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un1c0rn2k1
n00b
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2012
- Messages
- 6
Hey everyone,
I've been planning to build my first MiniITX system for a while now, and would like to share my thoughts with the forum.
1. What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming, Photoshop (or other intensive programs), Overclocking, Web browsing, strictly HTPC/Playback, etc.
*HD video (1080p) editing & playback
*Music (listening, editing, re/mixing)
*Browsing Web, Downloading
*Photoshop & InDesign
*Benchmarks & Overclocking
*Gaming (Starcraft II + Exp., Diablo III, HOMM old series etc.).
2. What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included in this budget? Is your budget flexible? Is cost a driving factor in component selection?
Although my budget is flexible, I would like to keep the total cost of the whole system well under $2000.
3. Where do you live? Do you have any big B&M (brick and mortar) computer chains nearby (e.g. Microcenter, Fry's, etc)?
I live in Zagreb, Croatia. While we have a bunch of computer stores here, there are only a few of those which have some specific components I'm usually looking for (custom CPU & VGA coolers for an example). I must note that compared to the US market, the IT components are really expensive here where I live. For comparison, Core i5 2500K which sells for around $210 (newegg) costs from $290 to $335 (we have very high taxes)...
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.
So far I've got case, PSU, RAM, custom RAM heat spreaders and keyboard (all brand new, still in their retail boxes). I need MBO, CPU, VGA, SSD + HDD(s), vents, LED monitor and a mouse.
5. If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. For reused parts, list brands, model #s, and, if applicable, firmware revisions.
I won't be reusing any parts.
6. What specific features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc. Which is more important, size of the system or having the particular feature? Make sure you indicate *required* vs. *wanted* for each feature you list.
My TOP 2 needs are SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0. Also, since I'm planning to do some overclocking, I'm looking for MBOs with custom cooling (for an example - custom heatsinks on chipset and mosfets). Everything else like integrated Wi-Fi is a bonus.
7. What resolution output do you need? 1080p, 720p, DVD quality, etc for HTPC or list Vertical/horizontal resolution for non-HTPC SFF rigs. Do you need multiple monitor output?
1080p, don't need multiple monitor output.
8. Does this system need to fit into a particular space? Think entertainment center shelves, closet space, rackmount, etc.
Nope.
9. How comfortable are you with custom case design/modification and electrical wiring? What tools do you have (Screwdrivers/Leatherman, Drill, Dremel, Metal snips, Soldering Iron, Bending Brake, CNC/Welding machines/Plasma cutter, etc...)?
Although I've done come case modifications in the past, I do not plan doing it on this MiniITX build. At least not any major external changes.
10. How important is the noise/silence of this sytem? HTPCs typically want to be quiet while all-out SFF gaming rigs don't care
Silent system is actually one of my top 3 priorities for this build. The other two are - the best possible airflow (for CPU/GPU overclock) and ofc. - system stability.
11. How mobile does this system need to be? Need a carrying handle or carrying straps? Is weight important (carry-on bag, etc)? Water cooling quick disconnects, etc?
Mobility isn't a requirement for this build.
12. Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit? Remember that OEM copies of Win7 have issues with new motherboards
Yes, Windows 7 64bit Enterprise.
13. When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Immediately, in a couple weeks, 3-5 years?
I'd like to have it completely built and ready to go by the end of June 2012.
------------------------------
OK, with those Q&A behind, here is what I'm planning to do.
Almost a year ago, I've bought Lian Li PC-Q08 case on eBay, as I liked the looks and funcionality of it, plus the price was right ($169 with shipping included), so this case was going to be my starting point.
Several months ago, I've also bought Seasonic S12II Bronze 620W PSU for around 90$ in my local store (it was on discount, since the usual price was more then $115) and Corsair Vengeance 2x 4GB kit for $67, which was also on action for several days.
A few weeks ago, I got myself a brand new Logitech wireless keyboard for a bit lowered price ($30), and a couple of custom RAM copper heat spreaders from eBay (a total of $12 with shipping) and this pretty much sums all the components I got atm.
As for the other components here's what I'm looking at:
CASE: Lian Li PC-Q08 (aluminium; black; supports mini-ITX boards; 1x 140mm front, 1x 120mm in the back(top); a bunch of drilled holes for passive ventilation; max. PSU size 180mm; max CPU cooler height 110mm; max. VGA length 300mm). Bought 1 year ago for $169 (eBay).
PSU: Seasonic S12II Bronze (620W, ATX 2.2, 80+ Bronze, 120mm vent ball bearing, 140mm length, non-modular). Bought for 90$ (local store).
MBO: nothing bought so far. I was thinking about Zotac/ASRock Z68 boards but none of those seems 100% right for me, so I've decided to wait for Z77 chipset based mini-ITX boards (would like Gigabyte/Asus).
CPU: nothing bought so far. My favorite so far is Intel Core i5 2500K, but it's still too expensive atm ($290-$335) so I'm waiting for some discounts in my local stores.
COOLING: nothing bought so far. Looking at Coolermaster GeminII SF524 (supports LGA1155, 105mm height with fan, supports 140mm vents, vent blows on RAM and/or chipset and mosfet heatsinks).
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (CMZ8GX3M2A, DDR3, 1600MHz, Vengeance passive heatsink, 9-9-9-24, 1.5V, 2T by default but works with 1T for slightly increased performance). Bought for $67 (local store).
VGA: nothing bought so far. I was looking at GTX 560 Ti 1GB version by Asus/Gigabyte/MSI but have decided to wait for next generation of nVidia GPUs which should be launched in April 2012, and then decide what to buy.
STORAGE (OS+programs): nothing bought so far. I'm looking at Samsung 830 series 128GB, OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS 120GB and Mushkin Chronos Deluxe 120GB. My personal favorite so far is Samsung 830 series 128GB, but I'll wait as long as possible since the prices have been dropping almost on daily basis here.
STORAGE (multimedia): nothing bought so far. I'm thinking either Samsung SpinPoint F3 1TB, Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB or Samsung SpinPoint M8 1TB(*).
OPTICAL DRIVE: nothing bought so far. Looking at Samsung/Asus DVD+/-RW either internal or external version (*).
ADDITIONAL VENTS: nothing bought so far. Thinking about Noctua NF-P12 and Noctua NF-P14 FLX (x2) for case(front, rear)+CPU cooler, replacing default ones as a low noise/best airflow solution.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS: Copper RAM Heat Spreaders (replaces default tall Corsair Vengeance heatsink if it would be neccessary). Bought 2 of those for $12 (eBay, shipping included).
MONITOR: nothing bought so far. I'm thinking either Dell U2312HM (23" LED, IPS, 8ms, 300cd/m2, 16:9, 1920x1080, pivot, DP, DVI, D-Sub) or Asus VW247H (24" LED, TN, 5ms, 300cd/m2, 16:9, 1920x1080, HDMI, DVI, D-Sub).
MOUSE: nothing bought so far. Have no idea what to buy atm.
(*) for the best possible airflow, I'm planning to completely remove both internal HDD bays in PC-Q08 and instead buy Lian Li 5.25-inch Fan Control- Thermometer & Internal 2.5" HDD Mounting Kit (for 2x 2.5" HDDs) plus external DVD+/-RW device. So this way I would be eliminating potential vibration noise (more about this problem here, in the bottom of the page) and at the same time have much better airflow from the front 140mm fan which would blow directly on MBO, VGA and PSU without any obstacles. Also, I would get an elegant fan controller for up to 4 fans (need really 2). On the other hand, I would sacrifice performance of one 3.5" Samsung Spinpoint F3 HDD (7.200 RPM) or potentially the huge amount of disk space (Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB) but to counter this I'm considering the option of 2x 2.5" Samsung Spinpoint M8 and connecting them in Raid 0. Of course, if I decide to go down this road, I would have to play much more compared to "default" build.
I'd like to hear what you guys think about this?
Cheers!
I've been planning to build my first MiniITX system for a while now, and would like to share my thoughts with the forum.
1. What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming, Photoshop (or other intensive programs), Overclocking, Web browsing, strictly HTPC/Playback, etc.
*HD video (1080p) editing & playback
*Music (listening, editing, re/mixing)
*Browsing Web, Downloading
*Photoshop & InDesign
*Benchmarks & Overclocking
*Gaming (Starcraft II + Exp., Diablo III, HOMM old series etc.).
2. What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included in this budget? Is your budget flexible? Is cost a driving factor in component selection?
Although my budget is flexible, I would like to keep the total cost of the whole system well under $2000.
3. Where do you live? Do you have any big B&M (brick and mortar) computer chains nearby (e.g. Microcenter, Fry's, etc)?
I live in Zagreb, Croatia. While we have a bunch of computer stores here, there are only a few of those which have some specific components I'm usually looking for (custom CPU & VGA coolers for an example). I must note that compared to the US market, the IT components are really expensive here where I live. For comparison, Core i5 2500K which sells for around $210 (newegg) costs from $290 to $335 (we have very high taxes)...
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.
So far I've got case, PSU, RAM, custom RAM heat spreaders and keyboard (all brand new, still in their retail boxes). I need MBO, CPU, VGA, SSD + HDD(s), vents, LED monitor and a mouse.
5. If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. For reused parts, list brands, model #s, and, if applicable, firmware revisions.
I won't be reusing any parts.
6. What specific features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc. Which is more important, size of the system or having the particular feature? Make sure you indicate *required* vs. *wanted* for each feature you list.
My TOP 2 needs are SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0. Also, since I'm planning to do some overclocking, I'm looking for MBOs with custom cooling (for an example - custom heatsinks on chipset and mosfets). Everything else like integrated Wi-Fi is a bonus.
7. What resolution output do you need? 1080p, 720p, DVD quality, etc for HTPC or list Vertical/horizontal resolution for non-HTPC SFF rigs. Do you need multiple monitor output?
1080p, don't need multiple monitor output.
8. Does this system need to fit into a particular space? Think entertainment center shelves, closet space, rackmount, etc.
Nope.
9. How comfortable are you with custom case design/modification and electrical wiring? What tools do you have (Screwdrivers/Leatherman, Drill, Dremel, Metal snips, Soldering Iron, Bending Brake, CNC/Welding machines/Plasma cutter, etc...)?
Although I've done come case modifications in the past, I do not plan doing it on this MiniITX build. At least not any major external changes.
10. How important is the noise/silence of this sytem? HTPCs typically want to be quiet while all-out SFF gaming rigs don't care
Silent system is actually one of my top 3 priorities for this build. The other two are - the best possible airflow (for CPU/GPU overclock) and ofc. - system stability.
11. How mobile does this system need to be? Need a carrying handle or carrying straps? Is weight important (carry-on bag, etc)? Water cooling quick disconnects, etc?
Mobility isn't a requirement for this build.
12. Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit? Remember that OEM copies of Win7 have issues with new motherboards
Yes, Windows 7 64bit Enterprise.
13. When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Immediately, in a couple weeks, 3-5 years?
I'd like to have it completely built and ready to go by the end of June 2012.
------------------------------
OK, with those Q&A behind, here is what I'm planning to do.
Almost a year ago, I've bought Lian Li PC-Q08 case on eBay, as I liked the looks and funcionality of it, plus the price was right ($169 with shipping included), so this case was going to be my starting point.
Several months ago, I've also bought Seasonic S12II Bronze 620W PSU for around 90$ in my local store (it was on discount, since the usual price was more then $115) and Corsair Vengeance 2x 4GB kit for $67, which was also on action for several days.
A few weeks ago, I got myself a brand new Logitech wireless keyboard for a bit lowered price ($30), and a couple of custom RAM copper heat spreaders from eBay (a total of $12 with shipping) and this pretty much sums all the components I got atm.
As for the other components here's what I'm looking at:
CASE: Lian Li PC-Q08 (aluminium; black; supports mini-ITX boards; 1x 140mm front, 1x 120mm in the back(top); a bunch of drilled holes for passive ventilation; max. PSU size 180mm; max CPU cooler height 110mm; max. VGA length 300mm). Bought 1 year ago for $169 (eBay).
PSU: Seasonic S12II Bronze (620W, ATX 2.2, 80+ Bronze, 120mm vent ball bearing, 140mm length, non-modular). Bought for 90$ (local store).
MBO: nothing bought so far. I was thinking about Zotac/ASRock Z68 boards but none of those seems 100% right for me, so I've decided to wait for Z77 chipset based mini-ITX boards (would like Gigabyte/Asus).
CPU: nothing bought so far. My favorite so far is Intel Core i5 2500K, but it's still too expensive atm ($290-$335) so I'm waiting for some discounts in my local stores.
COOLING: nothing bought so far. Looking at Coolermaster GeminII SF524 (supports LGA1155, 105mm height with fan, supports 140mm vents, vent blows on RAM and/or chipset and mosfet heatsinks).
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (CMZ8GX3M2A, DDR3, 1600MHz, Vengeance passive heatsink, 9-9-9-24, 1.5V, 2T by default but works with 1T for slightly increased performance). Bought for $67 (local store).
VGA: nothing bought so far. I was looking at GTX 560 Ti 1GB version by Asus/Gigabyte/MSI but have decided to wait for next generation of nVidia GPUs which should be launched in April 2012, and then decide what to buy.
STORAGE (OS+programs): nothing bought so far. I'm looking at Samsung 830 series 128GB, OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS 120GB and Mushkin Chronos Deluxe 120GB. My personal favorite so far is Samsung 830 series 128GB, but I'll wait as long as possible since the prices have been dropping almost on daily basis here.
STORAGE (multimedia): nothing bought so far. I'm thinking either Samsung SpinPoint F3 1TB, Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB or Samsung SpinPoint M8 1TB(*).
OPTICAL DRIVE: nothing bought so far. Looking at Samsung/Asus DVD+/-RW either internal or external version (*).
ADDITIONAL VENTS: nothing bought so far. Thinking about Noctua NF-P12 and Noctua NF-P14 FLX (x2) for case(front, rear)+CPU cooler, replacing default ones as a low noise/best airflow solution.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS: Copper RAM Heat Spreaders (replaces default tall Corsair Vengeance heatsink if it would be neccessary). Bought 2 of those for $12 (eBay, shipping included).
MONITOR: nothing bought so far. I'm thinking either Dell U2312HM (23" LED, IPS, 8ms, 300cd/m2, 16:9, 1920x1080, pivot, DP, DVI, D-Sub) or Asus VW247H (24" LED, TN, 5ms, 300cd/m2, 16:9, 1920x1080, HDMI, DVI, D-Sub).
MOUSE: nothing bought so far. Have no idea what to buy atm.
(*) for the best possible airflow, I'm planning to completely remove both internal HDD bays in PC-Q08 and instead buy Lian Li 5.25-inch Fan Control- Thermometer & Internal 2.5" HDD Mounting Kit (for 2x 2.5" HDDs) plus external DVD+/-RW device. So this way I would be eliminating potential vibration noise (more about this problem here, in the bottom of the page) and at the same time have much better airflow from the front 140mm fan which would blow directly on MBO, VGA and PSU without any obstacles. Also, I would get an elegant fan controller for up to 4 fans (need really 2). On the other hand, I would sacrifice performance of one 3.5" Samsung Spinpoint F3 HDD (7.200 RPM) or potentially the huge amount of disk space (Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB) but to counter this I'm considering the option of 2x 2.5" Samsung Spinpoint M8 and connecting them in Raid 0. Of course, if I decide to go down this road, I would have to play much more compared to "default" build.
I'd like to hear what you guys think about this?
Cheers!
