Newbie PC build help

[Tony5haw2013]

Hi, I am new to PC teck and wanted to build a budget media centre that would play games, I bought so far, a case, MSI x58 e mobo, i7 processor, 16gb Corsair dd r3 ram, 2 x radion hd7950s that I want to run crossfire I just need a good powerful CPU that is small enough to use in my setup, I will be running good fans all sides of case to dissipate heat, what do you reccomend?

 

[Anonymous09]

So I am a little thrown off by your wording, are you saying you already bought a processor, or are looking for one right now? From the motherboard you bought, you're limited to some old i7 and xeon processors, not to mention used if you want to get them at a fair price because buying new would be ludicrous. Depending on how much you spent on the mb, you might want to reconsider and rebuy say a haswell mb to pair with your ram. The processors you could use on this msi mb of yours would run most games fine, but in some games they might start to show their age. The 7950s sli are still ok, basically equivalent to a gtx 960, but much more powerful if you crossfire them.

 

[Tony5haw2013]

Everything I have written I already have in my house right now, just looking for a good slim PSU, I'm not an avid gamer and would just be used occasionally for a play on some old games nothing cutting edge, mainly be us d as a media center

 

[Tony5haw2013]

I just don't know what PSU to look for that will be a small profile, as the case is not too big, I have already added extra fans to both sides of case to make sure heat is not an issue but want to keep things small, anyway I heard I would need at least 500 w to power everything so I think I will go overkill and go for around 700w just encase

 

[Anonymous09]

I just don't know what PSU to look for that will be a small profile, as the case is not too big, I have already added extra fans to both sides of case to make sure heat is not an issue but want to keep things small, anyway I heard I would need at least 500 w to power everything so I think I will go overkill and go for around 700w just encase

Ok so herein lies my confusion, in your original post you mention you needed "a good powerful CPU", which I take now to mean you mistyped PSU correct? If that is the case, I would like to ask you for the case you have so I can see if you truly need a sff psu, or if you have a regular sized atx case, to put in a regular atx sized psu.

 

[Tony5haw2013]

I need a smaller PSU than atx as I have an atx and it does not fit I think I need something called SFX but I don't know where to find a powerful sfx PSU

I just don't know what PSU to look for that will be a small profile, as the case is not too big, I have already added extra fans to both sides of case to make sure heat is not an issue but want to keep things small, anyway I heard I would need at least 500 w to power everything so I think I will go overkill and go for around 700w just encase

Ok so herein lies my confusion, in your original post you mention you needed "a good powerful CPU", which I take now to mean you mistyped PSU correct? If that is the case, I would like to ask you for the case you have so I can see if you truly need a sff psu, or if you have a regular sized atx case, to put in a regular atx sized psu.

 

[Anonymous09]

Yes alright, but in order for me to determine if that is the case here(pun intended), can you tell me what the model of your chassis is?

 

[Tony5haw2013]

It's only a really cheap budget case, it's called xcase q100 it's a bit flimsy and poorly laid out but it works apart from unknown PSU, I have added a lot of extra fans too as I expected it to be poor at cooling

Yes alright, but in order for me to determine if that is the case here(pun intended), can you tell me what the model of your chassis is?

 

[g-unit1111]

It's only a really cheap budget case, it's called xcase q100 it's a bit flimsy and poorly laid out but it works apart from unknown PSU, I have added a lot of extra fans too as I expected it to be poor at cooling

Yes alright, but in order for me to determine if that is the case here(pun intended), can you tell me what the model of your chassis is?

No I would suggest not using that and buying a new case instead. You can get something like a Corsair 200R or NZXT Source 220 for $50 and that will be a far better case for your parts.

 

[Anonymous09]

Yeah I have to agree with gunit here, I'm pretty liberal when it comes to the airflow debate here, I've seen cramped beyond belief cases that stay cool to the touch. However, you were right in your assumption, that case has almost no airflow and especially with those parts.

Alternative to the already good suggestions mentioned, under 50 dollars:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153

If you must use that case, you still are in need of an answer to your original question regardless. Assuming you have a fairly decent budget for the most important part of your build, here are some of the best:
EVGA supernove G2: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817438017
Seasonic G-750: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817151132
or x series: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817151087
As well with Corsair's RM, AX, or HX line:
RM 750i: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139137

All of these are ~$100, if you have to go lower I totally understand. But keep in mind, with your hardware I would stay above 650w and no lower. Anything below that is too risky with the combo you got. At full load, both those cards are sipping nearly 400w alone.

 

[g-unit1111]

Yeah I have to agree with gunit here, I'm pretty liberal when it comes to the airflow debate here, I've seen cramped beyond belief cases that stay cool to the touch. However, you were right in your assumption, that case has almost no airflow and especially with those parts.

Yeah exactly - no matter what kind of components you get, you don't want to subject them to a plastic case-shaped object, and believe me I've seen my fair share of them.

 

[Tony5haw2013]

I don't think you quite understand what I'm asking, I'm happy with my case, it's a media centre that will be sat under a TV, I don't want an upright case I have nowhere to put it, besides everything fit the case like a glove and it has room for all my components and plenty of cooling, the only problem is I need a small PSU, I was just asking what the best micro atx PSU was, I have done a lot of research last night and found a 700w Silverstone PSU with all the right connections and small enough to to use in my setup so il just pay the 100 pounds and use that instead I think, no offence I don't want to tear everthing apart and have to buy new cases and things when all I need it a good PSU it seems pointless to end up with a big bulky case I don't like when I can just pay a little more and have a good power unit

It's only a really cheap budget case, it's called xcase q100 it's a bit flimsy and poorly laid out but it works apart from unknown PSU, I have added a lot of extra fans too as I expected it to be poor at cooling

Yes alright, but in order for me to determine if that is the case here(pun intended), can you tell me what the model of your chassis is?

No I would suggest not using that and buying a new case instead. You can get something like a Corsair 200R or NZXT Source 220 for $50 and that will be a far better case for your parts.

 

[Tony5haw2013]

That's just the thing though as I said I have added an extra 4 fans, 2 90mm on each side on side blowing in and 1 side blowing out, I don't think I'm gonna have any issues, it's not gonna be used for days at a time it's only for the odd game and film every now and then

 

[Tony5haw2013]

All PSU that you have listed are not.al size I need a small PSU to use, I am going to order this tomorrow http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=524

 

[Tony5haw2013]

As for wattage every online calculator has given me 500 or less so 600 or 650 should be fine for what I'm running according to these

 

[g-unit1111]

All PSU that you have listed are not.al size I need a small PSU to use, I am going to order this tomorrow http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=524

Yeah I have that same PSU, it should work fine.

 

[Tony5haw2013]

Perfect, just a CPU cooler to find now then and I'm sorted

All PSU that you have listed are not.al size I need a small PSU to use, I am going to order this tomorrow http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=524

Yeah I have that same PSU, it should work fine.

 

[Anonymous09]

Yeah I agree with that psu aswell, for what it's worth.

Considering you can't really mount any type of water cooling, and you can't have very high heatsinks, you're stuck with low profile coolers. Not that it will affect performance noticeably, but it forces you into a certain segment.

Here are some suggestions as to what would work for your scenario:
http://noctua.at/en/nh-l12.html
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/570
http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=368

There are plenty more good ones out there, these are a bit pricey for sure, so if you really want to cut down on price, you could always snag an intel stock cooler for probably real cheap wherever you live.

Alternatively you can if you get clever use a closed loop watercooler, although there wouldn't be any cooling gain to using one at this level, and you would most likely get better cooling out of using one of the aforementioned air coolers. It would only be purely preference. You could probably cut out the optical drive bracket and cut a hole in the side panel and slap some mesh over it to fit a radiator, but like I said completely and utterly a waste of time, especially if you plan on using this as a media center where you would most likely put a blu ray player in there.

 

[Tony5haw2013]

Yeah il stick with an low profile cooler for now, if I upgrade in the future and go for a bigger case I would go water cooled but I don't think I need it ATM to be honest

Yeah I agree with that psu aswell, for what it's worth.

Considering you can't really mount any type of water cooling, and you can't have very high heatsinks, you're stuck with low profile coolers. Not that it will affect performance noticeably, but it forces you into a certain segment.

Here are some suggestions as to what would work for your scenario:
http://noctua.at/en/nh-l12.html
http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/570
http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=368

There are plenty more good ones out there, these are a bit pricey for sure, so if you really want to cut down on price, you could always snag an intel stock cooler for probably real cheap wherever you live.

Alternatively you can if you get clever use a closed loop watercooler, although there wouldn't be any cooling gain to using one at this level, and you would most likely get better cooling out of using one of the aforementioned air coolers. It would only be purely preference. You could probably cut out the optical drive bracket and cut a hole in the side panel and slap some mesh over it to fit a radiator, but like I said completely and utterly a waste of time, especially if you plan on using this as a media center where you would most likely put a blu ray player in there.

 

[Anonymous09]

Yeah I 100% agree, it was just something that popped into my head and felt compelled to write for some reason.

 

[Tony5haw2013]

Thanks guys, il let you know how it all goes when the last parts arrive and I install the os