Dicebomb

Honorable
Jan 8, 2013
3
0
10,510
Hi All,

This is my first build from scratch and I would like to recieve some feedback and suggestions.
I have mingled with desktops before, but never from scratch. Therefore there might be some questions with obvious answers although I've tried to eleminate most of them through Google

Note:
As I live in Denmark, please don't suggest items on sale that would normally exceed my budget

Approximate Purchase Date:
Within the next two months.
Budget Range:
$1000-1300. The cheaper the better, but if you know of any major upgrades for next to nothing, please let me know.
System Usage from Most to Least Important:
Gaming + streaming, Video rendering, surfing.
Parts Not Required:
I have everything but the desktop. Monitor, keyboard, OS etc.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts:
Newegg for reference, I will find the parts in Denmark myself
Country:
Denmark
Parts Preferences:
Intel and MSI
Overclocking:
Maybe in the future
SLI or Crossfire:
Yes, although I probably start out with one for the sake of money
Additional Comments:
Do things like screws and cables come with the case/hardware? I've never had to deal with that problem before, but I suppose they do


Here's what I got so far. Please comment on the various choices that I've made

Processor: Intel i5-3570K, $219.99
Motherboard: MSI Z77a-gd65, $179.99
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 2x4GB DDR3 1600MHz, $47.99
Graphics Card: MSI Twin Frozr N660 (660GTX) 2GB 192-bit GDDR5 overclocked, $499.98 ($249.99*2)
Hard Drive: WD 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0GB/s, $109.99
Case: Zalman Z11+, $70.99
Power Supply: Cooler Master GX750W, $109.99
DVD Burner: Samsung DVD Burner, $17.99

TOTAL: $1,256.91


I believe these parts will fit together (As far as I can tell from the specs).
I'm not sure I need additional cooling. The GPUs got cooling, the CPU got the stock cooler, and the Z11+ case have good airflow + 4 (I believe) fans preinstalled.
I'll probably add more RAM, but for now, 8GB is enough.


Sincerely,
Dicebomb
 
Why not get a single 670 gtx and a better psu, i rather stay away from coolermaster psus, get one from corsair, antec, xfx, seasonic, corsair psus(750w of those brands is plenty for two 670 gtx if you want to add another in the future).
Also you need an aftermarket cooler if you plan to oc the cpu, like a hyper 212 evo, usually it's cheap and good value.
 
I agree with the above poster, stay away from coolermaster CPU's. I personally use Corsair, but I know they can get expensive. Also, the Hyper 212+ is solid and usually around 20 or 30 dollars.

You shouldn't need any more case cooling, but if you do that can always be purchased later.

I also (personal opinion here) would go with a comparable ASRock, Asus or Giagabyte MB over the MSI boards. I have had issues with them in the past, and the 3 brands I listed are definitely better known, and solid brands.
 

Dicebomb

Honorable
Jan 8, 2013
3
0
10,510
I'm not familiar with the problems of CM PSUs. The problem were always the ThermalTake one. I'll consider it though :)

I also took the Asus P8Z77-V mobo into consideration, do you have any experience with that?

And on a side note, I already planned to buy a (specifically) hyper 212+ when I will oc my cpu. I'll edit that into the post
 
I personally have had MSI's die on me, but my Asus's have always been rock solid. Same with gigabyte and more recently ASRock.

I have heard that more recent MSI's are better, but I have never wanted to try again :)
 

Dicebomb

Honorable
Jan 8, 2013
3
0
10,510
I think I'll stick to the MSI one, though.
In Denmark, the reseller has the responsibility of the products functionality, and if it doesn't work, they'll send you a new one for free.

About the PSU, I've changed my mind. Searching for a bit longer, I discovered that some have had problems with CM
Better safe than sorry, right? Especially concerning PSUs. I don't want my computer to turn into a stove
 

Isaiah4110

Distinguished
Jan 12, 2012
603
0
19,010
I would definitely recommend cutting prices in some of your parts (You could probably shave $10 off your RAM, $20 off your HDD and $80 off your GPU solution without losing much, if any gaming performance) to create a $100-120 slot in your budget for a good quality 120GB SSD. It won't change your gaming performance in terms of frame rates, but the boot, install, and load time improvements are definitely worth it. I strongly believe every PC build with a budget north of $1000 should include an SSD as a system drive.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


I'll disagree with this one. I would only add an SSD if you have a flexible budget. If you don't then it would be wise to leave it off for now. I look at getting the SSD like getting the navigation system on a new car - sure it looks pretty and adds to the overall functionality of the car. But you could add one later on and it would still perform the exact same function. I really have a hard time with cutting corners on builds to get something that doesn't really fit or you can add one later on.

About the PSU, I've changed my mind. Searching for a bit longer, I discovered that some have had problems with CM

Yeah Cooler Master is not a good brand to go with. They slap a lot of fake labels about actual wattage and voltage output on their supplies. Do a search on Hardware Secrets - very revealing reviews.
 

Isaiah4110

Distinguished
Jan 12, 2012
603
0
19,010

It's not worth cutting corners, no, but with a $1000-1300 budget there should be plenty of room for a solid state drive without any noticeable gaming performance loss.

To the OP: As other posters mentioned, you could go to a single GPU configuration and save money without losing any gaming performance. I would recommend something like the following build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z77A-GD65 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($152.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($112.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($419.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Zalman Z11 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case ($50.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1211.76
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-08 16:46 EST-0500)

I'm not exactly sure how the prices there translate to what you would be having to pay, but That should put you relatively close. If you prefer nVidia to AMD graphics cards then You could look into any of the following:

GIGABYTE GV-N670WF2-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 for $379.99
MSI N670 PE 2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 for $389.99
ASUS GTX670-DC2-2GD5 GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 for $399.99
GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 for $399.99
 
Yeah, throwing out there, you want a SINGLE card. Using SLI with two lower-end cards like that is going to give you way more trouble than it's worth from microstutter, and they'll only work on games that support crossfire.

Whereas a 670 will max out basically any game at 1080p and 60 Hz with ease.