Please advise on my new build

bazpaul · Oct 24, 2013

Hi guys,

Long time lurker first time poster. I'm putting together my first ever build and I want it to be hackintoshable, so I would not like to change the mobo in this build. I'm also very dead set on the processor below as it is within my budget and is decent for gaming.

Overall budget - £500 - £600
Uses: Gaming, Musis, Movies, Browsing
Overclocking: Yes
Hackintish: Yes
Dual boot: Yes - two separate SSD drives. One for windows 8 one for OSx
Monitor: I have my own AOS 27inch IPS

---------------------------------------------

Bitfenix Prodigy Case

Intel i5-3570k

Gigabyte Z77n-WIFI Motherboard

Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO

Crucial 128mb M4 ssd

Seagate 3TB 3.5 inch 7200RPM 64MB Hard Drive

Crucial Ballistix 2x4gb sport

Edimax EW-7811UN 150Mbps Wireless Nano USB Adapter

I already own:

XFX 550W 80+ power supply

Sapphire Radeon Hd6870 1GB Graphics card * (gonna upgrade to GTX660 after Christmas)

--------------------------------------------

Questions:

1 - Is the cooler adequate for overclocking? Will it fit the case fine?

2 - How do the motherboard, graphics and CPU sit together? Would there be a bottleneck? I think the GPU is a little dated - will update soon

3 - I need to get a cheap DVD-RW compatible with osx, ideas?

4 - Does anyone have any recommendations? I have maybe an extra £60 to spend and I was thinking of upgrading the cooler

Thanks you Tom and all the boys!!!!!

envy14tpe · Oct 24, 2013

1) very adequate. I use it and my i5-2500k reaches 4.4GHz easily. Great cooler. Nothing beats it at that price range.
2) No bottleneck in the system. However, the 660 is good for gaming at High on 1080p. The mobo and CPU should reach 4.2/4.3GHz with this build.
3) no idea. Any cheap DVD-RW seems fine.
4) I wouldn't upgrade the cooler. If anything I'd save that money for a 7870 or 7950. This will give you a noticeable difference in gaming. The extra money spent on a cooler would move you from 4.3 to 4.5GHz. Who cares? no real difference.

smorizio · Oct 24, 2013

http://www.bitfenix.com/global/en/products/chassis/phenom-micro-atx/
few dollars more but it take full size gpu.
http://www.zalman.com/global/product/Product_Read.php?Idx=836

bazpaul · Oct 24, 2013

Thanks guys!

@Envy - i think your right, I think i'll save the $$$ for Christmas/January after Santa has come and buy a beast of a graphics card.

@Smorizo - I really like the prodigy case. However I think it can only handle 240mm cards. Are most if not all high-end cards longer than this? .....hmm if I want to future proof, i may need to reconsider my case choice!

envy14tpe · Oct 24, 2013

Do you really need the case to be portable? I mean...mine sits in the same place all the time. That's why a mid-tower was and is the best option for a home user. It also gives you better cooling and quietness, typically when compared to m-atx builds.

bazpaul · Oct 24, 2013

Hmmm no its not aboeut portability, its actually more about style and performance. I love the look of the case, its beautiful

also the reviews of it are great!

However I had considered a mATX board - the GA-Z77X-UD3H ....so I could upgrade/change the case.

I would like a minimalistic white case if possible. Is this Fractal case any good??

http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/discontinued-products/define-r3-usb30-arctic-white

envy14tpe · Oct 24, 2013

Umm. I'd get the Fractal R4 or Fractal Arc Midi R2 instead of R3. The R3 is kinda old. Honestly. The R4 is my favorite case. I would have bought it, but where I live now it's $120usd.

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Please advise on my new build

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