Review my $1300ish SB build

G

GovtCheese

n00b
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
6
1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming, Photo/Video editing (not hardcore, just beginning to learn), internets
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
I'd like to stay around or under $1300
3) Where do you live?
Arizona
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, Mobo, CPU, GPU, PSU, SSD, aftermarket cooling
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Not reusing any parts
6) Will you be overclocking?
yes, it'll be my first time but I hear it is really easy with the SB chips
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
23" 1920x1080
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
One to Two weeks
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
Rear firewire port is a must, I'd like to SLI in the future but not immediately
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Windows 7 Ultimate (64 bit)

I should mention that I am mainly doing this build for BF3 and I would like to be able to run it on high settings and it'd be nice to play BFBC2 on high for the time being. Please review and make recommendations where I could improve my build or just let me know in general if my build is solid. Here is my wish list so far;

Case: Lian Li Lancool PC-K62
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112239
Mobo: EVGA P67 SLI
http://www.evga.com/products/moreIn...rd Family&series=Intel P67 Series Family&sw=5
CPU: i5-2500k
Cooling: Cooler Master Hyper 212 +
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065
GPU: EVGA Superclocked GTX 560Ti
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130651
SSD: Intel 510 Series (Elmcrest) 120 GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167042
PSU: SeaSonic X750 Gold 750W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151087

I already purchased 8GB of Corsair Vengeance RAM. I really like EVGA if you didn't already notice. Thanks for any help!
 
What programs are you using for photo and video editing?

Do you have Windows 7 Ultimate or are you planning on buying it?
 
Hmm... you're basically paying more money for the eVGA name IMO. That cool with you?

Because outside of the eVGA name, that 560Ti doesn't offer much to justify its price unless you're planning on using the CUDA features on that card. The HD 6950 1GB or the HD 6950 2GB have better bang for the buck value. As for the motherboard, thats less of a isssue but you can shave off $35 by going with this mobo:
$165 - MSI P67A-GD55 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard
 
Danny Bui said:
Hmm... you're basically paying more money for the eVGA name IMO. That cool with you?

Because outside of the eVGA name, that 560Ti doesn't offer much to justify its price unless you're planning on using the CUDA features on that card. The HD 6950 1GB or the HD 6950 2GB have better bang for the buck value. As for the motherboard, thats less of a isssue but you can shave off $35 by going with this mobo:
$165 - MSI P67A-GD55 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard
Click to expand...

The EVGA 560Ti is only $10 more than the HD6950 after the mail in rebate and the EVGA has a core clock of 900MHz compared to 800MHz on the HD6950. I am a huge fanboy of EVGA but if I purchase the Mobo and GPU by June 30th, I get a free 10 yr warranty on both for free. I'll check out that MSI motherboard and read the reviews. Does everything else look fine? Will that PSU work for SLI with 2 560Ti's and overclocking the i5-2500k? Thanks.
 
It's a lot more practical and a bit cheaper for you to go with a 2GB HD 6970 for gaming than two GTX 560 Tis for SLI mode. Danny Bui and I don't factor in mail-in rebates because they aren't 100% guaranteed nor do they give you any instant discount upon checkout. Though the GTX 560 Ti is the cheaper card, the 1GB HD 6950 is still superior.

While a 10-year warranty sounds really nice, do you really see yourself sticking with this system for the entire warranty period? After the third year of said warranty, the odds are good that if you ever have a problem that requires an RMA, you'll receive refurbished parts as a replacement.

The Seasonic X750 is more than good enough, but you don't really need an 80 Plus Gold PSU.
 
tiraides said:
It's a lot more practical and a bit cheaper for you to go with a 2GB HD 6970 for gaming than two GTX 560 Tis for SLI mode. Danny Bui and I don't factor in mail-in rebates because they aren't 100% guaranteed nor do they give you any instant discount upon checkout. Though the GTX 560 Ti is the cheaper card, the 1GB HD 6950 is still superior.

While a 10-year warranty sounds really nice, do you really see yourself sticking with this system for the entire warranty period? After the third year of said warranty, the odds are good that if you ever have a problem that requires an RMA, you'll receive refurbished parts as a replacement.

The Seasonic X750 is more than good enough, but you don't really need an 80 Plus Gold PSU.
Click to expand...

Here are some numbers somebody else posted on another site when I asked for help. According to these results the 6950 isn't superior. Before seeing this chart, I was set on buying a 580 card.

Guru3D uses the following games in their test suite, COD-MW, Bad Company 2, Dirt 2, Far Cry 2, Metro 2033, Dawn of Discovery, Crysis Warhead. Total fps (summing fps in each game @ 1920 x 1200) for the various options in parenthesis (single card / SL or CF) are tabulated below along with their cost in dollars per frame single card - CF or SLI:

$245.00 6950 (479/751) $0.51 - $0.65
$265.00 560 Ti (455/792) $0.58 - $0.67
$315.00 6970 (526/825) $0.60 - $0.76
$220.00 560 Ti - 900 Mhz (495/862) $0.44 - $0.51
$335.00 570 (524/873) $0.64 - $0.77
$500.00 580 (616/953) $0.81 - $1.05
 
Did you check the actual frame rates that each card produces? In most of the Guru3D benchmarks, the HD 6950 (1GB model) was superior to the GTX 560. And while I've already conceded that the GTX 560 is cheaper than the 1GB HD 6950, it really depends on which card you're talking about:

EVGA GTX 560 (stock speeds, reference HSF) - $190 at NewEgg
EVGA GTX 560 Ti (stock speeds, reference HSF) - $222 at NewEgg
XFX HD 6950 1GB (stock speeds, reference HSF) - $240 at NewEgg

But you're also comparing apples to oranges, as the GTX 560 wasn't designed to compete with the HD 6950. The GTX 560's AMD "equivalent" is the HD 6870.

I have a better way to solve your dilemma... answer this question: Are you using Photoshop CS4 or CS5?
 
Get the GTX 560 Ti. I forgot where I originally found the information from, but there is a "hack" that will allow you to run Photoshop CS5 off the GTX 560 Ti instead of the processor. The long story short is that Photoshop (CS4 or CS5) performs better from the GPU than the CPU. (Adobe has a list of "approved" video cards for GPU acceleration, but they're all modern 4- and 5- series Nvidia cards.)

I don't know how one GTX 560 Ti will do with your gaming needs, but if you want to remove all doubt, go with the GTX 570 instead. Then again, if you don't see yourself using GPU acceleration with Photoshop, then stick with the HD 6950/6970.
 
I'd get the AX750 over the SeaSonic being cheaper after a rebate, having a 7 year warranty vs 5 years on the SeaSonic, and free shipping its a much better deal.
 
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Isnt the corsair built by seasonic anyways? Also even tho I belong to camp green lol... The 6950is better tgan the gtx 560ti... If thats still being debated
 
draken24 said:
Isnt the corsair built by seasonic anyways? Also even tho I belong to camp green lol... The 6950is better tgan the gtx 560ti... If thats still being debated
Click to expand...

this especially if you get a card that can be unlocked. 6970 performance for the price of a 6950 pretty hard to beat.

overall current generation of AMD cards provide a better value than their nvidia counterparts.

also i would definitely NOT buy the factory overclocked version of the card. basically paying for what amounts to moving a slider in afterburner. i have the gtx460 1gb SC and it was basically a wasted $20 since i just ended up ocing it more anyway.
 
Guys, I recommended the GTX 560 Ti over the HD 6950 so the OP can use Photoshop's GPU acceleration feature, which only works with Nvidia cards. I've already showed him earlier that the 6950 was the better card.

I also believe that there is too much emphasis being made on choosing a good 750 watt power supply. To clarify, you no longer need to spend over $150 for a good modular power supply so long as it's made/sold from a quality manufacturer and has at least 60A on its 12V rail(s). I'd personally recommend the Corsair HX750, but it's out of stock at NewEgg.
 
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