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Building Gaming $2000 PC With Lots of HD Space

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - Building Gaming $2000 PC With Lots of HD Space

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Need a suggestion on how to improve this build. I looked over couple of threads and took a little from each thread and I picked out what I liked the most out of each thread. I won't be doing any raids because I was told it doesn't really help much with performance. The listed items are the only items I would be buying, so if you see something that I am missing, please let me know.

I notice that on websites like ibuypower and cypberpower PC they have these foam things that could be put on the side of the cases to make it more quiet. Does anyone know if they sell them on newegg or anywhere else? Does anyone have any experiences with them?

EDIT: does anyone have any experience with these?
http://www.acoustiproducts.us/

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: When Windows 7 comes out (End of October 09 hopefully…)
BUDGET RANGE: $2000 USD After Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming-> watching movies ->lots of homework -> surfing the internet -> Folding@Home

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, printer & speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: As quiet as possible. Intel CPU is a must.

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes but in the future (Going with one 5870 for now will add second one early next year)

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1680 x 1050

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I would like to have a quiet PC, preferably not too hot! I most likely would not be overclocking at all. When the Intel i9’s come out, I will be switching out the CPU (since they are the same socket) also when that happens, I would also be installing my second 5870. Also have to have a lot of space for lots of media storage space.

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

Monitor: $220
LG L227WTG-PF Black 22" 2ms Widescreen LCD Monitor – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824005109

OS: $100
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders – OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6832116754

Case:$120
Thermaltake ElementS VK60001N2Z Black SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811133077

CPU:$280
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115202

Mother Board: $240
ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131359

CPU Cooler:$80
CORSAIR CWCH50 Water Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835181009

(Do I need to buy a coolant or does it come with it?)

GPU: $380
ASUS EAH5870/G/2DIS/1GD5/A Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported ... – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121346

PSU: $170
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power ... – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139010

Memory: $210
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8D – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145224

HD: $215 (No Raid's)
$55
1x SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive – OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152181

$80 x 2 = $160
2x SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive – OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152185

Optical Drive: $57
$25
Nippon Labs Delux 3.5" Internal All In One Card Reader/Writer with USB2.0 & eSATA Ports Model ICR-BB – Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820816001

$32
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support – OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151188

Others: $7
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound – OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835100007

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

Total: $2054

Message edited by bolaber on 10-07-2009 at 10:30:14 PM

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looks alright except for 1, possibly 2 points. I'd recommend against the corsair water cooling kit. For what it costs, it doesn't really cool all that well. A high end air cooler will do way better, have practically no maintenance, and will be overall more reliable. Full water cooling systems will of course be better at cooling than any air cooler, but you are probably looking at twice the build cost and way more maintenance. I just don't think any mini CPU water cooler can fit a reliable pump and enough fluid volume to effectively cool better than most air systems.

The other point is more a matter of opinion. I used to buy a lot of Thermaltake case hardware until I owned an Armor Jr. Perhaps they have done better with the Element series, but it is a bit overpriced for what you get. CoolerMaster HAF 922 or Antec 900 both are good cases to work with, and probably come cheaper than the Element S right now.

Reply to wathman

thank you for the quick response. Could you suggest a quiet high end fan please?

Also, I read the CoolMaster HAF 922 and Antec 900 are both rather loud cases althoguh they seem to be better deals. Do you have any suggestions for the Armor Jr's? They don't seem to be available on newegg.

Message edited by bolaber on 10-07-2009 at 10:09:48 PM

Reply to bolaber

I wanted to say that the Thermaltake Armor Jr. is a bad case I was unhappy with, and it's not surprising that you can't find it anywhere. They couldn't have placed things in worse positions inside the case if they tried. As for how loud those cases are, I have a 922 and I don't find it all that loud. Since both cases use a lot of mesh, if you have a highly overclocked system that make the fans work extra hard, then those cases of course will be louder than average.

This Antec was designed for quiet operation, so it may be more what you are looking for. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129061

As for HSF coolers for your CPU: http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm
They haven't made a list for socket 1366 coolers yet, but just about all the ones in the top 10 are 1366 compatible. Since you seem to be interested in performance as well as quietness, I'd also suggest looking at Noctua's lineup. They get very good reviews and should fit in your price range.

Reply to wathman

i noticed the Antec P183 Black Aluminum has a divider between where the mobo and the psu is located at. Would that not be a problem with the PSU having a fan on it?

Also, I like that website you suggested. Would the size of the fan not be an issue on a mid-ATX tower? The top ranked quiet ones seems HUGE.

Message edited by bolaber on 10-07-2009 at 10:32:51 PM

Reply to bolaber

I don't think PSUs will have problems with cooling unless you are putting some kind of 1000 Watt monster in there and running it near full load. Also, since that Antec case is designed to isolate the PSU thermally from the rest of the system, it's ambient temp won't be nearly as high as the older style cases that suck already hot air from the case interior into the PSU.

Case size does become an issue when you look at the high end air coolers. I have a Promlitech Megahalem, pretty much the largest one you can buy, in my HAF 922 and it barely fits. This is another reason why the Antec 900 and CoolerMaster HAF 922 are such popular cases. As a rule of thumb, if the case dimensions show that it is well over 8" wide, it should fit most of the big air coolers. Another case I was looking at before buying was the NZXT Panzerbox. Not sure if Newegg carries them now, but they didn't when I was still shopping around. It's a nice case if you can find it for a good price.

Reply to wathman

great suggestion on the panzer! i love it, but it's still mid-ATX which i suppose shouldnt be much of an issue because it is so wide!

I'm reading the reviews from newegg and it seems to be saying that there might be issues fitting bigger video cards in there

The thing with these cases with openings on the side.. well they're great for cooling but then horrible for sound. ~_~

Message edited by bolaber on 10-08-2009 at 12:17:58 AM

Reply to bolaber

If you are willing to increase your spending on a case, The Silverstone Raven 01 and Raven 02 cases are an interesting though unconventional design. They basically rotated the motherboard 90 degrees so video card and PSU exhaust goes straight out the top. It's kind of hard to describe, so you're probably better off reading a review from hardwaresecrets.com: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/789
They do a pretty good job with case reviews in general.

Reply to wathman

Would suggest for that kind of investment that you move to 1920 x 1200 or 1920 x 1080 resolution.

------------------------------ If a man speaks in the forest and no woman hears him, is he still wrong ?
Reply to JackNaylorPE

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Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - Building Gaming $2000 PC With Lots of HD Space