[Advice Needed] ~$1400 Multi-Purpose New Build

[mdub12]

Hey all,

It has been 6 years since I last built a higher end machine for personal use. At the time I built it to be future proof and it has pretty much served it's original purpose. However, it will soon be retired as a simple multi-media machine. As such, I could use some advice regarding what is overkill, what is lacking, and anything else that is helpful on my new build.

General info:

Approximate Purchase Date: Over the next 2-3 weeks

Budget Range: $1300 - $1500 after discounts, rebates, etc.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming on high settings (BF3, Diablo III, SC2), Multimedia usage (playback on TV, audio, etc.), Intensive numerical analysis (occasional event)

Parts Not Required: monitors, mouse, speakers, keyboard (tentatively), cables

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, Amazon, NCIX, Microcenter (in-store pickup)

Country: USA (midwest)

Parts Preferences: Intel and nVidia have always been kind to me

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: In the future

Monitor Resolution: 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1200 - any will do

Additional Comments: I am entertaining the idea of liquid cooling but could really use some advice on where to get started.


Current parts list:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/98m6

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme6 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($183.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($97.98 @ Amazon)
Boot Drive: OCZ Vertex 3 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($115.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 570 1.25GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 600T White Graphite ATX Mid Tower Case ($166.69 @ Mac Connection)
Power Supply: Silverstone 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($107.10 @ NCIX US)

Current Total: $1241.22

Potential Missing Parts:

Cooling system - ?
Sound card - if it is even necessary?


Specific Questions/Concerns

1) If I want to overclock the CPU to about 4.2-4.4 GHz, would liquid cooling be the wiser choice? If so, where should I start with spec'ing out parts?

2) Will the power supply be sufficient if I drop in another GTX 570?

3) Will I be able to support 3 displays including 2 monitors and a 32-46" TV (2 from the GTX 570 and 1 from the Mobo)?

4) What is the appeal of a mechanical keyboard? I don't quite understand other than the cool "clicking" sound the keys make.


I appreciate any comments and help.

Thanks

 

[hellfire24]

you don't need 16gb ram,8gb is more than enough.Don't go with hxx or h100 coolers,recently a guy is facing a lot of problems-
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=276036&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0
OCZ has the highest failure rates in SSDs.
600T is a good case but a cheaper case will get the job done.here's what i would suggest for a $1500 rig-
Sasmung 22x DVD burner
Antec 1100 Super Mid Tower case
Samsung f4 2TB hdd
Asus DCII gtx 670 2GB
NZXT hae82 850w modular
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 8gb 1600mhz 1.5V ram
Intel i5 3570K
Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO
Mushkin Enhanced Chronos 240GB SSD
Gigabyte Z77x-UD5H
Note:gtx 670 is a very capable card and will beat a stock 680 with some tweaks.Asus DCII is a very good cooler and 670 overclocks well,take a look-
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_670_Direct_Cu_II/
NZXT power supplies are rebranded [strike]super flowers[/strike] Seasonic(the best power supply maker) and are very highly rated too.850w is more than enough for SLi+overclocking.
Hyper 212 evo will easily take you 4.5ghz.
UD5H is a great board with loads of features,great overclocking potential and high quality components.

your answers-
1) a good air cooler like hyper 212 evo is enough to reach 4.5ghz and if you want liquid cooling then go with a full custom loop(but it's not required)
2) 850w is more than enough for 670 SLi and overcloking(in fact it is a bit overkill but you can manage )
3) yes 670 will run 3 monitors.
4) i really can't see a big reason to spend so much on "mechanical" keyboard.

i guess i answered all your questions,good luck with the build.

 

[mdub12]

Thanks for the reply.

I took your advice and dropped the memory down to 8GB. I figure I can expand in a few years as necessary.

I picked up the Samsung 2TB HDD instead of the WD 1TB. I think this is a much wiser decision. Thank you.

The article you linked regarding the Asus GTX 670 was enough to convince me to spend the extra $150ish for the upgraded video card. My fear is over the longevity of the card. In 2006 I purchased a 7900GT (which at the time was a decent card) and within two years it was dead. I would much rather avoid the costly replacement of a video card. Any clue what type of extended warranty comes with these GTX 670?

I also added the Hyper 212 EVO after reading many reviews about how well it performs.

As for the SSD, I went with the same brand and model but only 120GB. I don't see a need for 240GB. I primarily plan on using it for OS and programs.

Now for my new questions/concerns:

The NZXT power supply is nice, but I really don't see a need for 850W even if I SLI and OC. Would 750W not be enough? I would really like a PSU that has the independent ports on the back instead of an entire bundle of wires coming out. This way I can manage what I use and not have to hide unused cables behind the MOBO. Do you have any other suggestions regarding a PSU of this nature? I will look for NZXT or Seasonic PSUs.

The case I may switch. I just want a case with easy cable and drive management as well as easy to clean dust filters. I'll look around.

Finally, what is the major improvement in the Gigabyte mobo vs. the ASRock board that I had picked? I only noticed a few differences in ports, but nothing major regarding performance. Feedback is appreciated.

So the current build is as follows:

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.90 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme6 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($183.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($43.99 @ NCIX US)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Mushkin Chronos 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 600T White Graphite ATX Mid Tower Case ($166.69 @ Mac Connection)
Power Supply: NZXT 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($95.98 @ Newegg)
Current Total: $1320.01

Plus a dvd burner ~$20

 

[hellfire24]

So the current build is as follows:

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.90 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme6 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($183.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($43.99 @ NCIX US)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Mushkin Chronos 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 600T White Graphite ATX Mid Tower Case ($166.69 @ Mac Connection)
Power Supply: NZXT 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($95.98 @ Newegg)
Current Total: $1320.01

Plus a dvd burner ~$20

after reading your post i can't really suggest any more changes.your build looks great,i would suggest pull the trigger