New Gaming PC Build Questions

What are you trying to do with this PC? It is hugely over-spec for almost any use. If you confirm your intended uses, and your budget, it may be possible to configure something that better matches your actual needs.

It's a gaming PC. I am aware that it's spec is a bit overkill. I can afford it on my budget though.

While you may have deep pockets, a gaming PC can be built for much less than what you will be paying and maintain similar performance as well.

Specifically, the processor/motherboard and power supply (even RAM to be honest) are unnecessary and can be changed out for the following:

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K
Motherboard: ASUS, Gigabyte, or ASRock Z77 boards
RAM: G.Skill or Corsair 1600 8GB Kit
PSU: Corsair, Seasonic, or XFX 750W power supply will be fine.

Although having that graphics card will definitely give you better frame rates, is it worth it? A top single-GPU card can max-out most games anyway. The 690 will simply give you higher frame rates that you won't notice anyway.

If you have a multi-monitor setup, then I can understand.


EDIT:

In reply to your questions, yes, the build is compatible.

However, the case does not come with a fan controller and adding that number of fans will most likely exceed the number of headers on your board. You could go with an adapter that lets you plug in multiple fans (usually two) to one header, or you can go with a fan controller where you'll be able to fit around 5 fans onto that and control them individually. Then, you can fit the rest onto the headers on your motherboard.

In general, you want intake fans to be on the front-bottom, bottom, or side of your case. The exhaust should be out of the top, and the back. If you have a cooling solution with a large radiator, then having 3 fans is understandable. I'd just drop one of the 140mm top and bottom fans - it seems excessive.

I'll have a look at the parts you suggested. What about my other questions though?

Thanks!

Oh yeah, what about the H80 fans attached to the raidiator? Should I use those as an intake or an exhaust? cheers!

Not really sure what you mean by this. I would assume all radiator fans should act as exhaust fans, as otherwise, you'd simply be blowing all the warm air into your system. That can't be very smart now, can it?

EDIT:

Speaking of cooling, why not go for a custom water-cooling kit? As you can afford it, these kits will give you much better performance than any closed-loop water solution. You case is big enough to fit a beefy radiator as well.

I was confused because Corsair seem to recommend you use the H80 fans as an intake. You can find their official installation guide for the H80 and H100 on youtube where he says this. I would go for a water cooling kit but as of right now I am a very inexperienced builder and I'm not confident in my own abilities yet to safely install one  

I also found this picture of my case: http://i759.photobucket.com/albums/xx239/dazzerd76/xigm...

It looks as if it has extra fan headers attached to the case. Although I am not 100% sure if thats what these are? Would this eliminate my need to purchase a fan controller or an adapter to extend the amount of fan headers on my motherboard?

Oh? That's quite odd. I assume it gives slightly better CPU temps at the expense of the temperatures everywhere else in the case. In that case, its up to you, but given that it is a water-cooling solution, it should be robust enough that operating it in exhaust mode would not severely affect temperatures.

From what I understand, those custom water-cooling kits do not need a very high level of experience to install. It's ultimately up to you however. If you are going with a closed-loop solution, specifically the H80, know that there are better air-cooling solutions at a lower price. Even the H100 from Corsair can be matched by a good air-cooler for less money (Noctua NH-D14, Thermalright Silver Arrow, etc.).

I can't really make-out what those pins are for - its possible it's for a fan controller, but I don't see any specs on the case website that list this. Also, there is no fan speed controller on the case either. You may be right though, and if they are fan headers, then you should be okay without purchasing a separate fan controller.

Corsair recommend the radiator be in the air intake, as that gives slightly higher radiator performance (the air across it is cooler). However, that has downsides: the waste heat is dumped INTO the case, and has to be removed AGAIN, and if your fans are set for a slight positive pressure, in case, to keep dust to a minimum, the H80 fans have to work a bit harder and H80 is quite noisy, anyway.
If you reverse flow, and have H80 in the EXHAUST, those problems are reduced, and the slight loss of efficiency, of the H80 rad, is only like 1, or 2 deg C in CPU temp.
Personally, I prefer H100, assuming it can be top mounted, in exhaust. Better performance and, at least, a BIT quieter, for same load.