Need help with my first SFF build

[grant3d]

Hi guys,

I've lurked for quite a long time but never had a reason to post until now. I've decided to jump on board with all this steam box stuff that's been going around but I would like to be able to keep upgrading it over time. I think I have put together a reasonably affordable build but I am obviously open to suggestions, especially on the processor/gpu front. From what I have been reading it seems like a beefy processor isnt necessarily needed for games but is the i3 enough? The basic question is can this system handle current and "next gen" games at 1080p on reasonably high settings? I don't need "ultimate" or 60fps.

My major problem is I need to find a case that is under 8 inches tall to fit in my TV stand. Unfortunately all the popular choices seem to be just over 8. The node 304, cm 130 elite, sg05, etc.

Any other random helpful info would be much appreciated as well. It seems like most of the gpu coolers arent always rear exhaust, is this a big deal? Any tips for keeping the noise down?

Thanks for any help you can give!

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2d1HA
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2d1HA/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2d1HA/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i3-4330 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87E-ITX Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost 2GB Video Card ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Case: ??????
Power Supply: Silverstone 450W 80+ Bronze Certified SFX Power Supply ($70.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $713.93
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-01 20:13 EST-0500)

 

[Moogoos]

My major problem is I need to find a case that is under 8 inches tall to fit in my TV stand. Unfortunately all the popular choices seem to be just over 8. The node 304, cm 130 elite, sg05, etc.

My SG05 is 7" tall.

 

[grant3d]

Thanks for the reply and pointing that out! I stand corrected, I must have looked at the old version. This is good news, now I just have to make sure my video card is within 10 inches. Any input on cpu/gpu?

 

[Dangman]

If $120 is the most you can spend on the CPU, then the Core i3 4330 is a fine choice. If you can spend more, then I recommend the Core i5 4430 since future games will take advantage of the extra cores.

That GTX 650 TI is not good choice since the significantly faster HD 7870 can be had for the same price this BF weekend:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131510&ignorebbr=1

You can save some money on the RAM and SSD as well:
$60 - Crucial Ballistix BLS8G3D1609ES2LX0 8GB DDR3 1600 RAM
$150 - Samsung 840 Evo Series 250GB SSD

 

[grant3d]

Thanks for the input! Unfortunately I totally missed out on that video card deal, its out of stock now I don't mind spending a little bit more for better future proofing so I'll definitely consider the i5 instead. What are your thoughts on coolers? The closed loop water coolers seem popular? I'm looking to keep the system pretty quiet.

 

[Dangman]

Thanks for the input! Unfortunately I totally missed out on that video card deal, its out of stock now .

You can still get a good deal on the HD 7870 right now:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131510&ignorebbr=1

Look a the performance difference between the Ti Boost and the HD 7870:
http://anandtech.com/bench/product/782?vs=857

I don't mind spending a little bit more for better future proofing so I'll definitely consider the i5 instead. What are your thoughts on coolers? The closed loop water coolers seem popular? I'm looking to keep the system pretty quiet.

The problem is that you're planning on a SFF system with a video card. So pretty quiet isn't exactly within the realm of possibility. WIth that said, liquid all-in-ones aren't loud but they're a bit noisy due to the pump. However, which route you should go in terms of coolers is going to be dependent on which case you're getting.

 

[grant3d]

I managed to get one ordered last night as it was going in and out of stock, whoo! That is definitely a noticable performance boost for a similar price, I appreciate the advice.

I think I will probably end up with the sg05 due to my under 8 inch height requirement for my TV stand. Unless theres another good choice I'm unaware of? I did a bit of researching on the hyper 212 evo but I dont think its going to fit in that case. I think I want to stick to air cooling just to eliminate any extra failure points but the water coolers seem to be the easiest bet for fitment.

 

[Skott]

H60 is a good AIO cooler for the SG05. I see them in quite a few SG05 builds.

 

[grant3d]

So I found the big SG05 build thread, man theres some awesome stuff going on in there. I am leaning heavily towards the H60 at this point, possibly with the noctua fan everyone likes. It seems like the H60 doesnt fit with the optical/SSD bay in its regular location? Or maybe everyone is just using more storage than I am planning. Can anyone confirm?