$1000 Silent Gaming PC, any changes needed?

[daweinah]

I've been doing lots of research and I'm finally ready to put my proposed build before the public eye!

Approximate Purchase Date: Next two weeks

Budget Range: $1000

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, overclocking, surfing the internet, remote tech support, Office software

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Microcenter, Newegg.com, NCIX.com

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: modular or semi-modular PSU desired. H60 because water cooling is friggin cool!

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: Doubtful

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200

Additional Comments: Quiet and long lasting gaming PC. My current build is a hodgepodge 4-6 year old beast.

I live near a Microcenter, so I'll be picking up the CPU, mobo, H60, and SSD there.
I picked the PSU as the cheapest semi-modular low 500w option from a good vendor.
I'm going back and forth on whether or not to include a HDD. I have an external HDD with plenty of space and I've never been the type to hoard data. I reinstall games to play on SSD if I care about the performance that much on my current SSD/HDD build.
I also don't think I even care about an optical drive this time around. I have an external drive at work I can borrow if I find myself needing it.
I may also invest in some additional quiet case fans depending on what you guys think.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro Series H60 74.4 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($60.24 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($129.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($209.99 after MIR @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R3 Titanium Grey ATX Mid Tower Case ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 520W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($69.64 @ Newegg)
Total: $960.56
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)

 

[g-unit1111]

Using an H60 won't make your build silent - the fans included are of the cheap plastic variety - get an air fan like the Hyper 212 which is pretty silent for the most part. You should also up your PSU to a 620 / 650W in case you want to crossfire that 7850.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

H60 gets toasted by cheaper air coolers.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=797&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=4

Corsair H50 73.1 +10.8
Coolit Vantage A.L.C. (extreme) 73.0 +10.7
Thermalright Macho HR-02 71.0 +8.7
Prolimatech Super Mega 67.2 +4.9
Antec Kühler H2O 620 65.9 +3.6
Corsair H70 (high)* 65.3 +3.0
Thermaltake Frio OCK* 65.2 +2.9
Thermalright Venomous X 63.0 +0.7
Cooler Master Hyper 612 PWM 62.3 +0.0
Thermalright Silver Arrow* 61.8 -0.5
Cooler Master V6 GT* 61.2 -1.1

The Silver arrow is extremely quiet but $30 more than the 612 PWM which is ....

As you might expect, the heat sinks that come with two fans tend to do better than those with only one fan...which makes the Hyper 612's performance all the more surprising. Connected directly the computer's power supply, the Hyper 612 PWM's fan is audible, but not particularly noisy. I'd say it doesn't sound like a fan that can push over 80CFM, but the results speak for themselves: the Cooler Master Hyper 612 PWM powers past most of the other coolers in this comparison. Nothing beats the Cooler Master's own V6 GT, but its dual fans cranked up to full speed for this test do extract a significant audio penalty, one that's arguably not worth the mere 1.1 degree advantage it has over its sibling.

For $10, I'd improve the case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010

The 7850 at $255 doesn't give enough bang for the buck.....the non reference 560 Ti's get within 2-3 fps in Guru3D's game test suite and are $35 cheaper.....and they OC like crazy

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121425
http://www.pureoverclock.com/review.php?id=1201&page=17

I'd want a PSU that I wouldn't have to change when you go to CF or SLI

Corsair TX750 - $79 after 10% of Promo and $20 MIR ($10 off w/ promo code EMCNCND25, ends 7/12 )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021&Tpk=TX750

XFX Core Edition 850 - $85 after $25 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207011

I picked the RAM as the best looking CAS 7 option on Newegg

Best Looking, maybe but tall toothy heat sinks gonna hit ya CPU cooler and it's only DDR3-1333, I'd choose CAS9 DDR3-1600 over CAS 7 DDR3-1333

DDR3-1600 CAS 9
$55 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233199

DDR3-1600 CAS 7
$70 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226305

And before we see the myth about 1.65 volt RAM being in excess of Intel spec

1.5 volts is for the JDEC profiles .... most XMP profiles for i5 and i7 RAM is 1.65. In fact, over 2/3 of the RAM on Intel's XMP compatible list are over 1.50 volts.

I have seen many posts saying "Well that's a MoBo manufacturer thing". No....

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/gaming-computers/intel-extreme-memory-profile-xmp.html

Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (Intel® XMP) allows you to overclock compatible DDR3 memory to perform beyond standard specifications. It’s designed to enhance the gaming features built into Intel® technology–based PCs. If you like to overclock and squeeze as much performance from your PC as possible, then memory based on Intel XMP gives you that extra edge you need to dominate—without breaking a sweat.1

Predefined and tested Intel XMP profiles can be loaded via BIOS or a specific tuning application through a computer’s operating system. Often the easiest way to load Intel XMP profiles is using a tuning utility, which may be available depending on the particular board manufacturer. To learn whether a tuning utility is available on your system, you should contact the board manufacturer.

So ya still say Intel says 1.5 ? Again, no.....most listed compatible i5 / i7 RAM is 1.65 .... at least according to Intel's compatibility lists

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/gaming-computers/core-i5-processor-memory-datasheet.html
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/gaming-computers/core-i7-memory-suppliers-datasheet.html

Intel's approved i7 Compatibilty List (April 2012) includes:

34 1.65 volt modules
07 1.60 volt modules
19 1.50 volt modules
01 1.25 volt modules

 

[g-unit1111]

For $10, I'd improve the case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010

On a $1K build you'd really get a Carbide 500R? I'd rather go cheaper and get an Antec 1100, put that money in upgrading the GPU to a GTX 570.

This is a $1K build I just configured:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($256.97 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair 650W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($20.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $977.88
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)

 

[daweinah]

H60 gets toasted by cheaper air coolers.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=797&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=4

Hmm, those are against the previous generation coolers, but point taken. Will have to see if the H60 was tested.

For $10, I'd improve the case

I]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010

I went to Microcenter and checked out this, the 400R, Fractal Design Arc Midi, Antec P280, NZXT H2, and a couple others I can't recall. The Corsair cases felt flimsy and I did not like the look. Good suggestion though, it was definitely high on the list.

The 7850 at $255 doesn't give enough bang for the buck.....the non reference 560 Ti's get within 2-3 fps in Guru3D's game test suite and are $35 cheaper.....and they OC like crazy

Hmm, that's directly at odds with Tom's June GFX Roundup which is what I based my decision on..

I'd want a PSU that I wouldn't have to change when you go to CF or SLI

Thought about that too; couldn't find anything affordable and (semi-)modular.

I picked the RAM as the best looking CAS 7 option on Newegg

Best Looking, maybe but tall toothy heat sinks gonna hit ya CPU cooler and it's only DDR3-1333, I'd choose CAS9 DDR3-1600 over CAS 7 DDR3-1333

DDR3-1600 CAS 9
$55 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233199

DDR3-1600 CAS 7
$70 Should]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226305

Should clarify, I didn't mean the prettiest, but the most solid choice with the specs I was searching. Perhaps I should look into this more, initial research suggested low CAS time was very valuable.

And before we see the myth about 1.65 volt RAM being in excess of Intel spec

Not gonna argue with ya

 

[daweinah]

Made some slight changes to the OP to reflect new build suggestions. Let me know what you think!

 

[azeem40]

G-unit, that is high profile. The low profile Ballistix sport is $46.

 

[g-unit1111]

G-unit, that is high profile. The low profile Ballistix sport is $46.

PC Part Picker - I love that site but it's impossible to pick out the right RAM on it.

I went to Microcenter and checked out this, the 400R, Fractal Design Arc Midi, Antec P280, NZXT H2, and a couple others I can't recall. The Corsair cases felt flimsy and I did not like the look. Good suggestion though, it was definitely high on the list.

I have a Graphite 600T and it's excellent - it's far from flimsy. If you want a good case in that price range I'd recommend the Antec 1100 or the NZXT Phantom 410.

 

[daweinah]

Video card updated to MSI Radeon HD 7850 which is now on sale for $209.99 after MIR @ Newegg.

The Graphite 600T is totally different than the Carbides. It was out of my price range so I didn't spend any time on it. Looks solid though. I don't like the look of the Phantom but I'll look into the 1100.