Intel Build, please rate and help me optimize

[snipemenot]

Hi Im planning to build an intel based rig (posted an amd build and people reccomend an i5 build so here it is) Hopefully people here will help me lower the price and give me the bang for the buck system. planning to play diablo 3, crysis 2 with dx11 mod and battlefield 3

please if you guys could help me budget this lowering down the costs that will be very helpful.
if you guys know any cheap loop system that i could buy so i can replace the corsair h60.

CPU - i5 2500k Sandy Bridge - $219

Mobo - [strike][strike]ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 - $125[/strike][/strike]


New Mobo - Asus Maximus IV Gen-Z -180

Ram - G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1066 $52

[[strike]HeatSink - Thermaltake Frio -$58[/strike]

NEW CPU COOLER - Corsair CWCH60 Hydro Series H60 - 75

HDD - Samsung Spinpoint F3 - $60

[strike]PSU - COUGAR SX850 COUGAR-SX850 850W - $140[/strike]
NEW PSU - Rosewill Hive 750w 80+ Bronze - $90

Case - Cooler Master Storm Enforcer - $80

[strike]GPU - XFX HD6970 -$340[/strike]
New Gpu - MSI HD6970 - $390
Optical Drive - $20 @_@

[strike]Total $1075[/strike]

Total: 1147

Taking off the enforcer and adding

Silverstone RV02 -$160

$1227 WITH SILVERSTONE RAVEN 2

[HIGHLIGHT]BUILD SEQUENCE
Case + PSU

Mobo + processor + memory (Note: SandyBridge Comes with an onboard video)

Optical + HDD + GPU

Heatsink
[/HIGHLIGHT]

Special Mention to 008Rohit, i based this build from his.

 

[morgoth780]

definitely get 1600 ram, not 1066
other than that, it seems fine

 

[snipemenot]

definitely get 1600 ram, not 1066
other than that, it seems fine

could you give me a pretty affordable cas7 or cas9?

Cas7 Gskill Ripjaw 2x4gb

or

Gskill Sniper 4x4gb

 

[008Rohit]

1066 RAM? No way!

Gskill Ripjaws X Series 8(2x4GB) DDR3 1600 - $52

You don't NEED watercooling.

CoolerMaster Hyper 212+ - $30

I never trust Rosewill. I have seen many cases here their low quality PSUs burn or burst.

XFX Core Edition PRO850W (P1-850S-NLB9) 850W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - $90
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207011

If you want to spend for on the GPU for no reason, get a better make with better cooling and better overclocking abilities.

HIS IceQ H697QM2G2M Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 - $40

 

[RedJaron]

Saw your original AMD idea and followed here. I just completed a new build last week that's somewhat similar. Here's what I've got and why:

CPU - i7-2600K: I considered an i5-2500K to save $100, but I figured the extra L3 and hyper-threading on the i7 would future-proof it a bit for longevity ( Who knows? Games might use extra threads in a year or two. ) I also do quite a bit of graphic processing which does utilize the extra threads, even if games do not.

Mboard - ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3: I like the 4 SATAIII ports ( one is shared with the eSATA, so that's 6 GB/s too, ) the USB 3.0, and the PCIe 3.0 slots. Yes, PCIe 3.0 isn't even out yet, and quite frankly it may not even be utilized fully before PCIe 4.0 comes out, but it was only $5 more than the non-PCIe 3.0 board. It also has extra spacing between the card slots so SLI/CrossFire has better ventilation, unlike the Asus you have listed.

RAM - GSkills 4GB x 2 PC1600 DDR3 CAS 8: I paid a few extra bucks for the CAS 8 instead of CAS 9. Will I notice the difference? Maybe not, but I wasn't paying 50% extra for CAS7 or the special "gaming" RAM. But I'm not OC'ing this thing either. But as others said, go at least 1333 on RAM, but you don't need over 1600 CAS9.

GPU - Sapphire Radeon HD 6870: It's not top of the line, but more than adequate and you can find them under $200. I've always liked Sapphire cards and this Vapor-X model is supposed to be quiet. So far I agree. But more than that, the 6870 doesn't go above 170W so the electrical bill will still be manageable. If I decide to CrossFire another 6870, that will give me more than enough gaming horsepower without breaking the PSU.

SSD - 128 GB Crucial M4: Yes, SSDs are still luxuries. I had a bit extra to spend and got one. It just makes everything faster in its own way. Windows boots, updates, and shuts down faster, apps load faster, and games respond better. Required? No. But I highly recommend one if you can spare the cash. Newegg had these on clearance for $175 a few weeks ago.

PSU - FSP Auron 700: It's 80 Gold certified and it's pretty quiet. The one downside is the cables aren't modular, but I didn't think $50 extra was worth that. Now I know better. However the cables were more than long enough for the Raven case. I could have gotten away with a 600W PSU, but the 700W gives me a CrossFire option so long as I don't go crazy on cards. Likewise, you have no reason to go above 750W. Any respectable PSU manufacturer in that range will do ( Seasonic, Corsair, FSP, etc. )

Case - SilverStone Raven 3: So far, I'm a fan of this thing. Install is quite a bit different than I'm used to, but it isn't difficult. It doesn't look quite as refined as a Lian Li, but some of the new Cooler Masters just look gaudy, IMNSHO. I was able to get it for $140 + free shipping off Amazon.

Other extras, like a CPU cooler, HDD, or optical drive are up to you. Personally I went with a Xigmatek Gaia, Hitachi 5k3000 2TB, and basic Asus DVD burner, respectively.

Maybe that helps.

 

[snipemenot]

Saw your original AMD idea and followed here. I just completed a new build last week that's somewhat similar. Here's what I've got and why:

CPU - i7-2600K: I considered an i5-2500K to save $100, but I figured the extra L3 and hyper-threading on the i7 would future-proof it a bit for longevity ( Who knows? Games might use extra threads in a year or two. ) I also do quite a bit of graphic processing which does utilize the extra threads, even if games do not.

Mboard - ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3: I like the 4 SATAIII ports ( one is shared with the eSATA, so that's 6 GB/s too, ) the USB 3.0, and the PCIe 3.0 slots. Yes, PCIe 3.0 isn't even out yet, and quite frankly it may not even be utilized fully before PCIe 4.0 comes out, but it was only $5 more than the non-PCIe 3.0 board. It also has extra spacing between the card slots so SLI/CrossFire has better ventilation, unlike the Asus you have listed.

RAM - GSkills 4GB x 2 PC1600 DDR3 CAS 8: I paid a few extra bucks for the CAS 8 instead of CAS 9. Will I notice the difference? Maybe not, but I wasn't paying 50% extra for CAS7 or the special "gaming" RAM. But I'm not OC'ing this thing either. But as others said, go at least 1333 on RAM, but you don't need over 1600 CAS9.

GPU - Sapphire Radeon HD 6870: It's not top of the line, but more than adequate and you can find them under $200. I've always liked Sapphire cards and this Vapor-X model is supposed to be quiet. So far I agree. But more than that, the 6870 doesn't go above 170W so the electrical bill will still be manageable. If I decide to CrossFire another 6870, that will give me more than enough gaming horsepower without breaking the PSU.

SSD - 128 GB Crucial M4: Yes, SSDs are still luxuries. I had a bit extra to spend and got one. It just makes everything faster in its own way. Windows boots, updates, and shuts down faster, apps load faster, and games respond better. Required? No. But I highly recommend one if you can spare the cash. Newegg had these on clearance for $175 a few weeks ago.

PSU - FSP Auron 700: It's 80 Gold certified and it's pretty quiet. The one downside is the cables aren't modular, but I didn't think $50 extra was worth that. Now I know better. However the cables were more than long enough for the Raven case. I could have gotten away with a 600W PSU, but the 700W gives me a CrossFire option so long as I don't go crazy on cards. Likewise, you have no reason to go above 750W. Any respectable PSU manufacturer in that range will do ( Seasonic, Corsair, FSP, etc. )

Case - SilverStone Raven 3: So far, I'm a fan of this thing. Install is quite a bit different than I'm used to, but it isn't difficult. It doesn't look quite as refined as a Lian Li, but some of the new Cooler Masters just look gaudy, IMNSHO. I was able to get it for $140 + free shipping off Amazon.

Other extras, like a CPU cooler, HDD, or optical drive are up to you. Personally I went with a Xigmatek Gaia, Hitachi 5k3000 2TB, and basic Asus DVD burner, respectively.

Maybe that helps.

how much was your total price for the rig?? the rv02 has mail in rebate at amazon for $15 so its almost basically the same price as rv03 at amazon. what do you think about this mobo ? its a Gigabyte UD4 Z68

its almost the same price as the asrock one and i am planning to build an i7 core from now on (cheaper at microcenter its like buying an i5) anyway i wish you reply because im itching to plan my build and hopefully start the build.

 

[RedJaron]

how much was your total price for the rig?? the rv02 has mail in rebate at amazon for $15 so its almost basically the same price as rv03 at amazon. what do you think about this mobo ? its a Gigabyte UD4 Z68

its almost the same price as the asrock one and i am planning to build an i7 core from now on (cheaper at microcenter its like buying an i5) anyway i wish you reply because im itching to plan my build and hopefully start the build.

Total price of my system (after all tax and shipping, ) was $1365. I bought it in chunks over two weeks as I saw deals and sales crop up.

Regarding the Gigabyte, that looks like a very solid board. In fact, I'd be lying if I didn't say I partly wish I'd have grabbed that one instead and saved $20. Main differences I spot:

ASRock Extreme4:
+ PCIe 3.0 ( If that's even a big deal to you, like I said the 3.0 only cost me $5 extra when I bought it. )
+ Extra PCIe slot ( For triple SLI/CrossFire, again, if you even want it. I doubt I'll use it. )
+ Video output jacks ( I got this back when I still thought I had to have a video output to use the Sandy Bridge encoders. Turns out you don't so these are likely not a big deal to you. )
+ On board operation buttons ( power, reset, CMOS clear. ) Not a requirement, but definitely useful.
+ Two extra SATA cables ( Gen3 only )
+ Front panel USB 3.0 cable ( It plugs directly into the header so you don't have a loop-back cable. The jacks can be mounted in a 3.5 bay or on a card slot cover. The 3.5 bay also doubles as a 2.5 drive mount. Depending on the case, this may or may not be useful. With the RV03, it was very helpful. )

Gigabyte UD4:
+ eSATAp ( Wish I had one. )
+ Extra eSATA port ( Definitely useful. )
+ eSATA RAID ( But really who RAIDs external drives? )
+ 2 extra USB 2.0 ports ( You might need 8 ports, but I rarely use more than 4, especially with the hub on my monitor. )
+ Coax Audio ( Does anyone even use these anymore? )
+ Lower Price ( And this might be the biggest. )

Everything else seems pretty comparable, voltage regulator, RAM support, SATA controllers, etc.

As for the case, this is the first SilverStone I've ever had, so I've only had two weeks with it thus far. I've never used the RV02, so I can't give a solid comparison. I think the RV02 has a sleeker external look, particularly the top vent. But inside I think the RV03 has the advantage. It only has two 180s at the bottom, but that's sufficient airflow and it's quieter than three fans. The PSU at the bottom front makes it a lot easier to reach the front drives ( though having the power cable come out the bottom front of the case is a little different. ) The drive bays are no longer right by the card slots, but that's not an issue if you're only running one card. And I think the bottom dust vents were changed to make cleaning the RV03 easier. And personally, I like the gold stripes.

 

[snipemenot]

Sweet thats a pretty good deal.. I like the rv03 but not the gold stripes (personal preference) i was thinking of just getting 6850 but id rather get gtx580 (if theres an extra budget) if im going to take off the rv02 and the water cooling( just bottle neck the case) might just have enough extra for a gtx 580 dont know which brabd i should get though but As lOng as they're below ($450) i might just get it for $80 more than 6970 and an ssd ($50 pc case = saves $100, $30 heatsink = saves $90) lol i might just do this