First Time Builder

[zolo30]

I am a first time builder but for the last 15 years I have kept up with the PC building world and parts. I am very familiar with all the companies and what they offer in the PC world. I am finally going to build my own computer. In the past I bought a custom laptop and an iMac but it is time to get the power I truly deserve. Below I am posting my propsed build and what I am looking for is tips on what to keep, upgrade, or get rid of. My goal is to have a powerful gaming machine that is capable of at least dual SLI for longevity of graphics, Have storage and speed when it comes to hardrives, Have a quiet and cool case that will give me options in the future to water cool for overclocking purposes, have my processor being overclockable to get more juice out of it down the road, I want dual monitors that have great color and low lag, and I will be using this computer for heavy gaming use and video streaming of my games. I am coming from a 2011 27 inch iMac with a 2500 i5, 6970M Radeon Graphics Card 1GB, and a 1TB 5400 RPM hardrive with 16GB ram. Basically anything I build will be better and my budget is up to $3,000 USD. I am looking to get the most performance I can so I am going to RAID 0 the SSD's but I am wondering if the Samsung 840 EVO would be faster in RAID 0 with allocating some RAM as a buffer than the 840 Pro would be plus it would be cheaper.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2WKez

[Paralectic]

I am a first time builder but for the last 15 years I have kept up with the PC building world and parts. I am very familiar with all the companies and what they offer in the PC world. I am finally going to build my own computer. In the past I bought a custom laptop and an iMac but it is time to get the power I truly deserve. Below I am posting my propsed build and what I am looking for is tips on what to keep, upgrade, or get rid of. My goal is to have a powerful gaming machine that is capable of at least dual SLI for longevity of graphics, Have storage and speed when it comes to hardrives, Have a quiet and cool case that will give me options in the future to water cool for overclocking purposes, have my processor being overclockable to get more juice out of it down the road, I want dual monitors that have great color and low lag, and I will be using this computer for heavy gaming use and video streaming of my games. I am coming from a 2011 27 inch iMac with a 2500 i5, 6970M Radeon Graphics Card 1GB, and a 1TB 5400 RPM hardrive with 16GB ram. Basically anything I build will be better and my budget is up to $3,000 USD. I am looking to get the most performance I can so I am going to RAID 0 the SSD's but I am wondering if the Samsung 840 EVO would be faster in RAID 0 with allocating some RAM as a buffer than the 840 Pro would be plus it would be cheaper.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2WKez

First off, the RAM is overpriced and not worth it: Get a normal kit;

Second: If you want to SLI in the future, get a 780(Ti) for now and buy a second one later: That's way better than a weird SLI configuration with 2 x 760s.

Third: Go with a better CPU cooler if you really want to be cool 'n quit ( Noctua, COUGH COUGH ).

Fourth: I would DEFINITELY go for 2 IPS monitors instead of TN, the response time is something you won't notice so IPS over TN all day.

 

Beside these four points, it's good! the 4770K is a beast of a CPU, the PSU is more than enough and so is the storage ( Gotta love the 840 EVO SSDs from Samsung ).

 

Good luck!

[brob]

I am a first time builder but for the last 15 years I have kept up with the PC building world and parts. I am very familiar with all the companies and what they offer in the PC world. I am finally going to build my own computer. In the past I bought a custom laptop and an iMac but it is time to get the power I truly deserve. Below I am posting my propsed build and what I am looking for is tips on what to keep, upgrade, or get rid of. My goal is to have a powerful gaming machine that is capable of at least dual SLI for longevity of graphics, Have storage and speed when it comes to hardrives, Have a quiet and cool case that will give me options in the future to water cool for overclocking purposes, have my processor being overclockable to get more juice out of it down the road, I want dual monitors that have great color and low lag, and I will be using this computer for heavy gaming use and video streaming of my games. I am coming from a 2011 27 inch iMac with a 2500 i5, 6970M Radeon Graphics Card 1GB, and a 1TB 5400 RPM hardrive with 16GB ram. Basically anything I build will be better and my budget is up to $3,000 USD. I am looking to get the most performance I can so I am going to RAID 0 the SSD's but I am wondering if the Samsung 840 EVO would be faster in RAID 0 with allocating some RAM as a buffer than the 840 Pro would be plus it would be cheaper.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2WKez

 

With the led strip on, the memory parts are too tall for the cpu cooler. A cooler like the Noctua NH-U12S does not have that problem, is quieter and cooler than the 212 EVO.

 

32GB of memory is far more than the system can use given the work load described.

 

RAID 0 ssd are not a good idea except in particular situations, http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-raid-benchmark,3485-13.html. For about the same price a 750 GB 840 EVO drive can be used. A single ssd will actually provide better performance given the usage described. A hybrid hdd will not contribute any noticeable performance improvement. Most frequently accessed items should be on the main ssd which suggests that data on the hdd will be infrequently and quite randomly accessed. Hybrid drives are best in situations where a reasonably consistent pattern of access exists.

 

The budget permits dual GTX 780 in SLI. This would be vastly superior to dual GTX 760 in SLI. You might even consider starting with just one 780 and adding the second down the road.

 

I would suggest IPS panel monitors. They have slightly wider viewing angles and much better color reproductions.

 

I've incorporated my suggestions into a part list below.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($299.99 @ TigerDirect)

CPU Cooler:  Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($49.99 @ NCIX US)

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD5H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($209.98 @ OutletPC)

Memory:  Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($129.99 @ Microcenter)

Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 750GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($399.99 @ Amazon)

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($82.69 @ Amazon)

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($549.99 @ Newegg)

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($549.99 @ Newegg)

Case:  NZXT H440 (White/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($129.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply:  Corsair 860W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($189.99 @ NCIX US)

Monitor:  Asus VN248H-P 23.8" Monitor  ($187.58 @ Newegg)

Monitor:  Asus VN248H-P 23.8" Monitor  ($187.58 @ Newegg)

Total: $2967.74

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-20 12:26 EST-0500)

 

 

There is no need for all the fans. The stock fans should be adequate and suitably quiet.

[zolo30]

With the led strip on, the memory parts are too tall for the cpu cooler. A cooler like the Noctua NH-U12S does not have that problem, is quieter and cooler than the 212 EVO.

 

32GB of memory is far more than the system can use given the work load described.

 

RAID 0 ssd are not a good idea except in particular situations, http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-raid-benchmark,3485-13.html. For about the same price a 750 GB 840 EVO drive can be used. A single ssd will actually provide better performance given the usage described. A hybrid hdd will not contribute any noticeable performance improvement. Most frequently accessed items should be on the main ssd which suggests that data on the hdd will be infrequently and quite randomly accessed. Hybrid drives are best in situations where a reasonably consistent pattern of access exists.

 

The budget permits dual GTX 780 in SLI. This would be vastly superior to dual GTX 760 in SLI. You might even consider starting with just one 780 and adding the second down the road.

 

I would suggest IPS panel monitors. They have slightly wider viewing angles and much better color reproductions.

 

I've incorporated my suggestions into a part list below.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($299.99 @ TigerDirect)

CPU Cooler:  Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($49.99 @ NCIX US)

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD5H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($209.98 @ OutletPC)

Memory:  Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($129.99 @ Microcenter)

Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 750GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($399.99 @ Amazon)

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($82.69 @ Amazon)

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($549.99 @ Newegg)

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($549.99 @ Newegg)

Case:  NZXT H440 (White/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($129.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply:  Corsair 860W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($189.99 @ NCIX US)

Monitor:  Asus VN248H-P 23.8" Monitor  ($187.58 @ Newegg)

Monitor:  Asus VN248H-P 23.8" Monitor  ($187.58 @ Newegg)

Total: $2967.74

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-20 12:26 EST-0500)

 

 

There is no need for all the fans. The stock fans should be adequate and suitably quiet.

What do you think about going with GTX 770 to start with and adding a second later? I am going to take the CPU cooler, SSD, RAM, and Monitor suggestions

[zolo30]

Ok so this is my updated build let me know what you think http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2WXRx

[Naty722]

I like the changes you made. It might just be me having bad past experiences with dual gpus, but I always prefer a stronger single gpu to dual. I know SLI can be great for games and that compatibility is much better than in 2010 when I last had a dual graphics setup, but for not much more, you can get a 780 Ti and destroy everything you put at it, and maybe in a few years, go to SLI to extend the life time. The extra VRAM is also nice as games are demanding more and more, especially if you want high resolutions. That's what I would do. You're current budget certainly allows for it.

[brob]

Ok so this is my updated build let me know what you think http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2WXRx

 

Looks good.

 

If you are going to put in 32GB then you should buy a 4x8GB kit to insure that you can run at the advertised speed and timings using XMP.

[Guest]

Have to say, i'm somewhat jelly of your new to be PC... Nice rig bro!

[zolo30]

I appreciate everyone's tips and comments. I am going to drop the second card and just run one 770 as well as dropping the RAM to 16GB. Depending on prices I may drop my SSD to a smaller size. With the SSD the only things I can think of to put on it are the following: World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 14, Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, Windows 7, itunes, spotify, Chrome, and Steam. But with most of my steam catalog I do not use often and could just catalog on my HDD. So I am starting to wonder if maybe I should just get 500 or 250GB instead of 750GB. I am also wondering if I should got with a watercooling option for my CPU. I would like to overclock my CPU to 4.0-.4.3 from its stock 3.5 and for cooling and noise would my current CPU cooler be fine or would a up to 100 dollar water cooling option be better? Also with the space of my case would I really have room?

[zolo30]

I am actually a noob when it comes to water cooling and installing it. I want water cooling for at least my CPU for better performance and sound. I am trying to make the above build as quiet and cool as I can 

[consoleconvergence2pc]

For gaming you dont need more than 8gb ram

Also you should get a 780ti instead of a 770 beacause the extra 1gb vram will do you good on an extra monitor when gaming

[brob]

I appreciate everyone's tips and comments. I am going to drop the second card and just run one 770 as well as dropping the RAM to 16GB. Depending on prices I may drop my SSD to a smaller size. With the SSD the only things I can think of to put on it are the following: World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 14, Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, Windows 7, itunes, spotify, Chrome, and Steam. But with most of my steam catalog I do not use often and could just catalog on my HDD. So I am starting to wonder if maybe I should just get 500 or 250GB instead of 750GB. I am also wondering if I should got with a watercooling option for my CPU. I would like to overclock my CPU to 4.0-.4.3 from its stock 3.5 and for cooling and noise would my current CPU cooler be fine or would a up to 100 dollar water cooling option be better? Also with the space of my case would I really have room?

 

500GB is a good size. Don't forget that system drives tend to accumulate stuff as software is updated and new drivers are installed.

 

The is enough space in the H440 for an air cooler up to 180mm tall, so there is lots of space for a Noctua. Liquid cooling can do a better job than air. If your chip can achieve the speeds you are looking for air should be sufficient. If you want to go with liquid, consider the Nzxt Kraken X60. In quiet mode it is as quiet as air and does a better job cooling. In extreme mode it is loud but cools even better. In both modes it out performs the H100i in a similar mode. It is a more expensive option.

[zolo30]

Ok I have changed my perspective from my original post. I want to make my machine as quiet but cool as possible. The case I have is supposed to be very good at being silent but air flow is restrictive. I would like to reset my budget to 2500 at the most. I plan on using this machine for the next 6-10 years with switching out or adding graphics cards (as long as pieces dont break on me.) Realistically I have about 1.5 TB of stuff on my computer to fill right away a mixture of stuff that an SSD would utilize and the rest to go on the HDD. Where my next question is would installing 3 more quiet and high pressure 120mm fans on the top of my case and using the Noctua CPU cooler be more beneficial than the AIO water cooler I have for the CPU? I am trying to stay with a color scheme (since I have the window and I would like my machine to look cool) and I learn towards Samsung, Corsair, NVIDIA, and Intel for brands but if convinced otherwise I would choose another brand product. I also decided to stick with just 1x GTX 770 as that will play all the games I currently play and would like to play at max graphics at 1080. Please let me know what you think I am getting real close to buying these products.   http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2XClS

[zolo30]

Bump