Novice builder seeking advice

[cheeken]

I am planning a new system. These are the components I'm leaning towards right now. I've built a few machines in the past but I am not on top of hardware these days, so I am seeking more expert advice.

Of note:

• I'm following the "best bang for your buck" guideline; I don't have a particular budget in mind.
• I am considering a nicer CPU fan (such as a Hyper 212+ paired with a Noctua fan) but am not yet sure if it is worthwhile.
• I will be installing a PSU and optical drive I already own.
• I might play with OCing the CPU (and GPU?).
• A little wary of a 64GB boot drive, but I've currently a 74GB one and I think I'll manage.

Again, I welcome and appreciate any input. Thanks in advance!
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1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Of the demanding stuff: gaming and photo manipulation. No video work.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
No particular budget, just looking to spend my money wisely, aiming for the performance/price inflection points.

3) Where do you live?
New England, USA

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.
Case & necessary cooling, CPU & necessary cooling, motherboard, RAM, GPU, OS HDD, PSU (maybe)

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Parts I might reuse: a PSU and optical drive.

6) Will you be overclocking?
Maybe. I'd like to have the option.

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
22" - LG L227WTG

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Immediately - next one or two days.

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
I would like USB3.0, RAID, and Crossfire availability. The harddrive I have selected is SATA III, so that would be useful as we..

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Yes: Windows 7 Professional x64

Edit: Corrected a link to the fan I am considering purchasing.
Edit: Added information requested per 'build advice' sticky. (I am ashamed for missing this to begin with - sorry.)

 

[tiraides]

Please answer the sticky questions at the top of the page. Those answers help us in our recommendations to you. Having said that....

Get a different case. The Antec Three Hundred is cramped and $70 is (IMO) too much when I've seen that particular case go for $40 or $50 several times in the past. The Cooler Master CM690 II Basic is a much more spacious case for around the same price range, but if you're willing to spend a little more, consider the HAF 922, which is currently on sale.

Go with the Hyper 212 Plus instead of the Hyper 520 N. You don't need the Noctua fan, as I've read reports that the stock fan on they Hyper 212 Plus is pretty quiet on its own.

I recommend replacing the power supply, especially if you've had it for over two years. A suitable replacement is the Antec NEO ECO 620C.

Save yourself some money and "earn" a free game by buying the processor and motherboard together in a combo deal.

 

[bastage]

Decent enough, Except for the Case & Ram.. Sub this case & ram.. Minimal price increase, but much better gaming case & 2x the ram.. Also of not with sandy bridge there is no real reason to get 1600 mhz ram as its not necessary even to OC..

 

[cheeken]

tiraides -

Wow, thanks! I am baffled that I somehow missed that combo - excellent. I have updated my list with the Hyper 212 Plus, and am glad to hear that the Noctua fan isn't necessary (as I've never installed a fan on a heat sink - only done the all-in-one dealies).

I am not opposed to spending a little more on a case. More space does sound good. Could you explain the benefits I might reap from the upgrade to the HAF922 as oppose to the CM960 (as my understanding of cases goes no further than "I need to be able to fit all my components in it")? The main reason I would be opposed is that I don't care for the flashier aesthetic of the HAF922.
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bastage -

The price looks great on that RAM for so much of it. Are you recommending it because you think I need more than 4GB? Or is it more because I'm wasting my money on the higher clock frequency? (Or both?) I could always get 8GB of the 1600 if your beef is with the quantity of the RAM.

Also, I don't understand the "science" behind what you are saying regarding the clock frequency and the CPU. For my own edification ... are you basically saying that the clock frequency of the CPU (even when overclocked) isn't high enough to warrant such high RAM frequency? (I'd love to read any article you might have handy on this, just so I'm not so ignorant.) If it's too complicated and you don't want to take the time to explain it, don't worry about it.

Thanks!

 

[E4g1e]

First off, the HAF 922 has significantly better airflow than the Antec 300. Not just due to the design, but also because it has a larger top fan than the Antec 300. (And that's not to mention that the design of the Antec 300 might require you to completely dismount the motherboard from the case just to connect any internal SATA devices to a motherboard which has front edge-mounted internal SATA ports, and its relatively cramped internal dimensions especially rear to front restricts the length of the graphics cards that are compatible with the 300 to less than 10 inches.)

In addition, setting the memory frequency higher than is officially supported actually increases the risk of instability on any Sandy Bridge platform: At increasingly higher RAM speeds, the divider ratio between the RAM and the CPU's BCLK becomes out of spec. That, in turn, requires an increase of the QPI and/or DIMM voltage, which may increase the temperature of the CPU higher than desired (if not higher than Intel spec). Plus, unlike its Nehalem predcessor, the Sandy Bridge CPU's BCLK cannot be raised by more than 4 or 5 MHz without throwing the rest of the CPU out of spec and thus create serious instability.

By the way, I strongly recommend replacing that TrueControl PSU with something newer and higher quality: The TrueControl PSU is actually the same PSU as Antec's original TruePower PSU (which is only ATX 1.3 compliant), which in turn suffers from the very same issues as other CWT-built Antec-branded PSUs of that era (low-quality Fuhjyyu caps and a cooling fan that spins too slowly for its own good). Also, that PSU is very ill-suited to any modern system due to it having only a 20-pin ATX power connector, no SATA or PCIe power connectors at all, no EPS+12V power connector at all and only 24A (288W) total on its +12V rail. Worst of all, that PSU is now more than eight years old! In other words, don't risk powering a new, state-of-the-art computer system with a very old PSU of questionable quality.

 

[tiraides]

Here's the simplified explanation about RAM: Get DDR3 1600 RAM if you plan on overclocking and 8GB if you plan on performing a lot of photo editing. The extra RAM is basically useless for most games.

Replace your kit with this one: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x4GB DDR3 1600. Though it's more expensive than bastage's recommendation, it also gives you plenty of headroom for overclocking your processor.

Cases are as much a matter of personal taste as they are about available features. The HAF 912 and HAF 922 are part of the same "family" of cases, hence their similar designs. If you prefer a different case, let us know what you want in a case.

 

[cheeken]

Thanks guys, this is really great advice. I was going to be stubborn and chince out by sticking with my old PSU, but since you are clearly leagues and leagues (and leagues) ahead of me here, I'll defer to your advice! Per tiraides' recommendations, I added the PSU and replaced the RAM. Which leaves only the case ...

So I guess I am a little picky about the case; sorry about that. As far as aesthetic goes, the Antec I had selected sums up my preference nicely: I like cases with very limited flash and a simple shape (the closer to a cardboard box, the better). As far as features go, front-facing USB ports are a must, audio jacks a plus, and removable motherboard "seats" and harddrive bays are lovely. And of course roominess and air flow quality are key. I've enjoyed the case I have now - but it's old and the surface is sort of corroded, so I want to replace it.

Having shared my preferences, do your recommendations differ? If not, I am not strongly opposed to any of the cases that have been recommended in the thread (but, naturally, if you think there's a better fit, I would love to hear it).

Thanks again! You guys are so helpful, it's almost suspicious ...

 

[bastage]

Typically when overclocking your ram speed is increased.. So you buy 1600 mhz so you can start with 1333 & end up somewhere in the middle (increasing the FSB).. it is my understanding with Sandy Bridge that the ram speed is no longer increased when overclocking the CPU thus nothing more then 1333 Mhz is needed.

Hence the [H] review showing a 4.8Ghz OC with 1333Mhz corsair ram

I am admittedly not a complete expert on this as I am intel free since early 2009 (about 2 months) & before that the last intel I had was my p4 1.6 that I overclocked with my asus board running rambus ram.. So that will date it there.

 

[cheeken]

Thanks for the clarification, bastage. I guess I am a little more comfortable playing it safe and going with the fast RAM, even if it costs me a few bucks. Thank you for that review link - nicely consolidated article.

Also, a friend recommended the Corsair 650TX which is normally higher cost, but with a rebate, is the same cost as the Antec 620C.

A worthwhile switch?

 

[tiraides]

Not if you're trying to spend as little as possible. Then again, the TX650 comes with an AC cable, but the NEO ECO 620C doesn't. (However, the lack of an AC cable isn't a deal breaker.)

 

[cheeken]

If I'm not mistaken, Corsair is offering a $20 rebate, bringing it down to $70 o match the Antec. I mightn't be able to get the UPC code in time for the offer, though. (Also, I have a ton of spare AC cables, so that isn't of grave concern to me.)

Any further thoughts on the case based on my comments? (I feel like that reply may have gotten missed in the whirlwind of responses.)

Sorry about all the followup questions; just want to think through everything thoroughly. And thanks!

 

[tiraides]

I personally believe that mail-in rebates are a horrible way to save money. I've heard of and experienced many instances where the manufacturer refused to honor the rebate, even when everything was done correctly. And the "likelihood" of a rebate doesn't change the fact that you're paying $20 more up front and you'll have to wait weeks for any rebate check or card to arrive.

Note that I'm not dismissing the TX650; it's a good PSU, but it (like the NEO ECO 620C) is overkill for your system plus one mid-range card like the HD 6850. I still recommend the Antec power supply as I don't believe that you need to spend the extra money for the Corsair, regardless of whether or not you'll receive a rebate check.

I didn't ignore your question regarding the case, but I still recommend the CM690 II Basic over the Three Hundred. Is the CM690 II too fancy for your tastes?

 

[cheeken]

In general I agree with you about rebates. They're a pain and rarely worth the effort. If I don't need the extra power, I'm inclined to stick with the Antec PSU.

And no, haha, the CM690 isn't too fancy. In fact, I think I'll run with that.

And with that ... I think I'm off to start purchasing. Thanks again for the help!

 

[tiraides]

To recap:

- Buy the board and processor together in a combo deal.
- Follow bastage's recommendation on RAM and my recommendations on the case and power supply. (You may want to also pick up a couple of cheap 120mm fans for the front and side of the case.)
- Get the Hyper 212 Plus instead of the Hyper 520N. No, you don't need the Noctua fan.

 

[PinataUT]

this forum has gotten absurdly helpful thanks to the input of the regular posters / moderators.

 

[E4g1e]

And no, haha, the CM690 isn't too fancy. In fact, I think I'll run with that.

The only thing "fancy" about the CM 690 II Basic is the blue LED fan in front. However, unlike the LEDs in Antec's cases, the blue LEDs around the CM 690's fan can be turned off independently of the main system power.

 

[cheeken]

To recap:

- Buy the board and processor together in a combo deal.
- Follow bastage's recommendation on RAM and my recommendations on the case and power supply. (You may want to also pick up a couple of cheap 120mm fans for the front and side of the case.)
- Get the Hyper 212 Plus instead of the Hyper 520N. No, you don't need the Noctua fan.

Purchased! Thank you for the recap; I had been planning to stick with the 1600MHz RAM prior to reading it.

this forum has gotten absurdly helpful thanks to the input of the regular posters / moderators.

I can't speculate as to why, but I couldn't agree more about it being absurdly helpful. I don't know if this will sound rude or like a compliment, but I was expecting neither the quality nor quantity nor alacrity of help that I received. I am very appreciative.

The only thing "fancy" about the CM 690 II Basic is the blue LED fan in front. However, unlike the LEDs in Antec's cases, the blue LEDs around the CM 690's fan can be turned off independently of the main system power.

Indeed. I peeked at a video review of the case, as well, and any doubts I had promptly vanished.


Thanks again for all the help! Is there any way to support the forums? I'd try to contribute with participation, but I am clearly outclassed.

 

[PinataUT]

Thanks again for all the help! Is there any way to support the forums? I'd try to contribute with participation, but I am clearly outclassed.

I think posting pics of your rig in this thread and elsewhere as appropriate would be helpful.

 

[bastage]

Thanks again for all the help! Is there any way to support the forums? I'd try to contribute with participation, but I am clearly outclassed.

Subscribe to General Mayhem.. It gives the forums a few bucks & everyone can contribute there..