!st time build

oneofsharp · Mar 21, 2013

1st let me say that I have been researching my build for months and I'm at the point where I can't make the last few decisions. I'm a 1st time builder. I also want to state that I have been on this siite almost every week researching something. It is so gratifying to find a group of kind caring techies that find no question dumb or unnecessary., so thanks to you all. I play Skyrim, Assassins Creed, Metro, Mass effect, and many more. Love graphics and want to go extreme. I've got about 60 mods on skyrim and want more. My computer sets at medium, but plays better on low settings. So it's very ooooold. I'm thinking of going this way:

Intel Core I6-3770k 3.5GHz
Corsair H100 liquid cpu cooler
AZRock z77 Extreme ATZ LGA155
G.S kill RipJaws Z series 16 GB DDR3 2133
Seagate Constellation EX 2T.B. 7200 RPM
Corsair Neutron Series GTX 240 GB SSD
EVGA GeForce GTX 660 3GB video card
Asus PCE –N12 802.11/g/n PCI express Wi-Fi adapter
Inwin Dragon Rider ATX full tower case
Coolmax 900W 80 Plus Bronze ATX PSU
LG UH12NS29 Blu-Ray reader DVD/CD Writer

So I'd like to eventually upgrade to 32 GB of ram and it looks like this board only has two ram slots???

I've also found some good review for a Sapphire Radeon vapor X 7970 GHZ Edition 3GB video card.

I'd like to do some OCing so that is why I selected the fastest ram I could.

I play on a large 25" monitor so I like everything big... Any thoughts on how I could make this beast better?

I have big hands so I need a roomy case. I don't need anything fancy but it would be nice. An easy breezy case would be best.

i did notice that you suggested going to x79 board and CPU to another 1st time builder. You mentioned OCing that, but I thought only the K series were unlocked. Thanks for all your advise.

Matsushima · Mar 21, 2013

First of all,
A 670 or 2 660Tis in SLI would go along nicer with your high-end parts... The 660 is mid-high. You will be better off with the 7970 if you want 'extreme'.
A motherboard with 2 memory slots is bad for future upgrades, and it's still hard to find single 16GB DIMMs. Did you check that your max memory supported by the motherboard is 32GB, not 16? You should get a Z77 board with 4 DIMM slots... Z77 is a high-end chipset so they will be around.
Other than that, your build is nice.

oneofsharp · Mar 21, 2013

Matsushima :

Thank you for that info. I did see a build with two PNY GeForce GTX 670 2 GB in SLI but I was worried about complications and heat. How would they stack against the 7970??

oneofsharp · Mar 21, 2013

Matsushima :

Thank you for that info. I did see a build with two PNY GeForce GTX 670 2 GB in SLI but I was worried about complications and heat. How would they stack up against the 7970??

oneofsharp · Mar 21, 2013

I can edit it but I can't find a way to delete. No worries, thanks...

oneofsharp · Mar 21, 2013

Matsushima :

Thank you for that info. I did see a build with two PNY GeForce GTX 670 2 GB in SLI but I was worried about complications and heat. How would they stack up against the 7970??

Sorry about all those responses. I've been having problems with my browser.

Matsushima · Mar 21, 2013

oneofsharp :

If you want less complications, get the 7970. A single card will draw less power and is less complicated to set up, so the 7970 (VaporX) is a good choice. It is one of AMD's best cards.
Also, you can delete your additional replies, I had the same problem once. There should be a 'Delete Answer' Button.

iboomer · Mar 21, 2013

A couple of suggestions IMHO.

If you are sticking with ASROCK as your motherboard, then below seems a better choice.
MB:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157295

I am not a big fan of Seagate. Other's mileage varies. Again IMHO your best bet for a HDD would be.

HD:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136792&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-Internal+Hard+Drives-_-N82E16822136792&gclid=CLHWjJ2ojbYCFQhxQgodwTIAYw

Not sure if you miss typed or not, but you really don't want to by the GTX 660, when the difference in price to the 660ti is so small, and the number of CUDA cores is greater in the ti.

GPU:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130812

Everything else seems to be just fine and dandy. Enjoy building it.

oneofsharp · Mar 21, 2013

Matsushima :

iboomer :

I'm not at all partial to one Mother board over another. I'd like that ability to upgrade later, but I have no interest in putting a ton of money on a board with capabilities that I won't ever use. Problem is that I don't know what I may want to do later. I was using pcpickapart and I assume I selected the 660 thinking it was the 660 TI.
Thanks for the HD suggestion, makes for a good choice.

What does everyone think about going to X79 board and CPU???

oneofsharp · Mar 21, 2013

Matsushima :

iboomer :

I'm not at all partial to one Mother board over another. I'd like the ability to upgrade later, but I have no interest in putting a ton of money on a board with capabilities that I won't ever use. Problem is that I don't know what I may want to do later. I was using pcpickapart and I assume I selected the 660 thinking it was the 660 TI.
Thanks for the HD suggestion, makes for a good choice.

What does everyone think about going to X79 board and CPU???

Matsushima · Mar 22, 2013

oneofsharp :

Matsushima :

iboomer :

I'm not at all partial to one Mother board over another. I'd like the ability to upgrade later, but I have no interest in putting a ton of money on a board with capabilities that I won't ever use. Problem is that I don't know what I may want to do later. I was using pcpickapart and I assume I selected the 660 thinking it was the 660 TI.
Thanks for the HD suggestion, makes for a good choice.

What does everyone think about going to X79 board and CPU???

LGA 2011 (X79 boards) boards and CPUs are expensive, if you can afford the 3930K, get it (would not recommend 3820 because the LGA 1155 3770K is more value for money) but they are quite expensive(about $290-$1100) and do not come with seperate coolers, so you will need a LGA 2011 compatible heatsink.

oneofsharp · Mar 27, 2013

Matsushima :

Thanks for your input. I’ve been doing more research. Seems to some that the 2011 socket will be the socket for the next few years so it gives me an open upgrade path. I also acknowledge that very few games use all the capabilities now but what will the future hold? So now please look at what I’ve been thinking about. The Azrock x79 extreme has 8 dim slots like I want. My pick for a GPU will support xfire but not sure the board has enough room for two let alone more. I’ll have to check it out and maybe put more money there. Quote: Ultimately what is clear is that 8GB/sec of bandwidth, either in the form of PCIe 2 x16 or PCIe 3 x8, will be necessary to completely feed the 7970. End quote. Also Z77 supports sli at 8x -8x vs the X79 at 16x -16x,
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Mu1w
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Mu1w/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Mu1w/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i7-3820 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100 92.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock X79 Extreme6 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($219.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Z Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital WD Black WD2002FAEX 2TB 7200 RPM ($169.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Corsair Neutron Series GTX 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($219.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($418.13 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Inwin Dragon Rider ATX Full Tower Case ($120.49 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Gelid Solutions FN-FW12BPL-18 75.6 CFM 120mm Fan ($18.33 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro M 850W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS29 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($49.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1806.86
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-27 02:38 EDT-0400)
I’m glad you pointed out the 3930K. Another good upgrade that makes me like 2011. I know the 3820 is not all that but people are OC it to 4.5 and that will do for now. I might go to a smaller SSD and get a bigger board, but If I stay around $1800 I’ll be excited. I know I said I didn’t want to go with two or more GPU’s but I’m struggling with 1st build fears. I also am aware of the fact that once this bad boy gets up and running and a few new games come out that it won’t spank, I’ll be looking to upgrade. Thanks for the HD suggestion again. Please point out my misunderstandings. My GPU is on sale and I get two good games with it so I’m getting it any day now. The rest I can wait on, I think..

Matsushima · Mar 30, 2013

Yes although the 3820 only has a partially unlocked multiplier.

marshallbradley · Mar 30, 2013

Don't get a Cooler Master PSU (read: Crapper Master). That's a classic first build mistake

. Stick with Seasonic/Corsair/PC Power and Cooling/XFX/Antec as your power supply brand. You can basically never go wrong with the first three on the list. If you're considering upgrading to multiple GPUs at some point, something like the Corsair AX 760 would be great. Of course it's a little more expensive than the Cooler Master probably, but people tend to pay a slight premium for components without a propensity to explode

.

I'd also recommend to the Noctua NH-D14 over the H100. Much quieter, cheaper and likely the same or better performance.

All the best with your build,

M

Matsushima · Mar 30, 2013

oneofsharp · Mar 31, 2013

Matsushima :

Thanks again for all your opinions. I guess the bottom line is in your opinion, will I be disappointing playing games for a 12 or 18 months on the 3820 with the plan to upgrade to the 3930K or what ever is best then, or should I just go for a fast LGA 1155 build? thanks

oneofsharp · Mar 31, 2013

marshallbradley :

thanks I'll make that change and I appreciate the heads up.

No one commented on the case????

marshallbradley · Mar 31, 2013

Personally I'd just go with the 1155 build (even though it won't be compatible with the next line up of processors). CPUs take a long time before they become outdated to the point where you can't game with them anymore (probably at least 4-5 years with a 3770K) and by that point LGA 2011 will be just as outdated as LGA 1155.

In regards to your case, it looks alright. Cases are very subjective though, and a lot comes down to personal preference. Personally I'd rather go with the (in my opinion) higher quality 600T from Corsair. The cable management is much nicer (lovely rubber grommits), you've got a nice side window and it looks more slick and less cheap and plasticy (in my eyes). It's also much more flexible on the inside (you can swap around all the drive bays and so on, which I'm not sure you can do on the Dragonrider). I watched the demo video for the Dragonrider though, and it doesn't look terrible, it definitely has some interesting features, just not my cup of tea.

EDIT: One thing that seems really bad about the Dragonrider, is you have to remove the power supply in order to clean the airfilter. This seems really dumb, and a huge hassle to be honest.

M

Matsushima · Mar 31, 2013

oneofsharp :

Of course, the 3820 has a better upgrade path and it certainly won't disappoint, but remember that Sandy Bridge-E (LGA 2011) was in 2011 and the Ivy Bridge i7-3770 was in 2012. Also the die in the 3770 is 22nm vs the 3820's 32nm, which results in lower TDP and is more energy efficient. In the end it is up to you.
About the power supply-one day, my Cooler Master PSU also went 'pop' and there was a smell of firecrackers and my computer died. So you should use reliable brands like marshallbradley said.

oneofsharp · Apr 1, 2013

Matsushima :

Thanks guys... your point about the difference in architecture was new to me and more convincing than anything else. I think I'll re-evaluate again. This is the reason those of us that are new to building come here. It would be almost impossible to research, evaluate, and consider all possibility alone. thanks again. Good call on the case also, not to worried about cable management, but a valid point, however I agree that removing the PSU to access the filter is dumb.. thanks.

Well I've been trying to decide on a MB. The more I read owner reviews the more upset I get. I accept that every manufacturer puts out a faulty board now and then, but I'd like to avoid that. Wishful thinking? Some boards struggle with BIOS settings that remain stable or that don't hose some function while maximizing another. Some boards won't OC far enough to take advantage of my DIMMs. Anyway I'm not partial to any manufacturer I just want a board that I can OC fairly easily and one that allows me enough room for my DIMMs and my CPU cooler. Also I need enough room to eventually install a second HD 7970.
So here is what I've got so far thanks to you guys:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/NHy0
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/NHy0/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/NHy0/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler ($70.12 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Z Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Corsair Neutron Series GTX 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($219.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($438.13 @ SuperBiiz)
Wireless Network Adapter: Asus PCE-N15 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($26.71 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 600T Mesh (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Gelid Solutions FN-FW12BPL-18 75.6 CFM 120mm Fan ($18.33 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 850W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($176.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS29 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($48.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1774.19
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-01 17:58 EDT-0400)

!st time build

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