No Experience, Need Critique, Gaming Build, $2000 Budget

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cone0

Honorable
Dec 17, 2012
13
0
10,510
I was hoping that I could get some feedback on my build. This will be my first time building a computer.

Approximate Purchase Date: Within the next two weeks

Budget Range: Around $2000

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Movies, Photoshop, Web Development, Internet

Location: Austin, TX

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($80.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: A-Data Premier Pro SP900 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($425.91 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($425.91 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom (Black/Green) ATX Full Tower Case ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 950W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($127.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($67.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Asus VH236H 23.0" Monitor ($157.58 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VH236H 23.0" Monitor ($157.58 @ Newegg)
Total: $2263.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-09 17:09 EDT-0400)
 
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EternalGamer2

Honorable
May 22, 2012
42
0
10,530


If you are inexperiened and/or don't like to constantly tweak things then DO NOT make a Crossfire build.

I just got rid of a Crossfire after two years in lieu of a single 7970GHZ edition and I couldn't' be happier.

My advice would be to just put in a single 7970GHZ in now and save the other $400 in a saving account for when/if you want to upgrade a few years from now. You will still be able to run everything nearly maxed out now and that $400 will go a lot further in upgrading two years from now when that may not be the case. The crossfired 7970s just a world of power sucking, instability headaches and waste of money.





 
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EternalGamer2

Honorable
May 22, 2012
42
0
10,530
If you are intent on blowing $850+ on videocards, then you are better off dropping to a more reasonable Powersupply for around $70 and using that extra $50 a single Geforce Titan. It will run quieter, cooler, more stable, and on less power and with less hassle than a pair of 7970s.
 
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cone0

Honorable
Dec 17, 2012
13
0
10,510
I wasn't necessarily intent on blowing $850 on video cards, and I did not know there were that many issues with crossfire. I might just do 1 7970 in that case
 
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aonor

aonor

Honorable
Nov 24, 2012
343
0
10,790
With Windows OS
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($108.10 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe Mini ITX LGA1155 Motherboard ($184.97 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($107.98 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 690 4GB Video Card ($988.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: BitFenix Prodigy (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SN-208BB DVD/CD Writer ($28.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1978.97
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-09 19:27 EDT-0400)


Without Windows OS
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($108.10 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe Mini ITX LGA1155 Motherboard ($184.97 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($107.98 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 690 4GB Video Card ($988.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: BitFenix Prodigy (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SN-208BB DVD/CD Writer ($28.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1918.98
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-09 19:28 EDT-0400)
 
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EternalGamer2

Honorable
May 22, 2012
42
0
10,530


I'm sure Crossfire will gradually improve but you will definetly always have more incosistencies than with single card set ups and will be downloading custom profiles and tweaking each game individually if you really want to take advantage of it. So if you want a no fuss, no muss approach, just go with a single card set up.

Then a single 7970GHZ is your best bet for now. That's what I have in my current build and it runs great. I have no problem running almost everything on the highest settings at 1980x1200. Save the rest of the cash for maybe an upgrade down the line. Right now a 7970GHZ is more than enough to max out the vast majority of games and you will save more cash and get better performance in the long run by building for today rather than trying to future proof for power levels that are not yet required.

That extra $400 will undoubably go a lot further 2 years from now than today and you'll be very happy with one 7970 for now.
 
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cone0

Honorable
Dec 17, 2012
13
0
10,510
Awesome ya I will definitely stick with one card. Other than that everything else in this build jives together?

Edit: besides getting a lower wattage power supply
 
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burritobob

burritobob

Honorable
Nov 14, 2012
1,082
2
11,460
Sticking to a single 690 or GTX Titan is going to be a VERY large mistake that you will regret. You are going to get equal stability and better cooling performance out of 2x7970s because the stock coolers on those beasts are just amazing. The fact is that a 690 or Titan is mainly going to be used for a single monitor with little or no expand ability not to mention a much weaker graphical system in general. You should ideally be looking at a cheaper pair of 7970s only because they are going to last you longer and if you decide to add one or two more monitors your performance will not suffer quiet so nearly as much as it would going with the 690 or Titan. You just have to look at the basic facts, why would lose spend MORE to get less, you are looking at a weaker card, with worse cooling performance and a much higher DB... why would you switch from what you had to something far less. CFx is one of the best technologies and comapred to SLI it is just unrivaled in its scale-ability.

EDIT: If you want to save for now, go with the single 7970, unrivaled 1080p performance.

Also as a note on CPU coolers, again the Noctua D-14 is your best bet, it performs better than any of the closed loop water coolers on the market today including the H100i that someone above suggested plus is it quieter, why would you not go with that setup?

 
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