First build from scratch - $650 super quiet gaming system quote

Is this quote OK or too pricey? Is it a very quiet system (or is video card noisy/hot...) and is it the best for latest games like SkyRim at medium to mid-high settings?


CanadaComputers custom build (Nov 30 2011) by Peter Quote# 017405

$140 CPU: Intel i3 2120 (3.3 GHZ)
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=039887

$140 Graphics card: GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 550 Ti (970MHZ) 1 GB (4200MHZ)
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=040167

$42 RAM: Corsair XMS3 Classic 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1333MHz
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=032949

$145 Hard drive: Kingston SSDNow V200 128GB SSD HD 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=043831

$18 Optical drive: Sony AD-7280S-0B Black SATA DVD Combo .. Dual Layer
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=042481

$110 Motherboard: Asus P8H67-M PRO/CSM (Rev. 3.0) Socket 1155 Intel H67
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=036791

$55 Power Supply: Thermaltake TR2 600W Power Supply (TR-600)
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=040842

$50 Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 Mid Tower ATX Case (RC-912-KKN1)
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=033559

$700 TOTAL PRICE WITHOUT TAX



SUMMARY
*******
I would like advice on buying or building a new desktop computer where cool running and quiet is as important as gaming.
Max price is $650 for an all black, no distracting / few lights (in living room) good for latest games at medium-high settings and upgradeable. Since I have never purchased a system I would like it to be plug and play (not bios changes or jumper settings).

DETAILS
*******
Approximate Purchase Date: this week.

Budget Range: $650.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Programming (VS 2010), Graphics design (no videos), Internet browsing, gaming.

Parts Not Required: monitor, OS

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Someone that ships entire PC or parts to Canada.
Country: Canada

Parts Preferences: Asus/Gigabyte motherboard, Intel CPU (i Core 3 or 5 2nd gen). Case should have cable routing and hopefully not too large about (7.5"wide, 16.75" high, 18.5 " deep). PSU at 600 watts.

Parts not needed: USB 3.0 I can get later if necessary, I won't ever (99% sure) have two video cards in the same system (too noisy/hot)

Overclocking: No.
SLI or Crossfire: No.

Compatibility: Will be upgrading to Windows 8. Would like parts to be popular/maintained so "no possible" conflicts with games/software/hardware drivers etc.

Upgradeability: I don't mind buying a kit or something if I can upgrade the following with any brand parts: RAM, Video Card, Hard drive, optical drive

Additional Comments:
I would like a very quiet and cool running reliable PC. The speed of the CPU must be at least as good as an Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q8200 (3270 PassMark CPU benchmark), 6GB DDR3 RAM min. If a ready-made PC is available for this price and has great reliability (not thinking acer/gateway/hp/dell for example; unless you can prove me wrong), please recommend me one! Thanks!

I would like capacity for 2 internal hard drives and one optical drive minimum (two optical drives is nicer), The computer may sit in a cupboard so should run cool.

Look at the $659 build you can buy

http://promotions.newegg.com/Coole [...] 18x118.jpg

Thanks for the link!
I am thinking that this package system has equivalent GPU for benchmarking but ATI is runs cooler and uses less wattage with equavalent noise pollution according to guru3d.com.

The AMD CPU is faster but also uses 30 more watts (more heat)... When you add a hard drive and optical drive I am over budget also. But do games really use 6 cores? I heard skyrim does not...



$660 Package Cost
CPU • AMD FX-6100 3.3GHz CPU
mobo • AMD 970 Chipset
graphics • NVIDIA GTX 560Ti 1GB Graphics
RAM • G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB DDR3 1600
case • CM HAF912 ATX Mid Tower
power supply • CM eXtreme Power Plus 550W PSU
$145 add Hard drive
$22 add Optical drive

$827.00 TOTAL PRICE without taxes



Radeon HD 6850
--------------
http://www.guru3d.com/article/rade [...] -review/11
http://www.guru3d.com/article/rade [...] -review/10

Measured power consumption
1. Advertised TDP = 127W
2. System in IDLE = 176W
3. System Wattage with GPU in FULL Stress = 278W
4. Difference (GPU load) = 102 W
5. Add average IDLE wattage ~ 19W
6. Subjective obtained GPU power consumption = ~ 121 Watts

Sound: We measured a perfectly silent 38 dBA when the GPU is massively under stress. This means that under normal circumstances, you cannot hear the product over the regular PC noise. If your PC is in IDLE or you are Sound: working in desktop mode then dBA levels remain at 37 dBA, a noise level you will not be able to hear whatsoever either (of course).

Temp: This card ran 40 degrees C in IDLE and when stressed it reached 74 degrees C. Not a problem whatsoever. We measure at a room temperature of 21 degrees Celsius.


GeForce GTX 560 Ti
------------------
http://www.guru3d.com/article/gefo [...] ti-review/
Measured power consumption
1. Advertised GeForce TDP = 170W
2. System in IDLE = 175W
3. System Wattage with GPU in FULL Stress = 319W
4. Difference (GPU load) = 144 W
5. Add average IDLE wattage ~ 25W
6. Subjective obtained GPU power consumption = ~ 169 Watts
Sound: For the card in a fully stressed status (in-game)... 37 DBA. It is 36 DBA in idle mode
Temp: Temperature of 29 degree in idle and the temperature under heavy game stress for the card load stabilized at roughly 68 Degrees C.

@cutebeans.

Will the 500 watt system be enough it if I add another hard drive and optical drive?
Sounds like your system will run hotter and noisier though? I think your case and PSU are worse, the review pointed that out in your link.

The CPU is the same speed however and your motherboard is much cheaper.

With my system I could double the CPU speed in a year or two though with an i7 1st or 2nd gen. What about the AMD motherboard you mentioned, can I double the speed in a year or two?

Next year I was planning on adding a 1 TB hard drive when prices go to normal. 128 GB will be fine for now.

The benchmark speed of that video card is impressive at 5036 vs. 3628 for Radeo HD 6850: http://www.guru3d.com/article/msi- [...] -review/20

hmmmm.

Hello, my friend. Yes, 500 watts can easily power up a 560ti. This card is impressive because it is 2 tiers higher than the 6850 lol.

But it cost 40/50 bucks less!

According to this link: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

the Radeon HD 6850 is the best bang for the $150.00 spent, so I am pretty satisfied unless there are better websites to check out.

Just saved another $35..

This is looking great now with the Intel build..

$80 Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3-B3 - Intel Z68 Chipset. USB 3.0 SATA 6.0 Gb/s

http://www.canadacomputers.com/pro [...] _id=039582

So I bought this computer on Dec 2. I built it for work but was hoping a game like skyrim would be playable. And guess what? I get 57 FPS on average in skyrim using the highest settings (in ultra) with this setup, so I am happy with that.

The computer is OK for quietness, was hoping for slightly quieter. I have set my motherboard's Bios Smart fan settings to Silent from Normal, but have not noticed any difference, and neither does Speed Fan. When I change the Speed Fan setting for Fan 4 to 40% from 50% I notice a volume difference so that is what I keep it at (40% is the speed I noticed for the first few days when I first installed SpeedFan)


All parts bought CANADA COMPUTERS. Hamilton



$140 Intel Core i3-2120 Dual-Core Socket LGA1155, 3.30Ghz
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=039887

$110 Asus P8H67-M PRO/CSM (Rev. 3.0) Socket 1155 Intel H67. USB 3, Sata 6GBp/s
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=036791

$50 "Cooler Master HAF 912 (RC-912-kkn1)"
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=033559

$55 Thermaltake TR2 600W Power Supply (TR-600)
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=040842

$150 Gigabyte (GV-R685OC-1GD) AMD Radeon HD 6850 1GB (820Mhz)
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=042852

$120 Corsair Force Series 3. 90 GB SSD. SATA 6 Gb/s. Read 550MB. Write 500MB
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=041244

$23 Asus DVD ReWriter (24x / 48x CDROM) with Nero Essentials
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=029356

$40 G.SKILL Sniper Series 8(2x4) GB DDR3 RAM - 1333 MHZ (PC3-10666) DC
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=037765

$110 Windows 7 64 bit home premium

$12 BitFenix Spectre Pro 120mm Case fan. 1200 RPM. 56 CFM. 18.7 dBA
http://canadacomputers.com/product [...] _id=044249

$810 SubTotal (after rebates and discounts)
$915 Taxes included