Seeking Stereoscopic PC Build Advice!

[Chirality]

Approximate Purchase Date: September

Budget Range: I want to spend under $3000 dollars.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: MMO Gaming (I'm building this for TOR), Other Games (Skyrim, ME3, etc), Internet Browsing, Movies/Music

Parts Not Required: Everything Required.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com

Country of Origin: U.S.A.

Parts Preferences:

I despise ASUS with every fiber of my being (long story, they bent me over for around a year in return "tag"). I'm putting this on here first because it is important to me.

Case: http://www.mountainmods.com/u2ufo-mirror-black-powder-coat-big-window-p-78.html?osCsid=h6h4r32fgnieofard9a96jnv05
* I think this case is wicked sexy.

Processor: Intel i7 2600K

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X + Turbulence II Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000)
* I'd like to run more RAM but this is what has been suggested to me and I rather like it.

PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower Grand TPG-1200M 1200W ATX 12V v2.3 & SSI EPS 12V v2.92 SLI Certified CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Active PFC Power Supply
* I like the CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX1200 Power Supply, but I'm not sure which is better. I've been told to get the Toughpower from a friend.

GPU: EVGA 03G-P3-1591-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) Hydro Copper 2 3072MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
* I want to get two of these for SLI. I like the Hydro Copper since I'm not planning on going liquid cooling on anything but the processor.

Primary Hard Drive:
Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

Secondary Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

Optical Drive:
Basic Combo Blue Ray

Motherboard: I saved this for last because I'm seriously on the fence as to what I should get. The people I have helping me build this computer tell me I should go 1366 for more RAM. I like Z68 and I don't want to get anything other than the i7 2600K processor. I really like this Gigabyte board:

GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX

I just don't know which direction I should go in. I like having high quality RAM at larger amounts, but I don't know how to avoid bottlenecking. I really would like some suggestions in this department. I have a preference for anything NOT Asus brand boards. This mobo is also pretty expensive - I'd like to save money on this computer any way I can as long as I don't sacrifice the heart of my Dark Pegasus.

ORDERED
Nothing Yet

NOT YET ORDERED
Overclocking: I plan on having some professionals overclock the processor, I don't think I'll need anything else to be OC but I'd be happy to hear suggestions.

SLI or Crossfire: SLI on my video cards. I'm very keen on EVGA but I'd take good advice as long as it's on a 580 GPU.

Monitor Resolution: Whatever looks best, no preference.

Additional Comments:
This computer is basically going to be my battlestation for The Old Republic. I must have the three monitor setup for mostly awesomeness reasons, it's been a dream of mine to do that.

I made this thread to address

1) I need a mobo and I need advice in regards to 1366 vs z68. I want to run the i7 on a 1366 but I don't think that's even possible.
2) I need advice on the RAM in relation to problem 1.
3) I need some advice on what cooling to get on that case, I have no idea what I should get so some links would be very much appreciated. I want to use a lot of great air cooling and I'm ok with spending a bit of money on water cooling but no more than 350 dollars.
4) I'd love some suggestions in general.

Thanks for reading and helping me out!

 

[Chirality]

Anyone? :\

 

[vigilante212]

People like links, and WTH is a stereoscopic build?


The i7 2600k uses the 1155 chipset so p68 z68 boards. Any ram that will fit an 1156 board will work on the 1155 some companies haven't gotten around to repackaging them yet. The 1366 should be fine, just verify it works with the MB your choosing. The best 2 solutions for air cooling are the noctura d14 and the hyper 212 since your paying a premium on this Comp I would go with the noctura.


GPU: EVGA 03G-P3-1591-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) Hydro Copper 2 3072MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI - This is a Liquid cooled GPU

Other then the card you listed EVGA doesn't have a really good 580 card out yet. The best card for air cooling is the MSI with the Frozor II heatsink and fans.

 

[Chirality]

Sorry, I use Chrome - I can right click and find the newegg link. But anyways, the stereoscopic is three monitors or three monitors with 3D.

I know the cards are liquid cooled, thats why they're Hydro Copper. I chose them so I didn't have to get blocks for them with liquid cooling - sorry if I didn't make that seem obvious, their is a lot of stuff going through my head to make this work lol.

Thanks for the fan information - good stuff.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by the 1366 should be fine, with the processor I want I'd have to find a 1366 mobo that lets me use it and I'm not sure they exist.

I'll peek at that video card you mentioned, thanks for some info

 

[mortonww]

* I want to get two of these for SLI. I like the Hydro Copper since I'm not planning on going liquid cooling on anything but the processor.

To be sure, you understand that these cards just have waterblocks preinstalled and aren't actually ready for use right out of the box, right?

You have to have your own pump and your own water-cooling loop to support them.

Try something more like this:

i7 2600k ($330)
Gigabyte UD5 ($160)
8 GB G.Skill Ripjaws X Series, 1600 MHz, CAS 8, 1.5 Volts ($70)
MSI Lightning GTX 580 ($505 after MIR)

-Twin Frozr III
-Beefed-up voltage regulation circuitry
-Lots of overclocking options

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWs01pMrzuE

Corsair HX1050 ($210)

That will handle two overclocked Lightning cards + overclocked CPU just fine.

Silverstone Raven Full Tower Case ($155 after MIR)

Samsung Spinpoint F3 1 TB ($50)
40 GB SSD to use with Intel SRT ($100)

Total: 1580

Then add your three 3D monitors, your Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit license ($100), and your mouse, keyboard, and speakers with the remaining $1420.

EDIT: You actually need 2 nvidia cards to run 3D surround.

That changes things a bit. If you are absolutely sure you want 3D surround right off the bat, you will need to go with an i5 2500k + z68 UD3P, HAF 922, and possibly drop the SSD to fit the other GPU in. All this depends on what 3D monitors you're looking at, I guess. I don't know much about the 3D monitor options, though.

 

[Chirality]

The evga cards will let me run three monitors without the 3D, I'm not to interested in that aspect.

I overlooked the Hydro Copper needing the stuff to be included in the water cooling loop - I have someone doing that for me so it's not that big of a deal.

I linked the case I'm planning on getting, I could really use some suggestions on what kind of fans to get in it. This is the one I'm probably going to get - http://www.mountainmods.com/maximumpc-dream-machine-2010-p-593.html

Thank you for the info on those cards - I probably wouldn't have realized that till I had them!

Can anyone suggest me a high quality mobo that is good for what I'm getting along the lines of GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD7-B3? I'm starting to think I should drop wanting to get a 1366 for the i7 2600K - the only one that seems to take that chip while being a 1366 is the 600 dollar EVGA Classified.

 

[mortonww]

ASUS VG236HE Black 23" 1920X1080 2ms

Looks like you can get 3 of these for $1050

-Windows 7 +100
-2 GTX 580's +$1000
-i5 2500k and Hyper 212+ for overclocking +$260
-z68 UD3P +$160
-Spinpoint F3 +$50
-Silverstone Raven +$160
-Gaming Mouse and Keyboard - Probs $180

I have the Logitech G700 ($75) and it's awesome. For a keyboard, do some research on what you think will work best for you.

Total: $2960

 

[Chirality]

Yeah those are great monitors - I'm set on the keyboard/mouse and what not. I'm getting the TOR ones in November!

 

[mortonww]

The evga cards will let me run three monitors without the 3D, I'm not to interested in that aspect.

I overlooked the Hydro Copper needing the stuff to be included in the water cooling loop - I have someone doing that for me so it's not that big of a deal.

I linked the case I'm planning on getting, I could really use some suggestions on what kind of fans to get in it. This is the one I'm probably going to get - http://www.mountainmods.com/maximumpc-dream-machine-2010-p-593.html

Thank you for the info on those cards - I probably wouldn't have realized that till I had them!

Can anyone suggest me a high quality mobo that is good for what I'm getting along the lines of GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD7-B3? I'm starting to think I should drop wanting to get a 1366 for the i7 2600K - the only one that seems to take that chip while being a 1366 is the 600 dollar EVGA Classified.

Oh, so 3D is not important. I'm sorry, I guess I just assumed. I am confused on these things, though:

-Why a $355 case? You want to spend money on the actual computer because you are asking it to do quite a bit by playing all your games across three 1080p monitors.

-What do you mean someone else is taking care of your water-cooling? Do you mean they are making your loop and adding it to your pc? Is this a part of your budget or completely separate?

-You don't want to go 1366. The Sandy Bridge Processors are much much more efficient.

I just wonder if a $350 case and uber-expensive motherboard are going to help you achieve anything with this build. If you have to stay under $3000, I would put as much towards graphics, processing, and displays. Next in line would be keyboard and mouse for gaming. And after you get those things, then see if you have enough to spend on a $350 case or if you can settle for the Raven, which is really nice and will accommodate your hardware.

 

[DelroyMonjo]

I think the Asus monitors are HOT!
I have a VH236 23" which I got for $160.00 from Newegg and the whites are WHITE, the blacks are BLACK and the colors look great.Imho
I don't need to get into a snarling contest with some Photoshopper.

 

[Chirality]

I really like the case, it's mostly a choice based on some vanity - I want to get some red glow fans, tubes, lightning stripes etc etc. I'm comfortable paying a little bit more for something that looks good on the outside too.

My friend is making the loop for me, it's also a part of the budget - but there are things I'm 100% comfortable with paying for even if it is expensive. Cooling is one of them, but not more than 350 dollars. The mobo is another, I want one that exceeds my expectations. I don't really think 350 is to much for a great board. Originally I wanted to run 3 SLI evga 580's with full water cooling - but someone showed me it would cost around one grand just for cooling so I toned down everything.

I want the three monitor experience more than anything, I agree with you about putting as much towards the graphics and processing, but another card would run me into 1700 for just the cards outside of cooling them. I don't think I really need three SLI cards for TOR.

 

[mortonww]

Yeah, and if you don't want 3D, you can basically cut the monitor price in half

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236175

 

[Chirality]

Thanks for the link

Where would you get fans for a custom case like that? I can't find any on their website. I've never had a problem with selecting fans but I've also never have had to purchase them online lol.