- Apr 4, 2008
- 319
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I'm building my next computer, everyone, and I want some critical comments. Or, if you think it's all good, please say so. Here we go:
My needs:
I will be using this system for gaming, first and foremost. I also record gameplay with FRAPS and edit it with Virtualdub. Next, I watch Netflix and Blu-rays on a near daily basis. Finally, overall system responsiveness (fast boot, no hangups while starting programs) is extremely important to me.
General information
I'm buying from the good ole' U.S.A. My brand preferences include Intel and NVIDIA. I'll overclock my CPU to get the most out of it, and also because I enjoy the overclocking process. I will be gaming at 1920x1200.
Important: I'm not just trying to throw money at Newegg and hoping to end up with a nice PC. I'm trying to be smart about it and not get more than I will benefit from (though I place value on build quality and long-term reliability, so I'll pay extra for that - even if it doesn't improve my system's performance, strictly speaking).
The Build
Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz $569.99 Placeholder; going to change this to a i7-4930K when it's released.
I've done some research and have determined that games are starting to use more than four cores effectively (Battlefield 3 is one of the best examples). I'll just disable Hyper-Threading and overclock it for the best gaming performance.
ASUS P9X79 LE X79 Motherboard $224.99 If X79 boards are refreshed for IB-E release, then I'll switch to a newer one.
I've got an Asus board and I love it, and this X79 board has everything I want.
Noctua NH-D14 CPU HSF $79.99 Already own it.
This thing works like a charm, no reason to switch to anything else. Fits without issue in the Corsair 550D case, and won't interfere with the low-profile Crucial RAM I've selected.
Crucial Ballistix Tactical 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1600 PURCHASED for $99.99
These are perfect for me. 1600MHz and 8-8-8-24 timings at only 1.35 volts, and they're low profile for maximum compatibility with my Noctua NH-D14. Most people (in this thread, at least) seem to think that 16GB is a good amount; neither insufficient nor excessive. I agree with that.
EVGA SuperClocked GTX 780 $659.99
I don't want to use a multi-GPU setup because of inconsistent scaling, extra heat, micro stutter, and lower total dedicated memory.
SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold PSU PURCHASED for $109.99
I've had a chance to move all my components into my new 550D case, and this PSU is awesome to work with. The ribbon cables work perfectly and make cable management a breeze. I haven't heard any coil whine (and I'm generally able to hear high-pitched hums), nor can I hear the fan when it's spinning.
Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD $239.99 Already own it.
No reason to use anything different, this SSD is excellent. I'm looking forward to using it with native 6.0Gb/s ports for the first time.
Western Digital Black 1.5TB 7200 RPM 6.0Gb/s $99.99 Already own it.
I'll use this drive exclusively for FRAPS capture and file storage.
Corsair Obsidian Series 550D Tower PURCHASED for $129.99
Downsizing from the Cosmos 1000 was a great decision - this case is better in every single way for my purposes. I've removed the top HDD cage, replaced the front intake fans with Noctua NF-S12As, replaced the rear exhaust with a NF-A14, and added a NF-A14 as the bottom intake. I've got the side panel fan cover off for extra ventilation, but I left the top cover on so my cat can sit there. My GPU and CPU temps are 5-10°C lower than they were in the Cosmos 1000, and the only noise I hear from the case is a very low "whooshing" sound, which is both quieter and more pleasant than the noise that came from my Cosmos 1000.
HP w2408h 24" 1920x1200 monitor $469.99 Already own it
I've been using this monitor for five years and it's excellent. I want to upgrade to a monitor with a higher refresh rate, but that's not going to be part of this build. Right now all the monitors that are 120/144Hz natively only support up to 1920x1080, and that would be a step down from my HP. I'm hoping that higher resolution 120/144Hz monitors are going to be available within a year or so from now.
LG Black WH12LS39 Blu-ray drive $84.98 Already own it.
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer $90.99 Already own it.
Current total: $2,860.87
My first two PCs would have been pretty weak if I hadn't posted my plans here on the forums ahead of time - my bigger mistakes were promptly and bluntly corrected and I ended up with great computers. Be just as critical here, you won't hurt my feelings.
My needs:
I will be using this system for gaming, first and foremost. I also record gameplay with FRAPS and edit it with Virtualdub. Next, I watch Netflix and Blu-rays on a near daily basis. Finally, overall system responsiveness (fast boot, no hangups while starting programs) is extremely important to me.
General information
I'm buying from the good ole' U.S.A. My brand preferences include Intel and NVIDIA. I'll overclock my CPU to get the most out of it, and also because I enjoy the overclocking process. I will be gaming at 1920x1200.
Important: I'm not just trying to throw money at Newegg and hoping to end up with a nice PC. I'm trying to be smart about it and not get more than I will benefit from (though I place value on build quality and long-term reliability, so I'll pay extra for that - even if it doesn't improve my system's performance, strictly speaking).
The Build
Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz $569.99 Placeholder; going to change this to a i7-4930K when it's released.
I've done some research and have determined that games are starting to use more than four cores effectively (Battlefield 3 is one of the best examples). I'll just disable Hyper-Threading and overclock it for the best gaming performance.
ASUS P9X79 LE X79 Motherboard $224.99 If X79 boards are refreshed for IB-E release, then I'll switch to a newer one.
I've got an Asus board and I love it, and this X79 board has everything I want.
Noctua NH-D14 CPU HSF $79.99 Already own it.
This thing works like a charm, no reason to switch to anything else. Fits without issue in the Corsair 550D case, and won't interfere with the low-profile Crucial RAM I've selected.
Crucial Ballistix Tactical 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1600 PURCHASED for $99.99
These are perfect for me. 1600MHz and 8-8-8-24 timings at only 1.35 volts, and they're low profile for maximum compatibility with my Noctua NH-D14. Most people (in this thread, at least) seem to think that 16GB is a good amount; neither insufficient nor excessive. I agree with that.
EVGA SuperClocked GTX 780 $659.99
I don't want to use a multi-GPU setup because of inconsistent scaling, extra heat, micro stutter, and lower total dedicated memory.
SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold PSU PURCHASED for $109.99
I've had a chance to move all my components into my new 550D case, and this PSU is awesome to work with. The ribbon cables work perfectly and make cable management a breeze. I haven't heard any coil whine (and I'm generally able to hear high-pitched hums), nor can I hear the fan when it's spinning.
Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD $239.99 Already own it.
No reason to use anything different, this SSD is excellent. I'm looking forward to using it with native 6.0Gb/s ports for the first time.
Western Digital Black 1.5TB 7200 RPM 6.0Gb/s $99.99 Already own it.
I'll use this drive exclusively for FRAPS capture and file storage.
Corsair Obsidian Series 550D Tower PURCHASED for $129.99
Downsizing from the Cosmos 1000 was a great decision - this case is better in every single way for my purposes. I've removed the top HDD cage, replaced the front intake fans with Noctua NF-S12As, replaced the rear exhaust with a NF-A14, and added a NF-A14 as the bottom intake. I've got the side panel fan cover off for extra ventilation, but I left the top cover on so my cat can sit there. My GPU and CPU temps are 5-10°C lower than they were in the Cosmos 1000, and the only noise I hear from the case is a very low "whooshing" sound, which is both quieter and more pleasant than the noise that came from my Cosmos 1000.
HP w2408h 24" 1920x1200 monitor $469.99 Already own it
I've been using this monitor for five years and it's excellent. I want to upgrade to a monitor with a higher refresh rate, but that's not going to be part of this build. Right now all the monitors that are 120/144Hz natively only support up to 1920x1080, and that would be a step down from my HP. I'm hoping that higher resolution 120/144Hz monitors are going to be available within a year or so from now.
LG Black WH12LS39 Blu-ray drive $84.98 Already own it.
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer $90.99 Already own it.
Current total: $2,860.87
My first two PCs would have been pretty weak if I hadn't posted my plans here on the forums ahead of time - my bigger mistakes were promptly and bluntly corrected and I ended up with great computers. Be just as critical here, you won't hurt my feelings.
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