Which power supply to get? and opinions on new build.

[ankur3000]

Hello,
This is my first post on this forum, so please excuse any mistakes. I had a few questions about the new build that I plan on putting together over the next 2 weeks. It will be my first build. The specs are:

Intel core i5 3570k
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
ASUS P8Z77-V
8 GB DDR3 1600 kingston hyper-x memory
1TB WD Black
Cooler Master 690 II Advanced USB 3.0 Version
Graphics Card is undecided but possibly one between 200$ - 300$ (like a Radeon HD 7870 or a GTX 660)

My budget is around 1,200 US$. The parts are probably a little bit cheaper in the US, but since I live in Thailand, the above config just about fits my budget. I will mainly use this computer for gaming and general work.

I do plan on adding a boot SSD and a second graphics card in SLI/Crossfire next year.

I have the following 3 questions:

1. Which power supply would be ideal for me (as in 550W, 650W, 750W....)?

2. Which graphics card would give me the best performance for 200$ - 300$?

3. Any suggestions for decreasing the cost of the system, as in which parts could I use instead of my current parts?

Thanks in advance and please try to suggest parts that are widely available, since I live in Thailand, and most smaller companies dont sell their parts here.

 

[manofchalk]

1. 550W is fine for a single graphics card system. 650W is enough for dual, but many get 750W for the extra headroom.

2. Will need to be a bit more specific with that price range.
For $200, its between the 7850 and 650. The 7850 is far and away better.
For $250, between a 7870 and 660. Again would go for the Radeon.
For $300, its between the 660Ti and 7950. Much tougher decision this one. Both are roughly the same for performance. The 7950 is better overall, but the 660Ti comes out ahead in some popular games. Will have to research as to which will serve you better.

3. Not sure how useful this info will be considering you live in Thailand.
Change that motherboard, the AsRock Z77 Extreme4 is superior and is a bit cheaper.
Seagate Barracuda drives perform just as well as WD Blacks and are often cheaper.


Change the memory, most Kingston kits run at 1.65v, which is damaging to Intel CPU's. Corsair Vengeance Low Profile or G.Skill Ares is what I recommend.

 

[ankur3000]

1. 550W is fine for a single graphics card system. 650W is enough for dual, but many get 750W for the extra headroom.

2. Will need to be a bit more specific with that price range.
For $200, its between the 7850 and 650. The 7850 is far and away better.
For $250, between a 7870 and 660. Again would go for the Radeon.
For $300, its between the 660Ti and 7950. Much tougher decision this one. Both are roughly the same for performance. The 7950 is better overall, but the 660Ti comes out ahead in some popular games. Will have to research as to which will serve you better.

3. Not sure how useful this info will be considering you live in Thailand.
Change that motherboard, the AsRock Z77 Extreme4 is superior and is a bit cheaper.
Seagate Barracuda drives perform just as well as WD Blacks and are often cheaper.


Change the memory, most Kingston kits run at 1.65v, which is damaging to Intel CPU's. Corsair Vengeance Low Profile or G.Skill Ares is what I recommend.

Thanks a lot for your quick response. I guess I will go for 750W power supply. Does overclocking the CPU drastically affect the power consumption of the system (will I need to get another power supply)? Also, which of the graphics card you mentioned are capable of SLI/Crossfire setups? since I would like to add another card in the future.

I will look into the AsRock motherboard and the Seagate HD you mentioned, AsRock seems to be somewhat popular here. Also, thanks for your warning about the RAM, had never heard of such a problem before.

 

[manofchalk]

Overclocking the CPU does increase power draw, but not by much. Any of those wattage PSU will hold an overclocked rig.

All of them are.
Also when buying the 2nd card, try to get the same brand as the first.

Also make sure to buy a reputable PSU as well. XFX, Corsair, Seasonic, Silverstone Strider (higher than 550W units), PC Power and Cooling are all good brands to get.

 

[ankur3000]

Overclocking the CPU does increase power draw, but not by much. Any of those wattage PSU will hold an overclocked rig.

All of them are.
Also when buying the 2nd card, try to get the same brand as the first.

Also make sure to buy a reputable PSU as well. XFX, Corsair, Seasonic, Silverstone Strider (higher than 550W units), PC Power and Cooling are all good brands to get.

Is the OCZ ZT series 750W considered good?

 

[manofchalk]

Thats a pretty good PSU, wont have any issues with it.
Got a good review on JohnnyGuru, which is one of the better review sites for PSU's.
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=262

 

[ankur3000]

Best answer selected by ankur3000.