Looking for Any Thoughts on New Build

[trees415]

Hey, so I'm at the brink of buying my components for my new build, and I was hoping I get some feedback. Anything is up for critique, though I'm pretty set on getting the i5 2500k. Budget is at or under $1000 total. Here's what I'm looking at right now:

 

CPU:Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz Quad Core:$425 (CPU+Mobo Combo) (Newegg)

 

Mobo:ASUS SABERTOOTH P67 (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67:$425 (CPU+Mobo Combo)(Newegg)

 

RAM:4GB (2 x 2GB) G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series DDR3 1600:$50 (Newegg)

 

GPU:HIS Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5:$205 (Newegg)

 

HDD:500GB Western Digital Caviar Black 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s:$63 (Newegg)

 

Case:Cooler Master Elite RC-310-BWN1-GP Mid Tower ATX:$40 (Newegg)

 

PSU:650W CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX ATX12V/EPS12V SLI/CrossFire Ready 80+ Certified :$90 (Newegg)

 

ODD:Sony Optiarc Black DVD Burner:$20 (Newegg)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub-Total:$885.92

Tax:$73.08 (F*** CA)

S&H:Free! (Sign up for that free 2 day shipping deal)

Total:$959

Mail-in Rebates:-$30.00

Final Cost:$929

 

Now here are some issues I have with this build:

a.) I feel like I should go with a cheaper motherboard, and put the savings towards a Solid State Drive (32-64gb devoted for system) and/or more RAM.

 

b.) Is there a noticeable difference between DDR3 1600 and 1333 memory?

 

c.) Am I expecting too much from AMD with the Radeon 6870? should I go with NVIDIA instead?

 

d.) I am having difficulty finding a case that is cost efficient. I see this component as a place to save $$ on, but am I cutting too much? Also, I don't want one of those stupid light show cases with all the colored lights and see through cases, I want to retain my stature as a closet nerd.

 

Any other suggestions are more than appreciated. Thanks fellas.

Edited April 12, 2011 by trees415

[Black64]

I can answer your questions.

 

a. Yes (but you don't need more ram)

 

b.No

 

c.I would say no but it's really your call, some people just like one or the other.

 

d.If you don't mind what your case looks like then the only important thing is cooling.

Edited April 12, 2011 by Black6464

[trees415]

I can answer your questions.

 

a. Yes (but you don't need more ram)

 

b.No

 

c.I would say no but it's really your call, some people just like one or the other.

 

d.If you don't mind what your case looks like then the only important thing is cooling.

Thanks for the quick response. Do you have any suggestions on a different motherboard, or rather which brand tends to be the more sought out and well-liked? I find it so easy to suggest to others what's best, and yet it's impossible to decide when it comes to my own computer...

[mpj]

Hey, welcome to OCC! Your build is looking pretty solid IMO! What are your plans for this pc?

 

A. I'd say stick with that motherboard, it is a very nice board, and worth the money IMO. As for the solid state drive, I would save up more money and go for something a bit larger then a 64gb drive. After you format you're looking at very limited space. Also since you said your budget is at or under $1000 total and you have a little room to play, you might want to spend an extra few bucks while ddr3 is cheap and spring for a 8gb (2x4gb) kit which you can find deals on for around 85 bucks right now.

 

B. There isn't a real noticeable difference, but if you decide to overclock at some point, you will have a bit more head room. Also with it being so cheap right now, it's hard to justify not picking up the better chips at nearly the same price.

 

C. Someone else will have to chime in here with more hands on experience. I hear the 560s are really nice, or even 2x 460s in SLI for price vs performance if you're on a budget. As for the 68XX series I don't know how well they perform, but I imagine they're no slouch.

 

D. The big question is what do you want out of your case? If you plan to overclock and/or SLI/CFX in the future you might want to spend a few more bucks and get something with some room and ability for good cooling.

 

Bottom line, if you spend a little more now and go over budget slightly, you can avoid upgrading prematurely and shelling out even more cash in the long run.

[trees415]

Hey, welcome to OCC! Your build is looking pretty solid IMO! What are your plans for this pc?

 

A. I'd say stick with that motherboard, it is a very nice board, and worth the money IMO. As for the solid state drive, I would save up more money and go for something a bit larger then a 64gb drive. After you format you're looking at very limited space. Also since you said your budget is at or under $1000 total and you have a little room to play, you might want to spend an extra few bucks while ddr3 is cheap and spring for a 8gb (2x4gb) kit which you can find deals on for around 85 bucks right now.

 

B. There isn't a real noticeable difference, but if you decide to overclock at some point, you will have a bit more head room. Also with it being so cheap right now, it's hard to justify not picking up the better chips at nearly the same price.

 

C. Someone else will have to chime in here with more hands on experience. I hear the 560s are really nice, or even 2x 460s in SLI for price vs performance if you're on a budget. As for the 68XX series I don't know how well they perform, but I imagine they're no slouch.

 

D. The big question is what do you want out of your case? If you plan to overclock and/or SLI/CFX in the future you might want to spend a few more bucks and get something with some room and ability for good cooling.

 

Bottom line, if you spend a little more now and go over budget slightly, you can avoid upgrading prematurely and shelling out even more cash in the long run.

 

Thanks a lot for the welcome and the help. For this build, I want a good balance all around, and I'd like to ensure that it is easily upgradeable in the future. While I don't need a speed demon, I want this thing to handle games without a hiccup for at least the next few years.

Another thing is portability. I'm about to move to an apartment near the University I will be going to, so I don't think I wanna go with anything larger than a mid-tower case. Also, I don't want to expend extra money on a case that looks cool, I just want a well built case that won't turn my room into a sauna.

 

Also, in terms of the SSD, what I meant was I would get an SSD in addition to the HDD I've already picked out, so I would have my media content on the regular HDD, and the system/programs installed on the SSD.

 

With regards to memory, I might just go with 1x4gb for now, then bump up to 8gb in a month or two.

 

For the Video Card, I'm considering downgrading to a slightly cheaper video card, then I'll plan to double up later on down the road.

 

Thanks again!

Edited April 12, 2011 by trees415

[rocketeer55]

1 good video card is better than 2 cheap ones in SLI/CrossFire. I think the GTX 560 is one of the best $/performance cards out there right now.

[mpj]

Also, in terms of the SSD, what I meant was I would get an SSD in addition to the HDD I've already picked out, so I would have my media content on the regular HDD, and the system/programs installed on the SSD.

 

I understood that you were going to have a HDD for storage when I recommended you save for something larger then 64gb. Once you format that drive you're potentially looking at ~58gb of space. I dont know what OS you're using, but lets use windows 7 as example. If you get 32bit (which would be a no no if you plan on upgrading your ram in the future) thats 16gb of space right there, and if you go with 64bit now you're up to 20gb. Now you're left with 38gb of space for programs/games etc. I dont know what you play but say for example you are into SC2 (which is about 14gb of space now?) and WoW (which I know is closing in on 20gb), thats 34gb right there and you're left with 4gb of space on that drive without any other programs! Granted those are just examples and you may play other games/use other software may which require more or less space, but either way, you're going to be juggling for space unless you don't mind having other things on the HDD.

 

As for the RAM, if you really feel that you only need 4gb then get a dual channel kit instead of using 1 stick for single channel. IIRC there is a noticeable difference between the two.

 

Also you might want to check out the CM HAF 912, it is a bit on larger side for a mid tower, but its very subtle looking IMO at a nice price with the ability for sufficient cooling/room for expansion. I have a 922 and the build quality is pretty nice, so I imagine that the 912 can't be far behind.

[LuckyDeath]

After having just done my first build ever, I must recommend the Cooler Master 690 II Advanced mid-tower.

 

-Sturdy materials, can withstand being knocked around a bit (not tested)

-Easy to work in, no sharp edges... excellent cable management, and this was my first time trying.

-Great price for all the features it supports

 

For the HDD you might check out the Samsung Spoinpoint F3. I believe Newegg had them cheaper than the WD Caviar Blacks, and they are quieter and just as fast if not faster.

 

For a cheaper motherboard, I can personally recommend the MSI P67-GD55. Much cheaper than that Sabertooth, with alot of good features still.

[trees415]

I understood that you were going to have a HDD for storage when I recommended you save for something larger then 64gb. Once you format that drive you're potentially looking at ~58gb of space. I dont know what OS you're using, but lets use windows 7 as example. If you get 32bit (which would be a no no if you plan on upgrading your ram in the future) thats 16gb of space right there, and if you go with 64bit now you're up to 20gb. Now you're left with 38gb of space for programs/games etc. I dont know what you play but say for example you are into SC2 (which is about 14gb of space now?) and WoW (which I know is closing in on 20gb), thats 34gb right there and you're left with 4gb of space on that drive without any other programs! Granted those are just examples and you may play other games/use other software may which require more or less space, but either way, you're going to be juggling for space unless you don't mind having other things on the HDD.

Yeah, I hear ya, but 64 gigs was the largest size drive that was good quality that would have worked with my budget for this build. However, I've decided to hold off on the SSD and upgrade in a month or so. Hopefully, the prices will be much lower as well by that time.

As for the RAM, if you really feel that you only need 4gb then get a dual channel kit instead of using 1 stick for single channel. IIRC there is a noticeable difference between the two.

 

Yeah, I figured 2 was better, however I found a great deal on a 2x4gb dual kit, so I'm going with that. If anyone is interested, its the G.SKILL Sniper 8GB DDR3 1600 for $75 ($100 w/ $25 off promo) @Newegg

 

Also you might want to check out the CM HAF 912, it is a bit on larger side for a mid tower, but its very subtle looking IMO at a nice price with the ability for sufficient cooling/room for expansion. I have a 922 and the build quality is pretty nice, so I imagine that the 912 can't be far behind.

Yeah,I did actually see that case, and I am torn between that and the Antec 300 gaming Case, both of which are $55-60 at Amazon + free shipping & no tax.

They both have similar features, so I guess it's going to come down to ascetics ultimately.

 

After having just done my first build ever, I must recommend the Cooler Master 690 II Advanced mid-tower.

-Sturdy materials, can withstand being knocked around a bit (not tested)

-Easy to work in, no sharp edges... excellent cable management, and this was my first time trying.

-Great price for all the features it supports

Great case, would love to get it, but it's just a little too big for my needs. I'm trying to avoid cases longer than 20"

For the HDD you might check out the Samsung Spoinpoint F3. I believe Newegg had them cheaper than the WD Caviar Blacks, and they are quieter and just as fast if not faster.

Well, my only issue with the sammy is that it's a Sata II (3gb/s). How this compares to the WD, I don't know, but I'd rather lean towards WD or even Seagate, which I feel is very much underrated. In any case, this is very minor stuff, so I doubt there is a big difference between the three. Also, considering that I'll probably be upgrading to SSD shortly after so I don't really want to spend too much time picking apart details on standard HDD's.

For a cheaper motherboard, I can personally recommend the MSI P67-GD55. Much cheaper than that Sabertooth, with alot of good features still.

After searching through a lot of benchmark tests and reviews, I think I'm gonna go with the ASRock P67 Extreme 4, which is $160 at newegg.. It has all the features I need, a lot of good press since their revised boards have started being produced due the whole issue with SandyBridge when it was first released. The Sabertooth was a bit overkill on a lot of features that I don't see a need for, and I have yet to hear anything bad about the ASrock, unless someone here has had bad experiences with the board.

 

All in all, I'm a lot more confident with the build I have setup now, its at about $930-, which means I can get a few accessories along with it, like a cooler, extra fans, a better keyboard, and maybe even a game or two.

 

Thanks a lot for all the help fellas. If any of you object to the ASRock Mobo, speak now or forever leave me in misery!