Help with i7-2600k build

L

lmnop

Weaksauce
Joined
Jul 12, 2006
Messages
74
Hello everyone,

Looking to build a new system relatively soon that will last for a while. It will be used for all the basics (web browsing, music, videos, and some gaming). I will also use it for running some virtual machines when needed, light development work, and RDP'ing into the office if needed.

I built my current system almost exactly 5 years ago which consists of an AMD Athlon 4200+ Windsor, 2gb ddr2, and a GeForce 7900gt.

Budget wise I'm looking to stay around/under $1500. This figure includes a case and a monitor. What I have come up with so far:

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070 ..........$314.99

ASUS P8Z68-V PRO LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131730 .........$194.99

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBRL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231315 ............$114.99

EVGA 012-P3-1571-AR GeForce GTX 570 HD w/Display-Port (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130621 ............$319.99

CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005 .............$94.99

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 ....$27.99

ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204 .......$19.99

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM $12.99

So far all of this totals to about $1100. Still need a primary hard drive. I have been considering going with an SSD, but really have no clue what would be a good one to go with and if there are any issues with them. I have a couple TB drives from my current system that I plan to transfer over to the new system. Also need a case, would like something relatively inexpensive - don't need any fancy windows/lights just something with solid construction. My previous build I used an Antec P180B. As for a monitor, I am leaning towards a Dell U2311H if I can get one on sale. Until then I can use my old monitor which is a Dell 2007fpw.

Summary: Outstanding items: SSD/Primary Hard drive, Case, and a Monitor.

Any input/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am not dead set on any of the items above, so if there is "better bang for my buck" to be had, please feel free to share how I could better utilize ~$1500.

Thanks!
 
also I had couple SSD such as vertex , vertex turbo. corsair p128 x25m, c300. Now I am using c300 for my main computer. From my experience, x25m and c300 didn't make any problem but these are kind of old to compare with new ssd.
 
Make sure that you buy the CPU and mobo together from this combo link to save $20:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.717770

No need for AS5. The thermal paste that comes with that Coolermaster HSF is pretty good as is.

Ditch that PSU as it is both overpriced and outdated. I recommend the following PSUs as they are better deals than that 650TX IMO:
$105 - Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-750 750W
$110 - Corsair 750TX V2 750W PSU

I recommend any of these cases:
$70 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K58W ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II ATX Case
$100 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$110 - NZXT Whisper WHI - 001BK ATX Full Tower Case
$100 - Lian Li PC-7FN ATX Case
$110 - Lian Li PC-60FN ATX Case
$113 - Velocity Micro GX2-W Silver Classic Aluminum Case with Side Window

I recommend any of these SSDs:
$115 - Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 2.5" 64GB SSD
$140 - Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 64GB SSD w/ USB to SATA Adapter and Drive Cloning software
$219 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SSD
$229 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 128GB SSD w/ USB to SATA Adapter and Drive Cloning software
$278 - Intel 510 Series SSDSC2MH120A2K5 2.5" 120GB SSD
$406 - Crucial M4 CT256M4SSD2 2.5" 256GB SSD
$425 - Crucial M4 CT256M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 256GB SSD w/ USB to SATA Adapter and Drive Cloning software
$580 - Intel 510 Series SSDSC2MH250A2K5 2.5" 250GB SSD

I also recommend this hard drive as well:
$60 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

I do not recommend the case + PSU combo that alsdudrla212 recommended since that PSU is pretty much a piece of shit:
http://hardocp.com/article/2010/11/22/cooler_master_gx_650w_power_supply_review/
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
Don't get a Z68 board if you're going to overclock. If you're not overclocking then don't get a K chip. I would recommend the ASUS P8P67 PRO as it is cheaper and is better for overclocking.

Also +1 for the M4 SSD and Samsung F3 HDDs. Best combo ever! Also on the Dell U2311h, you can also consider the newer Dell U2412M as well. But I think the U2311h will have a higher chance of going on sale.

PSU I would highly recommend any Seasonic (X650/X750) or Corsair (TX series).

Cases are a very personal choice, look around the top sellers on Newegg and see which type you like better.
 
starwa1ker said:
Don't get a Z68 board if you're going to overclock. If you're not overclocking then don't get a K chip. I would recommend the ASUS P8P67 PRO as it is cheaper and is better for overclocking.

Also +1 for the M4 SSD and Samsung F3 HDDs. Best combo ever! Also on the Dell U2311h, you can also consider the newer Dell U2412M as well. But I think the U2311h will have a higher chance of going on sale.

PSU I would highly recommend any Seasonic (X650/X750) or Corsair (TX series).

Cases are a very personal choice, look around the top sellers on Newegg and see which type you like better.
Click to expand...

I think getting the K chip is the best choice overclock or not. its only 15 dollars more and for that price you could clock up to more than 1500mhz. you can probably up it 500mhz more without even changing voltage.

and about the board, hes right. that board has an onboard gpu that you probably wont need anyway because you already have a gtx 570
 
starwa1ker said:
I would recommend the ASUS P8P67 PRO as it is cheaper and is better for overclocking.
Click to expand...

I would not recommend that mobo at all since it has an above average failure rate compared to other P67 mobos out there.
 
Thanks for the replies so far, folks. Very helpful so far.

Like I said I am not necessarily married to any of the items in my first post. However, I would like to stick with a K series processor, even though I don't plan to overclock in the foreseeable future. That being said I am going back and forth as to whether I would benefit from going with the 2600k vs the 2500k. Similarly, with the mobo I am unsure as to whether or not I would benefit from a Z68 as iYoYo stated.

Danny Bui thanks for the suggestions, as well as the catch on the combo price. I am thinking about going with the Crucial M4 128GB SSD as well as one of the PSUs you listed. Coincidentally I already have a Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ, as well has a 5400rpm 2TB Samsung drive that I plan to bring to this new system.

So now the questions become, is the 2600k worth the extra versus the 2500k? Not a huge gamer, but will do some. Decent amount of multi-tasking + running a virtual machine.

The other question being is a Z68 board worth it? As stated, won't need the onboard graphics because I plan to get a gtx 570. What else would I be "losing" by going to a P67 board? What are some good P67 boards for 2500k/2600k?

Another thought that just came to mind is what about a sound card? Not even sure if these are still relevant as much as in the past? Are most of today's motherboard's on-board sound good enough? Better than "good enough"?

Thanks.
 
lmnop said:
So now the questions become, is the 2600k worth the extra versus the 2500k? Not a huge gamer, but will do some. Decent amount of multi-tasking + running a virtual machine.
Click to expand...
I say yes.
lmnop said:
The other question being is a Z68 board worth it? As stated, won't need the onboard graphics because I plan to get a gtx 570. What else would I be "losing" by going to a P67 board?
Click to expand...
You just lose out on Intel's Smart Response tech, Intel's Quick Sync tech, switchable graphics, and onboard GPU
lmnop said:
What are some good P67 boards for 2500k/2600k?
Click to expand...
$130 - MSI P67A-G43 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard
$133 - MSI P67A-G45 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard
$160 - MSI P67A-GD55 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard
$180 - MSI P67A-GD65 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard
lmnop said:
Another thought that just came to mind is what about a sound card? Not even sure if these are still relevant as much as in the past? Are most of today's motherboard's on-board sound good enough? Better than "good enough"?
Click to expand...
If you have a decent to high-end speaker or headphone setup and/or are an audiophile, then a dedicated 3rd party sound card is worth it. If not, then the onboard sound is fine. If you want a 3rd party sound card, get this:
$30 - Asus Xonar DG 5.1 Channels PCI Sound Card
 
lmnop said:
Thanks for the replies so far, folks. Very helpful so far.

I am thinking about going with the Crucial M4 128GB SSD as well as one of the PSUs you listed.



Thanks.
Click to expand...

Just do your research on the Asus/Crucial combo. I have that exact setup (2600/Asus pro board/M4 128g) and while I don't have the system freezes that seem more common, I do seem to have some pretty bad intermittent mouse stuttering. Done the whole firmware, lpm, registry dance and not convinced it's cleared up yet.
 
I appreciate all of the input. Here is my revised list so far:

LIAN LI Lancool PC-K56 Black 0.8 mm SECC, Plastic + Mesh ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112235 ... $59.99

EVGA 012-P3-1571-KR GeForce GTX 570 HD w/Display-Port (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130613 ... $319.99

Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-750 750W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS BRONZE ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371049 $94.99

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBXL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231429 ...$99.99

MSI P67A-GD65 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130574 ... $169.99

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070 ... $314.99

SAMSUNG CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-222AL LightScribe Support - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151235 $Free/Bundle

Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116997 ... $189.99

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 ...$27.99

Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148442 ...$206.99

ASUS XONAR_DG 5.1 Channels PCI Interface Xonar DG Sound Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132020 ... $23.00

Total: $1507.91
How does this look?
Decided to go with a P67 board as I will not need the on-board video with the GTX570.
Changed PSU.
Added Lian Li Case
Added the 128GB Crucial M4 SSD.
Added Sound Card
Added Win7 Ultimate 64bit OEM

I can shop around for a monitor and use my Dell 2007fpw in the meantime.

I guess my questions are:
Is there any other tweaking/saving+gains that could be done here?
Are there any known conflicts between the MSI Board and the M4 SSD (like Darknyt mentioned with the M4 and the Asus Boards)?
Is the ram I selected "good"? How important are timings/voltage (I do not plan to overclock)?
Is there anyway of knowing if there will be clearance issues on the MSI board with the 212 Cooler and the Ripjaws?

Thanks!!
 
Crucial just released new firmware for the m4 that gives a "20%" boost in speed, so that sounds like an even better choice now..
The RipJaws are fine, the timings are tight enough, I would not go any higher. 1.5 is a good voltage, I would also not go higher there either. I would consider a 2x4, 4x2 or even 2x2 setup. 16GB is pretty overkill for what you are doing, even if ram is incredibly cheap. Unless you really do run a number of VMs, then that is a different story ^_^ You would drop that price down to $30-60 doing that.You could throw the money saved into a better power supply with Silver or Gold rating. I don't really consider Bronze rated PSU's to be "modern" anymore. And perhaps consider a modular power supply? Just to keep internal mess down for a small improvement on the heat/airflow inside the case?
There are some good choices from SeaSonic, Corsair, or XFX that are silver or better and modular. I am admittedly not as familiar with Antec units.
:edit: I don't see any reason for Ultimate vs Pro for Windows 7 unless you are going to use it for something other than your native language or getting it cheaply compared to other versions. I would take Pro over Home though. Otherwise its kind of a waste of money "just because." Going to Professional would save you $50. If you keep the 16GB of RAM, going to W7 Pro would give you the money for a better PSU.
 
Last edited:
It looks like a great build.
There are a few things I would change.

  1. I wouldn't spend the extra money on windows 7 ultimate, if you aren't going to use things like bitlocker or log into a domain, home premium is sufficient for nearly all use. Further if you are a student, I remember MSFT having some sort of deal where you can get win 7 home premium, or professional for 30 dollars. I'm uncertain if that is still going on.


  2. I would however change your cooler, while that cooler is a great value, it's barely adequate to cool a 2500k when overclocked to 4.6 or higher (Load temps where around 75c). I would attempt to track down the hyper 612, failing that, you can probably find a megahalem for around 45 on ebay. Or you could go for broke and buy a thermal right silver arrow for around 70 shipped (fans included). There are plenty of options, and that's a great budget cooler, I've used it in a few builds. But the builds where budget builds, and yours is not a budget build.

  3. Also if you're going to buy that ram, which is fine.. ram doesn't make that much of a difference now, you should take advantage of this weekends shell shocker...
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231445
    buy two... for 100 bucks, you'll gain cas 8... but more importantly.. the ram is blue.
    Although, I have the same ram that you have in your build, and it looks nice on a p8p67-pro. The red is deep shinny and metallic.

  4. I would also consider a corsair force gt 120gb, it's currently around the same price and offers greater performance, further there is a 30 dollar rebate currently from new egg. Doing this will allot you extra money to devote to the silver arrow

  5. While the case represent a great value, for the same money currently you can get http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112237 You will gain two top mounted fans, and possibly more agreeable aesthetics. Add 10 dollars for a windows and 30 more if you want a window and powder coated black interior. The last two clearly do not affect performance. Alternatively for 20 dollars more you can get a coolermaster 690 basic, and 30 dollars more nets you an advance. I imagine all the suggested cases will have similar performance, and differ primarily in cosmetics.

Finally, regarding your gpu choice... it's honestly a wash, depending on the games you play. It will more than do the job. Further your psu puts you at the limit if and when you decide to sli. Your psu is a good value, while it's not the best 750w out there... it's certainly up to the task, and you would be hard pressed to find a new psu for the same amount of money that exhibits better quality.

Good luck with your build, you have made some sound choices, that with a bit of massaging will present you with even greater value for you.
 
Last edited:
As you are using Solid State Drive (SSD) drive, you should go with any Z68 based motherboards to get the advantage of Intel smart catching technique. Just my 2 cents.
 
Thanks for the quick replies, folks! I am really appreciative of all the input in this thread. It has been about 5 years since I've really looked at hardware so this is a tremendous help.

I chose that PSU based upon Danny Bui's recommendation. The power supply has always been the most mysterious item to me as to what to look for. I don't plan to go SLI, so I'll be sticking with a single nVidia card. I chose the GTX570 (was not sure what "brand" to go with, went with evga simply because that is what my 7900GT is). I figure its not top-top of the line, but close and will handle any sort of gaming I throw at it.
So that being said, I am still unsure as to what PSU I should go with? I obviously want something that is reliable, and I do plan to have an SSD + 2 or 3 additional storage drives (not sure if that matters). Looking at silver rated PSU's I found this one: CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply for $149.99. Any other thoughts or suggestions for a PSU?

I agree with the Windows Ultimate statement. Pro should be more than sufficient.

As for the RAM, I agree 16GB may be overkill, but as stated it is just so cheap. Starting off with 2x4gb might be a better idea, and then I can always add another 2x4gb down the road.

The Lian-Li case that avddreamr posted does seem to be better value for the same money and I will add that to the list.

As for the CPU cooler, I don't plan to do any overclocking (or extreme over clocking) to the 2600k. If the motherboard offers some automatic adjustments, that would really be about the extent of any overclocking I do. I want a cooler that is provides (obviously) better cooling than the stock HSF, and is also very quiet. The only reason I chose the 212 is it did seem like a good value, however, I am open to suggestions and wouldn't mind spending a little extra money to keep the temperature and noise to a minimum.

As for the d6bmg's post, this is something I was not aware of. In my initial post I did have a Z68, but as pointed out I don't really need any sort of on-board video so I swapped it out for a P67. Would it be worth it to go with a Z68 board solely for this smart caching feature?
 
HX750 is nice, especially with the 10% coupon and the $20 rebate. Makes it $121 without tax. Pretty nice! I have the HX850 and I find it to be quiet too, so that is a bonus.
The 212 is a good value, if you do some hunting, you can find Corsair H50's for very cheap, I feel like Best Buy often has them at steal prices ($40?). But you will have to find that locally, I am not sure they offer it online anymore. Otherwise, you will probably spend twice as much on a cooler compared to the 212 for a nice heatsink.
I am on the fence on the Z68's value, it's certainly the take-all approach. But there is a lot of value to the P67 platform.
 
Last edited:
lmnop said:
Thanks for the quick replies, folks! I am really appreciative of all the input in this thread. It has been about 5 years since I've really looked at hardware so this is a tremendous help.

I chose that PSU based upon Danny Bui's recommendation. The power supply has always been the most mysterious item to me as to what to look for. I don't plan to go SLI, so I'll be sticking with a single nVidia card. I chose the GTX570 (was not sure what "brand" to go with, went with evga simply because that is what my 7900GT is). I figure its not top-top of the line, but close and will handle any sort of gaming I throw at it.
So that being said, I am still unsure as to what PSU I should go with? I obviously want something that is reliable, and I do plan to have an SSD + 2 or 3 additional storage drives (not sure if that matters). Looking at silver rated PSU's I found this one: CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply for $149.99. Any other thoughts or suggestions for a PSU?
Click to expand...

That's a great powersupply, I have the hx850. I think i saw some for sale in this forum, given that corsairs warranty is 7 years, it's safe to buy a used one.

I agree with the Windows Ultimate statement. Pro should be more than sufficient.

As for the RAM, I agree 16GB may be overkill, but as stated it is just so cheap. Starting off with 2x4gb might be a better idea, and then I can always add another 2x4gb down the road.

The Lian-Li case that avddreamr posted does seem to be better value for the same money and I will add that to the list.
Click to expand...
Ram speed doesn't really matter, you can even save more by just geting some ddr3 1333 cas 7... it won't make any difference, other than super pi epeen.

As for the CPU cooler, I don't plan to do any overclocking (or extreme over clocking) to the 2600k. If the motherboard offers some automatic adjustments, that would really be about the extent of any overclocking I do. I want a cooler that is provides (obviously) better cooling than the stock HSF, and is also very quiet. The only reason I chose the 212 is it did seem like a good value, however, I am open to suggestions and wouldn't mind spending a little extra money to keep the temperature and noise to a minimum.
Click to expand...
The 212 is not quiet under load, under a healthy overclock. If you can afford to get a better heatsink then do so. A few things, if you decide to get a silver arrow, or even the hyper 612 (50 dollars retail, when available.. it's not the best but one of the better ones when it comes to noise/performance/value) is that you must use low profile ram, so no fancy ram sink. Options are g.skill snipers, or ram with a basic ram sink. Otherwise you'll run into heatsink/fan clearance issues. Because the ram slots are very close to the socket on sandy bridge motherboards. Another option is the Zerotherm zt 10d, for 53 shipped from newegg it appears to be very close to the silver arrow or other top coolers, while being even quieter. Infact I wish I would of saw this review priort to buying a megahalem off of ebay for 40 bucks. http://hardocp.com/article/2010/11/18/zerotherm_zt10d_cpu_air_cooler_review/3 [/quote]
As for the d6bmg's post, this is something I was not aware of. In my initial post I did have a Z68, but as pointed out I don't really need any sort of on-board video so I swapped it out for a P67. Would it be worth it to go with a Z68 board solely for this smart caching feature?
Click to expand...
No, smart caching is worthless if you have a boot ssd.. The only point of the z68 is having onboard video to have inbetween video card upgrades. For example... you know that a new batch is coming out in two weeks, you dump your card on ebay to maximize profit, then get the new card. Or for quicksync if you are converting alot of videos... other than that there is no point in getting it. You just have to decide if those features are worth the 20 or so dollar price difference. Some of the z68 boards have less sata ports, and certainly less usb ports on the rear (the last one can be defeated by picking up a cheap usb hub.. tiger/compusa has a belkin 7 port for 10 bucks.)
 
Last edited:
Well it looks like I will stick with a P67 board, as I plan to boot off the SSD and I will always have a graphics card.

The HX750 sounds like it will be a good choice for a PSU and I will add that to my list.

For the cooler, it looks like I have some shopping/consideration to do. That is one of my concerns is making sure I have enough clearance for the HSF and RAM. Going off of what avddreamr posted it looks like my current ram choice (g.skill RipJaws) could run in to some clearance issues with certain heatsinks/fans, so I am leaning towards going with g.skill sniper's as suggested (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231417). These appear to pretty much the same, minus the large ram sinks, to the g.skill RipJaws, correct? I am thinking of either 8gb or 16gb of those and also going with the Zerotherm zt-10d cooler instead of the 212.
 
When you go to buy, check and see if you can get some of the parts cheaper on Amazon. You may also save on sales tax and shipping costs.
 
If space and noise are an issue, for cooling, you could go with an All-In-One water unit like the Corsair H80 or Antec Kuehler. You should be able to easily use it in the Lian Li case you have selected.
 
Alright folks. Thanks again for the input thus far, it is appreciated. I have come up with another revised build. Questions to follow

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070 ... $315

MSI P67A-GD65 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130574 ...$160

G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231416 ... $54 x 2 = 108

EVGA 012-P3-1571-KR GeForce GTX 570 HD w/Display-Port (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130613 ... $320

CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010 ... $150

Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) with Transfer Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148448 ... $230

LIAN LI Lancool PC-K56 Black 0.8 mm SECC, Plastic + Mesh ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112235 ... $60

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116992 ... $140

ASUS XONAR_DG 5.1 Channels PCI Interface Xonar DG Sound Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132020 ... $21

Total: $1504

I decided to go with P67 board as I don't need on-board video. Additionally, as pointed out in this thread, I will be booting off the SSD so it appears there would be no benefits of using Intel SSD Smart Caching as found on Z68 boards.

I also decided to stick with the Lian-Li case that does not have the open top. I read some reviews on newegg and there were mentions noise issues because it was completely open. I have a P180B now and I would consider it pretty quiet (not silent) so I would like to stick to that noise level. Contemplated going with a P183 but seems kind of expensive.

Changed ram from RipJaws to Snipers. Did this because I plan to go with an aftermarket heatsink/fan setup and will probably need the clearance. There is only one Zerotherm zt-10 on newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835887037) that comes with the fan. There is another zt-10 but it is heatsink only and 10 dollars more (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835887027)? Also, both have LGA 1156 for compatibility, will this work with LGA 1155? Are there any other recommendations for quiet coolers in the 50 dollar range that can be found on newegg?

Does anyone have any input regarding GPU? As stated earlier, I mainly chose the eVGA GTX570 because I want something fairly high end that will last a while. I currently don't game too heavily, and don't necessarily plan to game heavy with this system, but just want something that will handle a game here or there that sparks my interest. Are there any GTX570's that are known to be "cooler and quieter" than others?

Regarding the SSD, I have zero experience with them, so I am wondering if there are any major differences as far as installation/use? Will it work out of the box when installing the first time? Do I need specific drivers? Specific input? I notice it states SATA III interface, what exactly is this referring to? Also the M4 that I chose comes with a "Transfer Kit", which I am unsure of if I need or not. There is a 128GB M4 that does not come with the Transfer Kit but it is out of stock right now.

Sorry for all the questions, thanks in advance.
 
lmnop said:
I decided to go with P67 board as I don't need on-board video. Additionally, as pointed out in this thread, I will be booting off the SSD so it appears there would be no benefits of using Intel SSD Smart Caching as found on Z68 boards.
Click to expand...
Yep, that's a good choice.

I also decided to stick with the Lian-Li case that does not have the open top. I read some reviews on newegg and there were mentions noise issues because it was completely open. I have a P180B now and I would consider it pretty quiet (not silent) so I would like to stick to that noise level. Contemplated going with a P183 but seems kind of expensive.
Click to expand...
Regarding the one with the top mesh, you gain the option of running it without fans, and you create an area where you cpu heatsink can draw and exhaust air... that's why I would get it.
Also.. it's nicer cosmetically.

Changed ram from RipJaws to Snipers. Did this because I plan to go with an aftermarket heatsink/fan setup and will probably need the clearance. There is only one Zerotherm zt-10 on newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835887037) that comes with the fan. There is another zt-10 but it is heatsink only and 10 dollars more (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835887027)? Also, both have LGA 1156 for compatibility, will this work with LGA 1155? Are there any other recommendations for quiet coolers in the 50 dollar range that can be found on newegg?
Click to expand...
The hyper 612 has not reached retail availability, it does quite well with low noise.
I also believe that the key difference between the zt-10d and zt-10p is nickel plating.
You may want to email zerotherm, or ask a question in the relevant review thread here.
A safe low noise bet will also be the thermalright macho, pick up an additional 140mm fan, and you'll be golden. Essentially if you scale back your overclock to the max you can do at 1.3v... you may be able to get away with running things on very low noise. And if you get the
the top mounted mesh version... you are placing the heatsink closer to an area to draw air in from, so you will be able to run your fans at lower speeds. And trust me the sound of those fans is easy to tune out (that matters more than spl... ask anyone with a bunch of ap-15's).


Does anyone have any input regarding GPU? As stated earlier, I mainly chose the eVGA GTX570 because I want something fairly high end that will last a while. I currently don't game too heavily, and don't necessarily plan to game heavy with this system, but just want something that will handle a game here or there that sparks my interest. Are there any GTX570's that are known to be "cooler and quieter" than others?
Click to expand...
The msi frozr works very well.. but once you get up that price you probably should pick up a 6970.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125371
You'll be able to pick up a second one at the end of the year for around 200 when southern islands hit.

Regarding the SSD, I have zero experience with them, so I am wondering if there are any major differences as far as installation/use? Will it work out of the box when installing the first time? Do I need specific drivers? Specific input? I notice it states SATA III interface, what exactly is this referring to? Also the M4 that I chose comes with a "Transfer Kit", which I am unsure of if I need or not. There is a 128GB M4 that does not come with the Transfer Kit but it is out of stock right now.
Click to expand...

I think the m4's with the transfer kit are going to be perpetually out of stock, if you notice they cleared them out from various retailers. I think crucial is trying to ship out the drives with the new firmware, and adding the handy transfer kit as a bonus for people upgrading from laptops. The cable is also handy for when you switch ssds... just plug it in, boot from the cd, select the drives, come back some time later.. and enjoy the new ssd

Sata 3 is the new standard .. it's 6gb/s, you'll have to use a sata 6 cable (your motherboard will come with at least two), and plug it into one of the two intel sata 3 ports.
 
Last edited:
lmnop said:
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116992 ... $140
Click to expand...
Why Windows 7 Pro? What features does it have over Windows 7 Home Premium that you absolutely need?

lmnop said:
I also decided to stick with the Lian-Li case that does not have the open top. I read some reviews on newegg and there were mentions noise issues because it was completely open. I have a P180B now and I would consider it pretty quiet (not silent) so I would like to stick to that noise level. Contemplated going with a P183 but seems kind of expensive.
Click to expand...
If you're looking for a case that has similar noise levels to a P180B, you basically have to spend a bit of money:
$130 - Fractal Design Define R3 Black ATX Case
$160 - Silverstone RV02B-W ATX case
$178 - Silverstone RV02B-EW ATX case

Actually the above cases are quieter than the P183 yet cool way better.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
Its been some time, but now I am planning to order this week. Here is the latest list:

MSI P67A-GD65 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130574 ... $170

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070 ... $315

G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231416 ... $100 (2x50)

MSI N570GTX Twin Frozr III PE/OC GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127582 ... $370

CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX750 (CMPSU-750AX) 750W ATX12V v2.31 / EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139016 ... $ 170

LIAN LI Lancool PC-K58 Black CECC Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112237 ... $70

ZEROtherm ZT-10D Smart 120mm MFDB CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835887037 ... $50

Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148442 ... $200

ASUS XONAR_DG 5.1 Channels PCI Interface Xonar DG Sound Card ... $21

Decided to go with MSI Frozr GTX 570 for the better cooling. Went back with the Lian Li case with the upper vent. Added the Zerotherm ZT-10D for hs/f.

Currently the Corsair HX750 Silver is out of stock. Added the gold for $20 more. Also the Asus XONAR is out of stock now as well. I may just wait until both of these items come back in stock to order.

I'll use my current Dell 2007wfp for now until I find a deal on a Dell U2311H or possibly do some more research to find out whats good in the 23-24in market.
Keyboard and mouse are not an issue.

Hopefully will pull the trigger middle next week. Let me know if I am missing anything or should switch something up. Any input is appreciated, this thread has been extremely helpful for me so far!
 
G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231416 ... $100 (2x50)
Click to expand...

I really suggest you don't buy memory this way. If you want 16GB of ram, buy a set. The first thing support will say when you have problems is that they're not meant to run together.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...SpeTabStoreType=&AdvancedSearch=1&srchInDesc=

MSI N570GTX Twin Frozr III PE/OC GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127582 ... $370
Click to expand...

I use a 570 on a daily basis at 1920x1200 and I'll say that it's a good card. 1280MB of memory sounds like a lot but it's easier to run out of than you think as you start to push higher resolutions. Many will say it's fine, I guess I'm spoiled. ;) I wish I had done more homework on this before I bought it, you might want to be careful here, especially given that it's the most expensive item in the build. At your current monitor 1680 x 1050 it will be no problem. You might also want to think about whether or not you'd ever want to run more than one monitor.

No, smart caching is worthless if you have a boot ssd
Click to expand...

Unless you don't want a boot ssd and there are some valid points to this as well. I'd rather have a much larger system drive and SRT. I'm not saying it's the best thing for anyone, it's just how I like it. I bought my board before these came out.
 
In your first post you have arctic silver as your TIM, i would suggest against it. It doesn't perform well, can easily short out your socket/circuits on your motherboard if there is an accidental spill, and takes time to cure. There are other TIMs that are better out there like MX-4 or Shin Etsu, that perform immediately and have little to no curing time. Arctic Silver has simply become worthless in my opinion.
 
I had not heard that before about the ram, exdriver.
Using the link you provided, I will probably go with the Corsair XMS3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233203) or Corsair Vengeance (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233198). Not sure what the difference is between these two. I want ram with a low profile ram sink so there is clearance for the CPU fan.

pewter77 I believe someone on the first page mentioned that getting AS wouldn't be necessary so I've basically dropped that from the order.

Thanks.
 
You wont notice a real world performance increase when going with DDR3 1600 over DDR3 1333, so save your money and get this set instead.

$99.99 - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333

Although I don't believe support will be able to prove that the issue is because the RAM isn't designed to "run together" but whatever.
 
Nothing is going to use 16gb of ram. In my opinion, it's much better to go for speed. If OP is looking for fast low profile ram, I think he should consider the G.Skill Eco Series, which is what I currently run. Here's a link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321. By the time 8gb seems like it's not enough ram, it'll be time to switch to DDR4.

That video card seems like it's way overpriced. You can spend less money and get one that's clocked higher, has a lifetime warranty, and has DisplayPort from evga: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130622 This card also has a MIR and a free coupon for Batman: Arkham City

I'm not an expert on motherboards, but it seems like OP could spend a little less and get a better deal if he bought this ASRock board, which already has pci-e 3.0 support for when Ivy rolls around: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157265. ASRock may not be known as a high quality brand, but recently they have been trying to change that and seem to be doing a good job. I bought this board because it reminds me of my old abit AN8 Ultra, which was the best board I've ever owned. So far it's been serving me well.

I'm not a fan of the case at all, but cases are a personal thing. However, it looks like that case only has two fans and is negative air pressure. I think you'd be a lot better off going with a HAF 922 if you want to stay with a mid tower or a HAF 932 Advanced if you aren't worried about size and want lots of room to manage cables and work. If the HAF doesn't look professional enough for you, then the Corsair 650D would be a good (although kind of over priced) choice. When I built my new system last week, I ended up getting the 932 advanced and then a 5.25' bay adapter with a fan so I could remove the hard drive cage and add some more air pressure.

It looks like you are building a very similar system to mine with the same usage in mind, so here's a list of what I bought when I built my new system. I mulled over most of this stuff for a month before I bought any of it:

Bay adapter: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817993002

Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130622

Main HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

Backup HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136792

Power Supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139011

i7-2600K

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102033&T

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160 (I got the blue edition, but that's currently out of stock)

RAM (x2): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157265

HSF: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103055


Altogether it came to around $1500 (not counting MIRs), but I got most of those items tax free and with free shipping from amazon because I'm a student.
 
Last edited:
Although I don't believe support will be able to prove that the issue is because the RAM isn't designed to "run together" but whatever.
Click to expand...

They won't be able to prove it, unfortunately, they don't have to support what they didn't sell as a package. Having had this happen I've replaced sets that I could have just bought the right way the first time.

Why replace them? Because they didn't work without issues. In fact on my last system build I did this to myself again and I know better than to do that. Made me mad tbh, I've been doing it too long to make that mistake.
 
just for if/when you need thermal compound, imo get mx-4, its available at newegg,microcenter and a lot of others :p happy hunting
 
For the SSD I do plan on booting from it and having it be my OS drive.

As for the mobo, Ivy Bridge isn't a huge concern for me at the moment, I plan to stick with this system for several years. The MSI seems to be pretty solid

I want to stick with a ram that has a low profile heatsink, as I have heard that there can be/are issues with clearance with aftermarket CPU HS/F and ram. I think the Ripjaws have to large of a heat sink, which is why I chose the corsair sets of 16gb (and was choosing the g.skill snipers for (2x4)x2)

For the GPU I'd like the best GTX570 that is quiet/cool. I've seen MSI Frozr tossed around as having those qualities. How is the noise level/cooling on that evga 570 you listed GhostCow?

As far as the case, I am still up in the air. I want something that is sturdy and quiet. When I built my system 5 years ago I went with the P180 because that was what is was marketed as. It's quiet, but it certainly isn't silent and I am OK with that. I'd definitely like to stay around or under the $100 mark for a case, $150 max if something really stands out. The Corsair 650D looks like an excellent case, but is kind of expensive, plus I am not a huge fan of windows.
 
Is it just me or have video card prices gone back up a bit? At first I thought it was just ATI shortages due to Bitcoin miners, but the GTX570s are now right at 6970 prices ... something to consider. As drivers update, new games come out etc. it keeps getting harder to say which closely matched cards are faster/slower. I don't think either is a clear choice, though I'd personally go 6970.

I'd agree with GhostCow, not a fan of that case. Lian-Li makes some awesome cases, that's just not one of them. I really like Anandtech's case reviews as of late, here are some more performance-oriented, around $100 options:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4690/corsair-carbide-400r-succeeding-in-reverse
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4648/rosewill-thor-v2-the-god-of-cooling-and-silence
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4460/bitfenix-shinobi-the-budget-ninja
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4303/inwin-buc-100-dollar-chassis

RAM is strange these days. Prices have come down so fast that 16GB is chump change ... who would've thought? But you certainly don't need it and won't use it, it's purely e-peen at this point. If you want it and $50 is not enough to worry about, buy the full 16GB now, a 4 x 4GB kit is the best idea, and you won't have to fight compatibility headaches for sure. If your manufacturer stops making the model you're using, you might have to replace it anyway if you upgrade; it might get even cheaper, but not enough to matter. RAM speed is also odd: you can buy faster RAM, but it's getting really hard to see any advantage at all. Bottom line, as long as you get enough you'll never notice the difference, 8 or 16GB, faster/slower. I'd go with Skillz' pick personally.

On Win7 Home Premium vs Pro: the one reason I always go pro is Remote Desktop. I use it with Windows Home Server and it's extremely handy. If you don't need RD though you might as well save a few $$.
 
lmnop said:
For the GPU I'd like the best GTX570 that is quiet/cool. I've seen MSI Frozr tossed around as having those qualities. How is the noise level/cooling on that evga 570 you listed GhostCow?
Click to expand...

I have a loud cpu fan that drowns out everything else in the case, so I can't really comment on noise. It does run pretty hot, going as high as 70c after being under full load for a long time, but that's what the lifetime warranty and a good case are for.

lmnop said:
As far as the case, I am still up in the air. I want something that is sturdy and quiet.
Click to expand...

The cases that matt9669 linked are all awesome, I'd recommend any of those as they all seem to fit your taste without skimping on the cooling options. Out of the ones he linked, I'd go with the Corsair 400R and buy an extra fan to stick in the top fan mount. That or the Rosewill Thor, both seem awesome.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top