$1300 First Build

[Fitzwilliam]

Approximate date of purchase: October 5
Budget range: $1300-1400
System usage from most to least important: HD media server/player (XBMC), light engineering work (student), gaming, schoolwork, video editing
Parts not required: OS (Win 7 64), monitor, speakers, keyboard (mouse recommendations welcome)
Preferred website: Newegg
Country: United States
Parts preferences: I definitely want an Intel CPU and nVidia GPU. I would prefer to stick with an ASUS motherboard unless there's a significantly better option.
Overclocking: CPU, probably RAM, possibly GPU
SLI or Crossfire: I may SLI later on, but not now.
Monitor resolution: 1920x1080, though I may be upgrading to 1920x1200.
Additional comments: I have excellent hearing, and would prefer the quietest PC possible with good graphics performance. I also want both USB 3.0 and SATA III.

ASUS P7P55D-E Pro Motherboard
Intel i5 750 CPU
G.Skill ECO Series 4GB DDR3 1600 RAM
ASUS GTX 470 GPU
OCZ Vertex 2 60GB SSD Boot Drive
WD Caviar Blue 250GB Games Drive
WD Caviar Black 1TB SATA III Media Drive (x2)
ASUS Bulk OEM DVD/RW Drive
Cooler Master HAF 912 Case
Cooler Master Megaflow Blue 200mm Case Fan (x2)
Cooler Master M700 700W PSU
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus CPU Cooler
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound

1) I'm choosing the ASUS motherboard for both its features and its supposedly simple overclocking utility. Should it be easy enough for a technically competent first-time overclocker?

2) Is 700W enough for this system? Too much?

3) I'm considering getting the Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB instead of the OCZ, mainly because it uses SATA III, but I've heard it has problems with write speed. Which one would be better?

This site has been of immense help in putting together my build, and I would appreciate any assistance with these last few details.

EDIT: Build changed to incorporate sp12's new RAM and Mr. Pizza's HAF 912 case with appropriate fans. I also switched to the Hyper 212 Plus and upgraded the GPU on spentshells' suggestion.

 

[sp12]

Here's significantly nicer ram for the same price. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321&cm_re=g.skill_eco-_-20-231-321-_-Product

I have no idea why you're going so all out with the hard drives. Put your boot+programs on the SSD, and you bulk media/games on a hard drive. Raid 0 will offer you less than a 10% performance boost, and for the same total price you can have 3 Samsung F3 1tbs that will outperform the Caviars, though really I would get 1 and put the savings on a nicer PSU/CPU cooler.


PSU has mediocre reviews.

 

[Fitzwilliam]

Thanks for the RAM suggestion; those do look much better.

I may end up dropping the Caviar Blue in the end--it was more of a whim--but I need the huge amount of space for my media collection. The RAID 0 was really just because I could, to be honest.

I actually am a bit iffy on the PSU--I'm also looking at an Antec and a Seasonic--but is the Hyper TX3 questionable as well? Tom's has used it in several builds, including the $1000 SBM, and it has great reviews on Newegg. I assumed it was one of the better ones in its price range.

 

[Mr Pizza]

Get an SSD and a spinpoint f3, if you need more space get another. No RAID

Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233&Tpk=haf%20912

 

[Fitzwilliam]

Get an SSD and a spinpoint f3, if you need more space get another. No RAID

Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233&Tpk=haf%20912

I really am partial to Western Digital hard drives. Thanks for the HAF 912 link, though; that thing looks like exactly what I was looking for!

 

[spentshells]

get a CM hyper 212+ instead its a bit better in every review I've seen

@ 1300 dollars you should have a I7 and better video card your choice but better than the 460

Im not part picking it is really to tiresome I say review your gear and reconsider.....



BUT

if you have done your research and that is what you want then it actually does look like a good build

 

[mosox]

You should look for combo deals, for instance:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.492249

and save some money or put it into some better parts (video card, etc).

But since you plan to buy around October 5 and they are resetting the combo deals at the end of each month, better come back a couple of days before the purchase date.

I would skip the SSD and get a more powerful video card anyway.

 

[Fitzwilliam]

get a CM hyper 212+ instead its a bit better in every review I've seen

@ 1300 dollars you should have a I7 and better video card your choice but better than the 460

Im not part picking it is really to tiresome I say review your gear and reconsider.....



BUT

if you have done your research and that is what you want then it actually does look like a good build

I thought about an i7, and trust me I do want a better GPU, but either one would add at least $100 to the price of the build. I'd have to drop my SSD then, and that is the most important part of the build to me. Besides, the Superclocked GTX 460 gets excellent or acceptable frame rates in the games I want to play, and I've heard that the i5 can overclock to 4GHz. Thanks for the tip on the Hyper 212+, though; I've added it to the build.

EDIT: So, I must have been looking at the GTX 460/470 prices the wrong way, because it's only a $40 bump. Plus, free Mafia II instead of this BS Starcraft 2 trial coupon! Updated the build.

 

[Mr Pizza]

You do realize the 250GB Caviar blue is really slow? Why would you put your games on that? Dump it. SSD and Storage, that is all you need.