Have Parkinsons/memory issue. Need decision-making help

[rustyd79]

HI,

Pre-ramble:
I have parkinsons and some other issues which affect both my memory and my decision making skills. I can't physically build a system myself for the above reasons.

I have been trying to create a gaming rig at cyberpower for about 2 months but the lack of memory and decision making skills are seriously getting in the way and I've yet to "decide" on something.

Today it's this: http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saved/1DAEDN - a variation of a black pearl.

Yesterday it was http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saved/1DAB3C - CyberPower Gamer Infinity 8800 Pro SE

Every single day I go through this except when I forget I need a new rig for a week or so.

OK to the actual question:

I have about $2200 +/- a couple hundred to spend. I mainly play Rift, WoW and god knows what else that will come up in the future. What I want is:

1) To Be able to to slide all graphics settings to max for the next 1-3 years.
2) Motherboard that's great (I have NO clue what I am picking) but I do know what sli/crossfire is, just not sure if i really need a dual card set-up
3) At least a couple of slots for maybe new audio card
4) Stuff I have no idea I may or may not need. Like everything from liquid vs fan vs both Cooling, IEEE 394 (whatever that is), usb 2/3 - all that stuff is just overwhelming to me and I seriously need help.
As it it, I am just clicking buttons that look...good, on those sites. What I would like, is for the 'right' buttons to be pushed so I don't end up with stuff that's incompatible, almost outdated, flat out unnecessary - you get the idea.

I know this is a lot to ask and I don't even know if I am supposed to ask this here in this forum.
But from what I have read here, you all seem to be the kings of knowledge for all things like this, so I thought I would just humble myself and flat-out ask you for help.

Thanks and apologies if I have broken any forum rules.

Rustyd

 

[sadams04]

How about starting with the Mega Special III, and then the options below for under $2000? A nice processor in the 2500k, dual graphics cards (HD 6970 2GB), 8GB of memory, SSD boot drive and 2TB secondary drive. Changing the graphic cards to dual GTX 580 1.5gb cards would be a good upgrade, but would add $300. Just an option...


Case: CoolerMaster Elite 430 Mid-Tower Gaming Case with Side Panel Window
Freebies: None
Internal USB Extension Module: None
Neon Light Upgrade: None
Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Maximum Enermax 120MM Case Cooling Fans for selected case (Maximum Silent Operation) [+29] (1,000 RPM Black Color with No LED Enlobal Magnetic Barometric Bearing 17 dBA)
Noise Reduction Technology: Sound Absorbing Foam on Side, Top And Bottom panels [+29]
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-2500K 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: No Overclocking
Cooling Fan: CoolerMaster V6 GT CPU Cooler (Nickle Plated Double-V Heatpipe w/ Color Changing LED Cap) [+22]
Motherboard: [CrossFireX/SLI] GigaByte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX MB w/ Lucid Virtu + Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)
Intel Smart Response Technology for Z68: None
Memory: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+54] (Corsair or Major Brand)
Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6970 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+238] (Major Brand Powered by AMD)
Video Card 2: AMD Radeon HD 6970 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+366] (Major Brand Powered by AMD)
Video Card 3: None
Dedicated PHYSX Card: None
Multiple Video Card Settings: Xtreme Performance in SLI/CrossFireX Gaming Mode Supports Single Monitor
Power Supply Upgrade: * 850 Watts - Corsair CMPSU-850TXV2 80 Plus Power Supply - Quad SLI Ready [+113]
Hard Drive: * 128 GB ADATA S501 V2 SATA III 6.0G/s Gaming MLC Solid State Disk [+186] (Single Hard Drive)
Data Hard Drive: 2TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+115] (Single Hard Drive)
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
Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse

 

[boiler1990]

^I'd recommend the above as well for a brebuit system. IMO the Elite 430 seems like a small case to be putting that all in...

 

[rustyd79]

First and Foremost - Thank you!

I do have a a few questions:

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't I go with an Intel® Core™ i7-960 3.20 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1366 vs Intel® Core™ i5-2500K 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 ?
Is the i5 better? In my head, higher numbers = better/newer - but of course, I could be wrong here.

Also, I am very confused as to the Ram speed.
Memory: Your option was for the 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz.
My question is, if I were to go with 12GB (2GBx6) DDR3/1800MHz Triple Channel Memory Module (Corsair or Major Brand) will that cause any problems or perhaps incompatibilities with certain components? I'm assuming that I would Not need 12G though

Would it be better to grab a full tower case for potential upgrades such as:
Azza Hurrican 2000 Full Tower Gaming Case with 4 Hot Swappable HDD Cage & (4) 230MM Fans
or
Coolermaster HAF-X Gaming Full Tower Case w/ 1x230mm Red LED Fan, 1x200mm Fans, 2xFront USB 3.0 Port?


Finally, would the dual Radeon HD 6970 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Cards you recommended outperform a top-end nVidia single card? My brain says "yes", but my affinity for nVidia says "Ask anyway".

I can't thank you enough for your time, help, and such a fast response...seriously, you have no idea!

Few more things maybe to iron out and I'll be ready to hit the ever-evasive "Add to Cart" button!
Best Regards,
Rustyd

PS
Like I said in my original post, I have about $2200 +/- a couple hundred allotted for this PC. I am going to try my best to get a rig that uses all/most of it and will have the horsepower to Launch Apollo 11 while playing Rift, and Star Wars: The Old Republic simultaneously on Max Video settings (assuming SWtOR ever comes out

 

[boiler1990]

The i7-960 is the previous generation performance-level CPU, but gets wrecked by the new Sandy Bridge CPUs like the i5-2500K. Given that it is A) cheaper and B) better, there are really no reasons to not get it


Let me address the RAM in 2 parts:

1) 3GB, 6GB, and 12GB kits (triple channel) are made specifically for the older i7-900 series CPUs/boards. You can't use them with the P67/Z68 boards because they only support up to dual channel.

2) Once you get above 1600MHz, the speed has almost no noticeable effect on the performance of your computer, unless you're doing heavy OCing and benchmarking. Even 1333MHz would work really well, but 1600MHz is just the sweet spot in terms of price, performance, and capacity.


Those cases are nice (personally like the HAF X and it cools well) and have extra features because they are full tower cases. I thought it was odd that the default bundle sadams04 listed a Coolermaster Elite 430, since it's a relatively small mid-tower case. The case is really personal preference, but that should all fit in any case they offer.

For GPUs, it depends on your price range. Read this and correlate with your preferred GPU price: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card-game-performance-radeon-hd-6670,2935.html

 

[rustyd79]

Ok, after another 4 hours of clicking options, I have finally found a system that I Think is up to speed after reading the responses here starting with the Mega Special III:

Here is what I came up with from Cyberpower:
** Please let me know if I am missing anything or if I have made a bad choice anywhere. 1 option that I am unsure of is whether or not I need a "IEEE 1394 CARD AND DRIVER" as I am not sure what it really does.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CAS:CoolerMaster Elite 430 Mid-Tower Gaming Case with Side Panel Window

CPU:Intel® Core™ i5-2500K 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)

CS_FAN: Default case fans

FAN:Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)

FLASHMEDIA:INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)

HDD:* 128 GB ADATA S501 V2 SATA III 6.0G/s Gaming MLC Solid State Disk [+186] (Single Hard Drive)

HDD2:1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+68] (Single Hard Drive)

IEEE_CARD:None

MB_SRT:64 GB ADATA S599 Gaming MLC Solid State Disk [+129] (Single Hard Drive)

MEMORY:8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+74] (Corsair Vengeance [+19])

MOTHERBOARD:[CrossFireX/SLI] GigaByte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX MB
w/ Lucid Virtu + Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN,
USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)

MULTIVIEW:Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors

NETWORK:Killer Xeno Pro Gigabit High Speed Online Gaming PCI Network Interface Card [+39]

OS:* Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional [+135] (64-bit Edition)

OVERCLOCK: Pro OC (Performance Overclock 10% or more) [+19]

POWERSUPPLY:* 850 Watts - Corsair CMPSU-850TXV2 80 Plus Power Supply - Quad SLI Ready [+113]

SOUND:HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

USB:Built-in USB 2.0 Ports

CARE1:Ultra Enhanced Packaging Solution - Protect Your Dream System During Transit [+19]

CARE2: CoolerMaster Thermal Fusion 400 Extreme Performance CPU - Thermal Compound Optimized for Thermal Dissipation [+10]

CARE3: Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]

 

[boiler1990]

I don't know what GPUs you went with or the price, but this is what I would recommend (only $1985 as well).
EDIT: Based off of the Mega Special III as well.

Case: * Corsair Obsidian Series 650D Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ dual 200mm fans, integrated fan controller, front USB 3.0 Port & Side-Panel Window [+135]

Much bigger case than the Cooler Master Elite 430, and supports a bigger radiator for the CPU -> See the cooling for the reasoning for this.

Freebies: None

Internal USB Extension Module: None

Neon Light Upgrade: None

Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Default case fans

Noise Reduction Technology: Sound Absorbing Foam on Side, Top And Bottom panels [+29]
Anti-Vibration Fan Mounts [+9]

CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-2500K 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
Freebies: FREE Game - Shogun 2 Limited Edition Coupon: Total War

Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: No Overclocking

Cooling Fan: CyberPower Xtreme Hydro Liquid Cooling Kit 240MM w/ Dual Fan(CPU & GPU Liquid Cool Capable, Extreme Overclcking Performance + Extreme Slient at 18dBA) [+63]

A 240mm radiator will do a much better job cooling your CPU than a 120mm radiator. Sure, the closed loop 120mm systems will let you OC, but at that point it's no better than a good air cooler. You're much better off with the 240 rad.

Motherboard: [CrossFireX/SLI] GigaByte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX MB w/ Lucid Virtu + Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)

Intel Smart Response Technology for Z68: 40 GB Intel 320 2.5 inch SATA Gaming MLC Solid State Disk [+102] (Single Hard Drive)

You don't need a huge SSD to take advantage of caching on the Z68 boards. The Intel 320 SSDs are among the best and the fastest, and will work very well with caching (almost/just as good as a SSD boot drive). AData has had some controller issues in the past, whereas Intel has been very strong from the beginning.

Memory: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+74] (Kingston HyperX [+13])

Kingston is a great brand, and this kit offers better reliability than CyberPower's no-name brand, but isn't as costly as the Corsair Dominator (you're really paying for the heatsinks IMHO)

Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6950 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+152] (HIS IceQ X Turbo 840MHz Powered by AMD [+35])
Video Card 2: AMD Radeon HD 6950 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+280] (HIS IceQ X Turbo 840MHz Powered by AMD [+35])
Video Card 3: None
Dedicated PHYSX Card: None

You could upgrade to the 6970s if you wanted. HIS is pretty well-known in the AMD GPU world. I hate that you're not guaranteed a name-brand GPU in most of CyberPower's computers. It really does make a difference.

Multiple Video Card Settings: Xtreme Performance in SLI/CrossFireX Gaming Mode Supports Single Monitor

Power Supply Upgrade: * 850 Watts - Corsair CMPSU-850TXV2 80 Plus Power Supply - Quad SLI Ready [+113]

Hard Drive: 1TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [-6] (Single Hard Drive)
Data Hard Drive: None

There is NO 6.0Gbps hard drive that has shown a noticeable performance increase over the 3.0Gbps drives. Just save yourself the few bucks, because in principle you're paying for not gaining performance. The SSD caching makes a bigger difference.

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

Network: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network

The Killer NIC's do work, but if you're playing on a wireless network, it's useless. It will ONLY help in games. -> If you meet these requirements, by all means get one.

Network Switch: None

Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse

Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: PCI Wireless 802.11n 150Mbps Network Interface Card
External Wireless Network Card: None
Wireless 802.11 B/G/N Access Point: None
Bluetooth: None

Didn't notice that I hadn't picked a 300Mbps wifi card; I would spend the extra few bucks for it. You only need to get the wifi card if you're using your computer on a wireless network. Otherwise, get the Killer NIC or use the built-in LAN port on the motherboard.

Flash Media Reader/Writer: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)
Video Camera: None
Headset: None
Printer: None
Cable: None
Power Protection: None
Surge Protector: None

IEEE1394 Card: None

1394 is Firewire, which isn't supported by nearly anything these days (AFAIK; haven't seen anything that uses firewire in the last 5 years or so)

USB Port: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
Operating System: * Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium [+104] (64-bit Edition)
Media Center Remote Control & TV Tuner: None
Office Suite: None
Games: None

Ultra Care Option: Ultra Enhanced Packaging Solution - Protect Your Dream System During Transit [+19]
CoolerMaster Thermal Fusion 400 Extreme Performance CPU - Thermal Compound Optimized for Thermal Dissipation [+10]
Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]
Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Rush Service: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS



Again, the total was only $1985, and you'll get amazing performance.

 

[rustyd79]

Greetings Gurus,

This is probably my last post on this purchase, and I am looking for any Final Thoughts before hitting the "Add to cart" button and dishing out a lot of money to play basically MMO's. But, I want to be prepared for anything.

Ok, I have been reading everything on this site basically - and here's what I am ready to buy. By the way, it appeared that the i7-2600K were not that much more expensive. But again, my physical limitations and technical in-expertise are hindering my decision making.

Please inform me of anything I am doing wrong or missing anything. The only concern I have is that I have been an nVidia fan for years but it does look like these dual AMD Radeon HD 6950 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Cards will actually give me better performance.

This is the one based off "boiler1990"'s recommendation from cyberpower:

*BASE_PRICE:[+799]

CARE1:Ultra Enhanced Packaging Solution - Protect Your Dream System During Transit [+19]

CARE2:CoolerMaster Thermal Fusion 400 Extreme Performance CPU - Thermal Compound Optimized for Thermal Dissipation [+10]

CARE3rofessional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]

CAS:* Coolermaster HAF-X Gaming Full Tower Case w/ 1x230mm Red LED Fan, 1x200mm Fans, 2xFront USB 3.0 Port [+135]

CASUPGRADE:None

CD:Sony 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive [+3] (BLACK COLOR)

CPU:Intel® Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified) [+106]

CS_FANefault case fans

FA_HDD:None

FAN:CyberPower Xtreme Hydro Liquid Cooling Kit 240MM w/ Dual Fan(CPU & GPU Liquid Cool Capable, Extreme Overclcking Performance + Extreme Slient at 18dBA) [+63]

FLASHMEDIA:INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)

FREEBIE_CU1:FREE Game - Shogun 2 Limited Edition Coupon: Total War [+0]

HDD:1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Hard Drive)

MB_SRT:40 GB Intel 320 2.5 inch SATA Gaming MLC Solid State Disk [+102] (Single Hard Drive)

MEMORY:8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+74] (Kingston HyperX [+13])

MOTHERBOARD:[CrossFireX/SLI] GigaByte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX MB w/ Lucid Virtu + Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)

MOUSE:XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse

MULTIVIEW:Xtreme Performance in SLI/CrossFireX Gaming Mode Supports Single Monitor [+0]

NCSW:None

NETWORK:Killer Xeno Pro Gigabit High Speed Online Gaming PCI Network Interface Card [+39]

NOISEREDUCE1:Sound Absorbing Foam on Side, Top And Bottom panels [+29]

NOISEREDUCE2:Anti-Vibration Fan Mounts [+9]

OS:* Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium [+104] (64-bit Edition)

OVERCLOCK:No Overclocking

POWERSUPPLY:* 850 Watts - Corsair CMPSU-850TXV2 80 Plus Power Supply - Quad SLI Ready [+113]

SOUND:HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

TEMP:None

USB:Built-in USB 2.0 Ports

VC_PHYSX:None

VIDEO:AMD Radeon HD 6950 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+152] (HIS IceQ X Turbo 840MHz Powered by AMD [+35])

VIDEO2:AMD Radeon HD 6950 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+280] (HIS IceQ X Turbo 840MHz Powered by AMD [+35])

PRICE+2139)

So I tried to duplicate the above sustem at iBuyPower, but it seems my choices were a bit more limited and it's about $100 more although I don't know why:

Case 1 x CoolerMaster HAF 932 Full Tower Gaming Case-Black
Case Lighting None-
iBUYPOWER Labs - Noise Reduction 1 x Basic - iBUYPOWER Harmony SRS Sound Reduction System-Reduce System Noise
iBUYPOWER Labs - Internal Expansion None-
Processor 1 x Intel® Core™ i7-2600K Processor (4x 3.40GHz/8MB L3 Cache)-
Processor Cooling 1 x Asetek 550LC Liquid CPU Cooling System (Intel)-Standard 120mm Fan
Memory 1 x 8 GB [4 GB X2] DDR3-1600 Memory Module-Corsair Vengeance
Video Card 1 x AMD Radeon HD 6950 - 2GB-CrossFire Mode (Dual Cards)
Video Card Brand 1 x Major Brand Powered by AMD or NVIDIA-
Motherboard 1 x [SLI] ASUS P8P67 PRO -- 3x PCI-E 2.0 x16, On-Board Bluetooth-
Power Supply 1 x 1000 Watt -- Corsair CMPSU-1000HX-
Primary Hard Drive 1 x 40 GB Intel X25-V MLC SSD-Single Drive
Data Hard Drive 1 x 750 GB HARD DRIVE -- 32M Cache, 7200 RPM, 6.0Gb/s-Single Drive
Optical Drive 1 x 24X Sony Dual Format/Double Layer DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Drive-Black
Flash Media Reader / Writer 1 x 12-In-1 Internal Flash Media Card Reader/Writer-Black
Meter Display None-
USB Expansion None-
Sound Card 1 x 3D Premium Surround Sound Onboard-
Network Card 1 x Killer Xeno Pro Gaming Network Card-
Operating System 1 x Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium + Office Starter 2010 (Includes basic versions of Word and Excel)-64-Bit
Keyboard 1 x iBUYPOWER USB Keyboard-Black
Mouse 1 x iBUYPOWER Internet Mouse-
Advanced Build Options 1 x Professional wiring for all cables inside the system tower-Basic Pro Wiring
Advanced Build Options 1 x Professional wiring for all cables inside the system tower-Achieve exceptional airflow in your chassis
Advanced Build Options 1 x Tuniq TX-2 High Performance Thermal Compound-The best interface between your CPU and the heatsinks
Advanced Build Options 1 x iBUYPOWER Specialized Advanced Packaging System-Protect your investment during transportation!
Subtotal* $2203.00 (plus tax & shipping)

 

[boiler1990]

It costs more because you went with the i7, the Corsair Vengeance RAM, the 6Gbps HDD, and the massively overkill power supply. If you just stick to the build I posted, you'll get the best performance for the money - it would be what I would buy if I were in your position.

 

[rustyd79]

Final thoughts before buying...(seriously!)

I know this takes time to walk people along, holding their hand all the way. I can NOT thank you enough because of my cranial malady that severely limits my decision-making process to a point where I cannot even choose 'sausage over bacon' (literally) and the toughest part is: I was a programmer for over 20 years!
Anyway...

It costs more because you went with the i7, the Corsair Vengeance RAM, the 6Gbps HDD, and the massively overkill power supply.

I was wondering about that power supply. The Ram, ok, the i7 ?. Will the i7/2600k end up, in the long-run, outperforming the i5? (Going to look this up now) - Didn't find a definitive answer.


But after all choices were chosen (as close as I could get to your original i5 setup) a pop-up told me I needed a bigger PSU :/

It seems iBuypower doesn't have as many choices, i.e., I really want the Haf-X case but couldn't find the option.

So, the last questions in a nutshell are;
1) i5 or i7 ?
2) Dual Radeon HD 6950 2GB GDDR5 or nVidia GTX 570s sli?

You don't need a huge SSD to take advantage of caching on the Z68 boards. The Intel 320 SSDs are among the best and the fastest, and will work very well with caching (almost/just as good as a SSD boot drive).

* I was assuming this was the boot drive, no?

 

[boiler1990]

It costs more because you went with the i7, the Corsair Vengeance RAM, the 6Gbps HDD, and the massively overkill power supply.

I was wondering about that power supply. The Ram, ok, the i7 ?. Will the i7/2600k end up, in the long-run, outperforming the i5? (Going to look this up now) - Didn't find a definitive answer.

Yeah, for Crossfired 6950s, you'll need about 750W, and 570s will need about 850W. No need to get a humongous and overly expensive power supply.

The i7 doesn't OC any better than the i5. The only difference is hyperthreading, which has no effect on gaming performance and will only come into play with heavily threaded applications like video editing and the like.

But after all choices were chosen (as close as I could get to your original i5 setup) a pop-up told me I needed a bigger PSU :/

That's based on the manufacturer recommendations, which are usually ~200W+ more than you actually need in a system. I ran 2 470s and an i7-930 on a solid 650W

So, the last questions in a nutshell are;
1) i5 or i7 ?
2) Dual Radeon HD 6950 2GB GDDR5 or nVidia GTX 570s sli?

The 570s are more expensive, and are more on par with the 6970s. I would get the build with 2x6950s rather than the 570s, because A) it'll actually fit the budget, and B) they'll perform extremely well.
Stick with the i5 for the reasons I mentioned above

You don't need a huge SSD to take advantage of caching on the Z68 boards. The Intel 320 SSDs are among the best and the fastest, and will work very well with caching (almost/just as good as a SSD boot drive).

* I was assuming this was the boot drive, no?

There's a difference. You can either get a 64+GB SSD to install the OS on and save other program to a HDD or get a smaller SSD (~30GB), install the OS on a HDD, and use the SSD as a cache drive. It works well either way, you just have to configure the cache drive which will take a bit more effort than just installing the OS on it. If you can afford it, a boot drive option is easier.

 

[rustyd79]

Best answer selected by Rustyd79.

 

[rustyd79]

1 thing I would like to say - Big thanks to Boiler!

He helped me out greatly beyond this thread and I would just like to say:

Thank You!