Need help with $2000 build, SSD especially!

[reaper2794]

Hey guys, so my friend is looking for a $2000 build, and we want to make it real nice. I think we've done a pretty damn good job so far. I'm good with most things, but I have no idea which SSDs are good and which ones aren't, and I don't know what to look for in an SSD, how to tell if it's good or not, so I hope you guys can recommend some SSDs that will fit Windows Vista (he wants Vista for whatever reason) and some additional applications

Also, what else would you guys recommend? I always see people spending $180-250+ on motherboards, and I just dont get it, the one I have provided can run SLI or CrossfireX at dual x8 speeds, Im pretty sure thats all my friend needs considering it has everything else like SATA III, USB 3.0, dual-channel memory slots, etc etc

Can you guys recommend stuff? What else should he get to get to $2000? something worth his money? Any recommendations? We dont want to spend unnecessary amounts of money, but obviously he has enough money to spend, so we wanna make every bit count!

I hope you guys can help us, here's the great list I've put together:

Outside Components

Monitor - LG E2360V-PN 23” 1080p LED-LCD
http://goo.gl/nD9Fq - $189.99

Keyboard - Razer Lycosa
http://goo.gl/L0IUx - $66.09

Mouse - Razer Naga Special Edition - Molten
http://goo.gl/wpnoZ - $69.66

Case - NZXT Phantom (White)
http://goo.gl/8St4w - $139.99

Inside Components

CPU - Intel i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3 GHz (3.7 w/TB) Quad-Core
http://goo.gl/n1LpW - $219.99

Motherboard - MSI P67A-GD55 (B3) LGA 1155
http://goo.gl/p3Pz4 - $142.86

RAM - G.Skill Ripjaws X 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 @ 1333 MHz CL7
http://goo.gl/Xfk02 - $64.99

Video Card - XFX Radeon HD 6970 2GB
http://goo.gl/wYeCr - $309.99

Storage - Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB @ 7200 RPM
http://goo.gl/VCpcK - $54.99

Storage -
- $

Optical Drive - ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X DVD Burner
http://goo.gl/l6h8b - $25.98

PSU - XFX PRO750W XXX Edition 750W Semi-Modular
http://goo.gl/A1F4U - $120.98

Additional/Miscellaneous Components

CPU Cooler - Corsair Hydro H80
http://goo.gl/sIaTf - $99.99

 

[gkay09]

^ Nice parts,...
Some suggestions -
1. Take a look at these Mobo + RAM combos,...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.689144
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.689147

2. CASE - Check this one with a Red trim,...
http://www.buy.com/prod/nzxt-phan-003rd-phantom-full-tower-case/q/sellerid/2083092/loc/101/221030908.html
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7335394&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE

3.CPU Cooling - As you will be going Full Tower, why not the H100??
http://www.corsair.com/cooling/hydro-series/hydro-series-h100-extreme-performance-liquid-cpu-cooler.html
Or you can get even better performance with BIG air cooler which will be cheaper,...
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch.asp?px=FO&scriteria=AA77450

4. SSDs
Check this article,...
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/SATA-III-SSD-RoundUp-OCZ-Corsair-Patriot-Crucial/
So you should either go with SF1200 controllers based SSDs or the likes of Crucial M4/ Intel's latest,...
But you should learn more about SSDs, before making the purchase and should also search for best performance settings, so that it performs well,...

5. PSU - I know that 750W would suffice for such a build, but if going Crossfire and will overclock the CPU high, then going 850W seems fine as it will allow even more headroom,... Also PSUs and CASEs can be reused for more than 1 build, so going with higher ones are fine,... But its your call though,...

 

[reaper2794]

Hows that mobo really gonna help him at all?

He liked the white trim best, he knows all the diff colors

How much will the H100 help?

I still dunno what to look for in an SSD

People told me 750W is enough, would 850W be a safer choice, he might as well for future proofing since we might upgrade both cards later

 

[gkay09]

^ That UD3 is actually a good value board,...
Review -
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z68xp-ud3-dz68db,2980.html
As for the UD4, it is in the league of the GD65 or better so better overclocking and some features,...

CPU Cooling - The H100 has more surface area than the H80, so cooling should be slightly better,... But you should know that going with cheaper BIG air coolers would offer similar or better performance for less,...

PSU - Yes, even I will say 750W is fine for that build, but like I said when overclocking the CPU and the GPUs high, if you want some more headroom the 850W will be a better option,...

 

[reaper2794]

Ok Ill switch it up to an 850, atm Im being lazy

I know air coolers are cheaper, but he has the money, so why not make it quiet and less bulky, we want the case to have some sex appeal

 

[gkay09]

^ Lolz,... then its fine,... If he has the money and want performance, then get the H100,...

 

[reaper2794]

We need more suggestions, H100 and 850W PSU, what else can we sex up the case with

 

[flong]

OK -SSD 101

I have just spent a ton of time reading every SSD review I could find on the planet and so here are some key points:

1. The OCZ Vertex 3 120 GB and 240 GB are probably the fastest and they frequently go on sale. The Corsair GT series and the Patriot Wildfire are also as fast as the OCZ max IOPS series so read the reviews. However with any of the three you probably would not be able to tell the difference in real-world performance. These drives are also the most expensive.

2. The OCZ Vertex 3 "max iops" (and GT series and Wildfire) supposedly are faster for compressed data i.e. video, photos, etc. but I am not sure after reading the reviews that there is that much difference.

3. There are two main types of chips out there inside os SSDs a 25 nm and 32 nm. The 34 nm are more durable and have a "toggle mode NAND" (no it is not the technically correct name)" that is faster. They are the more expensive SSDs. For example, the Corsair F3 120 GB uses 25 nm NAND and the Corsair Force GT series uses 34 nm NAND. The 120 GB GT series is approximately $100 more than the Corsair F3. The Corsair 120 GB GT handles compressed data better and is slightly faster than the 120 GB F3. The GT will probably be more durable over time.

4. The big difference between the 25 nm and 32 nm RAND is that once the SSD starts to fill up, the 32 nm RAND keeps its efficiency better. So if you have a 25 nm SSD, the performance will drop more quickly as it fills up than if you have a 32 nm NAND SSD. This is probably the main benefit of the 32 nm NAND. The challenge is trying to figure out which SSDs use the 32 nm NAND. The OCZ max iops use the 32 nm NAND as does the Corsair GT series (I think).

5. The 3rd generation Sandforce SSDs are the fastest along with the Crucial M4. That being said, the performance difference between the more expensive SSDs (32 nm) and the 25 nm is not a lot. That is why I bought the Corsair F3 120 GB for $180 when it went on sale because in starting up Windows 7, it is only one second slower than the mighty 240 GB OCZ Vertex 3. Yet is is nearly $300 cheaper. Still the 240 GB Vertex 3 will perform better as the SSD fills because of its larger size, which leads to the next point.

6. The 240 GB and larger SSDs will always outperform the 120 GB SSDs because the larger size allows for more efficient "leveling" of the chips. However the 120 GB SSDs are still very fast. If you can afford it. The more space any SSD has, the more efficient it will be and the faster it will be. This is next great frontier for SSDs - to keep their efficiency as they fill up.

5. The Crucial M4 SSDs perform almost as well as the 3rd generation sandforce SSDs and should be considered. Both the M4 and the 3rd generation SSDs are much faster than the second generation SSDs which are still on sale. Unfortunately, there are quite a few influential people advocating buying the second generation SSDs over the 3rd generation. This is a big mistake in my opinion. The 3rd generation SSDs are superior to the second generation in every way and have many important improvements over the second generation.

So all this adds up to the following:

1. If you are not working a lot with compressed data, then buy the cheapest 3rd generation SSD and you probably will save over a 1/3 in cost and you won't be able to notice much of a difference if any. If you are working with compressed data consider the Crucial M4, the Intel 510 (for larger data transfers) or the Corsair GT series and the OCZ IOPs series.

2. Unless you really need and can afford the 240 GB size, the 120 GB SSDs provide a big improvement of your overall computing experience - every expert reviewer agrees with this. Be careful with the smaller sizes because the performance of SSDs drops off dramatically as they fill.

3. The 32 nm NAND performs better as the SSD fills. This is an important factor

4. The Corsair 240 GB GT or the OCZ 240 GB Vertex 3 or possibly the new 240 GB wildfire SSD are the biggest, baddest consumer SSDs out there right now and they are wicked fast

5. Keep in mind that SSD technology is rapidly improving and it will change quickly and any SSD you buy will likely be out of date in a year. That being said look for the best deals you can find because in less than a year the 3rd generation SSDs will probably be old news. This is why I bought the ultra cheap 120 GB Corsair F3. Even though it is slightly slower, in less than a year it will probably be out of date anyway. They already have 1 GB/s SSD prototypes which is astoundingly fast.

6. In some ways the Crucial M4 actually outperforms the Vertex 3 and other 3rd generation SSDs, though it loses in most benchmarks. So it is a serious contender. It also has more storage than the Sandforce drives (it is not a Sandforce drive).

7. Sandforce indicates a type of "controller" the SSD uses to partition data and are probably the best. The M4 controller seems to be one of the best also.

8. There are a lot of complaints about all SSDs and their reliability. The Intel are considered to be the most reliable but they also lack the best performance

9. Using a separate SSD for important programs and booting is faster than Intels built-in caching feature in the Z68 boards

Hope that helps. I would definitely recommend the Corsair HX 850 power supply. If you wait for a sale you can get it for $120 - $150.

 

[flong]

^ Lolz,... then its fine,... If he has the money and want performance, then get the H100,...

Does anyone know how well the H100 performs? I can't find any reviews on it anywhere. The H80 is good but it is more noisy than the Noctua NH-D14

 

[daship]

I would definitely get the corsair H100, and the Patriot wildfire. Vertex drives are plauged with issues from what I see on reviews. And I would get the 2600k instead of the 2500k.

 

[reaper2794]

OK -SSD 101

I have just spent a ton of time reading every SSD review I could find on the planet and so here are some key points:

Hope that helps. I would definitely recommend the Corsair HX 850 power supply. If you wait for a sale you can get it for $120 - $150.

Wow, thats all the info you could find me /=? Really /=? Thats not much....

LOL jk XDDD <3 Thank you bro! XD

Does anyone know how well the H100 performs? I can't find any reviews on it anywhere. The H80 is good but it is more noisy than the Noctua NH-D14

The H80 makes more noise than an air cooler.. >_>? Link please?

I would definitely get the corsair H100, and the Patriot wildfire. Vertex drives are plauged with issues from what I see on reviews. And I would get the 2600k instead of the 2500k.

So how does this one look, will it fit Windows Vista/7 and additional applications as well? How much do Vista and 7 take up once installed?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220581&cm_re=patriot_ssd-_-20-220-581-_-Product

How would he benefit from the 2600K, since it doesn't help with gaming, I figure we'll add it although I gotta ask him again if he does any heavy processing

Will the 2600K let him run more instances of things, I figure it would I guess durr herp derp ._.?

Also, the H100 isnt available on Amazon or Newegg, and he's a pain in the ass about ordering from anywhere else, so I think the H100 is outta the question

 

[flong]

Wow, thats all the info you could find me /=? Really /=? Thats not much....

LOL jk XDDD <3 Thank you bro! XD



The H80 makes more noise than an air cooler.. >_>? Link please?



So how does this one look, will it fit Windows Vista/7 and additional applications as well? How much do Vista and 7 take up once installed?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220581&cm_re=patriot_ssd-_-20-220-581-_-Product

How would he benefit from the 2600K, since it doesn't help with gaming, I figure we'll add it although I gotta ask him again if he does any heavy processing

Will the 2600K let him run more instances of things, I figure it would I guess durr herp derp ._.?

Also, the H100 isnt available on Amazon or Newegg, and he's a pain in the ass about ordering from anywhere else, so I think the H100 is outta the question

Here is the only review that I could find of the H80 - it is in a forum but it is a great review:

http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/1056539-corsair-h80-performance-update-5-a.html

The H80 fans run at 2600 RPM on high and they are loud at that speed. On low, they are nearly silent - there are three speed adjustments, low, med and high. On high the H80 beats the Noctua NH-D14 but it is also a lot louder. I am not sure if it competes with the D-14 on low.

I would expect the H100 to be quieter and more efficient. But reviews are non-existent ????? Why, I cannot explain as there is a huge amount of interest in this unit.

 

[reaper2794]

They dont even sell em on Amazon or Newegg ._. I know its fairly new but wtf ._.

 

[flong]

They dont even sell em on Amazon or Newegg ._. I know its fairly new but wtf ._.

The H100 has been announced to come out in August. the H80 is on Newegg and Amazon - just type in "Corsair H80"

 

[reaper2794]

I still need replies about the SSD, I posted one but I dont know if its good or if itll fit Vista/7 and other applications

 

[flong]

Wow, thats all the info you could find me /=? Really /=? Thats not much....

LOL jk XDDD <3 Thank you bro! XD



The H80 makes more noise than an air cooler.. >_>? Link please?



So how does this one look, will it fit Windows Vista/7 and additional applications as well? How much do Vista and 7 take up once installed?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220581&cm_re=patriot_ssd-_-20-220-581-_-Product

How would he benefit from the 2600K, since it doesn't help with gaming, I figure we'll add it although I gotta ask him again if he does any heavy processing

Will the 2600K let him run more instances of things, I figure it would I guess durr herp derp ._.?

Also, the H100 isnt available on Amazon or Newegg, and he's a pain in the ass about ordering from anywhere else, so I think the H100 is outta the question

It is a second generation Sandforce drive - go with the 3rd generation drives. They don't cost much more and are greatly improved. A 64 GB drive will fill up very quickly. If you can afford a 120 GB, it is the better way to go. Remember, the efficiency (speed) of the drive drops as it fills up.

Google Vertex 3 120 GB, and Corsair GT 120 GB and Patriot Wildfire 120 GB for reviews.

 

[flong]

Here is an amazing SSD comparison article by X-bit labs:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/ssd-sata-600.html

The OCZ Vertex 3 again wins out as the fastest SSD. Note that this is a current review done just a couple of days ago.