[Newbuild] Advice on gaming rig and parts compatibility

[swagelok]

Welcoming any advice or suggestion on improving my rig. Thanks!

Approximate Purchase Date: Within a month

Budget Range: USD 1300~150

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Web browsing, Presentations, Photoshop, Homework etc.

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speaker and OS. Already got Windows 7 64bit.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com or amazon.com

Country of Origin: Australia

Parts Preferences: Intel and Nvidia

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 minimum.

Additional Comments: Would be overclocking the intel i5-2500k to around 4.5 Ghz and probably going to overclock the GPU too, would greatly appreciate if you could gimme some advise on overclocking cause it's going to be my first time!

My current rig that I intend to build

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.575884
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
ASUS P8P67 PRO LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel ...
(Would an extra fan be advisable for the overclocking or would this be enough? thanks!)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231274
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-4GBRL
(Should I go for 8GB of RAM straight away? or would it be unnecessary?)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139011&Tpk=corsair%20hx850
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151188
SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM

GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
(There is so many brands selling this GPU, what's the difference? There is like Asus, Gigabyte, EVGA, Palit, with price differences. Please advise on which brand would be most suitable. Not willing to pay more for the overclocked one though. Thanks!)



That is my build so far, take a look and give me your thoughts! Thanks!

 

[ScrewySqrl]

loks like a pretty good build. My suggestion on the 570 is get the one with the lowest cost whose brand you trust.

 

[swagelok]

How about the fans? Should i get another extra fan or would this fan be enough to cool the CPU for overclocking?

 

[Why_Me]

Nice build.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=138_711_1183&products_id=16446 $179.00
ASRock P67 Extreme4 Motherboard

or to save some money...

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=138_711_1183&products_id=16463 $136.00
ASRock P67 Pro3 Motherboard

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_226&products_id=16143 $165.00
Antec High Current Gamer 900W Power Supply HCG-900

or....

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_995&products_id=13278 $175.00
Silverstone Strider Plus 850W

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=186_912&products_id=13105 $65.00
G.Skill Ripjaws F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL (2x2G) DDR3

or if you really feel the need for 8 gigs...

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=186_912&products_id=13931 $145.00
G.Skill Ripjaws F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3

and...

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_23_845&products_id=13920 $51.00
Xigmatek SD1283 Balder CPU Cooler

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_163&products_id=6738 $9.00
OCZ Freeze Extreme Thermal Compound

......vid card

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1177&products_id=16354 $409.00
MSI GeForce GTX 570 1280MB

 

[swagelok]

Thanks for the suggestions!
but for the CPU cooler, change for another better cooler or just add another fan to the CM hyper 212?

Looks like my computer will be coming together very soon!

 

[Why_Me]

Thanks for the suggestions!
but for the CPU cooler, change for another better cooler or just add another fan to the CM hyper 212?

Looks like my computer will be coming together very soon!

That first mobo I posted...the AsRock Extreme w/a scythe mugen II should get you where you want as far as a decent o/c.

 

[swagelok]

Ok will take your advice. Thanks!

 

[swagelok]

Best answer selected by swagelok.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

1. 850 watter way oversized and unless going well past 4.6, no need for HX series, a TX650 or the equally good but cheaper EA-650 will be more than enough.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015

2. Great MoBo /CPU combo ... Asus took the checkered flag again in THG's test roundup of 1155 boards.

3. The 212 was a great cooler ... in it's day ..... but no longer makes the Top 25. The Scythe Mugen 2 SCMG 2100 knocks off quite a few degrees and is only $10 more.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185142

4. Shin Etsu currently tops the charts as far as TIM's go.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150080

5. RAM I'd choose one of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226176
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260

 

[swagelok]

^ Thanks a lot for the advice! Will switch to the Scythe cooler but isn't the G.Skill RAM good?

I think i'll stick with the G.Skill RAMS but only contemplating between the CL9 and CL7 rams. not really sure about the difference. Any advice?

Also, should be overclocking the CPU till around 4.6~4.8 if possible, also getting a overclocked GTX 570 and probably overclocking my RAM too, if i can figure out how. So would 850W still be overkill in this situation?

Thanks alot for the advice!

Edit: Don't think i'll be overclocking my ram, don't think it'll be worth it. So, not overclocking ram. Power supply advice?

Edit: Sorry but i think i will be overclocking my ram. to match my cpu.

 

[Why_Me]

^ Thanks a lot for the advice! Will switch to the Scythe cooler but isn't the G.Skill RAM good?

I think i'll stick with the G.Skill RAMS but only contemplating between the CL9 and CL7 rams. not really sure about the difference. Any advice?

Also, should be overclocking the CPU till around 4.6~4.8 if possible, also getting a overclocked GTX 570 and probably overclocking my RAM too, if i can figure out how. So would 850W still be overkill in this situation?

Thanks alot for the advice!

Edit: Don't think i'll be overclocking my ram, don't think it'll be worth it. So, not overclocking ram. Power supply advice?

Edit: Sorry but i think i will be overclocking my ram. to match my cpu.

You could probably get by with a solid 750w, but why with a price difference of only a few dollars ? What is you decide to add some more h/d's and a few other goodies later on ? Or size up to the gtx 580....

There's more than a few threads on this board where peeps have gotten BSOD's because of being under powered for the fact they decided to add to their system.

 

[swagelok]

from what why_me said, BSOD is definitely not wanted, so sticking with the 850W.

For ram i think i'll go with the, G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM

heard it's quite easy to overclock this ram.