New PC, Need Advice

[DSF]

It's really not necessary to make multiple posts in the span of minutes. You can use the edit button at the bottom to add new info.

You're spending WAY too much on the motherboard. Almost 3x too much. Even if you want to leave the option of multi-GPU open, the Asrock Extreme4 is going for something like $115 in places. Use the savings to do two things:

- Get a Fractal Design Define R4 or similar. (Define R4 is currently $80 with FS at Newegg.)
- Get an SSD for the OS and games with noticeable load times. On your budget there's no reason not to have one.

[Kira365]

Originally Posted by DSF

It's really not necessary to make multiple posts in the span of minutes. You can use the edit button at the bottom to add new info.

- My bad I forgot about the edit button :p lol

Originally Posted by DSF

You're spending WAY too much on the motherboard. Almost 3x too much. Even if you want to leave the option of multi-GPU open, the Asrock Extreme4 is going for something like $115 in places. Use the savings to do two things:

-Thank you, I don't much about the motherboards so i actually had a hard time picking one

Originally Posted by DSF

Get a Fractal Design Define R4 or similar. (Define R4 is currently $80 with FS at Newegg.)

-just googled and watched some reviews on the Fractal R4 and it looks nice but it doesn't look like it will have the same airflow as the other case, will this be bad for the PCs performance??

Originally Posted by DSF

Get an SSD for the OS and games with noticeable load times. On your budget there's no reason not to have one.

-Do you have any suggestions on how much GB i should get on the SSD

[DSF]

Originally Posted by Kira365

Thank you, I don't much about the motherboards so i actually had a hard time picking one

The idea with motherboards is to determine what features you need and find the least expensive motherboard from a reputable manufacturer that meets your needs.

Your build looks pretty standard. 1 GPU, few or no expansion cards, 3 or fewer drives. In that case just about any Z77 motherboard is going to fit the bill.

Originally Posted by Kira365

just googled and watched some reviews on the Fractal R4 and it looks nice but it doesn't look like it will have the same airflow as the other case, will this be bad for the PCs performance??

As long as your parts are all staying within acceptable operating temperature when the system is running at full load it doesn't matter. There's no real difference between a CPU running at, say 60C vs. 70C at load. I would read Anand's review of the R4 to help you decide. Written reviews from thorough sites like Anandtech are generally more helpful than video reviews in answering performance questions. Video reviews have their place in terms of letting you "walk through" the case, but there's a lot of data in a written review if you have questions about airflow, noise, etc.

Originally Posted by Kira365

Do you have any suggestions on how much GB i should get on the SSD

That's really your call. Most people opt for something between 120 and 256GB. I'm looking at buying something in the 180-256 range soon. The key is understanding that the SSD only needs to hold things where you want a dramatic improvement in load times. The OS will obviously need to be on there, and any of your games that have to load large maps for example. Games where you aren't waiting on hard drive I/O aren't going to benefit much from an SSD. For some people that means they can get away with a 120 or even 60GB SSD. (Going below 100GB would absolutely not be my recommendation for a gaming machine.)

[Kira365]

Originally Posted by Kira365

Your build looks pretty standard. 1 GPU, few or no expansion cards, 3 or fewer drives. In that case just about any Z77 motherboard is going to fit the bill.

-So this one would work?? ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Originally Posted by DSF

As long as your parts are all staying within acceptable operating temperature when the system is running at full load it doesn't matter. There's no real difference between a CPU running at, say 60C vs. 70C at load. I would read Anand's review of the R4 to help you decide. Written reviews from thorough sites like Anandtech are generally more helpful than video reviews in answering performance questions. Video reviews have their place in terms of letting you "walk through" the case, but there's a lot of data in a written review if you have questions about airflow, noise, etc.

-thank you, I'll start reading the reading review

Originally Posted by DSF

That's really your call. Most people opt for something between 120 and 256GB. I'm looking at buying something in the 180-256 range soon. The key is understanding that the SSD only needs to hold things where you want a dramatic improvement in load times. The OS will obviously need to be on there, and any of your games that have to load large maps for example. Games where you aren't waiting on hard drive I/O aren't going to benefit much from an SSD. For some people that means they can get away with a 120 or even 60GB SSD. (Going below 100GB would absolutely not be my recommendation for a gaming machine.)

-Are there any specific brands you would recommend??

****also should i just use a stock fan or should I get an after market fan for my CPU????****

[lehtv]

Originally Posted by Kira365

-So this one would work?? ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Yes.

-Are there any specific brands you would recommend??

Intel, Samsung, Crucial are my top three in no particular order. I think it's fine to install games on a 7200 RPM hard disk. I have a 120GB SSD and it fits a few games. But if I'm really honest with myself, I don't even think having games on the SSD really makes a big enough difference to pay much extra for, and my hard drives are 5400 RPM. That said, drives smaller than 120GB have typically much higher cost per gigabyte. Just get a Crucial M4 128GB, Intel 330 120GB, Intel 330 180GB or Samsung 840 120GB. You can always leave the SSD for later as well (i.e. look out for a killer sale on a good drive).

****also should i just use a stock fan or should I get an after market fan for my CPU????****

You did state earlier that you wanted to overclock, so yes you will need aftermarket cooling. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo and Hyper 612 are good choices at the moment.

[Kira365]

So how does this sound???

1. Case: Fractal Design R4

2. Power Supply: Rosewill CAPSTONE Series CAPSTONE-650-M 650W ATX12V v2.31 & EPS12V v2.92 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - 109$

3. Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4-M LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - 130$

4.CPU: Intel Core i5-3570 Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2500 BX8063 - 214$

5. RAM: Patriot Viper 3 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model PV316G160C0K - 60$

6. GPU: GIGABYTE GV-R795WF3-3GD Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - 300$

7. Storage:
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 7200 3 TB 7200RPM SATA 6 Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive ST3000DM001 - 140$
SSD - SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD250BW 2.5" 250GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - 180$

8. Optical Drive: I still need help with this, idk which one will be good for my games, and its not like I need blue ray

The grand total comes to like around 1,200$ but again I'm gonna hit up the micro center thats in the next town over so I can see if I can find some of them there

Again all comments, critics, and suggestions are welcomed and greatly appreciated

[lehtv]

1. good
2. not a good price for that unit. Since you're unlikely to buy two graphics cards for this config, you'll be fine with an XFX 550W at $50 AR
3. get the full ATX Z77 Extreme4, not the microATX Extreme4-M. If Z77 Extreme3 is significantly cheaper get that one instead
4. you'll want to make sure it's the 3570K, that's the one with the fully unlocked clock multiplier for overclocking
5. you don't need more than 8GB RAM, grab two of these Samsung modules
6. good
7. good but why do you want 3TB of storage for a gaming-only PC? you'll probably be able to fit all your games on that SSD alone
8. any basic dvd drive will do like this one

Regarding your trip to MC, I probably wouldn't buy anything else from there than the CPU and the motherboard.

That list is still missing the cooler, the monitor and a copy of Windows.

[Kira365]

Originally Posted by lehtv

2. not a good price for that unit. Since you're unlikely to buy two graphics cards for this config, you'll be fine with an XFX 550W at $50 AR

-Alright I'll switch over

Originally Posted by lehtv

3. get the full ATX Z77 Extreme4, not the microATX Extreme4-M. If Z77 Extreme3 is significantly cheaper get that one instead

-Thank you for this one I didn't even notice that deference

Originally Posted by lehtv

4. you'll want to make sure it's the 3570K, that's the one with the fully unlocked clock multiplier for overclocking

-switched this one too

Originally Posted by lehtv

5. you don't need more than 8GB RAM, grab two of these Samsung modules

-I'm getting 8GB more for just 20 more dollars, should I still switch to the samsung?

Originally Posted by lehtv

7. good but why do you want 3TB of storage for a gaming-only PC? you'll probably be able to fit all your games on that SSD alone

-so i'll drop the HDD and if I need it later on I'll purchase it then

Originally Posted by lehtv

8. any basic dvd drive will do like this one

-Thank you for the recommendation

Your right I forgot to mention that the after market heat sink I'm planning to get is:
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel 2011/1366/1155 and AMD FM1/FM2/AM3+
-For 30$

And as for monitor I've found:
Samsung S22B350H 22" Class Widescreen LED Backlit Monitor - 1920 x 1080, 16:9, Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio, 3000:1 Native, 2ms, HDMI, VGA - 160$

As for Windows its just 70$

[louagn18o3]

Originally Posted by lehtv

3. get the full ATX Z77 Extreme4, not the microATX Extreme4-M. If Z77 Extreme3 is significantly cheaper get that one instead

If money is not the problem, which one do you prefer Asus P8Z77-V, Maximus gene or ASRock Z77 Extreme4?

And another thing about MOBO, some guy on ebay is selling a used Asus P8Z77-V, because he found the current bios does not support I7 Ivy Bridge. But according to ASUS, it seems do. That really confused me. Any chance you would know?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASUS-P8Z77...item3a7cceb0ca

[Kira365]

Originally Posted by louagn18o3

If money is not the problem, which one do you prefer Asus P8Z77-V or ASRock Z77 Extreme4?

And another thing about MOBO, some guy on ebay is selling a used Asus P8Z77-V, because he found the current bios does not support I7 Ivy Bridge. But according to ASUS, it seems do. That really confused me. Any chance you would know?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASUS-P8Z77...item3a7cceb0ca

- saw the link and it looks like a really good deal but, don't forget that it they could end up charging you a lot for Shipping and handeling since is from Germany

[louagn18o3]

Originally Posted by Kira365

- saw the link and it looks like a really good deal but, don't forget that it they could end up charging you a lot for Shipping and handeling since is from Germany

nah, not buying that yet, just saw the reason that guy is selling, got confused. I am building a new pc too, so just going through every thing and get a possible price first.

[Kira365]

Originally Posted by louagn18o3

nah, not buying that yet, just saw the reason that guy is selling, got confused. I am building a new pc too, so just going through every thing and get a possible price first.

Me too lol, wish you luck with your build and if I find any good prices on parts I'll post them up

[louagn18o3]

Originally Posted by Kira365

Me too lol, wish you luck with your build and if I find any good prices on parts I'll post them up

Thank you, you too.
The thing is every thing in the U.S.A. seems 1/3 cheaper than that in the U.K. And we don't have neweggs here.
Hopefully, there will be some big sales after Christmas.

[Kira365]

I did't know you were all the way in the UK lol, and didn't know things here were cheaper either lol
And thank you, btw wouldn't the big sales be during christmas??

[DSF]

Originally Posted by louagn18o3

If money is not the problem, which one do you prefer Asus P8Z77-V, Maximus gene or ASRock Z77 Extreme4?

To quote myself from above:

Originally Posted by DSF

The idea with motherboards is to determine what features you need and find the least expensive motherboard from a reputable manufacturer that meets your needs.

Your build looks pretty standard. 1 GPU, few or no expansion cards, 3 or fewer drives. In that case just about any Z77 motherboard is going to fit the bill.

Originally Posted by louagn18o3

And another thing about MOBO, some guy on ebay is selling a used Asus P8Z77-V, because he found the current bios does not support I7 Ivy Bridge. But according to ASUS, it seems do. That really confused me. Any chance you would know?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASUS-P8Z77...item3a7cceb0ca

I can't imagine why it wouldn't be supported. Z77 is the most advanced chipset for LGA1155 CPUs. It's entirely possible he doesn't know what he's talking about.

However, if you want to know 100% for sure the thing to do is to go to ASUS's website and look up the CPU compatibility list for the P8Z77-V.

[mfenn]

Make sure that you get the CPU + mobo combo at MicroCenter. The Z77 Pro3 is $95 and the i5 3570K is $190. Then there is a $40 discount on top of that, meaning that you can get both for $245, which is about $65 less than Newegg.

[lehtv]

Originally Posted by louagn18o3

If money is not the problem, which one do you prefer Asus P8Z77-V, Maximus gene or ASRock Z77 Extreme4?

Out of those three, P8Z77-V for sure. But for the OP I don't see the need for it over Extreme4.

It can't not support Ivy Bridge because it's a Z77 chipset board.

Originally Posted by Kira365

-I'm getting 8GB more for just 20 more dollars, should I still switch to the samsung?

Yes. The extra 8GB would be just idling, waiting for data to store, it would provide no benefit. Besides, the heat sinks on Patriot Viper will easily interfere with CPU coolers.

And as for monitor I've found:
Samsung S22B350H 22" Class Widescreen LED Backlit Monitor - 1920 x 1080, 16:9, Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio, 3000:1 Native, 2ms, HDMI, VGA - 160$

$160 is a bit too much for a 22" monitor, you can get a 23-24" monitor for the same price. I'd recommend Asus VH236H $170 ($150 AR) or Asus VE247H $180 ($160 AR)

[DSF]

I agree completely. My 22" monitor was around $220 when I got it 4-5 years ago. I wouldn't go less than 23" nowadays unless you're seriously strapped for cash.

[louagn18o3]

Originally Posted by DSF

To quote myself from above:



I can't imagine why it wouldn't be supported. Z77 is the most advanced chipset for LGA1155 CPUs. It's entirely possible he doesn't know what he's talking about.

However, if you want to know 100% for sure the thing to do is to go to ASUS's website and look up the CPU compatibility list for the P8Z77-V.

Ye, I don't know what I am talking about either , but I did check the CPU support list from ASUS site, and it does work with I5 3570K and i7-3770K. I guess, eventually, asus will update the Bios file to support Ivy bridge. Again, I have no ideal what I am talking about

[louagn18o3]

Originally Posted by lehtv

Out of those three, P8Z77-V for sure. But for the OP I don't see the need for it over Extreme4.

It can't not support Ivy Bridge because it's a Z77 chipset board.

Hmm, thank you. I guess I need read more tech stuff then

[DSF]

Originally Posted by louagn18o3

Ye, I don't know what I am talking about either , but I did check the CPU support list from ASUS site, and it does work with I5 3570K and i7-3770K. I guess, eventually, asus will update the Bios file to support Ivy bridge. Again, I have no ideal what I am talking about

It should support all Ivy Bridge CPUs out of the box, no BIOS update needed.

[Kira365]

Originally Posted by mfenn

Make sure that you get the CPU + mobo combo at MicroCenter. The Z77 Pro3 is $95 and the i5 3570K is $190. Then there is a $40 discount on top of that, meaning that you can get both for $245, which is about $65 less than Newegg.

Thank you, I actually haven't had a chance to go see the micro center yet but I plan on doing so no later than tomorrow

[Kira365]

Originally Posted by lehtv

Yes. The extra 8GB would be just idling, waiting for data to store, it would provide no benefit. Besides, the heat sinks on Patriot Viper will easily interfere with CPU coolers.

-Alright so I'll just get 8gb(2x4gb)

Originally Posted by lehtv

$160 is a bit too much for a 22" monitor, you can get a 23-24" monitor for the same price. I'd recommend Asus VH236H $170 ($150 AR) or Asus VE247H $180 ($160 AR)

-Thank you again lol, I think I would be bankrupt if I didn't have you guys