Does Asus Radeon HD 7970 3GB take 3 PCI slots?

[FinTFT]

Bascially I'm worried I'd run out of slots in my case (i.e. for wireless etc):

BTW I don't intend to OC nor SLI/Cross fire atm.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/QEAR

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Thermal Compound: Gelid Solutions GC-Extreme 3.5g Thermal Paste ($12.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($135.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($116.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: A-Data XPG SX900 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($418.98 @ Newegg)
Sound Card: Encore ENM232-8VIA 24-bit 96 KHz Sound Card ($8.98 @ Outlet PC)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($119.77 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: LG E2411PU-BN 24.0" Monitor ($179.99 @ NCIX US)
Keyboard: Logitech G710 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($107.99 @ Newegg)
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder 2013 Wired Optical Mouse ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Other: Monoprice 25ft RG6/U 75 ohm CL2/In-Wall Rated Digital Coaxial S/PDIF RCA Audio Cable ($13.79)
Other: BlueRigger High Speed HDMI to DVI Adapter Cable (25 Feet) ($12.95)
Total: $1936.30
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-14 13:58 EDT-0400)

Thanks in advance!

 

[FinTFT]

I doubt it is possible to get completely unbiased data from any forum member.

When I said "alittle buggy", I found the start interface quirky and it tends to jump around a bit. Nothing major really.

I found it was atleast as fast as W7 on comparable HW and from what I have heard shutdown/startup speed is improved.

Thanks again guys!

I'm getting this configuration (probably today):

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Ru9p

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($135.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($116.21 @ NCIX US)
Storage: A-Data XPG SX900 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($449.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN781ND 802.11b/g/n PCI Wi-Fi Adapter ($18.17 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($119.77 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: BenQ GW2450 24.0" Monitor ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Keyboard: Logitech G710 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($107.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder 2013 Wired Optical Mouse ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Other: Monoprice 25ft RG6/U 75 ohm CL2/In-Wall Rated Digital Coaxial S/PDIF RCA Audio Cable ($13.79)
Other: Link Depot Cable HDMI1.3-25 25 feet HDMI to HDMI ($15.00)
Total: $1862.81
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-18 11:16 EDT-0400)

Thanks!

Fidgeted and changed to an Acer V243HAJbd 24.0" (from BenQ), mainly for 2ms vs 4ms and reviews:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/RwmP

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($135.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($116.21 @ NCIX US)
Storage: A-Data XPG SX900 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($449.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN781ND 802.11b/g/n PCI Wi-Fi Adapter ($18.17 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($119.77 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 Full (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Acer V243HAJbd 24.0" Monitor ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Logitech G710 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($107.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder 2013 Wired Optical Mouse ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Other: Monoprice 25ft RG6/U 75 ohm CL2/In-Wall Rated Digital Coaxial S/PDIF RCA Audio Cable ($13.79)
Other: Link Depot Cable HDMI1.3-25 25 feet HDMI to HDMI ($15.00)
Other: Logitech HD Webcam C210 ($15.00)
Total: $1897.81
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-18 14:47 EDT-0400)

 

[FinTFT]

See, now we're already blurring the lines between opinion and reality again. I wouldn't say it requires touch, or even that a touch screen would be preferred. Slow or buggy is not the case either, although those are highly subjective. I wouldn't mind having you quantify what you mean by "alittle buggy," smeezekitty.

It's running on an updated kernel, so is faster and more efficient, and has larger buttons, if you prefer using the "Start" interface to launch your applications.

For those who say the start button is gone, I ask you what happens when you place the mouse in the lower left corner of the screen? A big "Start" appears, and clicking that is what gives you the Metro interface, which is nothing more than a full-screened version of the Start menu, with "live tiles" as they put it. It's more functional by far than the older Start menu, and as it's been said before, when using the start menu, I never found myself much interested in everything else that was happening on the desktop.

I bought Win 7 eventually and the gaming monitor.
I ended up paying about an extra 100 b/c I've edited my US shipping address in PayPal and as such made in "unconfirmed" ( and hence NCIX and Newegg didn't like it, nor did they have proper forms for Canadian credit cards, I've used Amazon.com for most everything except CPU and DVD drive from Outlet PC and case from NCIX Canada).

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/RGku

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($135.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($116.21 @ NCIX US)
Storage: A-Data XPG SX900 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($170.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($449.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN781ND 802.11b/g/n PCI Wi-Fi Adapter ($18.17 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($119.77 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Keyboard: Logitech G710 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($107.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder 2013 Wired Optical Mouse ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Other: Monoprice 25ft RG6/U 75 ohm CL2/In-Wall Rated Digital Coaxial S/PDIF RCA Audio Cable ($13.79)
Other: Link Depot Cable HDMI1.3-25 25 feet HDMI to HDMI ($15.00)
Other: Logitech HD Webcam C210 ($15.00)
Other: ASUS VG248QE 24-Inch Screen LED-lit Monitor ($269.00)
Total: $1966.80
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-19 10:14 EDT-0400)

I'll got and pick them up in 3 weeks from the UPS store in Ogdensburg; to give them time to get there, while hoping that the store, won't charge more then one week (as they usually did in the past, contrary to what their web page states)- like $5 per case and $3 per envelope.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

Curious why you went with Windows 7, but otherwise the build sounds good.

 

[FinTFT]

Curious why you went with Windows 7, but otherwise the build sounds good.

a) Family freaked out that I'd be buying 8 so that nobody else would be able to use my computer....

b) 7 seemed to be on sale (but maybe not).

It looks that I'm also getting the i7 3770k for $70 more from Amazon as well, since Outlet pc has the same PayPal issue now.

Thanks!