Desktop build - based on Maximus iv Gene-Z - Q's?

[JD88]

Hi guys,
i'm planning to build a new desktop for a long over due upgrade.
My last built was in 06. with E6600 intel cpu.

Anyways,
heres the spec i'm planning to use.
MB - Maximus IV Gene-Z. Mainly because of the size and Z68. I'm going to try the SSD Caching.

Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) (for ssd caching)

G.SKILL Ripjaws X + Turbulence II Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL9D-8GBXLD

CPU i5 2500k

Cooler Master 212+

I will be reusing my current GTX460 and Power supply 650W as well as optical drives.

I will run Windows 7.
The desktop will be use for light gaming. I play Startcraft2 and Dota Warcraft mostly. It will be used for daily PC. Light photo processing, web browsing, email etc.

I will overclock the cpu moderately to 4.3-4.5 ghz.

Case - NZXT Crafted Series Vulcan Black Steel / Plastic Gaming mATX Computer Case (because it has handle, and manageable size. I'm going to carry it with me when i leave the country for work in a couple of months)


Anybody have any experience with this motherboard and memory combo?
I can't find the information on ASUS support page.
any thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.

 

[mfenn]

The CPU, SSD, HSF, and Case all look fine. The motherboard and RAM are both big wastes of money.

There are plenty of good uATX Z68 motherboards out there that don't cost an arm and a leg. For example, the ASRock Pro3-M at $115. 4.4GHz is easily doable on stock volts with the stock heatsink, so there is no reason to buy an "uber" motherboard.

Likewise with the memory. Sandy Bridge runs the DRAM clock asynchronously from the BCLK, so there is no need to spend a ton of money on fancy RAM. The extra clock speed in and of itself doesn't help you much. Get this G.Skill DDR3 1333 8GB kit for $60 instead. As an added bonus, it doesn't have any tall heatspreaders to block your HSF.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Congratulations! You are spending extra $140 on the mobo and RAM for... practically nothing.

 

[paul878]

I have this Motherboard, Noctua NH-D14, Corsair Vengeance (heat spreader removed), 2600k at 4.7ghz. The board is very compact, sli and crossfire with thick video cards might be a problem due to the way the video card retention clip is. If you want a board with lots of features to tweak with, this is it. If you just want to build a computer, do what they other guys recommended.

 

[JD88]

mfenn, thanks for the info. i'll look into that mb.
strangerguy, thanks also.. for hmm.. practically nothing.

 

[Zap]

The desktop will be use for light gaming. I play Startcraft2 and Dota Warcraft mostly. It will be used for daily PC. Light photo processing, web browsing, email etc.

I will overclock the cpu moderately to 4.3-4.5 ghz.

Case - NZXT Crafted Series Vulcan Black Steel / Plastic Gaming mATX Computer Case (because it has handle, and manageable size. I'm going to carry it with me when i leave the country for work in a couple of months)

Starcraft 2 will be the most demanding use of your system.

Is this a one-time trip out there and back? If you are going to be transporting it more, consider a smaller form factor, such as mini ITX.

Also, if you aren't going to have much more software than what you posted, consider running the SSD just as the sole C drive instead of as an SSD cache for the HDD.

strangerguy, thanks also.. for hmm.. practically nothing.

I think he meant that you won't see any real world performance gains from buying that DDR3-2133 memory over, say, some "normal" DDR3-1600 memory. Which, BTW, right now you can get some Kingston HyperX 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-1600 at Buy.com for $65 with free shipping and a $25 rebate, making it $40 after rebate.

Also, the CPUs are easy enough to overclock that just about any overclockable motherboard can take the CPU to 4.3GHz.

This is unlike the situation in the past for instance with lower end Core 2 processors, where you absolutely needed a higher end motherboard and really fast RAM to even be able to hit higher clock speeds.

 

[JD88]

Zap,
unfortunately for me, i need to have several other softwares that would take a lot more space. re: the ram. mfenn had already pointed that out before strangeguy made his comment. to me, his comment gives nothing of value.

my goal is to build a dependable system to last a few years, that would be upgradable when funds and necessity come. i'm reading more about other options of MB. The reason why I initially picked the gene-z mb was because of the stability and ease of overclocking that was reported by reviewers.

 

[mfenn]

The reason why I initially picked the gene-z mb was because of the stability and ease of overclocking that was reported by reviewers.

Two points:
- You're not likely to find a statistically significant difference in stability in mobos from the Big3 + ASRock. Each company is of course capable of producing a bad individual board.
- I wouldn't attribute ease of overclocking a Sandy Bridge CPU to the mobo. :awe: The CPU is just easy to overclock.

 

[Skott]

You guys do realize that it is ASUS's top of the line mATX mobo don't you? Thats why it costs as much as it does. Its not a budget mobo, As far as Z68 mATX mobos go it is ASUS's best. Until they make version V of whatever chipset comes out next after Z68 that is. The ASUS ROG Gene boards are highly prized in the SFF arena. For ATX mobo users there are other choices to be had.

 

[Zap]

unfortunately for me, i need to have several other softwares that would take a lot more space. re: the ram.

The RAM I mentioned that cost $40 after rebate is 8GB, just like the RAM you specified. Last I checked, 8GB = 8GB. "Faster" RAM won't give you magically more "space."

 

[mfenn]

You guys do realize that it is ASUS's top of the line mATX mobo don't you? Thats why it costs as much as it does. Its not a budget mobo, As far as Z68 mATX mobos go it is ASUS's best. Until they make version V of whatever chipset comes out next after Z68 that is. The ASUS ROG Gene boards are highly prized in the SFF arena. For ATX mobo users there are other choices to be had.

Kay? That doesn't mean it isn't overkill for the OP's needs.