Advice and input on upgraded system!

[NaryaMithrandir]

Hi everybody!

So I was in the middle of a case transplant and a SSD addition when my mobo fried. That's when I found out socket 775 is basically phased out, save for a few, but with DDR3 instead of DDR2. So I ended up with a perfectly good quadcore CPU and 2 X 2GB 1066Mhz RAM doing nothing, because I've got to build a brand new system!

So this is what I've got:

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Video Editing/Encoding (Premiere Pro, Photoshop), gaming, Folding@Home, watching movies, internet surfer

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS, Antec True Power Trio 550W PSU, ASUS ENGTX460 TOP Direct CU 114% OverClocked 1GB

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com, microcentre

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution:1600x1200 (may get a new 1920x1200)

CPU: Intel Core i7 2600k
MOBO: ASROCK z68 PRO 3-M (MicroATX)
RAM: Crucial 8GB GDDR3 1600Mhz
SSD: Crucial m4 128GB SSD
SATA Drive: WD Caviar 500GB SATA 3.0 Gb/s
PSU: Antec True Power Trio 550W PSU
GPU: ASUS ENGTX460 TOP Direct CU 114% OverClocked 1GB
CASE: NZXT H2 White Case


So any comments? Only the CPU, Mobo, RAM and SSD are brand new and unopened, so I could return them if need be.

I think I'm happy, RAM withstanding. It's 1600Mhz, with a latency of 10 and cost 49.99. Think I can do better?

Any suggestions and recs would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Sky03]

Is your ram 1.5v?

Is this for gaming? If so, save $90 and get the i5-2500k.

With the money saved above get a cm hyper 212 evo hetsink. Leftover money add to gpu and try to get gtx560ti.

 

[NaryaMithrandir]

Is your ram 1.5v?

Is this for gaming? If so, save $90 and get the i5-2500k.

With the money saved above get a cm hyper 212 evo hetsink. Leftover money add to gpu and try to get gtx560ti.

I can't really switch out the GPU anymore, since I bought the 460 back in April.
It'll be used for gaming, as well as video editing, encoding, compressing, and photoshop.

Why do you say to get the 2500K instead? Isn't the i7 2600k better?

Also, not sure if the RAM is 1.5v. What does that mean exactly? And is that what I should be getting?

Thanks.

 

[Sky03]

Yes the i7-2600k is better, but mostly because of hyperthreading. I you don't need hyperthreading (as is the case with gaming) it's unneccessary. But now i see that you do video encoding so i guess you're good with the 2600k.

1.5v is the ram voltage for sandy bridge. 1.65v makes it act funny as in not recommended.

 

[NaryaMithrandir]

Yes the i7-2600k is better, but mostly because of hyperthreading. I you don't need hyperthreading (as is the case with gaming) it's unneccessary. But now i see that you do video encoding so i guess you're good with the 2600k.

1.5v is the ram voltage for sandy bridge. 1.65v makes it act funny as in not recommended.

Yeap, just checked. It's 1.5v. But my main question is really if I should get 1866Mhz 8GB RAM. Would it be worth spending a little extra? Will it really make a difference? The guy at microcentre was trying to push it on me, with a latency 9 Corsair stick, but at the time, I thought Nah. Now I'm wondering otherwise...plus, I'm sure I could find it cheaper online.

 

[Sky03]

Sweet spot is 1600mhz. Anything above that, performance gain is minimal.

That mobo does not sli and no pci.0. If it's within budget, get the asrock extreme3 gen3 z68.

Also get a cpu cooler to OC the heck out of that cpu. Of course if it's out of budget you can do this later.

 

[NaryaMithrandir]

Sweet spot is 1600mhz. Anything above that, performance gain is minimal.

That mobo does not sli and no pci.0. If it's within budget, get the asrock extreme3 gen3 z68.

Also get a cpu cooler to OC the heck out of that cpu. Of course if it's out of budget you can do this later.

Oh I'm glad I didn't get the 1866Mhz RAM then! Phew.

I forgot to mention, I got a CPU Cooler, A CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus. Seemed pretty good.

I got the mobo for $35 because I bought it alongside the 2600k, so I can't argue with that. Plus, I had SLI with the first generation 7800GTXs, and I think I'm done with that for now. Really, I don't think I'm going to need it. But what's pci.0? What's it used for?

Also, I'm not really sure how OC-ing works. Know any guides etc?

And thanks again!

 

[Sky03]

Oops that's pci 3.0. Newest versioN of pci. Rumor is next gen graphics cards will support pci3. They will still run under pci2 of course, but should be faster/optimized for 3.0. But hey for $35, take it.

Oh yeah the 212+ is good. The 212 evo is just the newer version. A bit better, but the + is good enough and you already have, so no need to fret.

Overclocking intel k- series chips are very easy. You literally just increase the modifier to ~45x and you're almost done.

 

[NaryaMithrandir]

Oops that's pci 3.0. Newest versioN of pci. Rumor is next gen graphics cards will support pci3. They will still run under pci2 of course, but should be faster/optimized for 3.0. But hey for $35, take it.

Oh yeah the 212+ is good. The 212 evo is just the newer version. A bit better, but the + is good enough and you already have, so no need to fret.

Overclocking intel k- series chips are very easy. You literally just increase the modifier to ~45x and you're almost done.

Oh I didn't know PCI 3.0 was around...so much for thinking I was future proof for atleast 2/3 years!

Modifier? Uhm..what? haha (complete OC rookie here)

 

[Sky03]

http://m.tomshardware.com/reviews/sandy-bridge-core-i7-2600k-core-i5-2500k,2833-9.html

Ps. I admit i didn't read that article so i don't know if it actually teaches you or just reports their findings.

 

[NaryaMithrandir]

http://m.tomshardware.com/reviews/sandy-bridge-core-i7-2600k-core-i5-2500k,2833-9.html

Ps. I admit i didn't read that article so i don't know if it actually teaches you or just reports their findings.

Haha it doesn't. But thanks for all your help mate! I'll just google away.