http://pcpartpicker.com/p/d2qB
CPU: - $230 - Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: - 0$ (I have) - corsair hydro
Motherboard: - $115 - ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard
Memory: - $56 - G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Hard Drive: - $105 - Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (RAID 1)
Hard Drive: - $105 - Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (RAID 1)
Hard Drive: - $125 - Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (OS + games)
Video Card: - $400 - GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB (revised from EVGA 02G-P4-2670-KR GeForce GTX 670 2GB)
Case: - $45 - Antec Eleven Hundred ATX Full Tower Case
Power Supply: - $90 - PC Power & Cooling 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply
Optical Drive: - $19 - Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer
Monitor - 0$ (I have) - HP 2159m 1920x1080p
OS - $100 - Windows 64 bit
Total: ~$1350
Total sans SSD + 1 HDD: ~$1120 (http://pcpartpicker.com/p/d2rX)
-totals calculated w/ partspicker, above prices are estimates
EDIT last question; Cut the SDD and 1 HDD? 2HDDs, keep SSD?
In the interests of cutting costs I am considering killing some combo of HDDs/SSDs while I wait for prices to recover/drop due to the tsunami incident, the effects of which still seem to have inflated HDD prices. Further, waiting a year or two to add a same model HDD to my RAID 1 setup will improve reliability. What do you guys think? Will HDD/SSD prices go down? Go up? Is it worth it? If we predict no more than ~30$ savings or something similar, it doesn't seem necessary to me, because I'm going to eventually purchase the 2HDD 1SSD combo.
..
The above are what I believe to be quality products that I have invested a great deal of time researching; thus, I am confident they will serve my purposes for present and future exactly. However, I have run into a few simple hitches that betray my inexperience.
HDD-MOBO SATA port problem Answer; You can plug a SATA3 drive into a SATA2 port.
The extreme4 does not support SATA3 (6Gb/s) RAID without forcing the OS onto the RAID drives, but I want the SSD to be SATA3 and the OS. Are SATA3 HDDs backwards compatible with SATA2 (3Gb/s) ports? If so, should I use a SATA2 or SATA3 cable? If not, I'll have to unhappily purchase a shiftier SATA2 version of the caviar black HDD.
MOBO Cables? Answer; going with 2 HDDs and 1 SSD I need 2 more SATA cables, without 1 HDD/SSD I need no extra.
An article here indicates that the extreme4 will probably come with an SLI bridge and 2 sata cables, leaving me out 1 sata cable - which I can find - but what the heck connects the optical drive? Is the optical drive even connected?
Memory Answer; looks good
I know nothing about memory companies/qualities/timings. I picked this memory because it was praised on some article here. I do not know if it will suit gaming, OC and engineering based applications. Thumbs up or thumbs down on the G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory?
Reducing Electricity Use/Heat Output/Extending Hardware Life; Undervolting and Underclocking Answer so far; undervolting; good underclocking; neutral
I expect I'll use this machine for less intense applications than the high wattage/performance CPU/GPU/PSU would imply. I have considered underclocking/undervolting the CPU/GPU/RAM (seeing as they're hot stuff right now) even when gaming to cut electrical costs/extend hardware lifetime, do you fellows find this advisable?
Downgrade the PSU? Answer; 750w for future overclocking and duo SLI.
600W is enough for this system at present based on an estimated Newegg PSU recommendation. I intend to use two GTX 670 cards in SLI in the far future - 2, 3, or even 4 years from now, depending on its performance and future demands. 750W will be required when I upgrade. Do you guys think it would be noticeably more cost-effective to go with a 600W PSU for now, and then later upgrade to 750W when I go for the SLI upgrade?
CPU: - $230 - Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: - 0$ (I have) - corsair hydro
Motherboard: - $115 - ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard
Memory: - $56 - G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Hard Drive: - $105 - Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (RAID 1)
Hard Drive: - $105 - Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (RAID 1)
Hard Drive: - $125 - Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (OS + games)
Video Card: - $400 - GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB (revised from EVGA 02G-P4-2670-KR GeForce GTX 670 2GB)
Case: - $45 - Antec Eleven Hundred ATX Full Tower Case
Power Supply: - $90 - PC Power & Cooling 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply
Optical Drive: - $19 - Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer
Monitor - 0$ (I have) - HP 2159m 1920x1080p
OS - $100 - Windows 64 bit
Total: ~$1350
Total sans SSD + 1 HDD: ~$1120 (http://pcpartpicker.com/p/d2rX)
-totals calculated w/ partspicker, above prices are estimates
EDIT last question; Cut the SDD and 1 HDD? 2HDDs, keep SSD?
In the interests of cutting costs I am considering killing some combo of HDDs/SSDs while I wait for prices to recover/drop due to the tsunami incident, the effects of which still seem to have inflated HDD prices. Further, waiting a year or two to add a same model HDD to my RAID 1 setup will improve reliability. What do you guys think? Will HDD/SSD prices go down? Go up? Is it worth it? If we predict no more than ~30$ savings or something similar, it doesn't seem necessary to me, because I'm going to eventually purchase the 2HDD 1SSD combo.
..
The above are what I believe to be quality products that I have invested a great deal of time researching; thus, I am confident they will serve my purposes for present and future exactly. However, I have run into a few simple hitches that betray my inexperience.
HDD-MOBO SATA port problem Answer; You can plug a SATA3 drive into a SATA2 port.
The extreme4 does not support SATA3 (6Gb/s) RAID without forcing the OS onto the RAID drives, but I want the SSD to be SATA3 and the OS. Are SATA3 HDDs backwards compatible with SATA2 (3Gb/s) ports? If so, should I use a SATA2 or SATA3 cable? If not, I'll have to unhappily purchase a shiftier SATA2 version of the caviar black HDD.
MOBO Cables? Answer; going with 2 HDDs and 1 SSD I need 2 more SATA cables, without 1 HDD/SSD I need no extra.
An article here indicates that the extreme4 will probably come with an SLI bridge and 2 sata cables, leaving me out 1 sata cable - which I can find - but what the heck connects the optical drive? Is the optical drive even connected?
Memory Answer; looks good
I know nothing about memory companies/qualities/timings. I picked this memory because it was praised on some article here. I do not know if it will suit gaming, OC and engineering based applications. Thumbs up or thumbs down on the G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory?
Reducing Electricity Use/Heat Output/Extending Hardware Life; Undervolting and Underclocking Answer so far; undervolting; good underclocking; neutral
I expect I'll use this machine for less intense applications than the high wattage/performance CPU/GPU/PSU would imply. I have considered underclocking/undervolting the CPU/GPU/RAM (seeing as they're hot stuff right now) even when gaming to cut electrical costs/extend hardware lifetime, do you fellows find this advisable?
Downgrade the PSU? Answer; 750w for future overclocking and duo SLI.
600W is enough for this system at present based on an estimated Newegg PSU recommendation. I intend to use two GTX 670 cards in SLI in the far future - 2, 3, or even 4 years from now, depending on its performance and future demands. 750W will be required when I upgrade. Do you guys think it would be noticeably more cost-effective to go with a 600W PSU for now, and then later upgrade to 750W when I go for the SLI upgrade?