Help with with new build ~$1500

[thoughts12]

Approximate Purchase Date: Next 2 weeks

Budget Range: $1400-1700

System Usage: Office desktop, gaming, HD videos, map data processing and creation (large files, lengthy data processing). Future-proofing is a major thing. I don't want to have to rebuild everything in 12 months.
I prefer quiet and heat efficient, but...I'm not sure how it will all go together.

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: mwave.com.au (or other NSW Australia stores)

Country of Origin: Australia

Overclocking: No, probably not

SLI or Crossfire: No


Any suggestions for improvements would be greatly appreciated.

Case - Antec Three Hundred Tower Gaming Case - No Power Supply $60

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3R - ATX $185 (or UD3H-B3 $170)

Processor - Intel Core i7 2600 Processor $315

Video Card - Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 2 GB $280

RAM Memory - G.Skill 8GB (2x 4GB) DDR3 Memory Kit $65

Hard Drive- OCZ Vertex Plus 60GB 2.5" SATAII SSD $79

Hard Drive 2 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB ~$150 (...due to shortages. See what I can grab before stock runs out really.)

PSU: Corsair HX-750 750W Professional Series Power Supply $190

Optical Drive- LG 10x Blu-Ray Rewriter $99

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium - SP1 - 64-Bit $109

CPU Cooler - hesitating on Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO $42 (not sure I'll need it?)

 

[cutebeans]

Your PSU is overkill for a single 6950 set up. A good 500w can easily power your setup since you won't be overclocking.

Unless you're going over 1920 x 1080p or will be going a multi-monitor set up. You should get the 6950 1gb because there is no difference in performance in a single monitor setup on 1920 x 1080p and below.

You won't need the CPU cooler since you won't be overclocking.

 

[thoughts12]

PSU calculator indicated that 550W should cover it, but a friend recommended the Corsair HX series as extremely dependable. Maybe I can have a little less overkill (and save $80) with the Corsair TX-650 V2 650W Enthusiast Series Power Supply. Will that cover long term heavy duty use?

It will potentially be a multiple monitor setup when I get the office set up as 2 monitors work better for map/geo-processing.

Didn't think I needed the CPU cooler but I wasn't 100%. Thank you.

 

[Emelth]

650 would be good if you want to go XF as well

 

[thoughts12]

OK so some major revisions due to availability/further recommendations:

Case: Antec Three Hundred Tower Gaming Case - No Power Supply $60 (GPU is supposed to be ~275mm and case has a "279mm max video card size (Note: some video cards may block access to the adjacent hard drive bay)" (Even the 6950 was 270mm.) Is this going to cause a problem?

CPU: i5 2500k $226

Motherboard: ASRock Z68 EXTREME4 GEN3 $180

GPU: Sapphire Radeon 6970 $360

RAM Memory - G.Skill 8GB (2x 4GB) DDR3 Memory Kit $65

HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 - 1TB $130 (60Gb SSD reviews indicate

HDD 2: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 - 1TB $130

PSU: Corsair TX-650 V2 650W Enthusiast Series Power Supply $115 (or does the Radeon 6970 require the Corsair TX-750 V2 750W Enthusiast Series Power Supply $149?)

Optical Drive- LG 10x Blu-Ray Rewriter $99

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium - SP1 - 64-Bit $109

Still no cooler required if I'm not planning on overclocking.

 

[Emelth]

Its only $25 for a cooler better to get it now and put it in then wait and have to take everything out. Besides that everything looks great (you have two HDDs listed dont know if that is a mistake or not)

GPU will fit its just under the 279 mark so it will have a little headroom just incase

 

[thoughts12]

GPU will fit its just under the 279 mark so it will have a little headroom just incase

Awesome, I didn't want to find I couldn't fit any HDDs in the case with the GPU.

2 HDDs as I tend to require a lot of storage space for files. It's what persuaded me against the SSD since only the 60Gb drives are a good price at the moment.

Will the 650W PSU cover it or will I be cutting it close?

...better to get it now and put it in then wait and have to take everything out.

Very true.

Thanks.

 

[Emelth]

650W for OCing, 750 for OC and SLI GPUs