My First Computer Build

[Alceister]

So this is more or less a reflection on my build, just to share the experience as well as to solicit comments and advice.

After about 6 months, the computer build I started working on has just about reached what I feel to be its full potential:

Intel Core i5-4670K
Corsair H60 (rear exhaust)
ASRock Z87 Extreme3
Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Sandisk Solid State Drive 128GB
Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB 3.5"
XFX Radeon HD 7870 2GB Core Edition
Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl)
Antec Neo Eco 620c
2x Fractal Design Silent Series R2 140mm (frontal intake)
1x Corsair SP120 High Performance 120mm (radiator intake)
1x Silverstone FHP-141 140mm (radiator exhaust)
1x be quiet! Silent Wings 2 140mm (bottom intake)

I replaced the default TIM with Arctic Silver 5. Not entirely by choice, as my clumsy fingers botched the installation and smeared some of it onto the CPU retaining clip. I've recently re-applied it a second time after discovering that my previous attempt was sub-par.

Without going into too many details, temperature levels are within tolerable limits. Idle CPU and GPU temperatures never exceed 35 degrees Celsius and the only audible elements are the pump and hard drive. I'm not sure what exact criteria I should be evaluating, but blend testing with Prime95 for 20 minutes results in temperatures hovering around 75 degrees Celsius, with the CPU package drawing about 60 watts of power. I suspect that load temperatures will gradually improve once the Silver 5 is given some time to settle in. Have not attempted overclocking yet, as I'm not sure if I have the headroom to pull it off.

Gaming-wise, the only game in my possession that I haven't been able to max out at 1920 x 1080 is Metro: Last Light, which averaged 29 fps with some noticeable drops.

Overall, I feel satisfied with my build. It runs pretty quiet when not under load and is a huge improvement over my older HP entertainment laptop/desktop replacement. I haven't been able to determine how power-efficient my set up is, though. Including taxes and rebates, I managed to purchase all of the major system components (CPU, MB, RAM, GPU, Case, PSU, SSD) for less than $1000 CAD. With the benefit of hindsight however, I feel that I probably should have went for a better graphics card, as the XFX gets quite loud and hot when under load. I also feel that I probably should have spent around $40-60 more for the Extreme4 motherboard and a better cooler.

Comments, feedback?

In particular, I'd like to know how well my build will stand up about two years later, and whether I should consider any component upgrades then, or in the near future. I would also like to know how I should proceed in regards to getting the most overclocking potential out of my system, if possible.

 

[coastie65]

So this is more or less a reflection on my build, just to share the experience as well as to solicit comments and advice.

After about 6 months, the computer build I started working on has just about reached what I feel to be its full potential:

Intel Core i5-4670K
Corsair H60 (rear exhaust)
ASRock Z87 Extreme3
Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Sandisk Solid State Drive 128GB
Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB 3.5"
XFX Radeon HD 7870 2GB Core Edition
Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl)
Antec Neo Eco 620c
2x Fractal Design Silent Series R2 140mm (frontal intake)
1x Corsair SP120 High Performance 120mm (radiator intake)
1x Silverstone FHP-141 140mm (radiator exhaust)
1x be quiet! Silent Wings 2 140mm (bottom intake)

I replaced the default TIM with Arctic Silver 5. Not entirely by choice, as my clumsy fingers botched the installation and smeared some of it onto the CPU retaining clip. I've recently re-applied it a second time after discovering that my previous attempt was sub-par.

Without going into too many details, temperature levels are within tolerable limits. Idle CPU and GPU temperatures never exceed 35 degrees Celsius and the only audible elements are the pump and hard drive. I'm not sure what exact criteria I should be evaluating, but blend testing with Prime95 for 20 minutes results in temperatures hovering around 75 degrees Celsius, with the CPU package drawing about 60 watts of power. I suspect that load temperatures will gradually improve once the Silver 5 is given some time to settle in. Have not attempted overclocking yet, as I'm not sure if I have the headroom to pull it off.

Gaming-wise, the only game in my possession that I haven't been able to max out at 1920 x 1080 is Metro: Last Light, which averaged 29 fps with some noticeable drops.

Overall, I feel satisfied with my build. It runs pretty quiet when not under load and is a huge improvement over my older HP entertainment laptop/desktop replacement. I haven't been able to determine how power-efficient my set up is, though. Including taxes and rebates, I managed to purchase all of the major system components (CPU, MB, RAM, GPU, Case, PSU, SSD) for less than $1000 CAD. With the benefit of hindsight however, I feel that I probably should have went for a better graphics card, as the XFX gets quite loud and hot when under load. I also feel that I probably should have spent around $40-60 more for the Extreme4 motherboard and a better cooler.

Comments, feedback?

In particular, I'd like to know how well my build will stand up about two years later, and whether I should consider any component upgrades then, or in the near future. I would also like to know how I should proceed in regards to getting the most overclocking potential out of my system, if possible.

Hi Looks good. As for CPU temps, you could probably have done better with a good air cooler. Those H60's aren't really all that efficient. As for down the road, you can just upgrade the Video card and cooler when the budget allows. You have laid a good foundation.

 

[Alceister]

So this is more or less a reflection on my build, just to share the experience as well as to solicit comments and advice.

After about 6 months, the computer build I started working on has just about reached what I feel to be its full potential:

Intel Core i5-4670K
Corsair H60 (rear exhaust)
ASRock Z87 Extreme3
Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Sandisk Solid State Drive 128GB
Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB 3.5"
XFX Radeon HD 7870 2GB Core Edition
Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl)
Antec Neo Eco 620c
2x Fractal Design Silent Series R2 140mm (frontal intake)
1x Corsair SP120 High Performance 120mm (radiator intake)
1x Silverstone FHP-141 140mm (radiator exhaust)
1x be quiet! Silent Wings 2 140mm (bottom intake)

I replaced the default TIM with Arctic Silver 5. Not entirely by choice, as my clumsy fingers botched the installation and smeared some of it onto the CPU retaining clip. I've recently re-applied it a second time after discovering that my previous attempt was sub-par.

Without going into too many details, temperature levels are within tolerable limits. Idle CPU and GPU temperatures never exceed 35 degrees Celsius and the only audible elements are the pump and hard drive. I'm not sure what exact criteria I should be evaluating, but blend testing with Prime95 for 20 minutes results in temperatures hovering around 75 degrees Celsius, with the CPU package drawing about 60 watts of power. I suspect that load temperatures will gradually improve once the Silver 5 is given some time to settle in. Have not attempted overclocking yet, as I'm not sure if I have the headroom to pull it off.

Gaming-wise, the only game in my possession that I haven't been able to max out at 1920 x 1080 is Metro: Last Light, which averaged 29 fps with some noticeable drops.

Overall, I feel satisfied with my build. It runs pretty quiet when not under load and is a huge improvement over my older HP entertainment laptop/desktop replacement. I haven't been able to determine how power-efficient my set up is, though. Including taxes and rebates, I managed to purchase all of the major system components (CPU, MB, RAM, GPU, Case, PSU, SSD) for less than $1000 CAD. With the benefit of hindsight however, I feel that I probably should have went for a better graphics card, as the XFX gets quite loud and hot when under load. I also feel that I probably should have spent around $40-60 more for the Extreme4 motherboard and a better cooler.

Comments, feedback?

In particular, I'd like to know how well my build will stand up about two years later, and whether I should consider any component upgrades then, or in the near future. I would also like to know how I should proceed in regards to getting the most overclocking potential out of my system, if possible.

Hi Looks good. As for CPU temps, you could probably have done better with a good air cooler. Those H60's aren't really all that efficient. As for down the road, you can just upgrade the Video card and cooler when the budget allows. You have laid a good foundation.

What would you recommend at this point in time?

When I was looking to replace the stock cooler, I was looking at the Cooler Master Hyper212 EVO and the NZXT Havik 140, which was reduced for clearance at one of my nearby computer stores. While the EVO is pretty much the most highly recommended cooler out there, I wanted to go for something a little stronger so that I could pull off a decent overclock in the future. As for the NZXT Havik, I was concerned that the weight of a large air cooler would overstress my motherboard, and I didn't like the fans that would come with it.

I didn't consider Noctuas, as my case is windowed and I wanted to maintain some aesthetic balance between whites, blacks, and shiny blues. I was also looking at Scythe, Phanteks, and bequiet!, but couldn't make up my mind on what cooler I wanted, especially in regards to pricing.

I ended up getting the Corsair H60 because some acquaintances vouched for the reliability, silence, and effectiveness of closed loop coolers, though I now feel that the one that I probably should have gone for one with a larger radiator. At the time I bought it however, it was selling for a little cheaper than its usual "sale price", which is more or less its usual retail price.

 

[coastie65]

The H^) was Corsair's first attempt at water cooling. People jumped on it because it was watercooling although it was no more efficient than an air cooler. They started hitting their stride with the H80.