help me build a PC

[Renegade_09]

I'm looking to get a Z77 board with the new IB i5-3570k. Probably will not overclock and if I do it will probably be up to 4.0 ghz. I don't need a dual GPU board but this PC will also be used as a NAS so I'll need lots of sata ports. I want a board that will switch to the HD4000 when I'm not gaming to save energy.

What I have so far:
NZXT Hale 750W PSU
Coolermaster 212 Hyper PLUS
Crucial M4 128GB SSD
Fractal Design R3

I want to run a pretty quiet and cool system so I'm going to need a video card that runs quiet and cool. Nothing more than $150. My budget for a motherboard is around $150-$200 but I would prefer to spend less than $200 if possible. Also what kind of memory should I get?

I live in Canada so prices are different than in the US.

 

[mfenn]

Most (all?) Z77 boards support Virtu, so you should be OK on that front. I don't know how many SATA ports "lots" is, but the popular and affordable ASRock Z77 Pro3 has 6. Assuming that you want the standard 8GB of RAM:

ASRock Z77 Pro3 $111
Mushkin DDR3 1600 8GB $40
Radeon 6850 $140

 

[Renegade_09]

I was thinking of getting something with 8 sata ports.

I've already have two 2TB WD Green HD, one 7200rpm 1TB WD HD, and a Crucial M4. I'm planning to get two 3TB HD so that takes up the 6 sata ports already.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

I found these ram stick for a pretty good price after Price beat.
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX35113

Just worried what it says in the description
"CORSAIR high performance Vengeance memory module 8GB (2x4GB) 1600MHz 9-9-9-24, 1.5V for motherboards using AMD, Intel dual channel platforms."

Does that mean it won't work on quad-cores?

 

[CoDLolcopter]

I was thinking of getting something with 8 sata ports.

I've already have two 2TB WD Green HD, one 7200rpm 1TB WD HD, and a Crucial M4. I'm planning to get two 3TB HD so that takes up the 6 sata ports already.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

I found these ram stick for a pretty good price after Price beat.
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX35113

Just worried what it says in the description
"CORSAIR high performance Vengeance memory module 8GB (2x4GB) 1600MHz 9-9-9-24, 1.5V for motherboards using AMD, Intel dual channel platforms."

Does that mean it won't work on quad-cores?

Yes it will work on quad cores, its referring to memory architecture not Core architecture. All Socket 1155 motherboards (the Z77 in your case) supports Dual channel so it's fine.

 

[lehtv]

The PSU you picked is way overkill. A modern $150 video card and a 22nm CPU will be easily powered with a unit half that size!

What resolution do you game at? What's your overall budget? Are there any parts you already own and don't need to buy?

 

[Ken g6]

I just happened to recommend this PSU to another Canadian a few minutes ago. It's the same one I have. I think it's the same as this one, but modular. If so, it is particularly efficient, compared to other PSUs, on the low end of its power range (<100W).

Gold really doesn't buy you much more efficiency than bronze, IMHO.

 

[lehtv]

^ Awesome find. 60 CAD for S12II 520W is hard to decline

 

[Renegade_09]

I got the PSU when it was on sale for $70 and - $30 rebate so that's why I got it.
I'll be playing at 1080p resolution. The parts I already have are listed above.

What you guys think about the MSI Z77A-GD65 for $160?
Just not sure which GPU to go with. I definitely want some the runs cool and quiet. Any particular model and brand I should look for?

What I have so far:
NZXT Hale 750W PSU
Coolermaster 212 Hyper PLUS
Crucial M4 128GB SSD
Fractal Design R3

 

[mfenn]

I was thinking of getting something with 8 sata ports.

I've already have two 2TB WD Green HD, one 7200rpm 1TB WD HD, and a Crucial M4. I'm planning to get two 3TB HD so that takes up the 6 sata ports already.

Check out the Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H. For $150, it has your 8 SATA ports plus a boatload of USB 3.0 ports.

I found these ram stick for a pretty good price after Price beat.
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX35113

What is your final price? As listed, they are $15 more expensive than the equivalent Mushkin.

 

[Renegade_09]

The mushkin is actually more expensive after $10 shipping.
The Corsair Vengeance I can get for $42.49 after price beat at Memory Express.

The Gigabyte Z77X-D3H looks solid. How does it compare to the MSI-Z77A-GD65 for $157?

 

[mfenn]

The mushkin is actually more expensive after $10 shipping.
The Corsair Vengeance I can get for $42.49 after price beat at Memory Express.

OK, that is fine.

The Gigabyte Z77X-D3H looks solid. How does it compare to the MSI-Z77A-GD65 for $157?

They are very similar, but the Gigabyte has more USB 3.0 ports and costs slightly less.

 

[Renegade_09]

I went with a MSI Z77A-GD65 just because they have a facility in my city in case something happens. Picked up all my parts yesterday and built it myself for the first time. Took me over around 8 hours. I was watching some videos on how to build on youtube. Ran into problems installing my Hyper 212+. I hate working with HSF. Finally figured what I was doing wrong.

Anyways here are the parts I got.

i5 3570K $228
MSI Z77A-GD65 $180
Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus $20
NZXT Hale32 750W 80Plus Bronze Modular PSU $70
Corsair XM3 2x4GB DDR3-1600 - $52
Asus HD 6870 $180
Crucial M4 128GB SSD $100

= $830 + taxes

I just booted my new computer for the first time and went into the bios. The CPU temps seems a bit high. It's at 44C and the mainboard is at 34C.

I used the thermal compound that came with the Hyper 212+. Do you guys think that might be it? I used the pea method btw.

 

[lehtv]

How much thermal paste did you use? Are you certain it's securely attached?

I'd recommend downloading CPU-Z and HWMonitor once you get into Windows. CPU-Z will tell you the real-time clock speed so you can confirm speedstep works as it should, and then you can observe idle temperatures with HWmonitor.

 

[Renegade_09]

I use pea size amount. It is securely attached I think. Not sure how it wouldn't be though.

I'll check those programs out when I install Windows 7 on my SSD.

 

[N4n45h1]

I just installed a 212+ the other day and was wondering if yours could rotate slightly with some force? Despite a bit of movement, I'm getting idle temperatures below 30 C depending on the room temperature.

 

[Renegade_09]

I'm reinstalling mine right now and I noticed when taking off the 212+ the cooler did rotate a bit. Anyways from what I read my temps should be at 25-30 C but I'm getting 42-48 on idle which. Way to high from what I've been reading.

edit:

Here are my specs and temps with CPU-Z and HWMonitor

 

[mfenn]

Given that there is a 9 degree C variance in between your hottest and coolest core, my guess is that you have either an uneven amount of thermal paste on the CPU or that the HSF isn't mounted properly (base is sitting at an angle, different amount of mounting force used on each corner, etc).

 

[lehtv]

Agree with mfenn. The thermal paste should be settled in pretty well by now, you have to clean it off and reapply fresh paste when reinstalling the cooler. You'll need a cleaning material for that, I use Tuniq TR-1, but rubbing alcohol works also

 

[Renegade_09]

I guess I'll try it again. At tips on how I should apply it? I've watched a few YouTube videos and I've been using the pea size method.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[krnmastersgt]

Those were indeed some pretty damn high temps, I don't even think I got the set on my mount the way I wanted and I idle around 28-35 depending on how hot I let the room get. What I do is the pea sized amount in the center and place the cooler, rotate it slightly in both directions to get it to spread out over the appropriate surfaces and then tighten.

When you're tightening the bolts on your 212+ make sure you just get 1 screw securely in but don't tighten it, instead secure the one on the opposite corner. Once you have all 4 screws set in then you start tightening, again alternating between opposing corners. If you don't use excessive force you should feel when all 4 have gone in sufficiently as they'll just stop progressing down the thread.

 

[ElFenix]

I guess I'll try it again. At tips on how I should apply it? I've watched a few YouTube videos and I've been using the pea size method.


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i'd say less is more with TIM. a dot of TIM on the processor, clamp the heat sink down, undo it, rotate it 180 degrees, then clamp it back down.

 

[Renegade_09]

Here's an update on my temps running IBT

Does anyone know how to set up the Lucid Virtu feature. I tried google but couldn't find much information on how to set it up properly on the MSI Z77A-GD65. What I'm trying to do is use the Intel IGP for most of my use and have it switch to my HD 6870 when I'm gaming. I've updated the Intel HD4000 drivers on the Intel website already but not sure how this thing works. I've tried using the DVI port on the discrete and IGP but this feature isn't working.

 

[mfenn]

I guess I'll try it again. At tips on how I should apply it? I've watched a few YouTube videos and I've been using the pea size method.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The TIM is probably not as much the issue as the mounting. The secret to getting it even is to treat it the same way as putting a tire on a car. Loosely attach all 4 bolts, then tighten them down in a crosshatch pattern.