New build for a new member.

[wtmjake]

Hey everybody,

I'm looking to build a new PC for myself around late August to mid September. The most intensive thing I'll be doing is gaming (@ 1900X1200) of course. I don't need to follow a strict budget but around $1500 would be nice. I'm from Canada so I'll be buying from NCIX. As for brand preferences, I just choose whichever offers me the best price to performance ratio so I'm looking for an Intel/NVIDIA build this time around. I don't have any spare parts to use so I'm going to need everything (except a monitor) and I'm planning to overclock so please keep that in mind. I've been doing a lot of research lately because I've been out of the loop for a while and this is what I came up with please tell me what you think.

Case - http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=41...acture=LIAN-LI

PSU - http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=42...acture=Corsair

Motherboard - http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=42...nufacture=eVGA

CPU - http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=42...ufacture=Intel

Heatsink - http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...facture=Noctua

RAM - http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...l&promoid=1048

GPU - http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=54...cture=Gigabyte

HD - http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...20Digital%20WD

Optical Drive (like you care...) - http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=Pioneer

Unless you guys have any major objections I'm pretty sure this is what it's going to look like but please, I want to know your opinions. The only thing I'm not sure about is any future releases. In other words I have no idea if any new CPUs, GPUs, chipsets, or price cuts are coming soon. Also, should I get 8GB of RAM? Am I going to notice a difference in my games? And should I look into buying an SSD? Is it possible to just run the OS off of the SSD and have a larger HD store all my media?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Blain]

I've been doing a lot of research lately because I've been out of the loop for a while and this is what I came up with please tell me what you think.

Case - http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=41...acture=LIAN-LI

Motherboard - http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=42...nufacture=eVGA

CPU - http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=42...ufacture=Intel

Heatsink - http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...facture=Noctua

HD - http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...20Digital%20WD

Optical Drive (like you care...) - http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=Pioneer

Unless you guys have any major objections I'm pretty sure this is what it's going to look like but please, I want to know your opinions.

Thanks in advance!

I've got major objections with your Case, CPU, MB, HS and Optical drive picks.
Case... Drop that dull looking beast and get an NZXT Hades
CPU... A power user like you needs hyper-threading for sure. Cut the i5 750 and go big with the i7 860
MB... Forget about EVGA MB's and go with a Gigabyte P55-UD3R
HS... Delete that monstrosity and get a MB component refreshing Zalman CNPS7700-CU
Optical drive... I've never been a Pioneer fanboy, instead grab a Samsung SH-S223C 22X

On a positive note, you're HD choice is a big "FU" to all the WD haters (a.k.a. Samsung Fanboys), in here. Rock On Dude!

 

[mfenn]

The case is ridiculous, but if that's what you want, I'm cool with it.

PSU seems a bit expensive. With that massive of a case, you should be able to route the excess cables of a 650TX no problem.

Agree with Blain about the Mobo

I would grab the 760 if you can.

HSF is fine if you want to OC, major overkill otherwise.

RAM, GPU, HDD, and ODD are fine.

On a positive note, you're HD choice is a big "FU" to all the WD haters (a.k.a. Samsung Fanboys), in here. Rock On Dude!

Hey, I've got nothing against WD drives per se, I just don't see the point in paying $15 more for an equivalent drive. It looks like the Black and F3 are about the same price in Canada, so Rock On Dude! :awe:

 

[heyheybooboo]

Quick! Whip out that credit card

Phenom 955BE / Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD5: $340cad

XFX HD-587X-ZNFV Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT): $411cad

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W: $120cad (before $20us rebate)

Antec Nine Hundred: $120cad

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1600: $107cad

SAMSUNG HD754JJ 750GB: $70cad


$1,168cad with shipping before rebate







--

 

[wtmjake]

First of all, thank you for the suggestions I appreciate it!

But Blain, I don't want this PC to have aggressive angles, bright neon, and all that jazz. I want a case that looks more plain and professional and Lian-Li's quality is top-notch so changing the case is non-negotiable . Same goes for the HSF and the optical drive because I need the HSF for massive overclocks and I just like Pioneer, unlike you . As for the processor, is HT really worth it the $100? Last time I checked, in the Pentium 4 days, it was basically a marketing gimmick. And is their anything particularly wrong with eVGA MB's? Sorry if I'm being stubborn but I just like strong reason for my decisions .

mfenn, I'm really a sucker for modular. I'm a neat freak so to say when it comes to computers. Yes, the PSU is expensive on NCIX. I know another site though, DirectCanada, that has it for $120. I'm willing to spend the extra $20 on modular. And by the 760 you mean the i5-760?

heyheybooboo, I'm really looking for an Intel build. Thanks though .

 

[mfenn]

mfenn, I'm really a sucker for modular. I'm a neat freak so to say when it comes to computers. Yes, the PSU is expensive on NCIX. I know another site though, DirectCanada, that has it for $120. I'm willing to spend the extra $20 on modular. And by the 760 you mean the i5-760?

Yes, I mean the Core i5 760.

 

[jchu14]

If you like the monolithic look and want to save a few bucks. You should consider Fractal Design R2 cases. The R2 is not listed on NCIX any more, but the R3 is listed with no ETA. Maybe by the time you buy, it would be in stock.

 

[heyheybooboo]

...

heyheybooboo, I'm really looking for an Intel build. Thanks though .

...

As for brand preferences, I just choose whichever offers me the best price to performance ratio ...

I want to know your opinions. The only thing I'm not sure about is any future releases ...

1) You cannot run multiple nVidia video cards on the CrossFire motherboard you selected;

2) An 890FX offers 2xPCIe x16 slots @ x16x16 bandwidth; and

2) One word: Zambezi

(with a second hd5870 in CrossFire that will be powered by the second set of 6+2-pin leads on the power supply)


Just making sure price and performance don't matter anymore!







--

 

[Blain]

Sorry if I'm being stubborn but I just like strong reason for my decisions.

Then why did you bother posting this thread?

 

[wtmjake]

jchu14, those cases look awesome thanks!

Blain, I was looking for some advice with some meaning to it. Not just get this, get that for no apparent reason.

 

[betasub]

As for the processor, is HT really worth it the $100? Last time I checked, in the Pentium 4 days, it was basically a marketing gimmick.

HT is definitely not a marketing gimmick. In fact, it pretty much saved the P4 from being a total dog that wasted a huge proportion of its clock cycles.

That's not to say HT would be of any use to you - it all depends on your workload, and if it can make use of extra virtual cores. If you are not the power-user/encoder that Blain assumed, then four physical cores may be all you need.

 

[wtmjake]

Yeah I'm not going to be encoding or anything like that. It's going to be everyday use + gaming and that's about it so I'll probably be better off sticking with something like a i5-760 right?

 

[mfenn]

Yeah I'm not going to be encoding or anything like that. It's going to be everyday use + gaming and that's about it so I'll probably be better off sticking with something like a i5-760 right?

Yeah, I would say to go with the 760 because it is the same clock speed as the 860, just without HT.