Thoughts on my build

[casey2161]

So I have been thinking about what build would be good for less than $2000 and this is what I have come up with. I would like to know people's opinions and what they would change/add to the build.

Budget without rebates and after shipping: $2000

I will more than likely not be overclocking immediately after I buy the system but will in the future

case: Corsair Vengeance Series C70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139015

cpu: i7-3770k
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116501

gpu: 2x Asus GTX670-DC2OG-2GD5 obviously running in sli
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121707

psu: KINGWIN Power Force PF-850 850W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817121096

ram: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231429

motherboard: ASRock Z77 Professional LGA 1155
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157299

ssd: 2x Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD1 2.5" 128GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148529

 

[lt_dan_zsu]

You might want to compare the asrock extreme4 with your board to see if this is good enough. Doesn't seem that much worse if at all
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293
Then I would go with an i5 3570k
This gpu is the same price and more powerful, the 7970
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150586
OR you could get a $380 7970, which is still more powerful
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008
OR you could get the 670 that is only $360, which will be just as powerful as yours
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127675
Then only get 8gb ram, or none if you get the asrock extreme4
I personally would just go with one ssd and a 1tb hard drive or get this ssd which has 256gb storage
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148443

 

[excella1221]

What will the system usage be?

 

[casey2161]

lt_dan_zsu: I like your changes to the motherboard, your suggestion of only using 8 gigs of ram, and the ssd change. I also have a terabyte harddrive laying around for extra storage. As for the gpu I don't know if I want to go with a radeon. How are they drivers-wise because I've heard not great things about it. I've personally only used nvidia but would be willing to use a radeon. I am looking at the galaxy 670 4 gig version with a non stock cooler.

The primary use for this pc is for gaming with some video rendering

 

[g-unit1111]

lt_dan_zsu: I like your changes to the motherboard, your suggestion of only using 8 gigs of ram, and the ssd change. I also have a terabyte harddrive laying around for extra storage. As for the gpu I don't know if I want to go with a radeon. How are they drivers-wise because I've heard not great things about it. I've personally only used nvidia but would be willing to use a radeon. I am looking at the galaxy 670 4 gig version with a non stock cooler.

The primary use for this pc is for gaming with some video rendering

On that kind of budget I'm questioning what the second SSD is for. The C70 is a decent choice, the Carbide 500R has better air flow. I like the Switch 810 the best but that's a lot of personal preference. If you're doing some rendering I'd recommend NVIDIA over AMD because for your use you will benefit from CUDA and Phys X hardware acceleration which the Radeons don't have.

I went a bit over budget but here's what I would suggest:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($80.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($73.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M4 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($389.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($389.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Switch 810 (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic X Series 1050W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($211.82 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $2094.71
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-14 14:00 EST-0500)

If you need OS, monitor, or anything else you can drop one of the 670's and add one on later.

 

[Kamen_BG]

I'll just post this here.

It's an upgraded version of g-unit's build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler ($81.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme6 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($144.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Intel Extreme Master, Limited Ed 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($37.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Intel Extreme Master, Limited Ed 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($37.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($429.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($429.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill THOR V2 ATX Full Tower Case ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: OCZ ZX 1250W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($178.49 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($24.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $2051.37
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-14 15:09 EST-0500)

It's better in every aspect.

 

[g-unit1111]

I'll just post this here.

It's an upgraded version of g-unit's build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC14PE 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler ($81.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme6 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($144.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Intel Extreme Master, Limited Ed 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($37.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Intel Extreme Master, Limited Ed 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($37.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($429.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($429.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill THOR V2 ATX Full Tower Case ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: OCZ ZX 1250W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($178.49 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($24.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $2051.37
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-14 15:09 EST-0500)

It's better in every aspect.

You're overpaying for video cards, using a case that's ridiculously over sized, a PSU that's major overkill (not really from a reliable manufacturer either), and using 4 x 4GB instead of 2 x 8GB where the latter will offer better expansion. How is this better exactly?

 

[casey2161]

This is what I am currently thinking. I like the aesthetic of the c70. I don't think it will have too much of a problem with airflow and keeping relatively low temperature but I may be wrong as this is my first build from scratch. I don't need an optical drive or an extra storage drive because I have one already

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H80 92.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($129.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($38.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Crucial M4 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($184.95 @ B&H)
Video Card: Galaxy GeForce GTX 670 4GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($359.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Galaxy GeForce GTX 670 4GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($359.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair C70 Gunmetal Black (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 1050W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($178.50 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Full (32/64-bit) ($159.99 @ Adorama)
Total: $1929.36
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-14 18:48 EST-0500)

 

[lt_dan_zsu]

lt_dan_zsu: I like your changes to the motherboard, your suggestion of only using 8 gigs of ram, and the ssd change. I also have a terabyte harddrive laying around for extra storage. As for the gpu I don't know if I want to go with a radeon. How are they drivers-wise because I've heard not great things about it. I've personally only used nvidia but would be willing to use a radeon. I am looking at the galaxy 670 4 gig version with a non stock cooler.

The primary use for this pc is for gaming with some video rendering

Don't get cards that use more ram than they are designed to, it often times slows it down. The drivers for radeon are fine. their most recent one increased fps with 10% is some cards. I have heard that nvidia is having some problems right now, but I could be wrong.

 

[casey2161]

Hmm. I think I am going to stick with nvidia for this build.