**Urgent Request - Time Crunch**

[btalbott]

I'm traveling constantly and have a few days to build a new rig. I have a MicroCenter store within driving distance and plan on purchasing everything tomorrow. Hopefully I can get a few responses. Sorry for the short notice!

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Primarily will be used as a virtualization platform for lab and proof of concept testing. I have no need for a high end graphics card. So I'm looking at probably 64GB of memory and the associated hardware/CPU to drive it.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread.
$1000-$1500

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
US-Microcenter

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.

I've used Intel for years but not opposed. I've been doing a little research, which is where the knowledge of the forum will come in handy. My current rig has a core 2 Quad Q6600. Prefer western digital hard drives as they have been good for me in the past.

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
I could technically use the following, but not opposed to buying new:
a. 3x WD HD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136319
b. 1x Optical http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136152
c. Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119137
d. PS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005

6. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Doesn't really matter but I currently have the Q6600 overclocked.

7. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?
Not imperative for what I'm going to be using it for in the long run.

8. WHEN do you plan to build it?
IMMEDIATELY

9. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback

I'm good to go for software. Its going to be running a server based OS (ie. Windows 2008R2 Datacenter or Windows 2012).
*********
What I've been looking at:
1. CPU: I7 3820, I7 3930 (not opposed to looking at something else)
2. MB Asus Sabertooth X79
3. Memory 2x 32G Corsair Vengeance (4x8) for a total of 64G of memory.
4. System HD SanDisk Extreme 128GB SSD
5. PS Corsair CX 750
6. HD (data) WD Black 1TB x3
7. Video: Gigabyte Geforce 210
8. Case ?
9. Fan(s)?
10. Whatever else I'm missing.
*********
I'm not opposed to turning my current right into a nice desktop machine as its coming up on 3 years old (in February).
The store I'll be using is the Microcenter store for MD-Baltimore/Towson, if anyone hits their website.

Thanks so much in advance!
Bill

 

[RaistlinZ]

Hm, why do you need a 750w power supply on a system running a Geforce 210 card? If your lab work is heavily multi-threaded then the i7-3930 would be the better CPU choice. Maybe even a Xeon if you're running server based OS and software.

 

[mfenn]

Socket 2011 is pretty much your only option since you need 64GB of RAM. You can very easily reuse all your current parts. That's good because you don't have an inordinate amount of cash to work with for a 64GB build that has to solely come from MC.

i7 3930K $500
Intel DX79SI $275
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB x8 $320
Passive ASUS Geforce 210 $36
Intel 330 120GB $110
Reuse HDDs $0
Reuse PSU $0
Reuse Case $0
Total: $1241 + tax

 

[btalbott]

If I decided to go with 32GB memory, would that change the recommendation? I was just thinking that 32 might be sufficient in the interim, not to mention my current parts are running up to about 3 years now in age.
Thanks...

 

[lakedude]

Socket 2011 is pretty much your only option since you need 64GB of RAM. You can very easily reuse all your current parts. That's good because you don't have an inordinate amount of cash to work with for a 64GB build that has to solely come from MC.

i7 3930K $500
Intel DX79SI $275
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB x8 $320
Passive ASUS Geforce 210 $36
Intel 330 120GB $110
Reuse HDDs $0
Reuse PSU $0
Reuse Case $0
Total: $1241 + tax

^ Perfect

No need to go with a 750 watt PS if you already have a 650. CPU TDP is only 130 watts and nothing else really draws all that much power. I bet the whole thing draws under 300 watts when you are done.

If you are worried about it grab a Kill-A-Watt and measure what your current system draws and what your new system draws. They are informative and not all that expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/P3-Internation.../dp/B00009MDBU

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882715001

 

[Chapbass]

I wanted 64gb for my lab, ended up going with 2x32gb machines. That allowed me to go 1155 instead of 2011 for the socket, saved some costs there, and I can play with things like HA and vmotion (vmware terms obviously, but the idea is the same). A setup like that interest you, or do you need it all in one box?

 

[btalbott]

I wanted 64gb for my lab, ended up going with 2x32gb machines. That allowed me to go 1155 instead of 2011 for the socket, saved some costs there, and I can play with things like HA and vmotion (vmware terms obviously, but the idea is the same). A setup like that interest you, or do you need it all in one box?

I'm open to any/all suggestions.

Thanks,

 

[Chapbass]

Alright, well heres a thought then:

i7 3770: 250x2 http://www.microcenter.com/product/388576/Core_i7_3770_34GHz_LGA_1155_Processor
AsRock Pro3 (worked great for me in my ESXi lab, but you have a ton of MB's to choose from): 95x2 http://www.microcenter.com/product/387627/Z77_Pro3_1155_ATX_Intel_Motherboard
Crucial Ballistix Sport 16gb kit: 62x4 http://www.microcenter.com/product/...L9_Desktop_Memory_Kit_(Two_8GBMemory_Modules)
Intel 330: 110x2 http://www.microcenter.com/product/388571/330_25_120GB_SATA_6Gb-s_Internal_Solid_State_Drive_(SSD)

Okay, you might not have enough PSU's and things to reuse, but lets say you do for a sec, then that puts you at:
CPU: 500
MB: 200
Mem: 240
SSD: 220

=1160, then whatever random other stuff you want to do (better MB, another PSU if you need it, etc).

And that gets you 2 machines to play with...IMO better flexibility, and while I'm not sure, I THINK 2 3770s are faster than a single 3930k...could be wrong though. My setup was very similar to this (I used 3470s instead of 3770s), and I had an older AMD MB that I had laying around that I built an Openfiler SAN for, which gives me shared storage for vmotion and things like that (my hosts don't have any storage, ESXi installed to a flash drive).

 

[mfenn]

If I decided to go with 32GB memory, would that change the recommendation? I was just thinking that 32 might be sufficient in the interim, not to mention my current parts are running up to about 3 years now in age.
Thanks...

32GB lets you go with the 1155 platform and that saves you a huge hunk of cash.

i5 3570K + ASRock Z77 Pro3 combo $225
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB x4 $160
Intel 330 120GB $110
Reuse HDDs $0
Reuse PSU $0
Reuse Case $0
Total: $495 + tax

Like Chapbass meationed, you can double that, use another spare HDD, add $90 for another PSU ($50), and case ($40). You'd end up with two 32GB machines and 8 cores for less than the single 64GB/6-core one!

 

[btalbott]

32GB lets you go with the 1155 platform and that saves you a huge hunk of cash.

i5 3570K + ASRock Z77 Pro3 combo $225
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB x4 $160
Intel 330 120GB $110
Reuse HDDs $0
Reuse PSU $0
Reuse Case $0
Total: $495 + tax

Like Chapbass meationed, you can double that, use another spare HDD, add $90 for another PSU ($50), and case ($40). You'd end up with two 32GB machines and 8 cores for less than the single 64GB/6-core one!

Thanks! I take it there isn't much difference between the i7 3770 and the i5 3570k?

 

[AkumaX]

Thanks! I take it there isn't much difference between the i7 3770 and the i5 3570k?

the i5 has 4 cores, and 4 logical units
the i7 has 4 cores, but 8 logical units (4 + 4 for Hyper Threading)

Also, you wrote 3770, when you could consider the 3770K which allows for overclocking via multiplier

 

[btalbott]

the i5 has 4 cores, and 4 logical units
the i7 has 4 cores, but 8 logical units (4 + 4 for Hyper Threading)

Also, you wrote 3770, when you could consider the 3770K which allows for overclocking via multiplier

I guess what I mean was would I see much difference if the main thing I'm going to be doing is using it for virtualization (ie. building clients and servers in a virtualized environment).

Tks

 

[loki993]

I guess what I mean was would I see much difference if the main thing I'm going to be doing is using it for virtualization (ie. building clients and servers in a virtualized environment).

Tks

I dont know much about virtualization, Im sure someone will come in that knows more then I do, but if anything would be able to take advantage of hyperthreading its that.

 

[mfenn]

I guess what I mean was would I see much difference if the main thing I'm going to be doing is using it for virtualization (ie. building clients and servers in a virtualized environment).

Tks

The hyperthreaded 3770K is certainly better for virtualization, but it isn't eligible for the $40 off mobo promotion. That makes the premium effectively $100 over the 3570K, and I don't think it's worth that much.

 

[btalbott]

32GB lets you go with the 1155 platform and that saves you a huge hunk of cash.

i5 3570K + ASRock Z77 Pro3 combo $225
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB x4 $160
Intel 330 120GB $110
Reuse HDDs $0
Reuse PSU $0
Reuse Case $0
Total: $495 + tax

Like Chapbass meationed, you can double that, use another spare HDD, add $90 for another PSU ($50), and case ($40). You'd end up with two 32GB machines and 8 cores for less than the single 64GB/6-core one!

So I ended up going the route as suggested and couldn't be more happy with the build tonight (the memory was actually on sale for $69.99 for 16GB, so I saved a little there since I bought 2 of them: (http://www.microcenter.com/product/...el_Desktop_Memory_Kit_(Two_8GB_Memory_Modules). I also ended up buying a WD Caviar Black 1TB drive (http://www.microcenter.com/product/...0Gb-s_35_Internal_Hard_Drive_WD1002FAEX_-_OEM), the case and PS you recommended, and this UPS:
CyberPower 1350: http://www.microcenter.com/product/255340/1350VA_UPS_with_LCD

After I get the data off the other machine, I think I might just get the same MB/CPU/Memory to make the 2nd machine.

One other question. I updated the bios on the MB and haven't change much of the default settings. Should I leave the fans on full or automatic? I added a case fan in the front and have the standard CPU fan on the CPU and the case came with a rear fan.

Very much appreciate everyone's insight!

Thanks again!

 

[mfenn]

Sounds good, glad you like it!

Fans on full or automatic is up to you. Full will definitely be louder and is really not necessary. Automatic with a temperature target of like 65C will keep things cool enough and should be much quieter.