Need Advice on MB and SSD

[sayurann]

Approximate Purchase Date: this month, not in a hurry, can wait for deals.

Budget Range: 900-1100 AR

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, and daily

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, screen, OS

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg? amazon?

Country of Origin: USA

Parts Preferences: ATI GPU, Asus/Gigabyte MB

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe later next year

Monitor Resolution: two 1920x1080 or 1200

Additional Comments: Quiet PC and not too big case.




Current Build:

CPU 180$
Intel 2500k
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

GPU 155$AR
ATI 6850
[strike]Gigabyte
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125353&cm_re=6850_radeon-_-14-125-353-_-Product
or[/strike]
Asus
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121419&cm_re=6850_radeon-_-14-121-419-_-Product


[strike]Memory + MB 215$
8gb GSkill Ripjaw and Asus P8P67 Rev 3.0 ATX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.632744[/strike]

Memory + MB 270$
I am now confused with Asus Evo or Pro. But I think the Evo only has another LAN port which I don't use. So I will go with the pro.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.633314
Is the memory too big on size? will it fit with Xfire GPU later and another two 4gb sticks later?


[strike]Case + PSU 140$
1. Cooler Master RS750-ACAAE3-US: $109.99
2. Cooler Master RC-922M-KKN1-GP: $99.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.634446
-30AR, -40 combo[/strike]

Case 105$ AR
antec 902 v3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129097

Can this case fit 2 ATI 6850?



PSU 45$ Corsair CX600
Is this ok?


[strike]CPU Cooler 25$
COOLER MASTER Hyper N 520
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103057[/strike]


Optical Drive 27$
SAMSUNG Black
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151188


SSD (80 gb is enough for me) Probably Vertex 3
???
I want boot speed, so maybe I prefer Intel SSD to Vertex for better random read.
200-300$


Thermal Paste 10$
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007


Total + tax = ~1000$-1200$

I want to know the MB for future upgrade (Crossfire, SSD raid)
Which case is capable for Xfire and Raid?

Any comment/advice please!
If you know better combo please let me know too.

Also, if anyone know which SSD is best bang for the bucks, it would be great!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[aznshinobi]

I like the Scout I've used the Scout and it's sweet case, quiet stock air cooling pretty large, probably will fit the 6850 CF, but you can get the 922 I've not used but seems to be a quite large case, unsure if quiet though. Great case, but terrible power supply. Drop that PSU and get this one instead.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371021&cm_re=antec_650-_-17-371-021-_-Product


Better heatsink
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-RR-B10-212P-G1-Universal-Heat-Pipe/dp/B002G1YPH0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1297643962&sr=8-1

Better mobo+ram combo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.635633

Get 6850 DirectCu CF.

Wait for this SSD (Will come in the smaller size 64gb)
http://2dayblog.com/2011/02/28/patriot-wildfire-ssd-with-sandforce-sf-2200-processor-blasts-everything-away/
Here is the SF2200 preview:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vertex-3-pro-ssd-sandforce,2863-8.html

 

[sayurann]

The 6850 DirectCu is deactivated item...
The review for 922 is good, yeah, but I didn't check for the quietness though...

Why the PSU is not good? Any particular reason? I'm not questioning your choice, I just want to know the reason to get better understanding at how to choose a good PSU.

And the MB+RAM combo, is it better MB or better RAM or both?

I will look at the SSD.. I am willing to pay more for 120/128 gb though, if the price difference is worth it.

 

[samrialj]

hmm.. personalty i like corsair PSU, i myself just bought a ADATA 40gb ssd ($100) just for the OS to be installed on and this is the MOBO i bought it has expansions for crossfire ect.
:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128478

and i got a HIS iceq 5770 1gb GDDR5 and im running crysis with 1080p resolution on all the "ultra high" settings with 30+fps its amazing.

 

[aznshinobi]

Not deactivated
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121419&cm_re=6850-_-14-121-419-_-Product

The PSU I usually would recommend just looking if it is 80+ efficient. In the case of that PSU however, the GX/Extreme series from cooler master is terrible in comparison to the Silent Pro series. What I do is read reviews from major sites about a product before choosing it.
Not the best 750w out there, defiantly not a great one either.
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=188

Technically it is a better both combo. You get a MB that runs 8x/8x in Crossfire vs the P8P67 that only runs 16x/4x and you get ram that is DDR3 1600 vs 1333. Overall just better perf.

Intel 510 Elm Crest 120gb (314$)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167042&cm_re=510_intel-_-20-167-042-_-Product

Vertex 3 120GB 299$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227706&cm_re=Vertex_3_120gb-_-20-227-706-_-Product

Save money for a better overall SSD.

510 VS Vertex 3
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4202/the-intel-ssd-510-review/4

 

[sayurann]

@aznshinobi
Oh, I thought you are talking about this one (from google)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121399


Ya, I have that Asus as my option too in my build (GPU, Asus/Gigabyte).



I am thinking of using SATA 3 too since the MB has it... but it is ~50% more expensive compared to SATA 2, will think and wait for a deal/coupon for it! hehehe...

thanks for letting me know about 8x/8x, 12x/4x, never heard about it before so I dont understand, but internet will teach me..


@samrialj
I just found out that my friend have a new PSU , I might buy it from him, he give me a slick deal, I will find out the specs, he only remembers it's a corsair PSU...
ya, and 6850 is better than 5770, can't wait to build my pc!

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The 922 was a great case in its day .... but it's now outdated w/ no front USB 3 ports. In mid tower size, the Antec 902 V3 would be my choice. Full tower options include the HAF-X and Antec DF-85

PSU - If ya go w/ DF-85, the CP-850 .... to match it's performance, you'd have to spend twice as much according to jonnyguru review. In any other case, the XFX Black Edition 850 for $130 or, if ya can get away w/ it depending on what cards ya settle on in SLI / CF, the 750 watt model

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=184
\http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=165

MoBo - Ya said ya wanted to do SLI / CF in future but MoBo is only x16 x4 .... to do SLI/CF at x8 x8, you'll need the P8P67 Pro. To do it at x16 x16, you'll need the Asus WS revolution

GFX - I'd try and find way to fit the 560 Ti (900 Mhz) into ya budget .... was $215 last week, now $240. Buta s you can see, the 6850 offers great bang for the buck:

Guru3D uses the following games in their test suite, COD-MW, Bad Company 2, Dirt 2, Far Cry 2, Metro 2033, Dawn of Discovery, Crysis Warhead. Total fps (summing fps in each game @ 1920 x 1200) for the various options in parenthesis (single card / SL or CF) are tabulated below along with their cost in dollars per frame single card - CF or SLI:

460 (314/592) $0.49 - $0.52
6850 (371/634) $0.42 - $0.49
6870 (434/701) $0.44 - $0.54
6950 (479/751) $0.51 - $0.65
6950 Frozr OC (484/759) $0.59 - $0.75
560 Ti (455/792) $0.53 - $0.61
6970 (526/825) $0.64 - $0.81
560 Ti - 900 Mhz (495/862) $0.48 - $0.56
570 (524/873) $0.64 - $0.77
580 (616/953) $0.81 - $1.05
6990 (762/903) $0.95 - $1.61
590 (881/982) $0.79 - $1.43

Cooler - The 2500k/2600k can stay under 70C with the stock cooler up to about 4.5-4.6 GHz. Since you listed OC as a maybe, may wanna save some money here:

http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-sabertooth-p67-tuf-review/10

Otherwise the Scythe Mugen 2 betas the CM Hyper 212 by 7C
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185142

TIM - You wanna deal w/ this:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm

Due to the unique shape and sizes of the particles in Arctic Silver 5's conductive matrix, it will take a up to 200 hours and several thermal cycles to achieve maximum particle to particle thermal conduction and for the heatsink to CPU interface to reach maximum conductivity.

That's 200 hours of thermal cycling not 200 hours of being on. Sip the hassle and get Shin Etsu which has identical Thermal properties (both had 37.55C temp difference in 80 way test)and no curing issues.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=12

RAM - How high are those heat sinks .... if you use aftermarket cooler, will they hit it ? These are cheaper, same secs and low profile

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145324

SSD - I'd take the Vertex 3 over the Intel .... conclusion in THG's review on the Intel 510 basically starts w/ "the Vertex 3 is better"....and I'd do 120GB

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-510-solid-state-6gbps,2881-10.html

 

[aznshinobi]

^ I swear you have this all copied onto notepad or Microsoft word. Having slight variations ever so often.

 

[sayurann]

My friend has new Corsair Builder Series CX600 for 45$... But I think it is not upgradeable for Xfire... Hmmm

Thanks for the recommendations for 560, but I dont play game that much, 6850 is good enough for me.

For the case, ya, I just realized it doesn't have front usb 3.0! Nice catch!

How about the MB MSI that aznshinobi, that one is 8x/8x right?

so, jack, do you think I dont need a heatsink? I am not going to OC my pc anyway if I dont need it.. I just bought the K series because its only a few extra $ and I can OC it maybe after 2 years... From the article, yeah, I dont need a 3rd party heatsink...


For the thermal compound, I looked it up from here
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/269162-31-recommended-builds-usage

and then I choose the most common thermal compound, I will look into it and find out some more.. thanks for the advice!

I will update my build...

 

[aznshinobi]

^ Yes, the MSI motherboard has 8x/8x.

AC5 is probably your best bet to "cheap" thermal paste.

 

[sayurann]

Hey guys, I updated my build... I am confused with the MB, which one is better for my usage? I dont think I need the dual LAN on pro, but what's up with Asus deluxe? I dont really get it about the raid...

The 902 case has awesome review, the only downvote is on the weird cable for the front usb 3.0! lol, just a minor flaw.. thanks for the recommendation!
I looked at other usb 3.0 cases, but none of them is good enough, I was looking for this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133182
but some review says the cable management is bad...

I will skip the 3rd party heatsink for this build...

 

[aznshinobi]

No hole for PSU cables. If you look at the 902, where the PSU is, there is a rectangle shaped hole for the PSU's cables that is why the 902 is better for cable management as opposed to the V9.