Overkill build...within reason

[brob]

In hindsight, yeah it's not really overkill. Maybe for what I'm doing, but not for gaming pcs.

 

. . .

 

Now the few things I've done to revise brought my price down to just over $2000 (http://pcpartpicker.com/user/captsaw/saved/3l82) but it begs the question, for only $200 more and a little more headroom is it worth keeping the original components? Like I wrote in the OP I've been over these parts so many times that I'm becoming indecisive. Should I just go ahead and go with my gut and get the better components even though I may not need them, or ratchet it back some more and go to a 770 windforce and air cooling spending less than 2 grand? I'm really astonished at all the replies and greatly appreciate it. Thank you guys and keep 'em coming.

 

I basically like your original build. It's quality and should provide years of good performance. Personally I would have gone with the Asus Maximus VI Hero or MSI G65-Gaming motherboard, but the Formula has some very nice features.

 

Faster memory can make a difference in some games. More importantly in a general environment it can add 5%+ to real world performance.

 

I gather a quiet system is important. This can be achieved in a number of ways, but filling all the fan mounts of a case even with Noctua fans is not necessarily the optimal way. In the build below I suggest a different case, one that has excellent specs and benchmarks quieter than the R4. There is no need to replace or add fans to a quiet case unless, or until the need for doing so becomes apparent. With your build I doubt it will be necessary.

 

I've also included a high quality 80+ Platinum psu in the build. Better psu tend to be quieter and like many advanced units today the Seasonic in the part list only runs the fan when the load and/or temperature requires it.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($319.99 @ SuperBiiz)

CPU Cooler:  Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($114.99 @ NCIX US)

Motherboard:  Asus MAXIMUS VI FORMULA ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($298.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory:  G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($154.94 @ Amazon)

Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($161.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card  ($699.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Case:  Nanoxia DS1WIB ATX Mid Tower Case  ($132.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply:  SeaSonic 660W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($146.98 @ SuperBiiz)

Optical Drive:  LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer  ($49.99 @ Newegg)

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit)  ($99.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $2177.85

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-05 00:25 EST-0500)

[captsaw]

 

I basically like your original build. It's quality and should provide years of good performance. Personally I would have gone with the Asus Maximus VI Hero or MSI G65-Gaming motherboard, but the Formula has some very nice features.

 

Faster memory can make a difference in some games. More importantly in a general environment it can add 5%+ to real world performance.

 

I gather a quiet system is important. This can be achieved in a number of ways, but filling all the fan mounts of a case even with Noctua fans is not necessarily the optimal way. In the build below I suggest a different case, one that has excellent specs and benchmarks quieter than the R4. There is no need to replace or add fans to a quiet case unless, or until the need for doing so becomes apparent. With your build I doubt it will be necessary.

 

The only reason I went with the Formula is because I've read that it has good audio. I don't necessarily have an audiophile ear, but I do like music and I don't mean top 40 mastered for iTunes. Not that there's anything wrong with it, just not my style. I do understand that faster memory can help, but I get the impression that 1600mhz will be good enough for gaming and I could try to overclock the RAM a little. I'm not an expert on airflow with computers so I'm just going off of the fact these fans are very highly rated and recommended. Like I put in the parts list below, I'm looking at using Giggity's h320 suggestion so one of the things I wondered about was using the fans on the radiator correctly in the case config. The 630 (specs http://www.nzxt.com/product/detail/118-phantom-630.html) is capable of housing it, but I don't know if I should swap out fans for better airflow. I'm considering mounting the fans on top of the rad in between it and the top of the case in pull so it exhausts out of the case. I just don't know if having the 1x 200mm fan in the front will be enough air pushing through the case. It is a full tower case so it's big. Looking at some of pictures though I can probably take out some of the lower hard drive cages and leave the front fan and then I wouldn't need to worry about the air flow? Airflow is kind of lost on me as is much of this stuff, hence the post.

 

The system is overpriced for what it does.

 

Edits: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2vRL7

Save the rest of the money for upgrades. If you really want to spend more, get some new peripherals.

 

For the money that's not a bad system, but like I said in OP this is a system I want to build and not have to modify for quite some time. Maybe that build is a better way to go, but I already feel like this is the build I want to go with. Plus I can run these stock and have a good experience and then when I get further on down the road I can overclock them to keep up and I mentioned possibly water cooling the gpu and going sli. Which by the time I reach the need for that the card price will hopefully have dropped and make it a viable option. So while this build isn't overkill to everyone, I guess at least for some people it is. If you can give me reasons as to why you think the AMD build is more appropriate considering my "build it and forget it" mentality I'd love to consider them. I'm definitely still weighing my options even though you may see me post build configs.

 

Corsair CX,CS,GS,TX,RM and VS are models you should avoid at all costs.Their OEM are bad(according to experienced computer repair person,not enthusiasts),and they also use low quality capacitors at different areas which can take out your entire system.

The XFX one I chose are Seasonic OEM which are much better than the ones above(Channel Well,Chicony,GreatWall etc)

How about the phantom 630 that supports the H320(please refer to my new pcpartpicker post)

You can save more by getting a GTX780,but you should not step down to a 770.

If air cooling is enough for you,here are the recommended coolers that are high performance:Noctua NHD14,Phanteks TCH14PE,Thermalright Silver Arrow,Deep COol Assassin(should swap out the 120mm fan for a NF-F12) and Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 2.If it needs to be lower profile sideways,then the NHU14S.

Actually have you considered the AMD FX8320?It performs better than a 4670K and is much cheaper.Pair it with a Asus M5A99FX-Pro and you are golden(the mobo is blue,not gold so no pun intended).

 

Okay, I'm definitely on board with the power supply, case, and the cooler. I'll probably stick with the 780 ti. Partially to say I have one, but more because it will be one of the best gaming experiences that can be had right now from a single card. My current rig does have an AMD processor in it so I can't really say I'm opposed to having an AMD in the build. I even looked at the 8350. That being said I feel like I'd rather have the 4670k. Maybe I've just been reading too much hype about intel processors and it could be a better option. Let me know your reasons so I can better consider my options. So far this setup is what I feel the most comfortable with based on gut reaction, suggestions, and what I know to be good parts and is still subject to change:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.99 @ NCIX US) 

CPU Cooler:  Swiftech H320 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($158.87 @ NCIX US) 

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($185.99 @ Amazon) 

Memory:  G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($149.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($161.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card  ($699.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case:  NZXT Phantom 630 Black ATX Full Tower Case  ($179.98 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan:  Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($21.98 @ NCIX US) 

Case Fan:  Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($21.98 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply:  XFX ProSeries 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($85.99 @ NCIX US) 

Optical Drive:  LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer  ($49.99 @ Newegg) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit)  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $2106.72

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-05 02:11 EST-0500)

 

Again if you guys see this, thanks for all the posts and reading my ridiculously long replies. I feel like I'm actually weighing options now rather than just going "Ooooh shiney!" 

[WoodenMarker]

The only reason I went with the Formula is because I've read that it has good audio. I don't necessarily have an audiophile ear, but I do like music and I don't mean top 40 mastered for iTunes. Not that there's anything wrong with it, just not my style. I do understand that faster memory can help, but I get the impression that 1600mhz will be good enough for gaming and I could try to overclock the RAM a little. I'm not an expert on airflow with computers so I'm just going off of the fact these fans are very highly rated and recommended. Like I put in the parts list below, I'm looking at using Giggity's h320 suggestion so one of the things I wondered about was using the fans on the radiator correctly in the case config. The 630 (specs http://www.nzxt.com/product/detail/118-phantom-630.html) is capable of housing it, but I don't know if I should swap out fans for better airflow. I'm considering mounting the fans on top of the rad in between it and the top of the case in pull so it exhausts out of the case. I just don't know if having the 1x 200mm fan in the front will be enough air pushing through the case. It is a full tower case so it's big. Looking at some of pictures though I can probably take out some of the lower hard drive cages and leave the front fan and then I wouldn't need to worry about the air flow? Airflow is kind of lost on me as is much of this stuff, hence the post.

 

For the money that's not a bad system, but like I said in OP this is a system I want to build and not have to modify for quite some time. Maybe that build is a better way to go, but I already feel like this is the build I want to go with. Plus I can run these stock and have a good experience and then when I get further on down the road I can overclock them to keep up and I mentioned possibly water cooling the gpu and going sli. Which by the time I reach the need for that the card price will hopefully have dropped and make it a viable option. So while this build isn't overkill to everyone, I guess at least for some people it is. If you can give me reasons as to why you think the AMD build is more appropriate considering my "build it and forget it" mentality I'd love to consider them. I'm definitely still weighing my options even though you may see me post build configs.

 

Okay, I'm definitely on board with the power supply, case, and the cooler. I'll probably stick with the 780 ti. Partially to say I have one, but more because it will be one of the best gaming experiences that can be had right now from a single card. My current rig does have an AMD processor in it so I can't really say I'm opposed to having an AMD in the build. I even looked at the 8350. That being said I feel like I'd rather have the 4670k. Maybe I've just been reading too much hype about intel processors and it could be a better option. Let me know your reasons so I can better consider my options. So far this setup is what I feel the most comfortable with based on gut reaction, suggestions, and what I know to be good parts and is still subject to change:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.99 @ NCIX US) 

CPU Cooler:  Swiftech H320 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($158.87 @ NCIX US) 

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($185.99 @ Amazon) 

Memory:  G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($149.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($161.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card  ($699.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case:  NZXT Phantom 630 Black ATX Full Tower Case  ($179.98 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan:  Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($21.98 @ NCIX US) 

Case Fan:  Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($21.98 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply:  XFX ProSeries 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($85.99 @ NCIX US) 

Optical Drive:  LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer  ($49.99 @ Newegg) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit)  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $2106.72

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-05 02:11 EST-0500)

 

Again if you guys see this, thanks for all the posts and reading my ridiculously long replies. I feel like I'm actually weighing options now rather than just going "Ooooh shiney!" 

It's much better to invest your money in actual better audio hardware instead of an expensive mobo if that's what your after.

As for fans, there's little point to having so many fans. If what your'e going for is silence, grab a Define R4 and grab 3 NF-A14's and replace the case fans.

If you want to get the Phantom 630, I'd actually just remove some of the fans since the positioning of them aren't the best and less fans = less noise. the cooling will be plenty even when you remove some fans.

I have 4 fans total in my system--2 case fans and 1 each for my graphics card and cpu. My temps are pretty good too.

 

Watercooling is not worth the money if what you want is simply performance. It's generally done for the cool factor, noise, and looks.

What I recommended you wouldn't have to upgrade much sooner or at all sooner than your original build.

Unless you're sure you're going to sli, you probably won't. Many people who plan to sli don't because there tends to be a better single gpu solution that's cheaper and more efficient by then time they want to upgrade.

I suggested going with the 8320 because it's pretty much all you'll need for a while and you're paying much more for the i7 with little to no noticeable improvement in most of the things you're doing.

 

The 780 Ti is a bad value. I'd suggest going with the 780 and put the extra money upgrading with a better single card solution when you need to.

The 4670k is a fine choice as well. Either the 8320 or 4670k would be fine for gaming. If you look up benchmarks, there isn't much of a difference. I would only go with the 4670k if you play badly optimized games that are highly reliant on fast single cores like Planetside 2 or some MMORPG's.

 

It's not worth spending so much to oc the cpu when what you're doing is gaming.

Why 16GB ram?

The seagate barracuda costs the same as the caviar blue and is a bit faster.

...Is the bluray drive really necessary?

[captsaw]

It's much better to invest your money in actual better audio hardware instead of an expensive mobo if that's what your after.

As for fans, there's little point to having so many fans. If what your'e going for is silence, grab a Define R4 and grab 3 NF-A14's and replace the case fans.

If you want to get the Phantom 630, I'd actually just remove some of the fans since the positioning of them aren't the best and less fans = less noise. the cooling will be plenty even when you remove some fans.

I have 4 fans total in my system--2 case fans and 1 each for my graphics card and cpu. My temps are pretty good too.

 

Watercooling is not worth the money if what you want is simply performance. It's generally done for the cool factor, noise, and looks.

What I recommended you wouldn't have to upgrade much sooner or at all sooner than your original build.

Unless you're sure you're going to sli, you probably won't. Many people who plan to sli don't because there tends to be a better single gpu solution that's cheaper and more efficient by then time they want to upgrade.

I suggested going with the 8320 because it's pretty much all you'll need for a while and you're paying much more for the i7 with little to no noticeable improvement in most of the things you're doing.

 

The 780 Ti is a bad value. I'd suggest going with the 780 and put the extra money upgrading with a better single card solution when you need to.

The 4670k is a fine choice as well. Either the 8320 or 4670k would be fine for gaming. If you look up benchmarks, there isn't much of a difference. I would only go with the 4670k if you play badly optimized games that are highly reliant on fast single cores like Planetside 2 or some MMORPG's.

 

It's not worth spending so much to oc the cpu when what you're doing is gaming.

Why 16GB ram?

The seagate barracuda costs the same as the caviar blue and is a bit faster.

...Is the bluray drive really necessary?

 

You've got a lot of good points to be honest and that kind of brings home to me just how ridiculous this is. I really do like the R4 and if I'm not water cooling then the Phantom isn't necessary. It does have an sd card slot built into the front panel so I do like that, but external card readers are cheap and I probably have one around here somewhere. I'm leaning more towards the R4. The only reason I brought up the water cooling option was again so it would be future proofed and I could get higher overclock speeds out of the system. I do realize that you can do just about the same without using liquid cooling, it'll just make more noise with slightly lower overclock potential. The 780 ti seemed to be hitting the highest marks in fps during gameplay in games that I want to invest time in so I figured it was a good way to go. I know that it's overpriced now because it's newer to the market, I just figured it would help me getting a better overall experience. For the processor, I've more or less moved away from MMOs, but elder scrolls online is coming out in a few months so that may change. That being said most of the games I'm looking at are games like BF4, Far Cry, Skyrim, Call of Duty, and Payday so some online games. It just makes me wonder if the 4670k will perform better during online situations. The 16GB of ram is again just one of those things to have for future proofing. It goes back to what my original mentality was, buy it now, use it later. I do agree that 16GB is overkill for anything right considering I'm not using this as a workstation. The hard drive I didn't actually pay as much attention to. I knew I wanted an SSD for faster boot and load times. I actually have a 1TB barracuda in my computer now, I just wanted to leave it so this computer can be donated to someone in my family. The Blu-ray is not completely necessary as much as a CD-RW would be, but if it can do both why not have it? Sometimes I just want to sit at my computer and watch something while browsing the web. Not to mention I buy physical copies of the music I listen to because I'm old fashioned and like to have the art work and be able to hold the disc in my hand. I do have Blu-ray movies that I watch and I pull my music off the CDs using a lossless system. I know everyone is doing digital everything now, but I still like to have a physical copy. It's just a personal choice. So I do agree that your build makes more sense when it comes to bang for buck. I wouldn't mind putting together a system with liquid cooling just to be able to build it, because I enjoy building things. I really do like your build though and it's $1000 cheaper so I can't say that I would be unhappy saving money. I used your basic price range on the AMD build and then made one with the 4670k just for comparison and they're seperated by about $150 with AMD being cheaper as I expected. AMD gets a lot out of their products for the price, that's for sure. I guess I have to decide between a bragging rights "hey look what I've got!" system that may be somewhat future proof or a system that is more cost effective and may not perform as well, but will last for about the same amount time. Thank you for your time and advice. I may have to keep thinking about this for another week or two before I can make a decision. Feel free to keep commenting. I'll keep watching and thinking.

[WoodenMarker]

The 8320 will play all the games you mentioned smoothly and like ESO as well. If it gives you peace of mind in case you end up playing some badly optimized games, I'd suggest getting the 4670k. 

Looks are quite subjective so go with whatever case you'd like. 

If you're heavy on multitasking or play some heavily modded games, the 16GB could help. I was just asking to get a better idea of what would suit you best.

Since you actually do use bluray discs, go ahead and get the drive. It's just that in most cases, people who make builds with a hefty budget get a bluray drive for no apparent reason just because it feels more 'complete'.

[captsaw]

Yeah, I actually use the disc drive on my computer lol. I do like the 8320 for being a very affordable 8 core and it can be overclocked, so I'm definitely starting to lean that direction. Any suggestions on components as far as good audio upgrades? I don't know what types of sounds cards would work better than any other. For speakers I just need a set that is flat but reproduces the sound very authentically. I guess that pushes more towards audiophile territory. The main thing is I listen to the music while I'm playing guitar at a relatively loud volume. So I need something that is clear when it gets loud so I don't know if a sound card will help here or if there are dacs that will work better. Any ideas folks?

[WoodenMarker]

Yeah, I actually use the disc drive on my computer lol. I do like the 8320 for being a very affordable 8 core and it can be overclocked, so I'm definitely starting to lean that direction. Any suggestions on components as far as good audio upgrades? I don't know what types of sounds cards would work better than any other. For speakers I just need a set that is flat but reproduces the sound very authentically. I guess that pushes more towards audiophile territory. The main thing is I listen to the music while I'm playing guitar at a relatively loud volume. So I need something that is clear when it gets loud so I don't know if a sound card will help here or if there are dacs that will work better. Any ideas folks?

I'd point you to the audio section for that but only after you get the parts for the rig down and allocate the rest of the money as the budget/guide for whatever you need to get. 

[captsaw]

Alright, so I went back and did two builds and kind of trimmed the fat. I did both AMD and Intel with the exact same components outside the obvious cpu and motherboard differences. I tried to price match the motherboards to be about the same. There's about a $75 difference with the Intel being more expensive because of the 4670k price. The only thing that I question in this one is whether I should keep one stick of 8GB or go with two sticks of 4GB on RAM. The Phanteks cpu cooler looks like a pretty solid one, but I would consider either a Noctua or Dark Rock alternative. The Dark Rock I could only find on NCIX and I think there was literally one in stock so chances of getting it are not so great. Other than that I feel like this build is much more fitting without really compromising the overall goal and is about $600 cheaper than the original planned rig. Again, thoughts?

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU:  AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor  ($149.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler:  Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BK 78.1 CFM CPU Cooler  ($74.99 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard:  Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($126.98 @ SuperBiiz) 

Memory:  Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($64.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($161.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($82.99 @ NCIX US) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card  ($499.99 @ Newegg) 

Case:  Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan:  Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($21.98 @ NCIX US) 

Case Fan:  Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($21.98 @ NCIX US) 

Case Fan:  Noctua NF-A14 PWM 82.5 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($21.98 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply:  XFX ProSeries 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($85.99 @ NCIX US) 

Optical Drive:  LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer  ($49.99 @ Newegg) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit)  ($94.98 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $1557.82

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-05 06:35 EST-0500)

[WoodenMarker]

Alright, so I went back and did two builds and kind of trimmed the fat. I did both AMD and Intel with the exact same components outside the obvious cpu and motherboard differences. I tried to price match the motherboards to be about the same. There's about a $75 difference with the Intel being more expensive because of the 4670k price. The only thing that I question in this one is whether I should keep one stick of 8GB or go with two sticks of 4GB on RAM. The Phanteks cpu cooler looks like a pretty solid one, but I would consider either a Noctua or Dark Rock alternative. The Dark Rock I could only find on NCIX and I think there was literally one in stock so chances of getting it are not so great. Other than that I feel like this build is much more fitting without really compromising the overall goal and is about $600 cheaper than the original planned rig. Again, thoughts?

 

PCPartPicker part list

The number of sticks don't really matter. 2 looks better imo but looks are subjective. 

Are you planning to sli? Are you shooting for a particular quiet build?

[captsaw]

No on SLI for now. I'm going with a single gpu then I'll upgrade when necessary down the line. Running SLI was something I had in mind if I used this for a year or two and I wanted to get more performance without a complete overhaul. That's why I had considered the 780 ti. I don't need it to be absolutely silent, but it would be nice to keep the noise down.

[WoodenMarker]

No on SLI for now. I'm going with a single gpu then I'll upgrade when necessary down the line. Running SLI was something I had in mind if I used this for a year or two and I wanted to get more performance without a complete overhaul. That's why I had considered the 780 ti. I don't need it to be absolutely silent, but it would be nice to keep the noise down.

You need to quote a post or tag a member or else they won't get a notification you replied to them.

 

Edits: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2vZs0

[captsaw]

You need to quote a post or tag a member or else they won't get a notification you replied to them.

 

Edits: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2vZs0

 

Gotcha. Is the Havik going to work well enough partnered with the Windforce 780 to not need better case fans and will the two dimms have clearance under the cooler? I can put them in the outer slots if it's close on space. Your choices seem to be whatever the cheapest option is. Granted stuff like RAM may not differ between brands, but with the SSD is there a difference? The ADATA SP900 is halfway between both in price at $147 and I just checked Newegg and the Kingston is out of stock, but Amazon has it for $156 though. Same question with the Havik vs. the Phanteks. I know they are both good coolers. Is the Havik better suited in this case scenario? I really like the Windforce. I'm glad you put that in there.

[WoodenMarker]

Gotcha. Is the Havik going to work well enough partnered with the Windforce 780 to not need better case fans and will the two dimms have clearance under the cooler? I can put them in the outer slots if it's close on space. Your choices seem to be whatever the cheapest option is. Granted stuff like RAM may not differ between brands, but with the SSD is there a difference? The ADATA SP900 is halfway between both in price at $147 and I just checked Newegg and the Kingston is out of stock, but Amazon has it for $156 though. Same question with the Havik vs. the Phanteks. I know they are both good coolers. Is the Havik better suited in this case scenario? I really like the Windforce. I'm glad you put that in there.

The cooling is plenty. The ram is low profile so it fits just fine. 

I've worked with the SP900 and the v300. There's no noticeable difference.

The Phanteks is ever so slightly better and a bit quieter. The Havik is just cheaper. Get the Phanteks if you prefer the looks. 

[captsaw]

The cooling is plenty. The ram is low profile so it fits just fine. 

I've worked with the SP900 and the v300. There's no noticeable difference.

The Phanteks is ever so slightly better and a bit quieter. The Havik is just cheaper. Get the Phanteks if you prefer the looks. 

 

Alright, I'll go with the SP900 just because it's $10 cheaper. I think both coolers look fine. The Havik is more symmetrical. If it's too loud I can replace the fans.

So this is where I'm at on this build right now. Any other advice before I make my final decisions?

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU:  AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor  ($154.29 @ Amazon) 

CPU Cooler:  NZXT HAVIK 140 90.3 CFM CPU Cooler  ($54.99 @ Amazon) 

Motherboard:  Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($136.98 @ Amazon) 

Memory:  Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($64.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  A-Data Premier Pro SP900 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($147.27 @ TigerDirect) 

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($82.99 @ NCIX US) 

Video Card:  Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card  ($499.99 @ Amazon) 

Case:  Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply:  XFX ProSeries 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($85.99 @ NCIX US) 

Optical Drive:  LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer  ($49.99 @ Newegg) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit)  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1477.46

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-05 17:19 EST-0500)

[WoodenMarker]

Alright, I'll go with the SP900 just because it's $10 cheaper. I think both coolers look fine. The Havik is more symmetrical. If it's too loud I can replace the fans.

So this is where I'm at on this build right now. Any other advice before I make my final decisions?

 

PCPartPicker part list

It looks great to me.

[captsaw]

It looks great to me.

 

Awesome! If it weren't for your help I probably would have pulled the trigger on that ridiculous overkill setup and wasted money on nothing. This is most likely what I'm going to build. Thank you very much for the help. Should I mark solved using your last post or does that matter?

[WoodenMarker]

Awesome! If it weren't for your help I probably would have pulled the trigger on that ridiculous overkill setup and wasted money on nothing. This is most likely what I'm going to build. Thank you very much for the help. Should I mark solved using your last post or does that matter?

It helps to mark the topic as solved so people can see it is in the title. Mark whatever you think was the best answer. I guess it's time to head over to the audio section?

[captsaw]

It helps to mark the topic as solved so people can see it is in the title. Mark whatever you think was the best answer. I guess it's time to head over to the audio section?

 

Indeed. I may make a post in the build log section when I'm done.