Need Opinion and suggestions. 1500-2000$ Budget

rct123

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Oct 19, 2012
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I'm trying to get a Gaming Rig going, and I would like to have your opinions on what parts I am currently going for. If its possible to add some suggestions to the build etc... will be Greatly appreciated.


Current Budget; 1500$ - 2000$

Usage for; Gaming and light video editing.

Website for getting parts; Newegg and Amazon.

Hardware;

Motherboard; Gigabyte- GA-Z77X-UD3H

Processor; Core i5-2500k (OC @ 4.5 and or 4.8)

System RAM; G.Skill RipJaws X Series 16GB( 2x 8GB) DDR3 SDRAM 1600 ( I picked 16GB for using Virtual Machines.)

Video Card; EVGA Geforce GTX 680 FTW 4GB(Skyrim modded - heavily)

SSD; Corsair Neutron Series GTX 240GB

Power Supply; Corsair HX Series 750W 80 plus Gold Certified Modular

CPU Cooling; Corsair H100 Liquid Cooling

Case; COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942 Black Steel(Only one I looked at that seems to fit the H100 nicely, and seems like good air flow.)

Monitor; Asus VH242H Black 23.6"

Optical Drive; Please suggest a good one, that can read/write play DVD's and CD's

OS; Have my own copy.

Accessories;

USB 2.0; 4 Port USB A Female Slot Plate Adapter


If there is any type of Hardware listed that I'd be over paying, I would like for people to suggest if there's a piece of hardware that's cheaper, and or if there's been better results with and etc... Example; If the GPU I listed isn't all that great and the Galaxy one is, I'd like that type of information.

Quality parts I don't mind paying a bit for; PSU, Monitor, SSD, Motherboard and Video card. If there's a good quality type that's cheaper, I'd gladly accept. I Just want this build to go smooth.


If I left anything out please tell me, I'm not great at remembering everything, Sorry.

Thanks too everyone for taking their time reading and helping me in this build.
 
Solution
You're underpaying for the CPU. SB is getting obsolete, and with your budget, an IB CPU would be most logical to get.
The i5-3570K is currently the best gaming CPU for the money.
Also, do you need to OC that high? :p

2 things about your chosen GPU
- You don't need 4gb of VRAM on a single monitor
- The 670 performs very close to the 680. You are paying ~$100 for a 5% increase in performance. That said, the 7970/GHz outperforms the 680 at a cheaper price.

Motherboard is good, only alternative I'll suggest is the ASRock z77 Extreme4. There's currently a promo for it on Newegg, you can get 8gb of RAM for free. I believe 8gb should suffice even with virtual machines.

You can do better on the SSD - Vertex 4 or Samsung 830, they're the best...

excella1221

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You're underpaying for the CPU. SB is getting obsolete, and with your budget, an IB CPU would be most logical to get.
The i5-3570K is currently the best gaming CPU for the money.
Also, do you need to OC that high? :p

2 things about your chosen GPU
- You don't need 4gb of VRAM on a single monitor
- The 670 performs very close to the 680. You are paying ~$100 for a 5% increase in performance. That said, the 7970/GHz outperforms the 680 at a cheaper price.

Motherboard is good, only alternative I'll suggest is the ASRock z77 Extreme4. There's currently a promo for it on Newegg, you can get 8gb of RAM for free. I believe 8gb should suffice even with virtual machines.

You can do better on the SSD - Vertex 4 or Samsung 830, they're the best SSDs in the market.

Drop the H100, it's not worth the money. Performance can be equaled by high-end aircoolers such as the NH-D14, Silver Arrow, and Phanteks.
If you really want water cooling though, I suggest you get the custom loop kits.

Great casing.

750w is overkill for a single GPU. If you're gonna add a 2nd GPU in the future though, keep it.

Just grab the cheapest optical drive you can see, they don't really differ from each other. :lol:
 
Solution

ckholt83

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Jun 27, 2012
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Overall it's not a bad list. Here are my suggestions:

The 2500k is an older generation i5, no reason not to pick up a newer 3570k for about the same price. I've heard some mixed reviews about the H100, some folks say you're better off going with a quality air cooler like the noctua NH-D14.

The 680 is a waste of money for the relatively tiny performance gain over the 670. This is a good place to save some money.

Don't need a 750W PSU unless you are planning to add in a second GPU later for SLI.

I've had to replace 3 fans now in my HAF X, but I seem to be in the minority there. I know there are definitely other good options for cases though.

If you give me a bit, I'll put together a list for ya.
 

rct123

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Oct 19, 2012
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OK so not the 680, but 670 4GB Direct CU II? I've heard a lot go over the 2GB Vram limit while heavily modding Skyrim.

If I do SLI, but not right now and I don't know if I will... What PSU would you suggest for one card? I need a quality one.

To be honest I never trust the real good Liquid cooling kits. I just don't wanna have that faith in it(water leak wise). Also Sorry for not saying firsthand I just forgot, but my room temp is usually around 26-32C if that helps... Reason why I tried going H100...

Which SSD would you suggest the most in quality; Vertex 4 or Samsung 830. Want it to last awhile.

Other then that it all seems good.
 

zared619

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To be honest, mostly all of your components need to be switched. Check this build out. I included the 670 because it is more cost efficient than the 680, 16Gb of RAM, the new 3570k. One main difference between the two builds is the cooling. I put in the D14 over the H100 becuase the H100 is louder and not as good at cooling. Also, I included a 120Hz monitor.

If you have any questions, please just ask.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kPbu
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kPbu/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kPbu/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($83.74 @ Mwave)

Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Amazon)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($67.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: OCZ Vertex 4 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($194.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX US)

Case: Cooler Master HAF 932 Blue ATX Full Tower Case ($164.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($91.77 @ Amazon)

Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Monitor: Acer GD235HZbid 120Hz 23.6" Monitor ($199.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1546.42

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
 

ckholt83

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Okay, here's what I would probably go with:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($83.74 @ Mwave)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Gamer 2 Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Green 1TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive ($73.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($379.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Silverstone FT02B ATX Mid Tower Case ($229.00 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VH242H 23.6" Monitor ($164.00 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1590.64
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)


I stuck with a 750W PSU so you have the option to SLI later. I also added a secondary storage HDD even though you didn't list one, I assume you do want one though?

I included a second set of RAM of the same type that comes free with the motherboard for a total of 16GB, which you probably won't even come close to filling up any time soon. :)
 

excella1221

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Hmmm, after a few research, it appears Skyrim really does use up a lot of VRAM(around 2.5gb) under a lot of mods + MSAA amounts.
So.. yeah, if you really want nVidia then the 4gb 670 should do the trick.

I don't understand the second question, but I'm assuming you're asking for a PSU suggestion for only one GPU.
You'll only need 550w for one card.

That's not so bad, the high-end air coolers should still work just the same. Though if you'll feel more comfortable with the H100, I won't stop you.

Both are great, just grab the one you find the cheapest at their current pricing when you buy it.
 

rct123

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Seems I could make use of a HDD considering if I record with Fraps and usually 1min is 2GB.

I'd probably go with the Lite-On Optical Drive.

I might just get the HAF X, but would like a suggestion of Fan's with Red LED to it.

PSU OK, I see Rosewill Hive 750W and the XFX ProSeries one... but I'd like to ask... would the Corsair one I listed be a good one? I see newegg feedback and it seems everyone is getting that one, and a lot of good reviews.

Probably will go for the Monitor to, seems its great for gaming.

Seems everyone will suggest a Asrock Z77 Extreme4 Might go with that one instead.

Ram... I'd probably get either G.Skill or Vengeance, I'd like to have a stylish Rig going as well.
 

rct123

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Sorry for not properly stating the question, but you got it right. :sol:

It seems everyone is suggesting the NH-D14 so I might go with that instead. Just wanted to see if my room temp would be a drastic problem or not.
 

rct123

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To be honest, money isn't an issue for a PSU. I want quality so I know it wont fry everything in my Rig. :p
 

rct123

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Motherboard; Gigabyte- GA-Z77X-UD3H or AsRock Z77 Extreme4... Seems both are good, just having a hard time on deciding. Which would be more user friendly in the BIOS? OC mostly and no problems being caused while trying to update bios via site.

Processor; Core i5-3570k (OC @ 4.5) (Final Decision)

System RAM; G.Skill RipJaws X Series 8GB( 2x 4GB) DDR3 SDRAM 1600 ( 8GB for Virtual Machines as well. Changed from 16GB) (Final Decision)

Video Card; EVGA Geforce GTX 670 FTW 4GB or Asus DirectCUII GTX 670 4GB(Skyrim modded - heavily) Still on a standstill with this. Would the Asus DC2 GTX 670 4GB Cooling make much of a difference?

Storage: Seagate Barracuda Green 1TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive (Somewhat not sure, if anyone has other suggestions that would help.)

SSD; Samsung 830 240GB (Final Decision)

Power Supply; XFX ProSeries 750W 80 Plus Silver Certified(Final Decision)

CPU Cooling; Noctua NH-D14(Final Decision)

Case; COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942 Black Steel(Final Decision)

Monitor; Asus VH242H Black 23.6"(Final Decision)

Optical Drive; Lite-On Optical Drive as suggested. (Final Decision)


Still not entirely sure on the HDD, Video Card and Motherboard.
 

excella1221

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Just a small correction: The SSD is 256gb. :p

The ASRock is known to have a simple and newb-friendly BIOS.

I know RAM is final decision, but let me still stop you there for 2 reasons.
- Ripjaws X have tall heat spreaders, you'll have a hard time installing the CPU cooler.
- The ASRock z77 Extreme4 @ Newegg currently has a promo that gives you a FREE 8gb RAM. That saves you ~$40. Money may not be an issue, but that's still $40. :lol:

I would pick the ASUS over EVGA any day. The latter only uses reference cooling. If you want more things to think about - The 7970 GHz has 3gb of VRAM, outperforms the 670 in terms of performance and costs ~$450 too.

I suggest getting a 2tb 5400RPM Caviar Green instead as an HDD since you have a big SSD for games/programs already.
 

ckholt83

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I would definitely go with the ASUS (or Gigabyte) 670 4GB, they both have much better cooling setups than the reference EVGA model.

Remember that if you go with the Asrock Extreme4 from newegg, you get 8GB of RAM for free. Either no need to buy a second kit, or if you do then you'll probably want to at least match them up.
 

rct123

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Oct 19, 2012
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Motherboard; AsRock Z77 Extreme4(Final Decision)

Processor; Core i5-3570k (OC @ 4.5) (Final Decision)

System RAM; Free RAM coming with AsRock Z77 Extreme4

Video Card; Asus DirectCUII GTX 670 4GB vs 7970 Ghz Edition(Deciding)(Skyrim modded - heavily)

Storage: WD 2tb 5400RPM Caviar Green(Final Decision)

SSD; Samsung 830 256GB (Final Decision)

Power Supply; XFX ProSeries 750W 80 Plus Silver Certified(Final Decision)

CPU Cooling; Noctua NH-D14(Final Decision)

Case; COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942 Black Steel(Final Decision)

Monitor; Asus VH242H Black 23.6"(Final Decision)

Optical Drive; Lite-On Optical Drive as suggested. (Final Decision)


Hmmm, now you just opened up a whole new decision for me excella. lol Would you say the 7970 GHz Edition outperforms the GTX 670 on Skyrim, BF3, Crysis 1 and 2?
 

excella1221

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battlefield%201920.png

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Note: BF3 and Crysis architectures are optimized for Nvidia, so expect more FPS on games with no bias.
 

rct123

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Seems I'm getting the 7970 GHz Edition. :) Thank you all for suggesting the Hardware, and has given me help overall, I appreciate it a lot. I do have to say that the best Answer Choice goes to Excella for replying to each Problem/Question/Thoughts overall...

Final Build;


Motherboard; AsRock Z77 Extreme4(Final Decision)

Processor; Core i5-3570k (OC @ 4.5) (Final Decision)

System RAM; Free RAM coming with AsRock Z77 Extreme4

Video Card; 7970 3GB Ghz Edition(Final Decision)

Storage: WD 2tb 5400RPM Caviar Green(Final Decision)

SSD; Samsung 830 256GB (Final Decision)

Power Supply; XFX ProSeries 750W 80 Plus Silver Certified(Final Decision)

CPU Cooling; Noctua NH-D14(Final Decision)

Case; COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942 Black Steel(Final Decision)

Monitor; Asus VH242H Black 23.6"(Final Decision)

Optical Drive; Lite-On Optical Drive as suggested. (Final Decision)