First time builder - Need some reassurance

[XPreNN]

Hi everyone!

I'm building a system for the first time as my current is becoming dated. I've done TONS of research and compiled a system by myself which meets my needs. My goal was to build a machine that is somewhat future-proof, highly efficient at rendering audio and video, accessing lots of small audio files at the same time, video editing, light gaming and huge amount of disk space, and more. All while being ver quiet.

I know, it sounds a bit crazy, but having read loads of reviews and researching how all of this stuff works, I've made some decisions that should get me a very decent, high-end system. My question to you is not so much "What should I buy?", but "Did I forget/overlook anything that might cause this system to fail?"

Here's what I have picked:

Case:
* Nexus EDGE (sound proofed, lots of room, great built-in cooling options)

Motherboard:
* Asrock X58 Extreme6 (because it has 6 SATA III connectors and >2 USB 3.0)

CPU:
* Intel i7 970 hexacore (6 cores are coming into play more and more, I need lots of processing power, so this is my futur-proofing)

RAM:
* 6 x Corsair XMS 4GB (24GB is a lot, but from what I understoof, it's either 3 sticks or 6 for optimal performance)

HDD
* OS: Crucial M4 256GB (SATAIII)
* Secondary software: Raptor 300GB (already have this disk)
* 6 other hard disks, totalling 1SDD + 7 HDD (6 of which are SATAIII)

PSU
* Corsair HX750W (quiet, reliable and 7 year warranty)

I also have a PCI soundcard which will be installed.

This machine has to be powerful and reliable, so please, tell me what you think!

 

[FlintIronStagg]

you are ont he right track if you have the cash for all that, but "future proof" doesnt exist. The rig will last you a while anyhow. No GPU picked?

 

[XPreNN]

you are ont he right track if you have the cash for all that, but "future proof" doesnt exist. The rig will last you a while anyhow. No GPU picked?

Haha, I realize that future-proof doesn't really exist. I was on the fence about using that term in my post.
A man can dream...

The computer system will be used for both home and professional use, so at least part of it should "pay itself back" (another one of those fuzzy terms). My current system just isn't up to the task and it's frustrating, I need POWER!

EDIT: and oh yeah, won't be needing a good GPU just yet, so that can wait for now. I have an old one which will do fine right now.

 

[Outlander_04]

The X58 motherboard and 6 core is an out dated and dead end choice for any use at this time
The newer i7 2600k has performance out of the box thats only marginally lower , with only 4 cores , and will overclock very simply to leave the older cpu way behind

As a bonus the newer motherboards are cheaper too , and you have cpu extensions like quick sync that will amplify the 2600k's speed advantage
when you use a Z68 motherboard

Check the CHARTS tab at the top of this page
X58 is very much the year before lasts big news . Do not build using it today

 

[Why_Me]

Socket 1336 is dead. Either look at the Sandy Bridge - E due out soon or socket 1155 Sandy Bridge with the upgrade to Ivy Bridge due out in April / May.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157269 $279.99 $10 off w/ promo code EMCKAKA32, ends 9/15
ASRock Z68 Extreme7 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070 $314.99 FREE SHIPPING
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186 $52.99 FREE SHIPPING
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=Z68%20Extreme7%20Gen3 <---- A better look at that board

http://www.asrock.com/microsite/PCIe3/ <----- PCI-E 3.0 supported by the new 22nm Ivy Bridge cpu's due out in April/May

http://www.asrock.com/microsite/IntelZ68/index.asp <----- Z68 Features

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4272/asrock_z68_extreme7_gen3_intel_z68_motherboard_review/index1.html <--- Full review of that board with benchmarks

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/157?vs=287 <----- Intel Core i7 970 vs Intel Core i7 2600K

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/sandy-bridge-e-core-i-x79-express-processor,13387.html <----- Sandy Bridge-E Coming November to a Store Near You

 

[XPreNN]

The X58 motherboard and 6 core is an out dated and dead end choice for any use at this time
The newer i7 2600k has performance out of the box thats only marginally lower , with only 4 cores , and will overclock very simply to leave the older cpu way behind

As a bonus the newer motherboards are cheaper too , and you have cpu extensions like quick sync that will amplify the 2600k's speed advantage
when you use a Z68 motherboard

Check the CHARTS tab at the top of this page
X58 is very much the year before lasts big news . Do not build using it today

Oh wow, looks like I missed a turn there haha!
Thanks, I'll be sure to ditch the mobo and cpu in my list and go on the hunt again.

 

[XPreNN]

Socket 1336 is dead. Either look at the Sandy Bridge - E due out soon or socket 1155 Sandy Bridge with the upgrade to Ivy Bridge due out in April / May.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157269 $279.99 $10 off w/ promo code EMCKAKA32, ends 9/15
ASRock Z68 Extreme7 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070 $314.99 FREE SHIPPING
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186 $52.99 FREE SHIPPING
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=Z68%20Extreme7%20Gen3 <---- A better look at that board

http://www.asrock.com/microsite/PCIe3/ <----- PCI-E 3.0 supported by the new 22nm Ivy Bridge cpu's due out in April/May

http://www.asrock.com/microsite/IntelZ68/index.asp <----- Z68 Features

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4272/asrock_z68_extreme7_gen3_intel_z68_motherboard_review/index1.html <--- Full review of that board with benchmarks

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/157?vs=287 <----- Intel Core i7 970 vs Intel Core i7 2600K

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/sandy-bridge-e-core-i-x79-express-processor,13387.html <----- Sandy Bridge-E Coming November to a Store Near You

A quick look and I can already tell these are a great place to start my "research". I love finding out how all this stuff works, so I'll be giving these an in-depth look this evening (I'm in Belgium, it's morning at the time of writing).

I have come across Intel's Smart Response Technology for SSD caching with the Z68 chipset. What can you tell me about that? Is it any good, because it seems to fit well with one of my requirements (quickly reading loads of small audio files for music production, over and over again). Is it possible to use one 64GB SSD as cache for 2 or 3 HDDs? Or a larger SSD in different partitions (to save SATA connectors)?

 

[Why_Me]

A quick look and I can already tell these are a great place to start my "research". I love finding out how all this stuff works, so I'll be giving these an in-depth look this evening (I'm in Belgium, it's morning at the time of writing).

I have come across Intel's Smart Response Technology for SSD caching with the Z68 chipset. What can you tell me about that? Is it any good, because it seems to fit well with one of my requirements (quickly reading loads of small audio files for music production, over and over again). Is it possible to use one 64GB SSD as cache for 2 or 3 HDDs? Or a larger SSD in different partitions (to save SATA connectors)?

I know a little about it but the person to talk to would be Stefan. He's in Belgium also and he runs a site called "Madshrimps".

http://www.madshrimps.be <------ that's his site there

http://www.madshrimps.be/#axzz1XiTI2yWM <----- He did a review of this P67 Asrock board last February.

 

[XPreNN]

Interesting, thanks for the advice!

 

[XPreNN]

I've been doing my homework and I've decied to go with your suggested, Why_Me.
The Asrock Z68 Extreme7 Gen3 with the Intel Core i7-2600K.

My last question: this board has 4 DIMM slots and I'd like to have 16GB in there, fill it up nicely. But I have no idea how all this dual channel stuff works. So I'm just going to ask flat-out: which RAM sticks should I get for optimal performance?

 

[Why_Me]

I've been doing my homework and I've decied to go with your suggested, Why_Me.
The Asrock Z68 Extreme7 Gen3 with the Intel Core i7-2600K.

My last question: this board has 4 DIMM slots and I'd like to have 16GB in there, fill it up nicely. But I have no idea how all this dual channel stuff works. So I'm just going to ask flat-out: which RAM sticks should I get for optimal performance?

you want 4 x 4 GB of DDR 3 Dual Channel 1600 1.5v RAM...make sure it's 1.5v and not 1.65v Look at the G.Skill Ripjaws or G.Skill Sniper series or Corsair.

two sets of 2 x 4GB works for cost.

 

[XPreNN]

Thanks again for your reply.

I did some more searching and found this list: http://www.asrock.com/mb/memory.asp?Model=Z68%20Extreme7%20Gen3

There were some of the Ripjaws and Sniper series in there, but I couldn't find those in the store I'm buying the parts from (Belgium, remember), except for these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231456&Tpk=F3-14900CL9Q-16GBXL

They run at 1866 instead of 1600, would that work? Better or worse?

 

[Why_Me]

Thanks again for your reply.

I did some more searching and found this list: http://www.asrock.com/mb/memory.asp?Model=Z68%20Extreme7%20Gen3

There were some of the Ripjaws and Sniper series in there, but I couldn't find those in the store I'm buying the parts from (Belgium, remember), except for these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231456&Tpk=F3-14900CL9Q-16GBXL

They run at 1866 instead of 1600, would that work? Better or worse?

1866 is even faster Asus 1155 Z68 Pro, and a lot of the Z68 Gigabyte boards are worth taking a look at also. Good solid boards.

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/components/motherboards/intel1155z68chipsetmotherboards/asrock/ <---- As of now, this is the only Gen3 boards being sold in Europe that I know of. They should be hitting the shelves in Germany, Belgium, etc.. in the next two weeks.

 

[XPreNN]

1866 is even faster Asus 1155 Z68 Pro, and a lot of the Z68 Gigabyte boards are worth taking a look at also. Good solid boards.

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/components/motherboards/intel1155z68chipsetmotherboards/asrock/ <---- As of now, this is the only Gen3 boards being sold in Europe that I know of. They should be hitting the shelves in Germany, Belgium, etc.. in the next two weeks.

EXCELLENT. I'm ready to buy now.

Thanks you so much for your advice.