System Builder Marathon, Q2 2013: $1300 Enthusiast PC

[Novuake]

How about that little GTX670 that Asus did for small builds? I guess since he was having fun we won't ding David for not getting all his parts at Newegg either...

Was thinking that too but seems he was not looking for an axial cooler.

 

[RedJaron]

CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($499.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H110 94.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($119.88 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock X79 EXTREME4-M Micro ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($129.98 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Seagate Desktop HDD 4TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive ($156.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Desktop HDD 4TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive ($156.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX Titan 6GB Video Card ($999.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Essential 700W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($70.24 @ NCIX US)
Total: $2614.03

LGA 2011 and twin platters in an ITX? Ballsy. Do you have airflow for cooling all that?

 

[slomo4sho]

LGA 2011 and twin platters in an ITX? Ballsy. Do you have airflow for cooling all that?

It is a Micro-ATX build.

 

[RedJaron]

It is a Micro-ATX build.

So it is, I guess I was reading too fast ( and had ITX on the brain due to this month's theme. )

 

[raxx666]

I wish ITX was in the title. I was all excited to read about ATX motherboard recommendations.

 

[imsurgical]

I am also using the exact same case and somewhat identical build (different motherboard, same chipset and GPU, 840 pro 256 ssd, same speed RAM but Corsair Dominator, no storage drive since I just use externals for that so I removed the HDD drive cage pictured since I mounted the SSD on the bottom part of the Optical Drive cage and left way more circulation open for air). I can tell you that you DO NOT need to place and mount the fan where the Antec closed water loop radiator is on the outside unless you're trying to do a push pull configuration. I have mine mounted inside the case using a Nexus 120mm fan and after everything is all installed there's like 1cm clearance between the fan+radiator and PSU. Just an FYI for anyone who's interested since I've commented on this before when Tom's did a review on the case some time back when articles started blowing up on Mini-ITX builds.

 

[Crashman]

I can tell you that you DO NOT need to place and mount the fan where the Antec closed water loop radiator is on the outside unless you're trying to do a push pull configuration... Just an FYI for anyone who's interested since I've commented on this before when Tom's did a review on the case some time back when articles started blowing up on Mini-ITX builds.

Don did not realize when he built the system a month ago that the radiator had screw holes on both sides. AFAIK Tom's Hardware editors have never made this mistake in the past, particularly those who specialize in case reviews.

 

[rdc85]

....The extra $500 doesn't provide much performance boost. Not sure if the 62.5% price premium justifies the modest performance increases and the small form fact?......

Agreed, it feels like the extra budget is wasted...

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I took advantage of specials but think I did much better with better case / SLI capable PSU, significant MoBo upgrade, better SSD and newer faster GFX. Yeah I know ya went ITX but why ? ..... I get asked to do a ITX build less than 1% of the time.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1711055/gaming-1000-1300-time-builder.html#11019219

 

[allanitomwesh]

I'm gonna have to agree that this build is a poor.
1) It's not even that small.
2)Dat power supply.
3) Dat SSD. Why?
4)You didn't take a cheaper build to town.You fail

Please, Dear Lord, Let the badass $2500 be a liquid cooled FT03 mini. If it's a prodigy, I'll kill someone.

 

[Crashman]

I'm gonna have to agree that this build is a poor.
1) It's not even that small.
2)Dat power supply.
3) Dat SSD. Why?
4)You didn't take a cheaper build to town.You fail

Please, Dear Lord, Let the badass $2500 be a liquid cooled FT03 mini. If it's a prodigy, I'll kill someone.

LOL, it's already up. And I don't think the FT03 Mini would work appropriately with the GTX 690's forward exhaust vent.

 

[allanitomwesh]

You have failed me Crashman and Co. :facepalm:

 

[BoredErica]

I crammed 7970 GHZ edition, 4670k, 256gb Samsung Pro Series into that same price point...

 

[spentshells]

I like the build q lot but too much PSU and

 

[space_pope]

This is a pretty lousy build for multiple reasons and I can't believe you would actually recommend it to your readers.

1. You spend too much on the case and psu.
2. You pick a last-gen cpu + mobo.
3. You pick a last-gen gpu that is slower and more expensive than a GTX 770.
4. You pick a useless SSD when you can get double the capacity for $30 more.
5. You choose to include unnecessary water cooling for the CPU, when the primary point of this build is graphics performance, which will rarely ever be CPU limited with the CPU chosen.

Regarding points 2 and 3, saying that some of these parts weren't available when you ordered is complete nonsense. No one that reads this site wouldn't wait a few days to get the latest next-gen parts, especially when they are cheaper and perform better.

Here is a better and cheaper build for $1,218. Even if I included your water cooling (which I personally wouldn't buy) it still comes out cheaper and better.

BitFenix Prodigy BFC-PRO-300-OOXKO-RP Atomic Orange Steel - $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811345021

OCZ ZT Series 750W Fully-Modular 80PLUS Bronze - $79.99 (with code: EMCXPVR57)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341052

GIGABYTE GV-N770OC-2GD GeForce GTX 770 2GB - $399.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125463

GIGABYTE GA-Z87N-WIFI LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX - $134.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128615

Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell 3.4GHz LGA 1150 84W - $239.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116899

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1866 - $64.79 (with code: EMCXPVM43)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231455

Western Digital WD Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s - $89.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD120KW 2.5" 120GB SATA III SSD - $109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147185

LITE-ON DVD Burner - 8X DVD+RW Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 - $17.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

 

[Crashman]

This is a pretty lousy build for multiple reasons and I can't believe you would actually recommend it to your readers.

It would be nice if moderators could simply delete posts like the one above that refers to parts that didn't exist at the time of the build. Saying that real world builders would have waited a few days when these systems were ordered five weeks before the new parts were introduced is complete nonsense, and I refuse to repeat my scheduling apology to anyone who didn't care enough to read it the first time.

 

[allanitomwesh]

This is a pretty lousy build for multiple reasons and I can't believe you would actually recommend it to your readers.

1. You spend too much on the case and psu.
2. You pick a last-gen cpu + mobo.
3. You pick a last-gen gpu that is slower and more expensive than a GTX 770.
4. You pick a useless SSD when you can get double the capacity for $30 more.
5. You choose to include unnecessary water cooling for the CPU, when the primary point of this build is graphics performance, which will rarely ever be CPU limited with the CPU chosen.

Regarding points 2 and 3, saying that some of these parts weren't available when you ordered is complete nonsense. No one that reads this site wouldn't wait a few days to get the latest next-gen parts, especially when they are cheaper and perform better.

Here is a better and cheaper build for $1,218. Even if I included your water cooling (which I personally wouldn't buy) it still comes out cheaper and better.

BitFenix Prodigy BFC-PRO-300-OOXKO-RP Atomic Orange Steel - $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811345021

OCZ ZT Series 750W Fully-Modular 80PLUS Bronze - $79.99 (with code: EMCXPVR57)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341052

GIGABYTE GV-N770OC-2GD GeForce GTX 770 2GB - $399.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125463

GIGABYTE GA-Z87N-WIFI LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX - $134.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128615

Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell 3.4GHz LGA 1150 84W - $239.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116899

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1866 - $64.79 (with code: EMCXPVM43)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231455

Western Digital WD Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s - $89.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD120KW 2.5" 120GB SATA III SSD - $109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147185

LITE-ON DVD Burner - 8X DVD+RW Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 - $17.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

1.Your case is far less suited for prime time in a living room
2.Duh,did you think they own a time machine to shop IN THE FUTURE?
3.Again,see 2
4.And go out of budget.Sure,why not.Oh yeah...
5.Because Intel's cooler is so quiet?Not.
A month,and they weren't cheap at launch either.
PSU wont fit. Clown .