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Building new Gaming system

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Hi Guys,

I'm looking to replace my current system as it is aging past 3 years old and parts are starting to fail on it. Now, one of the first questions I have to ask is whether I should wait for Ivy Bridge? My system will be for gaming so I don't need a high end CPU, but would like one that'd last another 3 years or so. Ivy Bridge apparently runs hot and isn't much better then Sandy Bridge so I'm thinking of using Sandy Bridge on the newer boards?

I'm basically looking at the following:

CPU: Core i7 2600
Mobo: Asrock Z77-EXTREME6
GFX: GTX 680 (If anyone could recommend a good performing model)
RAM: 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz
Case: Fractal Design Define R3 Case Titanium
PSU: CoolerMaster 850W Silent Pro MII Modular
BluRay: LGE BH12LS38 Black BlueRay SATA LightScribe Writer Retail
HDD: Seagate SATA3 2TB Barracuda

I don't really have a budget and want a quiet and cool (as in not as much heat coming out of the PC) build. I have a OCZ Vertex 2 240GB SSD I've been using for over a year, which I think I'll keep using unless there are some performance benefits for the newer SSDs that are out there.

The computer itself will be using a Logitech G19 keyboard, Logitech G9x mouse and a Razer Megalodon 7.1 Gaming Headset which all run off USB so they drain some power. If anyone can recommend some parts that'd fit better, offer higher performance, I'd appreciate it.

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i7 cpus are not necessary for gaming. go with i5-2500k or i5-3570k only if the reviews for ivy bridge are favorable.

Mobo is a good choice
GPU is good i would wait for the Twin Frozr to come into stock http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
I would swap case with http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=E... or make sure you purchase the extra fans for the case you linked.
That psu is heavy and coolermaster is not the most recommended brand. A seasonic or Corsair in the 700-750w range would be plenty.
I wouldn't bother buying a new ssd since you already have that one.

A few suggestions from an avid reader:
Wait for Ivy Bridge. It will certainly run cooler and more efficiently, it has a lower TDP than its predecessors. Plus a Hyper 212 Evo can keep any cpu cool for only $30. It can't hurt to wait for the new line.

The Antec ea-550w platinum will save you literally hundreds of dollars a year on your electric bill if you run your computer continuously, and also keep your components healthier with cleaner power. It's also cheaper. You only need 500w to run an ivy bridge cpu with a gtx 680.

I also believe high-end cases are a waste of money unless you really like its cosmetic appeal. A $50 rosewill case can be just as effective at cooling with the right fan configurations. That's usually personal preference though.

If you have no budget you may also want to look into adding more SSDs in a Raid array to improve drive performance and improve error resilience.

kevin83 said:
A few suggestions from an avid reader:
Wait for Ivy Bridge. It will certainly run cooler and more efficiently, it has a lower TDP than its predecessors. Plus a Hyper 212 Evo can keep any cpu cool for only $30. It can't hurt to wait for the new line.

The Antec ea-550w platinum will save you literally hundreds of dollars a year on your electric bill if you run your computer continuously, and also keep your components healthier with cleaner power. It's also cheaper. You only need 500w to run an ivy bridge cpu with a gtx 680.

I also believe high-end cases are a waste of money unless you really like its cosmetic appeal. A $50 rosewill case can be just as effective at cooling with the right fan configurations. That's usually personal preference though.

If you have no budget you may also want to look into adding more SSDs in a Raid array to improve drive performance and improve error resilience.


I've read the Ivy bridge runs hotter than sandy bridge. http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2239179
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I've also read and seen pictures that the Ivy Bridge CPUs are all coming in at 95 TDP.

I want a more quiet case and don't really plan on overclocking unless I'm sure it is stable and will last a long time which is why I didn't put 2600K in my list. I'm also in Australia so I'll buy from either Umart.com.au or pccasegear.com. For cases I'm looking for a quiet one, I'm willing to pay some extra for them. Also I don't know if a 550W is enough. My current computer used to run a 650W and would sometimes not power on some of my peripherals or anything extra I plug in like flash drives or phones.

If anyone has recommendations for a good case to keep my PC quiet I'd like to know and for a quiet but effective heatsink for the CPU.

Quote:
The real winner is the Thor V2 if you have that much free space and don't plan on moving it around (it won't fit in my computer desk or I would have gotten it).
I don't think the spot under my desk has enough room for that.

I've also found that the R3 seems to be good based on other reviews and info. So I've created a wishlist at http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=wish_list... but you need to be a member and logged in to see it, so I'll link it below.

Intel Core i5 2500 In stock $205.00
ASRock Z77 Extreme6 Motherboard Due 17/04/12 $209.00
Corsair CMT8GX3M2A1866C9 8GB (2x4GB) Dominator GT In stock $115.00
Seagate Barracuda 2TB ST2000DM001 In stock $139.00
Seasonic X-760 80Plus Gold 760W Due 17/04/12 $219.00
EVGA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Superclocked Sold Out, No ETA $729.00
Fractal Design Define R3 Black USB 3.0 In stock $143.00

I've seen that the 4GB GTX 680 by Palit is coming but it doesn't really seem to offer any benefits for me as I'm using 2 monitors but only one for gaming the other is just for extra stuff in the background. If anyone can recommend a good custom CPU cooler or suggest any changes I'd love to hear them. Remember I don't really have much of a budget, my last PC that lasted me a while was originally 3,400 AUS$. If the i7 2600 offers me better performance or if people recommend I slightly overclock I'll get a K version.

I love my r3, amazing case. I'd go with a 2500K, key part "k", to allow you to overclock. You may not want to now, but it would allow the cpu to grow with you and would give you a "new" cpu when you decide to do so.

I also use the same PSU, big fan. Very quiet and nice.

You can also get a fairly good cooler for the cpu. Since the case is so quiet, you can get a dual fan push/pull config without any additional audible noise.

Since you are on a budget, go with the hyper 212 evo.

Quote:
I don't really have a budget


Quote:
Since you are on a budget, go with the hyper 212 evo.


I don't have a budget, just not overly expensive like an Alienware PC hehe. I could probably go to 3.5k max.

Case: Fractal Design Define R3 Black USB 3.0 - 143
CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K - 215
Mobo: ASUS P8Z77-V PRO Motherboard - 255
Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 CPU Cooler - 89
PSU: Seasonic X-760 80Plus Gold 760W - 219
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 680 2GB Overclocked - 729
RAM: Corsair Vengeance CML8GX3M2A1600C9 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 - 65
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 2TB ST2000DM001 - 139
ODD: LG CH12LS28 12X BD-R Blu-ray DVD Combo Drive - 59

I prefer gigabyte motherboards such as Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H which will save you 55 dollars.

The R3 only comes with two case fans, one front and one rear. there is room to add 5 more fans... but not needed. I added a second front intake as well as two upper fans, which leaves room for two more fans if you need them. The bottom fan is nice because it takes in air and blows directly at the graphics card fans which helps lower temps a lot.

check out some of these fans:

Noctua NF-S12B FLX 120mm Fan - 26
Scythe 120mm Gentle Typhoon 1850RPM Fan - 19

Only caution would be to check the distance from the CPU socket to the nearest ram slot for the mobo you choose if you go with dominator due to the height of the ram and bulk of aftermarket coolers.

I went with Corsair Vengeance low-profile to avoid the issue. General consensus seems to be that the heat spreaders are mostly irrelevant.

I've changed my order and added some extra fans in.

Quote:
GPU is good i would wait for the Twin Frozr


I've found a review for that card, http://www.guru3d.com/article/msi-geforce-gtx-680-twinf... which says its good, but the Gigabyte OC one has more base and boost clock and calls about the same and same sound level. Though the Gigabyte OC is sold out completely everywhere and the Twin Frozr isn't released yet in Australia (should be by tomorrow apparently). I think it may be a struggle to find any GTX 680's that aren't base 1006 clocked in stock anywhere for a while.

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