Suggestions For My Build?

[killer8297]

So this is the system that I'm building very soon. This'll be my entertainment system for the next 5 years with small upgrades here and there. GTX 570 for some nice graphics, maybe get another one a bit later. I want to get a higher voltage psu because of this upgrade so I don't have to get another psu later on. I went with the z68 board mostly for the ssd caching even though 60gb should be enough for my main drive. Although I'm not exactly sure if the speed of the SSD and the size will effect the cashing. And for the cpu I got the 2600k over the 2500k because this might become more of a workstation computer then for gaming. Hopefully I can get a good oc out of this with the d14. I also want to hackintosh, most of the parts will work expect for the video card but I don't want some unstable ATI crap and they working on new driver for os lion for gtx 500s so I'll just have to gamble on that one. This will be my first build so I want it to be special, LOL yes special . Feel free to post comments and your suggestions.

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These two power supply are priced almost the same expect that the cm psu is modular and 1000w as well they are both 80+ bronze. I could upgrade to hx850 but that'll be $20 extra but either way if I get the gtx 580 and sli down the road these psu might be a problem. So for all the Corsair fan boys why should I pick the Corsair over the cooler master?


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I can get the gtx 580 for $400 during a sale that's comeing up but if I get that I'll have to ditch out the SSD. The gtx 570 is oced so Idk how close it'll be compared gtx 580 stock. Also the warranty for the gtx 580 is only one year. Not sure if that'll be worth it.


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For the case it's stupid really lol, all for visual appeals. All of them have good airflow, look almost the same expect for a few differences here and there. The HAF 922 ($90) will get the job done but I want the HAF 932 black edition($120) because of the black interior, side window and ofc its bigger. I can get the HAF 932($110) but I'll have to paint it myself and no side window however more airflow. LOL what you guys think?

 

[chesteracorgi]

First, on the GPU, don't compare the OC'd GTX 570 with the GTX 580. You can OC the cards yourself and they are generally limited by their GPU. The GTX 580 is a better card than any GTX570 OC'd or not. With MSI Afterburner software (works on any GTX 500 series) you can OC the GPU yourself.

Regarding the SSD, you improve performance with HDD to SSD caching, but you never achieve SSD performance with caching. I opted for a SSD boot drive on a P67 because of this. Regarding Virtu read this http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/motherboards/2011/05/13/what-is-the-intel-z68-chipset/1

If you really have an app that benefits from HDD/SSD caching (like a database server or streaming video) then go with the Z68. Otherwise save $50 and get the P67 equivalent. Buy a larger SSD for a boot drive and you will improve performance over a cached system.

Regarding a case, the best thing is good cooling. Aesthetics are always a consideration, but the case is the major component for cooling which will give you better performance and longevity for your rig.

BTW on my mobo I regularly achieve an OC of 4.8 GHz with the 2500K while the 2600K will only do 4.9 GHz. This is with the mobo's UEFI preset OC'ing (you might be able to tweak more by trial and error). But for a mere 100 MHz the price difference doesn't seem worth the $$$. I recommend you cut back on the CPU and put the extra $$$ into the GPU or a SSD.

 

[BenTheMagnifice]

you still need to figure a dvd drive, an OS, and a harddrive into your build price remember.

 

[BohleyK]

Better off getting the i5, GTX570, 120GB or greater SSD, and the CM PSU.

 

[killer8297]

how is this? Add $400 for the gtx 580 subtract $30 from rebate, thats $1400.
I forgot to mention that I'll be getting around %30 discount from this store and the tax in ontario is %13. So thats around $1200. Great price but I'm still not sure about the 2500k and the p68 as I want something future proof. Will p68 support ivy bridge?

 

[BohleyK]

Nothing is future proof with Intel. They change everything all the time. Ivy bridge will be a smaller chip so its going to be a different socket. Welcome to Intel. Your build looks good. If you like it, buy it.

 

[killer8297]

I've heard that the ivy bridge will work on z68 but I've heard nothing about the p67. Yes there is no such thing was future proof, what I mean is that I'm looking for something that'll last me along time before I having to get a new system. If the motherboard is compatible with the new core, I wouldn't hesitate to get the 2500k and sell it to upgrade to ivy bridge. But as of right now I'm very uncertain what to get. In terms of gaming 2500k and the 2600k are identical, so what are the benefits of the hyper threading and 2mb of extra cache? What will be good for besides video editing and such?

 

[BohleyK]

Not many applications use Hyper Threading. The way I see the Core i7 is that its more of a presitge than an actual performance purchase. Yes some people need Core i7's but the general owner of one just bought it because its the best available. So unless you are into serious work there is no real need to get the Core i7 other than bragging rights.

The Core i5 is great for video editing. If you decide you want the Core i5 over the Core i7 you won't be disappointed. You'll just lose a few minutes of your life with video editing over an extended period of time because you decided to save money.

I'm not really sure on the specifics of Ivy. I just know that its going to be ~30% greater performance from Sandy, hold a smaller die size, and carry PCIe 3.0 on the boards from what I've read around the web.

 

[killer8297]

Yet having the bragging rights seems so tempting. Haha think I make the smarter choice.