Epic ~$2500 Gaming Build

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vinylrain

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Okay I thought up a build and I need some advice. Price is lenient, but can't go beyond $2.5k.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100 92.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V PRO ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($198.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($379.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($379.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 400R ATX Mid Tower Case ($107.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 850W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($161.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($161.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2410.86
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-16 21:40 EDT-0400)

This build isn't just for gaming. I am a programmer, video editor, and many other things so I need it to be multi-purpose (hence the 16GB RAM and 3770k).
 
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realchaos

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100 92.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LK ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($389.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($389.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 400R ATX Mid Tower Case ($94.12 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: NZXT HALE 90 850W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($102.00 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS29 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($49.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($161.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($161.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2084.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-16 22:50 EDT-0400)

-Cheaper PSU, 80+ gold
-Cheaper HDD, will perform about the same
-Cheaper blu-ray
-Slightly cheaper but a very good SSD
-Cheaper motherboard. Still has the features you need.
-2x8gb sticks. Quad channel doesn't work with LGA1155. This will allow more room for expansion.
-7970 beats the GTX670.

Tons of room left over for a third monitor, bigger SSD, or keep it in the pocket.
 
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vinylrain

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The MoBo I.chise has better features like wifi. Also, I think I will stick with SLI. Otherwise, thanks!
 
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cbrunnem

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you do know that in a lot of ways that you are choosing the lesser value right? not just monetary but performance.

the cf 7970s give you more vram and more performance for the same amount of money. PLUS crossfire is MUCH better at higher resolutions like you will be playing at. just saying but if you are set on sli then its not a "bad" decision.

also dont cheap out on the psu. that psu is SCREAMING "im shitty" at me.
 
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vinylrain

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I was unaware that a modular Corsair psu was considered shitty. Also, do you have any proof that Crossfire is better than SLI?
 
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realchaos

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The corsair psu isn't shitty. Its a good one, but its extremely overpriced. You can get a good psu for alot cheaper.
Before, NVIDIA was the way to go. But now with AMD working on their drivers instead of releasing the 8000series, AMD cards have become the better choice.
 
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JackNaylorPE

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Great MoBo, but I'd consider the Sabertooth w/ 5 year warranty for like $30 more.

The H series cooler make it sound like ya live next to an airport. Grab a Phanteks and sleep better at night knowing there's no water inside ya PC. I can support water cooling when it brings some extra cooling tot he table. But the miniscule advantage of the H100 over the better air coolers comes no wher near offsetting the noise and the risk.

RAM - Get 2 x 8GB Low profile

I'd get the Asus 670 OG GFX cards....+ 5% off w/ promo code KELSU788, ends 4/16 - $20 MIR. $8.50 more but has better cooler and don't have to deal w/ Tech Support saying it's the other hardware guy's problem as MoBo and GFX from same outfit. Skip the "better driver" comments, everyone has new drivers .
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121707

Crossfire is certainly a "no go" for the time being.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6857/amd-stuttering-issues-driver-roadmap-fraps/6
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/graphics-card-benchmarking-frame-rate,3466.html
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/Frame-Rating-Part-3-First-Results-New-GPU-Performance-Tools?page=2#comments

The PSU you have chosen is a very, very good one; johnnyguru gives the TX series a 9.5 performance rating (exact same as the Hale90) ... but why not get a 10.0 for less money from the same company ?

Ya paying $278 for your case / PSU combo. For $8 less, ya can upgrade to the much superior 500R and the top of the line Corsair HX850 w/ a 10.0 performance rating.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4408/corsair_carbide_series_500r_arctic_white_mid_tower_case_review/index8.html
The 500R is well worth every extra penny over the 400R.
Click to expand...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1278902

The Asus Burner is just $15 more ... the BR Player / DVD Writer is $2 cheaper
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135252
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135247

I'd up the storage if ya can squeeze it in

Samsung 840 PRO 256 GB - $220
The WD Black has it all over the Blue .... not to mention the Black's 5 year warranty versus the Blue's measly 2 years.

I'd get one 120 / 144Hz monitor over two 60 hz models
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236313
 
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realchaos

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-Sabertooth's thermal armor is a gimmick. Not worth the extra money.
-Yeah, the Phantek/Noctua high end air cooler is alot quieter, but some people don't like the big chunk of heatsink in the middle. Shouldn't be too loud either.
-Good point on gpu. Better to just buy one for now and another in the future when you need it. You might decide that one is enough to handle everything you play. Just mentioned the new drivers because they're fixing the micro-stuttering issue which is one of the main reasons SLI was beating Crossfire.
-LG has a slightly cheaper Blu-ray player: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136252
-No point of getting Black over Blue if it's the secondary drive. It's not worth the money, as the most used programs will go on SSD.
 
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g-unit1111

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RAM - Get 2 x 8GB Low profile
Click to expand...
The Asus Burner is just $15 more ... the BR Player / DVD Writer is $2 cheaper
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Click to expand...

For a gaming rig 16GB just isn't needed. Doesn't matter how much of a budget you have.

And you're throwing money away buying a BD-R burner for a PC. The headaches of BD-R on PC far outweigh the conveniences. The software is really expensive, as is blank media. And like it or not - *ALL* media is moving toward cloud computing and online distribution. The days of physical media are coming to an end. Really it's a waste of money.
 
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JackNaylorPE

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Ya gotta read the OP's entire post

This build isn't just for gaming. I am a programmer, video editor, and many other things so I need it to be multi-purpose (hence the 16GB RAM and 3770k).
Click to expand...

As for the Burner ....it's $15 .... when it was $50, I never considered it. At $15, I suggest the peeps I build for consider it....especially when he makes a point of doing video editing.

 
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JackNaylorPE

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I saw those gimmick articles but was surprised at the drawing of such a conclusion w/o actual testing. The value if the thermal armor when tested and when the fans are used has been reviewed, verified and published so no need to go there. The dust protection is nice too but, to my mind, that's just a minor feature of the board. I am far more interested in:

-5 year warranty
-Premium Support Eligibility (Replacement Board ships BEFORE you ship the old one back)
-Military grade components
-2nd CPU fan header
- Four 4 pin "Optional" fan headers
-2 e-SATA ports

For my money, I'd spend $100 more for the WS which is the best board I have ever worked with.
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/asus_p8z77_ws/13.htm

The H series coolers just don't provide enough of a thermal advantage to offset the noise and risk. To obtain their edge over air coolers they blast out 53 or more decibels.....4 times louder than the Phanteks. Yes I can understand concerns about big heat sinks, especially on a LAN party box....but for a stationary machine that ya sit next to hours upon hours per day, quiet is a serious concern.

CF is getting fixed ? I been hearing that for years.....at a certain point ya just gotta say enough is enough.

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/radeon_hd_6850_6870_crossfirex_review,15.html

Going back to 6xxx days we see things haven't changed
So over the years Multi-GPU support has improved quite a bit, AMD still isn't up-to snuff at the level of NVIDIA though, multi-GPU supports still literally and directly remains the Achilles heel of ATI's Catalyst drivers.
Click to expand...

The Blue guarantees ya 3 years, the Black guarantees ya 5 years. By that measure it should be 2.5 times more expensive. The most common call I get from people I have built for is "My SSD is full, how can I clean it out ?" The OP mentions video editing ....a 128 GB SSD isn't going to hold much of that.
 
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realchaos

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Thats why the SSD is only for the programs, while all the files and videos he creates will be on the HDD. A blue is fine for his needs. You're basically spending your money for the top-tier HDD as a secondary drive when you can save money and use the Blue which is just under the Black.
The warranty gives you a relief of how long it lasts, but in reality as long as you don't mis-treat it and it's not defective both the Black and Blue should last about the same time.
 
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vinylrain

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How does this look?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($175.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 670 4GB Video Card ($443.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 850W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($161.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($161.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1938.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-17 03:13 EDT-0400)
 
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cbrunnem

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Reread what I quoted. Nzxt psu.
 
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g-unit1111

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-5 year warranty
-Premium Support Eligibility (Replacement Board ships BEFORE you ship the old one back)
-Military grade components
-2nd CPU fan header
- Four 4 pin "Optional" fan headers
-2 e-SATA ports
Click to expand...

Military grade is a massive marketing gimmick. Yeah there's a lot of pros to the Sabertooth but really you could get a far less expensive board and not have to fumble with that horrible thermal armor that does nothing more than trap heat and recirculate it with two cheapo 80mm fans that are included.
 
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vinylrain

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Like I said, I plan on SLI. So until the stuttering is confirmed fixed I don't want to take my chances.
 
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realchaos

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-Change the psu still. You can get something as good as it for less money. That's way too expensive. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207028 Just as good at a cheaper price
-Extremely good and cheap monitor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236175 $120 after rebates and promo coupon.
-I would still say to grab Blue. No need to go all out on your secondary drive. Your choice though.
-GTX670 4gb isn't a good buy. It's expensive. Just grab the 2gb version.

As for the micro-stuttering issue, think about it like this. The only game where you really need a crossfire/sli set-up is Crysis 3, as it is the most demanding game as of right now. In a triple-monitor benchmark, Crossfire'd 7970s beat the GTX 690 and Titan. A single 7970 also beats a single GTX670. Take that into thought.
5760-High.png
 
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vinylrain

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One word: Stutter
I switched the hdd to blue

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Thermaltake Water 2.0 Extreme 81.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($175.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 4GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($419.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 4GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($419.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic X Series 850W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($161.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($161.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2406.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-17 23:09 EDT-0400)
 
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assasin32

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD4H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($163.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($115.06 @ NCIX US)
Storage: A-Data XPG SX900 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($67.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($363.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($363.98 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Intel 62205ANHMWDTX1 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill Challenger-U3 ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Kingwin CF-012LB 40.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($3.89 @ Outlet PC)
Case Fan: Kingwin CF-012LB 40.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($3.89 @ Outlet PC)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2016.65
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-17 23:10 EDT-0400)

Fans are there as a reminder of how many fan slots are open and what size, swap them to your liking those are just the cheapest.

SSD I am personally a fan of just using one as a boot drive, but to each their own. You have a lot left in the budget to customize with a build like this.

I tend to go cheaper on things like cases and just make sure they have good airflow, quality, design. After that I couldn't care less about looks, etc just so long as its a good price. Same story with heatsinks. Though with a build like this budget isn't as much of a concern as usual but it's still nice to see other options.

The built in wi-fi on the mobo you chose I can almost guarantee you won't have as strong of a signal as compared to an external antenna card. Especially one that you can position like I chose so you can move it so your not trying to pick up a signal through a computer case which is no fun.
 
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realchaos

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-If you wish to stick with NVIDIA, grab the 2gb version of the card. With one gpu hooked up to each monitor, 2gb of vram is enough. 4gb of vram is only needed if you're using one card for ~3monitors. Here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130787
-If you wish to grab a closed-loop liquid cooler, grab the Corsair H100i. If you're fine with a large heatsink in your case, grab the Noctua NH-D14 instead.
-You don't really need an IPS panel for gaming. You could the same monitor without IPS for only $120: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236175 However if you still wish to grab an IPS panel then just keep your monitor.

Other than that, everything looks good.
 
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vinylrain

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I really liked the vibe of that build and here is what I put together.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Thermaltake Water 2.0 Extreme 81.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD4H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($163.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($363.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($363.98 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Intel 62205ANHMWDTX1 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 400R ATX Mid Tower Case ($107.98 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Kingwin CF-012LB 40.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($6.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Kingwin CF-012LB 40.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($6.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2359.79
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-18 00:57 EDT-0400)
 
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