My first gaming build plan ^^ opinions and improvements needed

[Splenyi]

I think I'll make the graphics card decision last. I'll buy everything I need before hand, and what ever money I have saved up, I will spend on it.

 

[Sleepingforest]

Erp. That's the opposite way I would go, especially since your budget is pretty large. It's too easy to go for luxurious cases and HDDs/SSDs while neglecting the actual performer in your computer--the GPU.

This is what creates builds with a $100 PSU a $150 case, and a 256GB SSD--but only a 7850.

 

[Splenyi]

Ok that's good advice actually. While browsing I did find this card on ebay

An ASUS 7970 Direct CUII Top for about $415 with postage ($75 postage for some reason). But if I can bid for this and get it, then I think I would get a really good deal.

EDIT: But on second thought, that GPU is extremely fat...

 

[Sleepingforest]

That is a reasonable choice, but I would caution you on buying eBay CPU/GPUs simply because many, if not marked otherwise (such as BNIB or NIB) have been overclocked to hell and back; they sell it because it is barely functioning anymore.

 

[Splenyi]

Well in seller notes it has:

“This card was installed in a motherboard and video taken to show that it does work. Other than that it has not been used and has had no load. The card is functional and no returns are accepted.”

But if he was confident about it working, why no returns? I think I will stay away from it actually.

 

[Splenyi]

I've almost convinced myself to get the Define R4 Apparently it wont fit my H100i the way that it's built, but it is possible to offset the rad and fans to give enough room for the ram and motherboard. ASRock have heatsinks right on the very edge of their boards, so that is the only thing that has me worried about buying this case.

If I do get this case, I'm getting the one with the titanium front bezzle, and I'm going to mod my own window into the side later on.

EDIT: I don't think this case will fit my H100i in it, and I don't really want to mount it at the front, which seems to be the only option with this case. It's a perfect case for me apart from this one fault, which is disappointing because I need something that supports the H100i mounted at the top. This is an absolute shame, because, other than this, it's a perfect case for me.

I think the best option is the 500R, which is honestly the most ugly case I have seen for a while. But apparently it performs well.

I've located all the cases which do what I want them to do on pccasegear (they no longer have NZXT for some reason). Here's the list;
- Corsair Obsidian 550D
- BitFenix Ghost
- Corsair Carbide 500R
- Corsair Vengeance C70

I was considering the Antec P280, but it just seamed like it was missing a lot of features, and the cable management grommets looked dodgy compared to what Bitfenix and Corsair have. It looks nice though. So, there is what I'll be most likely choosing from, unless the Define R4 can manage to fit what I want into it, then I'll be adding that to my list of think-abouts. I have 2 silence orientated cases which are black, and 2 regular cases which are white (although I like the white on the C70 more than the 500R).

I don't like the Ghost's drive mounting features compared to what Corsair's are like. I like the rad mounting option though. It's also got a hot swap drive bay, which I won't be using at all, so I won't take that feature into account. I'm worried about how much it will intake from the front though, because I hear the 550D suffers from the same problem because of its small vents and 120mm, but the Define R4 doesn't because the vents are larger and it uses 140mm fans instead.

EDIT: Honestly, out of all the cases I have looked at lately, I think the C70 looks the best, but only the white one. It's just a really good shade of white, mixed with a great dark grey front part, and the dark interior looks great with the white exterior. I could see myself with this case for a long time.

 

[mfenn]

Of those, I like the 550D the best (so much so that I bought one). The solid front door really helps cut down on the noise. My 5400 RPM drives are literally the loudest thing in my computer, and I didn't go to extremes to make it quiet (I have a blower 6950 for Pete's sake!).

 

[Sleepingforest]

Take a look at the Silverstone RV03 as well. It has excellent thermals and will fit a radiator at the cost of the 5.25" bays (for CD/DVD burners). I also think it looks pretty cool (very personal--lots of people find it horrifically ugly).

I personally don't even use a burner, and installed via USB (the drivers too), but that requires a working computer at time of assembly and a 4GB+ USB drive.

 

[Splenyi]

@ mfenn - have you kept the top fan cover on? If you remove it, how noisy is it? I need to remove it if I was to install my H100i

@ Sleppingforest - I personally don't like the Raven

Graphics card question; would I be able to power 2 7970s on 760 watts? I'm assuming not.

 

[Sleepingforest]

Yes you would. A whole system with 2 7970s in CFX consume at most 650ish watts according to the Anandtech Bench.

 

[Splenyi]

Wow. I thought I wouldn't be able to, thanks. I just wanted to know so that I could leave some room for improvement in the future.

 

[Sleepingforest]

Personally though, I wouldn't go for SLI or CFX. For example: the 7970 GHz Edition is neck and neck with the 6990 (which is, for all intents and purposes, two CFX'd 6970s). However, getting a 6970 and then a 7970 GHz edition would cost $850, $200 of which can recouped through selling the 6970. Getting 2 6970s, one now and one later, costs $600 (one for $400, one for $200)--plus the extra electricity, heat, and PSU requirements, and chance that it won't work and microstutter.

 

[Torn Mind]

Microstutter is reduced significantly with Tri-Crossfire or Tri-SLI, but that would wallop your pocketbook brutally and you need to make sure you have enough PCI-e lanes for them.

 

[mfenn]

@ mfenn - have you kept the top fan cover on? If you remove it, how noisy is it? I need to remove it if I was to install my H100i

Yes, I have top cover on. I just took the top cover off and didn't notice much of a difference. I do have the PC on my desk and the top of the case is higher than my head. So I don't think I get much sound coming from the top anyway.

 

[Splenyi]

@ Sleepingforest - I was thinking extremely long term, so I wont be getting CFX 7970 for a long time, if ever. So I wasn't really worried about pricing.

@ mfenn - thanks for the info

Guys, I just ran into a problem after some research. Apparently the ASRock Extreme 4 or 6 won't support Dominator Platinum memory, specifically this set CMD16GX3M2A1600C9 luckily I haven't bought the mobo yet, but it looks like I will need to get something higher end. I have read that people had problems with this setup, but if any of you guys just happen to have both of these laying around can you please give it a test for me? Or if you know anyone/seen anyone that has this setup please let me know.

 

[Sleepingforest]

It should be perfectly fine. My Samsung RAM model isn't listed anywhere by the mobo manufacturer, and yet it works fine--overclocks and everything. I don't think that RAM/mobo compatibility is what people keep making it out to be.

Plus, they list similar models (Corsair Dominator Platinums) in smaller sizes at the same frequency/timings. So you should be totally fine.

 

[Splenyi]

Ah ok, thank you.

 

[mfenn]

It should be perfectly fine. My Samsung RAM model isn't listed anywhere by the mobo manufacturer, and yet it works fine--overclocks and everything. I don't think that RAM/mobo compatibility is what people keep making it out to be.

Plus, they list similar models (Corsair Dominator Platinums) in smaller sizes at the same frequency/timings. So you should be totally fine.

Agree. The memory HCL is just the list of modules that the mobo manufacturer has tested, it is not an exhaustive list of all modules that will work. They are limited by whatever they have on hand to test with.

 

[Splenyi]

Thanks again.

My AX760i and H100i both arrived today from America when unboxing the AX760i, it's extremely obvious how high quality the thing is. Very happy with what I have so far.

I've made a decision never to buy 2 GPUs for this build, I'd rather just have 1 really good one and that's it. Going to get myself a 7970 soon enough, hopefully.

So now I have my memory, psu, and cooler with me at home. Can't really do anything with them until I get the other pieces, but they sure are fun to look at

EDIT: My H100i did come with a small dent in the radiator, which is kind of upsetting.

 

[mfenn]

Don't worry, those fins will have several more dents after you're done installing it. They're really damn fragile.

 

[Splenyi]

I noticed, I could bend them around with my fingers, too barely an ounce of pressure.

I guess it wont affect the heat dispersion.

 

[Sleepingforest]

Yeah, this happened to my Hyper 212 Evo as well during shipping. I used a chopstick very carefully to bend things back to more-or-less parallel, but that was mostly an aesthetic preference.

 

[Splenyi]

I suppose that would be easier to bend it back in place with the Evo because it's aluminium fins are straigh, but the h100i has all these crazy compressed fins , and there's one stop in the middle that must have been hit and it looks a bit messy. Doesn't matter that much though, it's going to be covered with 2 fans.

I'm having 2nd thoughts about the 7970, I might downgrade to just the 7950. It will do me just fine, and I wont need to play everything maxed out. Still not sure though, waiting for some more payments until I continue buying parts.

EDIT: Any chance that anyone knows if the H100i will fit onto the 1150 chip set? Just a curious question.

 

[mfenn]

Getting an insanely expensive cooler and PSU (like you've done), and then not getting the GPU to back it up seems completely backwards to to me. If I was going to downgrade anything, it would be the "luxury" parts before I touched the core of the rig.

What's the point of buying all of these luxury coolers and power supplies and then having a slowe(er) gaming PC?

 

[Splenyi]

Good point mfenn. That did cross my mind, and I think I'll just save a little more so that I can balance the system out.

Quick question: how much is a 7970 Matrix worth? And how much would you guys pay for one?