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Mini itx build

C

crispz

n00b
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Messages
5
Hello,
I'm going to build a mini itx computer, and this is the build I came up with,

Case: Silverstone SG08
Cpu: intel i7 2600k
Gpu: nvidia gtx 560 ti
ram: G.skill 8gb
HDD: Seagate barracuda 2tb
mobo: intel DH67CF/ Zotac Z68ITX-A-E

first question, is this build possible?
and for the mobo I'm not into overclocking but the cpu is not listed on the compatibility list of the DH67CF (but I saw people use this combination on youtube) so is the Zotac Z68 is worthed beside its overclocking feature? the price for DH67CF is: $117.55 and Zotac : $169.99
and is it okay to just use the stock cooler?

any suggestion is highly appreciated.

Thank you.

1. What will you be doing with this PC?
Photoshop, 3D, Gaming.

2. What's your budget?
around 1400.

13. When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Beginning of march.
Click to expand...
 
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Normally I would think that Intel would support the 2600K (or at least the 2600) on the DH67CF, but a quick check of their CPU compatibility list shows that they only list processors up to 65W TDP. Since the 2600K is a 95W CPU, I would question whether the board is designed to handle higher wattage processors. There are plenty of other brands out there that build mitx boards that list the 2600K in their support list.

That said, if you don't think you will overclock, there isn't any point in getting the 2600K or 2500K (except for a better resale price if you expect to sell it later). In a non-overclocking board, you won't see any difference between a 2600K and a regular 2600 CPU.

The only other reason to go with a Z68 board than overclocking is if you plan to use the SSD caching feature. Since you don't include an SSD in your list of parts, this would be another wasted feature.

I would suggest the AsRock H67M-ITX/HT for what you are doing ($120). http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157239 It includes a UEFI BIOS for faster bootup along with a number of other nice features. It's a much better value for the money than the Intel board. Pair that with an i5 2500 or i7 2600 and you will have a nice, fast system.

You can just stick with the stock CPU cooling. It works fine.
 
Well it may just be a case of Intel not listing every supported CPU on their site for that motherboard. If other people are running that CPU in that board, I would think it would work just fine. Considering that the 2600 and the 2600K have been around since pretty much the beginning of 1155 motherboards, I wouldn't think a person would need to update the BIOS to get CPU to be fully supported.
 
crispz said:
Case: Silverstone SG08
Cpu: intel i7 2600k
Gpu: nvidia gtx 560 ti
ram: G.skill 8gb
HDD: Seagate barracuda 2tb
mobo: intel DH67CF/ Zotac Z68ITX-A-E

first question, is this build possible?
Click to expand...

It is possible. I will however make some suggestions.

Look into other motherboards. As mentioned, there exists the possibility that the Intel board will see undue stress with a higher wattage CPU than it "officially" supports. If you are already going to spend $120 on a motherboard, why not get the ASRock Z68 ITX? Even if you don't use the extra Z68 features (concurrent IGP+GPU, SSD caching, overclocking) they can be there for the same price, just in case. Otherwise, look for cheaper H67 motherboards.

Stock cooling is fine for the CPU. Just remember to enable a fan profile in BIOS.

Have you considered an even smaller case? The Silverstone SG05-450 and SG06-450 can accommodate all your chosen parts with no issues. The difference between the two are the front face. The 05 gives more airflow while the 06 results in a slightly quieter rig.
 
I have the Asrock Z68 with a 2500k and an SG05. Id go with the SG08 so you don't have to worry about video card lengths as much and the Asrock board seems to be about the same as the Zotac but cheaper. Also there was a Zotac Z77 itx board at CES. If you can wait it may be worth it (8 phase VRM with heatsink).
 
Hi all, thanks for the suggestions :D

now I'm considering to use the SG05/6, because its small and cheaper,
but since its smaller isn't the system going to get hotter?

and for the board I guess I'll just go with either asrock z68 or h67, depends on which one gets more discount :D

and since the SG05/6 is cheaper, I'm thinking of getting a 60gb ssd, is it worth it?
 
crispz said:
Hi all, thanks for the suggestions :D

now I'm considering to use the SG05/6, because its small and cheaper,
but since its smaller isn't the system going to get hotter?

and for the board I guess I'll just go with either asrock z68 or h67, depends on which one gets more discount :D

and since the SG05/6 is cheaper, I'm thinking of getting a 60gb ssd, is it worth it?
Click to expand...

If you get the z68 and a 60GB SSD you can use Intel's SRT to give the 2TB drive near SSD speed.

Consider these:
Seagate Barracuda Green ST2000DL003 2TB 5900 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s
OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-60G 2.5" 60GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive
ASRock Z68M-ITX/HT
 
crispz said:
now I'm considering to use the SG05/6, because its small and cheaper,
but since its smaller isn't the system going to get hotter?
Click to expand...

It will be fine. Just think of it as a tube with a 120mm fan in front, forcing air in. :D

crispz said:
and since the SG05/6 is cheaper, I'm thinking of getting a 60gb ssd, is it worth it?
Click to expand...

If I can afford it, I would never go back to a system that boots off a HDD. Note that an SSD usually does not help gaming (except in rare cases like WoW or FSX). It does, however, make your computer feel faster overall. Some people don't actually notice much of a difference until they have to switch back to a HDD. It's like driving fast on the freeway and then having to slow down. Grrrr, so slow! Oh yeah, the other thing is that people who already optimize the hell out of Windows (disable Indexing, disable unused services, etc.) to make things faster on a HDD do not notice as much difference with an SSD.

EDIT:

darrella is right about using SSD caching. SSD caching has a limit of 60GB or so. You can use a larger SSD and leave extra free space (helps longevity of SSD, but it shouldn't be a problem unless you want it to last a decade). Then again, with a larger SSD you should just use it directly and not as a cache.

Note that you do NOT have to use an SSD that is advertised as a cache drive. Sandforce based SSDs are probably better than most at being a cache drive, but they are also considered less reliable.

Regarding darrella's particular suggestion, I would go with a different drive. If you want to use an SSD cache, you are probably wanting performance. Thus, get a 7200RPM drive. Also, WD and Seagate just lowered their warranty to 2 years (except WD Black and retail boxed) so consider something else. For instance, a 60GB SSD caching a Hitachi 7K1000.D would be nothing short of awesome!
 
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Zap said:
Then again, with a larger SSD you should just use it directly and not as a cache..
Click to expand...
Agreed: I have a 240GB and a 256GB system with no HDD in either of them.

Zap said:
If you want to use an SSD cache, you are probably wanting performance. Thus, get a 7200RPM drive.
Click to expand...
This would only apply to a cache miss or, to a lesser extent, a write operation. The point of the caching is to make the drive speed mostly irrelevant.
IMO, this is just spending more for a marginal improvement.
 
Hello, Thanks for the suggestions again :D
btw I have a question about the psu, can it handle intel i7 2700k?
Thanks :D
 
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