I7-2600k system for heavy stats and gaming?

ericf

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Hey guys, would love to use your expertise for this one :)


Approximate Purchase Date: before end of may


Budget Range: 1100-1200 Before Rebates


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Multitasking and heavy stat analysis (CPU and RAM), gaming


Parts Not Required: KB, mouse, monitor, speakers, HD, os and anything preinstalled


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon.com ( im in ca so i want to save on taxes)


Country of Origin: USA


Parts Preferences: I7 by intel, and video by Nvidia


Overclocking: Yes, a lot!!!!


SLI or Crossfire: Yes, eventually


Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200

RAM: More better! Over 8 and eventually want to upgrade up to 16+

Additional Comments: Liquid cooling, very overclockable. Need to start low and build up when got more money. so probably a big case with lots of room and a mb with future potential. Thinking about going in with built in graphics, to save up on money.




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Anybody knows, if CyberPowerPC is good pricewise even with tax included for people living in CA? Or it would be better to order from somewhere else like Amazon and build it up myself? Haven't done one in a while tho

Thanks!!

ericf
 

flong

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The Cooler Master HAF 942 is a great air cooling case capable of water cooling also and it is huge (I own it). You can get it on sale for around $180.00. $199 on Amazon right now. It will do everything you want and it won't break the bank.

For multi-tasking and overclocking the I-7 2600K is the best available CPU, but your budget may only allow for the 2500K (which is a great CPU itself).

2 x 4GB RAM DDR3 1600 or 1866 CL 9 or CL8 is the best price versus performance sweet spot. I got a Gskill kit on newegg for $75.00 CL9 DDR3 1600 2 x 4GB. For the sandy bridge cpus you don't need exotic RAM. Gskill, patriot, Corsair or Kingston all are about the same so look for the best price. Keep in mind that RAM manufacturers recommend that you buy kits of RAM and so if you want 16 GB you should buy a 16 GB kit because the RAM is designed to work with each other. That being said, there is not a lot of performance increase by going to 16 GB on the Sandy bridge cpus. There is a superb article in Bit-Tech here: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/memory/2011/01/11/the-best-memory-for-sandy-bridge/1
Make sure to read the conclusion

The GTX 570 may be the best card for your needs or the 560 if the 570 is too expensive. Keep in mind that the ATI 6950 is about equal to the GTX 570 and it is approximately $150.00 less

Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 is maybe the best air cooler available (since you are not water cooling immediately). It is quiet and will allow you to overclock your CPU "a lot," as you say. You might get 5 Ghtz or more with the CM HAF X and the NH-D14.

Motherboard: Asus pro for the Z68 platform. Because you have diverse uses for your PC you will want to go with the new Z68 platform. There is a review here of the Asus Pro Z68: http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/05/11/asus_p8z68v_pro_z68_chipset_motherboard_review/1
This mobo will allow you to SLI or crossfire two cards but is not the best for three cards. The Z68 platform is the best "future potential" platform available now

I think you will get much more bang for your buck building your own than going with CyberpowerPC judging by the builds and the prices- that I have looked at from them.

The above components put you at about $1302 before rebates. If you went with the ATI 6950 you would be at $1172. If you go with the XFX 1 GB 6950 for $239 you are at the $1172 point.

I-7 2600K $315
CM HAFX 942 $199
Asus Pro Z68 $229
Noctua DH14 $90
RAM 8GB $100
GTX 570 $365 or ATI XFX 1 GB 6950 $239 ($209 after rebate)

I think this build would be a good fit for your needs. If you need a PSU go with the Corsair 850 HX ($149.00) or the Corsair 850 TX ($100.00). You will still be pretty close to your budget. The 850 HX put out over 1000 W and remained efficient and stable in the professional reviews I have read and so it is like buying a 1000 W PSU that is nearly gold efficiency for $150. Don't get a CPU that is too small. It seems to be a misguided place to try to cut budgets even with the professional builders.

There are cheaper cpu coolers out there but they won't allow you to OC as much as the noctua. It almost matches water cooling efficiency.

Since you multi-task and you are doing analysis on your computer you need the 2600K chip not the 2500K.

I hope that this helps you. I would suggest looking at Bit tech's best build here: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/buyers-guide/2011/05/10/pc-hardware-buyer-s-guide-may-2011/5
Note they scrimped on their PSU.
 

flong

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Correction: Should say above "don't get a PSU that is too small" not "CPU". I'm a little tired.

The difference in cost is almost negligible ($30 or $40) and an oversized PSU will last longer and provide plenty of headroom for overclocking and adding future components. The Corsair 850 HX has a 7-year warranty and so you will be able to use it again and again under warranty.
 

jbl91

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aaron88_7

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Any after market cooler should be sufficient for good overclocking, the 2600k's are not limited so much by heat dissipation as previous Intel chips were so you don't really have to worry, but the stock heatsink is terrible so definitely get a nice decent after market...but I wouldn't go spending nuts on it because a $120 cooler isn't going to make much of a difference compared to a $60 one, (other than noise/weight really). Right now you can get a Zalman 9900 heatsink for $59.00 after a $10 rebate. I have one and it does a great job of cooling and is relatively quiet. I wouldn't bother with water cooling, it's really not necessary and will add a lot to your costs, unless you already have the water cooling equipment then have at it!

As for cases, I'm really happy with my CM Storm Sniper and at $149 that'd save you a bit compared to the HAF X. Sure it's a mid tower but you really don't need a full tower unless you want to pack it full of radiators and who knows what else. The Storm Sniper has excellent airflow via 3 200mm fans and one 120mm rear fan, as well as the meshed front and side panel (which can be replaced with a plexiglass panel if you prefer).

As has been said stick with the 2600k, you'll definitely make good use of its hyper threading. As far as ram, some motherboards won't let you overclock the ram if you populate all 4 dim slots, I can't remember if I read that in some article or my own P8P67 booklet, but it's something to think about if you want faster ram.
 

flong

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While you are correct that the 2600K runs cooler than the 1366 chips, you are not correct that any aftermarket cooler will produce the best overclocking of the 2600K. One great review I saw (it was a video) was a comparison of the Silver Arrow Thermalright with the Noctua NH-D14. At higher OC stresses the Silver Arrow actually failed (the CPU went to over 100 degrees C), which is in itself amazing because it is an spectacular cooler. The D-14 did not fail at these ultra high stress levels - it handily beat the Silver Arrow which is stunning.

In another review I read, the Noctua D-14 nearly beat a water-cooled system, which is again almost inconceivable for an air cooler.

Why does a 2600K builder need this much cooling? Because to get to that magic area between 5- 6 ghtz with the 2600K you need this kind of performance. I have already read two reviews of the Z68 platform being over clocked to 5.74 Ghz and 6.1 ghz with the 2600K. In both reviews, CPU heat was the big issue governing how high the OC could go. I could hardly believe the OC could go that high. Can you imagine a stable 2600K OC at 6.1 ghz - this is screaming fast and it is being done more and more on a regular basis.

The biggest need to get to that magic near 6 GHz is area great CPU cooling which the Noctua excels at. For gamers this is a no brainer. You could go with a Hyper 212 but it is not even in the same league as the D-14 and you won't be able to do any serious overclocking. But it is cheaper.

The Noctua D-14 does all this and it is still quiet - it won't drown out your computer room with fan noise. There are a couple of units that slightly beat the D-14 in cooling performance but they sound like jet engines. That is why a higher quality CPU cooler is worth the extra $40 bucks (the D-14 is $75-$90 depending on sales and rebates).
 

ericf

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What about this build from CyberPowerPC? this + tax and i can pick it up to save on shipping
Im in CA, so wanted to be sure to go liquid on cooling, because it may run hot, and OC is a must for work purposes.

The vid card is crap but really i was going to just get onboard video to save on smth. And I dont have time to game anyway in these 2 months.

The case is ample and good for liquid cooling according to the reviews, so when trigate cpus arrive i may just put them in the case in that Z68 mobo w liquid cooling maybe even oc them.

The memory though, I want to get another 8gb asap, should i get the same brand? Or it doesn't really matter?


$999 before all applicable rebates
Estimated ship date:
Thursday, 6/2/2011


Case: * Azza Hurrican 2000 Full Tower Gaming Case with 4 Hot Swappable HDD Cage & (4) 230MM Fans [+61]
Internal USB Extension Module: None
Neon Light Upgrade: None
Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Default case fans
Noise Reduction Technology: None
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified) [+110]
Freebies: None
Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: No Overclocking
Cooling Fan: Asetek 570LX Liquid Cooling system w/ 240MM Radiator and Dual Fans (Extreme Overclocking Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) [+43]
Motherboard: [CrossFireX] GigaByte GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 mATX Mainboard w/ Lucid Virtu Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 1 PCIe X4 & 1 PCIe X1 (All Venom OC Certified) [+3]
Intel Smart Response Technology for Z68: None
Motherboard Expansion Card: None
Memory: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+20] (Corsair or Major Brand)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 520 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
Video Card 2: None
Video Card 3: None
Dedicated PHYSX Card: None
Multiple Video Card Settings: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors
Power Supply Upgrade: * 750 Watts - Thermaltake TR2 RX Modular 80 Plus PSU - PN: TRX-750M [+75]
Hard Drive: 500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [-22] (Single Hard Drive)
Data Hard Drive: None
Hard Drive Cooling Fan: None
External Hard Drive (USB3.0/2.0/eSATA): None
USB Flash Drive: None
Optical Drive: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2: None
Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
3D Vision Glasses: None
LCD Monitor: None
2nd Monitor: None
3rd Monitor: None
Speakers: None
Network: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
Network Switch: None
Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
Mouse Pad: None
Gaming Gear: None
Extra Thermal Display: None
Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: None
External Wireless Network Card: None
Wireless 802.11 B/G/N Access Point: None
Bluetooth: None
Flash Media Reader/Writer: None
Video Camera: None
Headset: None
Printer: None
Cable: None
Power Protection: None
Surge Protector: None
IEEE1394 Card: None
USB Port: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
Operating System: None - FORMAT HARD DRIVE ONLY
Media Center Remote Control & TV Tuner: None
Office Suite: None
Games: None
Ultra Care Option: None
Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Rush Service: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS

oh and by the way, you guys are amazing! Never expected so much info and so detailed! Thanks a lot!
 

flong

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It has a cheap video card you will have to replace.
The power supply also appears to be a cheaper quality
The mobo doesn't support Intel smart reponse for some reason
The water cooling is interesting but we don't know if its done well. If it is poorly done it will be a nightmare.
It only has a 500GB HDD which is pretty small nowadays

That being said it is not a bad system
 

ericf

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Vid card for $50 - yeah, i would have used onboard video if i could and then bought a better vid card 2 months later

Power supply - Thermaltake is not good?

Mobo - i may be mistaken but it says on gigabyte website http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3855#ov that it does support smart response?

Water Cooling - Asetek seems to be good and those guys install a lot of those, will ask around. I want something quiet and very efficient for high heat/OC.

Hd - yeah :( yeah but i have a couple of 1tb hdrives and 1 ssd i will put in there.

 

flong

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Hey I don't mean to sound snotty in any way, thread posts are tricky because you cannot see the person visually.

I am going by the Cyberpower notes on your post - it says "Intel Smart Response Technology for Z68: None " Some Gigabyte boards do not support all of the Z68 options - I am not sure why.

Also - here is a review of the PSU - http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/902

Here is their conclusion: "Thermaltake TR2 RX 750 W is, according to our methodology, a flawed product that must be avoided at all costs. It can’t deliver its labeled wattage at high temperatures, but this is not the worst of it: ripple and noise level are way above the maximum allowed when you pull 80% or more from the unit’s labeled capacity (i.e., 600 W and above), overloading your components (especially electrolytic capacitors from the motherboard and video cards), which can cause your PC to present an erratic behavior (crashes and random resets) and, under extreme conditions, damage components."

You have to be careful with pro computer builders like Cyberpower because they look for "deals" parts so that they can make a bigger markup. So with the computer that you spec'd they probably bought a 1000 of these cheaper PSUs for $25 each. It looks cool because it is a 750 W PSU but when its tested, it can damage your expensive components and it won't put out anything close to 750 W and it is not stable.

Compare this with the Corsair 850 HX reviews. It puts out over 1000 W (despite its 850 rating) while remaining amazingly stable and efficient. Its ripple is nearly non-existent (it provides a steady current to your valuable components without jumping around so it won't damage them). It has a 7-year warranty which Corsair WILL honor. It is modular so it is very clean and easy to build with and it comes with nearly every cable known to man all for a whopping $50 more than the cheaper 650 W PSUs that get recommended over and over in this forum. It drives me crazy.

I don't care if someone is building an $800 computer, they still should get an oversized, quality PSU to protect all the other parts and to future proof themselves from having to buy another more expensive PSU for their next build because the stupid 650 W PSU they bought now is too small.

Sorry just letting off some steam from other threads ha, ha. It has nothing to do with you :). Last weekend the 850 HX went on sale for $119.00 - $119.00 freakin dollars. When it first came out it was $250.00. I told several people in the forum who were asking for build advice and NOT ONE took advantage of this deal because they were advised to by 650 W PSUs that interestingly cost almost as much and did not include all of the needed cables, were not modular and do not have a 7-year warranty. Nor were most of them even near the same build quality of the Corsair.

Anyway back to reality :). Build your own. You can choose your components and it will save you money. Your smart enough and you have enough of a budget to build a rocket of a computer if you want :). Sorry for venting - again it has absolutely nothing to do with you.
 

ericf

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wow, flong! Thanks a lot, mate! I really appreciate all the info, im a noob at this

Checked the review of Thermaltake, you are totally right. That's crap. Didn't know it mattered that much, honestly, sorry if sounded abrasive.

What about, Corsair CMPSU-850TX 80 Plus Power Supply - Quad SLI Ready ? It's not HX though.

I'm sorry for haphazard style of delivery in my posts. I'm usually a lot more careful but the lack of time is not helping much.

It's been 10 years since ive built a pc, dont have time now or any free time for that matter to revive the old skills, although it would be really interesting. I wanted to do it, but then i just realized i cant dedicate time to that now :(






 

flong

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You are great, I enjoy your posts in this thread. I am still posting in this forum about several subjects to try to learn about computer builds and sometimes I ask some really dumb questions ha, ha. Your questions are much more intelligent than mine :).

WOW Quad SLI - you are a serious gamer. To tell you the truth, I am not sure that I am qualified to comment on that serious a rig. if you are going Tri-sli I would recommend the Corsair AX 1200 at a bare minimum. Today's graphic cards eat up a ton of power.

The Corsair 850 TX is a cheaper version than the 850 HX and it is not modular. It confused me at first what builders meant when they talked about "modular" cables. It means that each component you use has its own separate cable that you plug into the PSU. Thus if you have three HDDs you use three cables, if you have on HDD you use one cable. Non-modular PSUs have ALL the cables bundled together and are hard wired to the PSU which is much more messy. With a modular PSU if you only have four components, you only have four cables in your computer - it is much better system. Buy modular.

The 850 TX may not be quite as good as the HX series but it is still damn good. However if you are going with 2-3 video cards you should be getting a 1200W PSU like the Corsair AX 1200 I mentioned about.

Here are some links:

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Professional-Performance-1200-Watt-CMPSU-1200AX/dp/B003PJ6QVU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305796451&sr=8-1-spell

Here is a comment on Amazon from an SLI user (the build is similar to yours):

"I've had this PSU for about 6 months now and I have to say it is FANTASTIC! By far the best PSU I have ever owned. I am running a P6x58D premium mobo with a I7-930 and two nvidia gtx 480's in SLI. Furthermore I also have a Pioneer BDR-2205 Blu-Ray Burner and a hp dvd1260 as my optical drives. My case is a CoolerMaster HAF X with an additional 200 mm fan and 140 mm fan, as well as a Noctua D-14 cooler. This PSU handles the power draw with now problems whatsoever. I've even had my circuit break from the demand of my PSU, which isnt it's fault; just the massive power draw of benchmarking! I was hesitant at first at buying this PSU due to all the complaints I read about coil whine and manufacture problems. However, if you live in the United States, don't wait a second to buy this bad boy. Most of the complaints come from overseas markets and you have NOTHING to worry about here. American made and American shipped this thing is a beast. "


For the price ($259) after rebate you won't find a better PSU anywhere.

If you want a pre-built computer take a look at this on Cnet:

http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/maingear-vybe-super-stock/4505-3118_7-34650888.html

It is an excellent pre-built computer from Maingear that costs $2900 but competes with many $5000 systems. This got Cnet's Editor's Choice. Still you could build a much superior computer to this for around $2300.

Try this:

Corsair 1200 AX Gold Certified PSU - $259.00
Noctua NH-D14 CPU cooler - $90
Two XFX 2 GB 6950 in crossfire - $500 after rebates
Cooler Master HAF X 942 Case - $180
Vertex 3 SSD 120 GB - $300
Asus Z68 Pro Mobo - $209
Lite On Optical Blu ray drive - $125
Asus CD/DVD drive - $24
Samsung F3 1TB HDD - $60
Corsair 2 x 4GB DDR 1866 RAM - $125
2600K CPU - $309
Windows 7 Home Premium- $100

Total = $2283.00 and this computer is better quality than Maingear and will be faster.

If you want to go with two GTX cards in SLI switch out the ATI 6950s with GTX 580s and you will have a gaming monster. You could also go with dual 6970 cards in crossfire and save some money and still have a gaming monster (not quite as fast as the two GTX 580s).

For the SLI setup with two GTX Asus 580 cards add $500 - The total cost becomes $2283.00 + $500 = $2783.00 and this system will blow the doors off of the Maingear system and it is $200 less. This would be an absolute beast for gaming. I really don't understand why anyone would need more power than this system supplies, but I am not a gamer.

For the crossfire setup with two 6970 add $200 - The total cost becomes $2283 + $200 = $2483 and this will blow the doors off of the Maingear system and it is $400 less.

Before you go to three (or more) video cards I would be careful. From the reviews that I have read you get a lot less bang for your buck by adding a third card. Two cards in SLI or crossfire are the best choice financially.

With the ATI cards you could also go Eyefinity (three computer monitors working as one) which I really want to do sometime in the future because it just looks cool ha, ha,. Yeah I don't really need it but I'll look damn good :). Bond, James Bond , ha ha.

If you are serious about going to three or more cards you need to get some expert advice from real gamers which I am not. Two cards seems to be pretty simple. I think people with three or four cards use two PSUs and very expensive motherboards.



 

farsuka

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If you don't plan on going SLI/Xfire when you start don't waste your money on capable, you're going to have trouble finding your card on sale later on, and buying a second when you actually have the money for it would be a waste compared to the current gen GPUs that will be out.
 

ericf

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Guys, and especially, flong, thanks a lot for the info!

I will do SLI when i have money and time which has to be soon, for now just smth not bad. Maybe i can even use CUDA for computations. My calcs are very mem and cpu intensive, i used to let it run overnight on my laptop.
 

flong

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You are welcome. Let us know how your build goes :)
 

ericf

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Update....

went through hell

system:

*BASE_PRICE: [+709]
BLUETOOTH: None
CAS: * Azza Hurrican 2000 Full Tower Gaming Case with 4 Hot Swappable HDD Cage & (4) 230MM Fans [+61]
CASUPGRADE: None
CD: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
CD2: None
CPU: Intel(R) Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified) [+110]
CS_FAN: Default case fans
FA_HDD: None
FAN: Asetek 570LX Liquid Cooling system w/ 240MM Radiator and Dual Fans (Extreme Overclocking Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) [+43]
FLASHMEDIA: None
FREEBIE_CU1: FREE Game - Shogun 2 Limited Edition Coupon: Total War [+0]
FREEBIE_CU2: FREE! PCI Wireless IEEE 802.11b/g/n 300Mbps PCI Wireless Adapter Network Card [+0]
GLASSES: None
HDD: 500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [-22] (Single Hard Drive)
HDD2: None
IEEE_CARD: None
KEYBOARD: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
MB_ADDON: None
MB_SRT: None
MEMORY: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+20] (Corsair or Major Brand)
MONITOR: None
MONITOR2: None
MONITOR3: None
MOTHERBOARD: [CrossFireX] GigaByte GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 mATX Mainboard w/ Lucid Virtu Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 1 PCIe X4 & 1 PCIe X1 (All Venom OC Certified) [+3]
MOUSE: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
MULTIVIEW: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors
NCSW: None
NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
OS: None - FORMAT HARD DRIVE ONLY
OVERCLOCK: No Overclocking
POWERSUPPLY: * 750 Watts - Corsair CMPSU-750TX 80 Plus Power Supply - Quad SLI Ready [+87]
RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
SPEAKERS: None
TEMP: None
TVRC: None
USB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
USBFLASH: None
USBHD: None
USBX: None
VC_PHYSX: None
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+60] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
VIDEO2: None
VIDEO3: None
WNC: None

details are described in http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15717&PN=1

The worst experience with CyberPowerPC and i've been checking their builds for 2 years.
Tech support or RMA department is non existent, doesn't check emails, voicemails, doesnt return calls or cares about webforms ( 11 days of daily calls, and emails!!!), puts people on indefinite hold for 50 minutes. And honestly doesn't care at all about their clients. I had good experience with Danni and Matt though throughout the ordering and pick up process but after that its been a nightmare.
The mobo is glitchy and RAM is completely obscure nowhere to be found rated at 1.9v! for Sandy Bridge? System unstable on anything above 4.2 ghz for i2600k with horrendous automatic voltages 1.46 (???) no way to change that, temps hot 74 under load and at 4.2ghz and full water cooling, they didn't put the thermal paste correctly? Usb ports are faulty, i can't use the frontal ports, they just might stop working.
The case is good, but they didn't leave the extra screws and some cables, so no case screws with the case at all. No manuals or upc tags for power supply/vid card. Dvd drive was unplugged.

The vid card is good though and they did change it to a more expensive EVGA. The screws are solid and the build has cables stashed nicely in the back of the motherboard.

sorry for messy layout, but ive been dealing with this for this last month lost a lot of time and money debugging and repairing this crap. The only way to get a more or less stable pc is to run at stock turbo speed at 4.2 ghz with my own ram bought of newegg. All details are in the thread on cbp forums.

will never ever buy from them again, and recommend anybody against them at all costs... will tell you how my experience with rma'ing goes tomorrow, they promised to call....maybe
 

mjmjpfaff

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can you post that video because the thermalright on many reviews performs better than the noctua
 

flong

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Yes you are 100% correct. This drove me crazy for awhile until I compared several reviews.

Most of the reviews are done on an I-7 920 or a I-7 9xx CPU, and most reviews OC. On nearly every 9xx review, up to a 4 GHZ OC the Thermalright Arrow held a slight lead over the Noctua D-14 (about 1 degree C). This is consistent in several reviews. However, in the reviews listed below we see that when the going gets really hot, when you OC the I-7 9xx CPU over the 4 GHZ mark, the Noctua D-14 absolutely spanks the Silver Arrow. This shows us that the Noctua actually dominates the Silver Arrow if you are going to seriously overclock and the the D-14 has a large cooling reserve that the Silver Arrow does not.

Here are the reviews; I apologize that one is a rather verbose video review, but it is very well done:

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/thermalright_silver_arrow_vs_noctua_nh-d14/2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07XTN0Qll2o

This is why currently, if you want a reasonably quiet CPU air cooler, then the D-14 is probably the best available. The new Corsair H60 with two optional added high-grade fans may be better and costs about the same - I can't find any pro-reviews that fairly compare the two. The one I found admitted that the D-14 was installed in a less than optimal way because of the case size.

This is why for serious gamers, even with the 2500k / 2600K - the D-14 is unsurpassed in air cooling. With the D-14 you can probably explore the 5.0 - 6.0 GHZ range of OC (although I don't know how this would affect the life span of the CPU). With the 2600K, once you pass 5.0 GHZ, CPU heat becomes an issue and the main driving force in limiting the OC.

Couple that with the universally praised high quality of the D-14 and you have what may be the top air cooler available. If you are going to OC to just 5.0 GHZ, than almost any air cooler will work. However, the D-14 will keep your components cooler overall than something like a hyper 212 and cooler components are more stable and last longer. That is why I am going to get it for my computer even though I will not OC over 5 GHZ.

If you are OC an I-7 9xx system, then hands down the D-14 is the best unless you go to a cooler that sounds like a jet plane when it is running.
 

flong

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I am not sure of the laws where you are at but here in the US, you can return a faulty product for full refund within a certain time period. That may be an option for you.

Building your own computer not only is cheaper, but you also can select the top components that will not compromise your system. The down side is that it requires a lot of thought and homework. You also take some risk because no one is there to provide a warranty if you mess something up.

I can understand why many people are busy and don't want to invest the time to build their own computers. I was this way for most of my life and so I feel for you.

The good news is, if you can't return the computer then you can fix it. You can replace the case and the motherboard and that will probably fix most of your problems. The Corsair RAM can be returned to Corsair for replacement if it is faulty (it is probably the not the problem).

The Asus Z68 Pro or ProV is a very good motherboard and I absolutely am in love with the Corsair 650D case. It has gone down in price quite a bit.

I am willing to bet that your components are not cooling well in the cheap case and it is causing you to have multiple problems. Supposedly the Asetek liquid cooler is supposed to be rated with the the best air coolers if properly installed. It is essentially the Corsair H70, which is loud and does not beat the best air coolers. I am suspicious of system builders like CyberPC. Get the 650D and the Noctua D-14 cooler and for sure you will be running cool.

You need to replace the video card anyway and that could also be the source of many of your problems. The ATI 6950 would be your best replacement card.

The PSU is good, the RAM is good- so your OK there.

I am sorry about the extra cost I am recommending but at least it salvages much of your computer. Change your cooling first and change your video card. If you are still having problems change the case. If you are still having problems, chances are you have a bad motherboard.

If you can return the whole thing - do it. Don't hesitate. System builders often use very cheap components and often they don't install them correctly. They are notorious for using cheap motherboards.

I hope this helps you.

 

mjmjpfaff

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that is really weird. ive only seen the thermalright beat the noctua. just thinking about it i cannot figure a way that that could happen. you would think that cooling would act the same at all temperatures it should not be doing badly at higher temperatures, it isnt electrical since it is just using air and heat pipes to dissipate heat. it really doesnt make sense at all. :heink:
 

flong

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Most reviews have them virtually dead even but they don't go into an extreme OC situation. In lower heat situations, the Silver Arrow seems to beat the D-14 by about one degree, but that is within the error of margin.
 

mjmjpfaff

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do you have any explanation why that would happen because i am scratching my head right now?
 

flong

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I think that the Noctua is the better cooler. It is complicated by tests where the reviewers maybe didn't apply the themral paste correctly or oriented one of the two coolers wrong or something like that.

For example, Frosty Tech rates the Noctua NH-C14 over the NH-D14 as #2 in their top five best coolers for Intel sockets. Nearly every other test that I have read rates the D-14 over the C-14 and so Frosty Tech did something wrong in their tests or everyone else is wrong. It is likely that Frosty Tech messed up their D-14 test slightly because the C14 is that good of a cooler to be rated #2. It is likely that the D14 should be rated #1 by Frosty Tech over the C14.

When you get into these power coolers that are the best of the best, only 1-5 degrees separate them in most cases. That is why I look at several tests of a cooler to compare them.

This Silver Arrow is virtually a clone of the D-14 with one exception, the heat pipe system is different at the base. Thermalright is famous for not having a perfectly flat connection plat with the CPU. I think that this is where the Silver Arrow breaks down when the heat is really turned on in a high overclock. The Silver Arrow is simply not as good as the D14.

In most tests that I have read this is the "preponderance" of the evidence. I have read a couple of tests where the Silver Arrow beat the D-14 by 2 degrees or so. In this case the Silver Arrow mounting plate may be flatter for that particular unit.

I think that if the mounting plate on the Silver Arrow is honed flat, and several companies offer that service, then it might slightly beat the D14 but the difference would not be significant.

There is also a margin of error in each of these tests and the difference often is within that margin.

Given that the D14 is a little better quality in the reviews as far as other intangibles like the mounting hardware and fan clips, I think that the D14 is the better unit. However, both are in the best of the best category.

Many reviewers flat out state that the D14 is the best air cooler on the market and that is rare for professional reviews to go that far.