First Time Building - Please help (components, noise)

[Nihiliste]

Hi guys,

I've been lurking here for the past months reading as much as I can and want to thank you for all the great information. I would have never attempted to build a PC if not for you guys. I'm almost ready to order some parts but have a few questions and feel like I'm probably overlooking some important factors. I've already ordered the graphics card bc I got it 150$ off but before I order the case and other parts I wanted to confirm its ok.

The PC will be for gaming and for hobbyist audio recording.

1) Will these components fit in my Prodigy case? I've seen other people have full size cards in there but if it involves modding a case or something I may not have the skills to do it. I've heard that some PSU's don't fit.

2) Will the cooler master cooling work in the prodigy case? Do I need any additional fans or should I be considering liquid cooling? I'm hesitant to put anything liquid in a case full of expensive electronics!

3) Will this be a very noisy build? I don't want to spend money on an i7/an extra 8gb of ram/more storage if this machine is going to be too noisy to do any recording anyways. If so, is there any way I can quiet it down - different case or cooling perhaps?



CPU: Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.98 @ Amazon Canada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.79 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Memory Express)
Memory: Kingston 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($149.99 @ Memory Express)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($159.79 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.79 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 280X 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($359.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case ($79.99 @ Memory Express)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional Gold 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Memory Express)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.75 @ Vuugo)
Total: $1448.04 (I'm from Canada)

Thanks in advance for any advice you have to offer!

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I would start off by saying I have never installed a Hyper 212 on a 4770k..... generally, if you have a reason to spend the extra $100 on the 4770k over the 4670k, then the user also has enough money to spend $40 extra on a top tier cooler. (Phanteks PH-TC14-PE, Thermalright Silver Arrow or Noctua DH-14). If you have a need for hyperthreading, the 4770k makes perfect sense....games rarely use HT. Video editing is an example of an HT capable application.

Being you are concerned about noise and cooling, I'm wondering about the choice of an ITX build. In US, the 500R is a great case at an astounding price .... $139.99 - $40 newegg discount - $20 MIR - USD $20 promotional gift card w/ purchase, limited offer = $59.99 (provided of course ya get something ya want with the gift card) .... unfortunately up north the case is $110..... it lists a $10 rebate .... US site has $20 and requires newegg.com rather than both newegg.com / newegg.ca purchase

USD $20 promotional gift card w/ purchase, limited offer

I wouldn't waste my time with an AIO for the concern you noted, I'd have to get significantly lower noise and temps and AIOs simply do not provide that compared to air coolers like the Phanteks..... if you must have an AIO, I'd suggest the H110 as it does almost as good thermally as the Phanteks and manages to be a wee bit quieter. The 500R will fit the H110 as well as a custom water loop.

Bitfenix site does not list, at least i couldn't fine it, maximum cooler height.

Make sure your memory is "low profile" version.....if it has tall toothy finned heat sinks it's not.....otherwise may it cooler.

Also ya MoBo has the now older cZ87 chipset..... the newer Z97 is out and while I wouldn't scrap and z87 for an upgrade, I certainly would take the Z97 over Z87 on a new build...... If you willing to go to a bigger case for the xtra room, cooling and noise suppression, this is a superb gaming mobo and is just $15 more

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130771

 

[HiTechObsessed]

Yes, that card will fit just fine You will need to remove the upper hard drive cage, but that's it. I had my MSI Gaming card in there (same size) no problem. The TF card is very quiet, and my fan speed never ramped more than 50% when gaming. The 280x may get a little louder, but not bad at all.

If you're worried about noise, I would spend a few extra dollars on the Noctua U12S instead. A little bit better performance, and much quieter. The Prodigy has good airflow, so you'll be fine there. Maybe even swap the front and rear fans for a Noctua AF12 in the rear, and an AF14 in the front.

Keep in mind the CPU listed is locked, and you have a Z87 motherboard meant for overclocking.

 

[Nihiliste]

EDIT: Sorry I posted this as answer I guess I meant to ask it as a question?! I apologize today is my first time actually posting here.

Hi guys, thanks for your responses, that definitely provides a lot of interesting things to think over. I'm glad to hear the graphics card will fit with no problem.

I think you guys are right that going for a better cooler is a no brainer in this case. I will look into the Noctua/Phantek/Thermalright products. Thanks for pointing out the RAM issue as well as I'm not sure if what I listed is low profile or what.

The reason I'm trying to stick with an ITX build is that I live with my wife in a small apartment and trying to keep the footprint and visual manageable for her sake. On the same note because of the space I believe i7 is important for me as I need to use a lot of virtual instruments when I do home recordings bc I don't have the space to record loud drums and so on. Obviously on the flipside, it becomes totally useless if its too noisy to record an acoustic guitar or voice without hearing computer fans in there.

In terms of the motherboard, this is actually where I really have no idea what I need. I didn't think I'm likely to do any overclocking which is why I went with the locked CPU to save a few bucks. Should I go with a cheaper motherboard in that case? I was mainly just looking based on price and connections.

 

[HiTechObsessed]

Looking to be sound optimized, here's a revised build. Went with a Xeon, as it's cheaper for the same performance as an i7. Also went with a GTX 770 (same, if not a tad better than 280x performance) as it runs cooler and quieter when gaming, added a Noctua cooler for near silent CPU cooling, and a couple of Noctua case fans. At idle and general computing, this thing will be as silent as it gets, and even at full load, the ACX cooler on the 770 is very quiet, and the Noctua fans have a max decibel rating that is still considered 'almost silent'. Also swapped to a Corsair 250d, as it looks more professional, and a bit smaller footprint.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1230 V2 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($246.98 @ Newegg Canada)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i 57.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H77N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1155 Motherboard ($124.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($175.48 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($179.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.79 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Dual Superclocked ACX Video Card ($359.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Case: Corsair 250D Mini ITX Tower Case ($83.02 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($15.79 @ DirectCanada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-P12-1300 54.4 CFM 120mm Fan ($19.99 @ Memory Express)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A14 FLX 68.0 CFM 140mm Fan ($24.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Total: $1440.97
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-20 10:39 EDT-0400)

 

[JackNaylorPE]

EDIT: Sorry I posted this as answer I guess I meant to ask it as a question?! I apologize today is my first time actually posting here.

Hi guys, thanks for your responses, that definitely provides a lot of interesting things to think over. I'm glad to hear the graphics card will fit with no problem.

I think you guys are right that going for a better cooler is a no brainer in this case. I will look into the Noctua/Phantek/Thermalright products. Thanks for pointing out the RAM issue as well as I'm not sure if what I listed is low profile or what.

The reason I'm trying to stick with an ITX build is that I live with my wife in a small apartment and trying to keep the footprint and visual manageable for her sake. On the same note because of the space I believe i7 is important for me as I need to use a lot of virtual instruments when I do home recordings bc I don't have the space to record loud drums and so on. Obviously on the flipside, it becomes totally useless if its too noisy to record an acoustic guitar or voice without hearing computer fans in there.

In terms of the motherboard, this is actually where I really have no idea what I need. I didn't think I'm likely to do any overclocking which is why I went with the locked CPU to save a few bucks. Should I go with a cheaper motherboard in that case? I was mainly just looking based on price and connections.

I didn't even notice the missing k on the 4770.... for the $30 or so, I'd get the K. With regard to HiTech's comment, I agree, might wanna check to see whether your audio programs benefit from CUDA .... GTX cards can offer a nice speed bump in that respect for example on video editing where CUDA factors in big time.....I'd opt for one of the factory OC'd cards ....preferably one with a custom PCB (Asus DCII, MSI N Gaming Series, Gigabyte Windforce) .... almost all EVGA SC series use a reference PCB....the 760 is non reference but only change is the brand of VRM.

The 500R is not as wide as the Prodigy but is 4" deeper and 5" taller.....I have a much larger case and it sits on top of my desk....however my 3 sons (all have full towers) have theirs under their desk.

As I said above, with any of those coolers and a decently sized case, you could see a 15% increase in CPU performance ..... up to 25% on a non reference GTX card and 12% or so on a Radeon ....regarding your noise issue, before settling in on your new card, might wanna check the sound levels on that ah heck. Some of the new Radeons can break 60 dBA which is the equivalent of a modern day vacuum cleaner. In a bigger case w/ more air flow, I'd be less worried but if case air flow is tight, the card's cooler will have to pick up the slack.

But again, really don't have any idea what kinda load the audio recording / mixing apps will put on ya GFX card or whether they use Open CL which is an non proprietary version of CUDA but it doesn't quite match CUDA's capabilities.

 

[Nihiliste]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I really wish I held off on the graphics card hearing that the Nvidia ones are much quieter. I got the R9 280x locally for $250 CAD and I felt that was too good to pass up as otherwise budgetwise I would have to go for a 760 instead of a 770 I think. Am I right in thinking that it's superior to the 760? I really hope it doesn't sound like a vacuum cleaner though. I could always return it though I suppose.

In terms of the audio stuff, at my level anyways the graphics are almost irrelevant; If I didn't want to game I would just use the built in graphics and call it a day with no problems. Is there a way within windows to switch between integrated and dedicated graphics? If I could do that I could maybe just not use the Radeon when recording acoustic stuff.

I'll definitely consider some different cases and at the minimum I'll definitely use quality cooling and fans.

The Xeon definitely seems like a good option to save a bit of money, I had never thought of that. Out of curiosity, why are they cheaper? Is there some difference in performance or compatibility issues?

Thanks again guys, this discussion is really helping me sort out my options.

 

[HiTechObsessed]

If you got the Twin Frozr, it won't be a vacuum cleaner, it'll just be a little louder than an NVIDIA counterpart.

But good lord that's a heck of a steal for a 280x, even in USD lol It's definitely better than the 760 nice grab!

When you're recording, the GPU won't be used, and the fans will be at minimal speed. You can set up custom fan curves to stay as quiet as possible until you start gaming (that's what I would do). Otherwise you would have to remove the monitor cable each time lol

The Xeons are cheaper because they don't include the fancy HD Graphics chip that the Core i series has. This doesn't really matter to you, as you have a dedicated graphics card, and they also can't be overclocked. You don't really need to worry about that, as the Xeon is more than capable of gaming, and overclocking will only lead to higher temps, aka more noise.

 

[Nihiliste]

Yeah it's the Twin Frozr, I hadn't even considered the 280x until I saw it on the shelf at that price and had to do a double take to make sure I didn't imagine it. Too used to overpaying for stuff!

The Xeon definitely sounds like a great option for me. I was wondering about that H77 motherboard you included, it doesn't come up for me when I'm on pcpartpicker. Is there a reason why you chose that one over the H87?

I think I'm almost there! I'll go with the Xeon and the Noctua fans. Is there a difference between the EVGA and Corsair AX650 powersupply? I think once I nail that and the motherboard down I'm ready to order everything and try building this.

 

[HiTechObsessed]

Crap you gotta forgive me, I meant to select the Xeon 1230 v3 not v2. Then that would be paired with the H87N board. The V2 is last generation, you definitely want the Haswell one.

And the difference is in features, both have fantastic build quality. The AX may be better for you, as in low-load situations (<30%) the fan doesn't even spin. I believe it's quite a bit more expensive though. When doing your audio work, you'll be looking around 125w-150w or so, which would put you right around 20-25% load, meaning silent PSU operation

 

[Nihiliste]

It blows my mind how knowledgeable all you guys are about the small details. Definitely would never have known something like that about the fan spinning. The AX650 was on sale here for 80 but it looks like it's sold out now. Guess that makes my decision for me!

Thanks for all the help man I really appreciate it.

 

[HiTechObsessed]

No problem, glad to help

 

[JackNaylorPE]

MSI has re-done their cards this generation....the original ones labeled Twin Frozr, using the 780s for example, came outta the box at 902 Mhz..... the updated ones are labeled "N Gaming Series" and they come outta the box at 954 Mhz. They still use the TwinFrozr cooler but the name designation change means ya getting the 954 Mhz one.

And yes it is a very good and quiet cooler as you can read here, it stomps every other 780 Ti

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_780_Ti_Gaming/29.html