Performance build by first time builder please help

[sumit76]

Hi All,
I am trying to build a computer to do the following tasks efficiently:
1. Scientific computing: demanding with huge data sets.
2. Photoshop
3. games like Call of duty: MW (occasionally)
I have never built a computer, but think I can handle it. My budget is 1700. That is the upper limit. Please let me know any changes you suggest. I do not know whether I want over clocking and water cooling. Sounds scary to me.

Here is the configuration I came up with:

Case: Antec Twelve Hundred ATX Gaming Case 160
http://microcenter.com/single_prod [...] id=0288150

Processor: Processor: Intel Core i7-930 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 Quad-Core Desktop Processor - Retail 294
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

Motherboard: GA-X58A-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail SATA 3.0, USB 3.0, 3x USB power 210
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 63938&SID=

Memory: G.SKILL PI Series 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7T2-12GBPI – Retail 365
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 63938&SID=

Graphics card: SAPPHIRE 100283L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail 180.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102858

Hard drive: [ F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive 90.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152185

Power supply: Antec CP-850 850W Continuous Power CPX SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC "compatible with Core i7" Power Supply – 109
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 63938&SID=

CPU cooler: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU Cooler - Retail 39
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 63938&SID=

CD/DVD burner: PLEXTOR Black 24X DVD+R 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD/CD Writer LightScribe Support - 45
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 9054"
Monitor: Dell ST2410 24-inch Full HD Widescreen Monitor with Logitech Wireless Desktop MK 300 Keyboard and Mouse 231
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna [...] u=320-1070

Thermal Paste: OCZ OCZTFRZTC Freeze Extreme Thermal Conductivity Compound - Retail 5.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 63938&SID=

Sound card: None
Speakers : None
OS:
7- Professional 64-Bit Edition (Microsoft) (free from school).

 

[Zap]

Hi sumit76, and welcome to Anandtech Forums.

I have never built a computer, but think I can handle it. My budget is 1700. That is the upper limit. Please let me know any changes you suggest. I do not know whether I want over clocking and water cooling. Sounds scary to me.

If this is your first time building, I'd suggest leaving overclocking and water cooling for another day (or year). Here are some suggestions.

Case: Antec Twelve Hundred ATX Gaming Case 160
Cases are basically whatever you like as long as the airflow is good. The Antec 1200 is a decent case. I personally would never buy one, but that's because it is huge and noisy - two things I hate in cases. If you want a big case with great ventilation and don't mind the noise then the 1200 is a decent choice.

Processor: Processor: Intel Core i7-930 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366
Since you linked to Micro Center for the case, I'm assuming you live near one. Is that true? If so, the Core i7 930 is $199 in-store. It is a good choice for a higher end platform.

Motherboard: GA-X58A-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX
Not familiar with this board, but I hear it is popular.

Memory: G.SKILL PI Series 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
Sounds okay.

Graphics card: SAPPHIRE 100283L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit
Sounds fine.

Hard drive: F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
Samsung F3 drives are pretty good.

Power supply: Antec CP-850 850W Continuous Power CPX SLI Certified
A good choice for the Antec 1200 case. Note that it is a proprietary size, meaning if you ever change cases you may have to change PSUs as well.

CPU cooler: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7
Good choice for a cheaper yet higher end cooler. Note that Amazon has it for around $10 less than Newegg. Also, note that I've heard it is "fiddly" to install.

CD/DVD burner: PLEXTOR Black 24X DVD+R 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD/CD
Plextor was pretty good BITD, but these days their products seem like any other, just more expensive. Right now (for maybe another day or two) Newegg has Samsung DVD burners with Lightscribe for $23.99 with free shipping.

Monitor: Dell ST2410 24-inch Full HD Widescreen Monitor with Logitech Wireless Desktop MK 300 Keyboard and Mouse 231
Monitor, keyboard and mouse are choices you have to make depending on what you like. Dell monitors and Logitec input devices are (generally speaking) pretty decent.

Thermal Paste: OCZ OCZTFRZTC Freeze Extreme Thermal Conductivity
No need. Just use whatever comes with the heatsink. If you want to spend extra money for better cooling you would want to spend it on a better cooler first.

 

[MisterDonut]

The Donut advice: I would probably pick a Mugen 2 over the 212+, but I am a tad biased against Coolermaster cooling products (Cases are absolutely fantastic). Those total BS fans have forever turned me off of what their cooling stuff really does, but I have heard decent things about the 212+. Mugen 2, though, is one hell of a heatsink for < $40.


EDIT: Scratch that, the Mugen 2 won't fit with the PI series. The thing is twice as large as 99&#37; of air coolers out there.

 

[sumit76]

Thanks Zap and MisterDonut. I highly appreciate your inputs.
I made the following changes,
1. case:Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case,
2. psu:Corsair 650HX 650W Modular PSU
3. Thanks for the i7 930 information. Indeed there is a microcenter near my place.
4. SAMSUNG 24x DVD Burner - SH-S243N/BEBS - OEM
5. dropping the thermal paste
do you think i should upgrade to the video card from 5770 to 5830 ? would start ordering stuff from today

 

[MisterDonut]

What resolution is that monitor? A 5770 shouldn't have problems handling most games at 1920 x 1080, as long as you aren't maxing out the heaviest GPU-dependent games. If you're willing to shell out that much for a 5830, put out a little more money for the 5850. Using the 1366 platform, it also opens the option for Crossfire, so you can put in two 5770 if later games become too stressing on your rig.