Looking for opinons on gaming build

[Zeus8577]

Hi everybody. I am new on the forums and apologize if I posted this in the wrong section. I am new to PC building and I would like to know a few things before I buy all the parts. I read many forums and watched many tutorials. I am a fast learner so any help would be great. I will leave the questions at the end after I tell you all my parts.

Here they are:

Case: HAF 942 Coolmaster
CPU: i7 3770k
GPU: GTX 680
Motherboard: Maximus vs Formula
Ram: Corsair Dominator 8gb 1600
Power supply: 850W AX Series
SSD: Samsung 840 Pro 128GB


Links:


Case:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Power Supply: http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Professional-Series-Modul...

SSD: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Electronics-2-5-Inch-SATA...


Here are my questions and concerns:

1. All of these items are compatible after doing some research. My question does this build offer stability? Does everything work together well?



2. Will the stock fan for the CPU be efficient if I'm not overclocking. Yes I know the 3770k and the ROG Motherboard is made for overclocking. I like to keep my options open. I will probably start to over clock 6-7 months from building this rig and then will put a aftermarket cooler. But for now without overclocking will the stock be enough. I plan to only game such as Skyrim and Battlefield 3. I rather not use a after market cooler in the beginning. Keep in mind I am using the Coolmaster HAF942 case.

Another reason I worry about this is because I read somewhere that the Maximus vs Formula board uses a feature where it speeds up the i7 CPU while gaming called TURBO mode. Not sure if this is true. But if it is true and I do plan to use the stock cooler do you recommend I use the Sabertooth z77 Board which doesn't have that mode.




3. I have a question about the motherboard and this may refer to question 2. With the Maximus vs Formula there is a liquid cooling option. I rather not do this. I have no interest for liquid cooling especially for my first rig. I much rather do a after market cooler. If this is required I rather get the Sabertooth z77 mainstream board.




4. Last question is short and is about the RAM. I am getting the 1600 Corsair. I don't plan to go above the 1600 speed due to stability reasons. Correct me if im wrong please. On asus site it mentions it supports 1.65 Volts. If my ram is 1.5 volts could this cause stability issues? Or this is a case where it support ram UP TO 1.65 but lower is better.




5. Is the 850W Power supply too much? I don't plan to SLI, although I like options, but would it be sufficient and future proof for this case its components? I heard too much Watts is not good.




6. Also do you think I should wait for Haswell? I know if you keep waiting you will never buy anything but the reason I ask it because Haswell will have a new motherboard socket correct which renders 1155 socket 389 dollar motherboard obsolete. I think it won't matter because I obviously don't plan on upgrading PCU regularly. I don't think anyone does. I7 3770k is pretty powerful.


Thanks! Please dont kill me if I made a mistake.

 

[g-unit1111]

1. All of these items are compatible after doing some research. My question does this build offer stability? Does everything work together well?

Yes but there's several areas that you're way overpaying for. Mainly the motherboard and the RAM. The Maximus V is major overkill and you could downgrade without losing performance. Same thing with the Dominator RAM - you get ripped off. You also don't need the 3770K if youre going to be gaming.

2. Will the stock fan for the CPU be efficient if I'm not overclocking. Yes I know the 3770k and the ROG Motherboard is made for overclocking. I like to keep my options open. I will probably start to over clock 6-7 months from building this rig and then will put a aftermarket cooler. But for now without overclocking will the stock be enough. I plan to only game such as Skyrim and Battlefield 3. I rather not use a after market cooler in the beginning. Keep in mind I am using the Coolmaster HAF942 case.

Another reason I worry about this is because I read somewhere that the Maximus vs Formula board uses a feature where it speeds up the i7 CPU while gaming called TURBO mode. Not sure if this is true. But if it is true and I do plan to use the stock cooler do you recommend I use the Sabertooth z77 Board which doesn't have that mode.

Turbo mode is standard on all Intel processors, it's not a motherboard dependent feature. The Asus Sabertooth isn't worth purchasing either - both are crazy expensive for zero performance difference. If you're not going to overclock it's not worth purchasing motherboards that expensive. You can get by with way less.

3. I have a question about the motherboard and this may refer to question 2. With the Maximus vs Formula there is a liquid cooling option. I rather not do this. I have no interest for liquid cooling especially for my first rig. I much rather do a after market cooler. If this is required I rather get the Sabertooth z77 mainstream board.

All motherboards support liquid cooling, it's not only limited to the Asus Sabertooth or the Maximus V. However if you're not going to overclock don't even really worry about it.

4. Last question is short and is about the RAM. I am getting the 1600 Corsair. I don't plan to go above the 1600 speed due to stability reasons. Correct me if im wrong please. On asus site it mentions it supports 1.65 Volts. If my ram is 1.5 volts could this cause stability issues? Or this is a case where it support ram UP TO 1.65 but lower is better.

I'm confused by this question. RAM voltage is stock - you can't change out the voltage for one or the other. Ivy Bridge, Sandy Bridge, and SB-E all require 1.5V, you can't run anything more than that. But the Dominator and Dominator Platinum aren't worth purchasing - too much investment for nothing more than a fancy heat sink.

5. Is the 850W Power supply too much? I don't plan to SLI, although I like options, but would it be sufficient and future proof for this case its components? I heard too much Watts is not good.

If you're only running a single GPU yes. Again - future proofing is a moot point. NEVER buy a rig - whether you're spending $500 or $5000 - with the intention of scrapping components in the future for something else. That's a horrible way to go about building a system. Also don't over buy either. For power supplies - having more watts will not hurt your system. Having too few or the bare minimum will.

6. Also do you think I should wait for Haswell? I know if you keep waiting you will never buy anything but the reason I ask it because Haswell will have a new motherboard socket correct which renders 1155 socket 389 dollar motherboard obsolete. I think it won't matter because I obviously don't plan on upgrading PCU regularly. I don't think anyone does. I7 3770k is pretty powerful.

If you're going to buy now - buy now. If you're going to wait, wait. Don't purchase a $400 motherboard if you have an intention of waiting. There's not going to be much of a difference, the 3770K is fine but it's not really needed for a gaming rig either. GPUs are getting more energy efficient with each generation - it's no longer necessary to run anything more than 950W anymore. On a gaming rig - *ALWAYS* buy the best GPU you can get, do not blow huge sums of money on fancy motherboards, expensive RAM, extra thermal compound, mouse mats, things like that. It's a waste of money.

Thanks! Please dont kill me if I made a mistake.

The only mistake you really made is that none of your links work, I would suggest fixing those. Use PC Part Picker or list the parts individually.

Here's what I would suggest if your budget allows:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP4 TH ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($192.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vector Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($445.91 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($445.91 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($142.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk III 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($21.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2052.57
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-26 19:36 EDT-0400)

 

[Zeus8577]

Thanks a lot! Great suggestions. The only thing I'm changing from your build is the crossfire and the case. I really like the case I was going to get. I know it's big and I could go for a smaller one but I don't mind spending the extra money for it. Also I plan on just getting just the EVGA GTX 680 because my budget is around 1500 pre tax. But I'm glad I don't have to get the i7. I do love the look of those dominators though.


Just quick question. Would the stock cooler be fine. In 6 months when I plan to overclock il add a aftermarket heatsink. The adding of thermal paste makes me nervous for my first build. But I have to learn sometime.

 

[marshallbradley]

At stock speeds, stock cooler is more than sufficient yes (unless you live in a crazy hot climate).

You'd probably have to remove the top part of the Dominators anyway in order to fit the NH-D14. They do look good though. Personally I think Patriot Viper 3 Black Mamba look really good (and they also fit under that CPU cooler), and they can be had for basically the same price as the Corsair LP.

The 7970 Ghz (or GTX 670 if you prefer nVidia) is a much better buy than the 680. The price hike from 670 to 680 does not at all justify the small performance difference. The 7970 Ghz Edition in most scenarios is the best of all three cards, while having a price in between the 680 and the 670.

M

 

[Zeus8577]

Really? That sucks the dominators looked great. But good to know at stock speeds I can use the stock cooler. I keep my air condition on during the summer and its pretty cold during the winter. No problem there. I don't hate ATI but I do prefer Nvidia (better experiences with pre built computers). Does the 670 use the Keplar engine? I do like the most efficient parts to be in my system. I could easily google this but this forum could also serve as help for others. Also I never heard if gigabyte Motherboards. I've seen them but are they reliable?

 

[g-unit1111]

Really? That sucks the dominators looked great. But good to know at stock speeds I can use the stock cooler. I keep my air condition on during the summer and its pretty cold during the winter. No problem there. I don't hate ATI but I do prefer Nvidia (better experiences with pre built computers). Does the 670 use the Keplar engine? I do like the most efficient parts to be in my system. I could easily google this but this forum could also serve as help for others. Also I never heard if gigabyte Motherboards. I've seen them but are they reliable?

They look good but you're really overpaying for nothing more than a fancy heat sink. RAM is RAM is RAM - all modules work about the same and there's very little difference between less expensive modules and more expensive modules.

The GTX 670 and 680 are both built on the Keppler engine. I like the 670 because dual GTX 670 in SLI mode gives you near identical performance to the far more expensive Titan for $300 less. I like the Gigabyte Windforce 3X - it's one of the best GPU cooling solutions around.

Gigabyte makes great motherboards, my last 3 have all been Gigabyte and I've not had a single thing go wrong with any of them.

 

[Zeus8577]

Awesome. Do you think the GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UP5 TH LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with Dual Thunderbolt
Is worth it's cost at $245 unlike asus motherboards? I do plan to overclock in the future. Would it work well for a i5 3750k or is that made more for a i7? Some reviewer on newegg said that this motherboard doesn't support certain PSU such as the Corsair HX series. Any thoughts on that also?

 

[g-unit1111]

Awesome. Do you think the GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UP5 TH LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with Dual Thunderbolt
Is worth it's cost at $245 unlike asus motherboards? I do plan to overclock in the future. Would it work well for a i5 3750k or is that made more for a i7? Some reviewer on newegg said that this motherboard doesn't support certain PSU such as the Corsair HX series. Any thoughts on that also?

This is *EXACTLY* why I say never believe what you read on the Newegg reviews - that reviewer doesn't know what he is talking about. The Gigabyte board will work with a Corsair HX just fine, any high end PSU for that matter. Any socket 1155 motherboard will be able to use any i3, i5 or i7 chip that's made for that socket.

 

[jesot]

Do you need an OS? Monitor?

My recommended build for that budget range is...
i5 3570k ($220)
ASRock/Asus/Gigabyte Z77 mobo ($100-130)
8GB 1600 memory ($~60)
840 Pro 256GB SSD ($235)
GTX 670 (~$370)
SLI Certified/Ready PSU ($100-130) (antec, seasonic, corsair, xfx)
Case of choice (the HAF is $50 with the discounts right now)

Total: $1135-1195

Add storage, optical drive, and additional 670 as needed/wanted.

If you live near a Microcenter, you can probably get a good enough deal to fit another 670 in there straight away as their prices on CPU (significantly cheaper), MoBo, and RAM are usually the best you can find and then they give you $55 off the trio and sometimes even offer other discounts.

I'd throw another 670 on the build above to land in the $1505-1565 range.

 

[Zeus8577]

Thanks for the advice guys. I already have a monitor but I do need a OS. I decided to go with retail rather than OEM. just in case the motherboard fails I don't have to buy a new OEM. Never know.


I decided to go with Gigabyte. I'm looking at the mobo you suggested G-Unit and this mobo now. http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz77xud5h


There the Same price range so how do they compare in terms of overclocking and features?

 

[g-unit1111]

Thanks for the advice guys. I already have a monitor but I do need a OS. I decided to go with retail rather than OEM. just in case the motherboard fails I don't have to buy a new OEM. Never know.


I decided to go with Gigabyte. I'm looking at the mobo you suggested G-Unit and this mobo now. http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz77xud5h


There the Same price range so how do they compare in terms of overclocking and features?

Unless you're getting a $350 motherboard like the Maximus V, Asrock OC Formula, or Gigabyte G1 Sniper they all overclock about the same. Anything beyond 5.1 GHz is major overkill and people do it simply because they can afford to and only for bragging rights.

 

[Zeus8577]

Understood thanks. The SSD I'm thinking about is the 840 Pro by Samsung. Do you think I could go for the regular 840 rather than the Pro edition. I've heard the 840 Pro has something that makes it last longer. Not sure what it was called. MLC? If I'm just playing games the regular should do just fine?

 

[g-unit1111]

Understood thanks. The SSD I'm thinking about is the 840 Pro by Samsung. Do you think I could go for the regular 840 rather than the Pro edition. I've heard the 840 Pro has something that makes it last longer. Not sure what it was called. MLC? If I'm just playing games the regular should do just fine?

No get the Pro. The Pro is based on a proprietary controller, the standard 840 is based on something else, I think it's the Marvell controller. Or get the OCZ Vector instead which is based on a proprietary controller called Bigfoot.

 

[Zeus8577]

Pro it is. Last question. Also since the GTX 680 provides no significant improvement I will get the 670. Just curious why are the prices so close together on these two models.


http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-02gp42680kr

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-video-card-gtx670dc24gd5

Does the extra 2gb really provide a huge difference for the 670 to be almost as expensive as

Considering I will be playing skyrim with a lot of mods I might have to go with the 4gb model of the 670 and pay the same price of the 680 which is fine. Does asus have quality GPU? I've heard the TOP models have has over-clocking issues. Considering this is not a TOP model I shouldn't have that type of issue.

 

[g-unit1111]

Pro it is. Last question. Also since the GTX 680 provides no significant improvement I will get the 670. Just curious why are the prices so close together on these two models.


http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-02gp42680kr

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-video-card-gtx670dc24gd5

Does the extra 2gb really provide a huge difference for the 670 to be almost as expensive as

Considering I will be playing skyrim with a lot of mods I might have to go with the 4gb model of the 670 and pay the same price of the 680 which is fine. Does asus have quality GPU? I've heard the TOP models have has over-clocking issues. Considering this is not a TOP model I shouldn't have that type of issue.

Only if you're using more than one monitor does it make a difference.

Asus GPUs are OK from what I hear. The EVGA ones are good but they only use reference coolers which are known to have heating issues when running at full capacity. The Gigabyte Windforce 3X is the best air GPU cooler you can get currently.

 

[marshallbradley]

I personally own an ASUS model, and I like it a lot. The temps are good (not amazing but very decent). The nice thing about it is that it's really, really quiet. The Gigabyte is probably an all-round better card (as in thermals performance and stuff), but if silence is important to you, the ASUS won't let you down.

M