Need help evaluating my new build :)

[m44matt]

Hey Guys

Can you please take a second and let me know what you think about my new build. I'll be ordering soon and would like everyones opinion, good or bad.

ASUS Maximus V Formula Motherboard
Corsair Hydro Series H100 CPU Cooler
Intel Core i7 3770K
2x ASUS GeForce GTX 670 DirectCU II
Antec High Current Pro Platinum 1000W Power Supply
G.Skill Ares F3-2133C11Q-16GAO 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3
Enermax Fulmo GT Big Tower Case

Will be used for Heavy Gaming. 4.5+ overclock. Small GPU overclock.

Thanks

 

[stickmansam]

You might want to look into 2x8 GB ram instead since you will have more options later on and its dual channel anyways. Which HDD/SSD's you pairing with it? Other than that it looks good

 

[manofchalk]

In one word: Overkill.

You can build a gaming rig that will perform the same for much less. Also unless you have a surround setup/120hz/uber resolution monitor, the two 670's in SLI are going to be largely going to waste.

 

[m44matt]

I've got 2 120gb SSD's going in raid and 5 HDDs thats why the case is kinda helpful... and i love the space

Not really you have a lot of head room with a build like this and If you wanna run skyrim and CoD etc etc on highest of high on 2560x1440 Those 2 gpus are very necessary

 

[manofchalk]

Hence the "uber resolution" monitor comment.

Can fully understand the full tower, I personally have a quite large case and every one of its 7 HDD bays are full.

The PSU however is too large, you simply wont need 1000W for your system. 750W is the most you will need, as that mobo cant adequately support more than dual cards anyway.
Halve the RAM, 8GB is plenty for gaming.
A 3570K is all you need if your just gaming.

 

[m44matt]

I have and 850W from my old PC but it may be a bit on the fritz im not sure so i wanted a brand new full modular and it seemed a bit silly to buy the same wattage and not upgrade. My reasoning for the large PSU was that i would want to upgrade again in the far future and getting a great 1000w PSU would cover me for that future.

I will be doing some light video rendering and a lot of Photoshop for work as well. Plus i usually have heaps of scans and optimizations and programs running when Im not gaming.

Thanks for your opinions

Yeah i may be overdoing a few of the parts but all i really wanted to know is if i had chosen any "dud" parts with bad reps for being unreliable. None of you seem to be saying that so i assume i picked out a decent build even if it is overkill.

 

[manofchalk]

How far in the future are you talking?
Just that a PSU should be replaced every ~4yrs, if its longer than that yu should replace the PSU anyway.

Also, you have the case and evidently the budget for it, I advise you get some real watercooling on that CPU. Believe me, once you go on water its amazing. My CPU idle temperatures are dictated solely by ambient temp, currently my CPU is sitting at 15c.
Plus, it will help you keep your temps under control when overclocking, for 4.5Ghz or higher you will need decent cooling.

 

[m44matt]

How far in the future are you talking?
Just that a PSU should be replaced every ~4yrs, if its longer than that yu should replace the PSU anyway.

Also, you have the case and evidently the budget for it, I advise you get some real watercooling on that CPU. Believe me, once you go on water its amazing. My CPU idle temperatures are dictated solely by ambient temp, currently my CPU is sitting at 15c.
Plus, it will help you keep your temps under control when overclocking, for 4.5Ghz or higher you will need decent cooling.

I've always been curious but hesitant about Full water cooling :S I've had no experience with it... The temps you can get look amazing but i have no idea how to set it up or what parts to buy and im afraid that if/when i *** it up i'll baste my hardware in coolant! haha. Is it something i can implement later to this build? $3000 is about the tippy top i can spend and im pretty close to it haha.

Can you give me a recommended cooling parts list and/or pictures?

 

[m44matt]

Best answer selected by m44matt.

 

[manofchalk]

First of all, if you want to learn about water-cooling than I suggest reading this. It has all the basics and some more advanced information on watercooling.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/277130-29-read-first-watercooling-sticky

If its your first time water-cooling (the H100 doesn't count really), then a pre configured kit is probably the best option. Something like an XSPC Raystorm kit would be a good start. That will give you everything you need to set up a CPU loop, and being a kit rather than a unit, its upgradable as you can just add things to the loop.
Of course, you can always drop into the water-cooling forum and ask for a good fully custom loop for your purposes (I advise doing this even if you go with the kit, just to run it past some more experienced eyes than mine). Just make sure to read the guide I linked above, as that will be the first question they ask of you.

Just like with the rest of the computer, educating yourself will help towards making a reliable loop. On the most basic level, knowing how to put on clamp/compression fittings and leak test properly. Medium, knowing that you can fit 7/16" tubing on to 1/2" barbs for a very tight fit. On the higher end then you know that you can use a hair dryer to heat shrink the tubing to the barb. Lots of little tricks you can use to make sure it wont leak.

Pictures should be easy to find, just look up watercooled PC into Google and there will be plenty. Looking up your case name and watercooling will most likely find others who have watercooled in your case, so you can get a general idea of how things will look.
Here the build guide I did when I installed my water-cooling loop.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/279384-29-water-cooling-build-project-chalk

Just a tip, include a T-Line or a drain valve into the loop right from the start. Otherwise its going to be very difficult to drain the loop later and will require pulling apart some aspect of the loop. I didn't think of this when I got mine and its biting me in the arse whenever I have to maintain or upgrade it, fully intending to get one soon.

 

[m44matt]

Thanks mate I'll give it a read and see what i can learn