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(MY DREAM MACHINE!) Need help deciding on best parts for new build.

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - (MY DREAM MACHINE!) Need help deciding on best parts for new build.

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Hello everyone,

This is my first post on the fourm. I have been folowing Toms Guide for many years but I am just now getting around to joining the comunity so respopnses wouild be appreciated. (Thanks in advance)

Ok so here goes.

Parts I have already ordered or already owned are as follows.

Ultra X3 1000W modular power supply.
PNY Geforce GTX 275
EVGA X58 SLI Classified (760)
EVGA Geforce 8800 GTS 512MB (G92)
Acer P241W Monitor (1920x1200) (HDMI/DVI/VGA)

Parts I will be ordering unless some one shares with me a reason not to and provides a better solution.

Core I7 920 (d0 Stepping) ($199.99 + tax and round trip drive to washington DC area from Richmond VA)
Kingston hyper X 9-9-9-25 timings 2000 mhz ($145)
Gigabyte 3D Mercury E-ATX Tower Case - Liquid Cooling, No PSU, MicroATX, 2x Blue LED Illuminated Silent Fans, Transparent Side Panel/Vent ($399.99)
Samsung SH-S223L 22x dvd burner ($35)
Segate Baracuda 1.5 TB 7200 RPM sata HDD ($120) possibly will get 3-5 of these and set them up in a striped raid configuration.

Parts I am unsure of and am completely open to sugestions.

Sound Card. I was thinking about the Xi-fi Fatal1ty but I have also considered the Xonar d2x. Any help with this would be great.

Raid controller. I know the Classified has built in raid but will i get significantly better performance if I get a controller?

Is there any other peice of hardware that i need that I am leaving out?

I am a pretty big nerd that used to be a jock as well but now pretty much just a nerd. haha anyway I hope to get some serious overcloks on this system. I want at least 4 GHZ cpu but I really would like to get much higher maybe even 5 GHZ if its possible. I also want to do some serious overclocking on the graphics end but wont add it to the watercooling set up that comes with the case untill the new dx11 goods are available then I plan on getting at leaast 2 of them and cranking them up with water cooling . with the posibility of adding a 3rd and maybe a 4th if i end up going with ati. this would be farther down the line though. I WANT CRYSIS MAX SETTINGS 1920X1200 FLAWLESS minimum FPS never below 60!!! haha

I also want to be able to play any game max settings flawless. I am also wondering if I do go with ATI for the dx 11 hardware can i install catalyst and install the drivers for cuda and phys x but not the nvidia display drivers and use the gtx 275 for gpgpu and phsy x and use ati for display or will that not work?

I fear I may be leaving asomething out on this post but I guess ill just through it out there and have everyone aask if something is unclear.

I am planning on using the GTX 275 untill dx11 hardware comes out in October. At that point I will be replacing it and posibbly get 2 or 3 dx 11 cards.

Thanks again Timbob

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There is nothing particularly good about the water cooling system in that case. If you want water cooling, get a Swiftech kit, or make your own.

http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g3 [...] Page1.html

------------------------------ My Guide to choosing parts
A big list of recommended parts
Troubleshooting Guide w/links
Reply to Proximon

Thanks for the information. What case would you recomend? I was thinking about getting a nine hundred two. or maybe a thermaltake case.

Reply to timbo1130

What about this case? Ikonik Ra X10 Liquid Case

Reply to timbo1130

Swiftech is the only kit that is worthwhile. There aren't any cases that come with water cooling kits built in that are good. If you like the look of that Ikonik than try this CM case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119122

Or this Thermaltake is well configured for water:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811133073

Antec 902 is OK but a bit cramped for my tastes.

This Lian Li seems to be about what you need except for the number of HD bays.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811112239

------------------------------ My Guide to choosing parts
A big list of recommended parts
Troubleshooting Guide w/links
Reply to Proximon

Quote :

Sound Card. I was thinking about the Xi-fi Fatal1ty but I have also considered the Xonar d2x. Any help with this would be great.

Here is another Sound Card you should take a look at. It has better drivers then Creative that even works in Win7 and has X-FI.
AuzenTech AZT-FORTE X-Fi Forte 7.1 Low Profile PCI Express Sound Card - Retail $139.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6829156010
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_forte.php

Quote :

Kingston hyper X 9-9-9-25 timings 2000 mhz ($145)

Would suggest you either of these Ram that you can loosen the Cas timings to get higher ram clocks if you wish and both work extremely well with the X58 board you picked.
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) TR3X6G1600C7D G - $189.99 Free Shipping*
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145253

CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) TR3X6G1600C8D - $189.99 Free Shipping*
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145224

Gigabyte 3D Mercury E-ATX Tower Case - Liquid Cooling, No PSU, MicroATX, 2x Blue LED Illuminated Silent Fans, Transparent Side Panel/Vent ($399.99)Here are some Cases that you should check out. Some come with Basic WC parts already installed, you would only have to get a 1366 CPU Cooler.
Gigabyte 3D AURORA 570 Super Aluminum Mid Tower - Watercooled Edition $449.95

Quote :

Case Includes:

This case includes a complete Swiftech Watercooling System fully installed except for water additive. System features a push-pull fan setup on the dual 120mm radiator using the included Gigabyte case fans along with 2 premium Silverstone 120mm fans. Customer will fill and bleed system and perform leak test prior to system build. Included with this case is the following:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cat [...] ts_id=3727

Lian Li PC-A7X w/ Koolance EHX-1020/RP-1000 Cooling System $599.95

Quote :

This is a special edition case modified by Performance-PCS.com and includes the Kooalnce EHX-1020 Heat exchanger plus and an RP-1000 pump/reservoir combo plus full installation. Other items shown in the pictures such as water blocks, deluxe window panels, etc. are all options that can be chosen below for added cost. This has an extremely cool look for any case and sets it apart from the crowd!

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cat [...] s_id=23221

Also here is link to Mountain Mod, they have some unique case that you should look at that are specially made for WC. Once there check out the UFO Horizon.
http://www.mountainmods.com/index.php

Zalman GS1000 Full Tower Server Case - Black $179.95
http://www.performance-pcs.com/cat [...] s_id=24281

New Case from Corsair that you can pre-order from NewEgg right now that you should look at.
Corsair Obsidian Series 800D CC800DW Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $279.99
Free Shipping* (Release Date:09/25/2009)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811139001

Water Cool Info sites
Guides
http://forums.extremeoverclocking. [...] p?t=282232 Pretty up to date info and buying guide
http://gilgameshreviews.com/index. [...] s&catid=40verclocking-and-cooling&Itemid=86 Another good guide
http://forums.extremeoverclocking. [...] p?t=312743 What to do once all the stuff is in the door

Forums
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/index.php? Not a noob site, but great stickies
http://www.ocforums.com/ My fav, good peeps, know their stuff, less hardcore
http://www.over-clock.com/ivb/inde [...] opic=20277 A GREAT Europe site
http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/ Decent site

Tests on equipment, not reviews, truly scientific tests
http://translate.google.com/transl [...] n&ie=UTF-8 Info on rad testing
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forum [...] p?t=220593 More rad testing
http://skinneelabs.com/ Host for Martins lab and some newer tests
http://www.skinneelabs.com/MartinsLiquidLab/ Test results, very technical

Stores
http://www.dangerden.com/index.php [...] e&Itemid=1
http://www.petrastechshop.com/
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/
http://www.jab-tech.com/
http://www.performance-pcs.com

The Top water cpu block at tis time for the 1366 CPU can be found below, they usually sell out fast.
Watercool HEATKILLER CPU Rev3.0
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/heatkiller1366.html

Hope this helps you out some.

Message edited by Yoosty on 08-30-2009 at 10:31:49 AM

Reply to Yoosty

Seagates are not the best hdds, you might want caviar black 1tb and put them in raid, or samsung F3, i'd take samsung, F3 seems to be the best hdds on the market in reasonable price.

Reply to szymek

I have been looking around and so far it looks like the Zalman GS100 may be the best case for my needs. however the UFO Horizon is also tempting. I guess I will newwd to look a little closer at the two I know for sure I want the hose ports for easy install of external watercooling and I must have a case that is rated to fit an Extended ATX motherboard as I have already ordered and paid for the Classified which is an Extended ATX formfactor. I will definitly look into the Ram you all recomended and ill be checking the sound card out as well. Ill get back to you all sonn as soon as the build is finalized and completed.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to timbo1130

timbo1130 wrote :

Both of those case do support EXT ATX. :wahoo:

Reply to Yoosty

OK I think I have made a decision on water cooling system.

HEATKILLER® CPU Rev3.0 1366 with 1/2" barbs. cpu waterblock $88.95

2x MCR320-QP-STACK 2X $77.95
1x MCP655™ Pump with speed controller MCP655 $99.95
1x Danger Den Dual 5 1/4" Bay Reservoir $31.95
25 feet Dangerden tygon tubbing. $2.95 X 25 $73.95
10 1/2 inch hose clamps aproximately $10
2X Feser One Non Conductive Cooling Fluid - 1000 ml - UV Red (F1-0002) $39.90
3X Thermaltake P N:A1927 Thunderblade 12Cm Led Fan Red $39.00

------------------------------------------------------------
$539.60 for water cooling setup.

aditionally i will need a case

IKONIK Ra X10 Smooth IC-R1CBN Black Computer Case $169.99

Reply to timbo1130

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Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - (MY DREAM MACHINE!) Need help deciding on best parts for new build.