Build Advice Will this build compute?

Not exactly new to this but I am definately out of date on the technology.

Budget: $1,500.00-$1,600.00 US

Main uses of intended build: Moderate gaming, 2D graphics, video/photo editing, DJ mixing, internet.

Parts required: Case, MB, CPU, GPUs, Memory, HD, OS, CPU water cooling, PSU, DVD/R

Previous build information (list details of parts): I will be using two old PCI sound cards for the DJ mixing plus a couple 2.5” SATA HD for extra storage, old KB & mouse.

Monitor resolution: 1080p. I will be hooking this up to an LG 47SL90 47” Class 1080p 120Hz Edge-lit LED LCD TV for now. I like being a couch potato. The TV is 8’ away from where I will sit.

Storage requirements: 1TB 3.5” SATA

Will you be overclocking: yes. This is something I want to learn about.

Any motherboard requirements: XFire(another thing I want to learn more about), A few PCI and PCIe slots. Enough slots for upcoming technology.

Extra information about desired system: It has been about 8 years since I built anything and a lot has changed that I want to learn. I am not a hardcore gamer but am building this to play a video game. The same reason I built my last computer, just to play a single game. This time it is Diablo3. I definitely want to learn about XFire & Water Cooling. Back when I first started tinkering inside of computers it was all ISA, DOS and Win 3.1. I have been reading tons since I found this forum. I had wanted a BigWater system but have since dropped that idea after searching here and finding that it doesn’t perform well or for long. It was cool looking. I definitely want a full tower with lots of room inside. I don’t have to have the latest, greatest or most expensive of anything other than the expensive case I am pretty much stuck on. If I could find a less expensive full tower that is not just a big square box I could put the money saved into something else such as better GPUs which I know very little about right now. I would definitely like to think down the road with the water cooling as I would like to eventually water cool the GPUs and whatever else needed it. I am adept in plumbing everything from nightclubs to reef aquariums and am familiar with water pumps. I like the idea of UV water cooling. My main profession was commercial sound and special effect lighting system design, installation and programming so parts of that can cross over into this in regards to sound, lights and motor control. The way that I did my club wiring could be considered as being overly done since I like to use thousands of wire ties and every wire in its’ place and never move.

Parts I am looking at getting...

Case: Thermaltake Level 10 GT. I know that most people hate this case but I like it. It is more than just a square box. Plastic I can handle as long as it hasn’t been chromed or painted. Things get scratched around me and 700lbs of dogs. I could easily be persuaded to change cases if it is interesting looking and less expensive. I definitely like the multiple easy swap drive feature and want that in any case that I get. I don’t really like a door on the front of a the case.

CPU: Intel Core i5-2550K, 3.40GHz (3.80GHz Max Turbo), Socket H2 (LGA1155)

MB: ASUS P8H77-V LE XFire ready. It says that it can handle quad hybrid GPUs for the XFire. I was thinking of the one GPU that is on board plus the two PCIe GPU’s all used as one? Dunno. Maybe the one onboard with one better GPU than the two I picked?

DDR3: Corsair Vengeance- 16GB (2x 8GB), PC3-12800, DDR3-1600MHz. I want to use the 2x 8GB justincase I want to add another pair of them down the road to take it to the max of 32 without having to replace the first ones.

GPUx2: P450-6772 ::XFX Radeon HD 6770 - 1024MB, GDDR5, PCI-Express 2.1 (x16), 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort. I don’t know didley about GPU’s of XFire, yet. These are about $120.00 each.

HD: 1TB 3.5” SATA. I will probably also throw in a couple old 2.5” 200GB SATA that I have laying around for extra storage. Not interested in the SSD yet until the prices start dropping and the capacities go up. I read that they can degrade fast when written to constantly.

DVD/R drive: L12-1312 OEM ::Lite-On IHAS124-04 Internal DVD Writer - DVD+R 24X, DVD-R 24X, DVD+RW 8X, DVD-RW 6X, DVD+R DL 8X, SATA. Something cheap that works.

Water cooling: Corsair CWCH80 Hydro H80. I wouldn’t mind going custom here as long as I can keep the price reasonable.

PSU: Thermaltake TR2 RX 850-Watt Modular Power Supply - 850W, 140mm Fan, ATX, Modular, 80 Plus Bronze. I liked this one since it uses modular plugs and I wouldn’t have to deal with extra wires that aren’t being used. I think it is also big enough to leave me room for expansion.

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64BIT


Any pointers for signs of trouble in what I have chosen or suggestions for tweaking it would be greatly appreciated. Different is good, interesting looking is good. Blue LEDs are good. That 10GTcase does RGB but I would leave it on blue. Links to water cooling parts, cool cases, great prices in the US, etc. would be perfect!

Right now I am at $1,550.00 US for everything above including tax and shipping from Tiger Direct.

Thanks,
Frank

 

One thing I failed to mention when it comes to intended uses of this machine is that I am always multi-tasking heavily.

After reading the MB manual I have decided to go with a better single GPU with double the memory that uses PCIe3.0 instead of the two that were PCIe2.1. I can always add an additional GPU down the road. I will still be able to experiment with XFire using the onboard GPU. I am still trying to keep the price from getting out of hand.

I am now looking at getting one ASUS HD7850-DC2-2GD5 Radeon HD 7850 DirectCU II Video Card - 2048MB, GDDR5, PCI-Express 3.0 (x16), 1x Dual-Link DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x Mini DisplayPort, DirectX 11, Dual-Slot, CrossFireX, Eyefinity 6

Maximum Digital Resolution: 2560 x 1600 (DVI), 4096 x 2160 (HDMI)
Maximum Analog Resolution: 2048 x 1536
Max. Monitors Supported: 6

I have always had good luck using ASUS MBs so I am going to give this card a shot. The MB manual lists very little about the hybrid XFire but being that it is an ASUS MB, my fingers are crossed.

After more reading of manuals and manufacturer websites I discovered that I had the wrong speed of memory picked out. The MB could support the speed but the CPU could not. Now I am looking at two of the following:

Corsair CMZ8GX3M2A1866C9 Vengeance 8GB PC15000 DDR3 RAM - 1866MHz, 2x4096MB, Non-ECC, Unbuffered

The CPU will see the memory as 1800MHz.. Can someone chime in and let me know if I am right or wrong on the memory?

I have also changed my mind several times on the PSU. Now I am wanting this one that is fully modular. Even the 24 pin cable is modular and it has lots of outputs.

Ultra X4 850-Watt Modular Power Supply - 135mm Fan, ATX, Lifetime Warranty w/ Registration, 80+ Silver, NVIDIA SLI & ATI Crossfire Certifications, Vibration Dampener Included

I have also added on a couple things: Wireless KB & Mouse and a multi-function card reader that does a few things.

Iogear GKM551R Long Range Wireless Media Center Desktop Combo - Hot Keys, USB, 800 DPI Laser Mouse

Ultra MD2 5.25" 4 Port USB 2.0, 22-in-1 media card reader, Firewire and Audio outputs.

I am torn about the water cooler. The case is made so the top 200mm lighted fan can be removed so either a 120mm or 240mm radiator will fit there but I don’t want to lose that lighted fan. I saw online how some people replaced the two 120mm black fans of the H100 with two lighted fans and even added two more lighted fans for push/pull. There is an unused 120mm fan opening in the bottom of the case in front of the PSU but I don’t think the hoses on the H80 will reach. I have found pics online showing how people removed the rear 140mm exhaust fan for mounting the 120mm radiator of the H80. That would work but I don’t care for how much it protrudes inside the case. I wrote to Corsair to see what they think about mounting the H80 radiator on the bottom of the Level 10 GT case.

Even with all of the changes and additions I am at $1,689.70 US. I still want to add about six lighted SATA cables and an Alphacool Dual 5.25” Drive Bay LCD Display with Software. I saw that they are hard to come by anymore and they haven’t done anything with the software for 5 years. I know it is risky and there is probably a reason why they don’t make them anymore. I am still researching them.

 

Oh wow, that's a shed load of info lol

Ok let's start at the beginning

CPU: Any particular reason you've gone for the 2550K over the Ivy Bridge equivalent (3570K) or even the cheaper 2500K? You've said you want to overclock so I'd get the 2500K if going Sandy Bridge or the 3570K if going Ivy Bridge. Now should you go Ivy Bridge you may or may not be aware of the thermal issues. Ivy Bridge CPUs get very warm when you start getting above 4GHz due to a few reasons. They're only 10% faster clock for clock than Snady Bridge so if the heat is a major down point for you, go 2500K.

Board: Can't overclock on it, major negative since you want to overclock lol Other thing to point out is that it's a low end board and isn't really CrossFire (XFire) ready. The second PCI-E slot has only 4x bandwidth as opposed to the normal 16x which cripples high end cards. Oh and the quad GPU thing is more marketing than anything else. You'd need to put in two dual GPU cards like the 6990 and if you have that sort of money, you certainly won't be buying a low end board haha. I'd go for something like the Gigabyte Z77 UD3H. Does SLI and CrossFire and is a much better board all round.

GPUs: Any reason you want to get two mid range last generation cards instead of one new generation high end card? You're much better off getting the single fastest GPU you can afford now then add a second one in at a later date if it begins to struggle. Having two mid range cards in from the start means a much more expensive upgrade path and possibly issues due to mutli GPU technology. Get a 7870 or something along those lines.

Memory: You should be able to run the memory at its rated speed. Most UEFIs allow you to, though you may have to up the VCCIO or the VTT to get it stable at those speeds.

PSU: Never heard of them. I'd go for a Corsair AX850 or the Seasonic equivalent. Unless of course your PSU is from a massive brand in America that's awesome lol

Oh and you'll need WIndows 7 Pro 64 bit if you want to go over 16GB RAM, Microsoft limit it. Might as well pay a little bit more now then have to buy an entire new OS a few years down the line.

Other than all of that, nice build

 

"Thermaltake Level 10 GT. I know that most people hate this case but I like it. It is more than just a square box. Plastic I can handle as long as it hasn’t been chromed or painted. Things get scratched around me and 700lbs of dogs. " - You're right. It is far more than just a square box. It is the most ugly piece of plastic I have ever seen. A square box is far more aesthetically pleasing. So you have 700lbs of dogs and you want them to chew on a flimsy plastic case?

There are far better cases out there. Don't get hooked on one feature of a case and base your whole mission around it because I promise you, you will be disappointed.

Get a well made solid case. Plenty of well built metal cases without doors and some with hot swap bays.

 

So far I have changed a few things.

Memory is now CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ16GX3M2A1600C10

I dropped the PSU down to 650w. Same line and features as the bigger one. Saved me 60 bucks.

I changed the MB to P8Z77-V Pro instead of the H series and went up to the Pro that has two PCIe 3 slots. This will be good for adding a second GPU like the one I am getting. I like ASUS MBs. I have always used them and had good luck with them.

I changed the OS to Win 7 Pro from Win 7 Home.

I am shopping around for the best prices between Newegg and Tiger Direct which is helping in keeping me pretty close to my budget.

I am now slightly over budget at $1,651.03. I have never paid this much for a Case, MB, CPU or GPU ever. Usually I buy middle of the line stuff and upgrade a little at a time but since I haven’t built anything in 7 or 8 years, everything I have now is very outdated. My heart is set on the Level 10 GT case. I have looked everywhere for other cases that I liked but most are still up there in price but without as many of the features or the looks of what I want. One thing I don’t want is just another box. I have read many reviews and comments on the case. The majority of the comments are negative. It is not a case for people that dislike plastic or want square lines. I like all of the different shapes on it. Hot swap drives, fans, room inside, internal wiring. I won't even have to open the case to throw in an additional HD.

 

With the case: rather choose a Corsair 550D. First of all it is cheaper. It has tons of cooling options if you are not necessarily looking at having a quiet PC and the H100 will fit without a problem as the case is designed for it.

PSU: The same as noiz said, rather a Corsair AX850 or the cheaper AX650. Thermaltake aren't that great anymore.

Graphics card: I would also rather suggest a newer high end card, such as the Nvidia GTX 670/680, but you seem to rather lean towards AMD so the HD7850 should be ok, but rather go for the HD7870 or the HD7950. MOAR Powa

RAM is fine and the Z77 motherboard is ok as well. Then now comes the question again: Rather Sandy or Ivy bridge? noiz gave a nice explanation for that.

I think I might have gone little bits over the budget.

 

So you've read many reviews and most of the comments are negative but you still want it. You're a retailer's dream customer. Eager to buy something even when most of the rest of the world says it's crap.

 

Actually I have completely changed things up to have a very nice build, case and all.

CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($299.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Scythe SCMG-3000 74.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
MB: ASRock Z77 Extreme6 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($169.99 @ Newegg)
RAM: Samsung 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($23.99 @ Newegg)
RAM: Samsung 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($23.99 @ Newegg)
RAM: Samsung 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($23.99 @ Newegg)
RAM: Samsung 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($23.99 @ Newegg)
SSD : Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.99 @ Amazon)
GPU: ASUS GTX670-DC2T-2GD5 ($437.83 @ Newegg)
Case: Lian-Li PC-A70F USB3.0 ATX Full Tower Case ($189.99 @ Newegg)
PSU: CORSAIR HX850W ATX12V 2.3/EPS12V 2.91 80+ SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC ($157.49 @ Amazon)
DVD : Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($22.98 @ Newegg)
OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (64-bit) ($136.48 @ Amazon)
KB/Mouse: IOGEAR GKM551R Wireless Slim Keyboard w/Laser Mouse ($38.99 @ Amazon)
Other: BYTECC Bracket-35225 2.5 Inch HDD/SSD Mounting Kit For 3.5" Drive ($4.74 @ Newegg)
Other: BYTECC Bracket-35225 2.5 Inch HDD/SSD Mounting Kit For 3.5" Drive ($4.74 @ Newegg)
Other: BYTECC Bracket-35225 2.5 Inch HDD/SSD Mounting Kit For 3.5" Drive ($4.74 @ Newegg)
Other: BYTECC Bracket-35225 2.5 Inch HDD/SSD Mounting Kit For 3.5" Drive ($4.74 @ Newegg)
Other: Rosewill 19.7" Serial ATA III Cable Support 6 Gbps, 3 Gbps, and 1.5 Gbps ($4.31 @ Newegg)
Other: Rosewill 19.7" Serial ATA III Cable Support 6 Gbps, 3 Gbps, and 1.5 Gbps ($4.31 @ Newegg)
Other: Rosewill 19.7" Serial ATA III Cable Support 6 Gbps, 3 Gbps, and 1.5 Gbps ($4.31 @ Newegg)
Other: Rosewill 19.7" Serial ATA III Cable Support 6 Gbps, 3 Gbps, and 1.5 Gbps ($4.31 @ Newegg)
Other: Rosewill 19.7" Serial ATA III Cable Support 6 Gbps, 3 Gbps, and 1.5 Gbps ($4.31 @ Newegg)
Other: nMEDIAPC 3.5" All-in-one USB Card Reader w/USB 3.0 & e-SATA ($16.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1,767.18 (Prices include shipping) I am only $167.18 over budget. Not too bad.

I am also using a few older things in the build. Three 2.5" 200 GB 5400 SATA HDs, one 3.5" 500GB 7200 SATA HD and two PCI sound cards.

Better huh? lol

 

Few comments
On the case, i take it you are aware that it is HUGE and heavy. Also you mention that you have dogs. That case has sides like swiss cheese, so even with the filters fitted you may find you are constantly cleaning dog hairs and dust out of it.
Next as Noizdemon666 said, go for Ivy Bridge if you are getting the newer board. The cost difference is minimal between the 3570k and 2550k. also change the PSU. I have had thermaltake before and they are not the best brand out there tbh.
Finally you mentioned DJ mixing so i would advise getting a sound card

 

The new build list will be showing up above in this thread. Going with an i7 2600K. PSU is now XFX and the case changed to Lian-Li A70F. MB is Asrock Z77 Extreme6. I have matured considerably since I start working on putting my new build together four days ago. GPU has gone way up to an ASUS GTX670-DC2T-2GD5.

I am using two old Pci sound cards. A Yamaha DX and SB Live plus I'll have onboard sound if I want to use all three. One for mains, one for monitors and one for headphones.

 

I am sure ~(someone correct me if wrong) That Sata 3 doesnt require specialist cables and its a Marketing thing when they say sata 3 and charge more?

 

I was told on another forum that the only difference in a SATA3 cable is the locking clip. I am dropping three of them from my list since the MB comes with four of them.

I am also changing out the Corsair PSU for an XFX 750W PRO750W XXX Edition and dropping down to 750W.

 

Looks better
For me i would still spend the extra $20 and get the 3770K chip, just because i was building a new system and may as well have the current gen processor.
Also (depending on your needs) i would get Win7 Home Premium instead of Pro (and probably save enough to get the CPU upgrade i just mentioned)

 

A little googling says that SATA 3 cables, although designed the same, are rated to a higher spec, so although a SATA 2 cable 'can' be used it wont always give SATA 3 speeds...

It's why SATA 3 motherboards come with both. I think the connector>cable connection is higher quality on the SATA 3 cable

 

Cpu: why not ivy bridge (i5 3570k)

Cooler: gelid i30 gets better reviews.

Ram: have you bought 4 separate kits or are they part of a set. If so, a complete set is better for compatibilty. Corsair ram is also what people usually go for (don't know why)

Case: that is a huge case for just an atx board and just 1 gpu, a mid tower would probably be more suited for your build.

E.g. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/nzxt...-with-2x120mm-and-1x140mm-fans-usb-30-w-o-psu

(available in different colours)

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/cors...id-tower-gaming-case-with-side-window-w-o-psu

Personally my favourite case on the market

Keyboard and Mouse: that is quite a cheap keyboard/mouse for quite an expensive build. If your spending this much, you should get a proper keyboard/mouse.

E.g. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/corsair-vengeance-k60-performance-fps-mechanical-gaming-keyboard

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/cors...-gaming-mouse-designed-for-performance-gaming


Oh and one final thing: I wouldn't just ignore reviews, they're usually there for a reason

 

I just went up to Ivy today! I figure that if I am going this far I might as well.

I changed out the memory to Patriot G2 Series Div. 2 Edition 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 PC3 12800. I need to be able to upgrade to 32MB without wasting what I buy now.

I am in my final stages of tweaking. I like huge cases. I had checked out the Phantom. I was also considering a Silverstone Raven RAV2. I decided to stick with all metal since my last case was a gaming case with a plastic front and door. When I get into water cooling and SLI I will have plenty of room to work without having a lot of things crammed in to a small space. I'll check out the cooler, KB & Mouse. I am not a hardcore gamer so going too high end on that would be wasteful. I have gone through quite a few KBs and mice, I sometimes beat them to death. I definately need some that are wireless since the tower will be 8' away from me.

 

I've never heard of a gelid i30 cooler? I reckon that should be Arctic i30

 

Ok, i hadnt noticed this before
If you are looking to go watercooling at a later date, this case is not a good idea as there is no where (really) to mount the radiators

 

In looking all over the place at reviews, video and photos I noticed the lower fan opening for a top mounted PSU that could be used or the top rear fan and HD cage could be removed for a 120mm radiator. I am still up in the air on the case. After seeing videos of things installed in it, the cable management in the case isn't all that great. I like the MB panels that have the wire holes with rubber grommets so the wiring doesn't have to stretch across the top of the MB plate.

 

Sorry, just wanted to butt in here: 700 pounds of dogs? Lucky you! What kind?