Premium Gaming PC Advice (Budget control, Water Cooling, etc.)

[UNMP Berkut]

Approximate Purchase Date: ASAP (Today if advised correctly)

Budget Range: $4300 max

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Ultra-High Quality gaming, Video and movie watching/editing, Browsing the Internet, Word processing

Are you buying a monitor: Yes, 3 1080p ASUS VN247H-P
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AVYNS7M/?tag=pcpapi-20

Parts to Upgrade: New purchase

Do you need to buy OS: Yes, likely Windows 7 Pro 64-bit

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.com or Amazon.com (I will pick and choose the best rates)

Location: Dayton, Ohio, The United States of America

Parts Preferences: Intel preferable, EVGA for Nvidia, Sapphire for Radeon, ASUS for Motherboard,

Overclocking: Very Likely

SLI or Crossfire: Not Immediately but want to have the capability in the future (Futureproofing)

Your Monitor Resolution: 3 1920x1080p

Additional Comments:
I have an initial set up designed that shows the parts that I initially looked at and would like to improve upon this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3820 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 12g Thermal Paste ($16.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Asus P9X79 WS SSI CEB LGA2011 Motherboard ($362.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($114.95 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: A-Data XPG SX900 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: A-Data XPG SX910 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: A-Data XPG SX910 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($299.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($299.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Turbine Master Mach 1.8 80.3 CFM 120mm Fan ($9.48 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Turbine Master Mach 1.8 80.3 CFM 120mm Fan ($9.48 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Turbine Master Mach 1.8 80.3 CFM 120mm Fan ($9.48 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Turbine Master Mach 1.8 80.3 CFM 120mm Fan ($9.48 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: Prolimatech PRO-RV14LED 87.0 CFM 140mm Fan ($11.99 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Prolimatech PRO-RV14LED 87.0 CFM 140mm Fan ($11.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Kingwin Lazer Platinum 1000W 80 PLUS Platinum Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.96 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($57.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Asus VN247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($178.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VN247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($178.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VN247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($178.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K90 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($125.00 @ Mechanical Keyboards)
Other: HEATKILLER® CPU Rev3.0 1366/2011 Ni-BL ($90.00)
Other: XSPC RX480 Quad 120mm Radiator ($130.00)
Other: Logisys 4" Cold Cathode Kit (Dual Ready) - Red ($9.00)
Other: Interceptor Pro Case ($250.00)
Other: Alphacool Repack Dual 5.25" Acrylic Reservoir - Clear - Revision 2 ($53.00)
Other: Sharkoon Darkglider Mouse + Pad ($60.00)
Other: PrimoChill PrimoFlex Advanced LRT Tubing 1/2"ID x 3/4" OD - 10ft Retail Pack - Bloodshed Red ($25.00)
Other: Swiftech MCP35X 12v PWM Controlled Water Pump - Black ($85.00)
Other: Bitspower Ultimate G 1/4 Thread 1/2" ID x 3/4" OD Compression Fitting - Silver Shining x10 ($80.00)
Other: Silenx IXP7618 iXtrema Pro Fan ($17.00)
Other: GPU-X Multi-Link ($33.00)
Other: IandH Silver KillCoils - Antimicrobial .999 Fine Silver Tubing / Reservoir Strip ($7.00)
Other: Shoggy Sandwich V2 for pump decoupling ($10.00)
Other: HEATKILLER® GPU Backplate 79X0 X2 ($65.00)
Other: HEATKILLER® GPU-X³ 79X0 Ni-Bl X2 ($285.00)
Total: $4029.65
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-24 23:29 EDT-0400)
The vast majority of the liquid cooling parts either come from FrozenCPU or Watercool.de. My case is not available in America but I am having it imported from Germany.

Necessary connectors and plugs and such.

My questions are first, do you see any problems with my initial hardware setup? Do you see any ways that I could save money while getting the same performance? Please leave me any advice and help me make sure that I will be ordering the appropriate parts and doing a good job. Thank you for your help!

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My old PC laptop doesn't support the gaming that I seek to do. I am looking to play the latest games at the highest settings (Metro 2033, Crisis, Assassin's Creed 3, Planetside 2, Company of Heroes 2, etc.) I also plan to begin to edit videos and start a YouTube channel with more active videos but my current build doesn't support this.

 

[mikerockett]

Start with filling in the template in the thread below, makes things easier on us.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/353572-31-build-upgrade-advice

For a start i think your system is way over the top. You shouldn't get an i7 let alone moving into x79 territory for gaming.

Also unless you are going for really big OC's i would stick to just getting a decent air cooler. Unless you are really confident it seems best to keep things simple as this is your first build from the sounds of it.

 

[Marcopolo123]

i5-3570k is enough almost same performance...
right now the sapphire viper-x hd 7970 6gb is the fastest single gpu and faster then gtx 680. (titan not included)
if you dont plan to sli/crossfire a 650w psu is enough, i recommend one from seasonic
8gb ram is plenty...

your case isnt optimal for watercooling i guess... this might be better:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146089,NZXT SWITCH 810 is very good for watercooling and it is also constructed to be one
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-002-OE&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=2225
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-015-XG&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=1572
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-000-TL&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=2225

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-249-CM

 

[geofelt]

My thoughts:

1. For budget control, I might suggest a 3570K instead. Few games use more than 2-3 cores, so the 6 cores of the 3930K may be of little use. No real need for anything more than a mid priced Z77 based motherboard.
2. With your budget, and for a premium gaming pc, spend your budget where it counts, on graphics capability. Use the $ saved to change the GTX680 to a titan or a GTX690

3. No game uses more than 2-3gb by itself. 8gb ram is the norm. Since ram is cheap, I have no problem with 16gb in a 2 x 8gb kit. DDR3 1600 is fine. With 16gb, you will no longer need windows 7 pro, home premium will be fine.
4. A gtx680 needs only a 550w psu. Even a GTX690 needs only 650w. A 1000w unit is overkill, and will operate very inefficiently when loafing.
5. I would not use as little as 64gb for a boot drive. As a drive fills up, it can slow down. A 240gb ssd will hold the os and quite a large number of games. Go with a single 480gb ssd if you must. For a premium build, use the Samsung 840 PRO, it is the most capable ssd out there. Intel would be my second choice. For bulk storage, I might pick a 1tb WD black hard drive
6. The main reason to buy a water cooling system is to get an added 0.2 added to your top overclock. It will be expensive and noisy. A noctua NH-D14 or Phanteks will be cheaper, quieter, and more reliable. It will cool just as well in as most liquid coolers in a well ventilated case like yours.

 

[J_E_D_70]

Build my sig but replace the 670 with a 7970GHz (free game bundle) and the SSD with a 256GB Samsung 840 Pro. That's it and should cost less than $1500.

If you go 27" may want to look at 1440p or higher instead of 1080. In that case, add another GHz and get a larger game bundle.

That's it.

 

[UNMP Berkut]

I just updated my specs and question so more advice is helpful. Also, the PSU is oversize because I plan to get a PSU that I can have ready to SLI in the future so that is why I am aiming for the 1000w. Also, I am really looking at keeping a large motherboard that is expandable so I will not need to upgrade it when I upgrade my GPU in the future or add more parts. I am not sure though if the SSI-CEB form factor will work in the Antec 1200. Please advise me so I can work on an amazing gaming PC. I am new to doing a complete build but I am pretty knowledgeable about how everything comes together. I was looking into liquid cooling because I want to OC my CPU and GPU but stay quiet and not take up any DIMM slots with a giant CPU cooler. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Marcopolo123]

Well 1000w is even alot for quad crossfire...
For instance, a system with 4 gtx480(known for high power consumption and heat) uses about 1000w.

I suggest you to buy this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151102
850w is plenty and gives you enough headroom to add a third gpu...

 

[UNMP Berkut]

Based on the comments that I received, I updated my build again. I would really like advice on the new build and any ways that you think I could still save money (I still need to buy a desk and office chair which will total another $200).

 

[manofchalk]

My comments on the rig.
- Why a 3820? Believe it or not, its outperformed by a 3770k and consumes more power. I realize that you have already downgraded from a 3930k, but if you are on X79, that's basically the only chip you should get.
- Why all the SSD's, you could just buy single large SSD if you need the capacity. And before you say RAID, there's no point when it comes to SSD's unless your in a professional application or environment.
- Just reading the name Kingwin sent a shiver down my spine, they are not a good manufacturer. Go with a more reputable brand. 1000W seems right for a Tri-Crossfire (SLI is Nvidia) setup.

The Water-cooling.
IMO if this is your first build, dont do Custom Water-cooling right off the bat. Its an added layer of complexity to what I know is already very confusing for a first timer. You can always add water-cooling afterward, just IMO not initially.

However if you go ahead with it, might as well help you so that you know what your getting into. Based off the parts list your already fairly knowledgeable and have read the http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/277130-29-read-first-watercooling-sticky ] Water-cooling Sticky [/url]] (if you haven't I advise you do).

- You might want to recalculate the TDP of your loop and compare with your radiator, I suspect even a thick 480mm rad wont be enough to deal with 2x7950 and a LGA2011 CPU after overclocking.
- Any plans on how you will drain the loop? Building that in from the start will save a lot of trouble later on.
- I'm assuming those Coolermaster Turbine fans are for the 480mm rad? For radiator usage (especially with such a thick rad) you want high static pressure, not CFM. Have a look at Silverstone Air Penetrators, Noctua NF-12's and Gentle Typhoons.
- Any plans to reduce the speed of the fans, or do you want the full turbine effect when they are plugged straight to the PSU. I suggest getting a fan controller, a strong one (30W+ per channel) if you want to control all the rad fans on the one channel.

How to cheapen the build.
- Drop down to the Z77 platform, get a mid-range board like an Extreme4. Even something like a Sabertooth would be far cheaper than the board you have currently.
- Start with a single 7970 rather than dual 7950's, this will also cut down costs on the water-cooling aspect.
- The water-cooling in general can go, or be reduced. Most of the cost in that is in the GPU blocks. Set up a basic CPU loop and see if you like Water-cooling to begin with, then add in the GPU's later. Not necessarily decreasing costs, but not such a massive hit.
- The SSD's, just get one large SSD.

6. The main reason to buy a water cooling system is to get an added 0.2 added to your top overclock. It will be expensive and noisy...

I contest that :lol:
Do your water-loop right, and it can be dead silent.

 

[mikerockett]

I think manofchalk has covered all the points that i'd make but i want to weigh in on the PSU. Kingwin make some crap psu's but they also make some incredibly good ones. The lazer platinum series in particular that you have picked is outstanding. The OEM for the lazer platinum range is super flower. You should find the lazer platinum range in the top tiers of most psu lists.