New Build Help - Data Processing and Encoding

[DudeItsMe]

Hey everyone, I'm hopefully going to be able to talk my boss (my dad) into upgrading my dinosaur of a work computer. I have a few specific questions I'd like to have answered... but first, the standard ones!

1) What will you be doing with this PC?
Data processing and composing large variable text/graphics files.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
No specific budget, but last system I priced was $1116 shipped. I am not sure that there would be justification for cost much higher.

3) Where do you live?
IL

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific.
- CPU
- Motherboard
- RAM (I'm thinking 12 GB)
- PSU
- Video Card
- Case
- Hard Drive
- DVD Burner

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
None

6) Will you be overclocking?
- No plans to, unless it can be done very easily and under air cooling... would possibly consider an aftermarket heatsink

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
- 22" and 17". Would like to add another 22"-24" down the road if I'm lucky

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
- If I get approval, next week

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
- Ability to run two graphics cards (Crossfire/SLI not necessary)

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license?
- Windows 7 Pro (have it)

Now, here is what I have configured, and what I'm thinking:

Overall needs - I don't want something that howls, and it'd be nice if temps were reasonable. From my experience with recent computer hardware, the video card is usually the problem part.

Core i7 920 - it's fast, it's quad core, but for a good price.
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus - Keep things cool and quiet (hopefully!)
MSI x58M - I'm not set on Gigabyte, but I do think I want something x58 due to the higher bandwith and triple channel memory. And of course 2x PCI Express 2.0 in case I ever get lucky enough to get triple monitors.
Seagate 7200.12 500 GB 16Mb Cache - fast, plenty of storage. Don't need this much storage but also don't think I need a SSD.
PC Power & Cooling 610W PSU - should be enough power, always had good experience with PC Power & Cooling. They are cool and quite which I like.
LG DVD Burner - meh, it's gonna burn DVD's
XFX HD465X - pretty cheap but should fit my needs.... cool and somewhat quiet

As far as graphics needs, I basically just need something to display everything on two monitors. I usually work with lots of windows open and have to switch frequently, so just something that keeps up with that. I think what I have listed now is overkill most likely.
COOLER MASTER Centurion RC-534 - used this case in three builds, no complaints. Pretty low price.
OCZ Platinum 12 GB (6 x 2 GB) DDR 1333 - the computer I am replacing has a 4 GB RAM disk (Gigabyte iRAM). However, a software RAM disk would offer superior performance. I would like to allocate 4 GB to my RAM disk, so I do not think that 6 GB would be enough.

Current total is:
Amazon: 606.26 (free shipping)
Newegg: 404.98 (+7.56 shipping)

Now for a bit more about my needs:

The main use of the computer is database processing. I have to deal with large address databases (100-250,000 records), encode them with the USPS databases (what the RAM disk is needed for), and also prepare variable data and graphics mailings. These processes are mostly CPU intensive. It's not unusual for me to walk away from my computer while it's at 100% CPU utilization and have it still working 15 minutes later.

 

[vjcsmoke]

Ok considering that you are working with lots of data, you would benefit from 3 monitors.

So get a Radeon 5850 for $259 and you can run 3 monitors on one video card, no sweat.
Make sure that your third monitor has Displayport though for this to work. Otherwise you'd have to buy an active dvi to display port adapter that is currently around $99 from Dell.

Don't forget to invest in a quality heatsink. If your CPU is going to 100% utilization on multiple cores quite often those conditions are awful close to some CPU burn in programs. So you need to keep your cpu nice and cool.

I'd invest in a Prolimatech Megahalems or Megashadow. There's no difference between the two, just the Megashadow is black and costs 20 bucks more. So I'd just go with the original Megahalems. Add 2x120mm fans and an extra pair of fan clips to mount the fans in push/pull configuration. I got mine from heatsinkfactory.

http://www.heatsinkfactory.com/prolimatech-megahalems-cpu-cooler.html

PS The UD3R is a NO GO for 12GB of ram. IT only has 4x memory slots.

I'd recommend an EVGA SLI LE instead if you want 6 memory slots but lower cost. $220 after 20 dollar MIR.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188049

Xbitlab review:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/evga-x58-sli-le.html

 

[DudeItsMe]

Oops, the mobo pick was a fail for me.

As for monitors, wouldn't 2x cheaper cards still be more effective than buying a $259 card?

And I'm not so sure if the need for the heat sink is there... ideally the computer would have a break between periods of full load... and the periods should be shorter with a new PC hopefully! The mobo looks like a solid choice though, I'm definitely going to check it out.

 

[lt_shiro]

Oops, the mobo pick was a fail for me.

As for monitors, wouldn't 2x cheaper cards still be more effective than buying a $259 card?

And I'm not so sure if the need for the heat sink is there... ideally the computer would have a break between periods of full load... and the periods should be shorter with a new PC hopefully! The mobo looks like a solid choice though, I'm definitely going to check it out.

No a single 5850 out class pair of 9800 GTX cards in performance and power-usage.

Aftermarket HSF like Coolermaster Hyper 212+ would keep your pc much cooler and redue noise from stock one.

And I second Evga x58 SLi LE board.

 

[engiNURD]

You're only doing 2D? If so, then yes, even the 9800GTX+ is overkill. Get two cheaper cards instead. Go with two 9500GT's or HD4650's. And yes, the loudest fan is usually the GPU HSF. Though, the Hyper 212 shiro mentioned would also be a good choice since you said your CPU is typically at full load.

For your listed needs, get a cheaper board, like the Asus P6T SE. And if you don't mind mATX, you could save even more cash with the MSI X58M.

Since you don't need that much storage, go with a single platter 500GB drive instead, like the Samsung F3 or Seagate 7200.12. They're faster than the 640 black.

750 QUAD is overkill for your power needs. Go with a good quality 550W - 650W, Corsair, Antec TP New or Earthwatts, Seasonic, PC P&C, Silverstone, etc.

 

[DudeItsMe]

You're only doing 2D? If so, then yes, even the 9800GTX+ is overkill. Get two cheaper cards instead. Go with two 9500GT's or HD4650's. And yes, the loudest fan is usually the GPU HSF. Though, the Hyper 212 shiro mentioned would also be a good choice since you said your CPU is typically at full load.

For your listed needs, get a cheaper board, like the Asus P6T SE. And if you don't mind mATX, you could save even more cash with the MSI X58M.

Since you don't need that much storage, go with a single platter 500GB drive instead, like the Samsung F3 or Seagate 7200.12. They're faster than the 640 black.

750 QUAD is overkill for your power needs. Go with a good quality 550W - 650W, Corsair, Antec TP New or Earthwatts, Seasonic, PC P&C, Silverstone, etc.

Thank you, that's very informative.

My main hangup has been trying to decide what graphics card and motherboard to go with. If you say the 4650's will fit my needs, that will save tons of money. And the mATX board you suggested is cheaper but still has what I need with the 6 x DDR3 slots, 7 x SATA, 1 x eSATA. I mention the SATA ports because there is a chance I will be using this computer to back up all the files at work (we have around 10 computers and one 350 GB NAS) to have something off-site.

Also, I wasn't sure if there was a good alternative to the hard drive I had chosen. But faster is better so I'll check that one out too.

As for the PSU, I just picked something with some headroom. Newegg doesn't have much in the way of PC P&C power supplies these days it seems (of which I'm a HUGE fan), but I can get a 610W from Amazon, so I may look at that. If not, I'll have to try to find another brand that can match what I expect from the PC Power & Cooling PSU's.

When I get time today I'll revise the listing of parts in the OP to reflect those changes.

 

[Mav451]

Make sure you are getting the 212+ and not the regular 212. The original 212 is a normal tower heatsink, while the 212+ is an HDT variant that performs much better.

As for PSU, times have changed. Just read up on reviews on jonnyguru if you want to get an idea on what's good these days, but something like a TruePower New or Corsairs will be a good start. Just to give you an example, the last time someone mentioned PCP&C as a recommended brand, my friend was bragging about his P4 2.8C.

 

[engiNURD]

Its not like PC P&C has dwindled in quality/performance since the P4 days, lol. Sure, they got bought by OCZ, but they still run their department, IIRC. And their 750 QUAD has been recommended numerous times when it goes on sale for ~$100.

@OP: BTW, PC P&C doesn't manufacture PSUs, but simply re-brand them, as does Corsair and Antec.

If you're only doing 2D, no need for beefier GPUs. If you want to splurge a bit, sure, get an HD4670/4770 or 9600GT. Though, I doubt those would improve your 2D performance. Do you do anything 3D?

 

[DudeItsMe]

Enginurd - I can't think of where I would need 3D graphics. I do VERY little design work, and all the stuff I do is for print, so obviously it's going to be 2D

As for the PSU, if you have something else you would recommend, feel free to point it out. I just don't have any experience with a GOOD power supply other than PC Power & Cooling. If there is an equal product at a lesser price, fine by me!

What do you guys think about the memory? Should I go with the DDR3 1333? Seems like there are mixed opinions on using DDR3 1333 with that board (I don't really know if it's good or bad). But 12GB of DDR3 1066 would cost me MORE money.

I updated the original post. I think I'll add a HSF and make sure I have enough SATA cables and probably going to be done.

Oh and most of it is through Amazon to avoid Newegg's shipping rape + they dropped [H]ard|OCP as an advertiser.

 

[tiraides]

Make sure you are getting the 212+ and not the regular 212. The original 212 is a normal tower heatsink, while the 212+ is an HDT variant that performs much better.

That's not exactly true. A three-pipe HDT design actually performs worse as the heatpipes aren't "positioned properly" to cover the four CPU cores on the Core i7 processors. (I don't know how well they perform on the LGA1156 processors, though I have a feeling that they're designed more like their LGA1366 brethren than the older Core 2 design.) The "normal" 212 wouldn't be impacted as much due to its solid base... but I've heard nothing but good things (so far) about the 212 Plus.

What do you guys think about the memory? Should I go with the DDR3 1333? Seems like there are mixed opinions on using DDR3 1333 with that board (I don't really know if it's good or bad). But 12GB of DDR3 1066 would cost me MORE money.

I updated the original post. I think I'll add a HSF and make sure I have enough SATA cables and probably going to be done.

DDR3 1333 RAM is fine if you aren't planning to overclock at all. However, compare prices with DDR3 1600 RAM; on some occasions, DDR3 1600 kits are priced lower than even DDR3 1333 RAM. Ensure that the RAM you buy run at a voltage level of 1.65V or less. I know that most of the OCZ line-up run at 1.65V whereas G.Skill and Mushkin have kits that run at 1.5V-1.6V.

Your motherboard should provide at least four SATA cables in its retail package.

For your needs, I recommend a "full size" ATX motherboard. While the X58M is a good board, microATX X58M boards tend to have northbridge chipsets that run hot even under normal loads. You'd have to buy an aftermarket chipset cooler to mitigate that problem.

 

[Mav451]

You might want to read the actual reviews before making judgments on the 212+. I think this pictures speaks for itself, since you clearly didn't do any research before saying anything else.

hxxp://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Air_Cooling/212P/CM_212Plus_heatpipes.jpg
4 heatpipes means you place 3 lines of TIM...which I did. I'm getting low 50's at load, which is cooler than my e8400 was on my TRUE. That's either a combination of the Lynnfield or the CM212+, either way the 1156 can be cooled silently. My P12 is only at 9v, and for mainstream folks who probably rely on Turbo (and not manual OCs) you could probably get away with a 5v S-Flex on the CPU.

 

[lt_shiro]

I am with Mav451, I have used hyper 212+ and I don't see being any worst than normal hyper 212.

 

[DudeItsMe]

I'm actually going to be able to buy this thing! Yay!

Now I'm down to deciding on a motherboard.

The price of the MSI x58m is nice, but reviews say it runs hot. Plus it could be a bit cramped and also may be harder to troubleshoot due to the lack of any onboard error reporting. I might be leaning towards the EVGA motherboard suggested above (EVGA 141-BL-E757). It would probably be easier to work with, if anything were to go wrong especially. In the end, it may be a bit of luxury purchase in comparison, but may benefit in the long run (due to ease of install/use and less heat). What are your guys' thoughts?

 

[engiNURD]

Onboard error reporting? All you need is a case speaker/buzzer for end user mobo diagnostics.

 

[DudeItsMe]

Onboard error reporting? All you need is a case speaker/buzzer for end user mobo diagnostics.

I guess I am spoiled with my current mobo at home. But after looking again, I realized the price difference was more than I thought. Not sure if I am feeling that.

 

[tiraides]

The price of the MSI x58m is nice, but reviews say it runs hot. Plus it could be a bit cramped and also may be harder to troubleshoot due to the lack of any onboard error reporting. I might be leaning towards the EVGA motherboard suggested above (EVGA 141-BL-E757). It would probably be easier to work with, if anything were to go wrong especially. In the end, it may be a bit of luxury purchase in comparison, but may benefit in the long run (due to ease of install/use and less heat). What are your guys' thoughts?

I also told you that the X58M runs hot; in fact, it's been the biggest problem of most of the X58 microATX boards. That said, the chances of things going wrong with the EVGA board is just a great as the X58M's chances... but go with the EVGA board.

And Mav451, reread the first paragraph of my previous post. I never said that the 212 Plus was a bad CPU cooler, nor did I mention the number of heatpipes it used.

 

[Mav451]

Well your first paragraph is somewhat misleading. You start off saying HDT is bad for i7/i5's, because many are three-pipe designs. Obviously not all HDTs are three-pipes, and the 212+ is not the only 4-pipe HDT out there. Of course you end up saying "nothing but good things" about the 212+, but it still comes of sounding funny.

 

[DudeItsMe]

If I go with the EVGA board, that brings the price back up to about $1,113.68, which is about where I was before. I think I am going to try to get that board, since I want to have some expansion options in the future and I'd like to keep things somewhat cool in there if at all possible. I'm already going to be adding another harddrive to the build for backup purposes, and who knows what else may come in the future. I'm just not too comfortable with the idea of that hot mATX board.