2500K Gaming Build - Advice?

[degaeil]

Already have:
HDDs: WD Caviar Blacks (640GB System drive, 750GB Data Drive, 1 TB data drive)
Optical drives: LiteOn DVD-ROM, Sony DVD Burner
Case: CM Storm Sniper
Keyboard - Filco TenKeyless
Mouse - Logitech G3
Speakers M-Audio AV-40
Monitor (Dell 2900wa)
Possibly PSU depending on recommendations (CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V)

Monitor Resolution: 1680x1050

Looking at:

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz - $224.99

MoBo: GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD4-B3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - $189.99

GPU: EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti FPB (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - $249.99

or

EVGA 012-P3-1570-AR GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - $349.99 - Overkill for 1680 x 1050?

Memory: G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBECO - $66.99
Unfamiliar with the "ECO" RAM, but it was on the QVL.

CPU HS&F: XIGMATEK Aegir SD128264 Mega Killer Double HDT 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler Dual Fan - $59.99

Question: If I went with the EVGA 570, would the Corsair 650 be enough to safely drive it?

Any comments/insights welcome.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

The 650 is enough for any single GPU game build.

Personally i think the QLV list is full of crap.. I've never looked at a QLV list and chose ram that way.. and I've NEVER had an issue with ram from not being on the QLV list - take that to the bank. You won't need any 1600Mhz Ram, only if you want to, but you can save a little by going with a 1333MHz CL9 1.5v kit.. last I seen on New Egg there was a kit for 39$

The Motherboard seems a bit high unless you are looking for something in particular on that board.

570 is not overkill for that res.. hell I was running 2 5870s at that res. Next time someone says it's "overkill" lower your resolution on your favorite game and tell me you don't get higher FPS

The Coolmaster is highly recommended around here and it's not a bad HS, there are better but the price per performance ratio is at a premium.. for that price, you are better off with the Tuniq Tower Extreme. In the same review I briefed, the Coolmaster 212 was within the top 10 and comes in at 29$ at MicroCenter or 34$ at New Egg.

 

[degaeil]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I guess I don't have to get so caught up in the QVL.

Based on that, and re: the MoBo, here's a revised list:

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz - $224.99

MoBo: ASRock P67 PRO3 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - $129.99

From reviews I've read on iXBT and Phoronix, this seems like a solid no-frills, no-SLI board

GPU: EVGA 012-P3-1570-AR GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - $349.99

Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL - 84.99 (69.99 if I order before 4/13)

After reading this article at bit-tech, it seems that amount of RAM is far more important than speed, particularly with Sandy Bridge. So, I upgraded to 8GBs for Win7 64.

CPU HS&F: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus - $34.99

Total: 824.95

 

[mnewsham]

The 650 is enough for any single GPU game build.

Personally i think the QLV list is full of crap.. I've never looked at a QLV list and chose ram that way.. and I've NEVER had an issue with ram from not being on the QLV list - take that to the bank. You won't need any 1600Mhz Ram, only if you want to, but you can save a little by going with a 1333MHz CL9 1.5v kit.. last I seen on New Egg there was a kit for 39$

The Motherboard seems a bit high unless you are looking for something in particular on that board.

570 is not overkill for that res.. hell I was running 2 5870s at that res. Next time someone says it's "overkill" lower your resolution on your favorite game and tell me you don't get higher FPS

The Coolmaster is highly recommended around here and it's not a bad HS, there are better but the price per performance ratio is at a premium.. for that price, you are better off with the Tuniq Tower Extreme. In the same review I briefed, the Coolmaster 212 was within the top 10 and comes in at 29$ at MicroCenter or 34$ at New Egg.

A GTX 570 is overkill at that res, sure you will get higher FPS by lowering your res but anything over 60 FPS is wasted unless it is 120hz (which i doubt it is) so honestly a GTX 460 1GB would make more sense economically.

 

[mfenn]

I agree with BTRY B.

Specifically, I would:
- Swap the mobo with the UD3 and buy in combo with the CPU (-$80)
- Not buy an expensive GTX 570, this Galaxy is $290 AR (-$60)
- Definitely not pay $67 for 4GB of RAM, get the normal G.Skill for $40 (-$27)
- Swap the HSF with a Hyper 212+ (-$25)
- Use the savings to buy a Corsair Force 90GB SSD $190

 

[aphelion02]

I'm kind of in the middle ground here: I think the XFX 6950 1gb is the best bang for buck at that res, especially since you can unlock the shaders.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-523-_-Product

 

[aphelion02]

.. hell I was running 2 5870s at that res.

FPS whore.

 

[dma0991]

I'm kind of in the middle ground here: I think the XFX 6950 1gb is the best bang for buck at that res, especially since you can unlock the shaders.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-523-_-Product

As I recall there is no possibility of unlocking the shaders on a HD6950 1GB as it is a refresh and permanently locked. If I am not mistaken as well there is a low chance of getting a 2GB version now to unlock it as well unless we're talking about the old stock for the HD6950 2GB when shaders unlocking was first found out.

 

[aphelion02]

Ahh, my bad, I think the reference 1gb versions can be unlocked but the one I linked too isn't one. However, I think the stock 1gb 6950 is still slightly faster than the gtx 560ti overall, and the XFX model is cheaper too

 

[mnewsham]

Honestly it is whatever you can afford, and brand preference. If you like nvidia get the best nvidia gpu you can afford, if you like amd, do the same with them. Anything over gtx 560 or HD6950 level IMHO however is overkill, especially since 28nm is coming.

 

[aphelion02]

Anything over gtx 560 or HD6950 level IMHO however is overkill, especially since 28nm is coming.

Yea, in 2 years :awe:

 

[mnewsham]

Yea, in 2 years :awe:

link?

From what iv read TSMC is shipping samples and we might see a gpu as early as fall/late summer. I think late 2011 early 2012.

 

[aphelion02]

link?

From what iv read TSMC is shipping samples and we might see a gpu as early as fall/late summer. I think late 2011 early 2012.

I was being sarcastic, but based off TSMC's 40nm track record I think my prediction isn't too unlikely

 

[degaeil]

Thanks to all who replied. Gave myself to think about it last night.

For now, my Q9550 and GTX 275 are doing OK, so I think I'm going to wait for the game (whatever that is) that I can't play on high settings on my system.

Right now I'm looking forward to Portal 2, but I should be fine for that.
The next are due in mid May (Brink, FEAR 3), so I'll reevaluate then. I think the Z68's should be out by then, so I may have a look at those.

I may have caught some upgrade fever. Time to step back and take a breath.

Thanks again guys.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Thanks to all who replied. Gave myself to think about it last night.

For now, my Q9550 and GTX 275 are doing OK, so I think I'm going to wait for the game (whatever that is) that I can't play on high settings on my system.

Right now I'm looking forward to Portal 2, but I should be fine for that.
The next are due in mid May (Brink, FEAR 3), so I'll reevaluate then. I think the Z68's should be out by then, so I may have a look at those.

I may have caught some upgrade fever. Time to step back and take a breath.

Thanks again guys.

Man, you got will-power! This is a good trait to have and save you money

Stay strong!

 

[mfenn]

Thanks to all who replied. Gave myself to think about it last night.

For now, my Q9550 and GTX 275 are doing OK, so I think I'm going to wait for the game (whatever that is) that I can't play on high settings on my system.

Right now I'm looking forward to Portal 2, but I should be fine for that.
The next are due in mid May (Brink, FEAR 3), so I'll reevaluate then. I think the Z68's should be out by then, so I may have a look at those.

I may have caught some upgrade fever. Time to step back and take a breath.

Thanks again guys.

:thumbsup: Not a bad plan IMHO.