1st Build: 3570K, 2 670s. A few questions
Last response: in Systems
I am building a gaming PC with a GTX 670 (and eventually an 2nd one for SLI) and have a few questions about finishing my build.
- COOLING
Can I hold off on getting a CPU heatsink until I start overclocking, or would I be running hot even without overclocking?
I don't plan on overclocking right away because I don't know anything about doing it, but plan to learn all i need to know in the coming months. I don't want to take any risks with my hardware AT ALL though, and am instead considering just getting the Hyper 212 EVO ($28) http://www.nextwarehouse.com/item/?1153333_g10e.
Will the 212 EVO be good enough for my final build with 2 670s and a serious overclock? or will I want to upgrade later to a heatsink in the $80-100 range and sell the used EVO?
Any other cooling recommendations?
- CASE
I am still choosing the perfect case for my build but could still use a little help. I'm Willing to spend up to 130ish, but would prefer the $80-110 range.
What I want in a case (in order of importance):
1. Big. Lots of room for the 2 670s and everything else. I'm not concerned with how much space it takes up.
2. Coolest. Aside from being able to fit everything comfortably inthe case, temperature is my main concern.
3. No annoying LEDs. If they can't be turned off then they shouldn't be too bright. I'd prefer no lights, but cooling is more important. Aesthetics are not important AT ALL, I just don't want to be distracted by useless glowing LEDs.
4. Quiet. Cooling is much more important to me, but I would consider paying a premium for silence, as long as I'm not sacrificing cooling.
5. Features. Stuff like USB 3.0, HD Audio, and other little extras.
Cases I'm Looking at:
A. COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ($111 - 20MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
This is my favorite so far. Gigantic. Decent stock fans. LED lights can be switched off. %15 more if I don't buy before midnight so I have to decide quickly whether this is the best I can do for the money .
B. Rosewill BLACKHAWK Mid Tower ($90) http://rosewillinc.store.buy.com/p [...] 99771.html
This would be my first choice if not for the damn LEDs that can't be switched off.
C. HAF 922 ($105 - 10MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
D. Corsair Vengeance Series C70 ($124) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007S02GMA/?tag=pcpapi-20
E. Corsair 600T White Graphite ($131) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004O0PAKW/?tag=pcpapi-20
F. Corsair 400R ($100 - 10MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
I'd appreciate some help comparing these cases, or choosing a different one.
Here's my build.
Parts I ordered yesterday:
- PSU: SeaSonic X750 Gold 750W ($110) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
- SSD: Plextor M5S 128GB ($90) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ite...
- DVD Drive: Samsung SH-222BB/BEBE 22X Internal DVDRW Drive ($18) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ite...
Parts I plan on ordering this weekend:
- CPU: i5 3570K ($230) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819116504
- MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD5H ($179) http://www.1stchoicememory.com/catalog/viewitem.asp?ID=...
- Case: COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ($111 - 20MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
- RAM: 2x4GB Corsair Vengence low profile RAM ($40) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 820233186
- GPU: 670 (I plan on holding out until I find a deal for a good card at around $350)
- OS: Windows 7 ($100) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-NA-_-NA
*** Link to my thread from yesterday that got me this far: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/364727-31-build-3770k...
Thanks in advance for your help.
- COOLING
Can I hold off on getting a CPU heatsink until I start overclocking, or would I be running hot even without overclocking?
I don't plan on overclocking right away because I don't know anything about doing it, but plan to learn all i need to know in the coming months. I don't want to take any risks with my hardware AT ALL though, and am instead considering just getting the Hyper 212 EVO ($28) http://www.nextwarehouse.com/item/?1153333_g10e.
Will the 212 EVO be good enough for my final build with 2 670s and a serious overclock? or will I want to upgrade later to a heatsink in the $80-100 range and sell the used EVO?
Any other cooling recommendations?
- CASE
I am still choosing the perfect case for my build but could still use a little help. I'm Willing to spend up to 130ish, but would prefer the $80-110 range.
What I want in a case (in order of importance):
1. Big. Lots of room for the 2 670s and everything else. I'm not concerned with how much space it takes up.
2. Coolest. Aside from being able to fit everything comfortably inthe case, temperature is my main concern.
3. No annoying LEDs. If they can't be turned off then they shouldn't be too bright. I'd prefer no lights, but cooling is more important. Aesthetics are not important AT ALL, I just don't want to be distracted by useless glowing LEDs.
4. Quiet. Cooling is much more important to me, but I would consider paying a premium for silence, as long as I'm not sacrificing cooling.
5. Features. Stuff like USB 3.0, HD Audio, and other little extras.
Cases I'm Looking at:
A. COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ($111 - 20MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
This is my favorite so far. Gigantic. Decent stock fans. LED lights can be switched off. %15 more if I don't buy before midnight so I have to decide quickly whether this is the best I can do for the money .
B. Rosewill BLACKHAWK Mid Tower ($90) http://rosewillinc.store.buy.com/p [...] 99771.html
This would be my first choice if not for the damn LEDs that can't be switched off.
C. HAF 922 ($105 - 10MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
D. Corsair Vengeance Series C70 ($124) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007S02GMA/?tag=pcpapi-20
E. Corsair 600T White Graphite ($131) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004O0PAKW/?tag=pcpapi-20
F. Corsair 400R ($100 - 10MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
I'd appreciate some help comparing these cases, or choosing a different one.
Here's my build.
Parts I ordered yesterday:
- PSU: SeaSonic X750 Gold 750W ($110) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
- SSD: Plextor M5S 128GB ($90) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ite...
- DVD Drive: Samsung SH-222BB/BEBE 22X Internal DVDRW Drive ($18) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ite...
Parts I plan on ordering this weekend:
- CPU: i5 3570K ($230) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819116504
- MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD5H ($179) http://www.1stchoicememory.com/catalog/viewitem.asp?ID=...
- Case: COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ($111 - 20MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
- RAM: 2x4GB Corsair Vengence low profile RAM ($40) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 820233186
- GPU: 670 (I plan on holding out until I find a deal for a good card at around $350)
- OS: Windows 7 ($100) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-NA-_-NA
*** Link to my thread from yesterday that got me this far: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/364727-31-build-3770k...
Thanks in advance for your help.
More about : 1st build 3570k 670s questions
some things to note
-smart move on the SSD and the psu
-no need for 2 670s if you are gaming on a 60hz monitor. they are no use to you
the rest of the parts
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/iUbE
-get a noctua nh-d14. cools very well. have one and its so much quieter than the hyper 212 evo on my friends rig
-id pay 9 bucks more for more software and a wifi card (although not needed, it could be used as a hotspot for a phone)
-the fractal define r4 is a good quiet case. decent cooling
id suggest holding off the noctua nh-d14 cooler for now since it is quite expensive at the moment
you wont see a good 670 at around 350 dollars. and when i mean good 670s, i mean the msi power edition and the gigabyte windforce gtx670. nothing else
-smart move on the SSD and the psu
-no need for 2 670s if you are gaming on a 60hz monitor. they are no use to you
the rest of the parts
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/iUbE
-get a noctua nh-d14. cools very well. have one and its so much quieter than the hyper 212 evo on my friends rig
-id pay 9 bucks more for more software and a wifi card (although not needed, it could be used as a hotspot for a phone)
-the fractal define r4 is a good quiet case. decent cooling
id suggest holding off the noctua nh-d14 cooler for now since it is quite expensive at the moment
you wont see a good 670 at around 350 dollars. and when i mean good 670s, i mean the msi power edition and the gigabyte windforce gtx670. nothing else
when you say hold off, does that mean I'd be alright without a cpu heatsink until I overclock?
As for the motherboard. I really like the UD5H based on everything I've read. I am buying a CPU + Motherboard deal from Microcenter ($40 off mobo after tax and CPU is $30 less) and the V-pro is not available from MC. Nor is the UD5H with WiFi and BT, but I doubt I'd ever really need it (I have a wifi router).
***EDIT: V-Pro IS available from MicroCenter. Price difference is $30. Help me choose, please.***
The fractal seems good but more geared towards noise-reduction than cooling. I think I'd prefer the STORM Sniper.
I think I can wait a bit to see if prices drop a bit on the 670. I doubt I'll last long once the system is setup and waiting for it though. The 2nd 670 is a long way off, and may never happen, but the fact that I can get a 2nd one in the future is worth the extra cost of the mobo and psu
As for the motherboard. I really like the UD5H based on everything I've read. I am buying a CPU + Motherboard deal from Microcenter ($40 off mobo after tax and CPU is $30 less) and the V-pro is not available from MC. Nor is the UD5H with WiFi and BT, but I doubt I'd ever really need it (I have a wifi router).
***EDIT: V-Pro IS available from MicroCenter. Price difference is $30. Help me choose, please.***
The fractal seems good but more geared towards noise-reduction than cooling. I think I'd prefer the STORM Sniper.
I think I can wait a bit to see if prices drop a bit on the 670. I doubt I'll last long once the system is setup and waiting for it though. The 2nd 670 is a long way off, and may never happen, but the fact that I can get a 2nd one in the future is worth the extra cost of the mobo and psu
Related ressources
- My 1st Build : 3770K, 2 670s . Suggestions? - Forum
- PCIe 2 .0/3.0 and dual 670s question - Forum
- New Build (i5 3570k GTX 680) Need Some Advice - Forum
- Building my 1st machine (long post) w/ questions - Forum
- New System for 1st build - Forum
I think I've narrowed it down to 3. I can't decide. I'm leaning towards the Arc Midi because its the cheapest, or the Storm Sniper because of the reviews. The 500r looks great too.
The clock is ticking...
Corsair Carbide Series 500R ($120 - 20MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ($111 - 20MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Arc Midi ($95) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
The clock is ticking...
Corsair Carbide Series 500R ($120 - 20MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper ($111 - 20MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Arc Midi ($95) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Cheepnis said:
pulled the trigger on the sniper! 
That Storm Sniper is a very good case, I got it for my last build. Plenty of air flow and very roomy.
What I would choose for the ram is this Samsung 8 GB kit low profile low voltage:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
That Samsung memory is underated by Samsung. Many people run that memory at 2133 Mhz stable with memtest and super pi at an impressive timing 9-10-10-28 1T at less than 1.5V. You typically can't find this kind of memory at this price anywhere else really. If you don't like overclocking, set it to run at 1866 Mhz at CAS 9-9-9-24 1T at 1.35V like I did.
Not installing ya CPU cooler "from the get go" means taking it apart and re-assembling. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour depending on your case and you skill level.
Overclocking is a "easy as pie / piece of cake" and unless you try real hard, it is very hard to damage your processor. You can "learn all you need to know" in about 10 minutes by reading any of the readily available CPU Overclocking Guides.
The Hyper 212 is an excellent cooler "for the money". I use it in all my builds with < $1,000 budget. You have chosen a IB CPU in which run much hotter than SB and fo thast reason, i try and work in at least a $50 cooler.
The Hyper 612 PWM is teh 212's big brother and will net you an extra 5=7C of cooling over the 212. The Scythe Mugen 3 does just a well If yiu can afford the $80, it's money well spent. The Phanteks, Thermaltake Silver Arrow and the Noctua DH-14 are the big three. The Arrow has the same decibel level as the Phanteks but "sounds quieter" due to sound frequency being at a point less sensitive to my ears at least. The Phanteks wins the thermasl competition by just a 1/4 degree but the 5 year warranty and the aesthetics make it n easy choice in my book over the Noc.
http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/phanteks_ph_tc14pe...
Case - The 500R not bing on ya list is a surprise considering its $90 cost. A huge improvement over the 500R, easy to work in great cooling and features.
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4408/corsair_carbide_s...
9.25 rating here for the 500R
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_conten...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
GFX - Deal for who ? ..... you or the manufacturer ?
The non-refernce cards are always the better buy on a cost per frame basis. I have yet to see any card OC as high as the Asus DCII.
Asus 670 TOP - 10.0 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_670...
Gigabyte Windforce SC 670 - 9.8 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/GeForce_GTX...
MSI Twin Frozr IV 670 - 9.7 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_670_Power_Ed...
Palit Jetsteram 670 - 97 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Palit/GeForce_GTX_67...
Zotac AMP 670 - 9.6 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zotac/GeForce_GTX_67...
Going to recommend the low voltage 1.35v modules from Corsair
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
I'd get the Asus over the Giga ....this MoBo is $40 more but ya get 430 back on the newegg combo .... total price = $418 ..... your total price was $410
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
Overclocking is a "easy as pie / piece of cake" and unless you try real hard, it is very hard to damage your processor. You can "learn all you need to know" in about 10 minutes by reading any of the readily available CPU Overclocking Guides.
The Hyper 212 is an excellent cooler "for the money". I use it in all my builds with < $1,000 budget. You have chosen a IB CPU in which run much hotter than SB and fo thast reason, i try and work in at least a $50 cooler.
The Hyper 612 PWM is teh 212's big brother and will net you an extra 5=7C of cooling over the 212. The Scythe Mugen 3 does just a well If yiu can afford the $80, it's money well spent. The Phanteks, Thermaltake Silver Arrow and the Noctua DH-14 are the big three. The Arrow has the same decibel level as the Phanteks but "sounds quieter" due to sound frequency being at a point less sensitive to my ears at least. The Phanteks wins the thermasl competition by just a 1/4 degree but the 5 year warranty and the aesthetics make it n easy choice in my book over the Noc.
http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/phanteks_ph_tc14pe...
Case - The 500R not bing on ya list is a surprise considering its $90 cost. A huge improvement over the 500R, easy to work in great cooling and features.
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4408/corsair_carbide_s...
Quote:
The 500R is well worth every extra penny over the 400R.9.25 rating here for the 500R
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_conten...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
GFX - Deal for who ? ..... you or the manufacturer ?
The non-refernce cards are always the better buy on a cost per frame basis. I have yet to see any card OC as high as the Asus DCII.
Asus 670 TOP - 10.0 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_670...
Gigabyte Windforce SC 670 - 9.8 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/GeForce_GTX...
MSI Twin Frozr IV 670 - 9.7 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_670_Power_Ed...
Palit Jetsteram 670 - 97 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Palit/GeForce_GTX_67...
Zotac AMP 670 - 9.6 rating
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zotac/GeForce_GTX_67...
Going to recommend the low voltage 1.35v modules from Corsair
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
I'd get the Asus over the Giga ....this MoBo is $40 more but ya get 430 back on the newegg combo .... total price = $418 ..... your total price was $410
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
- GPU
ASUS 670 ($410) http://www.1stchoicememory.com/cart/show.asp
GIGABYTE 670 ($397) http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=GA-670DFAN&c=F...
The ASUS seems like its worth the extra $13, with its better overclock and quieter operation. I'm just wondering if the price will drop at all between now and black friday. Or, is this the best I'm going to do for the price?
- Motherboard
GA-Z77X-UD5H ($180) http://www.microcenter.com/product/386359/GA-Z77X-UD5H_...
vs
ASUS P8Z77- V Pro ($210) http://www.microcenter.com/product/386887/P8Z77-V_PRO_L...
I'm getting a microcenter deal on the CPU + mobo that will save me $70 (before shipping).
The price difference at MC is $30. I would pay for the ASUS, but I feel like I'd be getting more bang for my buck from the Gigabyte since I don't need WiFi.
The UD5H: has better audio (I believe) and a smoother UEFI for noobs like me (from what I've read)
The V-Pro: better name brand, WiFi, better fan control, 16 phase power design (whatever that means)
Anyone care to weigh in on these 2 motherboards?
- RAM
0rdered: SAMSUNG 8GB (2 x 4GB) ($45) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
ASUS 670 ($410) http://www.1stchoicememory.com/cart/show.asp
GIGABYTE 670 ($397) http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=GA-670DFAN&c=F...
The ASUS seems like its worth the extra $13, with its better overclock and quieter operation. I'm just wondering if the price will drop at all between now and black friday. Or, is this the best I'm going to do for the price?
- Motherboard
GA-Z77X-UD5H ($180) http://www.microcenter.com/product/386359/GA-Z77X-UD5H_...
vs
ASUS P8Z77- V Pro ($210) http://www.microcenter.com/product/386887/P8Z77-V_PRO_L...
I'm getting a microcenter deal on the CPU + mobo that will save me $70 (before shipping).
The price difference at MC is $30. I would pay for the ASUS, but I feel like I'd be getting more bang for my buck from the Gigabyte since I don't need WiFi.
The UD5H: has better audio (I believe) and a smoother UEFI for noobs like me (from what I've read)
The V-Pro: better name brand, WiFi, better fan control, 16 phase power design (whatever that means)
Anyone care to weigh in on these 2 motherboards?
- RAM
0rdered: SAMSUNG 8GB (2 x 4GB) ($45) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
the asus is overrated. great cooler but no voltage control
either get a msi power edition or a gigabyte windforce. i dont recommend anything else.
windforce for being a aftermarket solution on the cheap
msi for overvolting and a cooler being just as good if not better than the asus (3 heatpipes on the asus dont beat 4 on the msi)
either get a msi power edition or a gigabyte windforce. i dont recommend anything else.
windforce for being a aftermarket solution on the cheap
msi for overvolting and a cooler being just as good if not better than the asus (3 heatpipes on the asus dont beat 4 on the msi)
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