Gaming Homebuild

[irishblue]

I am looking to assemble my first homebuilt PC. Being an absolute beginner I've found component selection somewehat confusing. If any of you guys with more know how could have a look at my selection and let me know if my choices set off any alarm bells ringing that would be fantastic.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (SWTOR, Diabol 3), surfing the internet, photo editing (Adobe CS5)

Parts Not Required: peripherals, power supply unit (current unit supplies 560W), graphics card

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200

Budget: Relatively Flexible

Additional Comments: something thats particularly difficult to assemble, will last and can be upgraded as time goes by


Parts Selected

Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3, Z68, LGA1155, PCI-E 3.0, SLI/CFX

CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K BOX, 3.4GHz, LGA 1155, 4C/8T, unlocked

HD: Seagate Momentus XT, 7200rpm, 32MB, 2.5", 750GB, SATA-3

RAM: Corsair Vengeance Red, 2x4GB, DDR3-1866, CL9@1.5V (on Asus QVL List)

CPU Cooling: Antec H2O 920 Liquid Cooling System

Optical Drive: LG BH10LS, BluRay/DVD Brenner, LS, SATA, Retail

Case: Cooler Master HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Big-Tower


Many Thanks in advance

 

[sosofm]

Its a verry good build.

 

[spookyman]

What kind of video card are you reusing?

Another option would be adding an SDD drive to the build. It makes loading Windows much better.

 

[g-unit1111]

Looks pretty decent with a couple of suggestions:

- Ditch the Antec Kuhler. It's not really needed (and it's actually beaten by the Corsair H80 in tests) and air cooling is always a safer bet than water cooling ever was or will be. Go with a Hyper 212 Evo instead, you won't be disappointed: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

- The Seagate Momentus is a very questionable choice as it's a hybrid SSD and it's meant for laptops where you won't have a secondary storage option. If you drop the Kuhler and switch to the Evo, you'll have money to get an actual SSD, and then get a Samsung Spinpoint instead. The combo I use is the Crucial M4 and the Spinpoint F3 - you can't go wrong here.

- The RAM - if you get the Vengeance make sure you get the low profile version. Checking the QVL is always a good idea (and I always recommend doing so before buying any motherboard) but the tall heat sinks don't do anything and will make installing any air coolers you want to use extremely difficult. This would be better: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820178333 - PNY is an excellent RAM maker and the speeds coincide with Intel's RMA guidelines.

- If gaming is your main focus here drop the 2600K to the 2500K and you might actually want to invest the difference in either upgrading your PSU or graphics card. The HAF X is a decent choice but I don't like full towers - you might want to go with a larger mid tower like the Corsair Carbide 500R or NZXT Phantom and save yourself $80. Combine that and the difference from the CPU and get a good GPU or upgrade your PSU.

 

[geekapproved]

What video card and power supply are you using??

Drop to a 2500K, 2600K offers no advantage in gaming or photoshop.

 

[Rockdpm]

Unless he wants to be a little more future proof. he could get the new Intel chips (Not Ivy bridge) but as for the CPU cooler, i couldnt agree with G unit anymore, however the Cosair A70 is alsome. I don't have any heating issues what so ever even my GPU is affected positive by it

 

[irishblue]

Firstly many thanks for your swift replies.

The Graphic Card and Power Supply I'm hoping to keep from my old pc are a:

GPU: Zotac GeForceGTX560 Ti 448
PSU : Seasonic 560w

g-unit1111: Looks pretty decent with a couple of suggestions:

The reason I picked the 2600 is because my supplier has it on offer with the Motherboard. If I grab ther same Motherboard seperatly with the 2500 I come to almost the same price. So i thought may as well grab the 2600.

So I guess it makes sense to look at another Hard Disk. I didn't think I really needed a SSD (don't really care if Windows takes a while longer to boot and I read somewhere the advantage for gaming is very marginal) also I assumed I could always add one later.

Ditch the current RAM selection and make sure I go for a QVL approced "low profile" type.

Ditch the Watercooling and go for air cooling (unfortunately it would take my supplier quite a long time to get me a Hyper 212 Evo and I'd prefer to get the machine assembled this coming weekend ).

I picked the large tower as I assumed the bigger the tower, the better the air circulation / cooling but perhaps I'm mistaken?

So following some of your advice I would currently come to (underlined the changed components). Better?

Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3, Z68, LGA1155, PCI-E 3.0, SLI/CFX

CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K BOX, 3.4GHz, LGA 1155, 4C/8T, unlocked

HD: Western Digital RE4, 7200rpm, 64MB, 1TB, SATA-II, 24/7

RAM: Corsair CMX8GX3M2A1333C9, 2x4GB, DDR3-1333, CL9@1.5V (on MB QVL List)

CPU Cooling: Noctua NH-D14

Optical Drive: LG BH10LS, BluRay/DVD Burner, LS, SATA, Retail

Case: Cooler Master HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Big-Tower

GPU: Zotac GeForceGTX560 Ti 448

PSU: Seasonic X-560 (SS-560KM) Gold - 560 Watt

SSD Not in build - possibility to add later

 

[geekapproved]

Seagate has never made power supplies......

 

[irishblue]

Seagate has never made power supplies......

ops, Seasonic.

Sorry, have edited in the post too, thx for pointing that out

 

[Memnarchon]

Seagate has never made power supplies......

Later at his post he said:

PSU: Seasonic X-560 (SS-560KM) Gold - 560 Watt

Apart from RE4 HDD which I think its a great option but kind of an overkill especially with today's prices, you picked solid parts.

edit: I just made a quick search about RE4. I knew it costs around $200 but i never thought that it will go to $300 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136798
You can just take a WD BLUE 500GB for $89 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769 and when prices are down (after maybe some months) you can buy a better HDD. This will save you nor less than 210$!!!!! which you can buy a very good SSD.

 

[geekapproved]

I agree, I would go with a Blue drive and save some money. Those hd prices are ridiculous now. The Blue is a decent drive, I don't think you'll need to replace it at all.

 

[irishblue]

Again thx for your input:

So currently at (changed parts underlined):

Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3, Z68, LGA1155, PCI-E 3.0, SLI/CFX


CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K BOX, 3.4GHz, LGA 1155, 4C/8T, unlocked


HD: Western Digital Caviar Blue, 7200rpm, 16MB, 500GB, SATA-3


RAM: Corsair CMX8GX3M2A1333C9, 2x4GB, DDR3-1333, CL9@1.5V (on MB QVL List)


CPU Cooling: Noctua NH-D14


Optical Drive: LG BH10LS, BluRay/DVD Burner, LS, SATA, Retail


Case: Cooler Master HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Big-Tower


GPU: Zotac GeForceGTX560 Ti 448


PSU: Seasonic X-560 (SS-560KM) Gold - 560 Watt


SSD Crucial m4 SSD 128GB, 2.5, SATA-3

 

[Tavo_Nova]

RAM: G.SKILL RipjawsX/Sniper 8GB (2X4GB) 1600Mhz CL9 is good or get 2 of them if not get those low profile corsair vengeance 8gb kit of 2 or kit of 4.

Processor: intel i5 2500K if you plan to overclock if not then intel i5 2400

CPU COoling: Noctua NH-D14 you can really never go wrong with this, it works well with both G.SKILL ram i put above but you need the low profile corsair vengeance for it to work