My New Computer Build?

[Lava_Fish]

I'm currently on an old Dell XPS P4 with an 8800 GTS and it's time to upgrade. (I've had this thing for more than 5 years and I hope to be able to have the next one running for that long.)

Here's what I'm considering. (PCpartpicker website seems helpful.)

Part list permalink: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3rfk
Part price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3rfk/by_merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($279.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8P67 WS Revolution (REV 3.0) ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($234.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Corsair Force Series 3 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill THOR V2 ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Silverstone 1500W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($329.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH12LS39 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell U3011 30.0" Monitor ($1368.72 @ Mwave)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Full (32/64-bit) ($229.00 @ Adorama)
Keyboard: Lite-On SK-1688U/B Wired Standard Keyboard ($14.97 @ Newegg)
Total: $3142.09
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-01-02 16:33 EST-0500)


1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

Primarily gaming and surfing with some visual studio developing as well. My main immediate goal would be to play Skyrim at 2560x1600 with all of the bells and whistles and .ini tweaks to increase draw distances, etc. I tend to load a bunch of streaming videos in a web browser in the background because my internet isn't super-fast.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread.

I don't want to spend more than $6k, but it seems like I can do what I want for quite a bit less. (I'm guessing this will run me ~$4,500 after video cards.)

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

USA

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.

I have a slight preference for nvidia, but the 7970 looks pretty good to me.

I have leaned towards all of these at some point. (In some cases perhaps I would buy one card and then add the second/additional cards later.)

2 x 2GB 560's SLI
2-3 x 3GB 580's SLI
2 x 3GB 590's SLI
3-4 x 6950's Crossfire
1-3 x 7970's Crossfire

I imagine myself buying a 7970 when it becomes available and then deciding if I'm happy with the performance. If not, add another one. I imagine having 3x30" monitors at some point in the future and would need some real juice going on in the GPU slot to keep up with that. I don't really have the desk space for that many monitors at the moment, so that would wait for another 8 months plus.

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

I'm intending to keep using my nifty logitech mouse and my klipsch promedia 5.1 speakers. I was hoping I might be able to use my 8800 GTS for a short while until the new radeons come out, but I haven't verified that that would actually work yet. (Obviously couldn't play skyrim at desired level, but might be able to get the system working/verified.)

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.

Yes. I think maybe what I'm looking at system-wise is overkill but it does have a lot of flexibility and (I hope) quality components. I'm not sure if I want 1,2,3, or 4 graphics cards in this thing at some point. (maybe later if not today) But I don't really care about spending a little extra on the components to have that flexibility provided that they are high-quality components.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

I'm interested in doing some mild overclocking with air cooling unless someone convinces me that water is much much better and has a low PITA factor. Considering how much I'm thinking about spending, I'm a little reticent to do a first-time water cooling rig.

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.

2560x1600 (maybe go to three of these eventually)

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?

Start buying parts ASAP. Wait ~2 weeks for better information on video card options.

10. Don't ask for a build configuration critique or rating if you are thin skinned.

I look forward to the great ideas I've missed and corrections to the blunders I've made.

Thanks for your feedback, advice, and assistance!

ETA: Is the HP ZR30w 30" monitor approximately the same as the dell ultrasharp? Anybody have a preference between the two?

 

[mfenn]

What you've listed is a huge waste of money given your stated goals. Worry about building a system that can game on 3 30" monitors after you get the monitors, don't overbuild right now for something that may never happen.

I'll go down the list:
- CPU: Given that this is a primarily gaming-focused build, the i7 2600K is not really worth it over the i5 2500K. You'll turn off HT when overclocking anyway (which you will want to do to get good framerates at high draw distances in Skyrim)
- HSF: Good cooler, but way overkill given your goals. The Scythe Mugen 3 will do just fine.
- Mobo: Again, overkill. The 1155 platform is not well suited to Trifire anyway, so there no need to try to get a super fancy board for it. The GA-Z68XP-UD3 will do what you need.
- RAM: Overkill in terms of both capacity and speed. Skyrim can't use more than 2GB since it is a stupid 32-bit executable, so this Patriot DDR3 1600 8GB kit is more than sufficient.
- HDD : Good
- SSD : Not the place to cheap out IMHO. Get a reliable SSD like the Crucial M4 128GB.
- Case: OK, but you don't really need something that big. The Corsair 500R will work great.
- PSU: Ridiculous overkill. Even a dual-GPU setup will never touch the output of the XFX Core 850W.
- ODD : Fine
- Monitor: Good, but you might be able to get a better price buying direct from Dell. The HP ZR30w is basically the same thing with a different stand, get whichever costs less.
- OS: Get the $100 HP 64-bit OEM unless you know for a fact that you need a specific feature from Pro
- Keyboard: I admit, I laughed a little when I saw this. With the amount of money that you're spending, you should get a good mechanical keyboard like a Das Keyboard.

As for GPUs, things move so fast that rather than spending $2000 on the highest-end stuff available today, you should instead get something reasonable like 6950 2GB Crossfire for $500 which will be fine in Skyrim and then save the rest of the money for future upgrades. A forum member here (Ken g6) as a great quote, "The best way to future-proof is to save money and spend it on future products."

 

[lehtv]

CPU 2500K is just as good for gaming. 2600K is only good if you actually do heavily multithreaded productivity work (preloading videos in a browser while gaming doesn't count). Put that $100 saved towards an Ivy Bridge upgrade instead. I realize that given your budget this may seem like nitpicking, but hey, it's still money.

Cooler Well, why not. Quiet it down with the low-voltage adapters and you still get adequate cooling for a big OC. edit Scythe Mugen 3 is also a very capable cooler so +1 on that.

Mobo Get it from microcenter, it saves you a bit of cash as there's a discount for Z68 motherboards when combo'ing with 2600K/2500K (ask about it in-store). And yes you should buy Z68, can use integrated graphics for backup and do SSD caching. Here: http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0378096

RAM You'll never notice the difference that 2133MHz makes over 1600MHz... because it barely makes any difference on Sandy Bridge. RAM speed is also irrelevant for overclocking SB. Here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428. Another point is that you'll probably never need more than 8GB for the uses you've described, and given that having four RAM modules may cause instability in some cases and it may affect how much you can overclock (not sure if this applies to SB) - it'd be wise to get with 8GB and only later add more if needed.

HDD Hitachi 7K1000.D is quite a bit faster as it is a high-density single-platter drive.

SSD Intriguing deal... But it's a Sandforce-controller based drive. (Also realize that it's an after rebate price; are you prepared to save money on doing mail-in rebates?) Chances are you'll have a positive experience with it but Sandforce is not generally considered the most reliable controller. Consider spending a bit of extra for peace of mind: Crucial M4 $200. Or if you have a large library of games and stuff you need to frequently access: Samsung 830 256GB $350

Case Ok.

PSU Beyond ridiculously overkill for a 7970. You could run an overclocked 7970 Crossfire rig with a 750W power supply no problem. 850W would still be good without being overkill. If you want room for a third video card you'll need a more expensive motherboard that supports trifire and at least a 1000W PSU.

Optical No comment.

Monitor Fantastic.

OS Why do you need Pro, and why do you need the full retail version? (If you don't know, you don't need it.) Home Premium OEM 64bit $100.

Keyboard Horrible for such a high-end setup. I'd get a high quality mechanical keyboard: Das Keyboard Model S Silent. Unless you abuse it, it will last you a decade or longer.

I was hoping I might be able to use my 8800 GTS for a short while until the new radeons come out, but I haven't verified that that would actually work yet. (Obviously couldn't play skyrim at desired level, but might be able to get the system working/verified.)

With a Z68 chipset motherboard, you can use the integrated GPU while getting the system up and running. Then install 8800GTS if you want to test drive Skyrim on low settings and a lowered resolution.

 

[lehtv]

I'm done. Ninja'd with a 2000 character post that read my mind.

 

[mfenn]

Well, it looks like lehtv and I are on the same page, I'm just 2 minutes faster.

EDIT: Lehtv, at least you ninja'd my ninja notification. :awe:

 

[lehtv]

Haha. But you ninja'd me on the edit of the notification.

 

[Lava_Fish]

Ok, I took some of your recommendations to heart. Looks like I'll save some money

Here's my current picture.

Part list permalink: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3rBy
Part price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3rBy/by_merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Hard Drive: Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.D 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($126.28 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung 830 Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($349.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill THOR V2 ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Silverstone 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG WH12LS39 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: HP ZR30w 30.0" Monitor ($1184.95 @ B&H)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Lite-On SK-1688U/B Wired Standard Keyboard ($14.97 @ Newegg)
Total: $2696.10
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-01-02 20:36 EST-0500)

I'll have to look for the microcenter deal for the proc+mobo. I have one ~15 minutes away, so it shouldn't be hard to get in on that one.

How do you guys find out about the reliability/quality of an SSD? I've seen some reviews here and there, but they tend to focus on speed. (And I don't see Intel rating high for speed.) I haven't really seen anything at all on long-term reliability of specific controllers. I did find some anecdotal stuff about the Intel SSDs being the best reliability-wise, but no hard numbers. I certainly don't mind spending a little more for higher reliability...since I plain on loading my OS on that drive!

I don't plan on doing cutting-edge hardcore overclocking. I'm going to be a bit gentle as I want this thing to last for years and I know I'm not as good as I should be about cleaning out the dust regularly. (So I might overclock but aim for lower max temperatures under load than others might.) That said, I don't think the extra RAM will prevent some mild overclocking. I did google around for related problems and wasn't able to find any smoking-gun stuff, but some mentioned having to adjust the RAM voltage to get stable overclocks on the CPU.

Should I be concerned about getting the OEM version of Windows 7 HP? Amazon has a bunch of 1 star reviews complaining that using the OEM version a hard drive later went out and when they replaced it they had to purchase a new OS because the OS was tied to the original hardware configuration during activation.

And the keyboard... Is there something about a $150 keyboard that will make me happier than a random $10 keytronix or dell keyboard? I've been happy with both in the past. And if I spill my 32 ounce cup of whatever, I don't sweat it. (Invert keyboard and kill power immediately. Unplug. Shake. Wait for it to dry out start again.)

 

[lehtv]

Go with Asus P8Z68-V/Gen3 if you don't need the extra two SATA 6gb/s ports and the firewire ports. Literally the only difference between those two.

I still quite don't understand the 1200W power supply for an overclocked 7970 crossfire setup. It'd be easily enough even for 7970 Trifire but you can't do that on that motherboard anyway.

If I wanted to spend money on a PSU, I would rather capitalize on quality than capacity. For example, that Silverstone is only 80 Plus rated, meaning efficiency in the 80-82% range. For the same amount of money you can get a Corsair AX850 which is probably the best power power supply of that capacity that money can buy, at least until reviews on the Seasonic Platinum 860W pop up. It has excellent power quality, full modularity, 7 year warranty, and it's quiet thanks to the high efficiency and hybrid fan.

And the keyboard... Is there something about a $150 keyboard that will make me happier than a random $10 keytronix or dell keyboard? I've been happy with both in the past. And if I spill my 32 ounce cup of whatever, I don't sweat it. (Invert keyboard and kill power immediately. Unplug. Shake. Wait for it to dry out start again.)

Well. A lot of people say that mechanical switches are simply more comfortable and easier to type on. Mechanical switches also have a lot longer lifetime. I dunno, I would feel the build would simply not be complete without a high quality keyboard. Just as it'd be silly to put all those components into a cheapo $30 case, or use that PC on a 21" 1600x900 monitor. I'd say - try it out and see if you like the better keyboard. Maybe you didn't know what you were missing.

edit: 7970 crossfire review out @ guru3d

[FONT=verdana,geneva]System Wattage with GPU in FULL Stress = 567W[/FONT]

 

[fastamdman]

Why are you buying 16gb of ram again.....

Edit: It seems to me like you are wasting so much money. There are much better buys then what you have right now. I could build 2 2500k systems for your price lol.

 

[lehtv]

There are much better buys then what you have right now

He'd probably like to hear what these better buys are

I could build 2 2500k systems for your price lol.

Including a decent monitor which is one of the most important components, no you couldn't.

 

[Lava_Fish]

Thanks for all of the feedback!

I removed the extra $30/8GB of RAM to remove the issue.

Prices below are just what comes up on the partpicker website. The mobo + proc from microcenter seem to come to ~$300 with the $50 off. So I'll save ~$50 from the prices below.

Here's what we're looking at.

Part list permalink: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3rHx
Part price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3rHx/by_merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V/GEN3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($174.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Hard Drive: Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.D 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($126.28 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung 830 Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($349.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill THOR V2 ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair 850W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($174.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG WH12LS39 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: HP ZR30w 30.0" Monitor ($1184.95 @ B&H)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2621.14
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-01-02 21:37 EST-0500)

I'll continue to think about the keyboard

I had wanted a super-beefy nvidia-Quad-SLI-approved power supply while I was still thinking about dual 590's. But I'm leaning more and more towards the 7970's, so I guess that just doesn't make sense now. Even if I overclock them, it looks like I'll still have some headroom available with 850W.

Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[AtaliaA1]

Lava They haven't removed the technology in keyboard that allow them to take a spill. most likely better over time right?

Intel isn't picky about allowing us to upgrade and get another Key for what ever reason. I have done it three times now. upgraded then a bad HDD.

Yes you will like the new keyboard just as you will like the newer Operating system once you get used to it you will wonder why you waited so long. My Grandfather did.

The SSD thing is I am sure like me a matter of reading alot of sites having them in my Favorites and reading on a daily or weekly bases. I have 24 sites for hareware alone and another 19 for gaming and Overclocking.

Keep the 8800GT for PhysX. it will help a bit.

 

[fastamdman]

Ok here is my opinion and thoughts on your build.


CPU: Perfect

CPU Cooler: Over Priced, A hyper 212 evo is 50 bucks cheaper and will give you the same results roughly. If you are not overclocking to the ABSOLUTE MAX then you don't need the "best" air cooler. If you are pushing the chip to stupidly high insane voltages like 1.5v + then get it, otherwise a hyper 212 evo is a better price to performance buy.

Motherboard: Perfect
Memory: I personally don't like patriot. I would go with gskill ripjaw x's but that's just me. You can pick up 8gb's under 40 bucks of 1600mhz or about 60bucks for 2133mhz.

Hard Drive: Decent buy

Hard Drive: I would switch the SSD to a crucial m4 from newegg, but that is just my personal preference from experience with the drive and from reviews etc.

Case: I hate rosewill products and I think spending that much on a "cheap" case isn't the smartest buy. I would go with something more popular and known like a HAF X or if you wanna save money go with an antec 300 etc.

Power Supply: Spending frivolously again, a tx650 v2 or a tx750 would be plenty and they are much cheaper

Optical Drive: Unless you are actually planning on sticking a blu ray disc into your computer and watching a movie on it, generally speaking blu ray drives are a waste. The majority of my videos are not on a disc and buying blu ray movies are over priced and or should be on a ps3/blu ray on the tv IMO. I would just go with a dvd burner. If you already have a bunch of blu ray movies, grab the drive I guess.

Monitor: If you primarily plan on gaming and doing other light tasks, you really don't need to drop THAT much money on a monitor. IPS panels are great, but your monitor is damn near more then the rest of the entire system.

These are my thoughts and opinions though, what you do is your call. Personally though I would bet money that you would be happier with a much cheaper monitor.

 

[Lava_Fish]

CPU Cooler: Over Priced, A hyper 212 evo is 50 bucks cheaper and will give you the same results roughly. If you are not overclocking to the ABSOLUTE MAX then you don't need the "best" air cooler. If you are pushing the chip to stupidly high insane voltages like 1.5v + then get it, otherwise a hyper 212 evo is a better price to performance buy.

I don't mind paying another $50 for 'the best' air cooler that gets my temperatures under load down another 5 degrees C. Looking at a few reviews, it seems to be a very highly recommended part and I'm going for quality. I'm not worried about the $50 right now and if an even better cooler comes out tomorrow, I'm not going to regret what I spent today to get this one.

Motherboard: Perfect
Memory: I personally don't like patriot. I would go with gskill ripjaw x's but that's just me. You can pick up 8gb's under 40 bucks of 1600mhz or about 60bucks for 2133mhz.

I'll get the gskill! I've heard good things about them.

Hard Drive: I would switch the SSD to a crucial m4 from newegg, but that is just my personal preference from experience with the drive and from reviews etc.

Everyone seems to mention the crucial m4 128. And reliability is important to me, but I plan to backup the drive regularly to an external hard disk just in case. That said, really the only reason for me to get an SSD is for blazing fast performance, so I want to get one that is fast. From the reviews I've seen, the crucial m4 just isn't that fast and the Samsung 830 is one of the best I could get. (And again, don't sweat the couple hundred bucks. I'm not made of money, but we're well within my budget here.)

Here's a hierarchy chart showing what I'm referencing. If this information is bad, that would be good to know.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/buy-ssd-recommendation-value,3088-6.html

Also, if I'm using this SSD for my OS, a few games, and z68 caching, should I be concerned about it's lifespan? (Should I aim for smaller cheaper drives if I'm going to wear this thing out?)

Case: I hate rosewill products and I think spending that much on a "cheap" case isn't the smartest buy. I would go with something more popular and known like a HAF X or if you wanna save money go with an antec 300 etc.

I'm not really experienced on cases, but all of the reviews I've seen show this case getting top marks for cooling and great marks for usability/room/noise. I'm not really looking at it based on price in this case. Also, I like the way it looks

Anandtech's review on this one was pretty influential for me.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4648/rosewill-thor-v2-the-god-of-cooling-and-silence

Power Supply: Spending frivolously again, a tx650 v2 or a tx750 would be plenty and they are much cheaper

Yeah, I can see your point of view here. Everybody has their comfort zone on the price/performance curve.

But I'm comfortable spending the extra hundred bucks to get the better supply. If it's not better, please let me know, but the specs and the warranty seem better at first glance. (And again, we're well within the budget. I'm not buying a computer because I 'need' one. I'm getting something I want here. This is my super-cool expensive toy.)

Optical Drive: Unless you are actually planning on sticking a blu ray disc into your computer and watching a movie on it, generally speaking blu ray drives are a waste. The majority of my videos are not on a disc and buying blu ray movies are over priced and or should be on a ps3/blu ray on the tv IMO. I would just go with a dvd burner. If you already have a bunch of blu ray movies, grab the drive I guess.

You are probably right that I am wasting some money here, as I don't currently have any blu ray disks at all. I'm willing to take a $50 loss for the extra capability on the chance that I may want to burn a blue-ray at some point in the next five years.

Monitor: If you primarily plan on gaming and doing other light tasks, you really don't need to drop THAT much money on a monitor. IPS panels are great, but your monitor is damn near more then the rest of the entire system.

These are my thoughts and opinions though, what you do is your call. Personally though I would bet money that you would be happier with a much cheaper monitor.

If happiness was having an extra grand in my pocket, I would agree with you and get a 27" 1080p. But I want an awesome 30" monitor If I could find a better/cheaper one without going too far down in performance, that might be interesting. I would love a 120Hz 2560x1600 if I could find one for a similar price.

If much better monitors are coming out soon, maybe I would delay the monitor purchase. But I'm not aware of that at the moment.

Your opinions are valid and appreciated!

I appreciate learning from all of your experiences and expertise and perspectives!

So here's current look. (Again, we'll save $50 by getting the proc+mobo from microcenter.)

Part list permalink: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3seQ
Part price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3seQ/by_merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V/GEN3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($174.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($43.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.D 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($126.28 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung 830 Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($349.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill THOR V2 ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair 850W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($174.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG WH12LS39 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: HP ZR30w 30.0" Monitor ($1184.95 @ B&H)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2635.14
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-01-03 08:25 EST-0500)

Thanks for all of the feedback!

 

[lehtv]

But I'm comfortable spending the extra hundred bucks to get the better supply. If it's not better, please let me know, but the specs and the warranty seem better at first glance. (And again, we're well within the budget. I'm not buying a computer because I 'need' one. I'm getting something I want here. This is my super-cool expensive toy.)

In terms of reliability, it's not any better. But it offers the extra features that I mentioned which are nice to have. I know I would buy the best PSU possible with a budget like yours. I have a Seasonic X650 which is essentially the same as Corsair AX850 but lower capacity. My PC isn't high end and I don't regret this purchase at all. I love that the fan doesn't spin at low loads and this allows me to have a really quiet setup. I'll probably keep this PSU for another 5+ years.

Another one you could consider: Seasonic 1000W Platinum. 2% voltage regulation (5% is the ATX specification limit), platinum efficiency, manual switch between hybrid and normal fan control, full modularity, 7-yr warranty. Judging by every review I've read, it's the best 1000W unit available. The extra power is probably not going to be needed but you never know what sort of setup you might build in a few years from now.

I would love a 120Hz 2560x1600 if I could find one for a similar price.

There is not enough bandwidth in dual-link DVI for something like that. I guess Thunderbolt should be fast enough though so maybe we'll see a display like that within a few years.

 

[mfenn]

Monitor: If you primarily plan on gaming and doing other light tasks, you really don't need to drop THAT much money on a monitor. IPS panels are great, but your monitor is damn near more then the rest of the entire system.

3 words: 30 freaking inches. Once you have used one, you will wonder how you got by on such a tiny 24" monitor.

 

[mfenn]

There is not enough bandwidth in dual-link DVI for something like that. I guess Thunderbolt should be fast enough though so maybe we'll see a display like that within a few years.

DisplayPort could also do it no problem.

 

[mfenn]

I don't mind paying another $50 for 'the best' air cooler that gets my temperatures under load down another 5 degrees C. Looking at a few reviews, it seems to be a very highly recommended part and I'm going for quality. I'm not worried about the $50 right now and if an even better cooler comes out tomorrow, I'm not going to regret what I spent today to get this one.

5 degree is in no way, shape, or form worth $50. As long as your CPU is running below the maximum safe temperature (90C or so, which any competent cooler can do), the difference is processor lifespan is irrelevant. We're talking 20 years versus 30 years here.

I'll get the gskill! I've heard good things about them.

No point, the Patriot is literally the exact same specs with a different (better) heatspreader and costs less.

Everyone seems to mention the crucial m4 128. And reliability is important to me, but I plan to backup the drive regularly to an external hard disk just in case. That said, really the only reason for me to get an SSD is for blazing fast performance, so I want to get one that is fast. From the reviews I've seen, the crucial m4 just isn't that fast and the Samsung 830 is one of the best I could get. (And again, don't sweat the couple hundred bucks. I'm not made of money, but we're well within my budget here.)

Here's a hierarchy chart showing what I'm referencing. If this information is bad, that would be good to know.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/buy-ssd-recommendation-value,3088-6.html

Don't let anyone talk you out of the 830, it is a great drive, easily on part with the M4.

Also, if I'm using this SSD for my OS, a few games, and z68 caching, should I be concerned about it's lifespan? (Should I aim for smaller cheaper drives if I'm going to wear this thing out?)

You're never going to wear an SSD out with a desktop workload. Anand used one in his machine for a year with a pretty strenuous content creation workload (he does run this site after all), and he had used something like 1% of the lifespan of the drive.

Also, you should most certainly not use Z68's SRT feature with any drive bigger than 64GB because you won't be able to take advantage of the whole thing. With 256GB, you have enough space so that manually managing it won't be an issue.

 

[lehtv]

5 degree is in no way, shape, or form worth $50. As long as your CPU is running below the maximum safe temperature (90C or so, which any competent cooler can do), the difference is processor lifespan is irrelevant. We're talking 20 years versus 30 years here.

Voltage plays a big part too. If it's at reasonable volts then you may be right but if it's overclocked to the max with a voltage of 1.45V or some such number above the nominally safe 1.4V, then 5 degrees could make a real difference to lifespan.

 

[mfenn]

Voltage plays a big part too. If it's at reasonable volts then you may be right but if it's overclocked to the max with a voltage of 1.45V or some such number above the nominally safe 1.4V, then 5 degrees could make a real difference to lifespan.

True, but given that the OP mentioned mild overclocking, I don't think he's going to be doing any crazy 1.4V+ overclocks.

 

[Lava_Fish]

I was thinking of limiting it to ~1.35 volts unless the temps are ridiculously low.

 

[fastamdman]

The temps will be stupid low at 1.35 volts, as long as ambient temps are reasonable at least they will be. With 1.35vcore you are probably looking at a 4.5ghz 24/7 stable overclock though, maybe more maybe less.

 

[lehtv]

Hyper 212 Evo or Scythe Mugen 3 will easily handle 4.5GHz @ 1.35V. But D14 with the downvolt cables may be quieter (at load), especially if you only use the 140mm fan.