New Build

[bmoody23]

Hello. I've been lurking on this site for about a year and been reading this section religiously. The advice given here is so important in helping me make decisions when building a computer. With that said I would like help me out on my build.
Thank you.

P.S. I used a MAC for a while and I am gradually returning to PC. So please forgive if some of the components are not relevant to today's standards.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? Etc
Gaming and video editing. I would like play any games coming out in the future; decently. At the moment I am only playing starcraft 2. I would also like to encode. I basically would like this computer to let me do everything.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
My budget is about $1300 - 1400, tax and shipping included. I have Amazon Prime

3) Where do you live?
LA. I live near a Microcenter and Fry’s

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.
CPU, HDD, GPU, motherboard, PSU, HSF, DVD or BD-ROM, CASE, RAM


5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
I have speakers already. Logitech x540

6) Will you be overclocking?
Yes, I would eventually like to do this. This will be a first for me.

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
APPLE 23” 1920 x 1200, I plan to upgrade in the future.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Between now and Next week

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video? etc.
Sata 6 and usb 3.0 are ideal

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
No please include this in the budget or on the side.




PSEUDO BUILD


CPU - Intel Core i7-2600k Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) - $299

- I am debating over this and a 2500k

CASE- Fractal Design Define R3 White ATX Mid Tower Silent PC - $109.99

- How is this case? I switched this from an Antec 300 after reading about how it isn't a great case. Please recommend any other cases that would be good.

RAM- G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBRL - $84.99

- I read that you can downgrade to the ddr3 1333mhz insead of the 1600mhz.

GPU- 1) XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB - $244.99 AR

2) MSI R6950-2PM2D2GD5 Radeon HD 6950 2GB - 269.99 AR

Please recommend a good GPU if these don't suffice.

PSU- 1) CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W - 109.99 AR

2) CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX - $89.99 AR

Cannot choose between the two PSU.

MOBO - MSI P67A-GD65 (B3) - $179.99

HSF - COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus - $30

HDD - SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB - $64

SSD - Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB - $134

I am on the fence about this. I dont know if I really need it.

DVD-RW - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X $21

If you can include a mouse and keyboard please do so. I just left it out since I can probably pick one up on sale.

Thank you for all the future considerations and advice.

 

[Dangman]

If you do a lot of video encoding, then go for the 2600K. Besides that, you chose pretty good parts. I'd go for the XFX simply due to the longer warranty. The Corsair 750W PSU is a good choice. Definitely go for the SSD if you have the money for it.

Oh and buy as many of your parts as possible from Amazon.com since Newegg charges you tax whereas Amazon doesn't.

 

[bmoody23]

Hey Danny,
I was curious about a few things.

1. Would a small ssd be just for OS and a few games?
2. Also I wonder if hyper-threading is available for video editing software on windows. And would I be better off getting the 2500k and putting the extra money on a bigger ssd
3. I was wondering about the IPS monitors everyone is talking about. Is that just for pswap and not really for gaming?
4. Are the Corsair tx750 and the XFX 750 black edition about the same? PSU
5. Would I need to buy extra fans for the case?
Thanks for the heads up on Amazon.

 

[Lycidas]

Suggesting this promo from Microcenter

Intel® Core™ i7 2600K LGA 1155 $260
ASUS P8P67 Motherboard $140

 

[E4g1e]

Hey Danny,
I was curious about a few things.

1. Would a small ssd be just for OS and a few games?
2. Also I wonder if hyper-threading is available for video editing software on windows. And would I be better off getting the 2500k and putting the extra money on a bigger ssd
3. I was wondering about the IPS monitors everyone is talking about. Is that just for pswap and not really for gaming?
4. Are the Corsair tx750 and the XFX 750 black edition about the same? PSU
5. Would I need to buy extra fans for the case?
Thanks for the heads up on Amazon.

1) Yes

2) Most video editing software (including many of the el-cheapo $100 consumer packages such as the newer versions of Avid Pinnacle Studio and Adobe Premiere Elements) takes at least some advantage of Hyper-Threading.

3) IPS panels are a big help if you're doing a lot of Photoshop color corrections.

4) The XFX 750 Black Edition is of slightly better quality than the original Corsair TX750. However, the original TX750 is gradually being replaced by the newer TX750 v2 version.

5) If you're not overclocking much, extra case fans are not necessary (that Fractal Design Define R3 case comes with one 120mm fan in front and one 120mm fan in rear, but can accommodate up to five additional 120mm or 140mm fans). If you're overclocking, then the extra fans are desirable.

 

[bmoody23]

Suggesting this promo from Microcenter

Intel® Core™ i7 2600K LGA 1155 $260
ASUS P8P67 Motherboard $140

Thanks for providing some insight. I didn't go with the Asus board even though it is on sale because of the fact that asus has many problems for the 1155 boards.

1) Yes

2) Most video editing software (including many of the el-cheapo $100 consumer packages such as the newer versions of Avid Pinnacle Studio and Adobe Premiere Elements) takes at least some advantage of Hyper-Threading.

3) IPS panels are a big help if you're doing a lot of Photoshop color corrections.

4) The XFX 750 Black Edition is of slightly better quality than the original Corsair TX750. However, the original TX750 is gradually being replaced by the newer TX750 v2 version.

5) If you're not overclocking much, extra case fans are not necessary (that Fractal Design Define R3 case comes with one 120mm fan in front and one 120mm fan in rear, but can accommodate up to five additional 120mm or 140mm fans). If you're overclocking, then the extra fans are desirable.

Thanks for the answering my questions Eagle. I hope you don't mind me asking a few more.

1. In regards to the XFX psu and the Corsair, what is the difference from the v2. I am leaning more towards the XFX after reading such great reviews and such.

2. I am debating over the Fractal Design R3 and the Coolmaster haf 922. I read that the Fractal has some airflow problems and it has little space for crossfire How do those two rate? I want something that has great cooling and is built great. I really like how the Fractal case looks like.

3. I also have no idea about case fans. Is the 2 stock fans in the Fractal case sufficient?
Also on the Coolmaster case same questions. I believe they have 3 fans around 200m

Thanks!

 

[E4g1e]

Thanks for providing some insight. I didn't go with the Asus board even though it is on sale because of the fact that asus has many problems for the 1155 boards.



Thanks for the answering my questions Eagle. I hope you don't mind me asking a few more.

1. In regards to the XFX psu and the Corsair, what is the difference from the v2. I am leaning more towards the XFX after reading such great reviews and such.

I can answer this one about the differences between the original TX750 and the v2:

The original TX750 was based on a CWT PSH platform while the TX750 v2 is based on a Seasonic platform that's of nearly the same level of quality as the Seasonic-based XFX 750 Black PSU. The TX750 v2 is missing a few features from the XFX as far as the platforms are concerned.

 

[bmoody23]

Wow that was such a quick response. Thank you.
So its really a toss up between the two, since it is basically the same.

Oh I was also curious if I add another HDD, would i need a bigger psu? or is 750 enough.

 

[Spooony]

look for this board rather its 15 usd or so more expensive but its worth it
MSI P67A-G45 B3 P67SATA6Gb/s USB3.0 SLI/CF 8x/8x ATX

Ram
Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1333MHz
It goes for around 80 usd.

Psu
SeaSonic M12II 620W 80PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular
Goes for around 70usd bang for buck more than enough juice for your system

Case
NZXT TEMPEST EVO 4 x 120mm 2 x 140mm
Good case bang for buck and packed with everything you need good ventilation as well

If your going to do video editing you need another drive to hook up in raid to use as scratch disks. If I were you ill look for a cheap Pci-e raid controller to hook em up with. Onboard controllers normally a bottleneck

For gpu get this one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=

234.99 AR

 

[E4g1e]

By the way, onboard RAID software controllers especially suck in RAID 5. My testing in that "PPBM5" test showed that the AVI disk performance shot way up from 64 seconds for a two-disk RAID 0 to a whopping 480+ seconds with a four-disk RAID 5.

On the contrary, if one is to use a true RAID, I actually disagree with Spooony's recommendation of a cheap PCI-e RAID card. Most of the $200 models still use software-based RAID implementations, so that performance would still suck in RAID 5 and (if anything) would actually be slower in RAID 0/1/10 than the onboard Intel RAID. And even $500 models do not have enough onboard hardware cache memory, nor do they have the capability of adding more cache RAM.

 

[Dangman]

2. I am debating over the Fractal Design R3 and the Coolmaster haf 922. I read that the Fractal has some airflow problems and it has little space for crossfire How do those two rate? I want something that has great cooling and is built great. I really like how the Fractal case looks like.

It does have some space issues for Crossfire but the Fractal Design is still one of the quieter cases out there. Both are good cases. The problem is that they cater to different tastes: Coolermaster for excellent cooling at the expense of noise and Fractal Design for low noise at the expense of cooling.

3. I also have no idea about case fans. Is the 2 stock fans in the Fractal case sufficient?
Also on the Coolmaster case same questions. I believe they have 3 fans around 200m

I'd add more fans in the case of the Fractal. You should be fine with stock cooling with the Coolermaster

Oh I was also curious if I add another HDD, would i need a bigger psu? or is 750 enough.

750W is enough.

 

[bmoody23]

Thanks for all the advice on the build.

I just wanted to let everyone know if you're getting this card XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB - $244.99 AR

it is not a reference card thus you cannot flash it.

Continuing to build my computer.

 

[Noble Aquarius]

the 6950 is a good card, but if you wanna get more performace per dollar then get a XFX Ref 6950 and you can flash and have a 6970 at a 6950 price and nice build, you will be amazed at how fast sb is. i upgraded from a intel p4 to a core i7 870 and it was night and day