coffeeAchiever :
I'm looking to build a new system. Price limit about 2-3k. The system will be used for:
1. Gaming (of course)
2. Video editing
3. Crunching numbers with Excel / Monte Carlo / Statistical programs
I'll be using spare parts from my last build. The parts that I'll be buying:
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Motherboard:
ASUS P8Z77-V Deluxe
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CPU:
Core i7-3770K Quad Core
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PSU:
Corsair 1050W Modular HX1050
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RAM: Need recommendation
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CPU Heat Sink: Need recommendation
■
Internal DVD/CD Writer: Need recommendation
The parts that I'll be reusing:
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Video Card:
EVGA GeForce GTX690 4096MB GDDR5
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Case:
Thermaltake Level 10 GT
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SSD Drive:
Crucial 512 GB m4 2.5-Inch 6Gb/s
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SSD Drive:
Crucial 512 GB m4 2.5-Inch 6Gb/s
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SATA Drive: A bunch of 2TB 7200rpm SATA 6Gb/s drives
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Sound Card:
ASUS Xonar D2X 7.1
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Speakers:
Logitech Z906 500W 5.1
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OS: Windows 7 Ultimate
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Monitor:
Dell U3011 30"
A few questions:
1. I'd like to get 32GB of RAM (the max for the board). Any recommendations for the RAM? Buying RAM always confuses me.
2. Any suggestions for a CPU heat sink?
3. Any suggestions for a DVD/CD writer?
4. Any other suggestions that would make this rig more powerful / awesome for video editing and gaming? I assume the CPU and mobo will be sufficient for the number crunching.
With your budget, and what you will be reusing, you will have no problem building a very good system.
To answer your questions:
1) Yes, 32gb of ram is very helpful for editing, assuming your editing app is 64 bit enabled.
You want documented ram compatibility. If you should ever have a problem, you want supported ram.
Otherwise, you risk a finger pointing battle between the ram and motherboard support sites, claiming "not my problem".
One place to check is your motherboards web site.
Look for the ram QVL list. It lists all of the ram kits that have been tested with that particular motherboard.
Sometimes the QVL list is not updated after the motherboard is released.
For more current info, go to a ram vendor's web site and access their ram selection configurator.
Enter your motherboard, and you will get a list of compatible ram kits.
While today's motherboards are more tolerant of different ram, it makes sense to buy ram that is known to work and is supported.
The current Intel cpu's have an excellent integrated ram controller. It is able to keep the cpu fed with data from any speed ram.
The difference in real application performance or FPS between the fastest and slowest ram is on the order of 1-3%.
Synthetic benchmark differences will be impressive, but are largely irrelevant in the real world.
Fancy heat spreaders are mostly marketing too.
In fact tall heat spreaders are a negative because they can impact some cpu coolers.
Only if you are seeking record level overclocks should you consider faster ram or better latencies.
Read this Anandtech article on memory scaling:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4503/sandy-bridge-memory-scaling-choosing-the-best-ddr3/1
---------------bottom line------------
DDR3 1600 is the sweet spot considering the marginal cost delta over 1333.
Now as to a specific recommendation, I might look at the g.skil ares kit, like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231559
I leave it to you to find this, or any other candidate kit on a ram or mobo support list for your motherboard.
2) With a great cooling case, there is no need for liquid cooling. I would look first at the Noctua NH-D14. It is a huge cooler that does a very good job, the equal of the packaged liquid coolers. Plus, the noctua fans are very good and quiet.
There are other good coolers out there, like Phanteks and megahalems if noctua is unavailable to you.
3) If you only need a dvd burner, then a simple Samsung unit will be only $20. Asus is good too, but a bit louder.
4) For gaming. plan on at least a modest overclock to 4.3 or so. More is possible, but I don't think there is much return on your efforts.
For productivity, I suggest adding a second identical 30" 2560 x 1600monitor. Yep, that will spend all of your budget, but a second monitor is one of the most useful additions for productivity.
You can expect to game on the primary unit, and use the secondary for e-mail and stationary stuff. In my experience the second monitor has no impact on gaming. Buy the exact same unit if you can. The color characteristics will remain the same as you drag windows from one to another.
I have no problem with the mobo, cpu and psu parts you picked.
The 3770K is as good as it gets for gaming, and the added hyperthreads may be useful for editing.
The motherboard will do the job. It may be a bit more expensive than you need for a single GTX690, but not significantly so.
A stronger graphics configuration than a GTX690 is unlikely to be warranted unless you get into triple monitor gaming.
By then, look for "son of kepler" which should be even stronger.
The psu is much stronger than you need(650w), and even stronger than you would need for sli GTX690(850w).
But, a stronger psu will use only the wattage that is demanded of it. Overprovisioning will let the psu run quieter since it is not under heavy load.