Just another build thread, but I have legitimate questions!

[bkg1906]

So below is the original posting, I just decided to edit, rename, didn't feel the need to waste space.

So after much debating I've decided to build a new rig. I was previously Dispair here on these boards but can't seem to remember my old password, so I can't access my old tag... :\ I was helped then, 2x actually, and am back for a third round.

1. What YOUR PC will be used for? Gaming (WoW, Diablo 3, future FPS), web surfing, light encoding, and word processing

2. What YOUR budget is? I'm not building a dream machine, but I've had my previous home built rigs for 4+years each. They are an investment and I treat them as such.

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from? Petoria... J/K Texas.

4. Brand preference? None, but 2500k is the standard ATM and I want to use my nifty Acer 3D Vision capable monitor

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts? Keyboard, Mouse, LCD, Bose speakers, old tower is going to my son.

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads - Yes I have, endlessly. I know the standard build, hell I have most of it already, but I still have some kinks to work out

7. Overclock - Yes, nothing extreme

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with - 1920x1080

9. WHEN do you plan to build it - Next week?

10. Don't ask for a build configuration critique or rating if you are thin skinned.
I'm fat, so does that count?

Here's the link to what I have so far:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=21171387

Basic build so far - 2500k, 8gb Ripsaws, 212+, WD Cav Black, ASRock Z68, 620W Antec Gamer

Needs:
Case - Raven V3, DF-85, HAF 32, or another recommendation if you have one? Like the DF-85 in general design, enjoy the innovation of the Raven, and the HAF is the go to for everyone. I've had a NZXT Lexa and use a Sonata now. I want quiet, good airflow, and some bling. Also, if I'm looking to add fans, I'd prefer not to spend an extra $60 bucks on filling out the case. LoL

GPU - 560 TI Hawk or 570? I want to use Nvidia 3D eventually. I don't know I currently have the head room for a 570, but if it is leaps and bounds ahead then I'd get it.

SSD - This is one of those optional things. Lately there has been a lot of deals for almost 60gb for around 70 bucks. If I take the plunge, what one to go with? I've read half a dozen reviews from this one to that one, I get the impression OCZ is good, but then all I read is that their RAM sucks now. If I use it for strictly caching, would it be better to go with a 40gb model and just use it for that plus my OS?

I think those are my hang ups right now. All advice is always welcome, and if you know someone who can solve my log in issue, that would be great too! Thank you so much y'all.

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Pretty simple. I've been looking at building a new rig lately and today while thumbing through threads, I came across this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboB...t=Combo.720933

I was thinking about grabbing this, throwing a 560ti or a 570 on it, and calling it a day.

What are the thoughts on this?

 

[WT]

Not a bad deal at all in fact. I'm no fan of the Rosewill PSUs that they sell, but on a mid-range build like yours it should work fine. The board is an mATX so you won't have as many available slots if you plan on adding a capture card or sound card, or the video card you add to the build is a dual slot version.

Also, plan on tossing the stock Intel HSF and adding a better one. No point in running a 2500K at stock. Best bang for the buck is the CoolerMaster Hyper 212+ for around $25.

 

[zi0n.]

You can do better without the "Combo".

Plus there is a $50 AV there too.

and ew a Seagate.

 

[Ken g6]

See [post=32161467]my deconstruction of a similar bundle[/post].

Please also answer [thread=80121]the stickied questions[/thread].

 

[bkg1906]

TTT

 

[T_Yamamoto]

you got to say something too you know!
and we need to know the OVERALL budget! like 1k?

 

[bkg1906]

Well right now, wishlist build has me at 1150ish. I'd like to get it down too 1k if possible.

 

[mfenn]

Before I get to the list, I let me just say this: If you think that PCs are worthwhile investment, then PLEASE hand over your retirement savings to a trustworthy financial manager ASAP. They are an asset, and one that depreciates at an obscene rate.

With that out of the way, here's my comments on the build. Note that not having a firm idea of budget makes it really hard to balance price/performance.

Mobo: At the MSRP of $160, the board is not a good deal. It's not bad at $130 though. Do note that the board's main selling point (PCIe Gen3) is an absolute marketing gimmick because the PCIe lanes on a Sandy Bridge CPU are only Gen2.
PSU: Overkill for the GTX 560 Ti, but fine for a GTX 570.
GPU: When thinking of 3D, remember that your perceived framerate will be halved because the GPU has to draw the screen twice (once per eye). So, you'll definitely want to go for a GTX 570 to keep the framerates decent at 1080P.
SSD : The V+ 100 is that cheap for a reason. Reason being, it sucks. If you solely want to use SRT, then get a 64GB SSD like a Crucial M4 for $104. Otherwise, I would grab the 128GB M4 for $175.
CPU: Good
HDD : The Samsung F3 1TB is the same speed and much less expensive.
HSF: Good
RAM: You can get the same thing without the silly heatspreaders for $44.
Paste: Fine
DVD : Fine
Case: Quiet and filling a case up with fans doesn't really go together. With a moderate system like this one, you don't really need a $160 case unless you really really like it. The HAF 922 is a good alternative at $90 AR

EDIT: Seeing your updated post, I totaled the recommendations above (with the lesser SSD) to be $1020 AR.

 

[bkg1906]

Well by definition, it could be an investment. While I'm not looking to profit off of it, I am buying and building it myself as it will be something useful to me in the future, so I don't have to pay someone else to use theirs.

Either way. I've spoke on the price point. I put out my wishlist with a specific PP in mind, but if at all possible would like to get it down to 1k without sacrificing any of my wants.

@mfenn suggestions:
Mobo - So if that isn't a good mobo at the $160, what should I go with? I was looking for something with the option of SLI possibly down the road, but prefer to stick with a good single card option atm
GPU - ECS? Last thing I had ECS, I wasn't able to even pawn it. I'm not saying its not a good choice, it's just I haven't seen an ECS recommendation in quite sometime.
SSD - Is using an SSD for caching purposes viable? Will I see significant improvements in load times and what not over just a stand alone HDD
HDD - I've had a spinpoint in all my previous builds, so no problem stepping back to it
RAM - Silly heatspreaders for 5 bucks, and it ideally might match the inside of my case.
Case - I didn't exactly mean I was going to put a fan in each slot, but some of the cases I've looked at are missing a fan for the GPU area and some front fans too. My Lexa with all the fans in it wasn't overly loud, my Sonata is quiet, which I do like. I didn't like the HAF 922 for some reason. Guess it's back to the generic build on almost everyones thread.

Thanks!

 

[xBiffx]

Mobo - So if that isn't a good mobo at the $160, what should I go with? I was looking for something with the option of SLI possibly down the road, but prefer to stick with a good single card option atm

I suggest this board. Its $30 cheaper and gives you the option of SLI down the road.

GPU - ECS? Last thing I had ECS, I wasn't able to even pawn it. I'm not saying its not a good choice, it's just I haven't seen an ECS recommendation in quite sometime.

I agree ECS is crap don't go that way. I have always liked EVGA. This card is at a decent price and its overclocked from the factory.

I can't comment on the rest.

 

[mfenn]

Well by definition, it could be an investment. While I'm not looking to profit off of it, I am buying and building it myself as it will be something useful to me in the future, so I don't have to pay someone else to use theirs.

Sorry bud, but you need to look up the definition of investment. An investment by definition is something that you buy in the hopes that it appreciates in value. I'm not saying that you shouldn't build a $1000 computer, I'm saying that you should not think of any computer as an investment.

@mfenn suggestions:
Mobo - So if that isn't a good mobo at the $160, what should I go with? I was looking for something with the option of SLI possibly down the road, but prefer to stick with a good single card option atm

Maybe you didn't understand my post? I said that it is not a good value at the $160 MSRP. Newegg however is not selling the board for $160.

GPU - ECS? Last thing I had ECS, I wasn't able to even pawn it. I'm not saying its not a good choice, it's just I haven't seen an ECS recommendation in quite sometime.

That card is a straight up Nvidia reference design. You should have no problems.

SSD - Is using an SSD for caching purposes viable? Will I see significant improvements in load times and what not over just a stand alone HDD

From all indications, yes you will see a decent improvement. Not as much as what you would get with a dedicated SSD system drive of course, but a decent one.

RAM - Silly heatspreaders for 5 bucks, and it ideally might match the inside of my case.

Uh, what? Let me quote you, "I'd like to get it down too 1k if possible." So, do you or do you not want to get it down to $1K? Saving money on things that make absolutely no difference at all is the best way to reach a price point IMHO.

Case - I didn't exactly mean I was going to put a fan in each slot, but some of the cases I've looked at are missing a fan for the GPU area and some front fans too. My Lexa with all the fans in it wasn't overly loud, my Sonata is quiet, which I do like. I didn't like the HAF 922 for some reason.

And so you chose the 932? I'm really confused here. They are styled identically.

Guess it's back to the generic build on almost everyones thread.

Sorry if this comes off the wrong way, but you are not a beautiful snowflake. Why would you want to deviate from the standard build that has been refined for many months and is constantly being tuned for price and performance?

 

[bkg1906]

in·vest   [in-vest] verb (used with object)
1.to put (money) to use, by purchase or expenditure, in something offering potential profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.
2.to use (money), as in accumulating something: to invest large sums in books.
3.to use, give, or devote (time, talent, etc.), as for a purpose or to achieve something: He invested a lot of time in helping retarded children.
4.to furnish with power, authority, rank, etc.: The Constitution invests the president with the power of veto.
5.
to furnish or endow with a power, right, etc.; vest: Feudalism invested the lords with absolute authority over their vassals.

Look, I don't care to go back and forth over this. Thanks for your help thus far. I've taken some of your points into consideration and others I've thrown to the waste side. I didn't want to be a delicate snowflake, but I did have questions that haven't always been covered.

Case - I brought up the HAF 32 as it is pushed in EVERY build, and I wanted it compared to the other two I was looking at. Possibly by people with experience with them.

I could go over and quote everything back and forth, but as I said, it's not worth the investment... of my time.

AS I said before, Thanks for your help.

 

[fluffmonster]

There are many contexts where investment refers to acquisition of any working asset, most of which depreciate; this is in fact the correct technical meaning of the word. "Investment" in the sense of aquiring a yield-bearing financial asset is a mostly colloquial lay usage, and is more correctly referred to as a form of savings. The OP was using the term correctly.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

i hate dictionaries

 

[Ken g6]

Allow me to list a couple of cheaper options:
$39 RAM AP (Thanks SnoKrash!)
A PSU for $47, effectively, AP (see the PSU's main page), before $20 mail-in rebate.

But I think getting to $1000 is going to require a large sacrifice. Such as not getting an SSD at this time. (If it's just for caching, you can always add it later.)

 

[mfenn]

in·vest   [in-vest] verb (used with object)
1.to put (money) to use, by purchase or expenditure, in something offering potential profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.
2.to use (money), as in accumulating something: to invest large sums in books.
3.to use, give, or devote (time, talent, etc.), as for a purpose or to achieve something: He invested a lot of time in helping retarded children.
4.to furnish with power, authority, rank, etc.: The Constitution invests the president with the power of veto.
5.
to furnish or endow with a power, right, etc.; vest: Feudalism invested the lords with absolute authority over their vassals.

There are many contexts where investment refers to acquisition of any working asset, most of which depreciate; this is in fact the correct technical meaning of the word. "Investment" in the sense of aquiring a yield-bearing financial asset is a mostly colloquial lay usage, and is more correctly referred to as a form of savings. The OP was using the term correctly.

investment
noun
1. the investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.

2. a particular instance or mode of investing.

3. a thing invested in, as a business, a quantity of shares of stock, etc.

4. something that is invested; sum invested.

5. the act or fact of investing or state of being invested, as with a garment.

Dictionary fail, both of you. We're talking about investment not the verb to invest. Seriously, search the thread. Here's another hint: the definitions in the dictionary are ordered based on usage and correctness. One should not refer to the 3rd or 4th definition when it may cause ambiguity.

Look, I don't care to go back and forth over this. Thanks for your help thus far. I've taken some of your points into consideration and others I've thrown to the waste side. I didn't want to be a delicate snowflake, but I did have questions that haven't always been covered.

I could go over and quote everything back and forth, but as I said, it's not worth the investment... of my time.

AS I said before, Thanks for your help.

Fair enough, that's your right. No one (here at least) can force you to buy anything that you don't want to buy. You stated your goals, I gave suggestions for parts and reasoning as to why they would meet those goals. That's all I can really do.