Gaming Rig Help

[AlexBournemouth2013]

I am building this rig over a few months. I intent to overclock my CPU to the max (to avoid bottle-necking), and may overclock my GPU--depending on how games run on it.

Intel Core i5-3570k
Gigabyte GTX 670
ASRock 990fx extreme3
8GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600MHz ram
~120GB SSD hard drive (for OS)
1TB hard drive (for storage)
750W PSU

What aftermarket fan would be best for the CPU? Also, my biggest worry is not getting the right case. How many fans would be necessary, if I am to overclock the CPU and GPU? What are good cases for this purpose at the cheaper end of the scale? If anyone has any reason I should not buy any of the above, let them speak now or forever hold their peace. Thanks.

 

[ksham]

I'm pretty sure the "forever hold their peace" will be pretty easy to live by.

I would get an Extreme4 instead of the Extreme3 if you're sticking with ASRock, which is a great brand. I have no issues with them. As for overclocking, are you doing it for the sake of avoiding bottleneck? Because you don't have one right now. The 750W PSU is overkill unless you plan to SLI. And what brand PSU do you have? I recommend a 650W from either Antec, Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, Seasonic, or XFX.

Is the 8GB dual channel? I would recommend it if not.

As for cooling, how high do you want to overclock. If a little, then the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO. Moderately, then the Phanteks PH-TC14PE or -12PE. High, then the Noctua NH-D14.

For the case, I'd pick an Antec Three Hundred Two.

 

[AlexBournemouth2013]

Ah, will get the 4, then! It's cheap as shit and good quality so...

OK, wasn't sure if I would SLI--probably won't--so I will go with 650W. I plan on overclocking CPU to max multiplier/lowest stable voltage. Will OC GPU, too, but temps play a massive role in this decision for me. Maybe, just to get frame rates up.

Basically, unless I can find anything better, I'll follow your reccomendations! Thanks.

 

[ksham]

What's your budget for a case?

 

[AlexBournemouth2013]

Not too bothered, I suppose--just wanted the best ratio fans/ventalation to price, really. Also, which is best: ASRock 970 Extreme 4/Z77/P67/X79, etc.? Thanks!

 

[ksham]

Kind of an weird comparison. I'll say Z77 because the X79 is for a 2011 socket and frankly, those sets are way, way, way too expensive. The P67 is good, but it doesn't support integrated GPU.

As for the case, I'd pick the NZXT Switch 810. Expensive, but its air cooling and water cooling capabilities are superb.

 

[AlexBournemouth2013]

Haha, Jesus! Maybe, I should have thought of a limit! I was thinking more around the £50 mark, not £150! Thanks for the heads up on the 2011 motherboard--I'm on my iPhone, so not looking through them all (comes off as not researching, I know). How many fans would do an OCd system--3/4/5? Or, is that dependant on the quality of the fans? Thanks.

 

[ksham]

In that case, I stick with my original Antec Three Hundred Two. Very interesting that the case has a fan mount on the motherboard side. You won't find many of those. Nice touch. Thing with the Antec Three Hundred Two case is that you mostly want negative internal air pressure. And you are free to fill up all the fan mounts but I don't recommend it. It comes with two fans, with two optional.

 

[AlexBournemouth2013]

That sounds perfect for me! So, there's a vent directly under/next to the motherboard? Would I get temp drops on the CPU because of that? I think I'll settle for that, the ASRock Z77 Extreme 4, a 650W (probably Corsair because I trust them) PSU, and I'll start off with the two case fans, see what my temps are like, then buy better fans/more when and if. Thanks a lot for your help! What are you doing up so early (I'm a night shift support worker)?!

 

[ksham]

That was my last message of the night. I went to bed straight after. I have work in the AM.

Some motherboards have CPU parts on the back so the fan mount on the motherboard side helps you draw hot air out from there. So on those, it would help. Another note: while the Antec cases are cheap, their build quality is still excellent. The case is rigid and does not feel cheap.

In all, you have zero front intake fans. It comes with two fans -- one on top and one on rear. Then it gives you two extra 120mm fan mounts -- one on each side panel. They are positioned perfectly -- one behind the motherboard cutout and the other one directly at your GPU.