Please help me finalize my build!

[blaze2020]

hi there im new! i joined because the tom's hardware communnity seems awesome but anyway i would love some input on my build.

Case: cooler master cm storm stryker (i like the color, size, and cable management, and im building an air system)
MoBo: Sabertooth Z77
Processor: i5 3570k 3.4, 3.8 turbo
GPU: EVGA GTX 670 FTW 2G
RAM: 8G G.Skill Ripjaws X (2x4G)
PSU: Corsair 850W Silver 80+
SSD: oCZ 30G (just for windows and maybe one game)
HDD: 1T Seagate 7200 rpm
CPU Cooler: cooler master hyper 212 evo

i also really want to know if i can save money anywhere? i dont want to compomise the case or GPU though... and i really likethe sabertooth too. but ill take ANY AND ALL inputs thank you very much!

 

[g-unit1111]

No way will you be able to store anything on a 30G SSD because formatting takes 10% of the drive's free space and a full Windows install takes 16GB, you'll barely have 6GB free after all is said and done.

Drop the Sabertooth to the Asrock Extreme 4, you'll save $100 and then take that money and use it to upgrade your SSD to a 128GB Samsung 830.

 

[J_E_D_70]

+1 ^

Also, could drop down to a 650W PSU (or so) if you don't plan to SLI, 750W if you do. And going Bronze may save a little.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The Asus model is the better choice compared with the FTW
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_670_Direct_Cu_II/33.html

Your budget doesn't allow both a SSD and decrnt HD...the one ya picked only has 1 year warranty. The solution would be a hybrid SSD / HD

3 year warranty
$150
17 second boot time compared to SSD's 17 secs

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148837

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=806&Itemid=60&limit=1&limitstart=7
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=806&Itemid=60&limit=1&limitstart=9

If moderately overclocking the CPU and twin 670's, a TX750 or XFX Core Edition 750 will do. If looking for every last Mhz of speed, then a HX850 will pay dividends.

If ya have another $20 , upgrade to the Hyper 612 PWM ... comes in handy w/ hot running IB CPUs

 

[blaze2020]

wow thank you everyone so much!! its good to know i can get quality answers here i will look into the alternate mobo and PSU as well as the SSD/HDD issue. much appreciated!!

 

[blaze2020]

i probably never would have found that hybrid drive as well as the Asus card. thank you so much!

 

[blaze2020]

also i would like to know how well this will play BF3 and crysis 3 when it comes out? will i be able to run at ultra around 50-60 fps? (single card)

 

[J_E_D_70]

My 670 hovers around 60 fps in bf3 ultra at 1080.

 

[blaze2020]

My 670 hovers around 60 fps in bf3 ultra at 1080.

omg thank you exactly what i wanted to hear lol. wow i just realized im essentially doing the same exact build as you except i dont know how to OC so not that :/

 

[blaze2020]

No way will you be able to store anything on a 30G SSD because formatting takes 10% of the drive's free space and a full Windows install takes 16GB, you'll barely have 6GB free after all is said and done.

Drop the Sabertooth to the Asrock Extreme 4, you'll save $100 and then take that money and use it to upgrade your SSD to a 128GB Samsung 830.

i checked newegg for the Extreme 4... and it got horrible reviews.. 24% said 1 egg. just a little unsettling is all. i tend to go with things that have a lot of people backing them. but im still open to other alternatives! oh and the extreme 4 is only like $20 cheaper than the sabertooth..

 

[J_E_D_70]

Hm. I just checked and it was 19% - at any rate, it's a great mobo and is $115 cheaper than the Sabertooth (not $20). If you are worried about it, the ASUS P8Z77-V LK should be really nice as well (and is currently a combo deal).

And overclocking the 3570k is silly easy - changing one setting in the bios will get you somewhere around a 4.2-4.4 clock just by changing the multiplier. And with the power saving options left on, it will downclock to 1.6 while you're reading Toms forums... I had to go to 3.9 to get BF3 to not max the cpu.

 

[g-unit1111]

i checked newegg for the Extreme 4... and it got horrible reviews.. 24% said 1 egg. just a little unsettling is all. i tend to go with things that have a lot of people backing them. but im still open to other alternatives! oh and the extreme 4 is only like $20 cheaper than the sabertooth..

Store reviews are completely baseless 99% of the time - it's *NEVER* a good idea to rely on them when choosing components. With store reviews it's either you like this or you don't like it. They don't go into detail like they do on sites like this. The Asrock got an editor's choice in a recent roundup here: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z77-express-ivy-bridge-benchmark,3254.html

wow thank you everyone so much!! its good to know i can get quality answers here i will look into the alternate mobo and PSU as well as the SSD/HDD issue. much appreciated!!

I would not bother with a hybrid drive, honestly - it's meant for laptops where you don't have the option of secondary storage. It's better to get a mechanical drive to start with, then you can add the SSD later on as an upgrade.

 

[azeem40]

It is easier to get an SSD first so the hassle of reinstalling OS is eliminated.

 

[g-unit1111]

It is easier to get an SSD first so the hassle of reinstalling OS is eliminated.

I just upgraded my SSD and had no issues reinstalling Windows - I got a Samsung 830 and it installed Windows in less than 10 minutes.

 

[azeem40]

Then you have to reinstall all the apps you lose, which can take a while.

 

[g-unit1111]

Then you have to reinstall all the apps you lose, which can take a while.

That is true - I've been reinstalling most of the games I play on a regular basis (Skyrim, Arkham City, Portal 2, Civ V, Borderlands...) and it sucks, I will admit that. :lol:

 

[blaze2020]

Hm. I just checked and it was 19% - at any rate, it's a great mobo and is $115 cheaper than the Sabertooth (not $20). If you are worried about it, the ASUS P8Z77-V LK should be really nice as well (and is currently a combo deal).

And overclocking the 3570k is silly easy - changing one setting in the bios will get you somewhere around a 4.2-4.4 clock just by changing the multiplier. And with the power saving options left on, it will downclock to 1.6 while you're reading Toms forums... I had to go to 3.9 to get BF3 to not max the cpu.

interesting maybe i was looking at a different model? a link to the xact board would help but anyway i would LOVE to OC but i literally have never done it and know nothing abou the process. hell i dont even know that much about BIOS navigation lol. but if your willing a brief simplified walk through would rank you among the angels in my book lol especially because im essentially building an identical system to yours! thanks also will i HAVE to OC in order to max out BF3 or will it just give slightly higher fps? it seem weird that i wouldnt be able to run a game on ultra with the 3rd newest card on the market, even if the card is stock

 

[blaze2020]

also j_e_d i did some research on the ASRock boards. they look awsome!!! but i think im gonna go with the extreme6 cuz its still less than $200 and its a regular size ATX where as the extreme4 is an inch shorter. ( i dont like smaller form components.. thats why im getting full tower lol) thanks for showing me ASRock!

 

[J_E_D_70]

press delete during boot, click the OC Tweaker icon, click Auto next to CPU Ratio, change it to 39, click the Exit icon, click Save changes and exit. That's it. Doubt you *need* to OC but you can.