New Build: ordering within the hour...

[hemi79]

Please suggest on my new build components. I am going to order all within the next couple hours and I am very excited. I feel I am on the right track but all suggestions are welcome.

My priority is working with Autodesk Revit and Autocad Civl3d. I am starting with the K600 video card for now and will upgrade later to the K2000. I do plan to overclock and I hope I can achieve a 4.5 GHz overclock.

1. Corsair Vengeance C70 ATX Gunmetal Case
2. Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC LGA 1150 UEFI Bios
3. Intel Core i7-4770K Haswell 3.5 Ghz LGA 1150 Quad Core
4. Kingston HyperX XMP Blue Red Series 16GB (2x8GB) 240 Pin DDR3 1600
5. Nvidia Quadro K600 VCQK600-PB 1GB GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0x16
6. (2) x Samsung 840 Pro Series MZ-7PD128BW 2.5" 128 GB SATA III Internal SSD
7. SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold 650W ATX 12V V2.3/EPS SLI Ready 80 Plus Gold
8. Corsair Hydro Series H110 Water Cooler
9. Cougar 12CM Blue LED Hydraulic (Liquid) Bearing Ultra Silent Fan 12000RPM, 64.4CFM, 16.6dBA
10. Fan Controller (Working on finding one, please suggest)
$1,568.88
I will be using Windows 7 which I already have. 🙂

Thanks for all and any help!!

 

[Cerb]

Too late, apparently, but:

6. (2) x Samsung 840 Pro Series MZ-7PD128BW 2.5" 128 GB SATA III Internal SSD

Why not 1 256GB?

9. Cougar 12CM Blue LED Hydraulic (Liquid) Bearing Ultra Silent Fan 12000RPM, 64.4CFM, 16.6dBA

I think it's 1200 RPM, not 12000, but nonetheless, 17dBA my ass. But, if you want a blue LED...

10. Fan Controller (Working on finding one, please suggest)

For Windows? Change to an Asus motherboard that supports FanXpert2. Otherwise, buy only 4-pin fans, and stick to 4-pin supporting mobos, because not all mobos do a great job with non-CPU 3-pin control, these days (Asus and ASRock tend to be better than most, though). Most with a bunch of 4-pin connectors will allow Speedfan to control them.

Hardware? Eh, Sunbeam is till around.

And, if you're not gaming, why the overclocking?

 

[DSF]

I don't see the point of posting at midnight (Eastern Time anyway) and expecting useful feedback within a couple hours.

I gather this is a machine for work? If so, I wouldn't recommend overclocking to 4.5 GHz, but maybe that's just me.

I think you're also overspending in a number of places, like the motherboard, PSU and cooler, but it's hard to say without answers to the questions in the sticky at the top of the forum.

 

[Murloc]

I'd not overclock for work.
I don't understand the choice of a watercooler but whatever, this computer will do its job, you're just spending more money than needed here and there.

 

[hemi79]

DSF: Your right about posting at midnight. It took me a while to finally decide to purchase and I really was ready to push the purchase button. Thanks for the reply.
Why wouldn't you overclock for work? I am new to PC Building and I want a computer that will last, I want a really fast PC so I really want to try overclocking. I gather I am overspending on several items, Im just not that familiar with the different components so I go for items that exceed what I need to play it safe. Sorry for not answering the sticky on top.

Murloc: REally the water cooler is more of a luxury because I don't like the way the heatsink fans look. I like how the corsair overlays the CPU and its simplicity. I was concerned about the whole water issue, but it seems like it is very reliable. I tried looking for a different MOBO, but I would end up spending about $50 less and I just preferred to spend it and get the cool features on this one. I wanted wifi, but I decided I didn't want to risk it after reading several reviews of it not working on MOBO arrival.

Cerb: I did order the Samsung 840 Pro 256Gb after all, but I had to do so from Amazon as Newegg had run out of stock. Primarily that was the reason for getting the smaller ones, and also that I don't like partitions. But anyway, I guess I will have to do so.

 

[hemi79]

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

Autodesk Revit, Autocad Civil 3d, Planswift, Quickbooks, Excel and webbrowsing.

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

$1,600 is my max.

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

U.S.A.

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.

All from USA

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 Fan, i5's and i7's 4th generation for sure.

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

Only Windows 7

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

I wish to overclock my i7

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

1366x768

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.

Within one week.

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

No. Already have Windows 7.

 

[Essence_of_War]

1366x768

Can any of this budget be used on getting you a nicer monitor?

 

[DSF]

Let's step back for a second. Are you self-employed or do you work for a company? If you work for a company I would strongly recommend going through them for a work-related PC. Then they will (or should) handle all the troubleshooting that may arise.

If you're self-employed and are determined to build the machine yourself, how comfortable are you fixing computers? Making your first build a machine that you're depending on for your livelihood is bold. If you lose a day of computer time while you try to fix an issue like a crash or instability, is that acceptable? Two days? Three? What if you can't figure it out yourself and have to bring it to someone else to have it fixed?

With all of that out of the way, overclocking, especially to something like 4.5 GHz, brings with it inherent risks. There's always the chance of system instability. Most people have success with it these days, but it's not something I'd personally chance on a business system. It is possible for the computer to be making tiny calculation errors behind the scenes that don't immediately result in crashes or problems but can corrupt data over time.

Is the amount of money you make directly tied to how fast the processor is? If not, I wouldn't even worry about overclocking at all right now. (In other words, does being able to render things in AutoCAD 10% faster translate to a 5-10 increase in your revenue?)

Also, do you know whether AutoCAD makes use of hyperthreading? I don't personally know, and if it doesn't the i7 isn't gaining you anything over a comparable i5. If it does, you could look at Xeon chips to save a little money while still getting hyperthreading.

Regarding Windows 7 - do you have a valid, unused Windows 7 license? It's technically illegal to use one you've already installed on a different computer, and it's possible it wouldn't work anyway.

Edit: I meant to bring up the same thing Essence of War did. That's a small monitor by today's standards, especially for doing visual work.

 

[Cerb]

Also, do you know whether AutoCAD makes use of hyperthreading?

Not even close. Nor will Revit. Everything important in Civil 3D can be done fine on a 10-year-old computer, as long as you could add more RAM. Rendering is basically all that will use more of the CPU.

 

[Essence_of_War]

Let's step back for a second. Are you self-employed or do you work for a company? If you work for a company I would strongly recommend going through them for a work-related PC. Then they will (or should) handle all the troubleshooting that may arise.

OP, this would be really helpful to answer/respond-to.

 

[Davidh373]

Why wouldn't you overclock for work? I am new to PC Building and I want a computer that will last, I want a really fast PC so I really want to try overclocking.

Overclocking can cause instability, and one normally wants stability and reliability in a computer for work. Overclocking pushes the performance of a processor beyond it's intended safe performance intended by the product's manufacturer. This can cause glitches, crashes, and lost work.

Murloc: REally the water cooler is more of a luxury because I don't like the way the heatsink fans look. I like how the corsair overlays the CPU and its simplicity. I was concerned about the whole water issue, but it seems like it is very reliable. I tried looking for a different MOBO, but I would end up spending about $50 less and I just preferred to spend it and get the cool features on this one. I wanted wifi, but I decided I didn't want to risk it after reading several reviews of it not working on MOBO arrival.

If you like the look, fine, but this will also increase stability and keep the processor cool if you do end up overclocking. I still would not advise overclocking, but a good cooler will certainly be worth it.

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

1366x768

For a workstation... I'd fit a new monitor in that $1600 budget.

 

[hemi79]

Not even close. Nor will Revit. Everything important in Civil 3D can be done fine on a 10-year-old computer, as long as you could add more RAM. Rendering is basically all that will use more of the CPU.

I dont design on civil to render. And if it depends on CPU, then an i7 would be justified, or i suppose the i5 at same speed could be used. But im building something that wont be left behind too soon. My understanding is that autodesk products depend strongly on GPU and ram.

I am selfemployed and use civil for utility schedules on new subdivision estimates and revit for structure schedules in residential projects. Aside from that my main interest is analysis which robot structural pro is used for. But thats not really work just for my own self development.

I have a i7 2.2 ghz DELL laptop and it struggles with 16 gb of ram running windows 7. No i mainly work on shades or wireframes, but it always tends to stall between operations and its just become frustrating.

Aside from this budget i also will be getting 2 1380x1080 dell monitors i just didnt think to add them in the PC build budget as they are just waiting to get connected as i have a Windows 7 OEM unopened and ready to go.

 

[mfenn]

Regarding Windows 7 - do you have a valid, unused Windows 7 license? It's technically illegal to use one you've already installed on a different computer, and it's possible it wouldn't work anyway.

Depends on what kind of license. An OEM/System Builder license is not transferable, a Retail one is.

 

[mfenn]

Murloc: REally the water cooler is more of a luxury because I don't like the way the heatsink fans look. I like how the corsair overlays the CPU and its simplicity. I was concerned about the whole water issue, but it seems like it is very reliable.

I don't see how a water cooler is simpler than an air cooler, in fact it is the opposite. A water cooler has at least two moving parts (read: failure points), the fan and the pump. An air cooler only has one, the fan.

 

[Cerb]

I dont design on civil to render. And if it depends on CPU, then an i7 would be justified

Quite possibly, but for the 2MB L3 and faster Turbo, not the threads and cores.

I have a i7 2.2 ghz DELL laptop and it struggles with 16 gb of ram running windows 7. No i mainly work on shades or wireframes, but it always tends to stall between operations and its just become frustrating.

If you're not being limited by RAM, definitely get some kind of Quadro. But, a lot of that can just be complex linked DBs (points DBs are among the few things that tend to be able to really drag down Civil), or having too much visible (turn off layers you don't need right now).

 

[Cerb]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($294.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H87 Performance ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($112.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Corsair C70 Military Green (Green) ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($124.00 @ Amazon)
Other: PNY Quadro K2000 ($425.99) <- Amazon
Total: $1440.79
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-12 03:33 EDT-0400)

I would not recommend overclocking such a computer, but, every meaningful non-overclocking upgrade blew past the $1600 (a ~500GB SSD got right at the edge, though), so:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($334.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek Dark Knight SD1283 Night Hawk Edition 89.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H87 Performance ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($112.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Corsair C70 Military Green (Green) ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($124.00 @ Amazon)
Other: PNY Quadro K2000 ($425.99) <- Amazon
Total: $1530.78
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-12 03:40 EDT-0400)

Note that, ordering from Newegg, the H87 Performance and i7-4770 rebate card stack.

The Sunbeam Rheosmart is easily the most versatile simple fan controller around, but you really shouldn't need it. Try using the BIOS options (one of the reasons for choosing an ASRock), and if that's not enough, install the tuning utility from the CD it comes with. Then, if that fails to do the job well enough, and/or Speedfan's learning curve is too much, order a Rheosmart. Also, either way, for cable management, add a couple of these to the Newegg order (you can get $2 ones from Microcenter, which you may or may not order from, but trust me, being sleeved is worth $1/ea., unless you already have a stash of modding supplies). The cables can help the case fans reach where they need to go, while not sacrificing good cable management.

If you don't do rebates, change the Microcenter parts to Newegg (adds $40-50 net).

Note that the H87 Performance supports overclocking of K CPUs, though you might need to flash to a beta BIOS to do it, at the moment. The stacking combo also makes it as good of a buy as any of the $85-95 H87 boards.

Why the K2000? The budget was there, so why not? If you drop back down to the K600, you end up with basically as good as of a machine as you first specified, but for $300 less.

 

[DSF]

Depends on what kind of license. An OEM/System Builder license is not transferable, a Retail one is.

I was making the (possibly unfair) assumption that as a first time builder he probably didn't have a Retail license from a previous build.