SFF dilemma

jubbie

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
230
I've been stuck picking something for a new build and welcome any suggestions! Quick answers to the questions below....

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Bit of everything. Most importantly being able to power 2560x1440 resolution in games. I jumped the gun and bought a U2713HM. Still sorting out issues with yellow tint and tearing but hopefully it'll go away in time. Otherwise I might just RMA it.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
About 2k but will go for the bang for buck option.

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Australia. A major pain in the arse for parts. Getting everything shipped here cost more and you get ripped buying local :rolleyes:.

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
CPU - i5 3570k looking at overclocking to about 4.6GHz
RAM - Anything that fits the case and HSF
HSF - AXP-140 with a Scythe slim fan is probably the best performer at the moment. AXP-100 might be a good choice if it can stay reasonably quiet and still perform. The next option is NH-L12 but I dont think it can handle the clocks with just the bottom fan while keeping silent. Not really looking at closed loop liquid cooling unfortunately.
Case - SG05 is the top choice but FT-03 mini is not out of the question. Just depends on how things fit. I do want something with a small footprint.
Mobo - Asrock Z77E-ITX
GPU - AMD 7950. I prefer ones with aftermarket cooler as they are generally cooler and quieter. I dont think the 7970 fits which is a shame. I do like nVidia but everything it doesnt make sense when I can get a 7950 for the price of a 660 Ti.
SSD - Samsung 830 256GB. These are a bargain at the moment.

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
New build.

6) Will you be overclocking?
Yes!

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
Dell 27" U2713HM 2560x1440

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Now would be great but I am preparing to wait for Haswell if the iGPU is good enough. I'll probably have to change most things then...which will probably end up being a new build.

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? UEFI? etc.
mITX. The Asrock Z77E-ITX is my top pick now.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Win 7 or 8 64bit. Will probably give 8 a try until I get sick of it.

Any suggestions that'll help me move forward or just wait till Haswell will be better than being in this rut! :p Thanks.
 
RAM: SAMSUNG 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model MV-3V4G3D/US

As far as your GPU is concerned make sure if you get a non-blower styled aftermarket cooler that you have a case with proper ventilation for such a setup, the FT03-mini would not be a good decision paired with a non-blower GPU, nor would the SG05.

Your best bet would be getting something like the BitFenix Prodigy, although it's bigger for an ITX case and has a little bit of a larger footprint due to it's thickness and handles it provides great ventilation for non-blower GPUs and provides large amount of space for air cooler or a CLC like the H100.

Make sure also that what GPU you get has at least 3GB of VRAM for that resolution you're gaming at, anything less and you'll be starved for texture space depending on what you play.

What size PSU are you going for, any particular brand? Seasonics are down in price right now and are very good quality - with an AMD GPU you'll need something a little more high in wattage due to AMD gpus being a tad more power hungry than their NVIDIA counterparts.

This PSU comes to mind as a good fit for your build don't know if it's something you can buy where you're at or would want to ship.
SeaSonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply $59.99 (after MIR of $15.00).

If you get Win 8 for $99 just buy Start8 from Stardock for $5, you can run old style desktop and have the good ol' start menu with no worries about future versions of Direct X etc.

If you're dead set on air cooling that cpu/board combo check out this thread to navigate headaches of the cpu placement:
Good air cooler that work with the ASRock Z77E-ITX?

Also to see an AMD HD7870 in an SG05 check out this thread:
An HD7870 in wife's SG05 case

Might see the measurements between the 7970 and some of the 7870s out there to see if you can find one that will fit, also the SG05s can be modded a bit to open up some space behind the front faceplate to make room for larger cards, just make sure you consider the PCIe power connector placements - searching the forums should help you figure out that option if you choose to take that path.
 
For PSU, the SG05 uses SFX and already comes with a 450W unit which is the most powerful available in that size.

An alternative is to use the larger SG07 or SG08 case. Those can fit larger coolers and larger graphics cards, and comes with a 600W ATX PSU. It is a bit bigger than the SG05 (mostly depth) but is still a lot smaller than the Prodigy.

I don't think you'd be able to comfortably hit 4.6GHz in an SG05 aircooled.
 
Also, the SG07 and SG08 have the AP 180mm fan which allows for amazing airflow compared to most ITX cases. If I was going to game with an ITX case, I would get the SG07 or SG08, hands down. As an mATX person, though, the SG09 is 100% perfect for my needs.
 
Well the idea lies in the challenge of fitting as much as I can into a small box.

I've checked out both threads which lead me to the AXP-140 and 7950. Someone managed to fit a Power Color PCS+ 7950 in their SG05.

I've previously disregarded the SG07 and SG08 because of size. If I were to reconsider them again I could probably throw in the CM 120 into the mix as well, plus thats cheaper to boot.
 
Well, SG07/08 can hold a dual GPU card, thanks to its size and PSU.

For ease of fitment, have you considered an Nvidia card? Seems as if those can more easily be found in short enough sizes to fit. I've seen pics of a GTX 680 in an SG05 without modding.
 
Newegg has the Galaxy 670 for $340 after a $20 MIR. Seems like a better bet than a 7950 for something like an SG05. You might even be able to find a cheaper 670 if you look around.
 
I personally prefer an nVidia card but the prices here are just stupid. A 670 cost just as much as a 7970 and we all know which one has better value. I might just have to look at getting things shipped overseas, but the downside to that is the cost of shipping it back if I to RMA it.

I have seen the 680 in a SG05. Its probably the best performing card for it at the moment.
 
I personally prefer an nVidia card but the prices here are just stupid. A 670 cost just as much as a 7970 and we all know which one has better value. I might just have to look at getting things shipped overseas, but the downside to that is the cost of shipping it back if I to RMA it.

I have seen the 680 in a SG05. Its probably the best performing card for it at the moment.

I think the 680 and the 7970 go back and forth in performance ranking once you get to about 1440P, no? Especially after overclocking... Something to do with the 384-bit bus-width?
 
In terms of performance, probably about equal but the 7970 is about $100 cheaper here.
 
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