Need opinions on first build, 1800$

[nafoni]

EDIT: read latest posts !!!
EDIT: read latest posts !!!
EDIT: read latest posts !!!
EDIT: read latest posts !!!
EDIT: read latest posts !!!

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Hey there.

Okay, so I'm going to build a new PC. I'm a first-time builder. Have seen and read lots of tutorials around the internet, and I feel good building my computer myself.

I will be buying all my parts from Norwegian websites, (buying from other sites will be just as expensive with customs etc). The max price in US dollars will be around 1800$.

I'm just gonna show you the parts I have come up with so far, and what I want is your suggestions on what to improve. I will also list some specific questions on the bottom of this post, but as I just said, please tell me your own opinions too.

So here we go...

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Approximate Purchase Date: really ASAP, at least before July

Budget Range: max is around 1800$

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, surfing the internet, schoolwork

Parts Not Required: screen (will get a new one later), I will find a keyboard and mouse later, so don't think about that now.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Komplett.no, CDON.no

Country: Norway

Parts Preferences: Intel

Overclocking: Yes, but no extreme overclocking

SLI or Crossfire: Yes, when I can afford another card.

Monitor Resolution: ATM i have 1366 x 768, but I will probably get 1920x1200 in the future.

Additional Comments: I don't care about the look of the parts (except the case). Doesn't have to be very quiet.

Games I am playing/will be playing: TF2, BF3, Skyrim, GTA IV, GTA V when it comes out. Want to run all the games on a minimum of HIGH, but preferably ULTRA/EXTREME. With at least 30+ FPS at all times.

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Parts:

MOTHERBOARD: ASUS P8Z77-V Deluxe, LGA 1155 - 275$

CPU: Intel i7-3770K, LGA 1155 - 350$

GPU: EVGA GTX 670, 2GB, GDDR5, PCIe 3.0 - 400$

RAM: Kingston HyperX 16GB (4x4), DDR3, 1600MHz - 115$

HDD: Seagate Barracuda, 2TB, 7200RPM, SATA 6gb/s, 3.5" - 120$

SSD: I really want one, but probably can't afford one yet. Maybe if I cut the prices of other parts. Looking into the Crucial M4, 128GB, SATA 3.0 (150$)

PSU: Corsair HX 1050, 1050W, 80 Plus Silver - 220$

Case: CoolerMaster HAF X - 200$

Fan: CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO - 35$

CD/DVD: Will either re-use my current one or find something cheap. Just need one, doesn't have to be any good at all

Total without SSD: 1715$
Total with SSD: 1865$

Guess I can't reuse the Win7 I'm using now, so I will have to buy a copy of Win7 too.

Again - all parts will be bought off Norwegian websites. I am listing Newegg links to make it easier for you to keep track of the prices.

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My specific questions:

1. Do I really need an i7-3770K? Will my games perform almost just as well without it? How big difference does the Hyper-threading make on my current games? What about future ones? Alternative is 3570K

2. Is the GPU good? Did I make a good decision choosing GTX 670 over 580? Can AMD Radeon cards give me better performance for the same price?

3. Is my PSU too powerful? I am looking to SLI/Crossfire two graphic cards when I can afford another one. Can I buy a PSU with a lower wattage than the HX1050?

4. Do I need 16GB of ram, or is 8GB enough? Maybe I will listen to music while gaming, maybe record gameplay sometimes.

5. If I get a SSD, how much space will my OS (win7) take? How much space will be left for my games? Can I have some Steam games on my SSD, and some on my HDD?

6. Which parts can I spend less money on?

7. Everything fits?

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Now that's my specific questions, but please post your own opinions too. Answer what you can answer. Any answer is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[g-unit1111]

1. Do I really need an i7-3770K? Will my games perform almost just as well without it? How big difference does the Hyper-threading make on my current games? What about future ones? Alternative is 3570K

Not really - you can get just as good performance with the i5-3570K - it's pretty much the same CPU for $100 cheaper. It'll be several years before games will catch up to hyperthreading and even by then there will be new technologies out.

2. Is the GPU good? Did I make a good decision choosing GTX 670 over 580? Can AMD Radeon cards give me better performance for the same price?

Absolutely - the 670 is the best of the best right now and it uses like 1/2 the power that the 580 did, and it's putting up better numbers.

As for AMD comparisons - no way, check these out: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-670-review,3200.html

3. Is my PSU too powerful? I am looking to SLI/Crossfire two graphic cards when I can afford another one. Can I buy a PSU with a lower wattage than the HX1050?

1050 is overkill with any build - and you're using the 670 which is one of the most energy efficient GPUs ever made - you can run 2 x 670 in SLI and not even come close to using 750W. Maybe get something like this: http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=585833

4. Do I need 16GB of ram, or is 8GB enough? Maybe I will listen to music while gaming, maybe record gameplay sometimes.

For that you won't even come close to using 16GB - 8GB will be plenty.

5. If I get a SSD, how much space will my OS (win7) take? How much space will be left for my games? Can I have some Steam games on my SSD, and some on my HDD?

Keep in mind that formatting takes 10% of your drive's advertised space (ex. 64GB = 57.7GB after formatting), and a typical Windows 7 Home Premium or 7 Pro install takes 16GB-20GB depending on options so on a 64GB hard drive you're only left with about 30GB after it's done. You can only run games from whatever folder Steam is installed on - and it's best to have that running from your secondary HD rather than your SSD.

6. Which parts can I spend less money on?

Definitely the PSU and the case - you'll never use a 1050W PSU to its' maximum extent especially with a 670, even 2 x 670. The case is also overkill, the HAF X is a monster case and you only need it if you're running a monster motherboard like the EVGA Classified SR-X or the Asus Rampage IV. You could get something like this and save 1/2 the cost: http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=648534

7. Everything fits?

Yeah the only thing you really need to watch is your RAM voltage - a lot of the time Kingston uses 1.65V which is better suited for AMD builds and won't work on Intel SB/IB builds (you need 1.5V for that) but otherwise yes.

 

[mad2]

If I were you I would not get the asus deluxe. The cheaper versions do almost all the same things for much less. That is unless there is a feature on the deluxe that you really want.

 

[Why_Me]

Your psu is too much, that case is very large and expensive and hyper threading will not help in games. Same with that motherboard.


http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=657691 1.099,-
XFX ProSeries XXX Edition 750W PSU

http://www.komplett.no/k/k.aspx 1.249,-
ASUS P8Z77-V, Socket-1155

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8Z77V/ <----- another look at that motherboard


http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=660227 1.699,-
i5-3570K Processor

http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=657097 365,-
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo

http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=641124 479,-
Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600MHz 8GB CL9

http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=751465 3.199,-
EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB

http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=646592 449,-
Corsair Carbide 500R Midi Tower Sort

http://www.corsair.com/carbide-series-500r-mid-tower-case.html <----- another look at that case

 

[jamesg2571]

CPU - i would change the current i7 to an i7 2600k because its not going to bottleneck your computer and it used by alot of pc gaming builders

 

[nafoni]

Alright, so what do you think of swapping out some of the parts with these ones?

Swapping out the motherboard, ASUS P8Z77-V deluxe, with the P8Z77-V (the non-deluxe version) - as I feared, the deluxe version was too expensive. Saving some $ on the non-deluxe version, so I will go with that.

Swapping out the CPU, i7-3770K, with the i5-3570K - as I feared, the 3770K was too expensive and not worth the money. Saving some $ on choosing the 3570K.

Swapping out the RAM, Kingston HyperX 16GB (4x4), with the Corsair Vengeance 8GB, 1600 MHz, DDR3 (translate the site from Norwegian if you want). As you said, 16GB was probably too much/not of use. Also, the Corsair Vengeance is 1.5V, which I was told worked better with Intel CPUs. Saving some $ on choosing the Corsair Vengeance.

Swapping out the PSU, Corsair HX1050, with a Corsair AX850W - As I feared, 1050W was too much and too expensive. Saving a tiny bit of $ on choosing the AX850W. I want my PSU to last for a very long time, so I think I should stick with 850W. If you disagree, please tell me.

Swapping out the case, CoolerMaster HAF X, with a CoolerMaster HAF 912 Mid-Tower - as you said, the HAF X was too big and too expensive to be of use for me. Saving some $ on choosing the HAF 912. If you got other case suggestions, please tell me.

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Old part, $$$ - new part, $$$ - $ saved
ASUS P8Z77-V deluxe, 275$ - ASUS P8Z77-V, 185$ - 90$ saved
3770K, 350$ - 3570K, 240$ - 110$ saved
Kingston HyperX 16GB, 115$ - Corsair Vengeance 8GB, 55$ - 60$ saved
Corsair HX1050, 220$ - Corsair AX850, 200$ - 20$ saved
CM HAF X, 200$ - CM HAF 912, 60$ - 140$ saved

Total savings in USD: 420 $
Total savings in Norwegian kroner: 1203 kr = 201 $

I have included the SSD listed in the first post in my "newest" build, so I have actually saved the $ listen in the two lines above this one + the cost of the SSD.

As you see, I would've saved much more $ if I had built the computer in the US, which I will not. Still looking to cut the cost of some parts, any suggestions?

I COULD go with the 750W version of the Corsair AX PSU, but will that be enough for running future graphic cards in SLI or CrossFire?

Also, thanks a lot for the answers so far!

 

[Why_Me]

850w is a bit too much but it's not as bad as 1050w. The Corsair AX though is expensive. XFX power supplies are manufactured by Seasonic as are the Corsair power supplies. They are identical in everything but name.


http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=657693 1.295,-
XFX ProSeries XXX Edition 850W PSU

 

[nafoni]

850w is a bit too much but it's not as bad as 1050w. The Corsair AX though is expensive. XFX power supplies are manufactured by Seasonic as are the Corsair power supplies. They are identical in everything but name.


http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=657693 1.295,-
XFX ProSeries XXX Edition 850W PSU

I have been looking at that one. Problem is that it's out of stock on Komplett, but another (less reliable) Norwegian site has it in stock. So I will absolutely be considering that one.

How about the AX 750W version? Do you think it will be enough for SLI-ing or CrossFire-ing future graphic cards?

Thanks again!

 

[J_E_D_70]

Agree with dropping to 75W and definitely get 128GB or 180GB (Intel 330) SSD. Looks good!

 

[nafoni]

Agree with dropping to 75W and definitely get 128GB or 180GB (Intel 330) SSD. Looks good!

I think you mean 750W

Think I will stick with the Crucial SSD, the Intel one is a bit more expensive.

So again, will 750W be enough to SLI or CrossFire future graphic cards?

Thanks again! Keep 'em coming!

 

[J_E_D_70]

Lol. Yeah, 75W won't get very far.

670 pulls <200W and CPU is less than 100. That takes you to 500ish plus random components maybe 550? Still well under even with loss over time.

 

[nafoni]

Lol. Yeah, 75W won't get very far.

670 pulls <200W and CPU is less than 100. That takes you to 500ish plus random components maybe 550? Still well under even with loss over time.

Yep, that's the GTX 670. But will future cards require more power than the GTX 670?

Again: is 750W enough to SLI or CrossFire future graphic cards?

 

[Why_Me]

I have been looking at that one. Problem is that it's out of stock on Komplett, but another (less reliable) Norwegian site has it in stock. So I will absolutely be considering that one.

How about the AX 750W version? Do you think it will be enough for SLI-ing or CrossFire-ing future graphic cards?

Thanks again!

AX version are expensive. The HX 850w is a better deal.

 

[nafoni]

AX version are expensive. The HX 850w is a better deal.

The AX has 80 Plus Gold, HX has Silver. Won't the AX make me save money over time?

 

[Why_Me]

The AX has 80 Plus Gold, HX has Silver. Won't the AX make me save money over time?

Even if you leave your computer on all the time you would be lucky to save enough electricity to purchase an piece of chocolate and a beer over a years time or even longer.

 

[nafoni]

Even if you leave your computer on all the time you would be lucky to save enough electricity to purchase an piece of chocolate and a beer over a years time or even longer.

Alright, I'm going with the HX then.

The question still is: is 750W enough for the future, or do I need 850W?

 

[nafoni]

Yes bro... 750 Watts is enough for a dual GTX 670 set up AND newer GPUs will draw LESS power wich means that newer GPU´s in dual setup will draw LESS power than a GTX 670... so, to anwser the question you have asked over 3 times:
"is 750W enough for the future, or do I need 850W?" the anwser is no, 750w are fine

Ok. Thanks. (sorry for rating your post -1, I clicked the wrong button, I ment rating +1, now I can't change :/ )

Sorry for all the confusion I am making, but what do people mean about going for a lower-wattage PSU and only using single-card setups? After some googling I have found out that it works for alot of people.

What do you people think? And how many watts would I need on a PSU for single-card setups? 500 should do?

Again, thanks alot for everyone posting! You guys are all great help!

 

[nafoni]

Forget the single-card thing.

I'll go with a better PSU. Would feel good to at least have the possibility of adding a second 670.

I will make a summary post where I put together all the parts that I changed, so you can see everything in one nice and tidy post. Just gotta get some sleep first, will do that when I wake up.

In the meantime, keep the suggestions coming! Maybe I'll have some more specific questions in my upcoming summary post.

As always, thanks again!

 

[nafoni]

Summary post: in this post you you will find the parts I will be going for at the moment of writing. I will not be buying the parts yet, but I will list all of them here to make it easier for you to make suggestions.

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Approximate Purchase Date: ASAP, preferably before June

Budget Range: 10500 NOK - equals 1400$-1500$ on Newegg

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, gaming, gaming, surfing the internet, schoolwork

Parts Not Required: screen (will get a new one later), will be re-using current keyboard for now

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Komplett.no, CDON.no, possibly DustinHome

Country: Norway

Parts Preferences: Intel

Overclocking: Yes, maybe I want the 3570K up to around 4 GHz

SLI or Crossfire: Yes, SLI-ing when I can afford another video card

Monitor Resolution: ATM I have 1366 x 768, but I will probably get 1920x1080 in the future

Additional Comments: I don't care about the look of the parts (except the case). Doesn't have to be very quiet.

Games I am playing/will be playing: TF2, BF3, Skyrim, GTA IV, GTA V when it comes out. Want to run all the games on a minimum of HIGH, but preferably ULTRA/EXTREME. With at least 30+ FPS at all times.

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Parts

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V - 185$

CPU: Intel i5-3570K - 240$

GPU: EVGA GTX 670 2GB GDDR5 PCIe 3.0 - 400$

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600MHz - 55$

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200RPM 6GB/s - 120$

SSD: Crucial M4 128GB - 150$

PSU: Silver Power SP-SS750M 750W - was 1145 NOK / 192$ ||| now 558 NOK / 94$ (50% save)

Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 mid-tower - 60$

Fan: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO - 35$

CD/DVD: re-use or cheap crap

Will find a mouse later. Will re-use keyboard, screen and speakers for now. Sound card not needed.

Total $ on Newegg: 1339$
Total NOK on the Norwegian sites I will be buying from: 10100 NOK (1690$)

Why I have chosen these parts

Motherboard: I went with the ASUS P8Z77-V most importantly because of its LGA 1155 socket, and I also know ASUS is a good brand. The motherboard has a PS/2 port, which I need for my keyboard. It also has SATA 6gb/s ports for my HDD and SSD, enough USB ports, supports 1600MHz and dual-channel for my RAM, has the Z77 chipset and PCIe 3.0 x16 ports for my GTX 670. WiFi is also a bonus, even though I will be using ethernet.

CPU: I want good performance, I want Intel, so it was either the 3570K or the 3770K. 3770K too expensive and not worth the extra money, so therefore I'm going with the 3570K.

GPU: I want to run the latest games on very high settings and with a 30-40+ framerate at all times, therefore I'm going with the GTX 670 card by EVGA. Also looking to get a second GTX 670 in the future to even newer games with the same, high settings.

RAM: 4GB is not enough, 16GB is too much, therefore I'm going with the Corsair Vengeance 2x4GB 1600MHz sticks. Dual-channel memory is supported by the motherboard.

HDD:I need much storage for all my games, photos, videos etc. I was considering the 1TB version, but for only a small amount of cash more I could get the Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200RPM, so I will be going with that one.

SSD: I chose to add a SSD because I want to boot quickly, I want my OS and most used programs on a fast drive, and I possibly want a few games on it too. I chose the Crucial M4 128GB over the 64GB version because it would feel good to have those extra 64GBs. I have also found out that the Crucial M4 is a very good SSD.

PSU: The PSU has been the mind-bending part of my computer. I found out that the Silver Power SP-SS750M 750W was on sale for 50% off on Komplett.no, so I think I will be going with that one. It's 80 PLUS Silver certified, has enough power to SLI future GPUs and is also modular, so the cables won't create a mess in my case.

Case: I really couldn't spend too much on this part, so I found the CM HAF 912 to be cheap, good-looking and with good functionality for me. It does not have a removable motherboard tray, but as I have understood, that is not really a requirement, only a luxury-function.

Fan: I have went with the CM Hyper 212 EVO because I probably want to overclock my 3570K to around 4GHz. I have read that the 212 from CM is a cheap and good CPU fan, and it obviously also fits my LGA 1155 socket.

CD/DVD: I will be re-using or buying a cheap optical drive because this is a part that I really don't need, I just want to have one in case I would need it some time. Want so save as much money as possible on this part.

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I know I'm asking a lot of you to read through all this, but do you think the parts, and most importantly the reasons I am buying these parts, seems good?
Again - everything fits with everything, and works well together?

All in all, what do you think?

Trying to be as thorough as possible.

Thanks again!

 

[nafoni]

Bump

 

[J_E_D_70]

Looks like a winner - just check on the distance from your RAM slots to where the Evo's fan will be (download the manual or search forums) as it may not fit. Easy answer is to get low profile corsair. Works the same, costs the same, and no issues.

 

[nafoni]

Looks like a winner - just check on the distance from your RAM slots to where the Evo's fan will be (download the manual or search forums) as it may not fit. Easy answer is to get low profile corsair. Works the same, costs the same, and no issues.

Yep, I remember I read about that, so will be going for the Low Profile ones.

Any more opinions/suggestions? Will probably be ordering tomorrow!

Power supply looks good?

 

[nafoni]

Alright, parts ordered. Made some few last-minute changes. Here is the final list:

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V, LGA 1155

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K, LGA 1155

GPU: EVGA GTX 670, 2GB, PCIe 3.0, GDDR5

RAM: Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 8GB (2x4GB) 1600MHz 1.5V

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 2TB, 7200RPM, SATA 3, 64MB cache

SSD: Crucial m4 128GB

PSU: XFX XXX Edition 750W Modular

Case: Cooler Master HAF 912

Fan: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO, 1155-socket

CD/DVD: Samsung SH-222B - I just want something cheap that just works.

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If you have any opinions on parts that look completely rubbish, please tell me as I could have them returned before I start putting the computer together.

Again - everything looking good? Everything fits?

Also, for the Xth time, thanks A LOT for all the help you all have given me! Every single post has given me something to think about and consider, and I am now pretty confident that this computer will be very good.

Thanks! Any last comments, let me know. If anyone is wondering how this computer performs (on specific games/apps), please let me know either by posting in this thread or PMing me. I will try to answer your questions after I have put the computer together.

 

[J_E_D_70]

Smells like "win."