Upgrade after 5 years

[riversend]

I should have some free time in about a 2-3 weeks to upgrade my current desktop. It is about five years old – E6750 on a Gigabyte P35-DS3L, 4GB ram, and a 2+yr old Radeon 5770. Gaming at 1680x1050. I rarely play the most current games, I generally purchase them at highly reduced cost 1-2 years (or more!) later. Current lineup that I am slowly chugging through is TW:Shogun2, Oblivion, CoH:OF with the more recent Deus Ex sitting in the wings. At the rate I play it won’t be until the end of summer before I tee that one up. Future games will likely include ME3 and D3, but that is some ways off, so unless I really need to upgrade the GFX card, I’ll hold off on that for later on.
Of note, the reason to upgrade now is that I want to slap in an SSD (no smaller than 128GB, likely a 256GB). Since that will require an OS install and all that goes with it (moving from 32bit to 64bit) I decided that pulling out the Mobo/chip now would save me time later down the road. That about sums it up. As mentioned in the questions below, quiet is a plus, I do not need silent. My current setup in the Antec case is working for me wrt noise.
1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing:
Standard office tasks (work and school), watching movies and tv (MediaCenter), light photo and home movie editing, gaming at 1680x1050

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread: Up to about $800 or so, but I am not compelled to spend that much, lower is better.

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from: U.S.

4. IF YOU have a brand preference: Have used many brands over the years, but based on current strength of Intel lineup will stick with that

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are:
Syncmaster 215TW (1680x1050); Antec P182; Corsair HX520W (if compatible with current connectors); WinTV-HVR1800; plenty of hard drive storage (no SDD currently); and likely for now my XFX Radeon 5770(1GB) the graphics card could get an upgrade but doubt I need it at the resolutions I am running.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds. As much as I’d like to say yes to optimize performance, highly unlikely. I like a quieter system, not silent, but quiet, and a bit less heat generation.

8. What resolution will you be using? 1680x1050 assuming current monitor lasts a few years; likely to replace with no greater than 1920x1200

9. WHEN do you plan to build it? Mid-June

X. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software? Have a full license on Vista with a Win7 upgrade, so will use a 64bit load for this.
Here are the parts I am looking at. I could go with different processor, but since I am not overclocking and my task load is pretty light I figure the below will last me a few years. I expect to upgrade the video card in another year or two as needed (this is highly subjective). Any input on better choices or other considerations are greatly appreciate.

Build Update (6/10/2012)
CPU: Core i5 3550 – $210 at Amazon
RAM: PNY DDR3 1333 8GB $39 at Newegg
Heatsink/fan: CM 212+ EVO - $35 at Amazon

Which of the following mobos would you recommend:
http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Intel-CrossFireX-Motherboard-GA-H77-DS3H/dp/B007R21KBM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1339342693&sr=1-1 ($100)
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157301 ($90 + &7.50 shipping Newegg)
I have never used a mATX board, I assume it is not different than any other board except that space is at more of a premium when it comes to fitting in larger video cards etc. Differences between the boards did not seem to be too significant, 1 connector here or there. It was not listed, but I assume the AsRock board has multiple fan controllers? The comparison on Newegg shows the Gigabyte board has three. Also, the AsRock appears to have a newer Realtek audio set, but numbering schemes could be telling a false story there.

For SSDs, mulling over the following two. I know the price on the Crucial is really nice, and from what I have read if there is a problem their RMA service appears to be ok. However, the consensus also seems to be that the Samsung 830s are generally higher quality. I don’t see any difference in warranty.
http://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-7PC256B-WW/dp/B0077CR66A/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1339342366&sr=1-1-spell ($249, $1 less at Newegg)
or
http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-2-5-Inch-Solid-State-CT256M4SSD2/dp/B004W2JL2A/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1339342540&sr=1-1 (seems to vary over the past few days between $204-$212)

Again, thanks. I plan on buying in the next 3 days or so.

Riversend
.

 

[futurefields]

I would skip the SSD and I would get a K processor and Z77 board for overclocking, and possibly a better graphics card and would still keep it well under the $800 budget.

ASRock motherboard, G.Skill RAM.

 

[DSF]

I would skip the SSD and I would get a K processor and Z77 board for overclocking, and possibly a better graphics card and would still keep it well under the $800 budget.

ASRock motherboard, G.Skill RAM.

Disagree with a lot of this.

The OP is generally running somewhat older games. If he's not happy with his graphics card he can always drop a new one in later. That's a no-fuss upgrade. He seems to think he's satisfied for now. Keep in mind he's only on 1680x1050.

The SSD will improve the general responsiveness of the system, and will probably be nice for the load times on games like Oblivion.

As far as the K processors, that only matters if he's going for an overclock. For what it's worth riversend, it is possible to have a modest overclock and still keep the system quiet at acceptable temps.

 

[Ken g6]

Processor: Good if you're willing to spend the money.

Cooler: At that price you might as well get the Evo version. It should be quieter.

Mobo: If you want to save money and aren't going to overclock, you might look at B75 boards. They're around the prices of H61 boards, but have USB 3.0, one SATA 3.0 port for your SSD, and some support up to 4 RAM slots. Oh, and they have PCI slots if you have old cards that use that. Options, which all happen to be mATX:
- Biostar, 4 RAM slots but no PCIe x1 accessible after video card installation.
- Gigabyte, 2 RAM slots but one PCIe x1 accessible after video card installation.
- Gigabyte, 4 RAM slots, 2 PCIe x16 slots, $10 more than the two boards above.

SSD : Go for it!

RAM: Anything 1600MHz, 1.5V or less, and preferably CAS level 9 should be fine. From there get the cheapest.

 

[riversend]

Ken,

Spot on with my intentions, I want the SSD, and can add the video card later if I decide that I am not happy with video performance since that is rarely what determines if I play a game or not (i.e. I don't much care if I can get Ultra or High settings in every game).

Good info on B75 boards, but I do not require any PCI slots. I'll take a look at them and see if they meet my expectations. Overpaying for expansion later is somthing I am generally willing to do within reason. If going the K proc route, it looks like the most often recommended is the 3570K and one of the Asrock Z77 mobos - seems that combo would add about $60 bucks or so to overall cost (vs. the 3550+h77 chipset), not a big deal necessarily. What is meant by "modest overclock?"

I'll work the Evo version into my purchase.

I'll take a look at the other mobos tonight.

 

[mfenn]

If going the K proc route, it looks like the most often recommended is the 3570K and one of the Asrock Z77 mobos - seems that combo would add about $60 bucks or so to overall cost (vs. the 3550+h77 chipset), not a big deal necessarily. What is meant by "modest overclock?"

Since you're more interested in quiet operation, I would stick with your gut and skip the overclock. It's not worth the extra money if you're pretty sure that you won't like the extra noise.

A moderate overclock on an Ivy Bridge processor is typically 4.0-4.2Ghz.

 

[riversend]

Updated build, question now on SSDs and Mobos. Thanks.

Riversend

 

[Ken g6]

Micro-ATX is basically just an ATX board with the 2 bottom slots chopped off.

It was not listed, but I assume the AsRock board has multiple fan controllers? The comparison on Newegg shows the Gigabyte board has three.

It appears the AsRock has 2 4-pin fan controllers and 2 3-pin fan power connectors. (The difference being 3-pin can monitor fan speed but not control it.)

But I notice you're getting up to the low end of Z77/Z75 prices here. Exactly what features are you looking for?

 

[riversend]

But I notice you're getting up to the low end of Z77/Z75 prices here. Exactly what features are you looking for?

Not a whole lot, I suppose. I do not need PCI slots. Currently using 2 PCIe slots (vid card, hd tuner), not sure if I will grow into another one down the road or not (never thought I would want the hd tuner, but now I have it). USB 3.0 is a nice to have, but not necessary since I do all backup to my MediaSmart Server. Possible growth to 16GB RAM later down the road (so has to have 4 slots). Not sure what Intel SRT SSD cache is, but I note the Z75 does not have it.
,
Sorry about that ramble, to sum up: more than two PCIe slots (3 min, 4 maybe just to make sure some ridiculous future vid card is not blocking a slot), 4x RAM slots, I do not need to OC. Don't want to have to flash a bios to get IVB chip support. HDMI out is nice depending on what happens to computer parts and monitor setups down the road. As you can see, mobo knowledge is not my strength. Thanks for the help, had not seen that Z75 price before.

 

[mfenn]

It appears the AsRock has 2 4-pin fan controllers and 2 3-pin fan power connectors. (The difference being 3-pin can monitor fan speed but not control it.)

That's not entirely accurate. 3-pin power connectors definitely can control fan speed, they just do it by altering the voltage supplied instead of using the newer PWM (pulse width modulation) technique. In fact, you will find that the majority of case fans out there are not even PWM-capable; that's a feature that usually only appears on heatsink fans.

OP, the two boards you have picked out are pretty much equivalent in terms of PCIe slots. The extra two PCI slots on the full ATX board aren't going to be doing much unless you find yourself with an old peripheral. Since you have a P182 though, I don't see any reason to get a MicroATX board.

Of the two SSDs that you're looking at, the Samsung 830 is faster, but the Crucial is cheaper. It's pretty much as simple as that. The difference between two fast SSDs is pretty much academic IMHO, so I would go with the less expensive model.

 

[riversend]

I learn something new everytime I come on these boards. Thanks for the info on the fans.

I'll go with the Gigabyte board, just a few bucks cheaper because there is no shipping for that board on Newegg or Amazon. I looked at the Z75 boards, no major differences from the H77 except they can overclock.

You are right on the drives, the M4 is vastly cheaper, and I do not really worry about system benchmarks. Coming from what I have, just about anything I do should be noticably faster.

 

[riversend]

Ok, I think after reading even more of the forum posts, to include the post asking about Wolfdale/Allendale users, and the drop in the price of the Crucial M4 I figure I'll go the 3570k route. If the noise or heat are more than I want now I can just go back to stock, but at least if I need to extend usage a bit in the future then the option will be there. So, here is what I am going to order for parts:

i5 3570k (Newegg or Amazon, price is $240)
AsRock Z77 Pro 3 ($100 +$8 shipping Newegg)
Either Corsair or PNY 1333 ($42 Amazon, PNY out of stock @Newegg; mfenn, Newegg should thank you! )
Crucial M4 256GB ($215 Amazon)
CM Hyper 212+ EVO ($35 Newegg or Amazon)
Total: $640

That leaves me about $180 bucks to throw at a video card somewhere down the road, plus whatever small change I can get for the current parts I will sell. All in all, that should do the trick. Only better deal I saw (potentially...) on the 3570k was a combo with a Gigabyte Z77 DS3H for $320 after rebate at CompuUSA. Saw some iffy user reviews on that card however, seems like it is getting dumped by a lot of shops.

Riversend

 

[mfenn]

i5 3570k (Newegg or Amazon, price is $240)
AsRock Z77 Pro 3 ($100 +$8 shipping Newegg)
Either Corsair or PNY 1333 ($42 Amazon, PNY out of stock @Newegg; mfenn, Newegg should thank you! )
Crucial M4 256GB ($215 Amazon)
CM Hyper 212+ EVO ($35 Newegg or Amazon)
Total: $640

:thumbsup: looks good to me!

 

[dahhbears!]

Looks good as well!

 

[riversend]

The mobo arrived today, other parts should all be here tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be able to work in some time to build the system Friday night. Looking forward to the upgrade!

Still need to find a simple, basic guide for OC the AsRock board. Just want to play with it a bit in the near future.

Thanks for the replies.:thumbsup:

Riversend

 

[mfenn]

Still need to find a simple, basic guide for OC the AsRock board. Just want to play with it a bit in the near future.

Step 1. Enter the UEFI
Step 2. Set multiplier to 40.
Step 3. There is no step 3. :awe:

A moderate overclock on Sandy/Ivy really is that simple.

 

[riversend]

That sounds pretty simple, except... in this UEFI (AsRock Z77 Pro3) what is the multiplier called?

Anyway, the system is up and running: Windows loads much faster (combo of the hardware and the clean install), I have not timed it yet, but it is at least 3x as fast as the old load time. TW:Shogun2 is loading just over twice as fast on start-up, and almost 3x on most battle loads (I have timed the before and after here).

So, could not be happier with how it all turned out, thanks for the help. Now, on to that multiplier.

Riversend

 

[Remobz]

That sounds pretty simple, except... in this UEFI (AsRock Z77 Pro3) what is the multiplier called?

Anyway, the system is up and running: Windows loads much faster (combo of the hardware and the clean install), I have not timed it yet, but it is at least 3x as fast as the old load time. TW:Shogun2 is loading just over twice as fast on start-up, and almost 3x on most battle loads (I have timed the before and after here).

So, could not be happier with how it all turned out, thanks for the help. Now, on to that multiplier.

Riversend

I am glad you are happy. Enjoy

 

[MentalIlness]

what is the multiplier called?

CPU ratio. I think.

 

[mfenn]

That sounds pretty simple, except... in this UEFI (AsRock Z77 Pro3) what is the multiplier called?

Anyway, the system is up and running: Windows loads much faster (combo of the hardware and the clean install), I have not timed it yet, but it is at least 3x as fast as the old load time. TW:Shogun2 is loading just over twice as fast on start-up, and almost 3x on most battle loads (I have timed the before and after here).

So, could not be happier with how it all turned out, thanks for the help. Now, on to that multiplier.

Riversend

Glad you like it!

MentalIllness is correct regarding the multiplier, ASRock calls it CPU ratio. See page 45 of the manual.

 

[riversend]

Thanks, looks like CPU Turbo Ratio - making it sound fancier I guess.

 

[krnmastersgt]

Thanks, looks like CPU Turbo Ratio - making it sound fancier I guess.

Actually that's the Turbo's ratio, the 3570K will "turbo" on from its normal state if you seem to be able to use a bit more processing power. For your overclock on the normal ratio to work it will likely disable Turbo entirely.