New build for gaming/DVR/dev/misc stuff

[Stev]

Please let me know what you think. I don't think I'm trying to do anything wild here, but my needs are a little different from the norm.

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

• Normal stuff (web, email, media)
• Light gaming (not a big shooter fan, but I love me some indy PC games)
• Run 1-3 Linux VMs (512 MB allocated to each) as build machines for applications.
• Record TV (ClearQAM HDTV and SDTV) and watch it via my HDTV, which will be connected via the second DVI output on the video card).
• Remotely connect to work computer to do...work

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$1000

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

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
I prefer the Nvidia driver interface and I know it works with my HDTV so I'd like to stick with a known quantity, unless there's a really good reason not to. No preference on the CPU.

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Already bought the case (Antec Three Hundred, Fry's had a good price). Will pull my hard drives and TV tuners from my previous build.

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
Yes, this thread is similar to what I'm going for.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Default speeds

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.
I have a Dell 24" widescreen so I'd like to game at 1920x1200, but I understand it may not be possible.

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Within the next couple weeks.

Here are my priorities in parts selection:
1. Staying under budget
2. Component quality (added later, thanks Blain)
3. Best performance
4. Quietest (this computer is in my living room, after all)
5. Nice-looking

Intel Core i5-750 - $194.99
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 - $119.99 AR
CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 RAM - $124.99
Replaced EVGA GeForce 9800 GTX+ with SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5770 - $164.99
Intel X25-M 80GB SSD - $214.99
Sony Optiarc DVD Burner - $21.99
Replaced Rosewill RG530-S12 530W with CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W PSU - $29.99 AR
Antec Three Hundred Case (already purchased) - $39.74 AR
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit - $99.99


My concerns

• Will my video card be fairly quiet at idle? Any better recommendations for an equivalent (or even better) performing card that is quieter?
• Will my DVD burner match the front of my case? Ideally, I'd love for it to match the case and be completely black (no lettering of a different color).

 

[Blain]

Add "Component quality" to your list of priorities.
For DVR usage forget the $225 SSD... Go with the 1TB WD Black WD1002FAEX @ $110
Drop the Rosewill PS... Use the SeaSonic X650 @ $144 (with 10% off code), SeaSonic M12II 620 BRONZE or even the Corsair 650TX @ $80 (after $10 rebate card)

 

[superccs]

Thee is a passive cooling solution on newegg for that gourmet by Arctic cooling. Its awesome on my 8800gt

 

[Stev]

Add "Component quality" to your list of priorities.
For DVR usage forget the $225 SSD... Go with the 1TB WD Black WD1002FAEX @ $110
Drop the Rosewill PS... Use the SeaSonic X650 @ $144 (with 10% off code), SeaSonic M12II 620 BRONZE or even the Corsair 650TX @ $80 (after $10 rebate card)

Component quality is a consideration, that's a good point. But what's wrong with the PSU and why do I need a 650-watt one? I've been using an Enhance ENP-5140GH PSU 400 W in a 939 Athlon build for the past for years and I only paid $60 for it.

For DVR usage, I already have a 1 TB drive that I'll take from my current build. I may get a new hard drive to replace my current storage drive and this would be a good choice, thanks.

 

[Stev]

Thee is a passive cooling solution on newegg for that gourmet by Arctic cooling. Its awesome on my 8800gt

Are you talking about this? I've never had a video card with all that plastic enclosing it. How hard is it to get all that and the current heatsink/fan assembly off? I'll definitely use stock CPU/GPU setups first and see if the sound is acceptable. If not, this cooler would be neat. Thanks.

 

[mfenn]

Component quality is a consideration, that's a good point. But what's wrong with the PSU and why do I need a 650-watt one? I've been using an Enhance ENP-5140GH PSU 400 W in a 939 Athlon build for the past for years and I only paid $60 for it.

You definitely don't need a 650W, but you do need a quality PSU. You might have gotten lucky with your current PSU, but if you play with fire (or crappy PSUs) you're gonna get burned! Take a look at the Corsair 400CX. It has enough wattage for any system that doesn't have a heavy-duty PSU, is much higher quality than that Rosewill, and is cheaper (AR) to boot!

As for GPU, I would probably take a look at the Radeon 5770, it is quite a bit faster than the 9800GTX+, especially at 1920x1200 where the 1GB framebuffer starts to make a difference. If you get one with the "egg" cooler, it is also quite quiet.

 

[Blain]

I always buy larger power supplies than my specific usage requires.
I like a good sized buffer to allow for component degredation over time.
But I may reuse power supplies through more builds than other people.
Cases and power supplies are the two components I tend to keep the longest.

 

[tweakboy]

That's a good one. Ya we had fun it worked but still long way to go.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Not sure why you're using a 9800GTX+ in that build. Get a 5770 instead. Better performance, DX11 support, runs cooler too.

 

[Stev]

You definitely don't need a 650W, but you do need a quality PSU. You might have gotten lucky with your current PSU, but if you play with fire (or crappy PSUs) you're gonna get burned! Take a look at the Corsair 400CX. It has enough wattage for any system that doesn't have a heavy-duty PSU, is much higher quality than that Rosewill, and is cheaper (AR) to boot!

As for GPU, I would probably take a look at the Radeon 5770, it is quite a bit faster than the 9800GTX+, especially at 1920x1200 where the 1GB framebuffer starts to make a difference. If you get one with the "egg" cooler, it is also quite quiet.

I didn't get lucky with the Enhance PSU, it was well-reviewed and it replaced an Antec that died on me after six months.

Radeon 5770 has come up a couple times. Looks like it'll be more expensive, but maybe it's worth it. Is this an example of the "egg" cooler? Sapphire's site lists the minimum PSU required as 500-watt. Would you still recommend that 400-watt Corsair? I've heard of good PSUs operating above spec, but I don't want to push it...

 

[mfenn]

I didn't get lucky with the Enhance PSU, it was well-reviewed and it replaced an Antec that died on me after six months.

Well why did you pick out a Rosewill???

Radeon 5770 has come up a couple times. Looks like it'll be more expensive, but maybe it's worth it. Is this an example of the "egg" cooler? Sapphire's site lists the minimum PSU required as 500-watt. Would you still recommend that 400-watt Corsair? I've heard of good PSUs operating above spec, but I don't want to push it...

Yes, that is the egg cooler. I knew you would know it when you saw it.

The 500W "minimum requirement" is a CYA measure on the part of Sapphire, aimed towards people with inferior power supplies that cannot output their rated wattage.

Here's the best way to size your PSU:
The two highest-draw components in your system will be the CPU and GPU. The CPU has a 95W TDP (Thermal Design Power, the max power draw of a component), and the GPU has a TDP of 108W. That's a total of 203W, or roughly 1/2 of the PSU's capacity. Add another 50% or so for other components and a safety margin, and you're talking about 300W max power draw. This puts you at 75% load, which is a good place to be in order to allow your PSU to run at max efficiency.

In short, yes I recommend the 400W Corsair, because it is the perfect size for your system.

 

[Stev]

Well why did you pick out a Rosewill???


Yes, that is the egg cooler. I knew you would know it when you saw it.

The 500W "minimum requirement" is a CYA measure on the part of Sapphire, aimed towards people with inferior power supplies that cannot output their rated wattage.

Here's the best way to size your PSU:
The two highest-draw components in your system will be the CPU and GPU. The CPU has a 95W TDP (Thermal Design Power, the max power draw of a component), and the GPU has a TDP of 108W. That's a total of 203W, or roughly 1/2 of the PSU's capacity. Add another 50% or so for other components and a safety margin, and you're talking about 300W max power draw. This puts you at 75% load, which is a good place to be in order to allow your PSU to run at max efficiency.

In short, yes I recommend the 400W Corsair, because it is the perfect size for your system.

I picked out a Rosewill because I've been happy with other products they make and I didn't really see anything wrong with it. I guess I still don't know what's wrong with it? Poorer caps? Bad cooling (the fan or the heatsink)? Bad electronics? I guess if none of the reputable sites do an indepth review, we're guessing so we might as well play it safe with a known quantity. I think most people throw more money at a higher wattage PSU just so they don't need to think through the power usage, though (and maybe for the e-penis too). And yet people seem to get the absolute cheapest RAM they can find? I'm not sure I understand... Anyway, I'll look closer at PSUs, I was most iffy on that component when I posted here.

Good advice on PSU sizing. I noticed that the the GTS 250 has TDP of 150 W and the GTX 260 is 182 W! That's definitely a count against Nvidia. I like how the ATI card has HDMI and DisplayPort too. The only question for me is the driver performance on Linux and Windows. Soooooo...I did something a little different.... I ordered an Nvidia GeForce 210 and an ATI Radeon HD 5450, both the lowest end cards of the current gen. I want a fanless card for my old computer anyway and need an ATI and Nvidia for some testing on Linux so I'm going to use this opportunity to see which one has the best drivers and best compatibility with what I do. I may even end up holding off on a higher-end video card until I see a good deal or there's a game I really need to play. Or will one of these two get me 100 FPS at 1920x1200 with high settings in Crysis?

Thanks for all the great advice, I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[mfenn]

I picked out a Rosewill because I've been happy with other products they make and I didn't really see anything wrong with it. I guess I still don't know what's wrong with it? Poorer caps? Bad cooling (the fan or the heatsink)? Bad electronics? I guess if none of the reputable sites do an indepth review, we're guessing so we might as well play it safe with a known quantity.

All of the above

I think most people throw more money at a higher wattage PSU just so they don't need to think through the power usage, though (and maybe for the e-penis too). And yet people seem to get the absolute cheapest RAM they can find? I'm not sure I understand... Anyway, I'll look closer at PSUs, I was most iffy on that component when I posted here.
Good advice on PSU sizing. I noticed that the the GTS 250 has TDP of 150 W and the GTX 260 is 182 W! That's definitely a count against Nvidia. I like how the ATI card has HDMI and DisplayPort too. The only question for me is the driver performance on Linux and Windows. Soooooo...I did something a little different.... I ordered an Nvidia GeForce 210 and an ATI Radeon HD 5450, both the lowest end cards of the current gen. I want a fanless card for my old computer anyway and need an ATI and Nvidia for some testing on Linux so I'm going to use this opportunity to see which one has the best drivers and best compatibility with what I do. I may even end up holding off on a higher-end video card until I see a good deal or there's a game I really need to play. Or will one of these two get me 100 FPS at 1920x1200 with high settings in Crysis?

Sounds like a smart plan.

Thanks for all the great advice, I'll let you know how it turns out.

Glad I could help!

 

[elconejito]

another vote for the corsair 400cx. Really solid power supply. And that system, if you aren't overclocking it, and you aren't putting some massive energysucking GPU in it will probably consume about 100-200w during normal use (including gaming.

If you want to go Nvidia, definitely look at the GTS250, which is really near in performance to that 9800GTX+ and runs cooler and uses less power. I think there is a 240 that is a slight step down from that. But right now, for low power, especially at idle I think ATI is the way to go. From xbitlabs: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/gpu-power-consumption-2010_3.html#sect0

 

[Stev]

Hi all, I updated the parts list in my original post.

I also posted my findings regarding Nvidia versus ATI here. Looks like I'll be going with ATI, although I'm going to try out both cards I already have on the new system before I buy my new video card.

I'm getting ready to place some orders tonight to take advantage of the discount at eWiz and order the SSD before its price changes again and the Corsair PSU before its rebate expires. I'm still unsure on which DVD burner will match my case, but I'll probably go for a Lite-on instead of Sony. I'm also looking to change my RAM. The 1600s don't seem to jive well with the motherboard. I'm thinking of finding a pair of 1333s. Maybe these (I'd have to find them elsewhere, though). Any last-minute tips?

 

[mfenn]

Hi all, I updated the parts list in my original post.

I also posted my findings regarding Nvidia versus ATI here. Looks like I'll be going with ATI, although I'm going to try out both cards I already have on the new system before I buy my new video card.

I'm getting ready to place some orders tonight to take advantage of the discount at eWiz and order the SSD before its price changes again and the Corsair PSU before its rebate expires. I'm still unsure on which DVD burner will match my case, but I'll probably go for a Lite-on instead of Sony. I'm also looking to change my RAM. The 1600s don't seem to jive well with the motherboard. I'm thinking of finding a pair of 1333s. Maybe these (I'd have to find them elsewhere, though). Any last-minute tips?

Regarding the RAM, here's the memory QVL for the GA-P55A-UD3. If you buy a part from this list, it's guaranteed to work. I would imagine that most any DDR3 would work, but you can't go wrong by sticking to the QVL.

 

[Stev]

Regarding the RAM, here's the memory QVL for the GA-P55A-UD3. If you buy a part from this list, it's guaranteed to work. I would imagine that most any DDR3 would work, but you can't go wrong by sticking to the QVL.

Thanks, that's what I was going to hit up next. Looks like this would work:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820148262

Of course, no heat spreaders, so they'll run MUCH slower.

 

[mfenn]

Thanks, that's what I was going to hit up next. Looks like this would work:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820148262

Of course, no heat spreaders, so they'll run MUCH slower.

LOL. But honestly, for the price, why not get some DDR3 1600 RAM that has heatspeaders and is on the QVL?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2800CL9D-4GBNQ

 

[Stev]

LOL. But honestly, for the price, why not get some DDR3 1600 RAM that has heatspeaders and is on the QVL?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2800CL9D-4GBNQ

Yeah, good point. People seem to be griping about having to manually set stuff on the 1600 RAM, but I had to do that on my current build and I only had to do it twice (second time is when I reset the BIOS to troubleshoot another problem). I went through the entire list of supported 2 GB DDR3 1600 sticks and after eliminating several triple channel kits (weird having them on there) and several off-brands that I couldn't find for sale, there were three, including the kit you suggested. I'm just gonna say it...they're all some homely pieces of RAM! I'll get over it, pick one based on more substantial reasons and move on.

I'm kinda at a standstill on the RAM anyway. I'm reading chunks of the motherboard manual to make sure it's got everything I want. I bought the CPU, SSD, and PSU last night so I'm making SOME progress!