Building an i7 970/980x system for < $3000

[mfenn]

Just curious though, could I use non-ECC memory in the 5600 series?

Yeah, you can use non-ECC memory with the Xeons.

 

[cjthibeault]

Yeah, you can use non-ECC memory with the Xeons.

That is good to know. I'll be able to use the memory I buy in a Xeon system should I decide to cross-upgrade later.

I think I'm going to be going with the i7 platform for now though, as to get the same performance out of the Xeons at this time would be too expensive. It's a shame I shooting myself in the foot for easy/cheap upgrades though...

 

[cjthibeault]

So... if nobody else has any advice, I'm pretty close to finalizing my order. I will reply here to let everyone know what/why I went with what I did, this way anybody else who is curious can take a look in this thread later on.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a 120mm quiet(!) fan that mounts in a few of the 5.25 bays? I'd like to get a little bit of extra intake...

Thanks for all the help!

 

[skuzzzzy]

So... if nobody else has any advice, I'm pretty close to finalizing my order. I will reply here to let everyone know what/why I went with what I did, this way anybody else who is curious can take a look in this thread later on.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a 120mm quiet(!) fan that mounts in a few of the 5.25 bays? I'd like to get a little bit of extra intake...

Thanks for all the help!

i was actually going to ask you to post what you bought after =].

something like this,
http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/acc/008/sckb1000_detail.html ?


i cant find any nice looking ones that come without a fan, because if it came without i was going to suggest these fans,

http://www.amazon.com/Scythe-Gentle-...3704040&amp;sr=8-1

or

http://www.amazon.com/Scythe-Gentle-...3704040&amp;sr=8-2


one being more powerful as other being more quiet. maybe even replace your back exhaust fan with one of these.

 

[cjthibeault]

I'll be placing my order tomorrow morning, and assuming no last minute changes, this is what I decided to go with.

1. I'm sticking with the EVGA FTW3 motherboard, but decided to go for the 980x instead of the 970. Why? Well, I want to overclock as much as I can (without pushing too much), and with the unlocked multi, I can probably do it easier.

2. Decided to go with the OCZ Agility2 240gb SSD. I totalled up my apps already installed, plus Windows, and I'm using just under 100gb. Going with 128gb would simply be cutting things too close for my liking. Tigerdirect had a better deal on this one then Newegg did, so I ordered it over there.

3. After briefly considering switching over to the Silverstone case (the one that is rotated 90d), I decided to stay with the Obsidian 700D, but I'm adding a Cooler Master 5.25 bay cooling kit to get a little extra intake. Also grabbing the bundle with the Corsair 750w HX PS.

4. MSI Cyclone 460. Very quiet, good performance for the price. I like that.

5. 24gb of ram. Going with 2 of the 12gb G.Skill Ripjaws (3x4gb) 1333 kits. I was considering going with 3 of the 8gb 1600 Ripjaw kits (for about $200 more), but I don't want to push the price any more than I already am.

6. Thermalright Silver Arrow. Awesome cooler. And my ram will fit. Sweet.

7. Lite-on iHas-324 dvd writer.


So, that is pretty much it. I expect to start building on Thursday. Most of it is coming from Newegg. I'm ordering from RI, so do you think that this stuff will get here by Thursday if I order the 3 day guaranteed shipping Tuesday morning? Does it ever get there in just 2? If not, I'll have to order 2 day shipping...

Thanks again to everyone that helped out!

 

[Davidh373]

Cool man. Sucks you decided to go with the 980X though. I guess to each their own. I personally like to stick to default clock speeds for stability's sake.

 

[Googer]

Cool man. Sucks you decided to go with the 980X though. I guess to each their own. I personally like to stick to default clock speeds for stability's sake.

If he's spending that much, he may as well spring for the 980, which gets the extra 100mhz and the unlocked multiplier and then underclock it for the quietness he's after. That will make it Cooler than another lower level Intel chip of the same speed. So effectivly your not spending the $100 on speed but for quietness and and cooling.

I can justify underclocking a 980: For various reasons, People spend hundreds on water cooling. Under-clocking a 980 gives similar results with less fuss and greater reliability.

 

[mfenn]

If he's spending that much, he may as well spring for the 980, which gets the extra 100mhz and the unlocked multiplier and then underclock it for the quietness he's after. That will make it Cooler than another lower level Intel chip of the same speed. So effectivly your not spending the $100 on speed but for quietness and and cooling.

I can justify underclocking a 980: For various reasons, People spend hundreds on water cooling. Under-clocking a 980 gives similar results with less fuss and greater reliability.

Or you could just buy a Xeon L5640 (also $1k-ish) and get a guaranteed 60W TDP.

 

[Davidh373]

Or you could just buy a Xeon L5640 (also $1k-ish) and get a guaranteed 60W TDP.

Woot!

 

[cjthibeault]

So... I got my package...

And my EVGA FTW3 motherboard has the plastic wrap broken along the seam, and the quality assurance seal cut. Not too pleased about that... Taking pictures, and will be giving it a test tomorrow night. Grr...

 

[skuzzzzy]

get some pictures with the full build in case, id like to see that silver arrow in there.

 

[cjthibeault]

get some pictures with the full build in case, id like to see that silver arrow in there.

It is absolutely huge. I hope to have it all built by Sunday night or Monday morning...

Now I've got to send off an email to Newegg and make sure that this board wasn't refurbished or otherwise tampered with. I bought new...

 

[skuzzzzy]

It is absolutely huge. I hope to have it all built by Sunday night or Monday morning...

Now I've got to send off an email to Newegg and make sure that this board wasn't refurbished or otherwise tampered with. I bought new...

maybe evga randomly pulled yours to test

 

[cjthibeault]

maybe evga randomly pulled yours to test

I don't know. You would think that they would reseal it with a new sticker or something like that. Most of the wrap looks undisturbed, just one side of the box where the sticker is. If I take it out and it doesn't work, I'm going to have a stroke...

 

[skuzzzzy]

I don't know. You would think that they would reseal it with a new sticker or something like that. Most of the wrap looks undisturbed, just one side of the box where the sticker is. If I take it out and it doesn't work, I'm going to have a stroke...

well atleast you got from newegg, probably the best people to deal with for rma's. just ask them for free prepaid postage / wave the restocking fee and they should.

 

[mfenn]

I don't know. You would think that they would reseal it with a new sticker or something like that. Most of the wrap looks undisturbed, just one side of the box where the sticker is. If I take it out and it doesn't work, I'm going to have a stroke...

One bad thing about spending $3k on a build.

 

[cjthibeault]

One bad thing about spending $3k on a build.

LOL, yeah... this is supposed to be a machine with performance capable of making other people drool... if that stroke hits, it will leave me drooling... this was not how I intended it to play out... :\

I've put in the power supply, DVD, and the 5.25 intake fan. I also took a picture with my full-sized laptop inside the motherboard compartment of the 700D just for comparison. It is big (and heavy...)

The rest comes tomorrow night and into the weekend...

 

[Davidh373]

I bet your so excited you could pop! I remember when my first build was shipping I couldn't sleep! I'm getting a small home server shipped now, so it's kinda challenging, just not AS challenging as my i7 build.

 

[cjthibeault]

I bet your so excited you could pop! I remember when my first build was shipping I couldn't sleep! I'm getting a small home server shipped now, so it's kinda challenging, just not AS challenging as my i7 build.

LOL, this not not my first build... That was a 486 I did with my dad, followed by a 233 Pentium, a 400 Pentium, Dual 933s, an AMD64 thing, the q6600, probably a few others I've forgotten...

It is just been 3 years or so since I last did a complete rebuild, and so much has changed since then... I'm still excited, and I don't sleep anyways... good times

 

[Davidh373]

LOL, this not not my first build... That was a 486 I did with my dad, followed by a 233 Pentium, a 400 Pentium, Dual 933s, an AMD64 thing, the q6600, probably a few others I've forgotten...

It is just been 3 years or so since I last did a complete rebuild, and so much has changed since then... I'm still excited, and I don't sleep anyways... good times

Yeah, but it's a pretty big upgrade from a Core2 Quad with 8GB RAM . My first was the one listed and it upgraded me from a Core2 Duo with 2GB Ram.