EPTComputer Build Resource Thread - Page 718
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When using this resource, please read FragKrag's opening post. The Tech Support forum regulars have helped create countless of desktop systems without any compensation. The least you can do is provide all of the information required for them to help you properly. | ||
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aax5
United States54 Posts
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dyepaintball088
United States44 Posts
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=284333#1 | ||
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Invictus212
United Kingdom78 Posts
Thanks <3 I am looking forward to your feedback.  Build Request for Invictus What is your budget? The maximum I would be comfortable spending is approximately $1,500* for the computer. Like most of us here, we have a strong sense of value. This is why we are exploring building the computer ourselves to escape the hefty premiums charged by various corporations. Additionally, I want to have this PC for a long time without becoming obsolete. I am seeking true power -- I've never had a powerful, multi-tasking desktop before. I'm itching to really tap into the potential. I can be quite impatient and I hate waiting. Time is money after all! *This price is for the computer only. I would be willing to spend an additional amount to acquire two monitors, mechanical keyboard and Razer mouse. What is your resolution? I don't have a desktop right now, so I would also be in the market for a monitor. I've always wanted at least two for multi-tasking. That being said, I would like to have 1920 X 1200 resolution per monitor. I am honestly not familiar with the technical aspects behind supporting two monitors and how it functions, so I don't know if I'll want them split or not. As far as gaming goes, I think it would be strange to combine the monitors due to the width of the monitor's frame. And which ever configuration supports moving files, graphs, Chrome windows from one monitor to the other seamlessly, I would be content. What are you using it for? This would be my workstation, gaming station and "ultimate" media center. Workstation A lot of multi-tasking would be clearly involved. I won't be using anything graphically intensive since I am not pursuing a career in architecture, film editing, or the like. However, I do a lot of financial trading. As you know, speed/timing is crucial. Lag can make or break your day! Windows on my laptop can be so $#%$ing slow, so I really don't want to deal with that anymore. To illustrate my point, I cannot even open Chrome while running SC2 on the background. Thus, being able to have at least 4 programs (i.e. SC2, a website such as streaming CNBC, my trading platform, music from iTunes or something) running in the background without affecting computer performance, would be perfect! I am also a very passionate photography. I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop (although, I've been using it less since Lightroom has been sufficient as of late -- and I've been quite busy with schoolwork as well). I'm comfortable using external harddrives to store/back-up my photos. And I don't plan on doing a 1v1 in SC2 while editing photos anytime soon.... Gaming I love SC2 and First Person Shooters. -SC2 on High/Ultra with close to 100FPS would be ideal. -BF3/Call of Duty on highest settings, or close to it would be ideal. Ultimately, I want to enjoy the beautiful artwork of the game without sacrificing in-game performance. I don't want to lag anymore (and I lag on the lowest settings in SC2!  -- especially when my army gets larger). It would be cool to have a stream, so I can showcase my progression in SC2 from Gold to Masters on the TL streams, but for the sake of $$ if it poses to much of a problem to support streaming, then it's alright. Multi-tasking is key for me, so I don't want to be memory capped (if that's the proper term?) streaming and playing SC2. I still would like to have my trading program up, and the news up, if need be.Media Center (more of a dream... let me know if any of this is possible...) I don't really watch TV. I rarely do. My new computer would be my all-in-one for me. Perhaps, through my home network, I can even connect the TV to my computer, so I can watch MLG on the big screen for example? I haven't thought this part through. It's the least important, but if you have any ideas, please do not hesitate to suggest them. If I land my dream job (::crosses fingers:: I'm going to get my own place -- in dorms now -- and I envision a fully integrated home all revolving around my home computer and several other pieces of technology.I'll figure it out! What is your upgrade cycle? I am comfortable spending more right now for a longer upgrade cycle. I don't want to have to upgrade my computer in order to play the next generation game. I know I will have to at some point, but the longer I can wait to upgrade the better. I really want to get longevity out of my build. Life cycle of 3+ years is my goal. When do you plan on building it? I am completely flexible. I do not have to build it this second. I've read around that Intel, for example, is coming out with some new products soon (Sandybridge?). I am willing to wait until the newest generation of the components that I need come out (assuming that they are better of course). Furthermore, prices also go down over time. If waiting 6 months to get the best deal on those newly released products ends up saving me the most money on my build, then perfect. I'll do it. My focus is getting the best computer possible, and for the best price possible. Time will be our variable. We can manipulate that anyway we want to optimize our output. Do you plan on overclocking? Sure, if it doesn't harm the computer and improves performance! Would you recommend liquid-cooling? I've heard great things about it, and it seems like the most effective way to keep the computer cool. Do you need an Operating System? My University provides me with a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire? In short, I do not plan on it, but I am not opposed to adding it if you deem it necessary. Based on the little research that I've done (http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/918485-Two-video-cards-or-one), it doesn't seem to be worth it according to several posters in that forum. However, I am no expert, so I come to you guys! I am not sure if it is necessary for multiple monitors. Where are you buying your parts from? NCIX US, newegg, tigerdirect, amazon, etc. I am in the USA, so I will utilize all websites and stores that I can in search of the best deal. If you can recommend particular sites/stores that have not been mentioned in the OP, that would be great as well. Conclusion When it comes to constructing it, I would like to build it as clean and organized as the pros at cyberpower, etc (if not even better). I have not built a computer before, so it's a little daunting. It seems easier to have a company do it, but if you can guide me on how to set up the computer the same way these professional companies do, then I am pumped! ---- Thank you for your time reading and responding to my aforementioned post. You guys mentioned that the more detailed I can be, the better. I strived to be as detailed as possible. If you need any additional information, feel free to PM me. Additionally, I am open to having a dialogue with you guys in further length if you feel that it would be helpful. So shoot me a PM for that reason as well. Thanks again and much <3 to you all. | ||
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DONTPANIC
United States340 Posts
SONY Black Blu-ray Burner SATA BWU-500S http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118049 Blu-ray is pretty awesome to have if you're going to have a monitor that is probably better than your TV. Blu-ray discs also hold more information. CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX750 (CMPSU-750AX) 750W ATX12V v2.31 / EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139016 More power than you need but it's nice and modular and super efficient. If you end up going dual GPU it'll still be pleanty of power. SAPPHIRE 100311-2SR Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102918 Probably going to be the most argued part of the build. There are faster bigger cards out there... but this video card will be more than enough for everything you want to play. Two of them will be awesome when you have three monitors to play on. Windows 7 64 bit. What other options are there? Only nerds know... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 You can spend more on a monitor if you want. This one is pretty good. SAMSUNG P2770FH ToC Rose Black 27" 1ms Full HD HDMI LCD Monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001431 Woah this sucker is fast... If you fill up the 120GB get a storage drive when the prices are reasonable. Kingston HyperX SH100S3B/120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) (HyperX Upgrade Kit) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139601 I think this case looks classy. I changed it to this Corsair one because it's really nice. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139009 This mother board actually has a button on it that you press before start up that automatically overclocks your computer. You literally just push one button and your computer is faster. It's awesome. Might not be pushing any limits but it's pretty darn hard to mess up. Also it has all sorts of extra things you probab;y won't use but if you have a card reader or anything like that it can take it. MSI P67A-GD55 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130573 OMG it's not an i7! What the heck?! Well let me tell you something about that... (read like 500 of the 700 pages on this thread). Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 This ram is BY FAR the best ram to buy. Not only is it 1600 but it's also BLUE... which I don't know if you noticed yet... it's the SAME COLOR AS YOUR MOTHERBOARD! It's going to look amazing. (seriously it doesn't matter what speed you get). Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220570 This is so you can keep that automatically overclocked CPU cool. Pretty basic. Super awesome. COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 Total: $1,811.89 before MIR. Add your favorite keyboard and mouse. Haters gotta hate... I say get it and play some bad ass games at ultra max super settings. | ||
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FabledIntegral
United States9232 Posts
You also forgot to include a HDD, unless you expect him to spend $1800 and have a capacity of 120GB. Not bad choices though, otherwise. I just hope the OP is aware for most current games you don't need to spend anywhere near as much to max shit out on ultra, cept maybe BF3 (I still haven't looked into the requirements, but I've seen it argued over all the fucking time). | ||
Womwomwom
5930 Posts
1) 27" TN panels suck because the pixel pitch is huge, the resolution is awful, and its large enough that TN's weak viewing angles will probably come into play. The given 1ms figure is definitely going to be false or a half truth. No doubt about it. 2) When the Blu-Ray drive itself is $100, you might as well just get a PS3 at that point. $150 more and you get a console and something that can definitely read ALL Blu-Ray movies, something old Blu-Ray drives had problems with. 3) Fractal Design Arc is terrible value. Kind of flimsy, internal design isn't different from any other manufacturer, external aesthetic has that cheap faux metal finish which looks terrible on everything. Just get a Corsair 500R at that price. Battlefield 3 is easy to run at close to max settings with a little bit above typical hardware (HD6950 + i5 2500k). You just have to optimize it a little but it isn't as demanding as a lot of people say it is. The same thing happened with Bad Company 2...everyone hyped it up as some demanding PC game but it ran extremely well on my HD5850...turning off AA tends extremely to be beneficial. You don't even have to do that in BF3. BF3 has this new AA method called FXAA which is advertised to be able to apply decent quality AA with close to zero performance hits. That seems to be true so far since AMD cards like the HD6870 can pretty much run BF3's FXAA without taking huge performance hits so there's no reason to get hugely powerful systems unless you want to run obscene resolutions. Yeah OK Hardocp isn't the best website but it illustrates how overblown the whole "BF3 will kill PCs" is: http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/11/02/battlefield_3_single_player_performance_iq_review/4 A single HD6970 can run BF3 (high FXAA, ultra textures, 16xAF) at a resolution of 2560x1600 at an average FPS of 41 without taking many sharp FPS drops. Most of the time it stays above 30 FPS. Yeah, I know he wants to run BF3 at 100 FPS but you have to ask the question: what do you want 100FPS for? | ||
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Legatus Lanius
2135 Posts
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dyepaintball088
United States44 Posts
If you do post criticism, or better items please post why so I can understand better. I am also reading from the... + Show Spoiler + Computer Build Resource Thread:http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=137554 and the.... Optimized Gaming Computer Build Thread: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=271861 ...as guides. I will be using the computer for day to day things, like school, work, internet, watching streams, VOD's, and playing games of course. SC2 1v1 and customs, I will most likely be getting BF3 and other FPS's after. So I need it to be able to keep up with all of that. I also would not like to need to fix/upgrade for a long while after It is completed. Having the computer last for the longest possible time would also be great, 3-5 years at top performance. I do not know if I will be overclocking or not, as I do not fully understand what kind of actions would cause this to happen or if it is good, neutral or bad. I also would like to keep it all on one site but if you know of another site it is cheaper on and/or upcoming deals on the item as I am looking to purchase most of it on or around black Friday/cyber Monday weekend. I have a mouse, keyboard and I can handle the OS. I also will most likely be continuing to use my 32" LED TV as my monitor if that makes any difference. If that changed I would be going to some kind of smaller dual monitor setup. So probably full resolution, 1920x1080. Also I am not particular If I am running on ULTRA or not If I am above my current all low settings on SC2 and future BF3 I would be happy, Medium and High would be cool though . As long as I am not dropping frames and lagging.On to the build: I am pretty much going to copy the Special Mid $600 Build from the previously cited Optimized Gaming Computer Build Thread above. Just so I have some where to start from. Besides the case because I believe If I am going to put so much time, research and work into something It should get a better look than a cheap plain black case. + Show Spoiler + Motherboard: MSI P67S-C43 (B3) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130576 89.99$ Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 219.99$ CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 26.99$ Graphics Card: PowerColor AX6870 1GBD5-2DH Radeon HD 6870 1GB http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131378 159.99$ RAM: Pareema 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820576003 23.49$ Hard Drive: HITACHI HDS721050CLA362 (0F10381) 500GB 7200 RPM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145299 39.99$ Case: NZXT Apollo Black SECC Steel Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146025 $59.99 RAIDMAX SMILODON Extreme Black ATX-612WEB 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156078 $69.99 RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black/Silver 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156063 $69.99 NZXT M59-001BK M59 Gaming Mid Tower Case - ATX, mATX, Baby AT, Black http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5222597&Sku=A406-1094 $49.99 XION Vantage Mid-Tower Case AXP100-001BK - ATX, mATX http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4540656&CatId=1509 $49.99 Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 520W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371030 54.99$ Optical Drive: SAMSUNG CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-222AB - OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151233 16.99$ EDIT: Items that have been suggested as better. + Show Spoiler + These Items have been suggested to me: Ram: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBRL http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311 $42.99 Graphics Card: XFX HD-687X-CNFC Radeon HD 6870 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150563 $209.99 SAPPHIRE 100314-3L Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102948 $179.99 Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233 $59.99 COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233 $59.99 ZALMAN Z9 Plus Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811235027 $69.99 Thanks! | ||
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DONTPANIC
United States340 Posts
On November 10 2011 16:03 FabledIntegral wrote: There's no reason to throw $100 into a blu-ray burner unless he'll really want it. I don't agree with your PSU either, spending far too much money, at this point it feels he's spending extra money not for performance but for ease of use in assembly. If he's ok with spending more for that, then fine. Iffy on the graphics card. You also forgot to include a HDD, unless you expect him to spend $1800 and have a capacity of 120GB. Not bad choices though, otherwise. I just hope the OP is aware for most current games you don't need to spend anywhere near as much to max shit out on ultra, cept maybe BF3 (I still haven't looked into the requirements, but I've seen it argued over all the fucking time). I wouldn't expect ANYONE to buy an HDD at this point in time. He can get a storage drive later. The PSU is 80gold. It looks clean to have less leads in there too. PS3 can't burn Blu-Ray... Cmon... it's awesome. | ||
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Legatus Lanius
2135 Posts
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DONTPANIC
United States340 Posts
On November 10 2011 17:50 Legatus Lanius wrote: i dunno, the fractal has bigger front fan mounts and is cheaper than the 500r anyway. the side fan mount looks a little high though, i think a 180mm side fan will conflict with a tower heatsink I agree. The Hyper 212 is pretty dang big. Also... it looks hideous. White? What is this a MAC? I mean I'm all for big crazy cases ( I have a cosmos) but I don't like all those lights. But seriously... any case will do. Just needs some airflow. | ||
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Womwomwom
5930 Posts
On November 10 2011 17:50 Legatus Lanius wrote: i dunno, the fractal has bigger front fan mounts and is cheaper than the 500r anyway. the side fan mount looks a little high though, i think a 180mm side fan will conflict with a tower heatsink Meanwhile the Fractal hasn't got great build quality. The thing holding the Fractal Design R3 together has always been the bitumen dampening material (I have the R3, it specsheets features and does none of them well) but they're not on the Arc so I can only imagine the build quality. If you are going to pay $100+ for a case, you should pay for something that is actually build like one. The Corsair 500R is just a suggestion - its a popular case, its well designed, and it is subjectively decent looking - and I wouldn't ever get one. If the Antec P183 wasn't at its end of life, thus out of stock, I'd be recommending that. It was $100 a week or two ago. There's a full black version of the 500R. Also the lights turn off if you don't like them. The motherboard tray is recessed - you can fit a Hyper 212+ and the 200mm fan, which is actually typically lower than in most chassis. This is Corsair we're talking about, they're not scrubs in the PC hardware business and can one of the few companies that can design things properly. Even if hard drive prices are through the roof right now, its still more economical in the long run to just use a green drive than to burn everything onto Blu-Rays. Especially if you look around some brick and mortar stores who want to take advantage of the situation (Best Buy had Seagates going for $80). | ||
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DONTPANIC
United States340 Posts
Just saying... in a $2,000 build... blu-ray is an ok thing to throw in there. Edit: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139009 Dang, I AM a fan of it in black. | ||
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Shikyo
Finland33997 Posts
On November 10 2011 15:45 DONTPANIC wrote: Here is a $2000.00 build that you can upgrade if you want another GPU in the future. It's not a money saving build, it's not the most insane build you could possibly make... it's just a cool fast supercomputer you'll be able to game on for at least 4 years. SONY Black Blu-ray Burner SATA BWU-500S http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118049 Blu-ray is pretty awesome to have if you're going to have a monitor that is probably better than your TV. Blu-ray discs also hold more information. CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX750 (CMPSU-750AX) 750W ATX12V v2.31 / EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139016 More power than you need but it's nice and modular and super efficient. If you end up going dual GPU it'll still be pleanty of power. SAPPHIRE 100311-2SR Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102918 Probably going to be the most argued part of the build. There are faster bigger cards out there... but this video card will be more than enough for everything you want to play. Two of them will be awesome when you have three monitors to play on. Windows 7 64 bit. What other options are there? Only nerds know... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 You can spend more on a monitor if you want. This one is pretty good. SAMSUNG P2770FH ToC Rose Black 27" 1ms Full HD HDMI LCD Monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001431 Woah this sucker is fast... If you fill up the 120GB get a storage drive when the prices are reasonable. Kingston HyperX SH100S3B/120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) (HyperX Upgrade Kit) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139601 I think this case looks classy. I changed it to this Corsair one because it's really nice. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139009 This mother board actually has a button on it that you press before start up that automatically overclocks your computer. You literally just push one button and your computer is faster. It's awesome. Might not be pushing any limits but it's pretty darn hard to mess up. Also it has all sorts of extra things you probab;y won't use but if you have a card reader or anything like that it can take it. MSI P67A-GD55 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130573 OMG it's not an i7! What the heck?! Well let me tell you something about that... (read like 500 of the 700 pages on this thread). Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 This ram is BY FAR the best ram to buy. Not only is it 1600 but it's also BLUE... which I don't know if you noticed yet... it's the SAME COLOR AS YOUR MOTHERBOARD! It's going to look amazing. (seriously it doesn't matter what speed you get). Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220570 This is so you can keep that automatically overclocked CPU cool. Pretty basic. Super awesome. COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 Total: $1,811.89 before MIR. Add your favorite keyboard and mouse. Haters gotta hate... I say get it and play some bad ass games at ultra max super settings. I'm pretty amazed you managed to make a 1800$ build with just a 6970 - I couldn't do it. | ||
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skyR
Canada13817 Posts
On November 10 2011 15:40 Invictus212 wrote:+ Show Spoiler + Thank you to all the community members keeping the Tech Support section going. I've found this thread, among many others, to be extremely useful and education. I am far from a computer expert, but I am eager to learn more through experience. Thanks <3 I am looking forward to your feedback. Build Request for Invictus What is your budget? The maximum I would be comfortable spending is approximately $1,500* for the computer. Like most of us here, we have a strong sense of value. This is why we are exploring building the computer ourselves to escape the hefty premiums charged by various corporations. Additionally, I want to have this PC for a long time without becoming obsolete. I am seeking true power -- I've never had a powerful, multi-tasking desktop before. I'm itching to really tap into the potential. I can be quite impatient and I hate waiting. Time is money after all! *This price is for the computer only. I would be willing to spend an additional amount to acquire two monitors, mechanical keyboard and Razer mouse. What is your resolution? I don't have a desktop right now, so I would also be in the market for a monitor. I've always wanted at least two for multi-tasking. That being said, I would like to have 1920 X 1200 resolution per monitor. I am honestly not familiar with the technical aspects behind supporting two monitors and how it functions, so I don't know if I'll want them split or not. As far as gaming goes, I think it would be strange to combine the monitors due to the width of the monitor's frame. And which ever configuration supports moving files, graphs, Chrome windows from one monitor to the other seamlessly, I would be content. What are you using it for? This would be my workstation, gaming station and "ultimate" media center. Workstation A lot of multi-tasking would be clearly involved. I won't be using anything graphically intensive since I am not pursuing a career in architecture, film editing, or the like. However, I do a lot of financial trading. As you know, speed/timing is crucial. Lag can make or break your day! Windows on my laptop can be so $#%$ing slow, so I really don't want to deal with that anymore. To illustrate my point, I cannot even open Chrome while running SC2 on the background. Thus, being able to have at least 4 programs (i.e. SC2, a website such as streaming CNBC, my trading platform, music from iTunes or something) running in the background without affecting computer performance, would be perfect! I am also a very passionate photography. I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop (although, I've been using it less since Lightroom has been sufficient as of late -- and I've been quite busy with schoolwork as well). I'm comfortable using external harddrives to store/back-up my photos. And I don't plan on doing a 1v1 in SC2 while editing photos anytime soon.... Gaming I love SC2 and First Person Shooters. -SC2 on High/Ultra with close to 100FPS would be ideal. -BF3/Call of Duty on highest settings, or close to it would be ideal. Ultimately, I want to enjoy the beautiful artwork of the game without sacrificing in-game performance. I don't want to lag anymore (and I lag on the lowest settings in SC2! -- especially when my army gets larger). It would be cool to have a stream, so I can showcase my progression in SC2 from Gold to Masters on the TL streams, but for the sake of $$ if it poses to much of a problem to support streaming, then it's alright. Multi-tasking is key for me, so I don't want to be memory capped (if that's the proper term?) streaming and playing SC2. I still would like to have my trading program up, and the news up, if need be.Media Center (more of a dream... let me know if any of this is possible...) I don't really watch TV. I rarely do. My new computer would be my all-in-one for me. Perhaps, through my home network, I can even connect the TV to my computer, so I can watch MLG on the big screen for example? I haven't thought this part through. It's the least important, but if you have any ideas, please do not hesitate to suggest them. If I land my dream job (::crosses fingers:: I'm going to get my own place -- in dorms now -- and I envision a fully integrated home all revolving around my home computer and several other pieces of technology.I'll figure it out! What is your upgrade cycle? I am comfortable spending more right now for a longer upgrade cycle. I don't want to have to upgrade my computer in order to play the next generation game. I know I will have to at some point, but the longer I can wait to upgrade the better. I really want to get longevity out of my build. Life cycle of 3+ years is my goal. When do you plan on building it? I am completely flexible. I do not have to build it this second. I've read around that Intel, for example, is coming out with some new products soon (Sandybridge?). I am willing to wait until the newest generation of the components that I need come out (assuming that they are better of course). Furthermore, prices also go down over time. If waiting 6 months to get the best deal on those newly released products ends up saving me the most money on my build, then perfect. I'll do it. My focus is getting the best computer possible, and for the best price possible. Time will be our variable. We can manipulate that anyway we want to optimize our output. Do you plan on overclocking? Sure, if it doesn't harm the computer and improves performance! Would you recommend liquid-cooling? I've heard great things about it, and it seems like the most effective way to keep the computer cool. Do you need an Operating System? My University provides me with a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire? In short, I do not plan on it, but I am not opposed to adding it if you deem it necessary. Based on the little research that I've done (http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/918485-Two-video-cards-or-one), it doesn't seem to be worth it according to several posters in that forum. However, I am no expert, so I come to you guys! I am not sure if it is necessary for multiple monitors. Where are you buying your parts from? NCIX US, newegg, tigerdirect, amazon, etc. I am in the USA, so I will utilize all websites and stores that I can in search of the best deal. If you can recommend particular sites/stores that have not been mentioned in the OP, that would be great as well. Conclusion When it comes to constructing it, I would like to build it as clean and organized as the pros at cyberpower, etc (if not even better). I have not built a computer before, so it's a little daunting. It seems easier to have a company do it, but if you can guide me on how to set up the computer the same way these professional companies do, then I am pumped! ---- Thank you for your time reading and responding to my aforementioned post. You guys mentioned that the more detailed I can be, the better. I strived to be as detailed as possible. If you need any additional information, feel free to PM me. Additionally, I am open to having a dialogue with you guys in further length if you feel that it would be helpful. So shoot me a PM for that reason as well. Thanks again and much <3 to you all. Unless your software is well multi-threaded (which gaming is not), there is no point in waiting for the Sandybridge-E processors to be released next week as you will get little to no benefit from having a hex core. It's a bad idea to purchase a Sandybridge-E anyways with your budget if gaming is your primary concern because the core i7 3930k is going to be 1/3 of your budget and adding the X79 board, it's going to be 1/2 your budget. Sandybridge-E is also not set to replace Sandybridge, it's replacing the three year old LGA1366 Bloomfield. Intel just did a price drop on several processors and introduced a new core i7 2700k so there is no chance that Intel will be dropping pricing on its line of processors anytime soon when there is absolutely zero competition from AMD. They also have never dropped pricing on EOL processors so waiting for price drops is only going to net you with better performance at the same price. You can keep waiting forever but this isn't what most people tend to do. Other components (primarily SSDs, GPUs, and memory) do tend to drop over time but the next generation of GPUs aren't going to be out until the first half of next year. Not to mention Ivybridge is also going to be due out in March / April of next year. So like you said, pricing isn't static. You need to decide on a timeframe to purchase and come back for advice so we can recommend a configuration when pricing and components are both relevant. A core i5 2500k would be capable of streaming decently and is the best choice and for the next six months for any individual whose primary concern is gaming. If you want your computer to act as a television as well, you will need a TV tuner. Liquid cooling, especially enclosed ones such as the ones offered by Corsair are waste of money. The top-end air coolers perform just as well if not better at a similar or lower price. There is no way you will achieve a 100 frames per second average in Starcraft II on ultra or high unless of course you cheese / all-in every single ladder game maybe. You'll need to overclock the processor if you want to achieve the highest possible average frames per second. Overclocking isn't going to harm the computer unless you want it to by doing some absurd overclock. SLI / CrossfireX isn't worth it unless you are playing at large resolutions (eg. across multiple screens). On November 10 2011 15:45 DONTPANIC wrote:+ Show Spoiler + Here is a $2000.00 build that you can upgrade if you want another GPU in the future. It's not a money saving build, it's not the most insane build you could possibly make... it's just a cool fast supercomputer you'll be able to game on for at least 4 years. SONY Black Blu-ray Burner SATA BWU-500S http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118049 Blu-ray is pretty awesome to have if you're going to have a monitor that is probably better than your TV. Blu-ray discs also hold more information. CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX750 (CMPSU-750AX) 750W ATX12V v2.31 / EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139016 More power than you need but it's nice and modular and super efficient. If you end up going dual GPU it'll still be pleanty of power. SAPPHIRE 100311-2SR Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102918 Probably going to be the most argued part of the build. There are faster bigger cards out there... but this video card will be more than enough for everything you want to play. Two of them will be awesome when you have three monitors to play on. Windows 7 64 bit. What other options are there? Only nerds know... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 You can spend more on a monitor if you want. This one is pretty good. SAMSUNG P2770FH ToC Rose Black 27" 1ms Full HD HDMI LCD Monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001431 Woah this sucker is fast... If you fill up the 120GB get a storage drive when the prices are reasonable. Kingston HyperX SH100S3B/120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) (HyperX Upgrade Kit) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139601 I think this case looks classy. I changed it to this Corsair one because it's really nice. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139009 This mother board actually has a button on it that you press before start up that automatically overclocks your computer. You literally just push one button and your computer is faster. It's awesome. Might not be pushing any limits but it's pretty darn hard to mess up. Also it has all sorts of extra things you probab;y won't use but if you have a card reader or anything like that it can take it. MSI P67A-GD55 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130573 OMG it's not an i7! What the heck?! Well let me tell you something about that... (read like 500 of the 700 pages on this thread). Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 This ram is BY FAR the best ram to buy. Not only is it 1600 but it's also BLUE... which I don't know if you noticed yet... it's the SAME COLOR AS YOUR MOTHERBOARD! It's going to look amazing. (seriously it doesn't matter what speed you get). Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220570 This is so you can keep that automatically overclocked CPU cool. Pretty basic. Super awesome. COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 Total: $1,811.89 before MIR. Add your favorite keyboard and mouse. Haters gotta hate... I say get it and play some bad ass games at ultra max super settings. The monitor is 27" at 1080p. Unless you're blind as a bat, this screen is going to look terrible. The Dell U2412M is probably one of the best options right now if you are looking for a 1920x1200 resolution. It's IPS, low input lag, adjustable, and affordable: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&sku=320-2676 Kingston HyperX is a stupid choice. OCZ Vertex 3, Corsair Performance 3, and Crucial M4 are all similar in performance / if not faster and is less expensive as well. Not to mention Sandforce has / is still having reliability issues so getting a non-Sandforce based SSD such as the Crucial M4 is probably the best choice for many individuals and most of everyone you ask is going to recommend this SSD over anything else. Having a Corsair AX or Seasonic X makes sense I guess if you are lazy with hiding the unused cables. Planning for a SLI / CrossfireX upgrade is usually a bad idea since performance with multi-GPU configurations are inconsistent and in three years time, you'll likely be able to purchase a card in the same price range that offers better performance than the older multi-GPU configuration. | ||
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Legatus Lanius
2135 Posts
On November 10 2011 18:48 Womwomwom wrote: Meanwhile the Fractal hasn't got great build quality. The thing holding the Fractal Design R3 together has always been the bitumen dampening material (I have the R3, it specsheets features and does none of them well) but they're not on the Arc so I can only imagine the build quality. If you are going to pay $100+ for a case, you should pay for something that is actually build like one. The Corsair 500R is just a suggestion - its a popular case, its well designed, and it is subjectively decent looking - and I wouldn't ever get one. If the Antec P183 wasn't at its end of life, thus out of stock, I'd be recommending that. It was $100 a week or two ago. There's a full black version of the 500R. Also the lights turn off if you don't like them. The motherboard tray is recessed - you can fit a Hyper 212+ and the 200mm fan, which is actually typically lower than in most chassis. This is Corsair we're talking about, they're not scrubs in the PC hardware business and can one of the few companies that can design things properly. Even if hard drive prices are through the roof right now, its still more economical in the long run to just use a green drive than to burn everything onto Blu-Rays. Especially if you look around some brick and mortar stores who want to take advantage of the situation (Best Buy had Seagates going for $80). why does build quality matter? i dont hit my case when i lose a pvz, and i dont think its going to fall apart from the air's natural convection either. if you're meaning is the sound deadening then fine, i didnt think itd be great for noise either | ||
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Wabbit
United States1028 Posts
On November 10 2011 10:18 beefhamburger wrote: I was going to get a 200 mm fan but all of them are obsessed with LED lights on them T_T so I'm just going to buy this cheap pack of 120 mm fans. I don't really know much about fan quality. I hope they are compatible if I get something like an ASRock Z68 mobo. I have a few (hopefully) helpful thoughts: - I have a HAF 912 myself, and the airflow of the stock 2 fans is OK if you're not OC'ing highly or doing dual-GPU - I was also looking at those fans they are sleeve bearing which I've read is the shortest lifespan and most likely to be noisy (of course that's why it's the cheapest). I think they're the same as the stock fans on the 912. I tried using one of those fans horizontally and it makes a nasty buzzing noise (same as some of the newegg comments on that fan pack). This is, from my reading, common for sleeve bearing to be bad when mounted horizontally - If you want to add fans I strongly, strongly recommend getting some higher quality fans. They'll last longer and be more quiet. Some better brands are Scythe, Noctua, Yate Loon, Gelid, some Silverstone, but there are better and worse fans from each manufacturer. I've heard Silentpcreview.com is a great resource for research. | ||
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Invictus212
United Kingdom78 Posts
And although I am replying to comments left by a specific user, everyone is obviously free to weigh in. It's not just for the OP of the quoted text. Thanks all <3 P.S. Just for kicks, I went onto CyberPowerPC to get a benchmark price for a "dream PC." I got the best (from my limited knowledge) products that they offered and tried to max out as much as good within reason. The prices that I got ranged from $1,500 - $2,000 for the computer alone. I am going to include two sample builds at the bottom of my post, so you know what I've been doing. Keep in mind, I'm used i7 instead of i5 into my build as I was trying to max things out. I've gleamed some helpful advice from DONTPANIC's post, and I would be willing to i5. Nonetheless, I just used the i7s to get the worst case price scenario. Let me know what you think about that too. On November 10 2011 16:03 FabledIntegral wrote: + Show Spoiler + There's no reason to throw $100 into a blu-ray burner unless he'll really want it. I don't agree with your PSU either, spending far too much money, at this point it feels he's spending extra money not for performance but for ease of use in assembly. If he's ok with spending more for that, then fine. Iffy on the graphics card. You also forgot to include a HDD, unless you expect him to spend $1800 and have a capacity of 120GB. Not bad choices though, otherwise. I just hope the OP is aware for most current games you don't need to spend anywhere near as much to max shit out on ultra, cept maybe BF3 (I still haven't looked into the requirements, but I've seen it argued over all the fucking time). Hey FabledIntegral, SUBJECT 1: BLU-RAY The Blu-ray drive only serves to read Blu-ray movies (and CDs) right? Perhaps, in the future games might be going to Blu-ray, due to their higher storage capacity, so it might make sense to invest in the drive. I understand, and agree with your point about the blu-ray burner though. I don't really need it, and at the end of the build (depending on the price) that is the first thing I would chop-off. I rarely use my CD ROM drive on my computer today in the first place, so I doubt I'd suddenly use it more. Is there a difference in price between a Blu-ray burner and a Blu-ray reader? That might be a good compromise. SUBJECT 2: PSU I'm not really qualified to weigh in on that. I don't really understand the difference between the various power supplies, besides the obvious -- different degrees of power supply! If you disagree with DONTPANIC's recommendation, do you (or anyone else with the same opinion) have another one in mind so I can make a comparison?SUBJECT 3: GPU I agree with you about the graphics card. I was also a little iffy as well, but I don't know too much about them. I've always leaned towards NVEDIA based on brand alone. I don't know if it's substantiated or just stupid. I'm open-minded, and I'll follow the advice on the boards, as you guys know way more about this then I do -- hence why I am posting my build request in the first place. On November 10 2011 16:05 Womwomwom wrote: + Show Spoiler + Spending $2000 on a whole computer system in general isn't a bad idea - spending the whole thing on the desktop itself is stupid however. You've got to do it sensibly: 1) 27" TN panels suck because the pixel pitch is huge, the resolution is awful, and its large enough that TN's weak viewing angles will probably come into play. The given 1ms figure is definitely going to be false or a half truth. No doubt about it. 2) When the Blu-Ray drive itself is $100, you might as well just get a PS3 at that point. $150 more and you get a console and something that can definitely read ALL Blu-Ray movies, something old Blu-Ray drives had problems with. 3) Fractal Design Arc is terrible value. Kind of flimsy, internal design isn't different from any other manufacturer, external aesthetic has that cheap faux metal finish which looks terrible on everything. Just get a Corsair 500R at that price. Battlefield 3 is easy to run at close to max settings with a little bit above typical hardware (HD6950 + i5 2500k). You just have to optimize it a little but it isn't as demanding as a lot of people say it is. The same thing happened with Bad Company 2...everyone hyped it up as some demanding PC game but it ran extremely well on my HD5850...turning off AA tends extremely to be beneficial. You don't even have to do that in BF3. BF3 has this new AA method called FXAA which is advertised to be able to apply decent quality AA with close to zero performance hits. That seems to be true so far since AMD cards like the HD6870 can pretty much run BF3's FXAA without taking huge performance hits so there's no reason to get hugely powerful systems unless you want to run obscene resolutions. Yeah OK Hardocp isn't the best website but it illustrates how overblown the whole "BF3 will kill PCs" is: http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/11/02/battlefield_3_single_player_performance_iq_review/4 A single HD6970 can run BF3 (high FXAA, ultra textures, 16xAF) at a resolution of 2560x1600 at an average FPS of 41 without taking many sharp FPS drops. Most of the time it stays above 30 FPS. Yeah, I know he wants to run BF3 at 100 FPS but you have to ask the question: what do you want 100FPS for? Hey Womwomwom! Thanks for your response, by the way. Let's start from the top. In response to your #1 (27'' monitors): That's a very interesting point about the pixels. How does that come into play? If the pixel pitch is huge, how does that affect the experience of using the monitor? I googled pixel pitch, so I have an understanding of what it is. I just don't understand how a large pitch is a bad thing. Is there a larger risk for pixel problems to occur with larger monitors, or is the risk the same regardless of monitor size? All this talk about pixels made me remember about dead pixels. I've experienced it once on an old mobile phone that I had a long time ago. I do understand your point about the viewing angles. Are there 27'' monitors that solved the viewing angle problem? For the record, I am not trying to be difficult. I ask questions, just so I can make sure that I understand everything. I have no problem going down to a 24'' monitor (I do plan on getting at least two, so that should be plenty), but I just like to know why. I don't like to blindly do things. In response to your #2 (Blu-ray): I agree with you, and I've covered that point in my response to Fabled's post. In response to your #3 (Fractal Design Arc): I googled that. It's a case, correct? I agree with you on that point, and DONTPANIC did as well. He changed it to the Corsair. I don't have much of an opinion of cases. I know very little about it, but based on my quick google search I do agree with you on the Fractal Design Arc. I won't get that for sure, thanks! In response to your #4 (GPU): This is a big one in general. Like I said earlier, I'm a newbie, so I cannot truly weigh in here. I just know brands. I stated that I wanted 100 FPS (or close to it) since I figured that would be an amazing benchmark for a quality performance computer. I apologize for my vaguness, but in my head I meant 100 FPS for Starcraft 2 at ultra. That's my primary game of choice as of late. As long as BF3 and other games run well, than I'm good. I didn't benchmark or even do research for what kind of FPS is excellent for BF3. I did not mean across the board 100 FPS, but hey, that would be cool. The configurations that I've played with on CyberPowerPC come to 95 FPS (SC2 on ultra) according to their tests based on the GPU that I selected (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card). I know I am probably going overboard with all this, but this was all done prior to receiving your advice. If you all recommend a different GPU, then I am all ears. I am just trying to get the best within reason. Right now I've been wondering between... fuck, I don't know what is is called, but you see the NVEDIA card that I just listed. It has 1GB. Other cards have 2GB, 2.5GB, etc. How important is that when making my decision? On November 10 2011 21:37 skyR wrote: Unless your software is well multi-threaded (which gaming is not), there is no point in waiting for the Sandybridge-E processors to be released next week as you will get little to no benefit from having a hex core. It's a bad idea to purchase a Sandybridge-E anyways with your budget if gaming is your primary concern because the core i7 3930k is going to be 1/3 of your budget and adding the X79 board, it's going to be 1/2 your budget. Sandybridge-E is also not set to replace Sandybridge, it's replacing the three year old LGA1366 Bloomfield. Intel just did a price drop on several processors and introduced a new core i7 2700k so there is no chance that Intel will be dropping pricing on its line of processors anytime soon when there is absolutely zero competition from AMD. They also have never dropped pricing on EOL processors so waiting for price drops is only going to net you with better performance at the same price. You can keep waiting forever but this isn't what most people tend to do. Other components (primarily SSDs, GPUs, and memory) do tend to drop over time but the next generation of GPUs aren't going to be out until the first half of next year. Not to mention Ivybridge is also going to be due out in March / April of next year. So like you said, pricing isn't static. You need to decide on a timeframe to purchase and come back for advice so we can recommend a configuration when pricing and components are both relevant. A core i5 2500k would be capable of streaming decently and is the best choice and for the next six months for any individual whose primary concern is gaming. If you want your computer to act as a television as well, you will need a TV tuner. Liquid cooling, especially enclosed ones such as the ones offered by Corsair are waste of money. The top-end air coolers perform just as well if not better at a similar or lower price. There is no way you will achieve a 100 frames per second average in Starcraft II on ultra or high unless of course you cheese / all-in every single ladder game maybe. You'll need to overclock the processor if you want to achieve the highest possible average frames per second. Overclocking isn't going to harm the computer unless you want it to by doing some absurd overclock. SLI / CrossfireX isn't worth it unless you are playing at large resolutions (eg. across multiple screens). The monitor is 27" at 1080p. Unless you're blind as a bat, this screen is going to look terrible. The Dell U2412M is probably one of the best options right now if you are looking for a 1920x1200 resolution. It's IPS, low input lag, adjustable, and affordable: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&sku=320-2676 Kingston HyperX is a stupid choice. OCZ Vertex 3, Corsair Performance 3, and Crucial M4 are all similar in performance / if not faster and is less expensive as well. Not to mention Sandforce has / is still having reliability issues so getting a non-Sandforce based SSD such as the Crucial M4 is probably the best choice for many individuals and most of everyone you ask is going to recommend this SSD over anything else. Having a Corsair AX or Seasonic X makes sense I guess if you are lazy with hiding the unused cables. Planning for a SLI / CrossfireX upgrade is usually a bad idea since performance with multi-GPU configurations are inconsistent and in three years time, you'll likely be able to purchase a card in the same price range that offers better performance than the older multi-GPU configuration. Hey SkyR. Amazing and informative post. Thank you. You covered a lot, so I'm going to start from the top. In regards to the fluctuation of prices, if it helps to pick a definitive date, let's say that I would like to start building this computer by May 2012 at the latest. In the meantime, I can gather parts for it if the prices are great. You mentioned that a core i5 2500K would be an excellent choice for a gamer for the next six months. I reread your line carefully, so I don't take your words out of context. I hope I didn't. Regardless, I want to point out that (ideally) I would like my CPU to be relevant for more than six months (is that possible?) Saying that's it is good enough for another six months, doesn't sell it to me. On the contrary, it makes me wonder if I should get something else. You also mentioned that the IvyBridge, along with a lot of other components are come out with new generations in the first part of next year. This is why I made my build date around May. I would like to get the newest generation of hardware, if possible. And if it's overpriced, I'm sure a lot of the good hardware that we all drool over today, would go down in price due to the new releases. With respect to FPS, please check out the CyberPowerPC config on the bottom. Perhaps, it is reaching such levels because of over-clocking... I'm not too sure how it works, but I know that they state that based on my configuration (I was just messing around on the website) I should get 95 FPS on SC2 ultra. And no, I don't plan on cheesing. I play honorably! I would really like my build to meet that FPS criteria. It's a good way to benchmark performance imo. The components can sound good, but the bottom line is does it perform well enough. FPS, I think, provides a good barometer for that. About liquid cooling: Have you had first-hand experience with liquid cooling by any chance? From googling, I got the sense that it's possibly the future of cooling. Fans seem so 'old school.' I've read your other suggestions about the monitors, the drives and the SLI. I only have one question about the SLI. You wrote: you'll likely be able to purchase a card in the same price range that offers better performance than the older multi-GPU configuration. I completely agree. But... In the future, couldn't I simply buy two new GPU's to replace my old one if I needed to? Why is planning for it a bad idea? I don't quite understand how planning for it can be inconsistent. Thank you for the informative post. I've learned a lot from you, and everyone else. Conclusion Thanks for the feedback. Please keep them coming. CyberPowerPC Configurations for Price Benchmarking #1 @ $1,556 + Show Spoiler + Case: * Corsair Carbide Series 400R Mid-Tower Gaming Case Laser Engraving: NONE Laser Engraving Message: Internal USB Extension Module: None Neon Light Upgrade: None Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Default case fans Noise Reduction Technology: None CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified) Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: Pro OC (Performance Overclock 10% or more) Cooling Fan: CoolIT ECO II-240 Extreme Performance Liquid Cooling System 240MM Radiator & Dual Fans Coolant for Cyberpower Xtreme Hydro Water Cooling Kits: Standard Coolant Motherboard: * [CrossFireX/SLI] GigaByte Z68X-UD3H-B3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ Lucid Virtu Intel Smart Response Technology & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 4x SATA-III RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified) [+66] Intel Smart Response Technology for Z68: 60 GB OCZ Agility 3 SATA III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 525MB/s Read & 475MB/s Write [+106] (Single Drive) Memory: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module (Corsair XMS Gaming Memory with Heat Spreader) Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 2GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+128] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA) Freebies: None Video Card 2: None Video Card 3: None Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts - XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply Hard Drive: 120 GB OCZ Agility 3 SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 525MB/s Read & 500MB/s Write [-5] (Single Drive) Data Hard Drive: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+175] (Single Drive) Hard Drive Cooling Fan: Vigor iSURF II Hard Disk Drive Cooling System [+21] (1 x System) External Hard Drive (USB3.0/2.0/eSATA): None USB Flash Drive: None Optical Drive: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR) Optical Drive 2: None Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO 3D Vision Glasses: None LCD Monitor: None 2nd Monitor: None 3rd Monitor: None Speakers: None Network: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network Network Switch: None Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse Freebies: None Mouse Pad: None Gaming Gear: None Extra Thermal Display: None Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: None External Wireless Network Card: None Wireless 802.11 B/G/N Access Point: None Bluetooth: None Flash Media Reader/Writer: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR) Video Camera: None Headset: None Printer: None Cable: None Power Protection: None Surge Protector: None IEEE1394 Card: None Internal USB Port: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports USB Port: None Operating System: Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit Edition) Media Center Remote Control & TV Tuner: None Office Suite: None Games: None Ultra Care Option: None Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT Rush Service: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS I went all out with that one. I was clueless when choosing a motherboard though, and I picked the video card based on the FPS that they reported for SC2 on Ultra. For an additional $99 I can get Pioneer BDR-206BK 12X Blu-Ray Writer (Black Color). Based on the builds, and stuff that I've received as part of feedback has been hovering around this price range. Do you think this build that I did in several minutes is a good baseline. Is it worth buying this, if it's awesome? Can I build this same computer on my own for cheaper (with over clocking too). My intentions has been to build a computer. It's generally cheaper, and a fun process. You get to really customize your own product and call it your own! But based on this price that I got at CyberPower, and with the prices that I am seeing with the components, it's surprisingly similar. I've heard talk about bottlenecking and stuff. I want to avoid all the pitfalls with my new PC, so please help! Thanks again. I am looking forward to writing up a blog to document all my progress. You'll get to see the finished product! | ||
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Shikyo
Finland33997 Posts
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beefhamburger
United States3962 Posts
On November 11 2011 01:38 Wabbit wrote: I have a few (hopefully) helpful thoughts: - I have a HAF 912 myself, and the airflow of the stock 2 fans is OK if you're not OC'ing highly or doing dual-GPU - I was also looking at those fans they are sleeve bearing which I've read is the shortest lifespan and most likely to be noisy (of course that's why it's the cheapest). I think they're the same as the stock fans on the 912. I tried using one of those fans horizontally and it makes a nasty buzzing noise (same as some of the newegg comments on that fan pack). This is, from my reading, common for sleeve bearing to be bad when mounted horizontally - If you want to add fans I strongly, strongly recommend getting some higher quality fans. They'll last longer and be more quiet. Some better brands are Scythe, Noctua, Yate Loon, Gelid, some Silverstone, but there are better and worse fans from each manufacturer. I've heard Silentpcreview.com is a great resource for research. Thanks for the input. I'll definitely be looking at those if I deem it necessary to get more fans. And I also read that thing about mounting them horizontally causes them to make noises. | ||
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