New Build Help

[him0002]

1. What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming and internet streaming

2. Will you be overclocking? Yes. I currently have a 2500k oc'd to 4.5

3. What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included in this budget? Is your budget flexible? Is cost a driving factor in component selection? 200, less is better.

4. Where do you live? Do you have any big B&M (brick and mortar) computer chains nearby (e.g. Microcenter, Fry's, etc)? I have a microcenter near me. I can also use newegg, amazon, tigerdirect ect.

5. What exact parts do you need for that budget? I just need a case and a new motherboard. Maybe an all in one liquid cooler for CPU like the corsair H60.

6. 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. i5 2500k, 8 gb corsair dominator, gtx 580, corsair 1200 watt powersupply, 64 gb SSD, 2 3.5 harddrives.

7. What specific features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.USB 3.0 would be nice but not required. I would like to SLI eventually if possible. Everything else is not mandatory.

8. What resolution output do you need? I currently use a 120hz 1080p monitor (27 inches) and a side monitor (27 inches).

9. Does this system need to fit into a particular space and do you need an optical drive? I will need an optical drive to install windows. I would like the pc to be able to sit on my desk but the floor is ok.

10. How comfortable are you with custom case design/modification and electrical wiring? Not comfortable with custom case modification.

11. How important is the noise/silence of this sytem? I would like low noise if possible.

12. How mobile does this system need to be? Does not really need to be mobile.

13. Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? Windows 7 will be used 64 bit.

14. When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Immediately, in a couple weeks, 3-5 years? Couple of weeks.

Extra info:

I have a 1200 watt corsair power supply which is 200mm in length. I am having a hard time finding a case that can accommodate this size.

 

[Zap]

Why is this posted in Small Form Factor Systems? Are you aiming for micro ATX? I will assume that you are going mATX and make that kind of recommendation.

Fractal Design Arc Mini case
If you don't use the bottom fan, it supports PSUs up to 220mm. It supports a total of SEVEN case fans. Two 120mm front intake (one supplied). One 120mm rear exhaust (supplied). Two 140mm top exhaust (one supplied). One 140mm side panel (not included). One 120mm bottom (not included). The caveats are that if you use an optical drive, you won't be able to use the second top fan. Already mentioned is not being able to use the bottom fan if you use your long PSU. I think if you add a second 120mm fan in front, add a 140mm fan on the side panel as intake and then undervolt all the fans, you'd be able to safely run SLI while not being super noisy, with the caveat that of course any SLI rig that doesn't have the GPUs liquid cooled will not be "quiet."

For SLI you will need a motherboard that supports SLI with the proper slot spacing. Checking on Newegg, the highest end option is the Asus Maximus Gene V for $200. Cheapest option is the MSI Z77MA-G45 for $100 after $10 rebate. In-between are the ASUS P8Z77-M PRO for $150, the ASRock Z77 Extreme4-M for $140 and the ASRock Z77 Professional-M for $135.

While the Gene V is a proven and popular board, it is quite expensive. Biggest benefit is the slightly better onboard audio. On the bottom side the MSI board may not be a great choice for SLI because they did not include an SLI bridge which should be standard with every SLI capable motherboard and at least one end user review stated that it does not support SLI even if it claims to (taken with grain of salt). This leaves the mid-priced boards. I personally would just get the Professional-M as they all seem quite similar, and recent mid-range ASRock boards have been kicking butt in overclocking.