Sandy Bridge Gaming Rig input Needed....

[nima620]

Hi... first off like to say thanks in advance for reading and offering suggestions. Old school PC gamer who's been in the console realm for the last 5 years and now moving back into PC gaming. Haven't had a build in a while and looking for any feedback you guys have..
Here is what I am considering:

Sandy Bridge 2500K w/ p67 MB --> looking for suggestions on MB type once the fixed chipsets hit the market in a few weeks. Also, i was told that there is no real difference as far as gaming is concerned between the 2500K and the 2600K, is this true? I was told that Hyperthreading hurts performance in gaming, and games don't benefit much from > 3 threads. I would be a good place to save $100 moving to a 2500K but need more input on this

Video Card --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127564&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID= What do you guys think of this OC'ed GTX 570? I would mostly be playing Diablo 3 when it finally comes out and some FPS like COD and BRINK2 however i want the option of playing pretty much anything. I'm not sure if i should get 2 in SLI or if that is even necessary... any input appreciated..

PSU --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207003 I was thinking about the XFX Black Edition P1-750B-CAG9 750W ... if i decide to get a 2 card sli i would need @ least an 850W right? or would i need something beefier?

Case--> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108376 I would like the In Win Dragon Full tower case... i wanted to confirm it would have enough room for my setup... including the Corsair Hydro H70... Also, what are some good LCD fan controllers that anyone has had experience with with this case? Some functional but doesnt ruin the beauty of this case..

Cooling --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181013&Tpk=corsair%20h70

HD#1 --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227551&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID= This would be to boot OS and anything i use regularly

HD#2 --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID= rest of apps, media, etc..

Memory --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231416 G Skill Sniper 8GB

Monitor --> http://www.benq.us/products/product_detail.cfm?product=1775 Any Suggestions on this??

Being as this is my first build in so long i'm curious as to what suggestions you guys have.... anywhere i am spending too much or not spending enough?
Thanks again

 

[Stupid_Newbie]

Im in the same boat, and I was looking 2500k or 2600k (very little difference), and Asus P8P67 Pro

Rest looks ok, im sure most here are gonna say go with a smaller PSU, or different brand like antec.
That ram is good, 1.5V, DDR3 1600 with CL9. If you change to 1333, you will want CL7.

Thats a different case then I was gonna go with. I like the looks of the NZXT Phantom. But thats a personal taste.
The 570 is plenty of card. Now those MSI cards have gotten good reviews, but for myself, id look at the EVGA Superclock. Same price, 797 core vs the 750 of the MSI, 1594 memory vs 1500 of the MSI. With external heat exhaust on the cooler. And lifetime warrenty vs MSIs 3 years parts, 2 years labour.

 

[Cmustang87]

Sandy Bridge 2500K w/ p67 MB --> looking for suggestions on MB type once the fixed chipsets hit the market in a few weeks. Also, i was told that there is no real difference as far as gaming is concerned between the 2500K and the 2600K, is this true? I was told that Hyperthreading hurts performance in gaming, and games don't benefit much from > 3 threads. I would be a good place to save $100 moving to a 2500K but need more input on this

I would advise answering the questions in the sticky to get a better mainboard suggestion particularly question #9. If you're going to be doing mostly gaming on this PC, stick with the 2500k.

Video Card --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127564&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID= What do you guys think of this OC'ed GTX 570? I would mostly be playing Diablo 3 when it finally comes out and some FPS like COD and BRINK2 however i want the option of playing pretty much anything. I'm not sure if i should get 2 in SLI or if that is even necessary... any input appreciated..

The GTX570, especially the TwinFrozr II from MSI are well known to be good cards. However, the GTX4xx/5xx are having some compatibility issues. Maybe some other people can provide links. Also, depending on your resolution you are playing games at will determine the best bang for the buck video card for you.

PSU --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207003 I was thinking about the XFX Black Edition P1-750B-CAG9 750W ... if i decide to get a 2 card sli i would need @ least an 850W right? or would i need something beefier?

Depends on the cards you are going to SLI/CF

Case--> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108376 I would like the In Win Dragon Full tower case... i wanted to confirm it would have enough room for my setup... including the Corsair Hydro H70... Also, what are some good LCD fan controllers that anyone has had experience with with this case? Some functional but doesnt ruin the beauty of this case..

If you're not set on that case, I don't have any experience with it, but I'm pretty fond of the Corsair HAF-932 at that price point. Plenty of room and cooling.

Cooling --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181013&Tpk=corsair%20h70

Again, you should probably answer the sticky. If you are not that interested in overclocking, you should be just fine with a standard air cooled system. That is a lot of budget money on a cooler.

HD#1 --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227551&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID= This would be to boot OS and anything i use regularly

HD#2 --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID= rest of apps, media, etc..

Both are good choices.

Memory --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231416 G Skill Sniper 8GB

Save yourself $15

Monitor --> http://www.benq.us/products/product_detail.cfm?product=1775 Any Suggestions on this??

Answer the stickies, my information is useless for monitors as I am partially colorblind. Someone else here can give you some good recommendations.

Being as this is my first build in so long i'm curious as to what suggestions you guys have.... anywhere i am spending too much or not spending enough?

Answer the stickies to get better responses. We need to know your everyday uses of the PC.

 

[Stupid_Newbie]

Save yourself $15

I saw a review where DDR1333 @ CL7 had a nice little boost of frame rates (not huge) over CL9 memory. If you went to DDR1600 you could run CL9 (same performance as 1333 CL7). Any faster ram after that really didnt change anything. So if I was to run CL1333, id make sure it was CL7, or get CL9 DDR1600 for the same price points.


Ill try to find the reviews when I get back home. Off for a wobbly pop

 

[nima620]

Stupid_Newbie: thanks for the input. Can you explain why you chose the Asus P8P67 Pro? I am looking into your EVGA recommendations. as i have not ever purchased an MSI card before, i am not tied to it. Was a recommendation from another forum and multiple people responded positively as having purchased that model.


CMustang87: Thank you for taking the time. I apologize for not answering the stickys.
I will be using this PC for Internet Browsing/Email & Gaming Only. I have a laptop i use for my work and use that machine to logon to office via RDP. I don't even see myself watching movies on this rig as I would use the PS3 and blueray that.
My budget is around 1300-1500 w/o Monitor. Of course i would like to save as much money as would anyone but this is what I am designating for my build
I live in Rancho Cucamonga California
I am interested in Overclocking just because i want to learn. I want to see for myself the advantages in frame rates and just gain more general knowledge in that side of things.
I plan on building this PC as soon as the fixed MB chipsets are released for the P67
I will be purchasing Windows 7 64 bit Professional via a friends student discount.

 

[Cmustang87]

CMustang87: Thank you for taking the time. I apologize for not answering the stickys.

No problem

I am interested in Overclocking just because i want to learn. I want to see for myself the advantages in frame rates and just gain more general knowledge in that side of things.

The reason I asked, is if you don't plan on overclocking you can save quite a few Andrew Jackson's and get the non-K 2500.

I plan on building this PC as soon as the fixed MB chipsets are released for the P67

With that being said, I would come back again for advice when they are fixed and released. There will most likely be new package prices with new motherboards.

I have WIndows 7 professional

Fixed that part for you.

http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/windows/buynow/terms.aspx

 

[Dangman]

Yeah what Cmustang87 said: Please come back when those updated motherboards are released. That way you'll get the latest up-to-date advice and deals. Otherwise planning a build now to buy in April is just wasting money.

 

[nima620]

CMustang87 & Danny Bui: Thanks i will definately revisit the forum and seek out advice as soon as the new MB's are in stock. I was hoping I could get advice on the rest of my setup in the meantime and you guys have definately gave me some things to think about with your comments.

As far as the video card setup, what do you guys think is an optimal resolution to run first persion shooters @ on a system such as this? I understand it is heavily dependent on the exact game like crysis 2 vs. COD. As far as Diablo 3 i'm pretty sure i will be able to handle max settings in an Action RPG type game right?

I'm a little confused as to the benefits/drawbacks between the different SSD's available but am happy to see no bad comments on my choice above. 128GB should be plenty for OS and a couple games correct? what is the approximate range I would need to safely dedicate to a Windows 7 Pro OS including future service packs, updates, etc..?

 

[OldM3ta]

I have a SB build that I built strictly for gaming. I highly recommend the Cooler Master CM 690 advanced II case. It's a dream!

I went with a Corsair 300 64GB since it was the only drive with SATA 3.0 (6gb/s). I recommend going with a SATA 3.0 SSD drive. So worth it, but I would get 128GB!

I manage with 64GB but I bought a 1TB HDD drive. I install everything first to the SSD, but then move it to the HDD and make file junctions back to the SSD. This allows me to copy back games that I play often and leave games I don't on the HDD. There is an Windows Explorer app that lets you do this pretty seamlessly.

 

[Dangman]

I was hoping I could get advice on the rest of my setup in the meantime and you guys have definately gave me some things to think about with your comments.

Unfortunately, whatever parts recommendations we make may not be the best deals in April. Hell there might be a few cases where your original choice might be the better choice over our recommendations in April

With that said, a few things that won't change no matter what:
- Ditch the OCZ Vertex 2 SSDs. In fact, avoid any Sandforce-based SSD out now as they are not that fast in real world applications as similarily priced Crucial and Intel SSDs. In other words, their stated speeds are vastly over-onflated. If buying today, the Crucial C300 SSDs would be your best bet. However in April, the Crucial C400 and Intel G3 SSDs should be available.

- Ditch that case: At $160 shipped, that case is completele overpriced considering that there are just as roomy if not roomier cases but with higher quality:
$90 - NZXT Tempest Evo TEVO-001BK ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li PC-60FN ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case
$110 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II 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
$160 - Corsair Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$160 - Silverstone RV02B-W ATX case

So yeah unless you really really really love the look of the InWin Dragon case, don't get it.

As far as the video card setup, what do you guys think is an optimal resolution to run first persion shooters @ on a system such as this?

Whatever the max resolution of your monitor is.

128GB should be plenty for OS and a couple games correct? what is the approximate range I would need to safely dedicate to a Windows 7 Pro OS including future service packs, updates, etc..?

Yes. 64GB minimum IMO.

I'm not commenting on the PSU, RAM, GPU, or monitor as those tend to be the more volatile in terms of pricing and availability. Those are the parts you're gonna have to wait till April for up-to date advice on.

Though as of right now, the GTX 570 is overpriced considering that the significantly faster HD 6970 2GB can be had for the price of the MSI GTX 570. But that might change in April: Maybe Nvidia might introduce price cuts making the GTX 570 cost-effective. Or might introduce an even faster card at that price range. In other words, who knows?

Oh and since you live in California: Try to buy as many parts as possible from Amazon.com since Amazon.com does not charge taxes to CA residents whereas Newegg does. In the past, we've been able to shave off $100 to $300 off California builds just by buying from Amazon.

 

[nima620]

Danny Bui: Great info! thank you
I will be coming back as soon as the MB's hit the market.
Amazon it is!

 

[Stupid_Newbie]

Stupid_Newbie: thanks for the input. Can you explain why you chose the Asus P8P67 Pro? I am looking into your EVGA recommendations. as i have not ever purchased an MSI card before, i am not tied to it. Was a recommendation from another forum and multiple people responded positively as having purchased that model.

I wanna use the P8P67 Pro because I have always been a fan of Asus. I have had many of thier mobos, and not one has let me down. They seem very well built. If you look at the benchmarks its a top performer. Its of of the better P67 mobos out there, just google benchmarks, and you will see. Any of Asus' high end boards come into the top in performance and overclocking. Maybe not the best in all cases, but for each type of board they are near the top if not top. I want the pro due to price point. The deluxe and above come with features I dont need like dual gigabit lan etc.

As far as the EVGA. The MSI is a great product. However for its price I think the exhausted hot air (if you dont get the HD version with full HDMI, just stick with mini), and its clocks from the box, and factory lifetime warrenty makes it a winner IMO. Though Im sure you could OC that MSI to the same levels, just nice when they do it for you. Im sure most of the 570s with aftermarket coolers, when OCed to thier max come within a few FPS of each other.

 

[nima620]

Danny
In the last 2 weeks i've done nothing but read read read. I've made a few decisions as to what i will be purchasing and threw my price range out the window. Here is what I ended up deciding upon:
Asrock p67 Extreme 6 B3
2500K
GTX 570 (1 for now and 2nd to come shortly) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127564&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=
XFX Black 750W PSU (purchased)
Obsidian 800d case (purchased)
Corsair Hydro H70 (purchased)
Gskill Sniper 2x4GB memory http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231416
HD#1: Crucial Real SSD c300 128GB Sata III http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148348&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-Solid%20State%20Disk-_-Crucial%20Technology-_-20148348&AID=10440897&PID=3891137&SID=194a3
HD#2: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=

By the way.... amazon has saved me almost $180 so far in tax & shipping . thank you for the information!

 

[Dangman]

Asrock p67 Extreme 6 B3

Biggest issue with your setup: That mobo only has a one year warranty. Hence why it costs so much less than other comparable motherboards from Asus, MSI, or even Gigabyte. So if you want a longer warranty, I highly highly recommend looking at Asus or MSI for motherboard choices.

By the way.... amazon has saved me almost $180 so far in tax & shipping . thank you for the information!

No prob

 

[nima620]

Danny
the reason i ended up choosing the asrock board is because of the many issues i've been reading on the forums regarding Asus boards. From cold boot issues to random instability, it seems this p67 round of MB's have had quite a few issues (which i understand is very unusual because of their great track record) So far i have not read any threads w/ problems with the asrock extreme line. Seems like Gigabyte and Asus MB's have been having lots of issues no?

also, according to ASROCK, all of their MB's purchased between now and July will have a 2 year warranty

 

[Dangman]

Danny
the reason i ended up choosing the asrock board is because of the many issues i've been reading on the forums regarding Asus boards. From cold boot issues to random instability, it seems this p67 round of MB's have had quite a few issues (which i understand is very unusual because of their great track record) So far i have not read any threads w/ problems with the asrock extreme line. Seems like Gigabyte and Asus MB's have been having lots of issues no?

Considering that the vast majority of people were told/recommended to buy Gigabyte and Asus P67 motherboards, it's not really a surprise that there are more people having issues with the Asus or Gigabyte mobos. If a ton of people were buying AsRock mobos, I bet you'll see the same number of complaints and issues with Asrock mobos as you would with the Asus and Gigabyte mobos.

With that said, yes it does seem like the Asus P67 lineup is a bit more troublesome than normal. But those were early release batches. More than likely most of the issues are fixed by now. Though note that I did also recommend MSI motherboards as well.

also, according to ASROCK, all of their MB's purchased between now and July will have a 2 year warranty

Where did you read that?

 

[nima620]

for some reason it wont let me link the url on this site... i will pm you now.

 

[Dangman]

Well since that mobo comes with a two year warranty, I guess it's an ok buy now.