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Seeking advice about build.

Azureth

Azureth

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Messages
5,323
Budget: $1,200.

This is what I got in my wish list:

Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 932
Mobo: MSI Z77A-GD65
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo)
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
GPU: MSI R7850 Twin Frozr 2GD5/OC Radeon HD 7850 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
HD1: Seagate Barracuda ST500DM002 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s (for OS and misc apps)
HD2: Seagate Constellation ES.3 ST1000NM0033 1TB 7200 RPM 128MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s (for games)
Power Supply: CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W
DVD Drive: SAMSUNG Black 18X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model SH-118BB
Thermalpaste: Arctic Silver 5
 
We're a couple of weeks away from the official release of Haswell-based processors and motherboards. Can you wait until then?

Regardless, could you answer the rest of the sticky questions?
 
Last edited:
Azureth said:
Could this run BF3 on max?
Click to expand...

Well, that depends largely on the GPU. The HD 7850 that you chose in the original post might not be powerful enough to run BF3 at anything above medium settings at 1080p. Besides, several components that you originally chose are either poor values or unnecessary:

1) The DVD drive that you chose is overpriced for a read-only optical drive, at $22 shipped. That same amount of money could have gotten you one of many SATA DVD writers. In fact, the read-only optical drive that you chose actually costs more money (after shipping costs are factored in) than some DVD burners!

2) There is no need whatsoever for an enterprise hard drive in a gaming system. The Seagate Constellation drive you chose is really meant for mission-critical applications, such as database servers, often with drives configured in large parity RAIDs. So, a regular desktop drive is all you need for a storage drive.

3) The 500GB Seagate hard drive that you chose is one of the slower hard drives on the market today. Why? Because unlike its 1TB and larger siblings, the 500GB models continue to use old, outdated disk layouts (both sides of the single platter for the 500GB model, which in turn results in relatively low areal density and relatively slow sequential transfer speeds by current standards). If you can spend a bit more, I'd strongly recomend an SSD as the OS drive rather than a very slow (by current standards) spindle-type drive.

4) Unless you plan to do a lot of heavier-duty media productivity work such as video editing, there is no need for an i7: Games seldom make any use whatsoever of Hyper Threading that the i7 features. Moreover, even the most intensive games barely make full use of even three to four CPU threads, let alone the eight threads offered by that i7.

5) Finally, if you buy now, you might end up overpayng for a system that's just about to be obsolesced (or one that has too many old and/or slow components).
 
Ok, made some changes.

Burner LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04
cpu Intel Core i5-3470 Ivy Bridge 3.2GHz (3.6GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2500
HD1 SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD120BW 2.5" 120GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
HD2 Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s
 
tiraides said:
No. In short, too much CPU and too little GPU.

Could you answer my earlier questions?
Click to expand...

Okay, what GPU would be needed?

1. Gaming mostly. Surfing YT and listening to music
2. Around $1500 including shipping.
3. USA, Oklahoma; near Tulsa.
4. Case, mobo, cpu, gpu, dvd burner, SSD, HD, PS, RAM.
5. No reuse parts.
6. No OC.
7. 1280x1024; 24'
8. Hopefully within the next week or two.
9. All I want as far as extra features is USB 3.0.
10. Nope, going to buy W7 HP 64 (but not in budget).
 
Before I help you any further, answer this question:

Why don't you want to wait for the newer, faster technology in Intel's Haswell-based processors and motherboards?
 
Most likely sometime before July, at the latest, the end of July.
 
Azureth said:
ok, what time should they have them on newegg
Click to expand...

Haswell is expected to arrive next week. Intel "officially announces" Haswell's arrival either next Monday, June 3, or the following day, June 4. No one knows how hard or soft of a launch Intel will make. (A soft launch is when a company like Intel announces that parts are available on a certain date, but there is little to no supply available to meet the demand.)

Given the rumors that some U.S. based retailers are selling Haswell-based processors and motherboards now, I believe that there will be something available next week. (IIRC, both Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge had relatively hard launches when they were announced.)

Azureth said:
I could how much will they be
Click to expand...

Tech Power Up has a list of Haswell MSRPs, but that doesn't tell us what the retailers will charge for them.

I have two more questions for you:

1) What features do you want in a case?

2) What are the brand and model (name/number) of your monitor?
 
FearXI said:
I would change your paste to:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186056

The paste you have now dries easily and if put on wrong it is conductive and if done so will short out hardware (MOBO).

I use the linked and get awesome temps.
Being new doesn't always mean better.
Click to expand...

Really?

I like the Arctic Cooling MX-4 myself, but that's not the reason why we recommend it over Arctic Silver 5. It's the latter's required CPU curing time of up to 200 hours. Why wait when you really don't have to?
 
tiraides said:
Really?

I like the Arctic Cooling MX-4 myself, but that's not the reason why we recommend it over Arctic Silver 5. It's the latter's required CPU curing time of up to 200 hours. Why wait when you really don't have to?
Click to expand...

4 is better for non-conductive and doesn't dry quick like 5 does.
You can find numerous problems with it on the net.

You could also go with MK-3 which has no curing time.
And basically the same as MK-4 with temps and still non-conductive.

You could get MK-5 for more money but you won't see much of a difference in temps beside 1-2C.
Source:
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Thermal-Compound-Roundup-February-2012/1490/5
 
The OP isn't overclocking, so he most likely wont be interested in a better cool, therefore he doesn't really need any.

If the OP was overclocking and/or lived in a hot area where he can not run AC regularly (keeping the ambient temps the PC will be sitting in under 80*F) then we would suggest him to buy a CM 212+ cooler and the thermal grease that is included with it will be just fine.
 
FearXI said:
4 is better for non-conductive and doesn't dry quick like 5 does.
You can find numerous problems with it on the net.

You could also go with MK-3 which has no curing time.
And basically the same as MK-4 with temps and still non-conductive.

You could get MK-5 for more money but you won't see much of a difference in temps beside 1-2C.
Source:
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Thermal-Compound-Roundup-February-2012/1490/5
Click to expand...

You misunderstood me. I agree with your recommendation of Arctic Cooling MX-4 (*not* MK-4) over Arctic Silver 5, but I disagree with your main reason why.

Many people have used AS5 over the years with no problems. Hell, I've used it a few times in the past. While it is conductive, AS5 doesn't destroy anything when used properly.

Again, I recommend Arctic Cooling MX-4 because it has no curing time. AS5 requires up to 200 hours of operation before it starts lowering temperature.

But this is all moot. The OP doesn't need any third-party thermal compound at this point.
 
tiraides said:
You misunderstood me. I agree with your recommendation of Arctic Cooling MX-4 (*not* MK-4) over Arctic Silver 5, but I disagree with your main reason why.

Many people have used AS5 over the years with no problems. Hell, I've used it a few times in the past. While it is conductive, AS5 doesn't destroy anything when used properly.

Again, I recommend Arctic Cooling MX-4 because it has no curing time. AS5 requires up to 200 hours of operation before it starts lowering temperature.

But this is all moot. The OP doesn't need any third-party thermal compound at this point.
Click to expand...

Ah yes then I did misunderstand what you said.
Carry on then.
:)
 
I've tweaked a lot.

Case: Antec P280
Motherboard: MSI Z77
Processor: Intel Core i5-3470
Grapics Card: MSI N680GTX TF 2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 680 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
Power Supply: COOLER MASTER Silent Pro M2 RS720-SPM2D3-US
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Hard Drive 1 SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD120BW (used for OS and World of Warcraft/Diablo III)
Hard Drive 2 Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 (used for just games such as BF3, all my steam titles, origin etc.)

Just want to get great performance in games mostly.
 
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I gotta ask, what are you using for your monitor? (Please be specific and give us the brand and the model number.)
 
Oh wow never noticed I got what res I would be playing at wrong, it is acually 1920x1200.
 
Also, I am having trouble deciding on a good motherboard; preferably MSI, any suggestions?
 
Re-read post #24; I recommended the MSI B85-G41. The combo deal I linked to earlier gives you a $10 discount on the processor and the motherboard together.

And review the RAM link again as it's actually a combo deal with an OEM copy of Windows 7 Home Premium.

Don't get the GTX 680. Go for either the GTX 770 (which is essentially a cheaper, rebranded GTX 680) or the HD 7970 (which currently comes with four free games).
 
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I would go with the Galaxy 770 instead, simply based on the fact that we have a Galaxy Representative here on the forums. So if you have issues, you'll have access to someone on the "inside" so to speak.
 
Okay tiraides I took your advice. Is the case good? Seems like no air flow?
 
I don't personally like it, but it has decent cable manage, comes with a good bit of case fans and has an okay flow path. Not that bad really, I'm just not a fan of the way it looks in the front.
 
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