Advice on non-gamer high performance new build ($2500)

[mosca_jacob]

Approximate Purchase Date: within a month

Budget Range: $2500 (or say $2000-$3000)

System Usage: research in computational science (i.e. software development in c++ and running simulations), no gaming

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Parts to Upgrade: everything but mouse & keyboard

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: no preference

Location: San Francisco, CA, US

Parts Preferences: none, or actually I like my current keyboard, a very slim Logitech illuminated keyboard so I might get one like that, but that's a minor thing

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200 or 1920x1080

Additional Comments: Motherboard capable of handling 64 GB ram and possibly raid 0

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I currently have a two year old 980x system with 24 GB of ram and it happens that I run out of ram. I have access to computers with more ram but they are generally slower and I have to share the resources with other people. I also got some research funding (private money, so don't worry folks ) that I could use to buy a computer so I was thinking of a new desktop and perhaps a small server (like a HP N40L) for backup. I'll ask about the server another time though . But the main reason for upgrading is that I got the money and I'd like a system with more ram.

I've been lurking this forum for quite some time and I've been thinking about this:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/dsFv

CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 CPU Cooler

Motherboard: ASRock X79 Extreme6/GB ATX LGA2011

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Z Series 64GB (8 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory

Storage: Samsung 830 Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (will maybe run two of these in raid 0)

Video Card Asus GeForce GT 520 1GB Video Card (don't laugh! I don't need a heavy gpu and I just picked a fanless one)

Case Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case

Power Supply Corsair 750W ATX12V / EPS12V

Optical Drive Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer

Monitor Dell U2412M 60Hz 24.0" Monitor


What do you experts think? Will the cooler fit the motherboard with all the ram slots taken?

 

[l0v3rboi]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($549.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 CPU Cooler ($82.48 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock X79 Extreme6/GB ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($269.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Z Series 64GB (8 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($359.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Plextor M3 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($269.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 1GB Video Card ($68.50 @ Amazon)
Case: Antec Nine Hundred Two V3 ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 660W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($169.74 @ Mwave)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS90 DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell U2412M 60Hz 24.0" Monitor ($289.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2457.63
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-08-22 14:34 EDT-0400)

The Noctua cooler should fit fine since you are using the Ripjaws RAM. It if it were the Corsair Vengeance with the tall heat spreaders, then I would begin to worry.

I don't think you need 750W of power since this setup is relatively low-consumption. The only big ticket item really is the CPU with 130W. The reason I chose that PSU is because it is reliable (made by Seasonic), is modular, and is rated as gold so it is very efficient.

I chose the Radeon 6670 because it is a better card for roughly the same price.

The case choice is mainly taste. I leave that to you if you want to change it. It should fit the 300R quite nicely.

 

[mosca_jacob]

Thanks for your reply, parrticularly the comment about the PSU.

 

[mosca_jacob]

I see the case I chose doesn't have any usb 3.0 ports in the front. That could actually be useful. Now I need to find a clean looking case.

I'm guessing that pretty much any case of that size will fit the cpu cooler, right?

 

[willyroc]

Your build is good, except that I would want at least a GTX 550 Ti for the CUDA cores, which may come in handy if you want to do some video rendering or transcoding. But since you are getting a 3930K, I guess that won't be necessary.

 

[l0v3rboi]

I see the case I chose doesn't have any usb 3.0 ports in the front. That could actually be useful. Now I need to find a clean looking case.

I'm guessing that pretty much any case of that size will fit the cpu cooler, right?

The 300R does have usb 3.0 in the front. There are two of them.

 

[mosca_jacob]

Your build is good, except that I would want at least a GTX 550 Ti for the CUDA cores, which may come in handy if you want to do some video rendering or transcoding. But since you are getting a 3930K, I guess that won't be necessary.

Yes, the CUDAs are definitely attractive, but a bit difficult to work with for my problems. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[mosca_jacob]

The 300R does have usb 3.0 in the front. There are two of them.

Duh, thanks for the info. I was fooling around with an alternative build ( http://pcpartpicker.com/p/flHB ) and I thought I picked the same case.