Advice for new 2500k build

[Maester]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc

Mostly gaming, movies, web browsing, and some coding for school.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?

Probably about $1000 for the rest of my parts, not really using a budget though.

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.

Boston, MA.

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.

Motherboard, CPU, CPU cooler, RAM, case, PSU, dvd drive

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

Already have a Sapphire Radeon 7970 and have a Samsung 830 256g SSD in the mail.

6) Will you be overclocking?

Yes, hoping to overclock to 4.5 ghz+.

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?

I'm using a recently bought Samsung S27A750D. 27" 1920 x 1080. 120Hz.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?

Been planning this out over a few months, but planning to buy within the next day or so.

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)? etc.

Mostly just looking for a good overclockable mobo with crossfire support for 2 x 7970's.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?

64bit Windows 7 Ultimate.


I'm upgrading from a Q6600 @ 3.0ghz. I'm having trouble atm choosing the case, cpu cooler, and PSU. Here's where I'm at in terms of each part:

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3. Have read a lot of good things about this board for overclocking and seems to be a reasonable price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131792

CPU: i5-2500k

Case: Been thinking between the following three:

Corsair 550D - Like that it's quiet, sleek, and cheaper than my other choices atm. A bit worried about the size if I decide on a 2nd 7970 and how cool the case will be on air.

Silverstone Raven 3 - Not crazy about the looks, but read that it has very good cooling and airflow.

Silverstone FT02 - Seems to be a better looking Raven 3. I'm leaning closer between this and the 550D.

CPU Cooler: Been thinking of the Antec 920 based on reviews on this site. Not sure how well it'll fit in the Corsair 550D and have only installed a Zalman CPU cooler previously.

RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145345

PSU: At the moment I'll be using just one 7970, but plan to run another in crossfire sometime in the future. Been thinking of getting a 850 Watt or 1050 Watt PSU.

The ones I'm leaning toward atm are:

Thermaltake Toughpower Grand TPG-850M 850W ($40 off atm)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153143

CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX850 V2 850W (Cheaper than the thermaltake, but Bronze rated instead of Gold rated)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139022


I'm really liking the look of the Corsair 550D, but am concerned with the space/cooling and whether or not the antec 920 will fit in it properly. If those won't work together I'll probably go with a Silverstone FT02 with the 920 cooler. Wanted to ask here on advice for this and if anything else I was getting for this build might not be compatible or if any of these parts were overkill for gaming at 1920x1080 at 120hz mostly for Battlefield 3, World of Warcraft, Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, RPGs like Witcher 2 / Skyrim, and possibly Guild Wars 2.

Here's where I'm at for the final build:

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3.......................................................$187.86
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131792

CPU Cooler: Antec KUHLER H2O 920....................................................$108.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835209054

PSU + DVD combo: Thermaltake Toughpower Grand TPG-850M...............$160.98
(LITE-ON DVD Burner)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.847596

CPU + RAM combo: i5-2500k + 8gb Corsair Vengeance...........................$254.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.850268

Case: SilverStone FT02..........................................................................$229.00

http://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-A...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1331268133&sr=1-1

Total:............$941.80

OR

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3.......................................................$187.86
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131792

CPU Cooler: Antec KUHLER H2O 920....................................................$108.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835209054

CPU + RAM combo: i5-2500k + 8gb Corsair Vengeance...........................$254.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.850268

Case + PSU combo: CORSAIR TX850M 850W + CORSAIR 550D..........$254.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.858760

LITE-ON DVD Burner:..............................................................................$22.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

Total:...........$829.79


Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[E4g1e]

Be aware that the TX850 V2 and the TX850M are two completely different designs to begin with. In fact, the only thing the two PSUs have in common is the "TX" designation. Other than that, the two PSUs are not even made by the same manufacturer: The TX v2 series is made by SeaSonic while the TX-M series is made by CWT.

In addition, the TX-M series PSUs have only a couple of cables that are modular; most of the cables on that PSU (including many cables with far more connectors than necessary) are permanently hardwired to the unit itself.

 

[HardOnForMe]

I have the P8Z68-V PRO I got from geeks today and I LOVE it so far, not gen 3. I think x8/x8 is plenty for 2 6850s, just waiting on a good 2500k deal or get the 3750k.

 

[Dangman]

Well do you want a modular PSU or will you be fine with a regular PSU?

As for the case, do note that if you're fine with only three 3.5" bays, you can remove the upper hard drive bay to fit longer video cards. So space wise, you shouldn't have too much of an issue. As for cooling, for a single GPU setup, the case as is with all of the fan covers on will be fine but a little warm. However for a dual GPU setup, I would recommend removing the side mount cover and install a fan there. As for the Antec Kuhler 920, not entirely sure if it'll fit. With that said, the Corsair H100 has been confirmed (of course) to work with that case. So the Kuhler 920 does have a high chance of working with that case.

That Corsair RAM is an ok choice if you're using those self-contained water coolers. I wouldn't recommend that RAM at all for a normal air-cooling HSF.

 

[DirtyB]

How far are you from microcenter in boston? Could save about 50-80 on a proc./motherboard bundle.

 

[Maester]

Thanks for the advice everyone! And sorry about taking so long to respond, had a very busy day today.

Eagle, Thanks for the input on the PSU's. Are there any in particular that you would recommend in the 850-1050W range? I'm going to attempt a ~4.5ghz i5-2500k OC (I'm a noob at OC'ing still), and would like to potentially OC two 7970's in crossfire (since I'm moving up from a Q6600 @ 3.0ghz, and going to test my FPS differences to the i5-2500k with one 7970 in Battlefield 3 / Skyrim / Witcher 2 / Starcrat 2, and then see if a another 7970 would be worth it). Either way, I'll probably eventually upgrade to a 2nd 7970 for this build. I'm currently thinking of just going with a Corsair HX1050 for future-proofing. I figure with either the 550D or FT02 that a semi-modular PSU could still result in clean cabling behind the motherboard.

Hardonforme, glad to hear you're liking the mobo! Been reading a lot of good things about the Asus P8Z68-V PRO and Asus P8Z68-V/GEN3. I figure the GEN3 will be enough for me.

Danny Bui, looking at how well cases are designed these days with the option to route cables behind the motherboard, I figure a regular PSU would be fine - especially if the price is right. I've been using the same power supply for nearly 5 years now (PC Power and Cooling Silencer 610W), so it's been a while since I've looked into them. Even with the ability to route cables behind the motherboard, is non-modular a pain to deal with? If I need to spend $30, 50 or $100 more for a good PSU I'm all for it, since I upgrade my computers (other than the GPU) usually only once every 3-4 years or so (been using the Q6600 since December 2007!). Do you think the Corsair HX1050 would be worth getting with the plans of overclocking an i5-2500k and potentially two 7970's OC'd? Are there any other close contenders at a better price point? Possibly the KINGWIN Lazer LZ-1000?

It looks like most people using the Corsair 550D are doing a single GPU setup. Even with a 120mm fan mounted on the side, would you still recommend this case for two 7970's? The case looks great and I wouldn't have any problems with only three 3.5" bays. I think I'll go with the Corsair H100 if I choose this case to be safe, just got a bit worried about people having some bad experiences with the H100's recently.

Would this be a better choice for RAM: GeIL Enhance CORSA 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144488

There's a nice combo deal on Newegg of that RAM with an i5-2500k for $30 off (I'm going a bit nuts with trying to find good combo deals!). I know 16gb is probably overkill, but I wouldn't mind future-proofing - especially while the 4gb sticks are still cheap. I was a bit concerned with big RAM heatsinks for the CPU cooler to fit, but hopefully that shouldn't be a problem with either the Antec 920 or the Corsair H100.

I realize I should probably lay off the combo deals, but with the following deal I could get a Corsair 650D at the same price as the Corsair 550D ($140 Shipped). I know the 650D is slightly bigger and also louder, but would it even be considered superior to the 550D, for cooling in particular? And do you know if the Raven03/FT02 would really be much cooler than the Corsair 550D/650D for the GPU(s)/CPU?

DirtyB, thanks for the suggestion! It's about 25miles from my house, so a 1.5-2 hour round trip for me. Do they normally do bundles at Microcenter? Looking now, I've found they've had some crazy good deals in the past ($60 off a mobo with i5-2500k at $150-180). But all I'm seeing currently is the i5-2500k priced at $180+tax (~$190), while I can get the Newegg one for $225 Shipped + $10 giftcard and up to a $30 combo with ram. If I could get a combo with a mobo it would probably definitely be worth it, otherwise I don't think it would be worth the gas/time.

Here's my updated shopping cart:

CPU + RAM: i5-2500k + 16gb GeIL Enhance 1600...............................................$289.98
(+ $10 gift card)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.850768

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3....................................................................$187.86
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131792

PSU + Case: Corsair HX1050 + Corsair 650D......................................................$365.97
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.838590

(OR Corsair HX1050 + Corsair 550D bought separately = same price)

CPU Cooler: Corsair H100...................................................................................$114.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181017

LITE-ON DVD Burner:.........................................................................................$22.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106289

Total Cost:..................$981.79

OR


CPU + RAM: i5-2500k + 16gb GeIL Enhance 1600...............................................$289.98
(+ $10 gift card)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.850768

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3....................................................................$187.86
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131792

CPU Cooler: Antec KUHLER H2O 920.................................................................$108. 98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835209054

PSU: Corsair HX1050.........................................................................................$225.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139034

Case: SilverStone FT02......................................................................................$229.00
http://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-Al...1268133&sr=1-1

LITE-ON DVD Burner:.........................................................................................$22.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106289


Total Cost.....................$1064.79


How do these builds look? Any other comments or suggestions? Thanks again!

 

[Dangman]

Danny Bui, looking at how well cases are designed these days with the option to route cables behind the motherboard, I figure a regular PSU would be fine - especially if the price is right. I've been using the same power supply for nearly 5 years now (PC Power and Cooling Silencer 610W), so it's been a while since I've looked into them. Even with the ability to route cables behind the motherboard, is non-modular a pain to deal with?

If you've ever used modular cables before, yes even with the ability to route cables, non-modular can still be a small PITA in comparison. With that said, if you've never dealt with modular, not really a pain then with non-modular cables.

Do you think the Corsair HX1050 would be worth getting with the plans of overclocking an i5-2500k and potentially two 7970's OC'd? Are there any other close contenders at a better price point? Possibly the KINGWIN Lazer LZ-1000?

While I think that setup should run fine on a very solid 850W PSU, considering the price of the Corsair 1050HX and your budget, I say grab it. I recommend the Corsair over the Kingston due to Corsair's solid track record for custom support.

It looks like most people using the Corsair 550D are doing a single GPU setup. Even with a 120mm fan mounted on the side, would you still recommend this case for two 7970's?

Yes.

Would this be a better choice for RAM: GeIL Enhance CORSA 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144488

Haven't used, heard of, or recommended GeIL in the past. AS such, I can't vouch for their quality or customer support level. I'd stick with the Corsair or G.Skill.

I know the 650D is slightly bigger and also louder, but would it even be considered superior to the 550D, for cooling in particular?

Yes.

And do you know if the Raven03/FT02 would really be much cooler than the Corsair 550D/650D for the GPU(s)/CPU?

Yes