First build and need opinions

[0dervish0]

Hey everyone

So I am finally building my own desktop. I mostly (90% of the time) us my pc for photoshop so RAM and CPU is important but I also want to be able to play Battlefield 3 on High/Ultra on a 1080p monitor. So below is what I was thinking and would love to know what you all think as I am new to this all and still learning. Please only constructive criticism.

CPU: Intel Core i7 2600k (Overclock) $334

RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws-x 1866 4GBx4 (Has good reviews and RAM is essential for photoshop) $164

MoBo: ASrock Z68 Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 (Good reviews, good price, SATA3, USB 3.0 and looks sick) $135

Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 or H100? $94 or $162

GPU: Gigabyte 1GB 6950 PCI-E (Good reviews and from what I read should run BF3 well? Is it hard to overclock the GPU?) $258

PSU: Corsair HX-650 or Thermaltake Toughpower XT 775W or Silerstone st75f-p or (Will 650W do? I want to Overclock the CPU and GPU) around $150

SSD: Crucial M4 128GB (More reliable) or Corsair Force Gt 120GB (550Mb/s read speed) $220 or $230

HDD: I already have two WD 2TB external drives so for now that will do

Case: Corsair Obsidian 650D or Lian Li PC-7FNWX or Cooler Master HAF X (Would like to have dust filters, red led's, black interior and good cooling) Around $220

All together this is going to cost around $1600, max $1800. I am trying to do this build as cheap as possible, that’s why I am building it myself but I am not a complete novice as I am studing electrical engineering and messed around with a previous desktop.

Hope you all have some good advice

Cheers
Chris

 

[0dervish0]

Yeah I know the i7 is a bit too much but I want to future proof the computer. I don't upgrade my computer every two years, more like every 5-8 years. I know gaming isn't cpu intense but I know photoshop is from experience and also I have read on photoshop forums that an i7 is worth getting as photoshop uses hyper threading a lot.

Why the corsair TX650v2? Better quality PSU? Do you think 650W will do (overclocking, possible second GPU in future). Heard good things about it too.

What case do you recommend? I like the HAF range and the X has the features I want except it is a bit too big. Except it gives me the flexability to get a XL-ATX motherboard in the future and costume water cooling.

Thanks for your advice mate. I'll take it all into consideration

 

[0dervish0]

I like the Xigmatek Utgard Window CPC-T90DB-U02 but newegg doesn't post overseas (Australia) and had a look and can't find one with the window online for Australia. All I can find is this:

http://www.pacificnotebooks.com.au/store.php?specs=20666&shopref=4&utm_source=myshopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Computer+Cases&utm_term=Xigmatek+UTGard+Tower+Case+Original

Is that the new version? What don't you like about the HAF 932 or HAF X? Got to say but the Utgard doesn't look to bad and is priced well.

 

[0dervish0]

So the one you posted is the new version (with large window)? What is the quality of it like? Good sound proofing? Big enough? Any complaints? Does it have dust filters? What about the HAF 932?

Your build looks sick man.

I think I'm a special case, as most people here use their pc 80% of the time for gaming and I'm the opposite as I use it mainly for photo editing and gaming is a bonus. Your used to tuning your GPU to the max while RAM and CPU is the most important to me.

Probably get the Corsair HX-650 or maybe the 750. Would like it to be modular and keep it neat.

 

[0dervish0]

This is the updated component list:


CPU: Intel Core i5 2500k

CPU HSF: Noctua NH-C12P-SE14

MoBo: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 Motherboard

RAM: G.Skill DDR3-1600 4x4GB Dual Channel [Sniper]

GPU: MSI Radeon HD 6950 R6950 TWIN FROZR II/OC 2GB

PSU: Corsair HX-750

SSD : Crucial M4 128GB

Case: Corsair Obsidian 650D

Price:

$239.00
$79.00
$142.00
$130.00
$350.00
$200.00
$220.00
$230.00

Total =
$1,590.00

 

[hiimnickwhoareu]

CPU: Intel Core i5 2500k

CPU HSF: Noctua NH-C12P-SE14

MoBo: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 Motherboard <--- Do you really need something this powerful? You're able to save a bit by downgrading.

RAM: G.Skill DDR3-1600 4x4GB Dual Channel [Sniper] <--- 16GB of ram, why?

GPU: MSI Radeon HD 6950 R6950 TWIN FROZR II/OC 2GB <----- You most likely don't need 2gb of ram, that is extremely demanding.

PSU: Corsair HX-750 <---- I know lots of people will say this is overkill etc, but I disagree. Always buy overkill PSU, never let yourself underkill.

SSD : Crucial M4 128GB <----------- You need more memory, add in a HD. Windows by itself takes up a fair bit.

Case: Corsair Obsidian 650D <---------- Sexy case, expensive, but sexy. You're able to downgrade, personally i'm an Antec man, they'll never *** you over. However, you can't really go too wrong.

 

[0dervish0]

MoBo: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 Motherboard <--- Do you really need something this powerful? You're able to save a bit by downgrading.

I'm more worried its not powerful enough haha. I want to overclock and it has all the features I need.

RAM: G.Skill DDR3-1600 4x4GB Dual Channel [Sniper] <--- 16GB of ram, why?

Photoshop loves it e.g. photomerge

GPU: MSI Radeon HD 6950 R6950 TWIN FROZR II/OC 2GB <----- You most likely don't need 2gb of ram, that is extremely demanding.

As I want to get a second GPU in the future to crossfire I was told to definitely get 2GB as it will crossfire much better.

PSU: Corsair HX-750 <---- I know lots of people will say this is overkill etc, but I disagree. Always buy overkill PSU, never let yourself underkill.

Yeah and I will be overclocking CPU and GPU and running dual GPU in the future. So better safe then sorry.

SSD : Crucial M4 128GB <----------- You need more memory, add in a HD. Windows by itself takes up a fair bit.

I have two 2TB external WD drives so I will export most of my stuff to that for now. Plus I have 2 x 2.5" 60GB drives lying around I can put in. I will buy it later on and same with the DVD drive. I just don't need it straight away. At the moment I have a 50GB drive in my laptop and I still have room haha.

Case: Corsair Obsidian 650D <---------- Sexy case, expensive, but sexy. You're able to downgrade, personally i'm an Antec man, they'll never *** you over. However, you can't really go too wrong.

Yeah I started off thinking about an antec DF-35, then thermaltake 902 V3, then Cooler master HAF 922, 932, X, then Lian Li and then Corsair and love the 650D. It is simple but stylish. Yeah its not cheap but a case it something I don't want to have to upgrade in the future. If I want to downgrade I might get the 500R.


Thanks for your comments mate

 

[Raiddinn]

I just wanted to throw it out there that he is right about the RAM, image/video manipulation programs and stuff like autoCAD are really hungry for infinite RAM.

 

[hiimnickwhoareu]

Since you're going to be using this for editing, ever considered i7 2600k? It's built more around editing where as i5 2500k, is for gamers.

 

[0dervish0]

Hahaha initially I had the i7 2600k on the list but everyone said to get the i5 2500k. The i7 performs well for video editing but tests done on photoshop CS5 don't show a big difference (only because of the extra 0.1 Ghz clock speed). If you look at this test the i7 is only 3 seconds quicker which isn't a drastic difference for another $100:
http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/desktop-cpu-charts-2010/Image-Processing-Adobe-Photoshop-CS-5,2426.html