Ninjalane Podcast - Volt modding 8800 GTX Hardware Enthusiast Cost of being Competitive

Voltmodding 8800 GTX: Dennis started a new overclocking hardware project that consists of voltmodding a couple of BFG 8800 GTX video cards to unleash the maximum performance attainable from the aging video cards.  The cards were purchased off of ebay and based on PCB discoloration have been well used and likely abused by the previous owner.

A functional test of the cards proved that they can overclock and do have some life left in them but the stock voltage was a limiting factor in getting the cards to a decent and stable overclock.  In this segment Dennis talks about what all needs to be done to the cards to perform the volt mod and later discuss some of the benefits of hardware modding including why you may need a modchip in your game console.

Related Links:
nVidia 8800GTX modding project

Costs of Being Competitive: It is no secret that being a hardware enthusiast can be very expensive and if your goal is to be a competitive overclocker the cost can extend beyond what was spent on the initial hardware purchase.  In this segment Dennis goes on to discuss a variety of costs including the cost of hardware, the longevity of that purchase and the price you pay for entering the market late or damaging your gear.

Sample System Cost (Sandy Bridge System)
CPU:  $350x5 (for binning)
Memory: $600
Motherboard: $250
Video Card: $550x3 (for binning)
Case: $150
Hard drive: $150
Power Supply:  $200
Cooling: $1000 (Cooling options: Watercooling, Waterchiller, Single Stage Phase, Cascade Phase, LN2)
Estimated Total: $5750

Related Links:
Why it is difficult to be a Hardware Enthusiast
Ninjalane Podcast - Aftermarket Heatsinks Sandy Bridge Memory Summer Vacation

Episode 11 featured music:
Little People - Start Shootin' (http://www.littlepeoplemusic.com/)
The Kyoto Connection - Samurai Spirit (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Kyoto_Connection/)