![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Starslayer67
Weaksauce
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2010
- Messages
- 68
1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Mostly gaming, with sundry other tasks filling in the edges.
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
Around $1400 US, including tax and shipping. I'm a college student, so cheaper is most definitely better, but I will pay extra for quality.
3) Where do you live?
California.
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
CPU, RAM, mobo, GPU, PSU, case (maybe).
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
HDDs and optical drives.
6) Will you be overclocking?
No.
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
HP ZR24w (24" 1920x1200), with a 22" LG L227WTG as secondary workspace.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
September, most likely.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
SLI. Beyond that, I don't much care (no need for RAID, heavy overclocking, etc.)
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
Yes, Win7 64-bit.
The one thing that is non-negotiable about this build is that I want to do 460 SLI, but beyond that, anything is fair game. I've made a preliminary decision to go LGA 1156 instead of 1366, simply because the mobos and RAM sets get cheaper, and I somehow doubt the triple versus dual channel RAM does much for performance since I'm not overclocking. If I end up not needing a new case (see below), that does open up the possibility of going full on Core i7-9xx (well, a 930 anyway), but how much would that gain me?
My current parts list looks like this:
4 GB G.Skill RAM
ASUS P7P55D Deluxe mobo
Two EVGA 1 GB GTX 460's
Intel Core i7-870 CPU
Corsair HX650 PSU
Questions:
-Is the PSU sufficient? Everything I've found points to yes. My back of the envelope method goes like this:
NVidia's website quotes the maximum power output of a stock 460 at 160 W. Two will therefore consume 320 W of power. The CPU is rated at 95 W, so call it 100, and also estimate the rest of the system as drawing 100 more watts, for a grand total of 520 W. This gives a total current of about 44 A at 12 V, while the PSU is rated at 52 A on its lone 12 V rail. This rough power estimate matches what Anandtech got when they tested reference 460's here (look at the Furmark load chart). Therefore, a well-built 650 W PSU should provide enough overhead to run the system comfortably.
-Should I go to a cheaper mobo? The P7P55D EVO seems to offer all the features I actually need, while saving me around $20. Yes, I do have a little brand loyalty for ASUS; if there's an equivalent motherboard for less that is just as rock-solid, go ahead and recommend it.
-Will I need a new case? I love my current P180, and I would replace it with a P183 if necessary; the only reason I would have to do so is the size of the PSU. As it stands, the cables from my 500 W do come quite close to the lower fan, and all the suitable PSUs I've seen are at least a half inch longer. However, if the choice is between dismounting the fan or spending an extra $150, I'll probably just dismount the fan, since the airflow in the case is segregated.
EDIT: Yes, I do have a Microcenter within an hour of me (I figure maybe $20 of gas).
Mostly gaming, with sundry other tasks filling in the edges.
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
Around $1400 US, including tax and shipping. I'm a college student, so cheaper is most definitely better, but I will pay extra for quality.
3) Where do you live?
California.
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
CPU, RAM, mobo, GPU, PSU, case (maybe).
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
HDDs and optical drives.
6) Will you be overclocking?
No.
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
HP ZR24w (24" 1920x1200), with a 22" LG L227WTG as secondary workspace.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
September, most likely.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
SLI. Beyond that, I don't much care (no need for RAID, heavy overclocking, etc.)
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
Yes, Win7 64-bit.
The one thing that is non-negotiable about this build is that I want to do 460 SLI, but beyond that, anything is fair game. I've made a preliminary decision to go LGA 1156 instead of 1366, simply because the mobos and RAM sets get cheaper, and I somehow doubt the triple versus dual channel RAM does much for performance since I'm not overclocking. If I end up not needing a new case (see below), that does open up the possibility of going full on Core i7-9xx (well, a 930 anyway), but how much would that gain me?
My current parts list looks like this:
4 GB G.Skill RAM
ASUS P7P55D Deluxe mobo
Two EVGA 1 GB GTX 460's
Intel Core i7-870 CPU
Corsair HX650 PSU
Questions:
-Is the PSU sufficient? Everything I've found points to yes. My back of the envelope method goes like this:
NVidia's website quotes the maximum power output of a stock 460 at 160 W. Two will therefore consume 320 W of power. The CPU is rated at 95 W, so call it 100, and also estimate the rest of the system as drawing 100 more watts, for a grand total of 520 W. This gives a total current of about 44 A at 12 V, while the PSU is rated at 52 A on its lone 12 V rail. This rough power estimate matches what Anandtech got when they tested reference 460's here (look at the Furmark load chart). Therefore, a well-built 650 W PSU should provide enough overhead to run the system comfortably.
-Should I go to a cheaper mobo? The P7P55D EVO seems to offer all the features I actually need, while saving me around $20. Yes, I do have a little brand loyalty for ASUS; if there's an equivalent motherboard for less that is just as rock-solid, go ahead and recommend it.
-Will I need a new case? I love my current P180, and I would replace it with a P183 if necessary; the only reason I would have to do so is the size of the PSU. As it stands, the cables from my 500 W do come quite close to the lower fan, and all the suitable PSUs I've seen are at least a half inch longer. However, if the choice is between dismounting the fan or spending an extra $150, I'll probably just dismount the fan, since the airflow in the case is segregated.
EDIT: Yes, I do have a Microcenter within an hour of me (I figure maybe $20 of gas).
Last edited: