Please just give this build a quick glance, thanks :)

[yogibbear]

UPDATE: BUILD COMPLETED THANKS EVERYONE!

Boots in ~ 10 secs. Runs beautifully. Install footprint of all the software my dad uses plus windows 7 + Office 2010 was ~30GB. Easiest build of my life. Could not have done it without your suggestions.

Only annoying thing is the PSU isn't modular so I just tied all the unused cables down the bottom...... luckily the case is practically silent.

Dad was pretty excited by the ridiculous boot time. He did the usual start a 1 minute conversation while the PC boots.... then BAM!

Oh and btw took this pic before I hooked up the HDD dock.



Final specs:

Intel Core i5 2500 LGA1155
ASUS P8Z68-V LX DESKTOP MOTHERBOARD
EVGA GT430 700M/1200M 1GB/DVI/HDMI/VGA
Kingston DDR3 2 x 4GB
XFX CORE EDITION 450W 80PLUS PSU (P1-450S-X2B9)
Cooler Master Silencio 550 Case
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM
Samsung SH-222BB/BEBS SATA Black Internal 22x Speed Plus DVD±RW Drive, 12x DVD-RAM, 16x +R DL, 12x-R DL, OEM with software included
CORSAIR FORCE 3 120GB 2.5" SSD SATA3 550/510 (CSSD-F120GB3-BK)

Total Cost: $988.00 AUD





Hi there,

Going to build a new system for my dad, haven't built a PC in a couple of years so a bit out of it in terms of Sandy-bridge and mobos etc.

Please just give this build a once over if you think it's a decent selection of parts (basically want it to last ~5 yrs):
-do not need an SSD
-do not need a huge HDD
-do not need a high end GPU, but do not want integrated

Here we go (updated to include current config):

($215) Intel Core i5 2500 LGA1155
($155) Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3 MB, LGA 1155, Intel Z68, 4x DDR3 1333, HDMI, PCI-Ex16, SATA2, SATA3, USB3.0, RAID, GbE LAN, 7.1CH Audio, CrossFire, ATX
($72) Asus/Gigabyte AMD 6770 EVGA GT430 700M/1200M 1GB/DVI/HDMI/VGA
($105) WD CAVIAR BLUE 3.5" 500GB 7200/16MB/SATA3 (WD5000AAKX)
OCZ 60G Agility 3 Series SATA3 SSD 2.5" 525MB/s Read, 475MB/s Write. Random Write 4KB (Aligned): 50,000 IOPS ( OCZAGT3-25SAT3-60G )
($125) CORSAIR FORCE 3 60GB 2.5" SSD SATA3 550/490 (CSSD-F60GB3-BK)
($55) Kingston DDR3 2 x 4GB
Cooler Master 650W GX series 80+ Big Ant 450W 12cm 1600rpm low-speed Silent Fan Power Supply RETAIL ( 20+4 Pin + 4 SATA + 4 x Molex 4 Pins ...)
Cooler Master OEM Extreme Power V2.3 Regular 500W(12CM Fan) ANTEC TRUEPOWER NEW 550W MODULAR PSU (TP-550)
($65) XFX CORE EDITION 450W 80PLUS PSU
($109) Cooler Master Silencio 550 Case
($25) Samsung SH-222BB/BEBS SATA Black Internal 22x Speed Plus DVD±RW Drive, 12x DVD-RAM, 16x +R DL, 12x-R DL, OEM with software included
($100) Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM

Total Price: $1020.00 AUD

Parts are a bit more expensive in australia due to taxes & higher living costs etc. so this build works out to ~$1000 from a wholesale PC shop.

I think that's everything I need.

Please comment if it all looks good. I know the power supply is a bit overkill and wanted a 550W version but they're out of stock and it's only $10 more for the 650W version.

[Firestarter]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'd say that that PSU is way overkill for what you have in mind.

Also, (again with the broken record), do you honestly want to build a computer that should last 5 years, and not include an SSD? IMHO, a new desktop in 2012 without solid state storage is instantly outdated, as an iPad would beat it hands-down for what the average user does 90% of the time. A ~64GB SSD should easily fit the budget, if you get a cheaper PSU. That ought to be enough for a ton of applications (excluding games). ~128GB would require cutting corners and stretching the budget I guess.

[yogibbear]

Yeah I know, I was tempted to ditch the HDD and the PSU in favour of an OEM 400W PSU and an SSD, but I just won't be able to provide tech support if the SSD goes haywire as it's not going to be my PC. Though I'm usually only a 10 minute drive away... unless I am offshore.

So (keep in mind australian prices):

the 500 GB WD Black is ~$100

an OCZ 60G Agility 3 Series SATA3 SSD 2.5" 525MB/s Read, 475MB/s Write. Random Write 4KB (Aligned): 50,000 IOPS ( OCZAGT3-25SAT3-60G )
is $125

Can scavenge a spare 250GB HDD I have lying around for additional storage...

[yogibbear]

Can someone explain to me the Smart Response Tech on the z68 and how this relates to a build with an SSD and a HDD?

Do you do the OS install on the HDD, but the SSD is used for often accessed data, so you get the best of both worlds or am I reading it wrong?

[havanu]

SSD's are not an inherently unsafe technology. On the contrary, the return rate for them is much lower than HDD's.
Just avoid the brands with poor firmware (OCZ...caugh...) and buy an Intel or something equally reliable.

[yogibbear]

Yeah but my stupid PC shop doesn't offer any Crucial / Samsung SSDs and the Intel ones are $300 +

...

Reading about SRT here: http://techreport.com/articles.x/20911/3

[mdk77777]

Yeah, that is the idea.

I like to have 120 GB on the SSD to use as a boot drive.

With the z68 you can get away with 30-60 GB since it is really just a cache drive.

ON the PSU, 400 watt is plenty. Look for Aurum Gold (FSP) or your cheapest version of superflower 450 gold (rosewill capstone, Superflower, nzxt, etc.)
Here we have them at $60-$80.

[RickyTick]

Just as another cost saving suggestion, can you do with something less than a 6770 (assuming Dad's not a gamer)? I recently put a 6450 in my Dad's pc for about $25 USD after mail in rebate.

[yogibbear]

I picked the 6770 as I need to drive multiple displays... but it could be overkill as well...

Hmm...

I could always find my old 8800gt lying around and use that instead.... just the 6770 is fanless so there'd be less noise.

[yogibbear]

Okay if I swap the 6770 for a 6450 and the 650W PSU for a 450W:

http://www.austin.net.au/ProductList/Pr ... fault.aspx

http://www.austin.net.au/ProductList/Pr ... fault.aspx

Then I save ~$180 and can use that to get an SSD....

I'm now buying a bunch of brands I detest.... OCZ, Big Ant, hm....

[yogibbear]

So for $20 more I can get a GT430 instead of the 6450... seems a bit silly when it's about 80% faster at EVERYTHING.

Asus GF GT 430 PCI-E 2.0 1GB DDR3 128-bit, Dual-Link DVI, HDMI, D-Sub, Low Profile - ENGT430/DI/1GD3(LP) - $75

[DPete27]

Im an OCZ owner, and I've had no problems with my Vertex 3. If anything they seem to be at the forefront of firmware fixes when something is wrong. Many of the SSD reliability issues have now been fixed, I wouldn't get too up tight about them. Then again, I waited and bought mine in November after the Sandforce BSOD bug had been "truly" fixed so I'm not one of the early adopter horror stories/haters.

Z68 Smart Response is a ssd caching solution in which you have the OS installed on a hdd and have a small (~20GB) SSD used for caching. This improves system responsiveness over a hdd-only system but is not as good as having the OS installed on a SSD. I say this all the time, but I'm not comfortable with anything less than 90GB SSD. Anything smaller than that and you're looking at having to manage where programs/etc. are getting installed. If your Dad is just a light/medium duty computer person, 90GB should be enough. A good way to determine this is to look at how much space is used on his current system, then sutract everything in his "My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos" folders. I installed a 90GB Corsair Force3 in my parents aging AM2 Athlon 64 X2 system and it significantly improved startup time and program launch times which is what was starting to bug them. Rough figures where about 1:30 from post to having internet explorer home page up with hdd and ~25 seconds for the same thing with an ssd hooked up to SATAII. I think I sent them from considering an upgrade to adding at least another year (or more) of life to their current system. (They only use their computer for MS Office and Internet)

Honestly, if you are looking at a i5-2500 and are going to be putting the OS on an SSD, then you can save a few bucks and go for a cheaper H61/H67 motherboard. Give AsRock a look. I would recommend having USB 3.0.

[DPete27]

What the heck is Big Ant power supply company? I've never heard of them and $35 not on sale makes me worried. The website you're linking to has dismal PSU selection. A 380W PSU would be enough. 450W isn't too much overkill though, it might help the unit last a bit longer. I prefer Antec or Corsair PSU's but im a newegg.com shopper. On the other hand, Dell computers use no-name cruddy PSU's and last many years. Perhaps its just a comfort thing.

[RickyTick]

So for $20 more I can get a GT430 instead of the 6450... seems a bit silly when it's about 80% faster at EVERYTHING.

Asus GF GT 430 PCI-E 2.0 1GB DDR3 128-bit, Dual-Link DVI, HDMI, D-Sub, Low Profile - ENGT430/DI/1GD3(LP) - $75

At that price difference, I'd have to agree. I just happened across a 6450 at a great deal when I needed one.
Best of luck.

[yogibbear]

What the heck is Big Ant power supply company? I've never heard of them and $35 not on sale makes me worried. The website you're linking to has dismal PSU selection. A 380W PSU would be enough. 450W isn't too much overkill though, it might help the unit last a bit longer. I prefer Antec or Corsair PSU's but im a newegg.com shopper. On the other hand, Dell computers use no-name cruddy PSU's and last many years. Perhaps its just a comfort thing.

Yes exactly. This is why I originally had a Corsair 650W PSU selected (their 550W was out of stock) and their 500W is an OEM re-badge I think....

It's just because I'm in Australia so no newegg.com for me

[DPete27]

I think that since the system assumedly wont be gettting hammered on (ie heavy gaming, finite element analysis, etc.) you would probably be ok with the "Big Ant" psu. Like I said, youve got a good 100W more than you need in that PSU which should give it a fighting chance in the case that the whole system gets max stressed. (I used thermaltakes PSU calculator and got 324W required with some arbitrarily added PCI/PCIe cards) It may not be the most efficient solution, but I think it would probably be fine.

[yogibbear]

Okay PSU junkies... I would like to find the cheapest available B+M modular 450-550W PSU from a decent brand name in my city...

Some ideas:

ANTEC TRUEPOWER NEW 550W MODULAR PSU - $109

http://www.ple.com.au/ViewItem.aspx?Inv ... goryID=518

OR

XFX CORE EDITION 450W 80PLUS PSU - $65

http://www.ple.com.au/ViewItem.aspx?Inv ... goryID=518

I'm not sure hte XFX one is really modular... or just has detachable cables...

[Arclight]

Okay PSU junkies... I would like to find the cheapest available B+M modular 450-550W PSU from a decent brand name in my city...

Some ideas:

ANTEC TRUEPOWER NEW 550W MODULAR PSU - $109

http://www.ple.com.au/ViewItem.aspx?Inv ... goryID=518

OR

XFX CORE EDITION 450W 80PLUS PSU - $65

http://www.ple.com.au/ViewItem.aspx?Inv ... goryID=518

I'm not sure hte XFX one is really modular... or just has detachable cables...

A ferm YES to XFX core and a big No No to CM and OCZ PSUs...the build looks good btw, but get a cpu cooler and you won't need a case oriented towards sound dapening since the video card is low end it won't be noizey at all. I'm thinking i5 2300, Thermalright True Spirit and case...got out of touch with them but any 1 with 200mm width, 2 x 120mm fans and cable management cut outs will do.

Again, looks good.

Edit
Erhm i just noticed WD Caviar Black 500GB, i have the SATA II (3 GBps) version and it has very high seek noizes. I'd suggest looking elsewhere. I'll admit not all units will exhibit this issue (which is non critical and you won't get a replacement for it) but this model has this issue way more often then others.

Me thinks you should buy a model known for being quite. Pointless to buy a fast mechanical drive now that they are so expensive. Who knows in 2 yrs you could do a inexpensive (by then) SSD upgrade with high capacity.

[mdk77777]

The XFX is not at all modular. They are just saying it can be used in old 20 pin as well as new 24 pin MB.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?na ... 3&reid=225

Good choice for your build and availability. (Your dad is not likely to be re-wiring your cable management job when your not looking)

The Antec is a solid unit. (I have one) Semi-modular.

Yeah, the difference between the quality of a 35$ PSU and a $100 unit is easily 10X.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?na ... 4&reid=140

Always sad your prices are so high when you are actually closer to the manufactures.


PS

and their 500W is an OEM re-badge I think....

These are the common OEM: Seasonic, Enermax, Superflower,FSP, DELTA,CWT...and a few others that no one has heard of.

All of the other consumer brands are various degrees of OEM re-brand.

[yogibbear]

OK. So I want the Antec 550W true power. But I want to stay at $1000 and not creep up to $1100 like I'm about to. Where do I cut?

[Arclight]

OK. So I want the Antec 550W true power. But I want to stay at $1000 and not creep up to $1100 like I'm about to. Where do I cut?

Cut on the CPU, HDD (as in get a slower model known to be quiet), don't buy SSD (buy one in a few years when they'll be too cheap to NOT to buy), cut on case (afaik that case is fairly expensive for a low budget like yours). Oh and again add a CPU after market cooler. I don't like Antec (from the reviews i've red over the years) i'd advise buying the XFX model you linked us to. You won't need modular PSU since this is a rig that won't be opened very often for modifications/upgrades.

[yogibbear]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone, so what's a quiet HDD? Is the WD Caviar Blue any better?

I'm looking at the table here:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article29-page2.html

With the 7,200 rpm 3.5" drives... there's only 3 options....

[yogibbear]

Insane idea... ditch the HDD and upgrade the SSD to 120GB? Then ditch the z68 for a cheaper mobo?

I think my dad's current PC only has a 160 GB HDD and a 1 TB external HDD hooked up to it. the 160 GB is about 80% full, but it has been topped out and I've gone in and cleaned it out a bit.

[mdk77777]

YEAH.

Yeah, the advantage of the z68 is primarily in the IGP and ssd cache.

However, the price difference between P67 and z68 boards is not huge here.

I'll let other opine on the quality of specific intel boards (Used AMD for the last 10 years or so)
But haven't had any problems with the lower priced ASROCK and MSI models myself.

[yogibbear]

Well thanks for all the advice. I'm going to go get some sleep before work now... and then on saturday morning go and buy everything and start the build! So if there's no other comments in the next 24 hrs expect some pics up on Sunday if all goes well.

[TheEmrys]

I'm not sure why you are going i5 instead of i3. You can have some really good savings, with little increase in power that he probably won't use.

Also, I wouldn't worry about the z68. Does your dad need quicksync with a video card? Also, why no integrated? Is your dad a gamer?

[DPete27]

Honestly, if you are looking at a i5-2500 and are going to be putting the OS on an SSD, then you can save a few bucks and go for a cheaper H61/H67 motherboard. Give AsRock a look. I would recommend having USB 3.0.

Is there an echo in the building?

Also, Emrys, if the OP is looking for a ~5 year computer I would stick with a true quad core even if its more than is needed for right now.

[NeelyCam]

Honestly, if you are looking at a i5-2500 and are going to be putting the OS on an SSD, then you can save a few bucks and go for a cheaper H61/H67 motherboard. Give AsRock a look. I would recommend having USB 3.0.

Is there an echo in the building?

Also, Emrys, if the OP is looking for a ~5 year computer I would stick with a true quad core even if its more than is needed for right now.

I agree with DPete27 - you could save quite a bit of money by going H61 (should still come with at least one SATA3 port). I disagree about the quad-core, though - I would go with i3-21xx. I really don't know your dad's usage needs, but I personally don't need the quad-core I have now. (Depending on your dad's graphics needs, I would still consider going integrated, but that's a personal choice.)

Also, I would skip getting a new internal drive now, and get it (or an external one) later when prices go down again. I mean, just a couple of months ago you could've had a 2TB WD Green for the price of that 500GB drive..

[yogibbear]

I want the z68 for the SSD cache ability (Smart Response Technology) as I am not going to trust installing the OS on the SSD.

I need the discrete GPU as this setup is to run multiple displays.

I'm going to see if I can find a spare HDD lying around somewhere to save $100. It's probably a Sata II 500GB WD Caviar Green type drive.

[Firestarter]

Why not trust the OS on an SSD? If you get one with a proven track record (read: not Sandforce-based), I don't see the problem. For example, you could spring for an Indilix-based SSD, those are pretty cheap nowadays and reliable enough.