$1200 gaming build + gpu cost advice

[jakee]

Hi guys, building a gaming rig for around 1200 + the cost of a new gpu in Australia next week. Will be overclocking, playing diablo 3 mostly, I realize that this might be a bit of overkill. I'll probably wait for d3 release though and see what people are saying about their 3d experience with their gpus.
Will probably buy most parts from msy.
Here's what I'm thinking, any advice?

Case : corsair Carbide 500r
Psu : antec tp 750 (I want a fully modular psu if anyone has input on that)
Mobo : asrock z77 extreme 6
CPU : i5 3570k
Cooler : Nh-d14
Ram : 8g gskill ripjaw x 2133 (probably not the best choice)
Ssd : intel 520 60g (just for os and d3 install)
Os : win7 home
DVD : cheap samsung / asus not really important

I have a 5870 atm, but I'm after an nvidia card so I can give 3d a go. (haven't factored in the cost for the new gpu, money isn't really an issue so I'm open to suggestions re that.

Also have a 1tb hdd I'll be using.

 

[logan77]

Hi guys, building a gaming rig for around 1200 in Australia next week. Will be overclocking, playing diablo 3 mostly, I realize that this might be a bit of overkill.
Will probably buy most parts from msy.
Here's what I'm thinking, any advice?

Case : corsair Carbide 500r
Psu : antec tp 750 (I want a fully modular psu if anyone has input on that)
Mobo : asrock z77 extreme 6
CPU : i5 3570k
Cooler : Nh-d14
Ram : 8g gskill ripjaw x 2133 (probably not the best choice)
Ssd : intel 520 60g (just for os and d3 install)

I'll be using my hd5870 until the gtx680 is available.
Also have a 1tb hdd I'll be using.

I have had only good experiances with Asus motherboards.
Something like the ATX P8z77-V LE OR the Micro ATX Asus Maximus V Gene will work fine. Also, if you don't already have one, you need an OS. Windows 7 Home Premium is $99.99 most places.

 

[jakee]

I do need an os, factored that into the $1200 but didn't post it, same with a DVD drive.
Was thinking of the asrock after the review it got here. I'll edit the post and sort it for clarity's sake.

 

[kwb]

Everything looks fine with your build. I would suggest this motherboard, as the one you have listed is complete overkill for your goals: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157296. Asrock is a great manufactured of boards, as a matter of fact they're a subsidiary of Asus. You can read more about their affiliation here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASRock.

One other suggestion: go with 1600mhz RAM. You will see no improvement in performance by going with 2133mhz. As of now, that is just a marketing technique to grab you're hard earned cash. Everything else looks great. You said you're in wait-n-see mode for your GPU, so I will leave it at that.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

- Great case

- The purpose of having modular PSU cables is so that you don't have to clutter the case with unnecessary cables which are aesthetically displeasing and hinder air flow. The modular cables however introduce a failure point and do decrease efficiency and increase resistance a tiny bit. What most enthusiast oriented PSU manufacturers have done therefore is produce a hybrid modular unit. These provide the "best of both worlds" whereby all absolutely necessary cables are hard wired and all optional cables are modular. Fully modular provide all the additional benefits of "teats on a bull"....and adds some disadvantages.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/power-supplies-psu,8016.html

PC Power and Cooling was long recognized as the premier PSU maker said at the time

Due to their look, convenience, and cost savings for manufacturers, modular plugs have become a popular power supply feature. Unfortunately, there has been little or no discussion of the impact of this feature on overall performance and reliability. The fact is, modular plugs limit power by adding to electrical resistance. The voltage drop can be as much as would occur in 2 feet of standard wire. Worse yet, modular plugs utilize delicate pins that can easily loosen, corrode, and burn, creating the potential for a major system failure. That's why professional system builders specify uninterrupted wire!

If you must use the 24 pin MoBo cable, what's the advantage to having it modular ?
If you must use the 8 pin EPS cable, what's the advantage to having it modular ?
If you must use the 1 SATA cable, what's the advantage to having it modular ?
If you must use the 1 GFX cable, what's the advantage to having it modular ?

In conclusion, a hybrid modular unit is actually a step above a fully modular unit. I don't worry much about the efficiency issue but the additional failure point / pin issues are a very real concern.

-If you intend to overclock I would not use a Ivy Bridge CPU.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ivy-bridge-overclocking-high-temp,15512.html

IB 3770k @ 4.8GHz = 97C ...... SB 2600k @ 5.2 Ghz = 75C
http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/4621/intel_ivy_bridge_overclocking_with_the_core_i7_3770k_and_core_i5_3570k_cpus/index8.html

IB 3770K @ 4.7 GHz in ASRock Z77 = 98C
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4663/asrock_z77_extreme6_intel_z77_with_ivy_bridge_motherboard_review/index11.html

IB 3770k @ 4.6 GHz = 73C
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4673/intel_core_i7_3770k_lga_1155_ivy_bridge_cpu_review/index11.html

-As for the cooler, I'd prefer the Phanteks which is cheaper, scores higher, is more attractive and has much better warranty.

http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/phanteks_ph_tc14pe_cpu_cooler_review,14.html
http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/phanteks_ph_tc14pe_cpu_cooler_review,17.html

-As fort he RAM, while it's recognized that faster / lower CAS rAM has a definitive impact in demanding applications, it is not true that it has no impact on gaming....there is a definitive impact, generally on the order of 2-5%, but given that it can often significantly increase pricing, is harder to justify on a "bang for the buck" basis. In a $1200 box, I "wouldn't be going there".

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=-1&IsNodeId=1&Description=corsair%20ddr3-1600%202%20x%204GB&bop=And&CompareItemList=-1|20-233-195^20-233-195-TS%2C20-233-187^20-233-187-TS%2C20-233-186^20-233-186-TS%2C20-233-199^20-233-199-TS

I find 60GB is OK for the boot drive on Day 1 but just about everyone I have built for someone has 'come back" w/ a request to clean off the C drive....it gets cluttered up over time. I'd recommend 120/128GB model. You can have a 120 GB Mushkin Deluxe for just $10 more which is faster and comes equipped with Toshiba long life premium flash

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226318
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4328/mushkin_chronos_deluxe_120gb_solid_state_drive_review/index13.html

To sum it all up with a bow on top, you get amazing performance, extremely long service life and a hassle free low price point on a drive that literally has very little competition in the marketplace.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-storage-value,3184-6.html

At a given capacity, performance breaks down based on memory type, and this is their order of performance, from highest to lowest.

1. SandForce controller with Toggle DDR NAND (Mushkin Chronos Deluxe, Patriot Wildfire, OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS, Kingston HyperX 3K, OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G)
2. SandForce controller with Synchronous ONFi NAND (OCZ Vertex 3, Corsair Force GT, Kingston HyperX, Intel SSD 520)
3. SandForce controller with Asynchronous ONFi NAND (OCZ Agility 3, Corsair Force 3, Mushkin Chronos, Patriot Pyro, OWC Mercury Electra 6G)

MoBo - My current Z77 fav is the Asus Sabertooth

http://hardocp.com/article/2012/04/20/asus_sabertooth_z77_lga_1155_motherboard_review/7

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Asrock is a great manufactured of boards, as a matter of fact they're a subsidiary of Asus. You can read more about their affiliation here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASRock.

They *were* a subsidiary of Asus .... Asrock was created by Asus to compete in low cost commodity OEM market....and later went public in 2007.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asrock

ASRock was originally spun off from Asus in 2002 in order to compete with companies like Foxconn for the commodity OEM market.

ASRock is currently owned by Pegatron Corporation.

 

[jakee]

Best answer selected by jakee.

 

[chumly]

Jack pretty much hit the nail on the head with everything. I wish he could've told me about the 60GB boot drive a year ago, I've had to do a few fresh Windows installs since I've gotten it.