Recommendations to finalise this build

[rendermesilly]

Approximate Purchase Date: as soon as possible - urgent

Budget Range: $1500 AU (not including monitor)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: CAD BIM, Rendering, Modelling and complex 2D (if there is such a thing).

Are you buying a monitor: Soon

Parts to Upgrade: (e.g.: CPU, mobo, RAM) **Include Power Supply Make & Model If Re-using**

Do you need to buy OS: Yes > 64-bit Windows 7

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: MSY

Location: Sydney, AUS

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: Yes but not an immediate requirement

Your Monitor Resolution: n/a

Parts Preferences: (from the link above)

i7 - 3770
Asus P8Z77 V LE Plus
Asus 2GB GTX 660 DC2 or Gigabyte 2GB GTX 660 N660OC
Kingston 16G (2 x 8G)

Looking to build a complete new system to support Revit Architecture 2013 and some other Autodesk products such as Autocad 2012+, Solidwords and Inventor. I don't work on any large files so to some, the parts I have chosen might look like overkill however, I have a generous budget right now and I do not want to upgrade the CPU or MB for another 4 years.

That said, my concerns are:
- is the list of parts compatible or is there a cheaper combination that will perform better?
- do I need cooling, what sort?
- how do I find the model or form factor to suit my current Coolermaster Centurion? Pretty sure it's a full tower..about 6-7 years old.
- is there a lower end video card that would suit my current needs with a view of upgrading say .. end of next year?
- what specific RAM do I need to ask for? ie speed...as you can see the URL doesn't show model numbers for RAM

Obviously my 16" widescreen (I think it's 16") will need to be upgraded. I'm currently shopping around for a 27" WQHD but it appears it may be wiser to go with two 1920 x 1080 and then get a third 27" when they are more affordable. Will running 3 monitors on the above setup be possible?

My only other wish is to have a very quiet machine. What can I do to achieve this?

I'm open to ideas, and not so much restricted by the $1500 budget I mentioned above.


And Most Importantly, Why Am I Upgrading: current PC is so old it can barely run 2D CAD let alone any basic rendering. :|

Thanks in advance.

 

[cdiscoll2012]

okay i like the cpu and motherboard choice but i would recommend adding in a quaddro(nvidia) or AMD's version of the same card these types of cards are designed for exactely your needs and are inexpensive

 

[squirrelonfire]

It's impossible to do 3 monitors with your budget.
No point in getting an i7-3770k, the i5-3570k will just do.

For computer parts, remember only a few names such as Corsair and Asus. You can't go wrong with them.

You can use the rebates/discounts to buy mouse and keyboard. The HD 7870 is both great for your CAD/drawing need, and also great for gaming. And it's super affordable.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/l4gS
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/l4gS/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/l4gS/benchmarks/

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/l4hX
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/l4hX/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/l4hX/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LK ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($78.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Green 1.5TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive ($87.27 @ Newegg)
Storage: Corsair Force Series GT 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($247.86 @ Newegg)
Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio 24-bit 96 KHz Sound Card ($47.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Antec Three Hundred Two ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDR-206DBKS Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer
Monitor: Asus VG23AH 23.0" Monitor ($228.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Full (32/64-bit)
Other: Nvidia 3D Vision Kit ($127.00)
Total: $1453.02
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

 

[malbluff]

All sounds very reasonable.
One of the ways to potentially reduce noise, is to fit an aftermarket cooler, for CPU, which tend to be quieter, than the stock cooler, supplied with CPU. A CoolerMaster Hyper 212Evo is a good, low cost choice, if available.
If you are doing that, it may make sense to get the i7-3770K processor. Your motherboard has the facility to overclock its processor, so, with a decent cooler, there's no reason not to have an unlocked processor. Even if you have no intention to overclock, at the moment, it's a handy option to have, in reserve.
There, honestly, is no point in fitting a "lesser" graphics card, now, and then upgrading. Just doesn't make financial sense, unless really struggling with budget, now. The GTX660 is a decent, mid-range choice. However, if you are not looking for ANY gaming capability, a modest Quadro, or FirePro, may be a better choice. Your "best" option is so dependant on the way your software uses a GPU, that you may be best seeking specialist advice, on that point, perhaps from a users forum, for your software, if there is one.
If you are re-using your existing case, there's no point in recommending a "quiet" one. If noise is a problem with your case, there are plenty of suitable, aftermarket fans, suitable for it, that would be quieter than the stock ones, it presumably came with. If you think your case is a full tower, it won't be a micro tower, so your equipment will fit.

 

[squirrelonfire]

I forgot to mention that put all the applications and files that you have to have mass read/write and performance on the SSD> The rest just put on the other drive.

 

[squirrelonfire]

All sounds very reasonable.
One of the ways to potentially reduce noise, is to fit an aftermarket cooler, for CPU, which tend to be quieter, than the stock cooler, supplied with CPU. A CoolerMaster Hyper 212Evo is a good, low cost choice, if available.
If you are doing that, it may make sense to get the i7-3770K processor. Your motherboard has the facility to overclock its processor, so, with a decent cooler, there's no reason not to have an unlocked processor. Even if you have no intention to overclock, at the moment, it's a handy option to have, in reserve.
There, honestly, is no point in fitting a "lesser" graphics card, now, and then upgrading. Just doesn't make financial sense, unless really struggling with budget, now. The GTX660 is a decent, mid-range choice. However, if you are not looking for ANY gaming capability, a modest Quadro, or FirePro, may be a better choice. Your "best" option is so dependant on the way your software uses a GPU, that you may be best seeking specialist advice, on that point, perhaps from a users forum, for your software, if there is one.
If you are re-using your existing case, there's no point in recommending a "quiet" one. If noise is a problem with your case, there are plenty of suitable, aftermarket fans, suitable for it, that would be quieter than the stock ones, it presumably came with. If you think your case is a full tower, it won't be a micro tower, so your equipment will fit.

The GTX 660 is slower than the hd 7870 but costs $100 more. And the HD 7870 OC is faster than the GTX 660 TI. And so the only better choice is GTX 670 or GTX 680, which is way more expensive. However, if you do not do hardcore gaming, you won't notice the difference.

OC is so easy these days. If you get an Asus board and video card, the OC software is on the BIOS. All you have to do is click an arrow button to OC. Safe oc number for this processor is 4200 Mhz, and 1300 Mhz for the video card.

Noise is no longer a problem for PC enthusiast, considering how cheap the noise dampening matt is. Take a look at this, http://www.amazon.com/AcoustiPack-APU-ULTIMATE-Soundproofing-Kit/dp/B003VRCNJK or this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999222&name=Case-Accessories

 

[malbluff]

Just to avoid confusion, I was posting my above comments, whilst the "gaming" build was being posted.
With respect, OP hasn't mentioned gaming, which is why I suggested the possibilty of workstation graphics.
Agreed, if OP wants PC primarily for gaming, there is little point to i7. For a "workstation", however, even though the benefits of i7 may still be "marginal", I wouldn't argue with that choice, for business use. Heck, there could even be an argument for hex-core.
Radeon graphics do work well with most design software, but some software does utilise CUDA, so favours nVidia based graphics. I do not know the full requirements of all OP's software, which is why I suggest seeking specialist advice.
One point I did miss. For RAM, OP wants low profile 1600MHz C9 (or better) DDR3, 1.5v or lower. GSKill Ares, Crucial Ballistix Sport, or Corsair CML are all good. Some Kingstons are OK, some not, as they tend to be higher voltage, so generally best avoided, unless sure good.

 

[rendermesilly]

Greatly appreciate the comments. There is one point however which I failed to mentioned.

Revit primarily uses the CPU and available system RAM for rendering. My choice in Nvidia was initially for the parallel processing that CUDA offers however I think that point is now moot. Also it's been mentioned that more than 1GB video memory will not offer a significant increase in performance for my needs.

So back to the GPU drawing board. Which would be a good performing 1GB video card, ATI or Nvidia - preferrably Asus or Gigabyte. I'll be sticking with something that can offer dual DVI, but I won't bother with SLI. The Asus GTX 650 DC is going for $145 here in Aus. Appreciate the comments re the 7870 but is there a lower end ATI that can give me dual DVI and outperform the GTX 650?

If you are doing that, it may make sense to get the i7-3770K processor. Your motherboard has the facility to overclock its processor, so, with a decent cooler, there's no reason not to have an unlocked processor. Even if you have no intention to overclock, at the moment, it's a handy option to have, in reserve.

Based on my first point above I am more than happy to spend the extra $40 for the 3770K. I have no intention of overclocking for now but the thought had crossed my mind and does seem interesting to play with not to mention extend the life of my CPU.

I forgot to mention that put all the applications and files that you have to have mass read/write and performance on the SSD> The rest just put on the other drive.

Thank you, hadn't got round to comparing SSD's but yes I have decided on SSD for system and my most used files Revit files. The rest will go to external backup.

Just to avoid confusion, I was posting my above comments, whilst the "gaming" build was being posted.
With respect, OP hasn't mentioned gaming, which is why I suggested the possibilty of workstation graphics.
Agreed, if OP wants PC primarily for gaming, there is little point to i7. For a "workstation", however, even though the benefits of i7 may still be "marginal", I wouldn't argue with that choice, for business use. Heck, there could even be an argument for hex-core.
Radeon graphics do work well with most design software, but some software does utilise CUDA, so favours nVidia based graphics. I do not know the full requirements of all OP's software, which is why I suggest seeking specialist advice.
One point I did miss. For RAM, OP wants low profile 1600MHz C9 (or better) DDR3, 1.5v or lower. GSKill Ares, Crucial Ballistix Sport, or Corsair CML are all good. Some Kingstons are OK, some not, as they tend to be higher voltage, so generally best avoided, unless sure good.

No I won't be gaming. The other thing I need to mention is that advice from the Revit forum is to stick with a consumer card unless performing very high end computation that will require the peace of mind of 'certified' graphics (Autodesk only certify workstation graphics). So the only possible option in this range and for my budget is the Quadro 600 that goes for around $250 here.... but from the charts it appears that the GTX 660 far outperforms it and is cheaper. Also as I mentioned above I probably don't even need the GTX 660.

Hex core 3930K is out of my budget and it seems the 3820 is outperformed by both 3770's in Quad.

Good point about the RAM. I don't understanding the impact of voltage or what you mean by low profile?? I'll have to look into that. I just want to get the fastest possible RAM that will go with my motherboard. And back to my first point again, I think I will be going for more RAM as it's so cheap and beneficial for my needs. Seeing as I can't use more than 32GB I may go for 4 x 8G.

Never heard of noise dampening mats so yes, definitely on the cards now.

The Hyper 212evo is pretty cheap here > $35. Will something more expensive give me less noise?

Also, how much power do I need to run all this and what are some good performing brands? On the parts list link I provided there seem to be a large range of Corsairs, Antecs and Thermaltake.

 

[rendermesilly]

Also correct me if I'm wrong - will liquid cooling provide less noise and negate the need for noise dampening mats?

Should the case itself be taken into account in determining the noise factor? I vaguely remember paying a fair bit for the centurion back in the day and it's still in top condition - so if I can hang onto it and concentrate on an extremely quiet PSU and cooling system then I'm open to suggestions.

 

[rendermesilly]

I can't see any Corsair CML's on the QVL for the Asus P8Z77 V LE Plus.

In fact I don't see any 8G sticks that support 4 channel, except:

CMZ32GX3M4X1600C10(XMP)

Would 4 x 4GB be a wiser option and then see if more 4 channel support comes out at a later date?

 

[malbluff]

Also correct me if I'm wrong - will liquid cooling provide less noise and negate the need for noise dampening mats?

Should the case itself be taken into account in determining the noise factor? I vaguely remember paying a fair bit for the centurion back in the day and it's still in top condition - so if I can hang onto it and concentrate on an extremely quiet PSU and cooling system then I'm open to suggestions.

Closed loop liquid coolers aren't quiet, in fact noise is one of the arguments against them. If you fit an air cooler, like a CoolerMaster Hyper 212Evo, that will be fairly quiet (certainly quieter than stock cooler). If you use a good quality PSU, slightly oversized, so fan doesn't often need to run flat out, you should be fine. Like that, the only things that are likely to give any very noticeable noise are case fans. If you find those become a problem, you can always get better, quieter fans. It is a bit "try it and see (or hear)".
It should be appreciated that overclocking will tend to increase noise, as fans will need to run faster, for more cooling. Not drastically, provided you don't overclock a lot.
If there is a bias for one type of card, it tends to be towards nVidia, as some software utilises CUDA, for accelation, using GPU. I'm not sure about VRAM. A lot of stuff says only 512MB is required, or whatever. Doesn't necessarily mean that more isn't better. You possibly don't need anything much, and something like GTX650 could be OK, but I can't really confirm that. The best place for advice, on that, is a software users forum, if there is one.

 

[malbluff]

I can't see any Corsair CML's on the QVL for the Asus P8Z77 V LE Plus.

In fact I don't see any 8G sticks that support 4 channel, except:

CMZ32GX3M4X1600C10(XMP)

Would 4 x 4GB be a wiser option and then see if more 4 channel support comes out at a later date?

QVL's are RAMs that have been tested on the particular mobo. They aren't a comprehensive list of what is suitable. Coincidentally, I had exactly the same issue, myself, and asked a contact, at Asus, why there weren't any 1600MHz 8GB modules on the QVL, for the V Pro, and were they suitable, and I virtually quote "Of course they are, we probably didn't have any available to test on the day". The most important thing, is not to select any with a voltage over 1.5v, then you can't go far wrong. It's 12.45am where I am, I will have a look in the morning, and check which is most appropriate choice.

 

[rendermesilly]

QVL's are RAMs that have been tested on the particular mobo. They aren't a comprehensive list of what is suitable. Coincidentally, I had exactly the same issue, myself, and asked a contact, at Asus, why there weren't any 1600MHz 8GB modules on the QVL, for the V Pro, and were they suitable, and I virtually quote "Of course they are, we probably didn't have any available to test on the day". The most important thing, is not to select any with a voltage over 1.5v, then you can't go far wrong. It's 12.45am where I am, I will have a look in the morning, and check which is most appropriate choice.

Cheers for the info. I found this: CMZ8GX3M1A1600C9
It's 1.5v
On the Vengeance website it states it can run in Quad channel configuration. But on the few online shops I found here in AUS it states dual channel.

When it comes to RAM is it a case of 'the more the better'? If I was to run 2 x 8GB at a high speed i.e. 2400 would it be better than running 4 x 8GB at say 1600 ?

Also I noticed on the Asus specs for the MB I chose it states it can support up to 2400 (O.C.). So if I end up purchasing 2400 RAM do I need to do anything specific to get it to run at that speed??

 

[malbluff]

This would be OK. Generally avoid RAM over 1600MHz. What little it gains you, isn't worth the hassle (or cost).
http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Ballistix-DDR3-1600-240-Pin-BLS2CP8G3D1609DS1S00/dp/B006YG9EEW/ref=sr_1_34?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1350990217&sr=1-34&keywords=16+gb

 

[rendermesilly]

Best answer selected by rendermesilly.

 

[Uncle Walt]

On the question of noise reduction, this is an excellent site:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/

And this page is esp. useful:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/section21.html