I need a cooling system

[RhammRhinoo]

Hey guys!

Check out my build: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZzQ6bWScRo3-QWvdmvEK43rTyF6-1mWEdMGu-ShAvms/edit?usp=sharing

Can you please recommend me a cooling system or any other improvements I can make.

My budget is flexible.
Thanks!

 

[sharkbyte5150]

If this is really for gaming, you don't need the i7, go with the i5-3570K.
The Sabertooth board is overkill as well, the ASUS P8Z77-V is fine, or the ASRock Z77 Extreme6.

The case you chose provides good ventilation so you don't need more than the Hyper 212 Evo for CPU cooler, or Noctua D14.

Honestly, 16GB of RAM is also overkill but if you just want to have that much go ahead.

 

[RhammRhinoo]

If this is really for gaming, you don't need the i7, go with the i5-3570K.
The Sabertooth board is overkill as well, the ASUS P8Z77-V is fine, or the ASRock Z77 Extreme6.

The case you chose provides good ventilation so you don't need more than the Hyper 212 Evo for CPU cooler, or Noctua D14.

Honestly, 16GB of RAM is also overkill but if you just want to have that much go ahead.

So the I7 won't make a difference in games?

 

[sharkbyte5150]

The i7 is for things like video editing and rendering, and programs that make use of hyperthreading.

That being said, there's nothing wrong with the "better safe than sorry" approach of just getting the i7 and never worrying about your CPU breaking much of a sweat even during heavy gaming. Whether you get the "K" series depends on whether you plan to overclock, as the 3770K is unlocked and designed for it while the 3770 is not. Same rule applies to all Core series CPU's.

The Z77 boards are also designed for OC'ing so if you NEVER plan to, you can move to an H77 motherboard.
Of course, that takes away the option to OC if you decide, so it's something to consider.

 

[RhammRhinoo]

The i7 is for things like video editing and rendering, and programs that make use of hyperthreading.

That being said, there's nothing wrong with the "better safe than sorry" approach of just getting the i7 and never worrying about your CPU breaking much of a sweat even during heavy gaming. Whether you get the "K" series depends on whether you plan to overclock, as the 3770K is unlocked and designed for it while the 3770 is not. Same rule applies to all Core series CPU's.

The Z77 boards are also designed for OC'ing so if you NEVER plan to, you can move to an H77 motherboard.
Of course, that takes away the option to OC if you decide, so it's something to consider.

I will do a bit of video editing with Sony Vegas. I am also planning to record some gameplay.
Is overclocking safe because I read that it might ruin components.

 

[sharkbyte5150]

Over time, overclocking has become far less of a gamble.
The "K" series processors from Intel are "unlocked" and designed for overclocking and the Z77 motherboards have tuning tools built in to help provide safe results.

To me, it's still a mystery why anyone bothers. The best analogy I can think of for overclocking is buying a Camaro and tuning it to run like a Corvette, rather than just buying the 'Vette. I think OC'ing is for people who just want bragging rights for how far they can push their system.

 

[Uberragen21]

- ASUS Sabertooth Z77 (Motherboard) + Corsair Vengeance 16GB (Ram) + I7 3370k (CPU) = £489
- 2X Radeon HD 7970 (GPU) = £646
- Seagate 3TB Barracuda (Hard Drive) = £92
- CoolerMaster Storm Stryker (Case) = £133
- X-FI Titanium HD (Sound Card) = £137
- Corsair 850W AX850 (PSU) = £127
- 2X CM 120MM White LED (Fan) = £17

Total = £1641

As sharkbyte515 said, the i7 3370k is probably overkill, but it's the processor I would use for my computer build given a choice between i5 and i7. Nothing wrong with wanting something more powerful for a mere $100 USD if your budget is pretty open.

Wanting dual HD 7970 GPUs is silly, because your gain will be minuscule compared your expense. Wait for the next gen video cards to be released after summer. By then you'll be able to get the next gen i7 as well! 16 GB of ram is definitely NOT overkill though. Go for it. 32 may be overkill, unless you're rendering graphic drawings or video editing. But 8 GB is too puny in my professional opinion. It will work in 90% of applications, but that 1 application you run across will slow down by having to dip into the HDD for virtual memory.

Two things I'm concerned about though are your choice as HDD and an add-on sound card?

1. Do people still use add on sound cards? The motherboard you chose has very good integrated sound, and you would never notice a difference with that add-on card (money wasted).

2. Your HDD will hinder the i7, motherboard, and graphics card. Get rid of the sound card and get a 240-256 GB SSD. It doesn't matter which one, they will ALL be better than a HDD.

If you plan to OC, get a sealed closed loop water cooler. It's easy to install and will keep your CPU cooler than an air cooler, not to mention it will keep your case less cluttered inside. This has a 2 fold advantage; better airflow through the case (front to back) and it will have less weight pulling down on your motherboard. There are so many to choose from, just read the reviews on Tom's. They reviewed 10 in 2 articles, and there are a myriad more to choose from.

 

[manofchalk]

No, you dont need a water-cooling system for that build, but if you do, it will run far cooler and quieter than it will on air. Think GPU's under load at 40c.
If your thinking of custom water-cooling, I suggest you give this a read.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/277130-29-read-first-watercooling-sticky
I wouldn't bother with CLC water-cooling like a H100i, they perform on par with high end aircoolers for about $40 more.

As mentioned, if all your doing is gaming then a 3570k will be sufficient.
Though I do disagree with Sharks opinion on overclocking, Quite simply the only way to get the best performance is by overclocking. His argument of "why not just buy a better CPU" doesn't work when the next better CPU is $100 more (an i7) or $500 more (3930k to 3960X). Plus its more performance for your dollar, which is always a good thing.

Wheres you'r SSD?
With a rig of this caliber, an SSD is an easy thing it fit in.

That sound card, unless you already have a beefy sound setup to be powered by this, you dont need one that expensive or at all.
If what your running is basically just stereo speaker or sub $100 headphones, most I would recommend is an ASUS Xonar DG or DGX.

 

[jimthenagual]

Is it necessary to have a ferrari? Nah. But it'd be nice to have one. If that's your goal, you're system parts are heading in the right direction.

My two cents:
Overclock. I have an i7 3770K with a very mild oc of 4.2Ghz. That cpu is going to last a lot longer before I need to upgrade than I would if I had it at it' stock 3.5Ghz. Plus, I get to have the 4.2Ghz for a much cheaper price).

These days manufacturers make things intentionally geared for overclocking for a good reason. Enthusiasts.

 

[Orlean]

I'm going to chime in regarding overclocking since I see more of personal opinion rather than facts something the OP can decide on if it's for him - Overclocking is a easy way to unlock an easy 20-30% more processing power for free in regards with overclocking a unlocked chip. Yeah there's an added cost to buy that unlocked processor but take the 3570k v the 3570 on newegg right now for example, there's only a $5 difference and obviously having to purchase a Z77 chipset that really is about the same price of a H77 chipset board depending on which one you pick. So in my opinion it's nice to have the option down the road when programs/games take more processing power and having the ability to get some more life out of that chip until your able to upgrade or what not is nice it's not for everyone though but for the slight added price if your interested in it is worth it. Also overclocking has become pretty simple now by just changing the multiplier or having tuning software do it for you which I don't recommend using since it usually like's to run higher than needed voltages for the given clock speed.

As far as the Camaro verses Corvette analogy, I'd like to see a Corvette for $5 more than a Camaro :lol: Joking aside, just as in overclocking it's a hobby some people enjoy taking a certain piece of hardware or vehicle and trying to squeeze as much potential out of it as possible but with vehicles it gets expensive aka a money pit. The best part is taking a vehicle that costs half that of a Corvette and making that owner cry when you blow the doors off his car.


All that aside the 3570k is your best bet if the system is going to primarily be used for gaming but you mentioned you wanted to do some video editing in which case if it's not allot of it and every second counts then the 3570k is the way to go.

 

[sharkbyte5150]

Thanks Orlean for proving my point about OC'ers wanting bragging rights for "taking a vehicle that costs half that of a Corvette and making that owner cry when you blow the doors off his car".

Of course it's true that OC'ing definitely maximizes performance for dollar, which is great for those who can't afford the higher end CPU's but want to enjoy similar performance.

Even though I'm not a huge fan of OC'ing in general, I always encourage builders to reserve the option to by sticking with the "K" series and Z77 motherboard.

 

[jimthenagual]

I have the 3770k OC'd to a mild 4.2Ghz.

The analogy I was trying to make is, doing this is like buying a sportscar, and attempting to make it a supercar for free. Not needed, but fun.

The 3570k is a family 4 door. Very nice car, and will do absolutely anything you need and do it very very well. And you can overclock it to luxury 4 door for free.

Overclocking is a great thing.

I am guilty of threadjacking I think.

 

[sharkbyte5150]

I have the 3770k OC'd to a mild 4.2Ghz.

The analogy I was trying to make is, doing this is like buying a sportscar, and attempting to make it a supercar for free. Not needed, but fun.

The 3570k is a family 4 door. Very nice car, and will do absolutely anything you need and do it very very well. And you can overclock it to luxury 4 door for free.

Overclocking is a great thing.

I am guilty of threadjacking I think.

Very well put, I like your family 4-door -> luxury analogy, I think that paints a much more clear picture of what OC'ing can do for you vs. my Corvette bit.

For the record, while I personally do not overclock (mostly because I don't need to stretch my system that far for my needs) I do not discourage anyone else from enjoying the benefits of it, but I do reserve the right to mock them! :lol:

 

[Orlean]

Thanks Orlean for proving my point about OC'ers wanting bragging rights for "taking a vehicle that costs half that of a Corvette and making that owner cry when you blow the doors off his car".

Of course it's true that OC'ing definitely maximizes performance for dollar, which is great for those who can't afford the higher end CPU's but want to enjoy similar performance.

Even though I'm not a huge fan of OC'ing in general, I always encourage builders to reserve the option to by sticking with the "K" series and Z77 motherboard.

I think you took my reply the wrong way - It's a hobby for Enthusiasts that enjoy it and nothing more. You decided to use car's as an analogy which I am too an enthusiast of and also work in that field thus the reply. As far as proving your point, no not really you posted something based on your opinion instead of giving the OP the information needed to make a decision.

 

[sharkbyte5150]

Let's pump the brakes, from one enthusiast to another!
No harm no foul and I didn't take your reply any other way than a spirited banter.

I was just putting the spotlight on the fact that you confirmed the bragging rights aspect of OC'ing. Of course my take on it is just opinion...isn't a forum just a collection of different opinions?

I too love cars, which is why I mentioned them in the first place and I did give the OP the information regarding which components would better suit him whether OC'ing or not and did say to consider keeping the option open for himself.

 

[Orlean]

Well that's the thing I disagree that I confirmed anything regarding bragging about overclocking since in my case my overclock of 4.2ghz is hardly anything to brag about not to say people don't do it - my point is that I'm personally not bragging about it. On the other hand what I will agree with you on is bragging about being able to beat up on people with a sleeper, you as a person that loves car's can appreciate the fact of a person that takes a vehicle that someone would usually not think of having potential for less than $5k lets say puts couple grand into it and has a car that can beat up on that $50-60k Corvette is impressive in its own right and this is where the bragging rights I believe can be justified. It's also like saying that anyone that tinkers with there car just does it for bragging rights.

This is a forum with a collection of different people and opinions you are right about that, but most people don't come here for opinions unless they specifically ask for one they come here for answers. So when the OP asked if overclocking is safe instead of giving him a clear answer you provided him with your opinion with saying that basically all people that overclock do it for bragging rights when in fact it actually can benefit you depending on what hardware you are currently using.

Here's a good example of how overclocking could benefit a person using a FX-4000 since they were not able to afford the best CPU money can buy for there application. They wanted to play Guild Wars 2 but complained about poor performance where a overclock helped alleviate some of the poor performance and maybe it was a good enough performance increase for them to not have to upgrade or made that system last them another year.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/guild-wars-2-performance-benchmark,3268-7.html

So that's the problem I have with that, less fact more opinions than anything which I see allot of on here that may potentially steer people away from buying something that would benefit them.

 

[Uberragen21]

Well that's the thing I disagree that I confirmed anything regarding bragging about overclocking since in my case my overclock of 4.2ghz is hardly anything to brag about not to say people don't do it - my point is that I'm personally not bragging about it. On the other hand what I will agree with you on is bragging about being able to beat up on people with a sleeper, you as a person that loves car's can appreciate the fact of a person that takes a vehicle that someone would usually not think of having potential for less than $5k lets say puts couple grand into it and has a car that can beat up on that $50-60k Corvette is impressive in its own right and this is where the bragging rights I believe can be justified. It's also like saying that anyone that tinkers with there car just does it for bragging rights.

This is a forum with a collection of different people and opinions you are right about that, but most people don't come here for opinions unless they specifically ask for one they come here for answers. So when the OP asked if overclocking is safe instead of giving him a clear answer you provided him with your opinion with saying that basically all people that overclock do it for bragging rights when in fact it actually can benefit you depending on what hardware you are currently using.

Here's a good example of how overclocking could benefit a person using a FX-4000 since they were not able to afford the best CPU money can buy for there application. They wanted to play Guild Wars 2 but complained about poor performance where a overclock helped alleviate some of the poor performance and maybe it was a good enough performance increase for them to not have to upgrade or made that system last them another year.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/guild-wars-2-performance-benchmark,3268-7.html

So that's the problem I have with that, less fact more opinions than anything which I see allot of on here that may potentially steer people away from buying something that would benefit them.

Who cares about bragging rights. That's childish... I OC my computer because it performs better for what I use it for; whether that's gaming or working on my website or simply web surfing. I do it for myself and no one else.

So drop the OC for bragging rights BS. Either you OC or you don't. It's his choice, since it will be his computer to build.

 

[Orlean]

Who cares about bragging rights. That's childish... I OC my computer because it performs better for what I use it for; whether that's gaming or working on my website or simply web surfing. I do it for myself and no one else.

So drop the OC for bragging rights BS. Either you OC or you don't. It's his choice, since it will be his computer to build.

The subject of bragging rights is of no concern to me, just people posting stuff based on opinion and not facts in which case I wanted the OP to have a clear take on.

 

[jimthenagual]

MY oc is bigger than YOUR oc.

(had to say it)

 

[RhammRhinoo]

- ASUS Sabertooth Z77 (Motherboard) + Corsair Vengeance 16GB (Ram) + I7 3370k (CPU) = £489
- 2X Radeon HD 7970 (GPU) = £646
- Seagate 3TB Barracuda (Hard Drive) = £92
- CoolerMaster Storm Stryker (Case) = £133
- X-FI Titanium HD (Sound Card) = £137
- Corsair 850W AX850 (PSU) = £127
- 2X CM 120MM White LED (Fan) = £17

Total = £1641

As sharkbyte515 said, the i7 3370k is probably overkill, but it's the processor I would use for my computer build given a choice between i5 and i7. Nothing wrong with wanting something more powerful for a mere $100 USD if your budget is pretty open.

Wanting dual HD 7970 GPUs is silly, because your gain will be minuscule compared your expense. Wait for the next gen video cards to be released after summer. By then you'll be able to get the next gen i7 as well! 16 GB of ram is definitely NOT overkill though. Go for it. 32 may be overkill, unless you're rendering graphic drawings or video editing. But 8 GB is too puny in my professional opinion. It will work in 90% of applications, but that 1 application you run across will slow down by having to dip into the HDD for virtual memory.

Two things I'm concerned about though are your choice as HDD and an add-on sound card?

1. Do people still use add on sound cards? The motherboard you chose has very good integrated sound, and you would never notice a difference with that add-on card (money wasted).

2. Your HDD will hinder the i7, motherboard, and graphics card. Get rid of the sound card and get a 240-256 GB SSD. It doesn't matter which one, they will ALL be better than a HDD.

If you plan to OC, get a sealed closed loop water cooler. It's easy to install and will keep your CPU cooler than an air cooler, not to mention it will keep your case less cluttered inside. This has a 2 fold advantage; better airflow through the case (front to back) and it will have less weight pulling down on your motherboard. There are so many to choose from, just read the reviews on Tom's. They reviewed 10 in 2 articles, and there are a myriad more to choose from.

SSD's are very expensive. I don't really care about loading times.

 

[RhammRhinoo]

I'm going to chime in regarding overclocking since I see more of personal opinion rather than facts something the OP can decide on if it's for him - Overclocking is a easy way to unlock an easy 20-30% more processing power for free in regards with overclocking a unlocked chip. Yeah there's an added cost to buy that unlocked processor but take the 3570k v the 3570 on newegg right now for example, there's only a $5 difference and obviously having to purchase a Z77 chipset that really is about the same price of a H77 chipset board depending on which one you pick. So in my opinion it's nice to have the option down the road when programs/games take more processing power and having the ability to get some more life out of that chip until your able to upgrade or what not is nice it's not for everyone though but for the slight added price if your interested in it is worth it. Also overclocking has become pretty simple now by just changing the multiplier or having tuning software do it for you which I don't recommend using since it usually like's to run higher than needed voltages for the given clock speed.

As far as the Camaro verses Corvette analogy, I'd like to see a Corvette for $5 more than a Camaro :lol: Joking aside, just as in overclocking it's a hobby some people enjoy taking a certain piece of hardware or vehicle and trying to squeeze as much potential out of it as possible but with vehicles it gets expensive aka a money pit. The best part is taking a vehicle that costs half that of a Corvette and making that owner cry when you blow the doors off his car.


All that aside the 3570k is your best bet if the system is going to primarily be used for gaming but you mentioned you wanted to do some video editing in which case if it's not allot of it and every second counts then the 3570k is the way to go.

I am planning to record gameplay and do light video editing such as cutting and adding captions but frequently. Should I still go with an i7?

 

[RhammRhinoo]

Thank You for all the responses.
I have removed my sound card and I am thinking of switching my motherboard.
Does anyone know a motherboard which does the jobs as well as the Z77? Preferably cheaper and good sound built in!

 

[jimthenagual]

SSD's are very expensive. I don't really care about loading times.

Although I do have one, I agree with you 100% that they are not necessary at all if we are talking about gaming.