Yet another "looking for system advice" post :D

[TheInternal]

I'm in the process of making a new system to replace my ancient socket 939 Athlon 64 x2 system. I've been putting a crap load of time into researching components, but am still second guessing myself in a few areas, particularly the video card, memory, and the motherboard.

The price has rapidly escalated beyond what I was initially hoping, but I'd really like to get some top notch components that will run quietly and be stable for a long period of time.

I plan on using the system for gaming, school work, and occasional graphics design work. I also make music, so I want the onboard sound to not suck. I was hoping to stay closer to $1000 before monitor purchase, but the price has rapidly come closer to $1750 without monitor.

I'll be buying my parts in the USA. I'm generally brand neutral, though sometimes a bit biased towards brands I've had previously good experiences with. I want a system that's powerful, damn-near silent, and stable. Already purchased parts are noted.

I'll likely run the system at default speeds, though a mild overclock isn't outside the realm of possibility. Initially, I'll be running the system at 1920x1200 with a 24” monitor via DVI connection and, graphics card allowing, a secondary little 1024x768 display via d-sub. I hope to upgrade to a 27”-30” 2560x1600 monitor flanked by two 24” monitors at 1920x1200 (or at least 1080p) by the end of the year.

I plan on beginning component purchasing as early as tomorrow.

Current components I'm looking at:

CPU
----
Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116504

CPU Heatsink
--------
Zalman CNPS 10x Performa (Already purchased)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118059

Motherboard
------------
Current contenders-

ASUS P8Z77-V Pro (the board I'm currently leaning towards; I've had very positive experiences with ASUS motherboards, found lots of very positive reviews from numerous reputable sites, but find the archaic PCI ports silly)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0P8Z77-V%20Pro

MSI Z77A-GD65 (yay for no archaic PCI ports, being able to do three-way SLI at x8x4x4 speeds though I doubt I'd ever do more than 2 card SLI / crossfire, am intrigued by the THX certification, but a little nervous about MSI's board based on some previous motherboard experiences)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130643

RAM
----
The big question mark. I've concluded I should get at least 1600 speed based on reading numerous articles, but am not sure if there's enough of a speed difference to justify higher cost memory or how much of an impact on stability / lifespan of the system an overclock would be for something like 1866 speed. I also don't know the minimal CAS latency I should aim for.
I'd like the RAM to match the "looks" of the motherboard. Preferably black heat sinks, or possibly blue. I'm partial to Crucial due to previous dealings, but am open to other brands. I'd prefer to get a 2 x 8 GB kit, but am open to 4 x 4 GB kits if there's a significant performance difference or the cost / performance ratio is better.

Video Card
----------
The other big point of uncertainty. I currently run a Geforce GTX 550 Ti in my main system and would like to get something more powerful.

I'm considering either the Radeon HD 7850 at approximately $250, or the New Geforce GTX 670 2GB at the rather pricey $400. I'm having trouble figuring out which is the better bang for the buck, or who makes the best card that runs quietly.

I'm currently eyeballing the ASUS GTX670-DC2T-2GD5 GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card (it's marketed as being quiet, though I've no idea how true this is)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121638

Storage
--------
boot drive / programs - Mushkin Enhanced Chronos Deluxe MKNSSDCR240GB-DX 2.5" 240GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820226226

media storage / documents -
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive (already purchased)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136284

LITE-ON 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 12X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM 8MB Cache SATA Blu-ray Burner with 3D Playback iHBS212-08 LightScribe Support (blu ray with 3d and lightscribe support)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106348

PSU
----
SeaSonic Platinum-1000 1000W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 PLUS PLATINUM Certified Full Modular Power Supply (powerful, quiet, modular, good warrantee)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151105

Case
------
Antec P280 Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case (I've loved my Antec p180b, and heard this is a worthy successor for near silent computing.)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129179

Additional Cooling
-----------------
Noctua NF-P12 Fan 3-Pack
http://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-P12-...8367307&sr=1-6

===========================

Once again, I'm looking for something powerful, stable, and QUIET. Suggestions on all parts welcome, but suggestions on memory (with reasons why) and video card (best bang for the buck and lack of noise) are the most needed at the moment.

Thanks!

 

[PhoenixEnigma]

Couple thoughts:

No reason to go past DDR3-1600. Won't affect your overclocking, and there's no noticeable performance increase, so it's just wasting money. 2x4GB of something you like the look of and runs at 1.5V or less, and call it a day.

For the GPU, if you're planning an upgrade to 1440p, I'd go with the 670, as that's a lot of pixels to push and the horsepower will come in handy.

For the storage, you probably don't need a WD black drive for media - a 5x00RPM drive would be cheaper, cooler and quieter and not going to hurt anything - it's not like reading media is particularly demanding. I'll let others comment on the SSD.

PSU: WTF no. There's no way that system will draw anywhere close to 1kW, and that is one hell of an expensive PSU if you don't need it. 650W would be more than enough - something like an M12II 620 or 650 would make more sense and cost half as much.

The P280 case is nice, I'm happy with mine, but obviously, I'd be a little biased in recommending it. Planning on a extra fan or two for it is probably wise, though - there's not much to get cool air in.

 

[TheInternal]

Heya Pheonix. I already own a 1 TB black, hence it's inclusion. I'll definitely take a look at the PSUs you mentioned. I'm well aware of how ridiculously overkill the 1kW PSU is in terms of power, but it's stability and cleanness of power is apparently the best on the market. I'll check out the ones you listed.
If I could cut some money on the PSU and still have it run silent, and have the power be as clean and efficient as the platinum, I'd be glad to save $100+
-edit- did a little more researching. Considering the 650 or 750 watt SeaSonic X model after a cursory glance.

 

[lehtv]

Something's wrong if you're spending $1750 on a rig that's only based around 3570K and a single GTX 670.

Here's a quiet, high performing system:

CPU i5-3570K $228 + Hyper 212 Evo $30
Mobo Gigabyte Z77X-D3H $145
RAM 2x Samsung 4GB 1600MHz CL11 1.35V $48 - capable of 2133MHz CL10 1.5V (if you need more buy four, $96)
GPU Asus GTX 670 $420 - top-of-the-line 1080p performance, decent 2560x1600 performance
SSD Crucial M4 128GB $119 or Crucial M4 256GB $240
DVD Samsung SH222BB $17
PSU XFX 750W XXX $120 ($110 AR) - 80+ Silver Semi-Modular Seasonic-built
Case Fractal Design Arc Midi $100 - 3x 140mm and a simple but functional fan controller
or Corsair 550D $140 - sound dampening for even quieter computing, but Arc Midi is better at cooling

= $1227 (arc midi+8gb+128gb) to $1435 (550d+16gb+256gb)

I picked SLI-capable mobo and PSU since you're planning to upgrade to 2560. It would be useful to buy another 670 for that resolution. But if you're not so hardcore, you could stick to a single GPU board like Asrock Z77 Pro3 $110 and a Seasonic 520W PSU $60.

As you can see, you could add another GTX 670 and it'd cost the same as your proposed rig in the OP.

 

[DSF]

Something's wrong if you're spending $1750 on a rig that's only based around 3570K and a single GTX 670.

Here's a quiet, high performing system:

CPU i5-3570K $228 + Hyper 212 Evo $30
Mobo Gigabyte Z77X-D3H $145
RAM 2x Samsung 4GB 1600MHz CL11 1.35V $48 - capable of 2133MHz CL10 1.5V (if you need more buy four, $96)
GPU Asus GTX 670 $420 - top-of-the-line 1080p performance, decent 2560x1600 performance
SSD Crucial M4 128GB $119 or Crucial M4 256GB $240
DVD Samsung SH222BB $17
PSU XFX 750W XXX $120 ($110 AR) - 0+ Silver Semi-Modular Seasonic-built
Case Fractal Design Arc Midi $100 - 3x 140mm and a simple but functional fan controller
or Corsair 550D $140 - sound dampening for even quieter computing, but Arc Midi is better at cooling

= $1227 (arc midi+8gb+128gb) to $1435 (550d+16gb+256gb)

I picked SLI-capable mobo and PSU since you're planning to upgrade to 2560. It would be useful to buy another 670 for that resolution. But if you're not so hardcore, you could stick to a single GPU board like Asrock Z77 Pro3 $110 and a Seasonic 520W PSU $60.

As you can see, you could add another GTX 670 and it'd cost the same as your proposed rig in the OP.

Very nicely put.

When I saw your original price of $1700 I knew there had to be a way to bring it way down. Lehtv's build trims the fat without making many compromises in terms of performance or quietness.

 

[malinois1]

Heya Pheonix. I already own a 1 TB black, hence it's inclusion. I'll definitely take a look at the PSUs you mentioned. I'm well aware of how ridiculously overkill the 1kW PSU is in terms of power, but it's stability and cleanness of power is apparently the best on the market. I'll check out the ones you listed.
If I could cut some money on the PSU and still have it run silent, and have the power be as clean and efficient as the platinum, I'd be glad to save $100+
-edit- did a little more researching. Considering the 650 or 750 watt SeaSonic X model after a cursory glance.

This is 135 and free shipping with promo code until 6/10 and is the exact PSU as the seasonic x650

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139035

 

[malinois1]

Something's wrong if you're spending $1750 on a rig that's only based around 3570K and a single GTX 670.

Here's a quiet, high performing system:

CPU i5-3570K $228 + Hyper 212 Evo $30
Mobo Gigabyte Z77X-D3H $145
RAM 2x Samsung 4GB 1600MHz CL11 1.35V $48 - capable of 2133MHz CL10 1.5V (if you need more buy four, $96)
GPU Asus GTX 670 $420 - top-of-the-line 1080p performance, decent 2560x1600 performance
SSD Crucial M4 128GB $119 or Crucial M4 256GB $240
DVD Samsung SH222BB $17
PSU XFX 750W XXX $120 ($110 AR) - 0+ Silver Semi-Modular Seasonic-built
Case Fractal Design Arc Midi $100 - 3x 140mm and a simple but functional fan controller
or Corsair 550D $140 - sound dampening for even quieter computing, but Arc Midi is better at cooling

= $1227 (arc midi+8gb+128gb) to $1435 (550d+16gb+256gb)

I picked SLI-capable mobo and PSU since you're planning to upgrade to 2560. It would be useful to buy another 670 for that resolution. But if you're not so hardcore, you could stick to a single GPU board like Asrock Z77 Pro3 $110 and a Seasonic 520W PSU $60.

As you can see, you could add another GTX 670 and it'd cost the same as your proposed rig in the OP.

Good advice in this post! The Corsair 550D is a great case! Nice and quiet! If you like ASUS mobos and dont want pci slots how abot this.
ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131821

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Good advice in this post! The Corsair 550D is a great case! Nice and quiet! If you like ASUS mobos and dont want pci slots how abot this.
ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131821

Ew. No. Useless "thermal armor"

 

[Rackmountsales]

I think that Corsair F90 would likely be one of the best cheap choices right now.

 

[TheInternal]

Something's wrong if you're spending $1750 on a rig that's only based around 3570K and a single GTX 670.

Here's a quiet, high performing system:

CPU i5-3570K $228 + Hyper 212 Evo $30
Mobo Gigabyte Z77X-D3H $145
RAM 2x Samsung 4GB 1600MHz CL11 1.35V $48 - capable of 2133MHz CL10 1.5V (if you need more buy four, $96)
GPU Asus GTX 670 $420 - top-of-the-line 1080p performance, decent 2560x1600 performance
SSD Crucial M4 128GB $119 or Crucial M4 256GB $240
DVD Samsung SH222BB $17
PSU XFX 750W XXX $120 ($110 AR) - 80+ Silver Semi-Modular Seasonic-built
Case Fractal Design Arc Midi $100 - 3x 140mm and a simple but functional fan controller
or Corsair 550D $140 - sound dampening for even quieter computing, but Arc Midi is better at cooling

= $1227 (arc midi+8gb+128gb) to $1435 (550d+16gb+256gb)

I picked SLI-capable mobo and PSU since you're planning to upgrade to 2560. It would be useful to buy another 670 for that resolution. But if you're not so hardcore, you could stick to a single GPU board like Asrock Z77 Pro3 $110 and a Seasonic 520W PSU $60.

As you can see, you could add another GTX 670 and it'd cost the same as your proposed rig in the OP.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Why the suggestion of the gigabyte board? Isn't it's power regulation a step or two down from the other boards I'd listed? It also lacks DirectSound3d support. Reviews indicate it's not as solid an overclocker either and requires more voltage (and resulting heat) to overclock to a moderate degree. I've heard it's fan control is lacking compared to ASUS. With silence being a top concern, having good fan control is vital to me.

Regarding the RAM, I'm surprised you'd suggest CAS latency of 11. I was under the impression that CAS latency of 8 or 9 was "the sweet spot" for the most part with Sandy Bridge (and probably Ivy Bridge as well). I know in the past that CAS latency was relatively small in impacting performance (maybe a few FPSes), but I'm not sure what the current state of CAS latency is on system performance.

No real thoughts or suggestions on who makes the best quiet cooling solution for a Geforce 670? All the reviews I've read so far place the 670 as tied for third place (behind the 690 and 680, often tied with the 7970) in terms of single card performance, with the ability to kick ass at 2560x1600. (http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/05/10/nvidia_geforce_gtx_670_video_card_review, http://www.anandtech.com/show/5818/nvidia-geforce-gtx-670-review-feat-evga/20, http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/39917-asus-geforce-gtx-670-directcu-ii-top-2gb/?page=11)
Sadly, now that I discovered a review for the card I was considering claiming it to be relatively quiet, it's sold out at newegg. Sigh.

I'm surprised at your recommendation of a third tier SSD... at $230, I've not really been able to find any other first tier SSDs on par with the Chronos Deluxe (second-gen SandForce SSDs with Toggle NAND). Admittedly, SSDs are new territory for me, so I only have lots of research to base my current choice of the Chronos Deluxe... and virtually no reliability data nor first-hand experience. Why the higher priced and lower tier Crucial M4 over the Mushkin?

I'm not getting a $15-$20 plain old DVD/RW since I want a blu-ray burner with lightscribe. I'm not a big fan of blu-ray, but it'll be around for at least a little while... even if it still costs around $100 for a drive.

The Corsair is an interesting, though more expensive option than the Antec P280. Thanks for bringing it to my attention though. The Fractal isn't something I'd consider. Too small, loud, and mediocre reviews.

As for the PSU, I'm a bit reluctant to drop below gold rated. My inability to find reviews on the XFX with decibel levels and mention of the fan's chance of spinning up also make me reluctant to consider it. Though Seasonic makes a crapload of rebranded OEM PSUs, lots of the OEMs ask for lower quality fans, use inferior fan control systems, or use shorter cables. I will take a look at the Corsair, but I'm already reluctant to make the compromise to a smaller / cheaper PSU since there's a higher likelihood of PSU fan spin-up.

Once again, I want near silent operation. The WD Caviar Black I have will hopefully be the loudest component. Until a year or two ago, I was running a passively cooled CPU, SLI'd Geforce 7950 GTs, and only had to be annoyed by some 120mm case fans on low, PSU fan noise, and the occasional disk drive noise. I'm guessing my system never went over 40dB. I'd like to get closer to 30dB with my new build.

 

[malinois1]

Ew. No. Useless "thermal armor"

LOL I understand some think so bit it is easy to remove if you wish.

 

[lehtv]

Why the suggestion of the gigabyte board? Isn't it's power regulation a step or two down from the other boards I'd listed?

That shouldn't matter. You'll get a decent OC from any Z77 board, and if you're looking for quiet operation, high overclocks shouldn't even be on your to-do list.

It also lacks DirectSound3d support.

If you value sound quality, you shouldn't be using onboard sound to begin with. Buy a sound card.

Reviews indicate it's not as solid an overclocker either and requires more voltage (and resulting heat) to overclock to a moderate degree.

Link please?

I've heard it's fan control is lacking compared to ASUS. With silence being a top concern, having good fan control is vital to me.

With Arc Midi, you'd be controlling the fans with the included fan controller. 550D I understand is quiet without any downvolting, you should ask the user mfenn whether that is so (he owns the case). Asus probably has the best fan control and I don't discount the possibility of wanting to adjust the RPM, but since a SLI capable Asus board costs a lot more, I'd rather bridge the price gap with easy to use third party fan controller panel like NZXT Sentry Mesh for just $25.

Regarding the RAM, I'm surprised you'd suggest CAS latency of 11. I was under the impression that CAS latency of 8 or 9 was "the sweet spot" for the most part with Sandy Bridge (and probably Ivy Bridge as well).

Well, it is preferable to have lower timings, sure. The point of recommending that RAM was that despite being specced for only 1600MHz CL11, it is capable of a lot more. It consistently achieves stable settings of 1600MHz CL9 1.35V, 1866MHz CL9 1.5V, and even 2133MHz CL10 1.5V. So if you do buy that RAM, overclock it and ensure stability with HCI memtest.

No real thoughts or suggestions on who makes the best quiet cooling solution for a Geforce 670?

To my understanding, that would be the Asus card I recommended.

All the reviews I've read so far place the 670 as tied for third place (behind the 690 and 680, often tied with the 7970) in terms of single card performance, with the ability to kick ass at 2560x1600.

Yep, it's within 10% of a 680, in many cases <5%. But at $100 less, it's the best bang for buck high performance card out there. I don't see a good reason to go with anything else

I'm surprised at your recommendation of a third tier SSD...

Third tier, what are you talking about?

Why the higher priced and lower tier Crucial M4 over the Mushkin?

Well, I'm used to recommending the M4 because I know it's a high performing and high reliable drive with mature firmware. Mushkin is based on the Sandforce controller which has a track record of being less reliable (perhaps exaggerated by the dominance of OCZ Vertex drives; Intel's 330 is probably more reliable... but anyway). M4 is also usually faster than Sandforce drives in small random reads which is arguably the most important factor of an SSD (because that's what the OS is constantly doing, accessing lots of small files). Unfortunately the Mushkin drive isn't available for comparison at Anandtech Bench.

I'm not getting a $15-$20 plain old DVD/RW since I want a blu-ray burner with lightscribe. I'm not a big fan of blu-ray, but it'll be around for at least a little while... even if it still costs around $100 for a drive.

OK

The Corsair is an interesting, though more expensive option than the Antec P280. Thanks for bringing it to my attention though. The Fractal isn't something I'd consider. Too small, loud, and mediocre reviews.

Arc Midi is normal mid tower size with removable/rotatable hard drive cage and 180mm CPU cooler clearance and plenty of fan slots... It's not loud, three 140mm 1000RPM fans with a fan controller cannot be loud. All the reviews I've read are highly favourable. So I don't see where you're coming from when you dismiss it :|

As for the PSU, I'm a bit reluctant to drop below gold rated. My inability to find reviews on the XFX with decibel levels and mention of the fan's chance of spinning up also make me reluctant to consider it. Though Seasonic makes a crapload of rebranded OEM PSUs, lots of the OEMs ask for lower quality fans, use inferior fan control systems, or use shorter cables.

The XFX 750 XXX is just a modular, higher efficiency version of the XFX 750, review by JonnyGuru.

"It was this set of tests that told me the platform was starting to show some strain by the 750W level. The fan got a little audible. It was never what I would call loud, just... there. " And that's the hot box test where he pushes it to full wattage. And for what it's worth, the higher efficiency of the XXX model will probably result in comparably lower noise levels. The difference between Silver and Gold is almost nonexistent in practical terms.

But I can understand wanting a hybrid controlled fan for a system designed for quietness - that's what I have in my rig as well. Corsair AX750 is the best choice if you want to head that way.

Once again, I want near silent operation. The WD Caviar Black I have will hopefully be the loudest component. Until a year or two ago, I was running a passively cooled CPU, SLI'd Geforce 7950 GTs, and only had to be annoyed by some 120mm case fans on low, PSU fan noise, and the occasional disk drive noise. I'm guessing my system never went over 40dB. I'd like to get closer to 30dB with my new build.

OK, seems like you're serious about it. I think you bought the wrong CPU cooler (Zalman). It spins at 900 - 1350 RPM, it's going to be audible. You'd get quieter idle operation and similar load noise with a Scythe Mugen 3 $45 ($50 on newegg).

If you want to properly quiet down the video card, install an Accelero Twin Turbo II on it ($39). I'd recommend putting it on an EVGA card, I think they still allow you to do that without voiding the warranty.

 

[malinois1]

Thanks for the thoughts.

Why the suggestion of the gigabyte board? Isn't it's power regulation a step or two down from the other boards I'd listed? It also lacks DirectSound3d support. Reviews indicate it's not as solid an overclocker either and requires more voltage (and resulting heat) to overclock to a moderate degree. I've heard it's fan control is lacking compared to ASUS. With silence being a top concern, having good fan control is vital to me.

The asus sabertooth Z77 overclocks well has a great onboard sound and also has the great fan control you want.

Regarding the RAM, I'm surprised you'd suggest CAS latency of 11. I was under the impression that CAS latency of 8 or 9 was "the sweet spot" for the most part with Sandy Bridge (and probably Ivy Bridge as well). I know in the past that CAS latency was relatively small in impacting performance (maybe a few FPSes), but I'm not sure what the current state of CAS latency is on system performance.

That ram is very overcloclable and can run 9-9-9-24 @1.35v Or if you would rather something else, this works great with the sabertooth board using XMP profile. 16G for $92. 16G is about twice as much as I have ever used and that was encoding while running a virtual machine for other task.
Mushkin Enhanced Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) $46 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820226217

No real thoughts or suggestions on who makes the best quiet cooling solution for a Geforce 670? All the reviews I've read so far place the 670 as tied for third place (behind the 690 and 680, often tied with the 7970) in terms of single card performance, with the ability to kick ass at 2560x1600. (http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/05/10/nvidia_geforce_gtx_670_video_card_review, http://www.anandtech.com/show/5818/nvidia-geforce-gtx-670-review-feat-evga/20, http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/39917-asus-geforce-gtx-670-directcu-ii-top-2gb/?page=11)
Sadly, now that I discovered a review for the card I was considering claiming it to be relatively quiet, it's sold out at newegg. Sigh.

Yep that is the one you want for quiet operation. It will be back in stock shorty just click auto notify when back in stock on newegg. you could run on the iGPU until then which probably would be less than 2 weeks.

I'm surprised at your recommendation of a third tier SSD... at $230, I've not really been able to find any other first tier SSDs on par with the Chronos Deluxe (second-gen SandForce SSDs with Toggle NAND). Admittedly, SSDs are new territory for me, so I only have lots of research to base my current choice of the Chronos Deluxe... and virtually no reliability data nor first-hand experience. Why the higher priced and lower tier Crucial M4 over the Mushkin?

From what I understand sandforce controllers have had problems and people are staying away from them. The m4 has been out a while and has respectable performance and has a very reliable track record. If you don't like the crucial may I suggest the SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC256B/WW 2.5" 256GB SATA III $235 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820147164 Personally I went with the m4 but that was because I got it for $199. Price being equal though get the sammy.

I'm not getting a $15-$20 plain old DVD/RW since I want a blu-ray burner with lightscribe. I'm not a big fan of blu-ray, but it'll be around for at least a little while... even if it still costs around $100 for a drive.

I hear ya I wanted the same thing. You could get a similar LG oem drive for $79 at newegg. I depends on if the software package is worth it for you or not. I already had software so I opted for the LG and saved $40

The Corsair is an interesting, though more expensive option than the Antec P280. Thanks for bringing it to my attention though. The Fractal isn't something I'd consider. Too small, loud, and mediocre reviews.

Plus the Fractal looks to gaudy to me. Either of the other 2 is a good choice though. Pick the one that represents your taste better since you are the one who has to look at it. IMO you can't go wrong with either.

As for the PSU, I'm a bit reluctant to drop below gold rated. My inability to find reviews on the XFX with decibel levels and mention of the fan's chance of spinning up also make me reluctant to consider it. Though Seasonic makes a crapload of rebranded OEM PSUs, lots of the OEMs ask for lower quality fans, use inferior fan control systems, or use shorter cables. I will take a look at the Corsair, but I'm already reluctant to make the compromise to a smaller / cheaper PSU since there's a higher likelihood of PSU fan spin-up.

I will say go gold as well. I went for the Corsair ax750 against the wishes of most of this board and I am happy with my descision. To be honest 750 is all you need. The fan on the 750 doesn't even come on until about 400 watts. So unless you are gaming it doesn't even come on! even with the rig you are building with the gtx670 you will barely get to the 400w stage.

Once again, I want near silent operation. The WD Caviar Black I have will hopefully be the loudest component. Until a year or two ago, I was running a passively cooled CPU, SLI'd Geforce 7950 GTs, and only had to be annoyed by some 120mm case fans on low, PSU fan noise, and the occasional disk drive noise. I'm guessing my system never went over 40dB. I'd like to get closer to 30dB with my new build.

Silence was my goal as well and I am glad with my choices. It is easily 3 times quieter than my dell xps. Here are my specs and choice. Very happy with it so far. As you can see very similar to what you are trying to achieve, with the exception I was looking more into encoding and less resolution and gaming.

Case: Corsair Obsidian Series 550D
PSU: CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX750
Mobo: ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77
Ram: 2 x Mushkin Enhanced Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge 3.5GHz
VGA: ASUS ENGTX560Ti448DC2/2DIS/1280MD5 GeForce GTX 560 Ti - 448 Cores (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5
SSD : Crucial M4 CT256M4SSD2 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC
HDD : 2 x Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s
Optical Drive: LG Black 12X Super Multi Blue with 3D Playback & M-DISC Support SATA WH12LS39 LightScribe Support
CPU Heat Sink: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus

 

[lehtv]

^ +1 to Samsung 830, the price apparently dropped recently. It was $250 last I checked.

 

[DSF]

If you want to properly quiet down the video card, install an Accelero Twin Turbo II on it ($39). I'd recommend putting it on an EVGA card, I think they still allow you to do that without voiding the warranty.

The last XFX card I bought had a similar warranty, just another place to look.

 

[lehtv]

XFX doesn't make NVIDIA, but for a 7970 that'd be the choice of brand for warranty

 

[malinois1]

Just wanted to add though, that with all these parts listed I am pretty sure you budget is busted just like I did with mine. Thats OK though I usually go to about the 2000 range anyway.

 

[DSF]

XFX doesn't make NVIDIA, but for a 7970 that'd be the choice of brand for warranty

Guess things have changed then, the card I'm referring to is an 8800GT. I hadn't really noticed that they don't have NVIDIA offerings anymore.

 

[lehtv]

*nvm*

 

[mfenn]

Overall I agree with lehtv.

With Arc Midi, you'd be controlling the fans with the included fan controller. 550D I understand is quiet without any downvolting, you should ask the user mfenn whether that is so (he owns the case). Asus probably has the best fan control and I don't discount the possibility of wanting to adjust the RPM, but since a SLI capable Asus board costs a lot more, I'd rather bridge the price gap with easy to use third party fan controller panel like NZXT Sentry Mesh for just $25..

OP, It is really not that hard to build a quiet PC these days. I have a 550D with a Scythe Mugen 3, a reference 6950 2GB, 3 Noctua NF-S12B fans, and an old ass TruePower Trio PSU. I am using the included 12V->7V adapters on the Noctua fans (I already had the Noctuas, so I didn't try the stock Corsair fans, but I'd bet they'd be fine running at 7V.) The loudest things in my system are my two 5900RPM drives. When they spin down, I cannot hear my desktop over my single-fan ESXi box (so it's gotta be around 30dB).

I will say go gold as well. I went for the Corsair ax750 against the wishes of most of this board and I am happy with my descision. To be honest 750 is all you need. The fan on the 750 doesn't even come on until about 400 watts. So unless you are gaming it doesn't even come on! even with the rig you are building with the gtx670 you will barely get to the 400w stage.

People put way too much stock in the fact that the Seasonic X platform will turn off the fan. Unless you have taken care of rid of every other fan in the system (including the GPU fan), the PSU fan should be the least of your concerns.

 

[malinois1]

Yes Mfenn I understand that but sound does add. For instance 2 20db fans added is louder that 20db. So every little bit counts.

 

[TheInternal]

A quick few thoughts on the further replies:

I think the fractal design case looks uggy as all get out which is frankly the main reason I so quickly dismissed it. That and glancing at this review by Anandtech: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4878/fractal-design-arc-midi-the-mid-tower-youve-been-waiting-for/7

Looks like I'll have to read up on some SSD stuff some more. I was under the impression that Sandforce was the popular / fastest choice right now, but it looks like I'll have to try to do even more research (ugh). I've heard good things about Samsung SSDs, and am in fact am pretty comfortable buying Crucial due to my experience with their RAM. I think Samsung is considered "tier 1" (second-gen SandForce SSDs with Toggle NAND) or 2 by some review sites (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/mushkin-chronos-ssd_7.html, http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-recommendation-review,3194-6.html). Thus, sounds like I'll have to look more in depth into the Crucial M4 and Samsung options. I'd seen good things about the Samsung already (http://www.storagereview.com/samsung_ssd_830_review_256gb).

Review I mentioned that is making me hesitant on the Gigabyte mobo: http://www.guru3d.com/article/gigabyte-z77xd3h-motherboard-review/21
Not to say it doesn't sound like it's a good value. Probably one of the better values in it's price bracket. The midrange roundup on Tom's http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z77-extreme6-z77a-gd65-z77h2-a2x,3187-22.html also contributed to my leaning away from the Gigabyte. It sounds like they are making boards at attractive price points with lots of features, but I'm just not sure some of the sacrifices they make to do so are ones I'd want in my system. After having such a good experience with my last Asus motherboard, I'm also perhaps a bit bias there. That and good reviews of the Asus board (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1262-page8.html, http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/05/24/asus_p8z77v_lga1155_motherboard_review/7). Admittedly, your suggestion of the D3H does have me taking another look at the step up, the UD3H. http://www.anandtech.com/show/5793/...ith-ivy-bridge-asrock-asus-gigabyte-and-msi/9 shows some impressive stuff on the power-side. Blearghedy argh blearg. Part of my problem is that I do just need to pick one... and I'd rather err on the side of overkill. :O

 

[azeem40]

2 20db fans going at the same speed would not add the noise IIRC.

Also, lehtv, he was referring to http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-review-benchmark,3139-6.html

 

[TheInternal]

Oh, and on the RAM... interesting stuff. Didn't know they were making "low profile" sticks these days. Sadly, I don't see much out there in terms of memory reviews... based on all the praise on Newegg, they have some appeal. Lack of heat sinks is a bit of a minus due to my still lingering desire for nerd-bling (even though no one but me will see the motherboard). So, looks like I'm currently looking at G.skill, Crucial, and now Samsung for my memory needs. I'll have to research DDR3 RAM more in general, it would seem.

 

[lehtv]

Review I mentioned that is making me hesitant on the Gigabyte mobo: http://www.guru3d.com/article/gigaby...oard-review/21
Not to say it doesn't sound like it's a good value. Probably one of the better values in it's price bracket. The midrange roundup on Tom's http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...x,3187-22.html also contributed to my leaning away from the Gigabyte. It sounds like they are making boards at attractive price points with lots of features, but I'm just not sure some of the sacrifices they make to do so are ones I'd want in my system. After having such a good experience with my last Asus motherboard, I'm also perhaps a bit bias there. That and good reviews of the Asus board (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1262-page8.html, http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/...board_review/7). Admittedly, your suggestion of the D3H does have me taking another look at the step up, the UD3H. http://www.anandtech.com/show/5793/i...byte-and-msi/9 shows some impressive stuff on the power-side. Blearghedy argh blearg. Part of my problem is that I do just need to pick one... and I'd rather err on the side of overkill. :O

Thanks. It's still not clear to me though what is lacking about the Gigabyte board. Sure, it only has 4-pin power but 8-pin is only useful for the most extreme of overclocks. It was different for the 125W TDP first-gen i7's but for these 77W TDP Ivy Bridge chips that get hot easily when increasing volts, 6-pin is simply enough for 99.9% of overclockers, and that's even more true for builders who want a quiet system. Also, I think Hilbert's comment about requiring 1.45V to get a stable 4.5-5.0GHz OC was with reference to the CPU, not something to do with that mobo in particular. Quite the contrary, Hilbert mentions that the Gigabyte board was extremely easy to OC with.

2 20db fans going at the same speed would not add the noise IIRC.

Also, lehtv, he was referring to http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-review-benchmark,3139-6.html

Oh, thanks. Looks like a pretty useless hierarchy to me, it basically contains zero information. I like to use Anandtech bench instead because it gives me raw numbers for comparing SSD speeds, and then combine that knowledge with the reliability of different controllers and firmwares, and indeed, prices.