Getting the most out of $1200 for my rig

[xBiocide]

Hello,

I was just looking for some advice on a new build. Did my research, but I always get paranoid that I missed something, . Budget is around $1200 (USD).

My biggest roadblock at the moment is a case.
Trying to keep costs down. I don't care for a see through side panel or any bling within case.
Priority is cooling, back panel space for neat wiring, and radiator room for H100.

I plan to overclock abit and potentially add another GPU for SLI. I would probably only add another card after maybe 3 years.

Much of what I have is based off of this guide, which I think others may find useful:
http://www.build-gaming-computers.com/gaming-desktop-computer.html

Here's what I got:
Case: HAF 912, but it may not fit H100 Cooler
Mobo: ASUS P8Z68-V LX Intel Z68
CPU: Intel i5-2500k
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100 Liquid Cooler
GPU: Galaxy GTX 670 2GB
RAM: 8GB, 1600Mhz, 9-9-9-24, DDR3
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB
PSU: Ultra LSP650 650 Watt Power Supply
CD Drive: Lite-On Internal DVD Writer

So yah. Biggest concerns:
The case. I am looking for a cheap one with good cooling that can fit the H100.
The GPU. The GTX 670 is tempting, but is there something I should be setting my eyes on for better bang for buck? (No preference on NVIDIA or ATI).
PSU: If I wanted to go SLI with two cards, will the 650 be enough? or will a bump be required?


Thanks for the read, and I hope that others can benefit from it as well. I appreciate the help!

 

[coper210]

For the case I would go with the Rosewill Challenger if your on a budget, It is a great case and has 3 fans. I don't know about that particular heatsink but I do know that the hyper 212 EVO is a great cooler and will fit in the challenger, other than that your rig looks good.

 

[xBiocide]

For the case I would go with the Rosewill Challenger if your on a budget, It is a great case and has 3 fans. I don't know about that particular heatsink but I do know that the hyper 212 EVO is a great cooler and will fit in the challenger, other than that your rig looks good.

Thanks for the tip.

Here's the H100 if you were wondering:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181017
I've read it's particularly good with the i5 series and that it's especially handy for overclocking, which I plan to do.

Again, just to reiterate my concerns:
Case
Is the GPU good bang for the buck?
Is the PSU not good enough for overclocking or doing an SLI set-up?

 

[Silvune]

You should change the PSU because that Ultra unit is low end at best.

http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/2725/18/nvidia-geforce-gtx-670-review-plus-sli-and-3-way-sli-energy-consumption
Shows a system with an i7-3960X (more power hungry than an i5-2500K) drawing 489W under Metro2033. Such a load would stress a 650W PSU to ~75%. So yes you could run a system with two 670s on a good 650W PSU (with four PCIe connectors). However it wouldn't hurt to get a 750W PSU.

You will also have to change the motherboard because the Asus P8Z68-V LX has a PCIe 2.0 lane split of x16, x4. Nvidia doesn't certify boards (or allow certification of boards) which have that arrangement. AMD do (for CF), but 2.0 x4 is generally seen as being a bit too slow to run a fast graphics card in.

 

[xBiocide]

You should change the PSU because that Ultra unit is low end at best.

http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/2725/18/nvidia-geforce-gtx-670-review-plus-sli-and-3-way-sli-energy-consumption
Shows a system with an i7-3960X (more power hungry than an i5-2500K) drawing 489W under Metro2033. Such a load would stress a 650W PSU to ~75%. So yes you could run a system with two 670s on a good 650W PSU (with four PCIe connectors). However it wouldn't hurt to get a 750W PSU.

You will also have to change the motherboard because the Asus P8Z68-V LX has a PCIe 2.0 lane split of x16, x4. Nvidia doesn't certify boards (or allow certification of boards) which have that arrangement. AMD do (for CF), but 2.0 x4 is generally seen as being a bit too slow to run a fast graphics card in.

Thanks for the info. Glad I was paranoid, lol

 

[C12Friedman]

I'm gonna bring you back to your case here, the Rosewill Challenger, which I have my i5 in, won't work well with an H-100 (i'm looking at mine trying to figure out how it could work - nope, it won't, at least not without modding). The H80 would work but a slight mod is needed on the door to get it to close.
The NZXT Source 210 looked promising but reviews say modding is needed.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146075
What I have found is that without modding the case, a full tower would be needed to configure the H100 in push/pull configuration but the mods are easy (if you don't mind having the rad outside of your case - mounted on top) especially if you know of the need (won't fit a mid-tower otherwise - so we know that) and how to do it before starting your build. This thread has pics and should work on any mid-tower case with two top fans
http://www.overclock.net/t/1220330/mod-nzxt-source-210-elite-w-h100-in-push-pull#post_16552691
In it, they use the Source 210 Elite ($10 more than the one posted above).

 

[xBiocide]

Best answer selected by xBiocide.