I5-2500K Gaming Build for SWTOR

[Gunnett]

This will be my first build in several years, I haven't keep up with things. I have been cross-referencing what I've read on here, AnandTech, Maximum PC, and NewEgg reviews to compile this build. This system will be used primary to play Star Wars The Old Republic which doesn't doesn't support Crossfire or SLI.

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072
GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128512
SAPPHIRE 100312-3L Radeon HD 6950 2GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102954
OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227706
CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233198]
CORSAIR Professional Series HX650 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139012
COOLER MASTER Storm Enforcer http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119240
COOLER MASTER Megaflow 200 R4-LUS-07AR-GP 200mm Red LED Case Fan http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103072
CORSAIR CWCH60 Hydro Series H60 High Performance Liquid CPU Cooler http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181015
ASUS 24X DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

To my knowledge, I should have no problem overclocking this processor to 4.3 GHz. My choice of this video card is because of it's ability to do a firmware upgrade to unlock the shaders to effectively make it a Radeon 6970.

The only thing I'm having trouble deciding on is the case. I was sold CM Storm Enforcer with an additional 200 mm fan on top until I read the Anandtech review. The claim it is very noisy but yet one of the cases (Fractal Design Midi) in the similar they recommend in a more recent review seems to have the same db levels yet they don't fault it for being noisy. The room I will be playing in is very small, I don't have any other electronics in this room. It was meant to be an office so I could concentrate on work and not be distracted by television or anything else...Also another concern I see from the anandtech review http://www.anandtech.com/show/4466/cooler-masters-storm-enforcer-the-notsoquiet-storm is something I've heard in other reviews about gigabyte motherboards and fans, I'm not sure what they are talking about. "The Enforcer isn't liable to need a fan controller, though: both fans have 3-pin leads attached to molex adaptors. If you didn't make the mistake of buying a Gigabyte board with BIOS level fan controls that could be considered archaic at best (like mine), your motherboard should be able to handle these just fine" The gigabyte board I'm getting shows it has 4-pin CPU fan, 3-pin power fan, 4-pin system fan, 4-pin system fan. I guess that most fan's use a 3-pin connector versus a 4-pin or vice versa.

I'm happy with price, look, & features of the Enforcer, I'm just concerned about cooling & thermal performance, that's why I originally choose the Thor V2 even though it is a little big for my tastes. Other cases I'm considering include Corsair 500R, Fractal Design Midi (So Plain), The increase in price is rather significant in some of these...

I'm open to all suggestions on this build. Thank you for your time

 

[madchemist83]

Looking good.
U don't need 16Gb of RAM btw
Also u don't know for certain that that GPu is unlockable and as it is not a reference design I'm pretty sure it's not

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The extra 8GB will do nothing for gaming

The H60 is not a very good cooler. You would have no problem hitting 4.8GHz on the Silver Arrow.

The 500R is a great case
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=767&Itemid=61

Equivalent PSU for about half the price
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207014
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story9&reid=216

nVidia generally doesn't provide SLI support until very close to retail launch. I'd be getting a SLI MoBo and 850 watt XFX Core Edition

 

[Gunnett]

I figured it was only $45 to go from 8GB to 16GB. So I figured that it couldn't hurt as well as I like the novelty of saving I have 16GB. As for that video card, according to the reviews they all mention it has a BIOS switch to allow you to unlock the shaders. The latest review being 11/14/11.

 

[cutebeans]

8gb is not really needed yet for gaming but it soon will be. 16gb is just worthless for the average gamer. by the time games use 16gb, there would already be DDR4 lol.

EDIT: THIS BUILD IS SWTOR? have you seen the specs requirement? A dual core with a 6770 would be able to max that game out.

Get a Phenom II x 4 955 + 6870. SWTOR isn't that intensive.

 

[Emelth]

+1 to Cutebeans