Will my setup work? Any advice would help! :)

[TechSgtAdams]

Hey guys, this summer im going to be getting a job etc..... I am curious if my setup is good and if it is all compatible, and if there will be any bottle necks, and any thing else in between thanks. This is my first PC build trying to use for Ultra settings on games, Ill use it as a everyday computer, gaming and a little school work, thanks guys!!! SETUP------ Crosshair V Formula mobo, Radeon 7970, Corsair AX850, Amd 8120 (Hopefully overcolck to 4.5ghz) Corsair Vengence 12gb (of 3 4gb sticks) Western digitlal 1tb, corsair force series gt 60gb ssd for boot, asus xonar dx, and Noctua NH-D14 w/ As5 Thermal Paste, all in my cooler master haf x, Thanks again everyone!!! -Matt (One BIG question is will my CPU cooler work/fit with all my other compnets????

 

[exeedorbit]

First of all, I wouldn't bother getting an AMD processor. By summer, Ivy Bridge should be out, and you'd be better off spending your money on that. With that, obviously comes a different mobo.

 

[TechSgtAdams]

Ivy Bridge Hmmmm, new to me, I always think that Amd is like a 8 Seater van that holds alot but isnt to fast, and that Intel being a small car that holds 4 people and go's fast LOL, Ill have to see what the price is when it comes out

 

[TechSgtAdams]

What Mobo, would be good, for gaming, if you know , or will there also be a new supply of mobos at that time?

 

[frombehind]

Intel processors are traditionally faster for games due to thier higher % of overclockability. And it is impossible to recommend a motherboard for a processor thats not out yet.

If you are really lost in the sauce - read the articles here on tom's when that proc comes out, im pretty sure they will review something like 4-8 decent mobo's for it. Just pick the one they recommend.

 

[davcon]

Buy low profile Vengeance ram otherwise it won't fit with the D-14.
http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=compatibility_ram_gen&products_id=34&lng=en#DDR3_Corsair

 

[Au_equus]

other than a missing optical drive (unless you already have one), looks good, but there are somethings you may want to consider, especially in terms of gaming:

- your amd apu/mb/ram combination is ~495. the intel 2500k beats the amd 8120.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231545
~$432
- the latest reviews between the radeon 7970 ($550) and GTX 680s ($500) show that the $50-60 premium of the 7970 is not warranted. Either wait till the prices of the 7970 drop or the gtx680 come back in stock

 

[walterm]

Generally the monitor resolution determines the GPU requirements.
At the moment, until prices change, the GTX680 looks like the card to beat $500.

Are you planning to SLI or Crossfire video cards.
You do not need a top line motherboard unless expansion visions dance in your head.

Triple memory belongs to the Intel LGA 1336 chipset. Bulldozer and Sandy Bridge use dual channel memory, 2 or 4 cards for best performance

The new Samsung die shrink 1.35volt 1600 memory has been taking overclockers beyond 2400 at CAS11. 2X 4 GB about $50, low profile/no heatspreaders to interfere with coolers

An 850 watt is more than needed even by two video cards in SLI/Crossfire.

The 8120 will overclock past 4.5 and still be slower than an I5 2500K.

Triple channel memory is inappropriate.

Western Digital 1 TB Caviar Black is a good choice.
Corsair Force series 60GB article see Toms artical for comparisons.

Not sure you need a sound card. What do you intend to drive?

Noctua NH-D14 is a very good cooler. HAF-X is a good case. AS5 is good, MX2 or M4 is better, if needed at all.

Depending on RAM height Cooler will be fine. I would do without tall heat spreaders.
Heat spreaders on RAM are cosmetic at this time.

There is some research needed on your part.
Monitor choice and resolution are the big one.

Start reading reviews, other recommendation questions, Toms should have their quarterly build article in April.

Z79 motherboards are out using quad memory and more PCIe lanes and SATA3 and USB3.
Not really needed for gaming but the latest and greatest.

 

[TechSgtAdams]

Thanks guys I actually was just doing reasearch on the Ram, and I chosse DDR3 Dominator Gt, , and I didnt put all my stuff like preiphaerals(FAIL Spelling Lol) and I choose the Asus 24' Monitor at 2ms and 50Mil Contrast ratio. And my Op is the Asus Black Blu ray, and just courious does it play dvds to, (To lazy to reaserch, simple questions like that are hard to find answers :L, ) And thanks Davcon I saw you on another forum link talking about the D14 , And ya Im going to look in to Intel to now, I always thought it was too expensize, I have a budget of about $3500, but I dont many having money to save. And Walterm, Im not sure If I want to Crossfire, yet It depends on my Fps with the 7970, And my 850 watt Would work for Crossfire? (By the way I prefer 7970, I love Nvidia but ,,.......) Cool and just to know Ill have the Razer BlackWidow KB, Razer Mamba, and Ock Heavy mat, and a Logitceh Cheapo 25 buck speaker (2.1) and a g930 head set. I reaserched all items already that is why i choose them but I know that some of them will change, when I first started out I was going with a i5 with the Crosshair LOL (Noob) But im getting there. Thanks guys for the great input! Im defintly looking in to Intel again, and even If i want to change my processor one day no biggy, it isnt the end of the world. And Just one last thing What are the benfits of a Sandy Bridge version? Thanks guyss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You all made my day!

 

[TechSgtAdams]

I choose Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz, Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000, Corsair dominator 16gb, ASUS MAXIMUS IV EXTREME, XFX Double D FX-797A-TDBC Radeon HD 7970, and Asus Xonar Dx Thanks guys

 

[frombehind]

As far as any GPU picking is concerned... in my personal experince a single 7970 pushed to the limit (mine is 1200mHz core) will run ANYTHING smoothly on a single monitor at stock clocks - therefore the comparable geforce 680 will too.

My overclocked card runs MOST games maxed out across 3 monitors in an eyefinity setup (3x 1920x1080 monitors) The only game I had issues with running like this is Metro 2033 had to be turned down from ultra to high settings, and AA had to be knocked off 16x to 4x

Imo at this point... SLI or Xfire on cards of this caliber is overkill and a poor financial decision, when tweaking and OC will yeild "very playable results" (consistently over 40 FPS when playing on not one, but THREE monitors at once! One monitor wont dip below Vsync lock - 60fps) This will not be the case this time next year - but then again this time next year we will prolly be seeing the next generation of cards.


Oh, just in case of questions, my i7 proc is OC to 4.8 gig as well.

Best of luck with your build bro

 

[TechSgtAdams]

Thank you so much man, thanks so much for the great input enjoy gaming man! -Matt

 

[TechSgtAdams]

And just one quick question, for the Asus Xonar that has a Pci-E Express slot, Is it better to use the Pci or Pci-E Slot?

 

[walterm]

Intel no longer supports PCI on chip, any support comes from additional chips on your motherboard of choice.
Good future proofing would say go PCIe.
If the motherboard you choose has both it depends on you. By choice I would go PCIe,
By price I might not, depending on availability and use of slots available.
I have seen no reason to believe either slot effects card function.

The hard question concerning GPUs and SLI or Crossfire in the future is if, in time, two of your present card would do better than the "newest, latest and greatest." At the present rate of change, if you can afford it, upgrading to the latest card WHEN IT IS NEEDED seems the best choice.