!  As for extras, we have interviews with Shinkai and the principal voice cast members, storyboards, production stills, the Japanese trailer and a short video filmography of his previous works.  I was mildly disappointed (after finding out about its existence) that they didn’t include the short story "Someone's Gaze" (aka "Dareka no Manazashi") which was apparently screened with the feature in theatres.  Though I haven't seen the short in question and so cannot comment on its quality, its inclusion would've nicely rounded off a good set of extras, especially since they included the short "She And Her Cat" in such a fashion on the release of "Voices Of A Distant Star".  For those who may be wondering whether it may have appeared on the Blu-ray as part of a cynical marketing ploy, I'm afraid it hasn't - sorry.

Story: 7/10
Video: 9/10
Audio: 9/10

Overall: 8/10 - A solid piece of Shinkai entertainment to add to the archive, and well worth three quarter of an hour of any self-respecting otaku's time!  :o)

The State of Youth Today..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/feb/19/for-profit-firms-state-schools

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17125538

Contrary to the appearance of such a headline, you will find I am actually most decidedly on the side of the children.  I write this piece with a warning.  Not too long from now most children in the UK will be educated in run-for-profit schools.  Big business will be the driving force behind your child's future.  Open your arms wide and welcome that future; United Kingdom PLC.

Now I don't know about you but I was rather hoping that we might actually be trying to save ourselves and improve our lot.  Isn't the true goal for the future supposed to be improvement?  Certainly evolution intended it that way, so why are we so inherently intent upon embracing corruption?  Have we now become so blinded and jaded that we're going to lie down again and allow our children to be manipulated by financial concerns over personal well-being?  What possible ethical good will come from this lovingly crafted piece of social genocide?  Make no mistake, introducing business into the education system in this way is one of the most dangerous minefields we've ever created.  With the plan as it stands teachers and parents will be encouraged into becoming shareholders, but far from creating accountability we must surely be inviting all manner of possible conflicts into that which should remain neutral.  Put another way, can you think of many instances where business has behaved, of it's own volition, in an ethical way when potential profit is dangled before it?  Any time business has taken the reins of a service instigated for the public good, it has always turned sour.  Public transport, infrastructure, utilities, banks.. all running marvellously.. aren't they!?  Very few examples of good private service spring to mind, and yet here we are on the precipice of one of the most dangerous and fundamentally damaging implementations yet conceived.  It blows my mind that these people cannot think outside the box and grasp the important and valuable differences between cooperation and competition, and why the latter should forcefully remain within the arena of sport.  I'm almost totally convinced that the Tories want no part of actually running the country.  Everything that is wrong with the world is being unleashed on the UK at the moment, and education is next.  Whilst Michael Gove speaks of all manner of improvement, we're actually about to open the school gates to the same kind of potential financial abuses, and have Headmasters (not all of whom now have to have come up through the education system) shake hands with some of the same people who helped to ruin the economy.  I thought academies were his true low point, but they just became hungry bulldogs on a piece of string.  Just wait until this government cuts the string, no doubt waxing lyrical about these austere times as they open a bottle of bubbly to celebrate another step towards whatever the great "master plan" of their making actually is.

Your child's future really does rest in your actions and your thoughts from today.  Think carefully, reason wisely.

BONUS TIME!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16752358

There’s nothing I can say here that hasn’t been said already.  As I write 761 people have already had their say on the BBC website, and I can’t think that much of it will have been very complimentary.  The one thing I would highlight is that Vince Cable’s plan.. and I quote (thank you BBC):




"On Monday, Business Secretary Vince Cable announced a series of measures designed to rein in excessive executive pay.


The include more power for shareholders to veto salary and redundancy packages, and encouragement for firms to increase diversity on their boards."

Come on Vince.  You can do better than that!  You would seek to control the situation by giving the power of veto to people who have a vested interest in the company, and would likely be in a position to receive wonderful inflated shares, should they kindly NOT interfere!?  Encourage firms to make the members of the boards more diverse?  There is no one diverse enough who could be brought into such a position, unless you’re advocating said positions to be given to random selections from the general public, in a move not dissimilar to granting responsibility during the course of jury service (an ironic comparison).

To those in positions of power in the UK today:  You’re a joke, the whole bloody lot of you, and I’m ashamed to be even remotely associated with a system which behaves in such an appalling way.