Advice on draft gaming rig

[coreyhodge88]

Hi, would like any opinions on my draft rig; at the moment air cooled for OC not sure if water would be more cost effective. keep in mind I live in AUS so can not buy from newegg.

processor:
i5-2500k http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7073161&sku=I69-2500K $220

MB:
ASUS p8z68 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1415969&sku=A455-3144 $190

RAM:
patriot g2 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7114146&sku=P33-5305 $50

GPU:
xfx 6970 [w\ dirt 3] http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7091949&sku=P450-6970 $340
[considering sapphire 6950 and unlocking but similar price and no dirt 3]

HDD:
crucial m4 64gb http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=365474&sku=C19-8024 $110

[/b]cpu cooler:
noctua nh-d14 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5592441&sku=N126-1024 $80 [would i be better off with h100?]

psu:
thermaltake modular 750w http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=419877&sku=T925-3083 $90

case:
haf-x http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6269869&sku=C283-2080 $200

aftermarket fans
3x scythe120mm slipstream 1900 rpm fan $15 each [is it possible to use one in 140mm exhausts place?]
4x NZXT 200mm Performance Case Fan $15 each [i think it is possible to replace the 230mm with one of these]
sunbeamtech 6 fan controller http://www.amazon.com/SUNBEAMTECH-PL-RS-6-RHEOSMART-FAN-COLLER/dp/B004LKZESI/ref=dp_return_2?ie=UTF8&n=172282&s=electronics $26

*Note fan config is
intake
120mm in drive bays [heard this was possible]
200mm at base
200mm at side

exhaust
120mm rear [is this possible in 140mm slot]
2x200mm on top
graphics card [only thing creating negative pressure, should i flip the psu to create more?]

other
120mm gpu cooler
noctua cpu cooler


looking to do this in the cheap <$1500, noise is no concern and want to overclock. if it's more cost effective to water cool i most likely will.
Thanks in advance!

 

[diellur]

That's a nice looking build. Some suggestions to tweak it, if you want to:

RAM: Those modules run at 1.65V. If you can, try and get some that run at 1.5V...it's not super-important, but if you want to speed the RAM up you need a bit of voltage head-room, which 1.65V doesn't give you.

GPU: As I understand it, flashing a 6950 to a 6970 is by no means guaranteed. I wouldn't base a purchase on that alone. Either the 6950 or 6970 are good cards, though...comes down to what you want to spend on a GPU!

Heatsink: The H100 has comparable, if not slightly better performance than the NH-D14. It also doesn't weigh circa 1kg, which is a lot of weight to suspend off of your mobo. However, it is water-based and some units have been known to leak. Very small percentage, but it is a risk...Corsair are good with their warranty process though, I believe they replace all items damaged in the event of a leakage.

PSU: Not 100% sure how Thermaltake PSUs are rated...I'd tend to go with XFX, Enermax or another well-known PSU brand. Power level is good for you, though, and keeps the options open for Crossfire later on.

Regarding the extra fans...my advice would be to wait until you have put the build together. As much as you can get things planned to the nth degree on website images and specs, in my experience it's worth waiting until you have the build assembled and then start tweaking the additional fans etc.

Sandybridge CPUs run relatively cool even when overclocked. You can get some impressive speeds on air-cooling, so water-cooling isn't strictly necessary. The H100 will give you good cooling performance for a reasonable price (more expensive than high-end air, but performs marginally better and isn't heavy on the mobo).

'Water-cooling' and 'cost-effective' are not terms you tend to hear in the same sentence! It's a hobby in and of itself...definitely better cooling performance, but for a basic CPU loop in UK money you're talking about £200, which is equivalent to US$270ish. It's a lot, and water-loops need regular maintenance ideally. The H100 gives you a lot of the benefits of water-cooling, without a lot of the drawbacks. Rubix_1011 has written the sticky I've linked below, have a read and see what you think.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/265776-11-watercooling-info-faqs-links-stickies

Enjoy your build!

 

[coreyhodge88]

Thanks heaps for the reply. was wonderig why the RAM was so comparably cheap. Unfortunately i don't know much about PSU's will try to change brand. The xfx 6970 is a similar price with dirt 3 so will go for that. i will either replace all fan's later or maybe get 1 or 2 that i'm sure of now