Midrange Build recommendation

[Drjet]

Hi. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend the part for my mid-range system build. I want to have a mild overclocking but reliability is the first priority as I don't want to lose my programming crushed after 48 hours of run. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Best,
DrJet

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

Gaming (Flight simulation) and number crunching (with Matlab)

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread.

$1200+-$100

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

USA

4. IF you're buying parts OUTSIDE the US, please post a link to the vendor you'll be buying from.
We can't be expected to scour the internet on your behalf, chasing down deals in your specific country... Again, help us, help YOU.

N/A

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.

Intel CPU and nVida (my simulation games do not work with ATI very well).

6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

Corsair HX750 power supply
Samsung SSD
P180 case


7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Mild Overclocking (10% to 20%)

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?

1080p

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it.

I want to be done within 2 weeks.

X. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software?

I have all software with me. I'll use windows 7 64 bits and office 2010 program.

My proposed build:

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($269.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H110 94.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Gene Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($193.79 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill AEGIS 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($142.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($139.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($219.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1085.73

 

[gammaray]

first off, this is by no mean a mid range computer. You get one of the most powerful CPU etc. The thing i would change is your video card, i'd go for a GTX 760 or 770.

Also the Antec P180 case is pretty big, is there a reason you want a micro atx mobo?

 

[Drjet]

first off, this is by no mean a mid range computer. You get one of the most powerful CPU etc. The thing i would change is your video card, i'd go for a GTX 760 or 770.

Also the Antec P180 case is pretty big, is there a reason you want a micro atx mobo?

Thanks. I just realized that I should have posted in General Hardware section. Please feel free to move my post there, Mod.
I happen to have Antec P180 which I bought several years ago. Is there any problem with this Mobo? I saw that GTX 760 has at most 20% improvement over 660 which may not justify $60 difference.
Best,
DrJet

 

[Charlie98]

Nothing wrong with the mATX board and if using the old case saves you money you can put toward better parts... Great!

Personally I would go with a GTX760... For $250'ish you can get a SuperClocked 2GB EVGA card.

You could probably save some money on the motherboard as well...

 

[gammaray]

Thanks. I just realized that I should have posted in General Hardware section. Please feel free to move my post there, Mod.
I happen to have Antec P180 which I bought several years ago. Is there any problem with this Mobo? I saw that GTX 760 has at most 20% improvement over 660 which may not justify $60 difference.
Best,
DrJet

there is nothing wrong with the mobo, it's just a micro mobo, usually designed for a micro case. That being said, it's kind of a high end mobo and you are paying extra for it. There are way cheaper Z87 mobos available.

Concerning you video card, 660 is an older generation, while 760 is the newest. It really depends how demanding your flight simulator is on the gpu side.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I agree. You could do better than an NVidia 660 gfx card -- the 760 is the better option. I've usually bought EVGA, but look at ASUS for that GPU and see if you can't get one with great cooling.

The Maximus, even for being mATX, is a top-end board. there is a set of midrange Z87 boards, likely labeled P8Z87-something. You may want also to look at the newer Z97 boards.

But I like your choice of RAM (brand) and SSD. You might even look to see if you can get the Samsung with double the size for a price.

As for the timeline. Surely, you can build a PC in less than two weeks provided you get all good parts right away, while there's always some outside chance you won't. If overclocking, I'd take at least three times that long and get it nailed down before adding more software to the mix.

Also, if it were me, I'd find a Seasonic PSU that fits your power requirements. I'm just . . . picky, though.

And the RAM. Did you look at the RipJaws offering? Same voltage, significantly tighter latencies. Mainly -- first pick the mainboard, then go to their web-site and find the RAM "configurator" link. Make sure the RAM works with the board and chipset.