Time for an upgrade from my 939 rig

[shelaby]

I've had my 939 rig for probably 6-7 years now (i think i started it in 05) and had finally realized it is time for a complete overhaul. This thing has done well by me, so I will be sad to see it go, but the time has come


1. What YOUR PC will be used for.
Used to do a lot of PC gaming, but have moved onto consoles. Still might pick up a few games here and there when there are 'must plays' but computer will be mostly for watching/streaming hd videos (from hulu and also to my PS3), web browsing, work related stuff (excel, treeage, etc, nothing too intensive)

2. What YOUR budget is.
Hoping to create a decent setup for ~500$ as I have a few components that I won't need

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
USA, use newegg alot, but really don't have a preference on where I buy from. I also have 50$ to staples so if theres something I could get there it would be nice =)

4. IF YOU have a brand preference.
In the past I leaned towards AMD/ATI only because my first build was AMD/ATI so i knew how to tinker with those, but as I have very little knowledge of current architecture I have no preferences (willing to learn to tinker with all brands)

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
I have a MidATX case I am willing to use for the time being, unless you guys have suggestions on a clean, spacious case with removable HD trays, PSU on the bottom and good airflow (keep the price under 100 =P, something like the corsair 300r)
I have a Radeon HD6770 that I am going to use
I have a Thermaltake 430np that i would like to try using though I know it might not be enough for newer components
400/1TB SATA hard drives for OS/Storage (I will be upgrading to a SSD when prices come down more)
Got dual LCDs, speakers, mouse, keyboard

So to sum it all up I have: case(maybe), PSU(maybe), video card, HDD, LCD, speakers, KB/mouse

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
Sorry I havent =(

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
I did a lot of overclock on my current rig, started with venice 3000+, now with opty 165, so yes, i like to tinker

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.
No plans for hardcore gaming, but maybe 1920x1080. I dont really know what my 6770 is capable of yet

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Within the next couple months, for sure by April 2012.

NOTES:
My current rig is LOUD!!!! I want this one to be MUCH MUCH quieter, so if you guys could recommend quiet fans and HSF that would be awesome as well. My current case has only 2x120mm fans so airflow is not that great.
Also, I have PATA dvd-rw drives that I will be upgrading to SATA in the future, not sure if currrent boards still have PATA connections but just something I thought i'd put in here.

Thanks in advance for all your help guys!!!!


EDIT:

Purchased:
i5 2500k + ASUS Asus P8Z68-V LX combo - 250$ MicroCenter

 

[mfenn]

OK, this should be doable for $500 given that you have a good number of reusable components. All you really need are CPU, mobo, RAM, ODD, PSU, and HSF.

i5 2500K $230
ASRock Z68 Pro3 $105
Crucial DDR3 1600 $35
Lite-ON DVD Burner $18
Corsair 500CX $31
Hyper 212+ $20 AR
Total: $439 AR

 

[shelaby]

OK, this should be doable for $500 given that you have a good number of reusable components. All you really need are CPU, mobo, RAM, ODD, PSU, and HSF.

i5 2500K $230
ASRock Z68 Pro3 $105
Crucial DDR3 1600 $35
Lite-ON DVD Burner $18
Corsair 500CX $31
Hyper 212+ $20 AR
Total: $439 AR

Yea i figured with all the stuff I already have I would be able to keep it around 500. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll take a look at them. Does anybody have any tips on reading up about current hardware? I really know NOTHING about components newer than my 939/opteron/DDR :X

 

[mfenn]

www.anandtech.com

 

[shelaby]

www.anandtech.com

i knew that was coming =D
sometimes i forget that there is a tech website outside of the forums haha

 

[shelaby]

one question on the Corsair PSU, is that extra 70W really needed

500w vs my current 430w

 

[shelaby]

Any comments concerns if I do the i5 2500k/Asus P8Z68-V LX LGA combo for 250$ at microcenter?

What are the pros/cons for the ASRock board vs ASUS board?

 

[Ken g6]

one question on the Corsair PSU, is that extra 70W really needed

500w vs my current 430w

It would probably work. If it was a good 430w it would definitely work. But looking at the 12V rails, it looks more like a 348w PSU. Since people recommend the Corsair CX430 for builds like this too, which is more like a 336W PSU, it would likely still work. But with your current PSU you'll have to balance the rails carefully. :\

That ASUS board would be good; great, really, at that price!

 

[shelaby]

It would probably work. If it was a good 430w it would definitely work. But looking at the 12V rails, it looks more like a 348w PSU. Since people recommend the Corsair CX430 for builds like this too, which is more like a 336W PSU, it would likely still work. But with your current PSU you'll have to balance the rails carefully. :\

That ASUS board would be good; great, really, at that price!

Thanks for the info, I think since Ill be saving ~80$ by doing that i5/ASUS combo from MC I can use that saved $$ to upgrade the PSU. I know i used to skimp on the PSU but Ive had too many die on me to let that happen again

 

[Joseph F]

Any comments concerns if I do the i5 2500k/Asus P8Z68-V LX LGA combo for 250$ at microcenter?

What are the pros/cons for the ASRock board vs ASUS board?

ASRock and ASUS are both very good board manufacturers, (ASRock used to be ASUS' budget subsidiary, but they branched off and they now offer powerful high-end boards for cheap) and I would recommend either board with confidence.
My Recommendations:
PSU: Corsair TX650 V2.
RAM: 1600MHz G.Skill Ripjaws or Ripjaws X. You can get 8GB of it for <$50 now, I think.
HS/F: ThermalRight HR-02 Macho.
GPU: Radeon 6950 2GB.

 

[shelaby]

ASRock and ASUS are both very good board manufacturers, (ASRock used to be ASUS' budget subsidiary, but they branched off and they now offer powerful high-end boards for cheap) and I would recommend either board with confidence.
My Recommendations:
PSU: Corsair TX650 V2.
RAM: 1600MHz G.Skill Ripjaws or Ripjaws X. You can get 8GB of it for <$50 now, I think.
HS/F: ThermalRight HR-02 Macho.
GPU: Radeon 6950 2GB.

I have the HD6770 so i am going to hold off upgrading the GPU for now. Thatll be an upgrade down the line

RAM: I have 40$ GC to staples so I was thinking of getting PNY XLR8 2x4gb because it would only run me ~10$ after GC

any comments on that ram? I know PNY used to be pretty solid but have no idea if tehir quality has changed in recent years

Why the Macho over the 212?

also, going to get some of these silenx fans

 

[Joseph F]

I have the HD6770 so i am going to hold off upgrading the GPU for now. Thatll be an upgrade down the line

RAM: I have 40$ GC to staples so I was thinking of getting PNY XLR8 2x4gb because it would only run me ~10$ after GC

any comments on that ram? I know PNY used to be pretty solid but have no idea if tehir quality has changed in recent years

Why the Macho over the 212?

also, going to get some of these silenx fans

That RAM needs 1.65V. If you run that much voltage through your 2500k's memory controller, you'll damage it. Regarding different RAM brands, just about any brand should be fine as long as the modules you choose only need 1.5V.

I recommended the Macho over the 212, because the 212's price just shot up by about $10, and I think it's worth worth the extra $10 for the Macho.
The Macho is in the D14-class of CPU coolers while only costing $40.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/super-cooler-lga-2011_6.html
As you can see here, the Macho is one degree warmer at load temp and two degrees cooler at idle with one fan at 1000RPM than a Noctua NH-D14 with two fans at 800RPM.

 

[Belegost]

Funny thing is, depending on the 939 CPU he had, the new system may in fact draw less power...

Also, another recommendation for the Macho, I have two on 4.5Ghz 2500Ks, and they run quiet (my P180 is so quiet if the monitor is off I often put it to sleep trying to turn it on...) and cool. Seems much cooler than the 212 my brother in law has on his, though hard to compare with different ambient conditions and cases.

 

[shelaby]

That RAM needs 1.65V. If you run that much voltage through your 2500k's memory controller, you'll damage it. Regarding different RAM brands, just about any brand should be fine as long as the modules you choose only need 1.5V.

awesome thanks for that info =)

I bit on the 2500k/asus mobo, just got back from MC. It was too good to pass up at almost 100$ off retail

How about PNY optima ram

I know its slower ram, but Im really just trying to get rid of the 40$ staples GC because staples is useless...

 

[Joseph F]

awesome thanks for that info =)

I bit on the 2500k/asus mobo, just got back from MC. It was too good to pass up at almost 100$ off retail

How about PNY optima ram

I know its slower ram, but Im really just trying to get rid of the 40$ staples GC because staples is useless...

1333 is fine, I just had suggested 1600 because it's virtually the same price as 1333.
There's very little real-world performance difference between the two.
Also, you can probably OC the 1333 to 1600 if you really wanted to. (I wouldn't bother with it, though)

 

[shelaby]

1333 is fine, I just had suggested 1600 because it's virtually the same price as 1333.
There's very little real-world performance difference between the two.
Also, you can probably OC the 1333 to 1600 if you really wanted to. (I wouldn't bother with it, though)

cool thanks!

I dont know how much ram speed plays into performance these days. I know with my builds years ago, it was very dependent on how well the ram could OC

 

[Joseph F]

Nowadays, you don't need to touch your RAM frequency to OC. (With an Intel k-series CPU)
Just adjust your multiplier and voltage appropriately, and you're good to go.

 

[mfenn]

Funny thing is, depending on the 939 CPU he had, the new system may in fact draw less power...

Overall power draw will probably be lower. However, a 939 is going to be biased much more towards the 5V whereas the i5 will be using more of the 12V, which is a big weakness of his PSU.

 

[mfenn]

I recommended the Macho over the 212, because the 212's price just shot up by about $10, and I think it's worth worth the extra $10 for the Macho.
The Macho is in the D14-class of CPU coolers while only costing $40.

While the Macho is indeed a nice cooler, I'm curious why you think that the 212's price has shot up? I linked it at $20 and it's still there.

 

[Joseph F]

While the Macho is indeed a nice cooler, I'm curious why you think that the 212's price has shot up? I linked it at $20 and it's still there.

That's $30 to me.
I look at merchandise with rebates as if they're at sticker price with the possibility of getting a little back.

 

[mfenn]

That's $30 to me.
I look at merchandise with rebates as if they're at sticker price with the possibility of getting a little back.

If you're going to play that way, you've got factor in the cost of shipping as well. The 212+ has free shipping, but the Macho isn't on Newegg and typical shipping costs look to be in the $10 range.

 

[Joseph F]

Well, look at it this way: You're getting a cooler that's near-as-makes-no-difference the performance of a NH-D14 for $50, shipped.

 

[mfenn]

Well, look at it this way: You're getting a cooler that's near-as-makes-no-difference the performance of a NH-D14 for $50, shipped.

Look at it this way, you're getting a cooler that is quite capable of taking an i5 2500K to 4.5Ghz for $30 (probably $20) shipped.

 

[Joseph F]

Look at it this way, you're getting a cooler that is quite capable of taking an i5 2500K to 4.5Ghz for $30 (probably $20) shipped.

The Macho will do the same while keeping it cooler and quieter.
Whether it's worth the extra $20-30 is up to shelaby.

Let's try to not de-rail his thread anymore.

 

[shelaby]

lol thanks guys, i was away for the weekend =) i went with the 212 for now because I dont think I'll be doing any MAJOR overclocking so I won't need the macho in the near future. But I will definitely keep it in mind for down the road a bit