1300-1500$ budget, looking for tweaking

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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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Approximate Purchase Date: As early as tomorrow, as late as April


Budget Range: 1200-1600 shipped, rebates are ok unless they are all MIR.


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, possibly twitch streaming, video playback/web, occasional video editing


Are you buying a monitor: No


Parts to Upgrade: Whole new PC


Do you need to buy OS: No


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com


Location: City, State/Region, Country - Seattle Wa


Parts Preferences: by brand or type : Intel for CPU, EVGA for GPU


Overclocking: Yes


SLI or Crossfire: Not now, but maybe later


Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080


Additional Comments: Not looking for bleeding edge, but cutting edge? Somewhere in between a generation behind and new MSRP pricing.


And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Computer is old and busted, looking for new hotness.

Here is what I have in mind so far:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/IuQt

The only things I am not adding here are my 2 current storage drives that will be surviving the changeover, another 1TB HHD, and a Intel 320 Series 80 GB SSD .

POSSIBLE CHANGES IN MIND:

My friend thinks the PSU I picked is underpowered and he doesn't like SeaSonic. I don't know what stigma is in his mind, and I think for what I have running it is plenty. To try to placate his concerns, and also move to a fully modular design, I was also looking at a CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX750 . Considering 2 HDDs, 2 SSDs, and only 1 GPU I think that is overkill but maybe I am under guessing the power needed for this GPU and some overclocking of the CPU.

The Vector 128 GB SSD in my build is, from what I can tell, on the same line as SAMSUNG 840 Pro Series 125 GB . I can go either way as they are very close in cost.

For the water cooling, I am on the fence with the H100i in the build and CORSAIR Hydro Series H110 . My case supports the 280 rad, but then you get no Corsair Link, the better looking head/pump, nicer bracketing system, or the better SP120 fans. However the bigger rad keeps the cool on easier. I wish I knew if they were going to do a H110i, I would just hold out.


I am open to any and all feedback. As a huge lurker of these forums, I have confidence we can figure out the best combination here!
 
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realchaos

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Jan 30, 2013
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Your psu is perfectly fine for your build but it won't be for SLI. Seasonic and Super Flower are the best Power Supply brands. Your build is nice, changing things would mostly be nitpicking it make it just a tiny bit closer to perfect. I would say go with the Samsung 840 pro series, just because I find Samsung more reliable.
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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10,510
I have heard that as well about the Samsung, and heck, all my TVs/monitors are Samsung too. I wanted to give OCZ a chance with this new drive, and since its not going to be my boot drive it wasn't critical for it to be the fastest. But they are basically the same price and so why not go better I guess.

Yeah that PSU would definitely not be for SLI, but for the time being there will only be the one card and Id rather that money go into the card. Since I am still a single monitor gamer, I just don't see the need to throw micro-stuttering into the mix if I don't have to. I can always get a new PSU later if necessary...
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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10,510


I wasn't really looking at the i7, as I wouldn't take real advantage of the HT, and sadly no Micro Center even in my state, so that would be 100 bucks more :( I would rather spend that justifying the 400 dollar gtx 670... I currently am not too concerned about future proofing, I am coming from a core 2 duo e8400 that has carried me this far, coughing and hacking. I figure if it could go 5 years, I don't see why the i5 IVB couldnt...

For the SeaSonic XKM3, I dont see a match on newegg. Do you mean this one?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151088


 
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Emelth

Emelth

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Jul 30, 2010
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+1 for the 7970 it beats the 670 in overall performance (dont worry I got a 670 and it runs games perfectly as well)
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/GPU12/372

I would switch out the case for something a little cheaper, I find Corsair cases to be my favorites and wouldnt change them out for anything in the world.

$62 for CAS 9 RAM seems off you can find some for around $45-$55

Like others said your PSU is fine
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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10,510


I am really not into Radeon cards. Sure, most of it is holdover from the past when they had driver issues, but I just prefer Nvidia. I have seen the benchmarks, I know its technically better in many scenarios, but I am ok with that.

I don't really have the motivation to do a custom loop. They look cool, and I get that they are more efficient/customizable, but that's more work than I was looking to do. From the testing I have seen I think I don't really need the benefits you get from a custom water solution.

What other case would you recommend? I do like the style of this one, and the size means I wouldnt have to get a bigger one because of space issues, which is my problem now. I also super like the SSD mounts on the mobo tray backside.
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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Hmm there must have been a discount on it that fell off, like on the CPU, because when I added it a few days ago it was 55 or so. Do you have a better recommendation?

I have has the same crappy no brand case for the last 8 years, I may have a "go big or go home" complex going on hahaha. Its the little bits I like about this case. the LED light for the I/O shield area, the build in SD card reader, the any configuration HDD bays. I am open to consideration of a different one but I would need to see one that has similar features. I will admit I dont like that it seems only half the cable management holes are have grommets.
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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I do like the side is on a hinge so you don't have to take it fully off. The 550D is ok, but just to plain for me. the 500R I like the styling better, but it has too many lights I would have to disable that I would be paying for. my PC sits right near my bed, I don't like too many actual LEDs coming off the tower so it doesn't bother me while I sleep.
 
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Emelth

Emelth

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Dont worry about it too much the case is the most important part of it to me. Just for the sheer fact that it has to fit my style so the one you picked is the one that your most likely. I also sleep right next to mine, I find LEDs to be relaxing (currently using the 500R). I wanted blue LEDs but the whites still look great when lighting my place up.
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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Yeah I spent a lot of time looking at cases online, and this one just called out to me. It is a bit more expensive than I wanted it to be, but it just came out so waiting for it to drop would take too long. I wanted to have this done for Bf3 End Game, but I "Hmmmm"ed and "Hawww"ed about getting it now or later for too long...
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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Besides future proofing (as good as that can ever do in this field) can anyone come up with a reason I should move to an i7? With my main focus being gaming and not doing much else, MAYBE trying twitch tv streaming, I cant see what good it would do me.
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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The more I think about it the more I am leaning to switching the h100i for the x60 and getting the bundle from NZXT. at 249 no shipping, that saves about 47 dollars over doing the h100i and the case through newegg since I have to pay shipping on the case.
 
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Emelth

Emelth

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dont even think about switching to an i7 it would not make your system anymore "future proof" than using a 3570k.

As for the cooler, I havent used any liquid ones yet but if I did I've watched and read a lot of reviews for the h100/100i and they both seem pretty good as for the x60 dont know what your talking about on that one link it if you can please.
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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Sure!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835146028&Tpk=x60

its similar to an h110, as that its 280mm, not 240mm like the h100i, but it has software to manage the fan profiles that the h110 does not have.

I do really like the h100i. A lot. Corsair Link seems good, the mounting system is improved, and it has better fans than its predecessor. But the h110 gets slightly better performance due to just being straight up more surface area. the X60 is kind of in the middle of the two, the size of the h110 but the software of the h100i.

same crappier mounting process though...
 
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BrittWilson

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Mar 9, 2013
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I will admit that I have much more interest playing Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite than having 150 dollars of in game money in 3 games I don't play. I am having a hard time biting the Radeon bullet though. I just woke up, I need to look at the difference between the two.
 
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