Double-check before I buy

[Rykoran]

Hey all,

I've been reading the forums for months and finally picked out a PC I'd like to build (largely based off of mfenn's guide). I'd just appreciate it if someone could double check that these parts are all compatible and will fit in the case -- It's my first build so knowledge is limited. Thank you!

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core
MOBO: ASRock Z68 PRO3 GEN3 ATX LGA1155
RAM: G.Skill Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333
GPU: Asus Radeon HD 7850 2GB
PS: Antec 650W ATX12V
Hard drive: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM
Case: Zalman Z9 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case Black 3X5.25 1X3.5 5X3.5INT
Monitor: Asus VH232H 23.0" (1920x1080)

Any small modification suggestions are also welcome!

*edit: Switched from MSI to Asus 7850 since it's in stock on amazon. And saw a new case...

 

[aaksheytalwar]

Perfect. But get g skill ripjaws 1600 instaed. Not much diff in price

 

[vailr]

If it were my money, I'd go with a different motherboard and case, to gain a front USB 3.0 port.

A quick search at Newegg found these:

LIAN LI PC-8NW USB3.0 Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $84.99 + free shipping (after -$15 promo code)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112344
GIGABYTE GA-Z77-D3H LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - $119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128543
Includes an onboard USB 3.0 header, which the Asrock Z68 board does not have.

 

[Rykoran]

Thanks, I will upgrade to the 1600 ram

As far as USB 3.0 goes, $50 seem like a lot just to get a front port. I kind of figured 2.0 would be fine for putting small files on a flash drive and if I need to pull movies onto an external or something, I'd just reach around to the back... I shall give this some more consideration though. Thank you.

 

[vailr]

Two other minor benefits for the increased cost:
Case: aluminum (better cooling) case vs. steel & plastic case
Motherboard: Z77 chipset vs. Z68 chipset.

 

[Rykoran]

Good point. MOBOs are by far my weakest area of knowledge. What does the Z77 provide over the Z68? SLI?

 

[vailr]

The Z77 chipset includes a native Intel USB 3.0 controller.
Note: there may be some Z68 boards with an onboard USB 3.0 header, but the one you linked doesn't. Most, if not all, Z77 boards do have that feature.
Both the Z68 and the Z77 chipsets use a 65 nm lithography process, so should be pretty similar as far as temperatures involved.

 

[Rykoran]

Thanks vailr. You've been quite helpful. I'm going to do some more research into motherboards/cases and figure out exactly what I want.

 

[mfenn]

Perfect. But get g skill ripjaws 1600 instaed. Not much diff in price

What? No way, fancy heatspreaders or DDR3 1600 do not change performance.

 

[mfenn]

Good point. MOBOs are by far my weakest area of knowledge. What does the Z77 provide over the Z68? SLI?

Not much, but they are not a bad choice given that most of the Z77 boards are coming with USB 3.0 headers as standard. I'll have to look into adding one to my next iteration of the build guide.

 

[vailr]

I'd also wait and compare the I5-2500K Sandy Bridge CPU with a comparably priced Ivy Bridge CPU. Releasing for sale (and Anandtech reviews) within a few days.