Thinking ahead to a new build

[maniacalpha1-1]

So what I'm doing here is double checking the...wisdom, shall we say, of these part choices, and then I'll put this thread to favorites and in a couple of months when the new AMD chips come out(if, indeed, they ever do), and then I'll have this SB build idea ready for price/performance comparison based on what the new AMD reviews say.

So, this is the proposed build(parts I have spare and would reuse in Bold):
Cooler Master Storm Enforcer
Corsair TX750 (or Antec EA 750 if a better price were available at time of purchase)
SB 2500k
MSI P67A-G43 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130583
RAM TBD, but minimum 8GB or as much as 16GB depending on prices at that time
60 GB Vertex 2 SSD Windows install drive
Caviar Blue 320GB
1 TB Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ
Windows 64 bit Home 1 shot
DVD drive
MSI GTX 560 Ti Twin Frozr

My primary questions are specifically these:



1. Motherboard. I am looking for 4 main qualities in a MB:

• Both SLI and CF for GPU flexibility(and the one I linked is the only one I could find like that at Newegg in the lower price range)
• No need for BIOS updates
• Reliable
• Not super expensive

So with that said, is the one I linked reliable?
2. What's a good monitor for 1920 res? My current one is only 1680 X 1050. I see plenty of Monitors at Newegg that are on the lower end of $1XX, but monitor quality is something I haven't studied much. Is it pretty much grab whatever looks like a good deal?
3. Any other comments welcome. I wanted the SLI/CF MB to provide complete freedom to, later, either get a 2nd GTX 560 Ti or anything else. And the PSU choices I listed should power virtually anything I'd be likely to purchase. As far as I know, the nvidia cutoff for those PSUs would be 2 570s, and for AMD it could go all the way up to to 6970s...yes?

And I may as well add that my primary gaming would be things like BF3, Star Wars TOR, etc. I'm happy with my 560 at 1680X 1050 in BC2, but I know I'm CPU limited, so that's why I'm thinking ahead to a better CPU build.

Edit: Reminder to self - look at aftermarket cooling so I can overclock this time.

 

[Ken g6]

MSI GTX 560 Ti Twin Frozr

Both SLI and CF for GPU flexibility(and the one I linked is the only one I could find like that at Newegg in the lower price range)

Are you sure you need SLI or CF? It would probably be better to spend a little more on a single GPU, like an HD 6950 (or 7950 by the time you buy.) That board is reliable as far as it goes, but it's also only a P67; Z68's are a little better (Ivy Bridge compatibility, SSD partition caching is an option, and Quick Sync video transcoding is available.)

Which reminds me, you haven't answered all the questions in [thread=80121]the sticky post[/thread]. Like what you want this computer to be able to do. Are you interested in anything besides gaming? What's your budget?

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

Are you sure you need SLI or CF? It would probably be better to spend a little more on a single GPU, like an HD 6950 (or 7950 by the time you buy.) That board is reliable as far as it goes, but it's also only a P67; Z68's are a little better (Ivy Bridge compatibility, SSD partition caching is an option, and Quick Sync video transcoding is available.)

Which reminds me, you haven't answered all the questions in [thread=80121]the sticky post[/thread]. Like what you want this computer to be able to do. Are you interested in anything besides gaming? What's your budget?

My primary aim is to make sure that board isn't going to leave me pulling my hair out and crying because I had to flash the BIOS or something like that.

Those parts I listed that I would have to buy since I don't have would cost about...$600-700(not counting monitor), and by the time I'm ready to buy, that will be within budget. And it may be cheaper, too, because Bulldozer may( or may not) bring meaningful competition. I'm hoping not to have to shell out for a $300 MB though, as I don't have any uses but gaming. I'm not exactly looking to minimize the cost, but not looking to go after higher cost parts either.

All I'm really focused on is BF3 and something like SW TOR or maybe Planetside later. If I'm ready for those, I'll be ready for anything else I need to do.

As far as graphics cards, I'm not planning on an SLI/Crossfire, but I figure that if I can get parts that will keep my options open. I'd rather pay $110 for a Corsair 750 and have wider upgradability later than pay $70-90 for a 650 and be stuck later. However, this purchase I'm looking at now is just to build a new base system, by the time I need to actually look at new GPUs, both Nvidia and AMDs 28nm offerings should be on the market.

The only wrench I foresee in my plans is if my current 560 Ti won't handle BF3 at 1680 X 1050, but I think the only reason that might happen is more likely due to CPU than GPU.

Also: Quick Sync video doesn't sound like it has anything to do with gaming. What is SSD partition caching and would it help games? Probably not useful to me though as I'm not looking to break the bank with more SSDs, lol.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

SSD partation caching would probably not help (verify?) and its when the system uses the SSD as a caching area (being able to open flies faster and etc) (verfy?)

dont take my word for it though

I think the only reason that might happen is more likely due to CPU than GPU.
I believe this is true.

 

[Chinoman]

Your card should be fine at that resolution.

 

[Chinoman]

Go for a 650w psu. Power consumption will decrease, not increase, with the coming generation.

 

[mfenn]

First point, we're not going to be able to offer much advice about good deals and such so far out. Bump this thread when you're ready to buy.

As far as graphics cards, I'm not planning on an SLI/Crossfire, but I figure that if I can get parts that will keep my options open. I'd rather pay $110 for a Corsair 750 and have wider upgradability later than pay $70-90 for a 650 and be stuck later. However, this purchase I'm looking at now is just to build a new base system, by the time I need to actually look at new GPUs, both Nvidia and AMDs 28nm offerings should be on the market.

Second point, your numbers are way off. You can get a high-quality ~550W PSU for $50 most days. Your 750W'er is effectively making any future GPU purchase cost $60 more. A 6950 2GB for $300 doesn't sound like a very good deal, now does it?

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...t-_-17-371-031

I'm thinking of taking advantage of the current newegg deal on this PSU. 48 amps on 12v, so by my estimate, it should power any single GPU system up to a 580, including CPU overclocking...yes?

And it's $35 after rebate(yes, it would be $29.99 after rebate but I'm in a newegg physical location state). After that I will only need MB, CPU and Windows(I could cannibalize the 8GB ram in my current system if that was the difference between buying in late 2011 or much later).

 

[mfenn]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...t-_-17-371-031

I'm thinking of taking advantage of the current newegg deal on this PSU. 48 amps on 12v, so by my estimate, it should power any single GPU system up to a 580, including CPU overclocking...yes?

And it's $35 after rebate(yes, it would be $29.99 after rebate but I'm in a newegg physical location state). After that I will only need MB, CPU and Windows(I could cannibalize the 8GB ram in my current system if that was the difference between buying in late 2011 or much later).

Yes, the 620C is a hell of a deal right now. I would jump on it.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Dirt cheap and it works really well!

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

Neo Eco 620 done and ordered. Condemns me to a single card setup(except maybe for CFing 7850s or 7870s depending on how much the process shrink shrinks the power requirements) but it's not like I was ever going to have the money for dual 580s anyway.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

hahah yeah. duel 580 xD dang!