Final Build, $1,700, few more ?'s

[Guest]

Approximate Purchase Date: Buying piece by piece, within three months

Budget Range: $1,700 after rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, will be doing Graphic Design soon, movies

Parts Not Required: OS, Mouse, Keyboard, Monitor, not included in budget

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: anywhere but mostly Newegg

Country: United States

Parts Preferences: all brands are considered

Overclocking: Maybe, don't see a necessity for it.

SLI or Crossfire: Yes, as a future GPU upgrade

Monitor Resolution: I'm not picky, but I do want decent graphics

Additional Comments: I took the basis of the $2,000 performence build article and edited it slightly. Here is what I came up with.

i7 3770k - $350
Asrock extreme6 - $150
EVGA GTX 670 FTW - $420
Corsair vengeance low profile 16gb ram(4x4) - $100
Samsung 830 128gb SSD - on sale for $90? Is $130
Seasonic 750w power supply - $150
Lite-on bluray player/burner -$70
Antec 900 case - $100
Zalman CNPS12X Cooler - $100

Final cost before shipping and rebates - $1,570


I'm open to suggestions and recommendation for this since this is my first build.

Also, what are some good gaming mouse and keyboard combos for under $100? Just want a precise mouse, don't mind weight if it's comfortable, along with a comfortable keyboard. Also a good HD monitor 24" or smaller. Not a fan of big screens, just want good graphics these items are not included on my build price.

Once again, sorry for any typos, using my phone at work!

 

[g-unit1111]

That looks pretty good but ditch the case and the cooler. The Antec 900 has terrible cable management and adding or removing drives can be a huge pain. Try the 1100 instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129178

Then for the cooler try the Noctua D14: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608018

 

[l0v3rboi]

Since you put overclocking as a "maybe," I wouldn't spend that much on a CPU cooler. Either you keep the stock heatsink until you plan to overclock or get the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo. The CM hyper 212 is significantly cheaper (its $30), and delivers good performance.

I have this monitor and I really like it: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236099 .

Here is a gaming keyboard and mouse combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.791963 . I have that keyboard and it is solid. The clicking an get pretty loud though. If you don't mind that then it is a good choice.

 

[WR2]

You probably want a bulk storage drive to go along with your excellent SSD.

Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s HDD $96
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236070

 

[inzone]

I noticed that you have only the Samsung 830 128gb SSD listed as your only HDD?

The changes that I would make are;

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130785 $484.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504 $234.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118051 $61.99

These changes would give you a 4gb video card and still a quad core cpu and reduce the overall price of the build.
I would like you to clarify the HDD situation to know what your plans are.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001550 $249.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.791952

 

[WR2]

Might be more monitor than you need but for graphic design IPS screens have advantages.
Drawback is not quite as fast a response time as TN screens


Dell UltraSharp U2412M 24" 1900x1200 LED-backlit IPS LCD Monitor $$313

 

[g-unit1111]

I noticed that you have only the Samsung 830 128gb SSD listed as your only HDD?

The changes that I would make are;

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130785 $484.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504 $234.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118051 $61.99

These changes would give you a 4gb video card and still a quad core cpu and reduce the overall price of the build.
I would like you to clarify the HDD situation to know what your plans are.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001550 $249.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.791952

Yeah but keep in mind that CS5/6 will be used on this particular machine so the 3770K will actually be needed. The backplate on the GTX 670 / 680 is a worthless feature, I feel and it's not worth the $70 premium over the standard FTW version.

 

[Guest]

Wow thanks for all the quick replies!

I will look into the Antec 1100 case instead, didn't know they had an upgraded model at the same price. Would the three stock fans be enough cooling or would I have to buy more?

And I was iffy on coolers, that's why I chose the one on the builder. I was also looking at the hyper 212, but I'm still clueless on which cooler to get.

And yes, I will be using some programs that i7 will be suiting much better, or I probably would be going with the i5.

What are the main differences between the EVGA GTX 670 for $420 and $480? Is it worth it?

Sorry I woul be quoting but that would take ages on my phone

Edit: oh yes I forgot about the HDD situation. I have a laptop that I will be holding all my bulk stuff on, music etc, and will be using the computer strictly for gaming and graphic designing programs. I most likely won't even be doing much web surfing on it. If more is needed I will just buy another SSD.

 

[l0v3rboi]

The $480 one has 4 Gb of VRAM instead of 2, is overclocked, and has a backplate.

I don't think you plan to get more than one monitor so the 2 Gb version should be fine. Also, you can overclock it yourself so yeah, in my opinion, not worth it.

Yes, you don't need extra case fans.

 

[g-unit1111]

Wow thanks for all the quick replies!

I will look into the Antec 1100 case instead, didn't know they had an upgraded model at the same price. Would the three stock fans be enough cooling or would I have to buy more?

And I was iffy on coolers, that's why I chose the one on the builder. I was also looking at the hyper 212, but I'm still clueless on which cooler to get.

And yes, I will be using some programs that i7 will be suiting much better, or I probably would be going with the i5.

What are the main differences between the EVGA GTX 670 for $420 and $480? Is it worth it?

Sorry I woul be quoting but that would take ages on my phone

Edit: oh yes I forgot about the HDD situation. I have a laptop that I will be holding all my bulk stuff on, music etc, and will be using the computer strictly for gaming and graphic designing programs. I most likely won't even be doing much web surfing on it. If more is needed I will just buy another SSD.

1. Three stock fans will be plenty to start with, I'd suggest reading this on how to setup your air flow properly: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cooling-airflow-heatsink,3053.html

2. I think Zalman coolers are overrated, IMO, there's plenty of better ones out there for far less. If you want a couple of suggestions here's what I would recommend:
- EVGA Supercooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835288001
- Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099
- Noctua NH-U9B: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608016

3. That depends on what the real uses for this system are - if you're using CS5/6 or any CAD or rendering applications you want the i7. If it's just gaming you want the i5.

4. The only differences are a slightly faster factory clock and a backplate. Is it worth the $70 premium? Absolutely not. If you're paying that much you might as well get a 680.

5, I've always felt the best storage solution is a moderately sized SSD (64 - 128GB) and a large 1 - 2TB secondary. You can always add or remove drives as needed.

 

[Guest]

1. Three stock fans will be plenty to start with, I'd suggest reading this on how to setup your air flow properly: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cooling-airflow-heatsink,3053.html

2. I think Zalman coolers are overrated, IMO, there's plenty of better ones out there for far less. If you want a couple of suggestions here's what I would recommend:
- EVGA Supercooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835288001
- Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099
- Noctua NH-U9B: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608016

3. That depends on what the real uses for this system are - if you're using CS5/6 or any CAD or rendering applications you want the i7. If it's just gaming you want the i5.

4. The only differences are a slightly faster factory clock and a backplate. Is it worth the $70 premium? Absolutely not. If you're paying that much you might as well get a 680.

5, I've always felt the best storage solution is a moderately sized SSD (64 - 128GB) and a large 1 - 2TB secondary. You can always add or remove drives as needed.

Ah thank you, extremely helpful! The EVGA supercooler looks pretty decent, has nice reviews and price tag. I might grab that one. And yes, if needed i will pickup an extra 1tb HDD, i will see though. With the money I'm at, and saving a few bucks on the cooler I might be able to pick up the 680, still debating it. Is that worth the extra $100? Will I notice a big FPS difference? Or should I just get the 670, and when I need to upgrade grab another 670 and SLI? But then I'm spending much more than the 680. Humph.. Decisions, decisions..

 

[spookyman]

If you had a Microcenter in your area you might be able to pick up the CPU for about $60-70 less then what Newegg sells it for. Also the motherboard and CPU cooler maybe cheaper too.

 

[Guest]

If you had a Microcenter in your area you might be able to pick up the CPU for about $60-70 less then what Newegg sells it for. Also the motherboard and CPU cooler maybe cheaper too.

There are two, some what in my area. One is about 1 hr 30 minutes away, the other closer to 2 hr and 30 minutes away. Both would be worth the drive if I would save enough money, however, I checked their stock online in both stores and they don't have any of the parts I needed. Thanks a lot for the suggestion though!

Might be more monitor than you need but for graphic design IPS screens have advantages.
Drawback is not quite as fast a response time as TN screens


Dell UltraSharp U2412M 24" 1900x1200 LED-backlit IPS LCD Monitor $$313

That monitor is a little too pricey for me, but thanks!

You probably want a bulk storage drive to go along with your excellent SSD.

Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s HDD $96
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822236070

If I end up needing one, I'll definitely get one. I'm just going to be using my laptop and external hard drives for bulk items to see how that works out.

And thanks everyone for the keyboard/mouse combos.

 

[g-unit1111]

Ah thank you, extremely helpful! The EVGA supercooler looks pretty decent, has nice reviews and price tag. I might grab that one. And yes, if needed i will pickup an extra 1tb HDD, i will see though. With the money I'm at, and saving a few bucks on the cooler I might be able to pick up the 680, still debating it. Is that worth the extra $100? Will I notice a big FPS difference? Or should I just get the 670, and when I need to upgrade grab another 670 and SLI? But then I'm spending much more than the 680. Humph.. Decisions, decisions..

I have the Supercooler and I really like it - it was really easy to install (outside of the case :lol: ).

It's not really worth the extra money for the 680 when tests show that the 670 actually beats it: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-670-review,3200.html

 

[Guest]

I have the Supercooler and I really like it - it was really easy to install (outside of the case :lol: ).

It's not really worth the extra money for the 680 when tests show that the 670 actually beats it: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-670-review,3200.html

Hm looking at the test results in that article http://media.bestofmicro.com/U/P/336769/original/tessellation%20scaling.png makes me wanna get the 7950/70 all for around the same price! Do those GPU's always out-test the GTX 670/680? I just have a Radeon GPU in my laptop and it has been giving me tons of problems, I think it's mainly problems from Samsungs side, and not the GPU itself. That's why I never looked at those GPU's.

 

[g-unit1111]

Hm looking at the test results in that article http://media.bestofmicro.com/U/P/336769/original/tessellation%20scaling.png makes me wanna get the 7950/70 all for around the same price! Do those GPU's always out-test the GTX 670/680? I just have a Radeon GPU in my laptop and it has been giving me tons of problems, I think it's mainly problems from Samsungs side, and not the GPU itself. That's why I never looked at those GPU's.

No - that's just in one minor test - if you read the rest of them the 670 beats the 7970 and 7950 in just about every other category.

The Radeon GPU that's used in laptops is completely different from what's offered in desktops.

 

[l0v3rboi]

Hm looking at the test results in that article http://media.bestofmicro.com/U/P/336769/original/tessellation%20scaling.png makes me wanna get the 7950/70 all for around the same price! Do those GPU's always out-test the GTX 670/680? I just have a Radeon GPU in my laptop and it has been giving me tons of problems, I think it's mainly problems from Samsungs side, and not the GPU itself. That's why I never looked at those GPU's.

That is just one of the few places where the Radeon's higher end cards beat the gtx 670. Almost every other games, and 3d mark 11, the gtx's are better. If you want to stick with Radeon, the difference in performance between the 7970 and the gtx 670 is pretty small. However, for the Radeon's price point, the gtx 670 is the obvious choice (for me at least).

 

[inzone]

Yeah but keep in mind that CS5/6 will be used on this particular machine so the 3770K will actually be needed. The backplate on the GTX 670 / 680 is a worthless feature, I feel and it's not worth the $70 premium over the standard FTW version.

The video card was chosen for the 4gb of memory that it had and not the backplate. The $70 premium is for the extra 2gb of memory and the backplate.

 

[Guest]

I see, thanks for the clarification on the graphic cards.

An extra 2gb of memory on the GPU does sound appealing, but at that price I might as well get the 680. Or does the 4gb out perform the 680? But what I'm thinking is getting the GTX670 FTW and a few months down the road grabbing another GTX670 FTW for SLI and that should keep me good for a while, so here is my final build now.

i7 3770k - $350
Asrock extreme6 - $150
EVGA GTX 670 FTW - $420
Corsair vengeance low profile 16gb ram(4x4) - $100
Samsung 830 128gb SSD - $130
Seasonic 750w power supply - $150
Lite-on bluray player/burner -$70
Antec 1100 case - $100
EVGA Superclock CPU Cooler - $50

Final cost before shipping and rebates - $1,520

 

[inzone]

Looks good and you should be able to do whatever you wasnt to with that build , very good choices.
On the video card one of the reasons for the 4gb model was in the event you were to get multiple monitors or if by some chance you got a 30" with 2560x1600 resolution. The FTW 670 is still a better buy then a 680 because in all the benchmarks I have seen the 670 is right there with the 680 and I still don't know why Nvidia did that because for $100 less you can get the same performance as a 680. When you put two 670's in SLI and compare them against two 680's they end up with the same fps so it actually don't make any sense to get two 680's.

 

[Guest]

Awesome thanks a lot for the everyone.

Yeah I dont ever see myself going over a 27" monitor, or that resolution anytime soon.

Once again thanks for the help everyone, will hopefully have this built soon!

 

[Guest]

Best answer selected by Dougz3.