My $2000 CDN build, can you guys review and suggest?

[Jake Choi]

Hi forum,

I think this is my first post ever... excited to hear from you guys!

Case - NZXT Phantom Full Tower Enthusiast
SDD - Samsung 840 250GB
CPU - i5-4670K
GPU - MSI Radeon 7990
PSU - 850W Modular Gold (??)
MOBO - Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H (??)
Monitor - Samsung S23A700D (3D 120Hz)
Cooler - CM Evo 212+ Hyper
RAM - G.Skill Ripjaw 2x4GB 1600Mhz

I live in Canada, and I want to hear your opinion on my rig above.

I already purchased the monitor and the GPU.

Question now is...
1) Any good PSU unit you guys can recommend? Price range I'd like to see is probably between $110 to $140
2) Any good MOBO? Z87X-UD3H isn't on sale and it is quite expensive...
3) Do you guys know any good retailer where I can buy a nice White/Blue Phantom from any Canadian store?
4) Any other comments/suggestions on how to improve my rig??

Thanks guys in advance!

 

[TheBigTroll]

get this
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/1vkSH

-the d3h is the same board but with less sata ports. depends on if you actually need to power 8 drives (which you arent)
-better CPU cooler. you can price match at ncix
-same goes for the hard drive, SSD, ram, and dvd drive
-much better case for much cheaper. its up to you if you want a completely plastic case, but if you ask me, id prefer something built out of solid steel
-a 650w psu would be enough but the 750w unit is a little cheaper. doesnt really hurt. i can tell you right now that you are not going to put another 7990 in your system. if you do, you made a stupid mistake as quad fire scales like crap (or scales backwards)

 

[TheBigTroll]

also, if you do some of the purchases in store at ncix, you can probably shave a hundred dollars off the purchase if you bargain with the sales reps

 

[Jake Choi]

get this
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/1vkSH

-the d3h is the same board but with less sata ports. depends on if you actually need to power 8 drives (which you arent)
-better CPU cooler. you can price match at ncix
-same goes for the hard drive, SSD, ram, and dvd drive
-much better case for much cheaper. its up to you if you want a completely plastic case, but if you ask me, id prefer something built out of solid steel
-a 650w psu would be enough but the 750w unit is a little cheaper. doesnt really hurt. i can tell you right now that you are not going to put another 7990 in your system. if you do, you made a stupid mistake as quad fire scales like crap (or scales backwards)

So would D3H perform just as well? I mean... they say UD3H is better for OC but does it matter? I am planning to OC my cpu to like 4.3Ghz
What other coolers do you recommend?
I am not sure about 650W... their minimum wattage requirement is 750w.
And how come you don't like the RAM and the SSD I chose? because of the price?
I really like NZXT Phantom series, don't want to drift away from it. Plus, I heard good stuff about it.

And I didn't know about bargaining with NCIX reps.. lol is it just like talking to Telus and Rogers?

 

[g-unit1111]

To answer your questions:

1. See below.
2. Also see below.
3. I don't think that case exists. Unless you want to buy one and paint it yourself.
4. Do not purchase the 7990 - it is known to have lots of driver issues because it's a dual GPU on one card configuration. It also cannot be Crossfired.

I would do this instead:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ NCIX)
CPU Cooler: Swiftech H220 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($147.05 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($159.75 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.98 @ NCIX)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($110.40 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($149.99 @ Canada Computers)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card ($677.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: NZXT Phantom 630 (Gunmetal) ATX Full Tower Case ($169.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G2 1000W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($169.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($18.75 @ Vuugo)
Total: $1913.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-23 12:24 EDT-0400)

Then add a second 780 later when the price drops.

 

[TheBigTroll]

all boards overclock the same. the d3h is the EXACT SAME BOARD but with less sata ports and 2 fewer usb 3s

a 650w is enough. you can have a 750w if you want, wont change much

its cheaper ram and as for the SSD, its a better unit altogether

if you are buying it because it looks cool, it wont after a year or 2. in my opinion, its better to get a case that is a bit boring and if need be, throw some white LEDs and it would stand out way more than a phantom. if you are willing to sacrifice the build quality, ease of use, and cabling room, get the phantom 410 instead of the arc midi r2. also can be price matched
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=6_112&item_id=044284

bargaining yes, but without the stupidity that comes along with rogers or telus operators

 

[Jake Choi]

To answer your questions:

1. See below.
2. Also see below.
3. I don't think that case exists. Unless you want to buy one and paint it yourself.
4. Do not purchase the 7990 - it is known to have lots of driver issues because it's a dual GPU on one card configuration. It also cannot be Crossfired.

I would do this instead:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ NCIX)
CPU Cooler: Swiftech H220 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($147.05 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($159.75 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.98 @ NCIX)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($110.40 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($149.99 @ Canada Computers)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card ($677.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: NZXT Phantom 630 (Gunmetal) ATX Full Tower Case ($169.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G2 1000W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($169.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($18.75 @ Vuugo)
Total: $1913.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Thanks for such a detailed response.

I already purchased the 7990 because:
1) comes with 8 games which I can either re-sell or just enjoy em (almost $200~250 value altogether)
2) there is this "beta" driver which seems to be solving almost everything you mentioned about frame issues. I read numerous articles and they seem to be working at it
3) performs better than GTX 780, if anything, better than 690 and Titan in most cases


(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-23 12:24 EDT-0400)

Then add a second 780 later when the price drops.

As for the NZXT Phantom, I think you are right.. I only see White/Red and Red/Blue... But I like how it is a full tower and gives enough room for VGA clearance and internal air flow.

For MB, can you compare with Z87X-U3H as mentioned by TheBigTroll? It is on sale for $130, with additional $30 rebate...

As for RAM, what is the difference? I think the Ripjaw G.Skill has the similar specs.

Everything else, I thank you for your response.

Fixed your code. -G

 

[Jake Choi]

all boards overclock the same. the d3h is the EXACT SAME BOARD but with less sata ports and 2 fewer usb 3s

a 650w is enough. you can have a 750w if you want, wont change much

its cheaper ram and as for the SSD, its a better unit altogether

if you are buying it because it looks cool, it wont after a year or 2. in my opinion, its better to get a case that is a bit boring and if need be, throw some white LEDs and it would stand out way more than a phantom. if you are willing to sacrifice the build quality, ease of use, and cabling room, get the phantom 410 instead of the arc midi r2. also can be price matched
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=6_112&item_id=044284

bargaining yes, but without the stupidity that comes along with rogers or telus operators

I did not know about the bargaining side... thanks for the tip!

I didn't want to get the Phantom 410 series because the VGA clearance is cutting it too close for my 7990 (approx 303mm, while VGA clearance is 305mm)

Ok, I think I want to get the board you just mentioned then.. if you say that there is really no benefit in getting the UD3H over U3H. Thanks for your help!

 

[TheBigTroll]

the drive bays on the 410 can be removed for more room.

another note is the small grommets of the phantom or 410. just more hassle

 

[g-unit1111]

As for the NZXT Phantom, I think you are right.. I only see White/Red and Red/Blue... But I like how it is a full tower and gives enough room for VGA clearance and internal air flow.

For MB, can you compare with Z87X-U3H as mentioned by TheBigTroll? It is on sale for $130, with additional $30 rebate...

As for RAM, what is the difference? I think the Ripjaw G.Skill has the similar specs.

Everything else, I thank you for your response.

Fixed your code. -G

1. That's why I put the 630 - the gunmetal color is pretty sweet.
2. They're both about the same, the Asrock has won a lot of awards for it's quality construction.
3. I just go with whatever is cheapest and is low profile.

 

[Jake Choi]

As for the NZXT Phantom, I think you are right.. I only see White/Red and Red/Blue... But I like how it is a full tower and gives enough room for VGA clearance and internal air flow.

For MB, can you compare with Z87X-U3H as mentioned by TheBigTroll? It is on sale for $130, with additional $30 rebate...

As for RAM, what is the difference? I think the Ripjaw G.Skill has the similar specs.

Everything else, I thank you for your response.

Fixed your code. -G

1. That's why I put the 630 - the gunmetal color is pretty sweet.
2. They're both about the same, the Asrock has won a lot of awards for it's quality construction.
3. I just go with whatever is cheapest and is low profile.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Jake Choi]

the drive bays on the 410 can be removed for more room.

another note is the small grommets of the phantom or 410. just more hassle

OK, I just wanted to go with the full tower because it probably contains more space for air flow??

And I think I was looking for the WHITE/BLUE as in.. the White one id by default, comes with blue LED inside.. so WHITE Is the one I was looking for

 

[g-unit1111]

the drive bays on the 410 can be removed for more room.

another note is the small grommets of the phantom or 410. just more hassle

OK, I just wanted to go with the full tower because it probably contains more space for air flow??

And I think I was looking for the WHITE/BLUE as in.. the White one id by default, comes with blue LED inside.. so WHITE Is the one I was looking for

If you get a large-ish mid tower like the Corsair 600T or Phantom 630, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to get the same air flow as someone with a full tower would get.

 

[Jake Choi]

the drive bays on the 410 can be removed for more room.

another note is the small grommets of the phantom or 410. just more hassle

OK, I just wanted to go with the full tower because it probably contains more space for air flow??

And I think I was looking for the WHITE/BLUE as in.. the White one id by default, comes with blue LED inside.. so WHITE Is the one I was looking for

If you get a large-ish mid tower like the Corsair 600T or Phantom 630, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to get the same air flow as someone with a full tower would get.

I don't know, the prices are weird because the 630 is much more expensive than the full tower that I am looking at (Full tower is only $109.99 whereas the 630 is for $169.99). That's why.

 

[TheBigTroll]

the 630 is like a newer version of the original phantom. still a full tower however, a mid tower should be able the provide the same airflow to your components as a full size case.

 

[Jake Choi]

the 630 is like a newer version of the original phantom. still a full tower however, a mid tower should be able the provide the same airflow to your components as a full size case.

Yea, I'm all for 410, but I don't know how to remove these hard-drive bays... you are the first one to told mea bout it... and I'm scared that I might break something

 

[TheBigTroll]

2 or 3 screws is all you need to take out

heres an unboxing. should help you out a little
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONNCUl7VVts

 

[Jake Choi]

2 or 3 screws is all you need to take out

heres an unboxing. should help you out a little
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONNCUl7VVts

Sorry for so many dumb questions but is the Enthusiast Full Tower version something old compared to the 410?
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=111&item_id=035228
This is what I wanted to buy intially.

 

[TheBigTroll]

thats the full tower. just get the regular 410.

 

[Jake Choi]

thats the full tower. just get the regular 410.

Ok, sounds good but seems like there is a missing fan on the side window panel. Do I just get a random 140mm fan to go wit hit? like ANY 140mm?

 

[TheBigTroll]

you dont need a side panel fan. they arent useful to begin with

 

[Jake Choi]

you dont need a side panel fan. they arent useful to begin with

OK, thanks for your help mate!