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Help with a pc build

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EpicFailDK

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Apr 30, 2013
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Hey guys, i'm new to this and this is my firts post here.

I have been thinking of building a gamer pc, since i sold my last one last sommer, but i went back gaming 1 mounth back, and this laptop sucks...

I have been looking at a lot of topics here, and other forums to specify which components to get. i'm going to game, and watch movies, and browse a lot, like 12 new windows at once (shouldn't be the problem), allso i'm going to run dual screen ''extended desktop'' main-screen for games, movies, and browsing; secound-screen for browsing while in-game, might run a little minecraft so i got something while waiting for loadingscreen or other stuff in the main game on the main screen.

I will be gaming suck games as LoL, GTA V, Borderlands 2, Skyrim, and possible Battlefield 4. i like to run the games at the highest as possible ocf, but i can stand going a bit down in the high end games.

i would like my build to be OC'able since i might go for oc in the future, but i'll run stock as long as i haven't got any problems in game, or as long as i have the money to upgrade, which means i would like the build to be future proof/upgradeable.
also i'm going for water cooling if the budget lets me, i'll start with the CPU, GPU, etc. If the budget dosen't reach i'll do it in the future (i'm going for watercooling on the whole system if it isn't to overkill for my needs) [i'm new to WC]

The build haven't got to be enought for running games like GTA V, or battlefield 4 at high in the start, as long as a possible upgrade in the future can do.

I want - Great Preformance, Great Cooling, Low noice. In that order (the noice isn't a problem to me, only the rare times when i'm going to let it download though the night or so (can't fall asleep if i can hear things like the fans)

for components:

I have been looking at mobo, CPU, gpu.

Mobo: I'm standing strong on the asrock z77 extreme 4

CPU: I'm looking at I5-3570 k vs non k (which is best for gaming/possible OC)
[read somthing about the K is best for OC and the non k for gaming, but which of those is best for both?]

GPU: I'm not sure if i should go for gtx 660 ti superclock, 670 or 680 (going for sli in the future if needed)

Ram dosen't matter, i'm just getting some at atleast 1600mhz (read the ram speed test)

Tower: I don't quiet know yes, i might go for a full tower like NZXT Phantom, og something from Cooler Master.

Watercooling: i have only been looking at - Corsair H100 (and read about it in several topics on tom's....)

Haven't been looking at any other components yet.

my budget is aroung the 1000 $, (might be raised to 1200-1300 if possible)

my biggest consern is which GPU and cooling system to get, and a slight consern on the tower choise + possible fitting issues
 
Solution
No reason to purchase a Corsair H100 for a $1K build. I probably wouldn't suggest that in a $2K build. Yeah laptops are not the greatest for gaming. The main reason is that the laptop CPUs and GPUs are made for low power requirements.

On $1K I'd suggest something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($220.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @...
If you want to overclock your CPU, you need the k version. To my understanding, non-k Ivy Bridge CPUs cannot be overclocked.
For your water cooler: the H100i is a fine cooler, although if you're thinking of going NZXT's way you could take advantage of their slightly atypical cooler mounts and use the NZXT Kraken x60 (a 2 x 140mm radiator-equipped liquid cooler that often has difficulty fitting on non-NZXT cases).
For GPU, are you set on nVidia? If so, I would tend to advocate the 670, particularly if you plan to SLI.

Minor edit: the Kraken CAN fit non-NZXT cases, but it's a fairly short list.
 
No reason to purchase a Corsair H100 for a $1K build. I probably wouldn't suggest that in a $2K build. Yeah laptops are not the greatest for gaming. The main reason is that the laptop CPUs and GPUs are made for low power requirements.

On $1K I'd suggest something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($220.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($309.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($75.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($70.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $999.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-30 16:40 EDT-0400)
 
Solution


Mobo - ok, then i'll get the K verison.
case - i would like some good advise on the case, i like space in the cabinet, but i'll hate an extreme high case defficult for me to fit it anywhere. (this time i'll go for; dustfree,great ventilation,need design,perfect size. in that order)
GPU - i'm not set on anything, just that as far as i have read, nVidia just seems to be the best choice, atleast from what i have read everywhere on this forum.
For water cooling i might go for the kraken then, just for utility.
 


I should point out presently that doing all this on your budget may not be the best option. The Kraken and its ideal case (the 810 or 820) alone would be a large chunk of your budget ($230-360). You might want to stick with a Cooler Master Hyper Evo or Noctua DH14 in a Phantom 410. That said, the 410 CAN mount the Kraken, but NZXT's site notes that modification (most likely removing a fan, but I can't be sure) is required to do so.
nVidia GPUs aren't per-say superior, although they presently have some price blocks locked down. For you, an AMD Radeon 7870 XT, an nVidia GTX 660 Ti, an AMD Radeon 7950, or an nVidia GTX 670 would likely be best.
 


to me 80 buck is just a waste when it only takes me a mounth or two to have the money for the water cooling system, i could just buy a cheap one for a start until i have the money (i'll just run easy on it for a start)
When we speak gtx 660 ti, then whats best? colorfull, zotak, nvidia? (i remember reading somthing about nvidia to be best in preformance?)
 


Your money if yours to use, I can only offer my opinion. As to GPUs, I really wouldn't know nVidia brands, I heavily favour AMD GPUs. EVGA seems fair well regarded, however.
 


the build seems fine, and the card to since i'm going dual screen.
I don't realy like the case, it sems to classic to me but if has great cooling feathurs.
I just can't seem to finde the shipping policy, do they shit world wide? since i'm not from US 😀
 


Read some more about AMD, and since i'm going the 'dual screen'-way then i might go for AMD, but which will then be best for future SLI/ possible oc? looked at the 7950 and 7970 real quice.
This might be a real stupid question, but i realy donøt know, can the 'superclocked, boosted, etc.' editions be boosted even further, or is it running the max, or just running the max as what's possible without aditional cooling?
 


Assuming that CrossFire is fixed, as some of us are hoping, by whatever was making the prototype drivers from the HD 7990 work, either of those cards would work fine for a CrossFire in the future. The drivers are supposedly coming out in Q3. Both the 7950 and the 7970 are good overclockers.
The majority of such cards can still be overclocked further, although some are voltage locked, which restricts overclocking options. I am fairly sure that Sapphire and ASUS cards, which are generally the best for AMD GPUs, are not voltage locked.
 


okay, so the sapphire card 'g-unit1111' mentioned or a sapphire 7970 should do (i'm not into asus since they failed me 3 times in a row over 2 years, lost what's semilar to 2500$ on that...
 


Quite so. g-unit is a highly skilled builder, and I would strongly advise his build for your price range. It should be up to everything you want from it.

Edit: The one minor alteration you may wish to make would be using the Vapor-X variant of the 7950, also from Sapphire. The Vapor-X cooling system is quite excellent by all accounts, and my own next build will be using Vapor-X 7970s.
 


i might go for that build then, except that i might use the vapor-x 7970 and exchange the case.
i don't realy know the brands of cases out there, but i realy like round chapes like the NZTX or alienware dessigns, does any other brands use that ? and which of those brands can fit the most fans? (great cooling) i might just make a costum solution for dust free efficiency.
 


Yeah I've been doing this a long time, and I know junk parts when I see them. :lol:

The Vapor X is a great card for the money, I'd suggest going with that. I use Sapphire 7870s on my personal rig.
 


More fans does not always equal best cooling. Case (hah) in point: the Silverstone FT02. Great cooling, four fans. That said, NZXT make very nice cases with pleanty of fan/radiator mounts and fairly good airflow. They should serve you in good stead.
 


i'll go for a NZXT case then. and i'll go for a single sapphire vapor-x 7970, and if the money lets me i'll go for a 850-1000W powersupply allready so i have the power for when i go crossfire, which might be after a half year.
 


Ty for the help, now i know what parts to get (with a sligt change on the case) what power supply would you recommend if i go for crossfire 7970, and water cooling in the future? just so that i have enought power from the start with no need of chanhing the power supply when i upgrade? :-D
 


Something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703028

Or this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151111
 


Ty, you just closed this topic 🙂
Thank you very much for the help, and @Jack Revenant ty for your help aswell!
The build is set, now it's only about getting money home, and ordering 😛
 


Always happy to help, though when someone as skilled as g-unit is around I tend to most try to stay out of the way. Happy gaming!
 



Yea, he seems prity pro ;-)
you too 🙂
 
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