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Advice on my future PC build

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Hello,
I have settled down finally and can justify purchasing a desktop once again. I am definitely rusty (its been nearly 8 years since I last built one) when it comes to building PCs but I know that it is cheaper when it comes to getting more bang for my buck. Please take a look at my setup and offer any advice and/or possible changes you would think I should consider (PSUs, motherboards, memory etc.). Although I am not a hardcore gamer I do enjoy some World of Warcraft from time to time and would like to be able to play at the max settings comfortably. (yes, I know the GPU I selected is overkill for that but future proofing is key)
I am about to buy a new tv as well so I will be using my current tv (Sony Bravia LCD 780p) + an additional monitor (aiming for something around the 20" mark) for side work (playing music, surfing the net, etc.) while gaming or watching tv on the bigger screen. My resolution on my tv is something like 1366x768 so that's what I plan on running WoW at along with my second monitor. Not sure if this matters but I will be living in a new home so there are no electrical issues with old wiring or anything. (seems like that has been an issue in some of the posts I've read)
Also, I am considering getting a Sata III 6.0 gb/s SSD for my OS and Wow. Have not decided if I want to drop the cash for that yet considering lots of reviews have talked about them failing. Either way, thank you for your time.

-Cj


My Computer


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case Model #: RC-922M-KKN1-GP Item #: N82E16811119197


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103072&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
COOLER MASTER Megaflow 200 R4-LUS-07AR-GP 200mm Red LED Case Fan
Model #: R4-LUS-07AR-GP Item #: N82E16835103072
(Extra fan to be mounted to my case for better airflow/cooling)


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K Model #: BX80623I52500K Item #: N82E16819115072


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131703&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
ASUS P8P67 PRO (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
Model #: P8P67 PRO (REV 3.0) Item #: N82E16813131703


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121425&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
ASUS ENGTX560 TI DCII TOP/2DI/1GD5 GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ... Model #: ENGTX560 TI DCII TOP Item #: N82E16814121425


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151087&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
SeaSonic X750 Gold 750W ATX12V V2.3/EPS 12V V2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply Model #: X750 Gold Item #: N82E16817151087


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104244&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
Kingston HyperX 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory Model KHX1600C9D3/4G
Model #: KHX1600C9D3/4G Item #: N82E16820104244
(Qty of 2 - also considering getting 4 to make it 16GB but I'm assuming that's overkill?)


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Model #: WD1002FAEX Item #: N82E16822136533


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
Model #: DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Item #: N82E16827135204


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel ... Model #:RR-B10-212P-G1 Item #:N82E16835103065


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103069&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
COOLER MASTER R4-BMBS-20PK-R0 Blade Master 120mm Case Fan
Model #: R4-BMBS-20PK-R0 Item #: N82E16835103069
(Will be used as a second fan for the CM Hyper 212+ for push/pull airflow)


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
Model #: AS5-3.5G Item #: N82E16835100007


]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=]
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Model #: GFC-02050 Item #: N82E16832116986


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Subtotal: $1,256.84

More about : advice future build

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I would change your RAM selection to a Dual channel kit and use 1.5v RAM. Sandy Bridge seems to prefer this voltage. I am not saying it won't work though. 1.5v runs cooler and has better over clocking potential.

I suggest these:
Corsair's new lower profile vengeance series:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

these have taller heatsinks an may have an issue with the Hyper 212+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...


opinion:
I think the ASUS P8P67 PRO is over priced I would look at Z68 if you are going to spend that much$
suggestions:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

the build looks pretty solid other than that.

Hello,
To answer the usage question: The computer will be mainly for playing World of Warcraft when I'm up for it (have lost the taste due to the poor performance of my laptop these days), creating music on a fairly lightweight music production program and surfing the internet/emailing. I will NOT be using it for video editing or anything like that. It is not unusual for me to spend up to 6-8 hours at a time though when I decide to sit down and grind out some WoW'age.
I do plan on overclocking my CPU to hopefully at least the mid 4 range (4.4-4.8) if my system will allow it. As far as budget goes I would like to keep it somewhere close to the 1200-1400 range. Also, one of my concerns is whether or not my PSU will be powerful enough with my extra fans, overclocking and decent GPU. I may splurge a little bit if I decide to add an SSD for OS/WoW. Thank you again for your time.

I am definitely looking into the suggested Corsair ram. Thank you for the suggestions. Also, I am once again diving into the huge pool of motherboard reviews and specs. This is a bit overwhelming for me.

-Cj
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What you have should work well for what you're intending to do.

I'd swap the WD Black with the Samsung F3 1TB, because it's faster and cheaper.

A SSD will definitely fit in your budget; you could go for 120 or 240 GB if you really want to.

16GB is definitely too much RAM. Even 8 is more than you probably need ;) 

Thank you very much for your input. Ill keep it at 8GB for the ram and use the previously suggested Corsair low profile sticks.

I mainly decided to go with the WD Black over the Samsung F3 b/c of user reviews. I can take a look over them again and see if maybe I was wrong due to information overload at the time.

I have read many great things about SSDs. Especially the SATA III ones for their speed but it still seems like they are a bit unstable after reading reviews. I want to keep this system low in price b/c I will be making a couple other large purchases soon as well but if, in your honest opinion, an SSD Sata III would hold up and serve me well. I think Ill splurge for one. Most likely something around the 120GB range as I will only be loading OS Windows 7 Premium and World of Warcraft on it but would like to keep a healthy gap between usage and available space remaining.

As far as my PUS goes, do you feel that a 750W 80 Plus Gold is enough to run this system without putting too much strain on it? Or should I bump it up to the 850W range to factor in for OC'ing my CPU and possibly adding an additional GPU down the road if Im feeling froggy?

-Cj

The F3 and WD Black are both great drives, it's just that the WD Blacks are much more expensive (~$80 vs. ~$60) for less performance; the gimmick is the SATA III connection.

WD didn't change the drives much to even get close to the SATA II maximum transfer rate, so the SATA III connector doesn't do anything really. The F3 has a higher platter density, which allows it to read data faster than the Black. It's not anything hugely significant, but again it is the better value.

Where did you read that SSDs were unstable? The SSD will improve the snappiness of your OS and the programs you put on the drive. It should significantly decrease loading times in WoW that aren't dictated by your internet connection. The Intel 320s are some of the best selling, and have had few issues.


Dropping the price of the mobo to the $120-140 range, saving on the HDD and RAM, and getting a less expensive 560Ti (I've seen some for ~$200 nowadays) should save you enough to put in a 120GB 320 SSD.
The Asus GPUs are good (the difference is the cooler), but not $60-70 premium good IMHO.

I am definitely going to take a second look at the F3. Thank you for that.

I was just reading reviews on different SATAIII SSDs on newegg from users and it seemed like 40% of people had issues with theirs. Although that could have been due to system compatibility when trying to add the SSD into an older system or just incorrect installation. For the people that it worked as it should for, they raved about it wth great compliments.

Motherboards are an area that Im struggling with in making a decision. I know that my system with not be overly elaborate or super powerful with tons of drives so I will not be needing a top tier MB with all the bells and whistles but I would also like one that will allow me to overclock fairly well. I watched a video on ASUS' P8P67 series and the new UEFI (bios replacement) seems more user friendly for someone who is rusty at the PC building game and has no prior experience with overclocking.

Also, trying to decide between P67 and Z68 MBs. Since I am buying a GPU I will not need the intergrated one that the Z68 comes with. Also, I do not plan on doing much with video editing or anything of the sort so the Z68 ability that makes this easier is also of no concern to me. If I do go the SSD route I plan on buying a 120BG'ish one so I will not need the SSD caching feature (I think... unless Im way off here). Last of all, I believe I read somewhere that the integrated GPU on the Z68 board can eventually cause some issues with addon GPUs. This may have been an older post on an older board in which it is no longer an issue. I cannot remember to be honest.


-Cj

As far as GPUs go, I was unsure if it would be safe to step down to a cheaper model of the GTX 560ti that only has one cooling fan as opposed to two. Or how much of a difference I would notice between the ones with a core clock of 850mhz vs one with a core clock of 900mhz.

-Cj

Quote:
I was just reading reviews on different SATAIII SSDs on newegg from users and it seemed like 40% of people had issues with theirs. Although that could have been due to system compatibility when trying to add the SSD into an older system or just incorrect installation. For the people that it worked as it should for, they raved about it wth great compliments.

It's difficult to add a SSD to a system that is already established, because you need to back up information, then set the BIOS to ACHI for TRIM support (not difficult, but it can mess up some stuff with other drives), and then reinstall all your programs and restore information from the backups. It is simple when building a new system because everything is fresh (just a regular new system set up).

Quote:
Motherboards are an area that Im struggling with in making a decision. I know that my system with not be overly elaborate or super powerful with tons of drives so I will not be needing a top tier MB with all the bells and whistles but I would also like one that will allow me to overclock fairly well. I watched a video on ASUS' P8P67 series and the new UEFI (bios replacement) seems more user friendly for someone who is rusty at the PC building game and has no prior experience with overclocking.

Most mid-range brand-name boards will support a strong OC, though Asus' new BIOS interface is pretty cool. However, it does everything that a normal BIOS does. Overclocking is still just a tweak of the Core multipliers, with some potential changes in the voltage (no pun intended :D ), and it's getting easier with unlocked CPUs like the 2500K that may not need an increase in voltage.

Quote:
Also, trying to decide between P67 and Z68 MBs. Since I am buying a GPU I will not need the intergrated one that the Z68 comes with. Also, I do not plan on doing much with video editing or anything of the sort so the Z68 ability that makes this easier is also of no concern to me. If I do go the SSD route I plan on buying a 120BG'ish one so I will not need the SSD caching feature (I think... unless Im way off here). Last of all, I believe I read somewhere that the integrated GPU on the Z68 board can eventually cause some issues with addon GPUs. This may have been an older post on an older board in which it is no longer an issue. I cannot remember to be honest.

There aren't many differences between the two. Caching isn't useful if you have a big enough SSD for the OS, so you don't need that feature. Integrated graphics can be handy in the event of a GPU failure, which is one reason I would consider Z68. Very rarely do integrated GPUs have any issues with GPUs - if they do, you should be RMAing the product because something is wrong. Making the decision is tough, because there's no reason you should go with Z68, but there's no reason you shouldn't.
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