Quiet (relatively) gaming build.

[silmarilwest]

My old P35 Core 2 duo rig just went down (motherboard failure) so I'm using it as a good excuse to build a new system.
I don't plan to overclock anything since I'd rather keep the build relatively cool & quiet. Lower temps are better for long term component life & less drama.
I do a bit of x264 video encoding (usually with something like handbrake), but only sporadically.
I like to game a bit, but nothing too crazy (Skyrim is the most demanding thing I play right now). My current monitor is only 1680x1050, but I may upgrade to a 1920x1080 monitor in the future.
I don't have a fixed budget, so feel free to suggest overkill. The reason i shy away from Crossfire/SLI is the additional heat & micro stuttering problems it can create.
Not sure on the OS yet, but probably Win7 x64 (otherwise half my RAM is useless).

Anyhow, I am looking for suggestions and/or critiques. Feel free to go in a different direction or call my choices stupid. You won't offend me.
Links are mostly to newegg, but I don't have a problem ordering from elsewhere. They just need to ship from inside the US (otherwise I'd have a gainward card).
I'll be reusing my existing optical/hard drives, plus an Intel 320 series 160GB SSD.

I have already purchased the following parts:
MoBo: ASRock P67 EXTREME4 GEN3
Great layout with solid reviews.
CPU: Intel Core i7-2600
Didn't see any point in the K series for a stock clocked build with no IGP use.
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB
If all works well I may buy another set.
PSu: CORSAIR Professional Series HX850
I realize this is far above what any single card rig needs, but I hate to cheap out on a part that could destroy every component in my PC.

Stuff I'm currently considering:
Case: Fractal Design Define R3 Black Pearl
I love the look of this thing, but I do have a few concerns about routing the 8 pin CPU power connector behind the motherboard. The HX850 cables are supposed to be long, but not sure if they are long enough for the awkward positioning of this case. I really don't want to use an extension.
Case: COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper
A bit more flashy. Seems to have great cable management & airflow. Might not be quite as quiet, but they are large fans with built in speed control.
Case: Aerocool Syclone II Black Edition
Kind of overboard with the aesthetics, but the kid in my still loves the look of it. Cable management looks very good, but it's hard to find English reviews. From what I can gather it may not be the most quiet, but I could always replace the fans if necessary.
CPU Fan: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO
Overkill for a stock clocked i7, but it should keep temps ~10C cooler & run in silent mode most of the time.
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 570
Nothing particularly exciting, but it's supposed to be reasonably quiet & vents air out the back.
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti (2GB)
Mostly the same as above. Just a less expensive model. EVGA seems to have a good reputation.
GPU: GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 560 Ti (1GB)
Cheaper 1GB version with custom fan. Supposedly quiet.

 

[Dangman]

I would not have gone with that mobo since there are often better quality and longer warrantied motherboards out there. Considering how bad the AsRock Z68 mobos faired under HardOCP testing, I doubt the P67 is any better. Is it too late to cancel the order or return the motherboard?

The RAM might be an issue due to its tall heatsinks. As such, it may interfere with most HSF out there, like the Coolermaster Hyper 212+ for example. You'll probably have to install the RAM in the furthest slots from the heatsink. Thus your next set of RAM should not be that set but a low profile set like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186

As for the PSU, you're right, it's really overkill. Your system would be just fine off a good 650W PSU. Could have gone with the Corsair HX650 650W PSU. Oh well, the HX850 is still a good PSU, just really overkill.

As for the case, out of the three cases you selected, the only one I'd recommend is the Fractal Design as it's the only one that's actually relatively quiet. The rest are loud (both in noise and in looks) and are just overpriced IMO. You shouldn't have any cable issues with with the Fractal. But considering that you've overspent on other parts, like the mobo and PSU, I gonna recommend sometime that's worth the extra costs:
$160 - Silverstone RV02B-W ATX case

Quieter and cooler than the Fractal Design. But has less drive space.

GPU wise, this is a bit tougher to be honest. Here's the deal: The GTX 570 is fairly overpriced at this point in time considering that the GTX 560 TI 448 Core provides like 97% of the performance at 77% of the cost:
$275 - eVGA 012-P3-2066-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti 448 Cores FTW 1280MB PCI-E Video Card

The GTX 560 Ti 448 Core is faster than the GTX 560 Ti clock for clock-ish but some current games do use up a lot of VRAM like Skyrim at 1920x1080 with 3rd party high definition texture packs. As such, you might get smoother gameplay but lower FPS with the GTX 560 TI 2GB than with the GTX 560 Ti 448 Core 1280MB. But some games don't use up as much RAM and therefore will run a lot faster off the GTX 560 Ti 448 Core.

If it was me, I'd grab the HD 6950 2GB instead since it's more straightforward:
$275 - XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB PCI-E Video Card

 

[Paragon]

You are currently limited on the drivers that work with the 560ti 448.

If you want quiet, get a card that has at least 2 fans and a heatpipe like that GIgabyte or the Asus DCII or MSI twin. Just be careful with the card dimensions.
I have an Asus 6950 DCII that is as quiet as my case fans but it is a 3-slot card and around 11.5" long so it will not fit in all cases. I do have the fan control turned up to help keep it extra cooled (40% at 50-55°C, 50% to 60) It is overclocked.

I have a Coolermaster HAF912 case and bought a 4-pack of coolermaster 120mm fans to fill the case and has great airflow and good cable management for the price.

**Oh yeah, I'm sure you could easily get away with an i5-2500. K version are unlocked for overclocking but I was able to set a non-K to 3.7 full time (will have to check and confirm that it is still running at that next time I see the computer). All the i5 and i7 have iGPU but you won't need it with a dGPU.

 

[GoldenTiger]

I recently got my Fractal Design R3 Black Pearl and LOVE it... whisper-quiet. I did need an extension for the 8-pin cable however, but the case is a joy to work in and the noise-proofing foam really works well. I'm using one of the included fans on my CM Hyper 212+, and one as the exhaust. I then added two medium-noise 120mm fans to the front intakes that aren't audible thanks to the foam on the door, and left the door/top vents with the stock blocker.

I'm running a 2600K @ 4.4ghz currently, a single GTX 570 temporarily, 5 hard drives, 2 ssd's, a DVD burner, etc. + an X-Fi XtremeGamer on an MSI Z68A-GD65 (G3). PSU is a Corsair TX 950w. 1.35v vcore on cpu, stock on GPU (786c/4200m), card is maxing at about 78-80c during heavy gaming BF3 and CPU at 65 peak during hours of gaming BF3. It's just about where you can hear that it's on, but you have to listen for it to tell for sure, even during games.

 

[silmarilwest]

Thanks for all the feedback

I would not have gone with that mobo since there are often better quality and longer warrantied motherboards out there. Considering how bad the AsRock Z68 mobos faired under HardOCP testing, I doubt the P67 is any better. Is it too late to cancel the order or return the motherboard?

It has shipped but I could still return in theory, minus the restocking fee. Do you have any personal experience with ASRock? The motherboard he reviewed was a different (albeit similar) model, and his biggest complaint seemed to be with overclocking. The thin PCB complaint he made might be a concern, but I'll have to unbox & see for myself. I've had plenty of problems with ASUS & Gigabyte boards, so I can't say that I hold much brand loyalty when it comes to motherboards. Anyone else who has/had this motherboard? Feel free to assuage/confirm my fears.

The RAM might be an issue due to its tall heatsinks.

If necessary, I believe the fan can be installed on either side of the heatsink but yea I need to keep that in mind.

As for the PSU, you're right, it's really overkill. Your system would be just fine off a good 650W PSU. Could have gone with the Corsair HX650 650W PSU. Oh well, the HX850 is still a good PSU, just really overkill.

No argument there. In my (slight) defense, it was 15% off when i ordered ~$26 +$10 rebate, so we're talking about $25 more than the HX650.

I gonna recommend sometime that's worth the extra costs:
$160 - Silverstone RV02B-W ATX case

Sweet case. Full ATX, but that's not a dealbreaker. I've never had one with the outputs on top, but that could be handy if I move the case to the floor.

If it was me, I'd grab the HD 6950 2GB instead since it's more straightforward:
$275 - XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB PCI-E Video Card

That makes sense. I've been an nvidia user for a long time, but it's hard to defend them with their recent stability/driver issues.

You are currently limited on the drivers that work with the 560ti 448.

Agreed, it's a concern.

If you want quiet, get a card that has at least 2 fans and a heatpipe like that GIgabyte or the Asus DCII or MSI twin. Just be careful with the card dimensions.
I have an Asus 6950 DCII that is as quiet as my case fans but it is a 3-slot card and around 11.5" long so it will not fit in all cases. I do have the fan control turned up to help keep it extra cooled (40% at 50-55°C, 50% to 60) It is overclocked.

Those MSI twin frozer cards appear to have noise issues whenever they ramp up much. They look silent, but what I've read says otherwise. The other issue is that they tend to dissipate heat back into the case instead of out the back (might not matter depending on case). I'll have to look into the ASUS ones, if they are that quiet than it would be worth the extra cost.

I have a Coolermaster HAF912 case and bought a 4-pack of coolermaster 120mm fans to fill the case and has great airflow and good cable management for the price.

Aye that looks like a solid case. Cable management appears excellent from what I can tell.

**Oh yeah, I'm sure you could easily get away with an i5-2500. K version are unlocked for overclocking but I was able to set a non-K to 3.7 full time (will have to check and confirm that it is still running at that next time I see the computer). All the i5 and i7 have iGPU but you won't need it with a dGPU.

Indeed. The 2600 was $20 off, and I like hyperthreading (even though it's uses are limited), but I probably could have saved $70 with little performance loss.

I recently got my Fractal Design R3 Black Pearl and LOVE it... whisper-quiet. I did need an extension for the 8-pin cable however, but the case is a joy to work in and the noise-proofing foam really works well. I'm using one of the included fans on my CM Hyper 212+, and one as the exhaust. I then added two medium-noise 120mm fans to the front intakes that aren't audible thanks to the foam on the door, and left the door/top vents with the stock blocker.

Awesome, it's good to hear from someone who owns one. I can judge the aesthetics from the interwebs, but it's hard to judge build quality. If I end up going with this case I'll probably buy a few Scythe or Noctua 120mm fans for the front/top.

 

[BigJayDogg3]

Those MSI twin frozer cards appear to have noise issues whenever they ramp up much. They look silent, but what I've read says otherwise. The other issue is that they tend to dissipate heat back into the case instead of out the back (might not matter depending on case). I'll have to look into the ASUS ones, if they are that quiet than it would be worth the extra cost.

The heat disappating into the case is going to be the same for most graphics cards that don't use centrifugal fans.

FWIW, I can't hear my TF3'd 560TI 448 unless the fans ramp up a lot. And since the card stays as cool as it does, I never hear it. Even running MSI's Kombuster + IBT I heard the fan on my 212+, but not on the graphics card.

I'm sitting about 3 feet away from my computer, and playing around in Afterburner, it takes the fan getting to 55ish percent before it become audible.

 

[Dangman]

It has shipped but I could still return in theory, minus the restocking fee. Do you have any personal experience with ASRock?

I do have some experience with AsRock but that was with their socket 775 mobos. I generally avoid recommending AsRock in general due to their short 1-2 year warranties. Big deal-killer for me.

No argument there. In my (slight) defense, it was 15% off when i ordered ~$26 +$10 rebate, so we're talking about $25 more than the HX650.

Ahh fair enough.

Sweet case. Full ATX, but that's not a dealbreaker. I've never had one with the outputs on top, but that could be handy if I move the case to the floor.

Actually not that much bigger than the Fractal Designv (L x W x H):
Fractal: 20.85" x 8.17" x 17.4"
Raven: 25.31" x 8.34" x 19.80"

 

[GoldenTiger]

Thanks for all the feedback

Awesome, it's good to hear from someone who owns one. I can judge the aesthetics from the interwebs, but it's hard to judge build quality. If I end up going with this case I'll probably buy a few Scythe or Noctua 120mm fans for the front/top.

Welcome . A couple of notes: the case is REALLY solid and well-built, but the rubber bits surrounding the holes for cable routing do come off really easily. Case is fairly heavy due to foam & metal type. There is no HDD indicator light which is unfortunate, but the blue lighting on the power button looks quite nice and is a relatively subdued tone (medium brightness). Stock fans are really quiet but put out a good bit of noticeable air still, really nice. The HDD brackets are made of painted/anodized metal which is fantastic (not plastic), overall very impressed with the case. Package also included a generous helping of various screws and other accessories inside a little box in one of the drive bays.

Best of luck with your build, have fun!

 

[silmarilwest]

I'm sitting about 3 feet away from my computer, and playing around in Afterburner, it takes the fan getting to 55ish percent before it become audible.

I guess it would depend on how much the fan ramps up in my system. That may depend on the case I choose.

I do have some experience with AsRock but that was with their socket 775 mobos. I generally avoid recommending AsRock in general due to their short 1-2 year warranties. Big deal-killer for me.

If I have issues I may spring for an Intel board: Intel BOXDZ68BC LGA 1155 Intel Z68
No mobo is immune to problems with certain configurations, but it seems like Intel boards have as few as possible.
Is there an 1155 motherboard you would recommend instead?

Stock fans are really quiet but put out a good bit of noticeable air still, really nice.

Were you using the included fan controller, or are they decently quiet without?

Thanks again for all the feedback

 

[Dangman]

Is there an 1155 motherboard you would recommend instead?

Please answer this question so that I can better tailor my motherboard recommendation:
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.

 

[silmarilwest]

What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video? etc.

I don't care much about RAID, Firewire, Onboard video, or eSATA. Many 1155 boards come with them anyway, which is fine.
I'd like 2 or more SATA 6Gb/s ports (along with 4+ 3Gb/s ports).
SLI/Crossfire capability is preffered, although I have no immediate plans to use dual cards.
2+ USB 3.0 ports.
Form factor should be ATX not mATX.
I don't have a strong brand affiliation, although I'd probably rather avoid Gigabyte. Stability/reliability is most important.
I'd like to stay below $250, which should be easy considering my requirements.
Danke

 

[tiraides]

What SATA devices do you plan on connecting right away? In the future?

Got any USB 3.0 devices? Plan on getting any?

What's your issue with Gigabyte? Would you have a problem if I recommended, say, the Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3?