Help me build a PC please!!

[lehtv]

A higher wattage PSU will also operate lower on it's efficiency curve. In the case of an 850 vs a 650, the difference is probably 5-7%.

Won't be anywhere near that much. 80Plus certification rates PSU efficiency at 20%, 50% and 100% loads, and the difference in efficiency between those loads is max 3% at 110VAC. The difference in efficiency between 850W and 650W is likely to be closer to 1%, as when one PSU is at the optimal 50% load, the other PSU will not be too far from that optimum.

 

[fffblackmage]

That's the thing. They don't test the PSU under 20% load. Under 20%, efficiency can drop quite a bit (amount varies by PSU though).

A few percent difference in efficiency, as undesirable as it is, isn't a deal breaker. However, such a high-power PSU isn't cheap, and OP shouldn't need SLI/CFX anything for gaming at 1080p.

 

[lehtv]

Agree, SLI/CFX is unneeded for the vast majority of gamers at 1080p.

 

[Mycompisjunk]

So would you say that this build would be able to get good FPS in BF3 with no lag?

 

[lehtv]

FPS is different from lag... Lag comes generally form your network, your monitor and your input devices.

GTX 570 will get decent FPS in BF3 on high settings, but not ultra.

 

[Mycompisjunk]

Alright sounds good thanks so much everyone for helping out!!

 

[mfenn]

That's the thing. They don't test the PSU under 20% load. Under 20%, efficiency can drop quite a bit (amount varies by PSU though).

A few percent difference in efficiency, as undesirable as it is, isn't a deal breaker. However, such a high-power PSU isn't cheap, and OP shouldn't need SLI/CFX anything for gaming at 1080p.

:thumbsup: I should have said that the difference would be 5-7% at idle. For a desktop PC, at efficiency at idle dominates (the mathematical sense of the word) efficiency at load because they spend so much of their time at idle.

 

[mfenn]

So would you say that this build would be able to get good FPS in BF3 with no lag?

Here's some benchmarks. A GTX 570 won't be smooth with absolutely everything maxed out, but it will do fine if you turn the settings down a bit, especially SSAO.

 

[mfenn]

Lol you guys are crazy. How can you tell the guy to spend more on his keyboard than on his enclosure?

Because a keyboard is one of the primary means of interacting with the computer. A case just sits there. Same logic applies for the mouse and display.

I don't know about you guys but I went through a long period where I was buying new cases like every 3 months. I'd buy a case knowing its imperfections, would try to accept them, and in the end could not because they drove me crazy.

<snip>

No, honestly I have never had those problems. As I alluded to in my previous post, different strokes for different folks.

<100 is budget, around 150 is midrange, 200+ is high end. Sure the budget end extends to 30 dollar cases and etc, but its still budget at 100 USD

That's like saying a GTX 560 Ti is a budget GPU, a GTX 570 is a midrange GPU, and a GTX 580 is a high-end GPU. There is a huge difference between a $30 case and a $100 case. Not so much between a $150 case and a $200 case.

 

[Mycompisjunk]

Ok, so I've talked to my dad and he said I should go with the dual gpu's..
So, what would you guys suggest? I was thinking maybe dual 6950's? Also would that mean I need a different psu or motherboard?

 

[lehtv]

I could recommend 6950 2GB crossfire for those with the cash and the need for high fps at the highest image quality settings. Whether you're one of those, only you know... All I can say is that a single GTX 570 paired with 2600K will make BF3 run pretty smoothly and look good.

The PSU and mobo you listed in this build here are good for 6950 2GB crossfire.

Also, you should be aware that some people complain about microstuttering with crossfire setups, while others are perfectly oblivious to microstutter. You'll know only by experiencing such a setup in action

 

[mfenn]

Ok, so I've talked to my dad and he said I should go with the dual gpu's..
So, what would you guys suggest? I was thinking maybe dual 6950's? Also would that mean I need a different psu or motherboard?

Dual 6950 2GBs are a relatively good value (for a dual-GPU rig) and also fairly reasonable in terms of power consumption. As for the mobo and PSU:

ASRock Z68 Extreme3 $150
Corsair TX750 $90 AR (if you don't mind a USD rebate)

 

[Mycompisjunk]

If I stay with my current build I listed with the single 570, and if I get the higher wattage psu, then later on I could get another 570 and do that with the build I had posted previously?

 

[lehtv]

Yes. The 850W PSU is preferable over 750W if doing 570 SLI. The XFX 850W XXX edition has 4x 6+2-pin PCI-e connectors.

 

[Mycompisjunk]

would the ASRock Z68 Extreme3 work with dual 570's?

Also, whats the difference between the different gtx 570's? (Evga, Gigabyte, MSI, etc?)

 

[lehtv]

To your first question, yes.

To your second question, EVGA is considered a 'premium brand' that offers superior customer service. Gigabyte and MSI are more concentrated on offering efficient cooling solutions and competitive pricing, though MSI tends to be more expensive than Gigabyte. MSI often offers good overclockability in their Twin Frozr II and Twin Frozr III cards. The reason Gigabyte 570 was recommended was that it is relatively affordable as far as GTX 570's go, while offering very good cooling.

 

[ItsAlive]

If you dont mind ordering from two different places you could get the Asrock Extreme3 at Superbiiz for $120 shipped and save yourself $30.

coupon code: DOVE

Link

EDIT: Whoops just noticed you were ordering from Canada, not sure if they ship there.