Looking for feedback on a gaming pc

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thorized

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I am getting ready to upgrade my pc for gaming and i would appreciate any feed back on my system plan.

Build:
Case - Antec GX500 (used it on builds for friends and really like it)
PSU - CORSAIR CXM series CX750M 750W (i like the semi-modular)
Mobo - MSI 990FXA-GD65V2 (990fx chip that is way cheaper than the ASUS)
RAM - G.SKILL Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1600 Model F3-1600C7D-16GTX
CPU - AMD FX-8320 Vishera 3.5GHz (4.0GHz Turbo) FD8329FRHKBOX
GPU - XFX Double R9-280A-TDFD Radeon R9 280 3GB (never used Radeon, i have always had GeForce)
SSD - ADATA Premier Pro SP900 64GB SATA III MLC internal SSD (for OS only)
HDD - Seagate Hybrid 1TB / 8GB SSHD (i am intrigued by the notion of a hybrid drive. this is for everything but the OS)
Extras - ASUS DVD RW, Arctic Silver 5, Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO, 4x Cougar Turbine CF-T12S4 120mm Case Fans, 2x SilenX EFX-12-15B Blue LED Effizio 120mm Quiet Case Fans, Windows 7 64 bit.

Plan:
i plan on putting the 2x SilenX on the top and the 4 Cougars in the other fan slots using a pull from the 2 front and 1 side and a push from the top and rear. (i want to have good airflow with low noise)
With this mobo i think i will only use the auto OC feature to start with, and think about a full OC if i need it down the road.
OS on the SSD and games / storage on the Hybrid.

Questions:
Is there anything obvious that i am overlooking?
What might i be spending too much money on (or too little)?
Any better ideas for the HD situation? Or any good data on benefits of a hybrid drive?
Will i need the 16 GB or RAM? What is the real difference between a delay of 7-8-8 and 8-8-8 (or 9-9-9 for that matter)?
What are some other options besides the 212 EVO? If not, should i put an extra fan on the EVO for a push-pull? If so again, what kind would be best (while keeping noise in mind)?
Will 750W be enough on the PSU?
Is 64 GB too much for only the OS? Can i do it on a smaller SSD?
Should i have another small SSD for my primary game? or try to have it on the same SSD as the OS?


Any answers or help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

Thor.
 
Solution
I
8gb ram is more than enough. You can always add more later. Usually higher speed rated ram does actually read and write faster.

Corsair AX and HX are great because the are made by Seasonic. The cheaper CX series has had capacitor problems. The real cheap VS isn't even certified to 80plus. I've got an older TX - also made by Seasonic.

550W is recommended by realhardtech. And looks like it matches the calculator. I don't know who advised to add another 50-100. I think some people do if you plan on getting a crappy psu. You can also look at Seasonic 620 and Antec HCG 620M

I use a 120GB SSD with a 2TB HDD. I also play with lots of large video files - editing etc. The cost of HDDs is very reasonable. Get at least 1 TB. Either WD Black or...
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i7Baby

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Get a better psu - see - http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1804779/power-supply-unit-tier-list.html#13224310 You only need 550W. Try XFX 550

Get 1866 ram - not much price difference with 1600. For gaming, you only need 8GB.

Get a 120GB SSD. 64GB becomes too squashy. You lose some on formatting and more again as a reserve partition. I also found some software refuses to install anywhere other than the OS drive


I'd try the fans on the Antec case first to see if they're noisy before replacing them. It usually in from the front, sides and bottom and out the top and rear.
 
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RobCherry

RobCherry

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i have the 8320 myself and its perfect for gaming, plays everything ive thrown at it, also as above id swap your psu, try a xfx, seagate ect... corsair aint as good as they used to be. if your planning on not upgrading your ram in the near future, id advice to get 4x4gb sticks rather than 2x8gb. will run alot better
 
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thorized

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Okay, i updated my build to have the G.SKILL Ripjaws Z series 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 SDRAM 1866 model F3-14900CL8Q-16GBZM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231539

It's about the same price, a pinch faster, and is 4 sticks over 2.

However, i am still curious as to why 4 sticks would be faster that 2 by default. any one have an easy answer for this?
 
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thorized

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Thanks!

I do have a few follow on questions / comments though.

Since i use dual monitor and have quite a few processes going while i am playing games (movie / music / voice chat / download / any combination) would 16gb ram be of use?
As for the CAS delay / bus speed. I'm all for faster is better, but several forums talk about the latency being more important for gaming specifically. Thus my choice of CAS7 1600 over CAS8 or 9 1866. Any further info on this would be appreciated.

I have heard several people swear by their CORSAIR PSU and others denounce it as the plague. Where is some truth data on what the most reputable brand is?
I ran a calculator and came out at about 550W recommended, took that number and added 50-100 as recommended, and got 650. so any suggestions on the best semi-modular 650W PSU?

I had never heard that about the SSD. what would you recommend as my HD setup? (size of ssd / hdd where to put what files etc. as well as any info on hybrid drives)

Again, thanks a ton for your help.


Thor.
 
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i7Baby

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8gb ram is more than enough. You can always add more later. Usually higher speed rated ram does actually read and write faster.

Corsair AX and HX are great because the are made by Seasonic. The cheaper CX series has had capacitor problems. The real cheap VS isn't even certified to 80plus. I've got an older TX - also made by Seasonic.

550W is recommended by realhardtech. And looks like it matches the calculator. I don't know who advised to add another 50-100. I think some people do if you plan on getting a crappy psu. You can also look at Seasonic 620 and Antec HCG 620M

I use a 120GB SSD with a 2TB HDD. I also play with lots of large video files - editing etc. The cost of HDDs is very reasonable. Get at least 1 TB. Either WD Black or Seagate Barracuda.
 
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RobCherry

RobCherry

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also look at xfx as another option for a psu as they are made by seasonic now, i switched to them after owning a corsair cx600 and had problems with it as i7baby said above. i bought my xfx pro 850watt 80+ for £85, which i think is quite a good deal :)
 
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thorized

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Thanks a ton for the info on PSUs.

As for the RAM, Ive heard both sides of the argument that 2 sticks is better than 4 and vice-verse. what is your take on it?

 
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thorized

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As i do more research and ponder my options, i am posed with several questions that i cant seem to get satisfactory answers for.

Which of the following options would you chose?

Mobo:
MSI 990FXA-GD65V2 - $128 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130677

ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 - $139 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131851

MSI 990FXA-GD80 V2 - $169 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130649

ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0 - $184 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131877

ASUS CROSSHAIR V FORMULA-Z - $219 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131876

RAM:
G.SKILL ARES SERIES 8GB(2X4GB) DDR3 2133 - $83 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231554

G.SKILL RIPJAWS X SERIES 8GB(2X4GB) DDR3 2133 - $84 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231689

G.SKILL RIPJAWS X SERIES 8GB(2X4GB) DDR3 2133 - $84 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231476

G.SKILL SNIPER SERIES 8GB(2X4GB) DDR3 2133 - $86 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231518

G.SKILL RIPJAWS Z SERIES 8GB(4X2GB) DDR3 2133 - $92 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231517


I would love for any feedback on these products / what combo you think would perform best.
 
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i7Baby

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2 sticks leaves more dimm slots free for even more ram being added.

For gaming all you need is 8gb. If you really want 16gb - say for video editing, then get 2 x 8gb sticks

 
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