I7 860 Setup Recommendation?

[shaoen01]

Hi all,

I have a thread asking for advice on i7 930 rig (http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/287069-28-tomshardware#t2150144). But would like to also get some information on a possible combination for i7 860 rig. I didn't want to clout the other thread by adding i7 860 so i am having a separate thread here.

What i am using my new system for:
1. Gaming (not hard core, but would want to run games like Starcraft 2, WoW, Sims 3, Far Cry 2, etc)
2. I do a fair bit of programming, so i always run a minimum of about 5 Visual Studio .Net projects which i feel are quite memory intensive. So i think multi-threading would be helpful.
3. Little or maybe might pick up photo rendering, something i might explore in the future.
4. My budget well if in US dollars maybe about $1200-1500 perhaps? (Below setup seems rather expensive to me i guess, so any way i can optimize for more bang per buck?)

Current Setup:
Processor: i7 860
Cooler: Hyper 212 Plus Cooler Master
PSU: Corsair HX Series 750HX 750w
Case: LIAN LI Lancool PC-K58 Black CECC Steel
HDD: 2x Samsung F3 Spinpoint 32MB 1TB - 1 for OS and 1 for storage
Ram: G Skill PC3 1600 MHZ 8GB (2x4GB) ---> Other Ram to recommend?
GPU: GTX 460 ---> Other GPU to recommend?
Monitor: Dell U23 Series
Mobo: ASUS P7P55D-E Pro ---> Other Mobo to recommend?
Speakers: Any to recommend? Not looking in the high end but probably mid-range.

Qns:
1. The LGA1156 i believe only have 4 memory dimms slot? Or is it only 2?
2. What's the difference between the 32MB and 64MB for the HDD? For example, Samsung Spinpoint F3 7200 rpm 32MB vs WD Green 7200rpm 64MB? What's the "32MB" and "64MB" for?

Thanks all for the assistance provided so far! Everyone here has been so good in offering their advice unlike in other forums i know.

 

[davcon]

Nice build! very good choice of components.
I don't see anything wrong with it.
The P55 1156 has 4 dimms capable of 16gb.
You won't see a huge difference between 32md and 64mb cache on a hard drive.
You could buy an i7 870 for about the exact same price as the 860 now.

 

[shaoen01]

Nice build! very good choice of components.
I don't see anything wrong with it.
The P55 1156 has 4 dimms capable of 16gb.
You won't see a huge difference between 32md and 64mb cache on a hard drive.
You could buy an i7 870 for about the exact same price as the 860 now.

Thanks for the compliment! I'm actually very green in building my own rig. Any big difference between i7 870 and iy 860 processor? Still using LGA1156 right?

Feel free to maybe offer me any other alternatives in the situation i can't find all components.

 

[JohnnyChrist]

You can't add to perfection.

I've got a pretty similar setup, its working fine. You can easily run multiple VisualStudio projects at once. As well as Photoshop, Steam, Firefox, MediaMonkey, Outlook, and about 50 other things at once.

Get the one with the 64mb cache, its incredibly fast for a HDD.

 

[shaoen01]

You can't add to perfection.

I've got a pretty similar setup, its working fine. You can easily run multiple VisualStudio projects at once. As well as Photoshop, Steam, Firefox, MediaMonkey, Outlook, and about 50 other things at once.

Get the one with the 64mb cache, its incredibly fast for a HDD.

So the 64mb cache does make a difference for the HDD? Btw, forgot to ask for the RAM should i be getting 1600Mhz or 2000Mhz? Is it good enough for gaming like Starcraft 2, etc?

Any good speakers to recommend? I guess budget is around <US$80? Is that too little? What does anyone think about Aego M series?

 

[davcon]

Just buy the Ripjaws 1600 CL7 kit it's great i have some.
Out of stock at Newegg at the moment though.
These are good for the price as far as pc speakers go.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121006
Sorry never heard of Aego.

 

[anonymousdude]

@davcon Aego M is a series made by acoustic energy

For your speakers you might want to think about getting a nice pair of headphones instead as most low end speakers are horrible, unless you really want 5.1. $80 gets you nice headphones, but gets you pretty bad speakers. The exception to this is if you really want 5.1.

 

[shaoen01]

Just buy the Ripjaws 1600 CL7 kit it's great i have some.
Out of stock at Newegg at the moment though.
These are good for the price as far as pc speakers go.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121006
Sorry never heard of Aego.

Yeah i agree that the Ripjaw by Gskill seems to be a good choice as well.

Aego M:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/multimedia/review/2006/05/17/Acoustic-Energy-Aego-M-Speakers/p1

Maybe it's not popular in your area. Quite a few of the locals recommend it here. Btw, what should i be looking out for in speakers?

 

[shaoen01]

@davcon Aego M is a series made by acoustic energy

For your speakers you might want to think about getting a nice pair of headphones instead as most low end speakers are horrible, unless you really want 5.1. $80 gets you nice headphones, but gets you pretty bad speakers. The exception to this is if you really want 5.1.

Well, I'm really not keen on headphones to be honest. Maybe if i up my budget for good speakers somewhere mid range perhaps, what would you recommend? We are having an IT fair soon in September so perhaps i could keep a lookout for any deals on the speakers recommended.

So right now i should be looking to get 5.1 speakers? I seriously have no idea what to look out for in speakers to be honest.

 

[anonymousdude]

Well, I'm really not keen on headphones to be honest. Maybe if i up my budget for good speakers somewhere mid range perhaps, what would you recommend? We are having an IT fair soon in September so perhaps i could keep a lookout for any deals on the speakers recommended.

So right now i should be looking to get 5.1 speakers? I seriously have no idea what to look out for in speakers to be honest.

Speakers don't change much from year to year and neither do headphones for that matter, so dropping more money on them isn't so bad because you don't need to replace them every build. Stereo wise I'd go with the audioengine A2. $200 a pair and amazing sound for the price and size of the speaker. You might find the bass lacking and in that case you'll want to pick up a sub as well. For computer use then something along the lines of an 8in or 10in sub will be fine.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-2

Those can go from under $100 to a whole lot more. For a 5.1 system you'll be looking at around $400 for a decent(I am using that word very loosely) system and more if you want a really good system. Something like the logitech z-5500 is the cheapest one that I can think of right now that's okay.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121120

My rule for audio is if you can't hear the difference then it isn't worth it. If you can then it is up to you whether it is worth the extra money. For me 5.1 speakers are useless because of how my room is set up. There's now way that I can get speakers behind me without making it inconvenient to walk around. For you I don't know. 5.1 and all surround sound is just sound effects from the back two speakers and voices from the center channel. The majority of the sound is still from the front left and right speakers. Great for movies and games as it is more immersive, but bad for music. Give me a hard budget and then I will be able to make the best recommendation possible.

As for the HDD get the spinpoint because it turns at the faster 7200rpm vs the 5400 on the green. The samsung last I checked also has the higher platter density which makes it faster. Everything else looks good and I would get 1600 memory as DDR3 is expensive and the little increase in performance isn't noticeable except in synthetic benchmarks. You could save a bit of money if you went with a non modular corsair. You also don't need 750 watts to run a single 460.

Antec tp-750- this one is modular, quality, and cheaper.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025&cm_re=tp_750-_-17-371-025-_-Product

ea650- also antec sells this with a 900 case for only $160 if you aren't dead set on the case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015&cm_re=ea650-_-17-371-015-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129064&cm_re=antec_900-_-11-129-064-_-Product

Corsair 650tx and 750tx
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005&Tpk=tx%20650

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=tx750

Sorry for the long post, but I really like people getting good audio equipment for a good price.

 

[shaoen01]

Speakers don't change much from year to year and neither do headphones for that matter, so dropping more money on them isn't so bad because you don't need to replace them every build. Stereo wise I'd go with the audioengine A2. $200 a pair and amazing sound for the price and size of the speaker. You might find the bass lacking and in that case you'll want to pick up a sub as well. For computer use then something along the lines of an 8in or 10in sub will be fine.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-2

Those can go from under $100 to a whole lot more. For a 5.1 system you'll be looking at around $400 for a decent(I am using that word very loosely) system and more if you want a really good system. Something like the logitech z-5500 is the cheapest one that I can think of right now that's okay.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121120

My rule for audio is if you can't hear the difference then it isn't worth it. If you can then it is up to you whether it is worth the extra money. For me 5.1 speakers are useless because of how my room is set up. There's now way that I can get speakers behind me without making it inconvenient to walk around. For you I don't know. 5.1 and all surround sound is just sound effects from the back two speakers and voices from the center channel. The majority of the sound is still from the front left and right speakers. Great for movies and games as it is more immersive, but bad for music. Give me a hard budget and then I will be able to make the best recommendation possible.

I absolutely understand, but i think my predicament is a bit like yours where my room ain't that big to have like 5 speakers. I think maybe a subwoofer and 2 speakers at the front is enough for me. I have my own HD TV and i even chucked my 5.1 home theatre system when i shifted house. A hard budget ... Maybe $100 for 2 speakers and a subwoofer? Or is that too little?

Maybe i should just go down to the shops and hear the speakers? Lol ... Probably, won't be able to tell if the difference is not huge.. A few people did mention logitech z-5500 due to its affordability. But some also recommended Aego m series as it is rather budget as well. What do you think of Creative?

As for the HDD get the spinpoint because it turns at the faster 7200rpm vs the 5400 on the green. The samsung last I checked also has the higher platter density which makes it faster. Everything else looks good and I would get 1600 memory as DDR3 is expensive and the little increase in performance isn't noticeable except in synthetic benchmarks. You could save a bit of money if you went with a non modular corsair. You also don't need 750 watts to run a single 460.


Antec tp-750- this one is modular, quality, and cheaper.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025&cm_re=tp_750-_-17-371-025-_-Product

ea650- also antec sells this with a 900 case for only $160 if you aren't dead set on the case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015&cm_re=ea650-_-17-371-015-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129064&cm_re=antec_900-_-11-129-064-_-Product

Corsair 650tx and 750tx
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005&Tpk=tx%20650

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=tx750

Sorry for the long post, but I really like people getting good audio equipment for a good price.

Thanks for the recommendation on the HDD as i was comtemplating what to get. It seems Samsung F3 Spinpoint is quite popular. I would look into the PSU recommended. I could probably save some money since i can't do crossfire with this setup.

 

[shaoen01]

What about Seasonic 750W, heard it is comparable with Corsair.

 

[davcon]

What about Seasonic 750W, heard it is comparable with Corsair.

The best psu's for your build are Antec(True Power),Corsair(HX),Seasonic(S series) and XFX.
Whichever you can find cheapest in your area will be fine.

 

[anonymousdude]

For $100 off the top of my head I'd go with harmon kardon soundsticks II or the logitech z-2300.
I don't like creative products in general mostly due to shoddy driver support and they IMO ruined cambridge soundworks. I am not familiar with the current line of creative speakers so I can't give an answer.
Same with the aego m. I haven't heard it so I can't give you an answer.

 

[shaoen01]

The best psu's for your build are Antec(True Power),Corsair(HX),Seasonic(S series) and XFX.
Whichever you can find cheapest in your area will be fine.

Yup, looking at the Seasonic X series, they are having an offer at my area now.

 

[shaoen01]

For $100 off the top of my head I'd go with harmon kardon soundsticks II or the logitech z-2300.
I don't like creative products in general mostly due to shoddy driver support and they IMO ruined cambridge soundworks. I am not familiar with the current line of creative speakers so I can't give an answer.
Same with the aego m. I haven't heard it so I can't give you an answer.

Yup would check out your recommendation and test the speaker too when buying. At least i have a few references

 

[shaoen01]

So my current i7 870 set up (prices in my local currency, SGD):

i7 870 + msi p55 gd85 $703
Cooler: Hyper 212 Plus Cooler Master $49
PSU: Seasonic x750w $242
Case: Lancool K60 $129
HDD: 2x Samsung F3 Spinpoint 32MB 1TB - $177
Ram: Team elite 8gb (4gb x2) ddr3 1600 at $290
GPU: Palit GTX 460 1GB sonic $348
HP lightscribe 24x at $35

$1973

What do you guys think? I was given another quotation for i7 930 and it costs less than $200 more as compared to the above i7 870 rig quote. Think i should go for the i7 930 instead?

Processor: i7 930 + gigabyte x58a ud3r $748
Cooler: Hyper 212 Plus Cooler Master $49
PSU: Seasonic x750w 80plus GOLD version at $245.
Case: Lancool K60 at $129
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 32MB x2 units $88 x 2 = $176
Ram: Team xtreem dark 6gb 1600 CL8-8-8-24 $275
GPU: Palit GTX 460 1GB sonic $348
Software: Win 7 Home Premium 64bits OEM $135
HP lightscribe dvdrw 24x at $35.


Total: $2104

 

[anonymousdude]

I would drop from 8gb to 4gb of memory and save some money. Also why does the same PSU cost $3 more in the i7 930 setup. Seasonic only has one version of the x750w.

 

[shaoen01]

I would drop from 8gb to 4gb of memory and save some money. Also why does the same PSU cost $3 more in the i7 930 setup. Seasonic only has one version of the x750w.

My bad ... Typo error. If i drop from 8gb to 4gb, i would only save about $100. The difference is not really that great in that sense.

 

[shaoen01]

Best answer selected by shaoen01.