Please critique my i7 build

[Special K]

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

This PC will be used for gaming, movies, music, and general office work/web browsing. Obviously the gaming requirement will dictate the choice of system components.

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

$1200-$1500

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, etc, etc, you get the picture.

No real preference, although with all the research I have done, I pretty much have my mind set on a core i7 rig at this point.

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

I already have a Dell 2408wfp and a copy of Vista 64-bit Business Edition I will be using.

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.

I've read every i7 build thread posted in the last couple months, so there shouldn't be much feedback to give here - my build looks very similar to many others.

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

I'll be running it at default speeds for the forseeable future. OC'ing is a possibility later on.

8. WHEN do you plan to build it?

I'd like to have everything ordered by the end of March, unless there's some huge price drop coming up in April. You could spend your whole life waiting for the next best thing in this industry.





With that said, here is my choice of components:

CPU: Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - Retail
Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
RAM: OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit
HD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Video Card: XFX GX260NADBF GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition Core 216 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
DVD+-RW: LITE ON IHAS422-08 Black LightScribe SATA 22X DVD Burner (Retail)
Case: Antec Nine Hundred Two
PSU: Corsair CMPSU-650TX
Mouse: Logitech MX1100

The total for the above items comes to ~$1300 before rebates, and ~$1200 after rebates. I have also included $30 in that total for a new keyboard, although I haven't picked that out yet since it's not critical to the build.





Here are a couple of questions I have:

1. is the PSU sufficient for future growth, or should I get a 750W?

I used the power supply calculator on this page link and assumed the following components:

High End Desktop Motherboard
core i7 920
85% TDP
CPU overclocked to 4 GHz (Vcore = 1.35)
3 sticks DDR
2 Nvidia GTX 260 core 216's in SLI
1 7200 RPM HD
1 DVDRW drive
1 BD-ROM drive
1 floppy drive
1 PCI sound card
fan controller
2 cold cathodes
3x120mm LED fans, 1x250mm LED fan
90% system load
20% capacitor aging

The calculator spit out exactly 650W for the above list of components. I have no idea how reliable that calculator is, but it's the first result when you google "power supply calculator", and it seems to be pretty detailed.

Note that the 650W figure above was made based on several assumptions about future upgrades. It assumes that I will:

- add a couple of cold cathode lights
- add a BD-ROM drive
- add a 2nd GTX 260 in SLI
- overclock my i7 to 4 GHz using a Vcore of 1.35V
- add a floppy drive
- add a fan controller


While some of these may have a negligble impact on power consumption, others may have a major impact. I'm not even sure if I will make any/all of these upgrades in the future. For example, I might opt for a newer single video card instead of adding a 2nd one in SLI. I'm just trying to plan ahead and include some overhead into my PSU to allow for potential future upgrades.

Having said that, should I stick with the 650TX, or move up to the 750TX? The extra $20 for the 750TX isn't a huge issue, but I don't want to pay for it if I don't really need it. I have also read that the 650TX is made by Seasonic, while the 750TX is made by CWT (link). Apparently Seasonic is a better brand than CWT.

2. Does anyone have any opinions on the IHAS422, particularly regarding durability and noise level? The drive received a very good review on CDFreaks, but if you read through the Newegg reviews for any DVD drive, you will find many people saying the drive is the loudest drive they have ever used, and many others saying it's the quietest drive they have ever used.

 

[Special K]

Bump - any comments at all? What about my choice of RAM? Should I go with a 1.5V kit instead of a 1.65V kit?

 

[zerocool84]

Well you're going SLI 260's so I would go with the 750 cus it has more power obviously so a little more headroom but more so it has 4 PCIe power connectors so you won't have to use any adaptors but if you're not going SLI and be realistic here the 650 is more than enough.

 

[Denithor]

Corsair 650TX is actually a better PSU - made by Seasonic and 650W is enough to run even dual GTX 280s in SLI so you won't have any issues there (linky).

For i7 you definitely need 1.5V DDR3 - going above that is a no-no per Intel, voids your warranty & can burn your chip out early (directly affects the cpu thanks to the integrated memory controller onboard).

Especially since you're not overclocking there's no need for DDR3-1600. At all, whatsoever. If running stock the fastest your memory can run is DDR3-1066 (with the 8x multiplier: 133x8 = 1064 / 133x20 = 2.66GHz). Keep in mind that even for overclockers you can hit 4.44GHz with DDR3-1333 (222x6 = 1332 / 222x20 = 4.44GHz). You're actually best off with DDR3-1333 run at lower speed with tighter timings. Example: get these G.Skill 3x2GB DDR3-1333 sticks, run them with the 8x multiplier and drop the CAS as low as you can get it stable.

Buy this LG BD-ROM/HD DVD-ROM/DVD-RW instead of the DVD-RW you picked out. You'll thank me once you see Blu-ray movies on your 2408. Plus I have the same drive, it's ultra-quiet and speedy.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: Denithor

For i7 you definitely need 1.5V DDR3 - going above that is a no-no per Intel, voids your warranty & can burn your chip out early (directly affects the cpu thanks to the integrated memory controller onboard).

I notice a lot of DDR3 for sale on Newegg runs at 1.65V by default. Are you saying that voids my warranty? Why would all those memory manufacturers make RAM that voids the CPU warranty?

Do you have a link that indicates running DDR3 at 1.65V voids the warranty? I thought anything over 1.65V was considered out of spec, but 1.65V was OK.

 

[Denithor]

You're right - 1.65V is the limit.

My mistake. 😱

AT article on i7 at launch.

Getting back to that 1.65V warning, Intel is quite serious about this voltage level and is ensuring the board manufacturers remind the users in a variety of ways ranging from statements in the user manuals to various BIOS warnings when changing VDimm above 1.65V.

Still - given the choice between memory @ 1.5V and 1.65V I know which I would choose. The lower voltage memory will run cooler and probably last longer. Plus, those sticks I linked are only $5 more than the OCZ after its rebate - without messing with a rebate at all. And since you're not into overclocking the DDR3-1600 is useless. Remember, the fastest you can run your RAM without overclocking is DDR3-1066.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: Denithor
You're right - 1.65V is the limit.

My mistake. 😱

AT article on i7 at launch.

Getting back to that 1.65V warning, Intel is quite serious about this voltage level and is ensuring the board manufacturers remind the users in a variety of ways ranging from statements in the user manuals to various BIOS warnings when changing VDimm above 1.65V.

Still - given the choice between memory @ 1.5V and 1.65V I know which I would choose. The lower voltage memory will run cooler and probably last longer. Plus, those sticks I linked are only $5 more than the OCZ after its rebate - without messing with a rebate at all. And since you're not into overclocking the DDR3-1600 is useless. Remember, the fastest you can run your RAM without overclocking is DDR3-1066.

Yeah, I was also looking at the 1600 set by G.Skill:

link

It's only $100 with no rebate, and it would give me some headroom if I decide to OC later.

Originally posted by: Denithor
Corsair 650TX is actually a better PSU - made by Seasonic and 650W is enough to run even dual GTX 280s in SLI so you won't have any issues there

Are you saying a 650W Corsair PSU made by Seasonic is better than a 750W Corsair PSU made by CWT?

 

[Denithor]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: Denithor
Corsair 650TX is actually a better PSU - made by Seasonic and 650W is enough to run even dual GTX 280s in SLI so you won't have any issues there

Are you saying a 650W Corsair PSU made by Seasonic is better than a 750W Corsair PSU made by CWT?

That's exactly what I'm saying.

The tests also show that DC voltage regulation is not very tight and we saw large drops on almost every rail. The important 12V rail does best, but then it also has the highest ripple readings we've seen from a high-end power supply this year. Noise levels are also a negative, since the PSU is relatively loud even at lower loads, and anything above 80% load results in a very loud PSU.

Compared to other Corsair offerings, the TX750W is simply not up to snuff. The previously tested HX1000W was an excellent power supply, but that power supply uses a different topology. We also received an HX520W recently and that power supply performs very well -- it's a Seasonic-built unit. Pricing may be the one saving grace, however.

As for 650W vs 750W, simply not an issue: power consumption charts. Take a look at even the peak power consumption of a heavily overclocked i7 system with dual GTX 280 cards in SLI mode. The 650TX can easily handle that setup so you will have zero problems with yours even if you drop in that second GTX 260 and decide to OC your CPU later.

 

[Special K]

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[Special K]

Originally posted by: Denithor
As for 650W vs 750W, simply not an issue: power consumption charts. Take a look at even the peak power consumption of a heavily overclocked i7 system with dual GTX 280 cards in SLI mode. The 650TX can easily handle that setup so you will have zero problems with yours even if you drop in that second GTX 260 and decide to OC your CPU later.

According to that link, the power consumption maxes out at 579.1 W. Although that is within the spec of the power supply, if you read this review here:

link

You can see that the 650TX would get quite loud at that level of power utilization, as the fan would dramatically increase speed to compensate for the increased amount of heat produced.

In particular, this quote concerns me:

If you want the best noise performance from the TX650W, use it in a system that draws no more than ~350W DC or about 400W (AC) at the wall.

From looking at your power consumption charts, it seems my GeForce 260 Core 216 (or alternately, a 1GB 4870) wouldn't give me a whole lot of headroom before the power supply fan would start making a lot more noise.

 

[Denithor]

Two comments I will make here.

First, if you run your i7 setup with a single GTX 260 the 650TX will run at low loading & will be virtually silent.

Second, if you add a second GTX 260, you are going to have a hard time finding a PSU that won't crank up the noise level as it works to feed the required power.

Plus - simply adding a second GTX will add more noise to your system - two of these cards may drown out the extra noise from the PSU.

EDIT: And from the 750TX review I linked above, here's a quote you should see.

The TX750W fan is not silent, and a moderate increase in fan speed results in a dramatic increase in noise levels. At minimal load, the power supply generates 21dB(A) of noise, which isn't terrible but it isn't great either -- you wouldn't normally notice the power supply when it's installed in a system at low loads. At 50% load the volume increases 7dB(A), which definitely becomes audible. You definitely do not want to run at anything near maximum load, however, as 80% load results in 39dB(A) and 100% load is 40dB(A)! If you are interested in silence (or even near silence), there are without doubt better power supplies.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: Denithor
Two comments I will make here.

First, if you run your i7 setup with a single GTX 260 the 650TX will run at low loading & will be virtually silent.

Second, if you add a second GTX 260, you are going to have a hard time finding a PSU that won't crank up the noise level as it works to feed the required power.

Plus - simply adding a second GTX will add more noise to your system - two of these cards may drown out the extra noise from the PSU.

These are all good points.

Originally posted by: Denithor
EDIT: And from the 750TX review I linked above, here's a quote you should see.

The TX750W fan is not silent, and a moderate increase in fan speed results in a dramatic increase in noise levels. At minimal load, the power supply generates 21dB(A) of noise, which isn't terrible but it isn't great either -- you wouldn't normally notice the power supply when it's installed in a system at low loads. At 50% load the volume increases 7dB(A), which definitely becomes audible. You definitely do not want to run at anything near maximum load, however, as 80% load results in 39dB(A) and 100% load is 40dB(A)! If you are interested in silence (or even near silence), there are without doubt better power supplies.

If you look at the 650TX review I posted above, the 650TX produces 21dB of noise at minimal load also, so the 2 power supplies seem about equal in that regard. However, the 750TX at 50% load produces 28dB of noise, but the 650TX at 50% load only produces ~24dB (approximation). They produce the same amount of noise when unloaded, but the 750TX ramps up faster as a function of utilization than the 650TX. Also, the AT review fails to mention what the "better power supplies" are.

Another thing I just realized is that the GTX 260 core 216 card I am looking at requires two 6-pin PCI-E power connectors. The 4870 1GB card I am looking at also requires two 6-pin PCI-E power connectors.

The 650TX on the other hand, only has 2 6/8-pin PCI-E connectors, so it wouldn't support SLI/crossfire for the two cards I mentioned anyway. I would need to get either the 750TX or 850TX, which both have 4 of the 6/8-pin PCI-E power connectors.

EDIT: nevermind on this point; I see they make adapters that allow you to convert 2 peripheral power connectors into one PCI-E power connector. The 650TX would therefore have enough physical connectors to support two cards in SLI that each require 2 PCI-E power connections.

 

[Denithor]

And your video card will come with at least one of those adapters to merge two 4-pin molex connectors into one 6-pin GPU plug.

Personally I'd go for the 850TX instead of the known lower-quality 750TX. Look around and see who makes the 850TX, if Seasonic you're gtg.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: Denithor
And your video card will come with at least one of those adapters to merge two 4-pin molex connectors into one 6-pin GPU plug.

Personally I'd go for the 850TX instead of the known lower-quality 750TX. Look around and see who makes the 850TX, if Seasonic you're gtg.

Actually, the 850TX is also made by CWT, according to jonnyGURU's review:

jonnyGURU 850TX review

However, it scored a 9.5/10 in his review. It's also worth noting that he gave the 750TX a 9/10 rating:

jonnyGURU 750TX review

although he did note that the PS had some noise issues.

What should I do? Should I get the 650TX, knowing that it will accommodate my proposed setup? Should I go with the 750TX? Will the noise issues actually translate into visible problems? Should I go with some other 750W supply?

 

[Denithor]

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

 

[Special K]

Well I finally got everything put together. Here's what I ultimately ended up going with:

CPU: core i7 920 (I lucked out and got a D0)
mobo: EVGA X58 SLI
HSF: Prolimatech Megahalems + Scythe KAMA PWM fan
video card: EVGA GeForce GTX 260 C216 SC Edition
RAM: 6GB Corsair XMS3, PC3-12800 1600 MHz DDR3
PSU: Corsair 650TX
Optical Drive: LG GGC-H20L
HD: WD Caviar Black 750 GB
Case: Antec 902

Overall I didn't encounter any serious issues during the build, but here are a few minor things that went wrong that I'll keep in mind for next time:

1. My case didn't come with enough brass standoffs, paper washers, and screws to mount the motherboard. Luckily Antec was willing to send me extras at no cost, although it delayed my build by a week.
2. If you plan to route your cables behind your case as I did, you will probably need an extention cable for your ATX12V connector, such as this: link . This delayed my build by another week.
3. Mid-tower cases are extremely cramped. I finally got everything fit in the way I wanted, but it took some time. I would imagine a full-tower case would be much easier to work in, although they are obviously less portable and more expensive.
4. Tying off all the unused cables was a real PITA. Luckily you can buy more cable ties at Home Depot, because I went through all the ones that came with my PSU pretty quickly. It took me a few tries of tying the cables to find a configuration that actually allowed me to fit everything and still have room to reattach the back case panel. A modular power supply would obviously prevent some of this.

Here are a couple pics:

inside
back cable management

 

[jinduy]

did that black layer come with the cables around your PSU or did you add those yourself? sorry i'm quite outdated on this...

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: jinduy
did that black layer come with the cables around your PSU or did you add those yourself? sorry i'm quite outdated on this...

All the cables come with the mesh covering.