I'm building a new computer and have not yet decided what case, memory modules and cpu cooler to use... maybe you have some input on the components?
Approximate Purchase Date: before xmas
Budget Range:
After looking at components I expect pricing to be something like this:
mboard $417
ram $333
cpu $417
case $333
ssd $333
raid1 disks 3TB x 2 $500
cpu cooler $133
video card $667
psu $333
monitor $667
Total $4 133
Buying monitor: maybe, maybe not (I have a Dell Ultrasharp 22 inch 2208 model at 1680x1050)
Computer primary usage: gaming (Battlefield 3, CS, COH, StarCraft, Arma 2 etc)
Secondary usage: vmware workstation virtual server images (so I need more than 8gb ram)
Computer should be quiet in 2d and in 3d great performance with not too much noise.
SLI: Maybe later but at first no...
I was looking at LGA2011 but LGA1155 seems to make more sense now since the top LGA2011 cpus are so expensive and I wanted a energy efficient computer so it's quiet in 2d.
Components I plan to have in the case:
Motherboard Asus Maximus V Formula LGA1155 Z77 e-atx (12” x 10.1” or 305mm x 257mm)
Cpu Intel Core i7-3770K
Cpu cooler either Corsair H50/60/70/100 or a tower cooler like Thermalright Venomous X silent edition or Prolimatech Genesis?
Memory Corsair DDR3 2133MHz 16gb 4x4 GB dim (unbuff 9-11-10-30 dominator platinum CMD16GX3M4A2133C9) – without fan on top (too noisy those memory fans IMHO)
OS drive OCZ Technology SSD 256gb vertex4 sataIII 6gb (VTX4-25SAT3-256G) (since 500gb is still too expensive)
Storage drives 2 x 3 TB something using raid 1 in software or hardware (secure storage of backup of OS drive and other data rarely used)
Video Asus GeForce gtx680 2gb pci-e Direct CU II Top (GTX680-DC2T-2GD5, overclocked and 3slot quiet cooled fan solution video card, since gtx690 is still too expensive)
Soundcard – is it really necessary? The sound card included on the motherboard seems good enough
PSU – antec if antec case, if not a good quality quiet and efficient approx. 700 watt psu like Seasonic platinum 860w (I might buy an extra gtx680 for sli later on)
Case – hard to decide:
Antec P280:
Looks great, has usb3 front ports and fits X-ATX 13.6” x 10.3” (345mm x 262mm) motherboard. Can use extra large quiet antec PSUs. Has enough room for Asus vga card and motherboard. It’s like my current antec P183 I think which is the most quiet case in 2d I ever tested, however it is much warmer than the foretress FT02 during gaming. Location of usb and headphone connectors are much better than on P183 because I have the computer on the floor. Manual switches for the case fans I’m not a big fan of. Better side mounted hard drives mount than the P183. I’m a bit worried the 3 fans included will be more noisy then the one fan in the P183.
Silverstone Raven RV03
Looks bad. Enough space for everything. Stupid usb port cover. Smart and cool with rotated motherboard though. Maybe too noisy the big fans but one of the best cooling performances? Should have enough space for both motherboard and vga.
Silverstone Fortress FT02 (revised)
Nice design but a bit big, more noisy than antec but much more efficient cooling. Would prefer fan control on the asus motherboard but it has only static settings. Should have enough space for both motherboard and vga. In the silentpc review this one is actually more quiet and colder than the Antec P280!
Important that motherboard fit, I think even though the ROG board is eatx it still fits in some ATX cases? I prefer medium size super mid tower cases like my current Antec P183. It needs to have front USB3 connectors, preferably directly connected to motherboard (not via loop to back usb3 ports), space for 3 harddisks and 1 blueray dvd player. I like nice discrete cases not lights and windows, silent efficiency is the most important.Best if the ASUS board can control fan speed on all fans for quiet 2d operation (I like the asus fan control). Must have space for the Asus 3 slot vga card (11.8” x 5.1” x 2.3”). For the 2 large mechanical drives it should have some form of dampening on the vibrations. I wish all cases had a HD dock at the top but that only seems to happen on the ugly gamer lights&windows cases.
Any comments on the components? Especially the memory, case and PSU are the hardest choices I think.
I also have a very hard time chosing between 120hz screen and high quality display, these seems to be the best in either category:
Benq xl2420T for 120hz/fps 1900 resolution TN panel
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/benq_xl2420t.htm
Dell U2711 or U2713HM IPS panel 2560 resolution
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2713hm.htm
(I dont like glossy screens, and I have to do work also not only gaming)
Some links about components:
Norwegian review of ROG motherboard http://www.hardware.no/artikler/asus-rog-maximus-v-formula/111687
Corsair cpu coolers http://www.anandtech.com/show/5054/corsair-hydro-series-h60-h80-and-h100-reviewed
Thermalright Venomous X silent edition cpu cooler review http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1198-page5.html (easier form factor)
Prolimatech Genesis CPU cooler review http://www.silentpcreview.com/prolimatech-genesis (potential problem with form factor and tall memory modules)
Antec P280 reviews http://www.silentpcreview.com/Antec_P280
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5090/antec-p280-when-enthusiasts-are-engineers
SilverStone Raven RV03 reviews http://www.silentpcreview.com/Silverstone_Raven_RV03
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4501/silverstone-raven-rv03-streamlined-bird-of-prey
SilverStone Fortress FT02 review http://www.silentpcreview.com/SilverStone_Fortress_FT02
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4620/silverstone-fortress-ft02-true-classics-never-go-out-of-style
norwegian test of memory on ROG card: http://www.hardware.no/artikler/corsair-dominator-platinum/112499
ROG discussion about memory http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?22689-Maximus-V-Extreme-Memory-Did-I-make-the-right-choice&country=&status=
Asus video card http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/NVIDIA_Series/GTX680DC2T2GD5/
Asus ROG motherboard http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/Maximus_V_Formula/
Old Seasonic x650 review http://www.silentpcreview.com/Seasonic_X650
Seasonic platinum 860w review http://www.anandtech.com/show/5464/seasonic-platinum-series-860w/6