Puget Systems News, Blog and Articles

Jon Bach interviewed about PC reliability on Tekzilla

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:05:19 -0800

Patrick Norton of Tekzilla interviews Jon Bach about component failure rates and PC reliability. There's some great info there, check it out!

Remember that when Puget Systems talks about component failure rates, we consider ANY problem to be a failure. A fan might have a ticking sound, there might be a faint buzz from the power supply, or a rarely-used port on the motherboard might be nonfunctional. We catch a huge majority of these problems before our PCs ship out -- that's our job!

Best Practices for Computer Performance and Safety

William George — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

In the course of my work as a sales consultant here at Puget Systems, I am often asked how I recommend setting up a computer. After all, providing advice like that on hardware configurations is my job! However, there are some deeper insights into how a computer can be set up which go beyond just selecting the right hardware. There are things I don't often have the opportunity to discuss, and which aren't really within the purview of a system builder. I wanted to take some time to write about the ideas and practices I use in my own computer setups, in the hope that some of this advice will help others to get the most out of their computers.

Core i3/i5/i7 Processors – Making Sense of Intel’s New CPU Line

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:34:42 -0800

When Intel first debuted the Core i7 processor line, code-named Nehalem, in late 2008 it made perfect sense. This line of quad-cores brought several new technologies: Turbo Mode, integrated memory controllers, triple-channel RAM, and Hyperthreading (making a comeback from the Pentium 4 era). There were three processors at launch, a 920, 940 and 965 – each slightly faster than the one before it, with the ‘5′ at the end of the last denoting that it was an Extreme Edition chip with some unlocked settings to help with overclocking. Over time the 940 was replaced with a 950, and then 960; the 965 also got an upgrade in the form of a 975. The naming scheme now isn’t so simple — let’s take a look.

Read the rest of this entry �

Written by William for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 3 comments

TV Tuner Update – 2010

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:51:21 -0800

It has been almost two years since I last wrote on the subject of TV tuners in computers, and a lot has changed since then. Over-the-air TV signals have finally gone all-digital, and many cable providers have reduced or dropped their analog cable lineups as well. These transitions, coupled with the release of Windows 7, mean that this year�should be an exciting one for those of us with home-theater PCs.

Read the rest of this entry �

Written by William for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 5 comments

Features are not always selling points

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:03:08 -0800

We all seem to like our products with lots of features, especially when it comes to computers. After all, the personal computer is supposed to be the most versatile piece of electronics that you own, right? How can it be versatile without a long list of features? When it comes down to deciding what product to buy, one of the first things we do is put the features side by side, and see which gives us more capabilities for the dollar. What are we missing?

Read the rest of this entry �

Written by Jon for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 5 comments

Press Release: Announcing our 2009 Christmas Specials

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:00:22 -0800

Puget Systems Announces its 2nd Annual �Just in Time for the Holidays� Sale

Puget Systems� Line Up of Christmas Specials Offer Special Holiday Incentives for Students, Gamers, Content Creators and Those Who Crave a �Silent Night� System

SEATTLE, WA (December 11, 2009) � Puget Systems (www.pugetsystems.com), a boutique integrator of custom PC systems for enthusiasts, gamers, consumers and SMB markets, announced today its second annual �Just in Time for the Holidays� sale with special incentives for customer across its entire line of high performance custom systems. Beginning immediately, customers can enjoy the following Christmas Specials through January 1, 2010:

Free Acoustipak sound dampening kits with purchase of the new Serenity silent PC;
Free 3 year warranty with purchase of the Obsidian desktop system;
$100 savings on Puget�s Student PC;
Free shipping for Puget�s Echo system for home theaters with 1080p video playback;
Free 3 year warranty on Genesis, high performance systems for post production and design pros;
Free overclocking on Deluge, Puget�s ultra-high performing gaming system.

�2009 was an excellent year for Puget Systems, thanks to our loyal and enthusiastic customer base. So for the holidays this year, we wanted to give back to our customers with some holiday specials tailored for each customer,� said Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems. �For our student customers, we thought some extra cash back in their pockets would go a long way; for our customers who crave quiet systems, we�re providing the gift of even more peace and quiet; and for our enthusiastic gamers, we�re giving the gift of more speed! We had a lot of fun thinking of creative ways to celebrate the holidays with our customers.�

For more information on the Puget Systems �Just in Time for Christmas� specials, or to place an order, please visit http://www.pugetsystems.com/go/christmas_specials.php. For those customers seeking delivery in time for Christmas, all orders must be placed no later than December 15, 2009.

About Puget Systems

Puget Systems is a specialized integrator of custom personal computing systems meticulously designed to exceed the discriminating requirements of consumers, enthusiasts, gamers and businesses in multiple industries. Puget Systems combines industry-unique custom innovations, the highest quality leading-edge components with an unparalleled commitment to personal service and support. Founded in 2000, Puget Systems is now headquartered in its new facility in Auburn, Washington. For more information, please visit www.pugetsystems.com.

Signs of a turning economy?

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:48:04 -0800

If you’re connected with me on Twitter or Facebook, you probably have noticed my recent posts about how great business has been, and how we’ve been more and more busy these past months. It has been a great feeling to once again focus my efforts on expanding our capacity to meet demand. But why have our sales picked up so heavily in the last quarter? Is this due to a gain in market share, or is this something bigger? I don’t claim to have the answers, but I would like to go over the data and our theories.

Read the rest of this entry �

Written by Jon for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 6 comments

Adobe Flash 10.1 – Big News for Home Theater

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:53:10 -0800

When we began development of our Echo PC, we quickly saw how NIVIDA ION would bring a new life to home theater PCs. The small form factor, low power draw, and near-silent operation are the perfect makings for a computer in the living room. As more content is put online, the PC is fast becoming a cheap alternative for home entertainment. But the strength of NVIDIA ION lies in the GPU, and applications that take advantage of GPU acceleration are anything but mature. In our testing, we found that ION was extremely well suited for DVD/BLU-RAY playback, and for Netflix. But Hulu — the final piece in the trio of current online entertainment — was not ready. Fullscreen playback was not acceptable on ION. We knew that NVIDIA and Adobe were working together on the problem. We waited.

Read the rest of this entry �

Written by Jon for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | No comment

Press Release: Introducing Puget Serenity, optimized for silence

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:25:22 -0800

Puget Systems Delivers Tranquility to the Home and Workplace; Launches New Family of Ultra-Quiet Workstations

Serenity from Puget Systems Combines Ultra-Quiet Engineering with Extreme Performance and Cooling Innovations in Affordable New Workstations for Consumers, Gamers and Professional Enterprise Environments

SEATTLE, WA - Puget Systems (www.pugetsystems.com), a boutique integrator of custom PC systems for enthusiasts, gamers, consumers and SMB markets, today announced it has launched a new family of affordable, ultra-quiet high performance workstations -- the Puget Systems Serenity series. With this launch, Puget Systems’ engineering and design teams have created a new standard in affordable, ultra-quiet systems that deliver jaw-dropping performance in a virtually silent, extremely cool system - solving the ‘perfect storm’ issues plaguing many systems manufacturers that attempt to achieve extreme performance in the quiet computing category.

"Puget Systems has long been known as a leader in quiet computing, however with the launch of the Serenity series, we’ve set out to set an even higher standard," said Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems. "Our rigorous testing and thermal imaging have allowed us to take on the challenge of providing excellent quiet cooling without sacrificing high performance. The Serenity is a product that takes our best practices, and packages them into a highly optimized configuration ideal for home computing, gamers and for the professional workspace."

The Puget Serenity Series is available in three models, with each specially tailored for home use, gamers or for professional environments. Each model’s core components include:

Asus P7P55D Pro motherboard
Intel Core i5/i7 CPUs
NVIDIA and ATI video cards
- Home Model: Completely silent passive NVIDIA cards
- Gaming Model: Quietly-cooled video cards from NVIDIA and ATI
- Professional Model: Quietly-cooled Quadro video cards from NVIDIA
Kingston DDR3 memory
Antec P183 quiet chassis;
Corsair TX 650W power supply (highly reliable, quiet);
320GB to 2TB hard drives, hand selected as Puget’s most quiet drives;
Quiet fan upgrades, sound insulation, and hard drive dampening enclosure options;
Full Windows XP, Windows 7 and Ubuntu options

Pricing and Availability

The Puget Systems Serenity Series systems are available immediately with prices starting at $1,500.00. For more information, or to custom tailor a Serenity Series system, please visit http://www.pugetsystems.com/serenity.php. Customers ordering online using the Puget Systems Serenity configurator will have their new systems shipped within 5-7 business days.

About Puget Systems

Puget Systems is a specialized integrator of custom personal computing systems meticulously designed to exceed the discriminating requirements of consumers, enthusiasts, gamers and businesses in multiple industries. Puget Systems combines industry-unique custom innovations, the highest quality leading-edge components with an unparalleled commitment to personal service and support. Founded in 2000, Puget Systems is now headquartered in its new facility in Auburn, Washington. For more information, please visit www.pugetsystems.com

Announcing Free Restore DVDs on Windows 7 PCs

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:54:54 -0800

At Puget Systems, we are constantly identifying ways that we can increase the value of our services to our customers. We get our production and support departments together every Tuesday to go over the largest issues of the week, and we then implement measures to solve those issues and improve our products.

This week, we talked about how many of our customers over the years have needed to reinstall their operating systems, and how stepping them through it on the phone is taking hours of our customer's time. Of course, we are happy to do it! But there is a better way. We therefore are happy to announce the free addition of system restore DVDs to our Windows 7 PCs (except where prevented by an especially exotic configuration). Windows 7 has done an excellent job in improving disk imaging, and we are leveraging this to improve your experience with your Puget Systems PC. If at any time you would like to restore your OS to the way it was when you first got your PC, simply use your restore DVD, follow the instructions, and you will be back up and running in about half an hour!

Of course, we understand the restore DVDs are nothing new, but we're excited all the same! Not only does this provide you with an additional tool, but having it out there with every Windows 7 PC also improves our support services. Even if you bought a PC last month and missed this addition to our products, you can still be happy to know that this announcement still benefits you. Having given our support techs a tool to have all of our Windows 7 customers completely reinstalled in half an hour, it means that they will be able to get back to you and other customers quicker than before.

New Website Design

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:42:15 -0700

The News:

We are very pleased to announce that as of today: Monday, October 26, 2009, we are launching a brand new redesign of the Puget Systems website!

We’ve been hard at work over the past few months: designing, coding, testing, fixing. Although we’ve received lots of positive feedback on various functionality of the old site (configuration utility, order status updates, etc), we’ve also been less than pleased with the dated design and limited, navigational ability of the old design. What we’re unveiling today is the first step a vast improvement on top of what was already a great base.

This is only the beginning…

If you find any bugs, please let us know. Just as well, this new design is only the foundation. Over the next few months, you’ll see many more navigational changes, UI improvements, and minor tweaks here and there, which will further make the site easier to navigate, friendlier to use, and more powerfully able to serve you. If you have any suggestions or would like to report on how the new design is working, please email us at: webmaster@pugetsystems.com or try�posting in our forums.

Written by Perry for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 3 comments

Dedicated PhysX Comparisons

Ruben Romero — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:14:02 -0700

A few years back, Ageia Technologies launched a product designed to help handle the increasingly complex physics calculations which were becoming popular in modern games. They named this product "PhysX", and it was the worlds first dedicated physics card. Enthusiasts were excited, and many thought that this technology was set to be the next piece of essential hardware for enthusiast systems. We decided to independently test the Nvidia PhysX platform, and share our results.

Press Release: Windows 7 PCs Begin Shipping Oct 13th

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:58:35 -0700

Puget Systems Announces Availability of Windows 7 In Advance of Official Microsoft Launch

Custom Systems Builder to Deliver Early on Pent Up Demand for Win 7; Orders Placed Today to Ship 10 Days Ahead of General Availability

SEATTLE, WA (September 25, 2009) � Puget Systems (www.pugetsystems.com), a boutique integrator of custom PC systems for enthusiasts, gamers, consumers and SMB markets, today announced it has received early availability of the highly-anticipated Microsoft Windows 7 release, currently scheduled for availability at retail on October 22, 2009. As a result of this arrangement, customers placing orders with Puget Systems today will receive a fully configured and tested Win 7 system beginning as early as October 13, 2009.

�Our position with Microsoft and our ability to provide early availability of Windows 7 represents yet another example of the value of partnering with a custom systems builder like Puget Systems,� said Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems. �The reviews and the accolades for Windows 7 are in, and customers have been waiting anxiously for its release. Today, we�re in the enviable position of not only offering them unparalleled service and attentiveness, but also the ability to be the first on their block with a full blown Win 7 custom PC; this is an exciting moment for our customers!�

Windows 7 Upgrade Early Availability: The Details

Customers who place orders for a full personal computer system, and who select Microsoft Windows 7 as their OS of choice, will be immediately placed in queue for shipment which will begin in earnest on October 13, 2009. Orders will be placed in queue on first-come basis and Puget Systems standard shipping policies apply.

Full Win 7 availability details are available here: http://www.pugetsystems.com/go/windows7.php

About Puget Systems

Puget Systems is a specialized integrator of custom personal computing systems meticulously designed to exceed the discriminating requirements of consumers, enthusiasts, gamers and businesses in multiple industries. Puget Systems combines industry-unique custom innovations, the highest quality leading-edge components with an unparalleled commitment to personal service and support. Founded in 2000, Puget Systems is now headquartered in its new facility in Auburn, Washington. For more information, please visit www.pugetsystems.com.

New Product: Intel Core i5

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:35:13 -0700

Intel Core i5
Get a major boost in PC power with the intelligent performance of the Intel� Core� i5 processor, which automatically allocates processing power where it�s needed most. You�ll move faster when creating HD video, composing digital music, editing photos and playing the coolest PC games. With the new Intel Core i5 processor, you can multitask with ease and be more productive than ever.

Puget Systems is now carrying the Intel i5-750. Configure a new system today with the Asus P7P55D Deluxe motherboard by going here.

In addition, we are now carrying the latest Intel Core i7 processors:
Intel Core i7-860 (2.8GHz)
Intel Core i7-870 (2.93GHz)

If you need more info on any of these new technologies or are interested in an upgrade, please contact a Puget customer service representative today.

Puget Systems at PAX09

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:12:21 -0700

We had a great time at PAX this year! We were able to show off our aquarium computer and featured a highly customized version of our Genesis II workstation running 3DVision on a huge 65" DLP display at the NVIDIA booth. We gave away three NVIDIA 3DVision kits in our Twitter contest and look forward to being back next year!

The line before PAX opened was huge as usual.

We were busy inside setting up our booth and filling our aquarium computer with mineral oil!

The huge display of NVIDIA 3DVision did a great job drawing a crowd.

As our Twitter contest approached the time for us to announce a winner, the number of people typing on their phones greatly increased!

Congratulations to our three winners of an NVIDIA 3DVision kit and Samsung monitor.

Announcing our last contest winner on Sunday.

Minor Hiccup on New Intel SSDs

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:23:44 -0700

It seems like everyone has been excited about the recent release of Intel’s second-generation solid state drives (SSDs) this week. I am the proud owner of one of the first-gen models, and the idea that more affordable models will help more people to adopt this technology is just cause for celebration.

It came as quite a shock to me, then, when we were told to hold delivery of the drives to end-users this morning – just before our first shipment came in to the Puget warehouse. There was a lot of confusion, but it was clear that something was wrong with these first units – enough so that Newegg and other online vendors had also pulled them entirely from their sites. We too stopped listing them, and began contacting our customers who were expecting us to ship them out this afternoon. We couldn’t say much, though, since the details were still sketchy, and nothing was posted publicly online.

After several hours of waiting on Intel’s tech folks I am now pleased to be able to relay to our customers the status of the Intel drives. There is a defect in the units which causes data corruption if – and only if – a password is set on the drive in the system BIOS… and then changed or disabled later. Initially we were told this might require a complete reworking of the drives, and that those we had gotten in were effectively unusable, but Intel was able to work out a firmware fix for the problem. That won’t be available immediately, but should be showing up in about two weeks.

In light of this set of circumstances, we are contacting all of our customers who already purchased to let them decide if they want the drives now, with full understanding of the situation, or if they want to wait till we get units with the updated firmware from Intel. Since few people seem to put BIOS passwords on their hard drives the overwhelming response so far has been to ship them out, but we want to make sure that we work with each of our customers to get them the results that are best suited to their needs.

One other interesting tidbit is that Intel is not going to be shipping more of these until they have the firmware fix, so there will likely be a shortage of the drives for the next couple weeks (especially depending on how other vendors handle their existing orders). We will continue to sell the stock that we have, though – and any others we can get through suppliers – so that we can meet customer demand and get these high-performance SSDs to the masses!

Written by William for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 45 comments

Product Line Updates: Intel Price Drops

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:08:07 -0700

We've been having some great summer weather, here in Seattle, the past few weeks. In celebration of sunny days instead of rainy ones, we'd like to announce some new price drops on the following Intel products.

Intel X25-M Solid State Drives (2nd Gen):

80 GB X25-M 34nm SSD - dropped 32%

160 GB X25-M 34nm SSD - dropped 32%

Note, these drives are actually the 2nd Generation versions, so they feature the new 34nm technology with faster random write speeds and lower latency!

Intel Core 2 Quads:

Q9400 - dropped 15%

Q8400S - dropped 7%

Q9400S - dropped 11%

Puget Systems on Facebook

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:35:29 -0700

Puget Systems has been slowly joining the ranks of the Social Media circles. As of now, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In.

Read the rest of this entry �

Written by Perry for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 2 comments

Case Comparison: Antec P182 vs. P183

Matt Bach — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:05:10 -0700

There has been a lot of talk about whether or not the new Antec P183 is truly an improvement over the old Antec P182. The P182 has long been one of our favorite cases at Puget Systems, so there is some resistance to the P183 taking over the role as the flagship case in our lineup. The question is: is the P183 truly superior to the P182, or is the latest revision of the P180 series a step in the wrong direction?

Free Upgrade to Windows 7

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:10:30 -0700

At Puget Systems, we've been running our Windows 7 Upgrade Program since early March, which expired a few weeks ago. Today Microsoft has announced their own upgrade program, which we are happy to be extending to all new computer sales starting today. Buy a computer with Windows Vista now, and upgrade to Windows 7 for free when it launches in October!

In addition, we'd like to remind you that you can take advantage of our lifetime labor warranty on all computers, by sending in your computer to us for upgrade. We'd be happy to handle installation for you, and put your computer through a fresh round of testing and benchmarking while we're at it! Check out our details page for more information.

Press Release: Echo Launched, based on NVIDIA ION

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:56:09 -0700

Puget Systems Is First Systems Builder to Offer Custom Desktops Based on NVIDIA�s Award-Winning ION Graphics Processors

Puget Systems First to Deliver Small Form Factor, Ultra Quiet, Affordable ION-Based Custom Systems; New �Echo I� Makes PC-Based Home Theater Systems Viable, Accessible

SEATTLE, WA (June 3, 2009) � Puget Systems (www.pugetsystems.com), a boutique integrator of custom PC systems for enthusiasts, gamers, consumers and SMB markets, today announced it is the first custom systems builder with immediate availability of high performance, ultra quiet custom desktop systems based on NVIDIA�s newest, award-winning ION graphics processor. With this announcement, Puget Systems is launching its newest addition to its family of custom systems, the Puget Echo, which is available immediately in two configuration options: the Echo I ION-based system, ideal for home theater applications, and the Echo II, a high-performance, ultra-quiet desktop system ideal for consumers, small offices or corporate departmental applications.

Puget Systems is leveraging the NVIDIA ION graphics processor in the Echo I systems to deliver performance increases of up to 10x with advanced digital display connectivity, full 1080p HD video with true fidelity 7.1 audio in a smaller form factor. These specifications make Puget�s new Echo I ION-based system a viable, accessible and affordable solution for PC-based home theaters.

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The Puget Echo configurations include:

Puget Echo I
NVIDIA ION platform
Intel Atom 330 1.6GHz dual-core CPU
Up to 8GB DDR2-800 memory
Intel X25 SSD or up to 500GB traditional hard drive
Optional DVDRW or Blu-Ray player
Integrated 802.11n WiFi

Starting price: $562

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Puget Echo II
NVIDIA 9300 platform
Intel Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad 65W CPUs
Up to 8GB DDR2-800 memory
Intel X25 SSD or up to 2TB traditional hard drive
Video card options up to NVIDIA GTS250
Optional DVDRW or Blu-Ray player
Integrated 802.11g WiFi

Starting price: $618

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�The Puget Echo exemplifies our ability to tap close working relationships with the industry�s hottest technology providers to make sure we�re in lock step when a major, industry-changing innovation hits the streets,� said Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems. �The NVIDIA ION graphics processor delivers tremendous advantages for our customers, including the ability to create a PC-based home theater system built on state-of-the art technology. We�re proud of to be the first custom builder to deliver an ultra quiet, small form factor ION-based system out of the gate.�

Pricing and Availability
The Puget Systems Echo NVIDIA ION-based systems are available immediately with prices starting at $560.00. For more information, or to custom tailor a Echo system, please visit (http://www.pugetsystems.com/echo). Customers ordering online using the Puget Systems Echo configurator will have their new systems shipped within 5-7 business days.

About Puget Systems
Puget Systems is a specialized integrator of custom personal computing systems meticulously designed to exceed the discriminating requirements of consumers, enthusiasts, gamers and businesses in multiple industries. Puget Systems combines industry-unique custom innovations, the highest quality leading-edge components with an unparalleled commitment to personal service and support. Founded in 2000, Puget Systems is now headquartered in its new facility in Auburn, Washington. For more information, please visit www.pugetsystems.com.

Product Line Updates: New Core i7 CPUs

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:25:36 -0700

Puget Systems is now carrying Intel's newest high-performance processors, the Core i7 Extreme 975 and the Core i7 950. They will replace the Core i7 Extreme 965 and the Core i7 940 respectively.

Core i7 Extreme 975
Conquer the world of extreme gaming with the Intel� Core� 7 processor Extreme Edition. With faster, intelligent multi-core technology that accelerates performance to match your workload, it delivers an incredible breakthrough in gaming performance.

3.33 GHz core frequency

Intel Turbo Boost

Intel Hyper-Threading

8 MB Intel Smart Cache

3 Channels DDR3 @ 1066MHz

6.4 GT/sec QPI speed

Core i7 950
With intelligent technology that automatically directs processing power where it's needed most, Intel� Core� i7 processors deliver unbelievably fast PC performance.

3.06 GHz core frequency

Intel Turbo Boost

Intel Hyper-Threading

8 MB Intel Smart Cache

3 Channels DDR3 @ 1066MHz

4.8 GT/sec QPI speed

Please see your Puget service representative if you have questions regarding either of these new CPUs.

Product Line Update: Asus LCD Monitors

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:51:10 -0700

Wanted to update everyone on some new product we just added recently.

For the longest time, we've only offered CTL monitors alongside the occasional Samsung or two. Unlike a lot of our other product line decisions, this wasn't due to some sort of superiority that CTL has over other brands. It simply has been a matter of convenience for us as one of CTL's main warehouses is located down the street from us and their product is pretty solid.

However, we did begin looking into better quality monitors as a lot of you have voiced interest in having a higher-quality option, straight from us, when purchasing a new computer. Well, we did some research and are very pleased to present the following Asus branded LCD monitors:

Asus VW192T+ 19" Widescreen LCD
[part info]

Asus VH226H 22" Widescreen LCD
[part info]

Asus VW246H 24" Widescreen LCD
[part info]

Asus VW266H 25.5" Widescreen LCD
[part info]

All four of these monitors are ideal for high-end usage like: HD movie playback or editing, high-resolution photo editing, bleeding-edge gaming, etc. However, you may simply want a crystal clear picture, regardless of whether you're usage being high-end or average internet and email use. Either way, I think you'll find these new Asus monitors to be as exciting to use as I have.

Product Review: Cooler Master V8 Cooler

Matt Bach — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:46:00 -0700

At Puget Systems, we test hundreds of different computer components a year, and through this testing we constantly shape and improve our product line. In the past, we have kept the testing data internal to our company, but recently we have realized that we're missing out on a large opportunity to help the public (and our customers) by publishing our findings. Why keep something internal if the data is useful to others? That being said, the Cooler Master V8 is the first of hopefully many product reviews by Puget Systems. We were looking for a CPU cooler to add to our line to provide a quieter cooler option for Core i7 CPUs. Does the Cooler Master V8 fit the bill?

Dealing with shipping damage

Tue, 19 May 2009 09:47:35 -0700

You’ve probably seen that old clich�d scene a thousand times – some guy is putting the finishing touches on his house of cards or stack of dominos, and then someone sneezes and ruins the whole thing. We have pretty much that same feeling we get when a brand new computer gets roughed up during shipment. Even though we analyze hardware with specific concern for safe shipping, test each component for proper installation, and use specially designed packing materials, sometimes we still see a damaged computer.

Your typical shipping damage might include an unseated video card, or even a dislodged processor heatsink. However, the package we just recieved back takes the cake!

Read the rest of this entry �

Written by Richard for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 16 comments

Windows 7 Release Candidate – Awesome OS, free for 10 months!

Sat, 09 May 2009 10:21:34 -0700

Earlier this week Microsoft made public the release candidate for their next OS – Windows 7. It is available as a free download from them, which will be good until March of 2010 (with limited usability for a few months after that)… so like many other tech enthusiasts I downloaded it and gave it a spin.

Read the rest of this entry �

Written by William for Puget Systems Blog. | Permalink | 6 comments

Configure your PC with Windows 7 Beta!

Fri, 08 May 2009 14:36:08 -0700

At Puget Systems, we've been closely following the Windows 7 Beta. We're very excited to see this become first OS in history to be faster and more lightweight than its predecessors. With the release of the Windows 7 Beta RC on May 5th, Microsoft is making a trial of this operation system available to everyone for nearly a year! Having installed it on our own workstations and personal computers here at Puget Systems, we have had a great experience and would like to share it with our customers. As of today, we are making the Windows 7 Beta RC available with all our computer configurations at no additional charge.

While we encourage you to check it out, you do need to remember that it will begin to expire on March 1st, 2010, at which time you will need to reinstall your operating system with a purchased copy or another OS. If you are not comfortable installing an operating system, this trial might not be for you. However, all of our customers can take advantage of our lifetime labor warranty by sending the computer in to us, and we will gladly install an OS for you!

For more information about Windows 7 Beta RC, we encourage you to read the in depth review by Anandtech.

Product Line Updates: Antec P183, NVIDIA GTX 275, ATI 4890, Quadro

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:32:42 -0700

We've been making a lot of product line changes over the last few weeks, and I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the bigger changes!

The Antec P182 has been updated to the Antec P183, including our windowed version, and liquid cooling packages (pictures will be updated soon). The price is the same, and all quotes have been updated. The P183 focuses more on airflow, and we've already confirmed significantly lower system temperatures. It includes vented CDROM bay covers, and adds vents to the front door. Front firewire is swapped out for front eSATA. The bottom compartment fan is moved forward to allow for larger power supplies. A few of these things do increase system noise, so be sure to work with our reps to ensure quietest operation possible if that is important to you.

The Asus 4870 1GB has been updated to the XFX 4890 1GB. The 4870 pricing has come down, but the price spread is only about $30, so we're just carrying the 4890. All quotes for the 4870 have been updated for free! We're excited to be partnering with XFX on this board, as they venture into ATI territory.

The XFX GTX 275 896MB card has been added. It is the same price as the GTX 260 core 216 used to be, and the GTX 260 core 216 has come down $40. It's good to see the competition between ATI and NVIDIA resulting in lower prices!

We've implemented a complete refresh of our NVIDIA Quadro cards, including the 580 512MB, 1800 768MB, 3800 1GB, 4800 1.5GB, and 5800 4GB (I wonder what happens if you use this card with a 32-bit OS!). They have more memory, more GPU cores, and better virtualization support, which is pretty interesting! This is good timing, as our recent Genesis workstation launch can make use of them!

Lastly, we've updated our Western Digital 640GB and 1TB drives to the black version. At 7200RPM and with double the cache, they are a great performance boost over the green and blue drives. We're able to source them for only a couple dollars more, so it seems a natural pick!

Look for some big changes later this week or next week to our server memory, and our LCD line!

Press Release: Deluge Mini Launched

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:06:10 -0700

Puget Systems Bolsters Deluge Family of High Performance, Liquid Cooled Gaming Rigs; Adds Deluge 'Mini' to the Lineup

New Deluge-i7 and Deluge-i7 Mini Tout Intel Core i7 Performance; Newest NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision Innovations; and Superior Asetek Cooling Systems, Optimized for Extreme Gaming

SEATTLE, WA - Puget Systems (www.pugetsystems.com), a boutique integrator of custom PC systems for enthusiasts, gamers, consumers and SMB markets, today announced significant performance, graphics processing, and cooling system innovations to its popular Deluge family of high performance, liquid-cooled gaming rigs. Puget Systems also announced today it has added an exciting new portable gaming solution for extreme gamers and enthusiasts, the Deluge-i7 Mini -- a powerful, lightweight and portable gaming system ideal for traveling to gaming events and LAN parties.

The new Deluge-i7 gaming systems tap into the raw performance power of the Intel Core i7 architecture, and extreme graphics processing capabilities of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX and GTS GPUs -- with single and SLI options available. Puget Systems also offers users two liquid cooling options to choose from; the innovative Asetek LCLC liquid cooling system (available on both the Deluge-i7 Mini as well as the full sized Deluge-i7 systems), or Puget's own custom-developed liquid cooling system. As an additional bonus to hard-core PC gamers, Puget Systems is offering 3D stereoscopic gaming capability with an added NIVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision option.

The Deluge-i7 Mini offers gamers all the performance and gaming options available to the full size Deluge-i7 systems, with the exception of Puget's custom-developed liquid cooling system, which is only available on full sized systems.

"This is an exciting announcement for Puget Systems' gaming customers," said Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems. "We've tapped into some very compelling resources uniquely available to us through our close partnerships with companies like Intel, NVIDIA, and Asetek, to deliver huge advancements in our popular Deluge series. While the gaming industry continues to advance with increasingly sophisticated and immersive games, Puget Systems and its partners are staying ahead of the curve with systems like the Deluge-i7 series."

"Intel's high-performance Core i7 processor is a great match for Puget Systems' latest products for the gaming community," said CJ Bruno, GM, Intel Americas, Inc. "Quality, innovation, and a commitment to personal-touch service is what Puget is all about, and we are proud that our Core i7 architecture is playing a key role in the gaming experience for Puget's customers."

"Puget Systems is committed to delivering new levels of PC gaming experiences to its customers, which is exactly our mantra at NVIDIA," said Ujesh Desai, general manager of GPU business at NVIDIA. "The Deluge-i7 series with the NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision option promises to deliver gamers a truly immersive 3D experience that will literally make the games pop off the screen."

"There is no question that extreme gaming today is hotter than ever, and what better way to keep one of the most advanced gaming rigs on the enthusiast market running cool at optimum performance than with Asetek liquid cooling systems," said Gary Baum, senior vice president of marketing, Asetek Inc. "We are excited to work closely with Puget Systems to ensure they have a reliable and comprehensive thermal solution that enables extreme performance while providing whisper quiet operation."

Puget Systems New Deluge-i7 and Deluge-i7 Mini: Options Under the Hood

Every Deluge-i7 Series and Deluge-i7 Mini system is custom tailored to each individual customer requirements, and ship with the following options and standard components:

Quote:

Motherboard:
Intel X58 Chipset

CPU:
Intel Core i7 920 Quad Core (overclocked to at least 3.5 GHz)
Intel Core i7 940 Quad Core
Intel Core i7 965 Quad Core

CPU Cooling:
Asetek LCLC or Puget Liquid Cooling (full size system only)

Video Cards:
NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 1GB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 896MB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 1GB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 1792MB
* all in single and SLI options

Hard Drives:
Intel X-25M SSD in 80GB and 160GB
WD Caviar QUIET 320GB, 640GB, 1TB, 1.5TB and 2.0TB
WD Velociraptor 150GB and 300GB

Power Supplies:
High quality, high efficiency Corsiar power supplies (650W for non-SLI, 1000W for SLI)

OS:
64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate (eligible for upgrade to Windows 7, per the Puget Systems Free Upgrade Program at http://www.pugetsystems.com/go/windows7_upgrade.php)

DVDRW:
Pioneer DVDRW and Blu-Ray options

Display:
NVIDIA 3DVision (optional)

Pricing and Availability

The Deluge-i7 and Deluge-i7 Mini gaming systems are available immediately with prices starting at $1830 and $1740, respectively. For more information, or to custom tailor a Deluge-i7 or Deluge-i7 Mini system, please visit (http://www.pugetsystems.com/deluge.php). Customers ordering online using Puget Systems' Deluge-i7 configurator will have their new systems shipped within 5-7 business days.

About Puget Systems

Puget Systems is a specialized integrator of custom personal computing systems meticulously designed to exceed the discriminating requirements of consumers, enthusiasts, gamers and businesses in multiple industries. Puget Systems combines industry-unique custom innovations, the highest quality leading-edge components with an unparalleled commitment to personal service and support. Founded in 2000, Puget Systems is now headquartered in its new facility in Auburn, Washington. For more information, please visit www.pugetsystems.com.

Gaming Computer Advice

William George — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:33:54 -0700

As a custom computer builder, we get a lot of people asking for help designing high-end computers. Many times they are for media editing, stock trading, or research - but one of the most common uses of such powerful systems is video games. Given how much interest there is in gaming computers, I wanted to provide a guide for how to select what components to use in a modern gaming computer. There are lots of review sites that talk about specific hardware recommendations, but those are outdated quickly - so this article will attempt to focus more on the ideas behind the various parts of a custom gaming computer and what you need to take into consideration when building or purchasing one.

Cooling Solutions for Intel Core i7

Dan Olson — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:08:55 -0800

The latest powerhouse CPU offering from Intel is here. The Intel Core i7 -- a quad-core processor available in three different speed configurations that is really taking the computing world by storm. Several new features have been added to this processor, such as on-chip DDR3 memory controller, smart cache, and HD boost. Of course, with all the extra features and power comes the issue of how to keep it cool. The Core i7 may be powerful, but it is also very hot running. From the stock heat sinks and fans, to liquid cooled solutions, the cooling possibilities are many. Unfortunately we can't test them all, so in this article we'll take a look at 4 popular cooling solutions and how they fared.

PC Sound and Speakers: A Subjective Look

Melissa Hermanson — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:08:55 -0800

When purchasing a new computer, audio is often a peripheral concern or overlooked entirely. Though most audio products are reviewed in great detail by the audiophile community (audiophiles: people who love and make a hobby of audio technology), those outside of it often can�t answer some basic questions � how much difference does a sound card make? Can an average listener tell the difference between an expensive sound card and a basic one? Which should you put your money into, sound cards or speakers? With these questions in mind, we set out to get answers.

The 64-bit Question

William George — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:00:00 -0700

One of the things we get asked about a lot here at Puget is 64-bit Windows, and more specifically these days 64-bit Vista. The 32-bit version is still generally considered the norm, but because picking an operating system is an important aspect of configuring a computer, and because of the general confusion about the differences between these versions, it was apparent that an article on the subject might be helpful to both our existing and prospective customers.

A Look at CoolIT CPU Cooling Performance

Matt Bach — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:28:45 -0700

Peltier cooling has been around for over a hundred years, but have only recently been available to the masses for use in computers. CoolIT is one of the few CPU cooler manufacturer to sell CPU cooling solutions featuring peltier technology. With all the theoretical benefits of using peltiers, we wanted to test CoolIT coolers against our two most popular CPU coolers. We ordered in three of CoolIT's closed-loop liquid coolers; Pure (does not feature peltiers), Eliminator (three peltiers), and Freezone (six peltiers) to determine if peltier cooling is useful in todays computers.

Top 10 things you should be doing to maintain your computer

Melissa Hermanson — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:32:36 -0700

Everyone loves computers when they work. Everyone screams at them when they don�t. Here�s ten ways to keep your computer running smoothly into its old age. While I can�t promise that these tips will keep your computer from ever having problems, it will at least help prevent them, and make recovery easier when they do occur.

Why Vista Isn�t as Bad as You�ve Heard

William George — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:10:48 -0700

There has been a lot of talk on the Internet for the past year about how Vista isn�t all its cracked up to be. There are lists of why folks hate Vista, lists of things Microsoft supposedly stole from the Mac OS, and reports of people switching back to XP in disgust. Amidst all of this negativity, I wanted to share my experience with Vista and address some of the accusations folks have leveled at Microsoft�s newest operating system.

Improving Windows XP Performance

Melissa Hermanson (research by Aaron Hoyle) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:51:22 -0800

Windows XP has the potential to exhibit far greater performance on your machine than is delivered from a clean installation. This guide is intended to show you how to tweak your computer produce the fastest machine possible.

The Dummy's Guide to Power Supplies

Daniel Hermanson — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:12:30 -0700

Though it may not seem important, your computer's power supply is a primary building block of your system. Ensuring that each component of your computer obtains adequate amounts of power should be of utmost importance. This article is designed to give you a better understanding of how power supplies work and how many watts you need for different types of computer set-ups.

The KillerNIC - Is It Worth It?

Jon Grover — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 16:58:09 -0700

In the ongoing efforts to squeeze every possible performance improvement out of their computing rig, most folks focus almost exclusively on the two heavy hitters in their system when it comes to generating frames per second (FPS): CPU and video card. Is it possible that both consumers and hardware manufacturers have been overlooking an untapped area for improvement?

DirectX 10, What is all the Fuss?

Ed Borden and Jon Bach — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:15:47 -0800

DirectX is something the average gamer doesn't give much thought. Often they don't even see the word until one of their games complains it is out of date. Even then, the necessary version is usually included, so all they have to do is do a quick, painless install and they're on their way. DirectX 10 is a bigger deal. It is a more exciting update, and is more of a concern if you're buying a new system. That means it is time to do some reading! The purpose of this article is to give you an overview of what to expect from DirectX 10, and what you need to run it.

Why RAID is (usually) a Terrible Idea

Jon Bach — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 18:12:03 -0800

As president of Puget Custom Computers, I get a unique perspective on computer products and technology. Our company specializes in selling high performance custom computers, and that naturally brings up the question of RAID often. There is an overwhelming opinion out there that if you have the money and want a blazing fast and stable computer, that you should put your hard drives in RAID. We have known for years that this perception is just flat out wrong, but the problem is that the idea is so widely accepted that it is nearly impossible to convince our customers otherwise. In fact, if we try too hard to talk them out of it, we end up losing the sale! So, should we be selling configurations that we know are flawed, for the sake of making the sale? To be honest, if it comes down to it we will, but not without a fight! This article is just the latest effort in educating the public about RAID.

Windows Vista Upgrade: Just the Facts

Jon Bach — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 21:07:14 -0800

When it comes to upgrade options for Vista, there are plenty of ads out there (such as the one above), but what is sorely lacking is a place you can go to just get the facts. In my search, it seems there are plenty of websites that speculate about the upgrade options, and even more websites that are complaining about one Vista feature or another. However, what isn't being addressed is that people just need to know, in simple terms, what upgrade options there are. As a system builder, this is information we really need to know, so after weeks of squeezing information out of every contact possible, I would like to help by providing this information to everyone in as clear a format as possible.

Windows Media Center Edition 2005

William George — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 20:25:06 -0700

For most of us, our computers and our TVs exist in separate worlds � separated by walls between rooms as well as form, function, and ease of use. But what if your computer could do the same things your TV, maybe even your whole home entertainment system, does? What if you could have TV on your computer or what if you could have computer on your TV? Well, the answer to those questions and more is here: Windows Media Center Edition 2005.

Case Review: Lian-Li PC-S80

Daniel Hermanson — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 16:54:08 -0700

In this review, we take a closer look at the Lian-Li PC-S80 and give you our impressions. It is an expensive case, but is it worth the cost?

A Guide to Computer Hardware

Richard A. Millard — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:00:00 -0700

Today, computers are found in over 80% of American households. Nearly every mall and major electronics store makes computer shopping as accessible as buying a new toaster. However, a computer is significantly more complicated than your average toaster! I speak with a dozen people each day who are trying to make sense of Gigahertz, Wattages, Decibels, and everything in between. Welcome to Computer Hardware 101, a basic overview of what-is-what in computers. Hopefully this article will leave you with a basic understanding of the nuts and bolts of your typical computer hardware, and equip you to make informed decisions about what you need in your next computer.

RAID Explained

William George — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 16:45:26 -0700

The acronym 'RAID' stands for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks. There are several variations designed to meet different needs. Some are for making larger, faster storage solutions. Others trade off size for increased reliability. Yet others try and accomplish both. This article gives a rundown of the basic types of RAID available today.

Dual Processor vs Dual Core

William George — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 01:23:05 -0800

It has always been a frequent question -- "Will I benefit from multiple processors?" With the growing popularity of dual core processors, the topic is more important than ever! Will multiple processors or a dual core processor be beneficial to you, and what are the differences between them? These are the questions this article will attempt to lay to rest.

Thermal Paste Comparison

Jon Bach — Tue, 31 May 2005 19:18:04 -0700

When it comes to building high end computers, there is no room for cutting corners, and even a component like thermal paste can make a significant difference. When we set out to investigate all the different thermal pastes out there, we were surprised to not find a comprehensive comparison of modern products...so we decided to run our own tests! In this article, we will compare the performance of the top rated thermal pastes, so that you can make informed decisions about what will go into your next computer system!

The Sound of Silence: Building a Quiet PC

Daniel Hermanson — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 21:22:18 -0800

It's easy enough to make a fast computer...what's not easy is making a PC like that quiet! It can be especially difficult since the components tend to run hot. The key is finding the right balance between performance, optimal cooling, and quiet. This article will show how you can have a system that roars with power but not noise.

LCD Behemoths - Tremendous LCD Technology For The Home!

Daniel Brown — Tue, 08 Feb 2005 16:07:57 -0800

In this article, we will take a look at how LCD technology has advanced recently. We'll also compare some of the latest large LCD monitors designed for movie-watching, gaming, and high-resolution graphics.

SCSI vs SATA, Which is Faster?

Jon Bach — Wed, 02 Feb 2005 14:22:14 -0800

When configuring a server or high end custom computer, we are often asked about the performance benefits of SCSI over ATA. Since SCSI is much more expensive, the common perception is that it must be significantly faster. The short answer we give to that issue is that with the release of 10,000 RPM SATA drives, SCSI simply does not hold the edge it used to, and we do not feel it is worth the sizable increase in cost. Of course, that statement is very general. Surely there are still applications that greatly benefit from SCSI, and it is the goal of this article to take a deeper look at the performance differences in SCSI vs SATA, and to tell you how those differences translate to performance in real world applications.

PC Power Supplies - Will It Give Me More FPS!?

Dan Brown — Tue, 07 Dec 2004 00:46:53 -0800

The lowly power supply - In today's world, the power supply is often assumed to be a commodity item. Maybe the problem is that we, as PC enthusiasts, do not grasp the full import of a power supply. A power supply is like the heart of your PC - it pumps the juice to the various parts of the system. As computer desktop operating systems and general productivity software become more stable and reliable, the power supply can present the weakest link in a computer system. A faulty power supply can cause intermittent lockups and rebooting. In this article, we'll look at how to pick a good power supply!

SLI Technology for PCI-Express

Harry Plumer — Mon, 15 Nov 2004 00:07:59 -0800

nVidia says that it gives the consumer "heart-pounding PC performance." It will deliver "unparalleled gaming experience." So what is it? And where can I find it? And what do I need to run it? These are the questions you may be asking yourself, as I was, when I first read about nVidia's new SLI technology for PCI-Express. Well, I am here to answer those questions for you. To tell you what exactly this newfangled technology does to deliver this "unparalleled gaming experience."

Rebates: a Force for Absolute Evil

Rick Wolfe — Sat, 10 Jul 2004 20:54:21 -0700

Why are rebates becoming such a popular way to sell products, and what risks are there for the consumer? In this article, we'll take a look at what rebates are really all about, and how you can protect yourself.

The Pitfalls of Building Your Own Computer!

Jon Bach — Fri, 21 May 2004 19:21:40 -0700

One question I have been asked many times is the question "Why should I buy from a custom computer company as opposed to building a computer myself?" It's a fair question. I'm sure this article can be viewed as nothing more than a glorified advertisement for computer companies, but is my true goal to objectively lay out the pros and cons of building your own computer system.