New i7 build

[EdSurly]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming, web surfing mostly. The games I play are the iRacing simulator which isn't too system intensive but would like to set up a triple monitor rig in the future as money allows. I also play Civ V with huge custom maps. Those two are my primary games as of now.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$1,000

3) Where do you live?
Hot and dusty SW Oklahoma

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc.
Motherboard, CPU, graphics, ram, fans and cpu fan/heatsink

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing?
PC Power and Cooling 750 watt Silencer
Voodoo Rage pc case (with 2 x 80mm intake fans and 2 x 80mm exhaust fans)
DVD burner
Creative Labs Audigy2 soundcard
Logitec Z5500 5.1 speaker system
Western Digital Caviar Black 750 gig HD.
When I first installed this drive with Windows 7 it made a metallic "ticking" noise so I RMA'd the drive back to newegg.com. The replacement drive did the exact same thing so I just utilized my old Seagate ST3500 350 gig drive and relegated the WD drive for storage. Don't really want to purchase a new hard drive but I will if it's recomended.

6) Will you be overclocking?
Probably so, dependent upon the cooler size. The Voodoo case doesn't have alot of room between the MB and the side panel. I think about 6 inches (152mm) would be the absolute max height for a tower cooler.

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
24" Dell Ultra-Sharp at 1920 x 1200

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
This week or next

9) What features do you need in a motherboard?
Crossfire eventually, USB 3.0 would be grand and eSata (don't need 6g yet but I'd like to future proof it as much as possible)

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Windows 7 Pro 64bit

Here is what I have come up with so far. Tell me if I'm uninformed;
ASRock P67 EXTREME4
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157229

SAPPHIRE 100312SR Radeon HD 6950 2GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102914

Intel Core i7-2600K (or would an overclocked i5 2500k suffice?)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428

For $854.78 plus shipping and including a pair of 3.5" to 5.25" metal brackets.

 

[Dangman]

You're looking at new case and HDD man:
- That case won't provide sufficient cooling for a HD 6850 let alone a HD 6950 card.
- Both of your hard drives are rather slow by today's standards and may very well make you feel like you're still using your old PC.

Since you're only gaming, you'll be fine with the 2500K. Mobo wise, I'm not a fan of that motherboard due to the 2 year warranty. I recommend this combo deal:
$340 - Intel Core i5-2500K CPU + MSI P67A-G43 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard

RAM wise, you're not gonna notice an iota of real world difference between that G.Skill set and two of these G.Skill RAM:
$82 - 2 x G.Skill Ripjaw Series F3-10666CL9S-4GBRL 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM

Video card wise, I'd spend the extra $5 for a lifetime warranty and better customer support:
$283 - XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB PCI-E Video Card

HDD wise, I recommend this HDD:
$65 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Case wise, I recommend the following cases:
$70 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K58W ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
$100 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case
$106 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II ATX Case
$110 - Fractal Design Define R3 Black ATX Case
$110 - NZXT Whisper WHI - 001BK ATX Full Tower Case
$120 - Velocity Micro GX2-W Silver Classic Aluminum Case with Side Window
$140 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001BK Black Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - Cooler Master HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$165 - Corsair Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$160 - Silverstone RV02B-W ATX case

 

[EdSurly]

Thanks a bunch for your recommendations. The reason I want to use my old case is it's the last one Voodoo produced. It's signed by the Voodoo staff and it's got some sentimental value to me, besides I think it's one of the most beautiful cases made. I was thinking I could place a 140mm fan on the bottom (outside) of the case and force air up through it. The bottom is perforated aluminum but I honestly don't know how well that would work. I don't think the fan will be able to push much air through the perforations...would need a pretty powerful fan I think.

Honestly, if I bought any of the cases you showed me I would feel like I traded in a classic Vette for a Kia. But maybe a Kia is what I need. Hell if I know....What would a Voodoo Rage F1 case bring if I wanted to sell it do you think? It's complete, black matte finish on the outside and red anodized interior. It has the led lit mask on top, in the front and I have the black aluminum cable management system that goes on the back.

<edit> Actually, I kinda like the RV2 and the HAF cases...

 

[Dangman]

Thanks a bunch for your recommendations. The reason I want to use my old case is it's the last one Voodoo produced. It's signed by the Voodoo staff and it's got some sentimental value to me, besides I think it's one of the most beautiful cases made. I was thinking I could place a 140mm fan on the bottom (outside) of the case and force air up through it. The bottom is perforated aluminum but I honestly don't know how well that would work. I don't think the fan will be able to push much air through the perforations...would need a pretty powerful fan I think.

You would still need to exhaust the warm air out faster than or at least equal to the rate that 140mm bringing in cool air. With that said, are you willing to mod that case? I.e It looks like the front should be able to fit a 120mm fan at least once the front is cut open a bit. The rear looks like it could fit 92mm fans with a little modding. Then adding a bottom mounted 120mm or 140mm fan would do the trick.

What would a Voodoo Rage F1 case bring if I wanted to sell it do you think? It's complete, black matte finish on the outside and red anodized interior. It has the led lit mask on top, in the front and I have the black aluminum cable management system that goes on the back.

Price checks aren't allowed outside of the subscription only General Mayhem. So can't help you here.

<edit> Actually, I kinda like the RV2 and the HAF cases...

They are excellent cases. I would highyl recommend those cases over Antec's 1200 case. Hell I'd recommend that $60 Coolermater over the Antec 1200.

 

[ordovician]

A $1000 PC should have an SSD, end of story And for gaming, the difference between the OCed 2500k and the 2600k is negligible. Spend the difference on an SSD and never look back.

 

[EdSurly]

Thanks guy's.

 

[tonytnnt]

You could turn the Voodoo Rage into some sort of server or alternate PC if the case has sentimental value to you. If you get something with a low enough thermal profile it won't be hampered by the 80mm fans. What about water cooling? That should be able to get the heat out, but you're looking at a higher budget.

Edit: Just looked at your other thread in the cases forum. Consider water cooling it, whether you go with an all in one or a full setup. If you go all out you should be able to get a water block for your graphics card as well. Also, a single 6950 (or 6970) should be cooler than two 8800s. But you're looking at a bigger budget...

 

[EdSurly]

YIf you get something with a low enough thermal profile it won't be hampered by the 80mm fans. What about water cooling?

One thing I was going to ask Danny also but I'll ask you both. You guy's stated that the 80mm fans are a hindrance. I don't understand how 160mm's (2 80mm fans) of front and 160mm's of rear fans are worse (or a hindrance) versus one 120 or 140mm fan.

But as for what you just wrote, I have been sending private messages to the poster that water cooled his Voodoo Rage case but I haven't heard back from him. I have seen people put the radiator in the 5.25" bays but if I did that I'd have to use the HD cage at the bottom...that would mean I couldn't use any of the longer video cards. But either way, I'll have to sell it or mod it or like you said, use it as a home server. That last part may be the best idea yet actually. But again, I may need to wait a month or two more in order to increase my budget.

 

[Spooony]

A case?
CM HAF X 1x140mm 1x200mm 2x240mm+ GPU Duct
Then get the Panaflo 120mm x 38mm for the gpu duct

 

[E4g1e]

One thing I was going to ask Danny also but I'll ask you both. You guy's stated that the 80mm fans are a hindrance. I don't understand how 160mm's (2 80mm fans) of front and 160mm's of rear fans are worse (or a hindrance) versus one 120 or 140mm fan.

But as for what you just wrote, I have been sending private messages to the poster that water cooled his Voodoo Rage case but I haven't heard back from him. I have seen people put the radiator in the 5.25" bays but if I did that I'd have to use the HD cage at the bottom...that would mean I couldn't use any of the longer video cards. But either way, I'll have to sell it or mod it or like you said, use it as a home server. That last part may be the best idea yet actually. But again, I may need to wait a month or two more in order to increase my budget.

Actually, it would take four 80mm fans to equal one 160mm fan. Two 80mm fans only equal one 113mm fan. You never add up the sizes like what you described above.

 

[tonytnnt]

Actually, it would take four 80mm fans to equal one 160mm fan. Two 80mm fans only equal one 113mm fan. You never add up the sizes like what you described above.

Yeah, you need to look at how many CFM each fan will move. But a 160mm fan is 160 mm in the x and y direction, whereas two 80mm fans are 160 mm in one direction, and 80 mm in the other. Then there's the fact that you have two fan axels rather than one blocking airflow. And that's before you consider turbulence and other factors.

If you want to try watercooling and perform a non-destructive mod to your case, you could get one of these: MCB-120™ "Radbox" radiator/fan housing

That will allow you to use a 120mm radiator on the attachment points for one of your 80mm case fans. It'll be hanging off the back, but it won't involve cutting the case. Alternatively, you can look into one of the 80mm radiators I found on Frozencpu. I'm not a water cooling expert, but it might be an option to allow you to keep the case intact while using modern components.

 

[EdSurly]

Actually, it would take four 80mm fans to equal one 160mm fan. Two 80mm fans only equal one 113mm fan. You never add up the sizes like what you described above.

Yea, Pi x radius squared...DUH!! I had a brain fart. Your right, 113mm equals the same area as two 80mm's. T

 

[EdSurly]

If you want to try watercooling and perform a non-destructive mod to your case, you could get one of these: MCB-120™ "Radbox" radiator/fan housing

That will allow you to use a 120mm radiator on the attachment points for one of your 80mm case fans. It'll be hanging off the back, but it won't involve cutting the case. Alternatively, you can look into one of the 80mm radiators I found on Frozencpu. I'm not a water cooling expert, but it might be an option to allow you to keep the case intact while using modern components.

I like that! Never new something like that was around, thanks a bunch!

 

[tonytnnt]

No problem, let us know what you end up doing!