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atrifix
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New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:10 am

System Usage: Everyday machine used for general usage/movies/surfing/etc., some 24/7 use, cpu-intensive Monte Carlo simulations (similar to Fritz), some gaming (mostly Diablo 3).

Approximate Purchase Date: ASAP

Budget: ~1200 (1000-1500)

Country: USA

Overclocking: Yes

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

CPU - i5-2500k $220
Heatsink - CM Hyper 212 EVO $34
CPU Fan - Scythe Gentle Typhoon $19
Motherboard - BIOSTAR TZ68K+ $100 ($15 MIR)
RAM - Samsung 8GB DDR3-1600 $47
GPU - ZOTAC GeForce GT 430 $70 ($30 MIR)
HDD - WD Caviar Green 2TB SATA3 $120
Optical - Lite-On 24X $22
SSD - Plextor M3 128GB $130 ($30 MIR)
PSU - Antec Earthwatts Green 380W $49
Case - CM HAF 912 $65
Case top fan - CM Megaflow 200 $19
Monitor - Asus 23.6" VH242H $180 ($10 MIR)
Speakers - Logitech S-220 2.1 $25
Keyboard/Mouse - Logitech Wireless MK260 $29
OS - Windows 7 $100

Total: $1,229 ($1,144 after MIRs)
 
entropy13
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:05 am

You could go get an Ivy Bridge CPU and a Z77 board instead.

Why skimp on the GPU, PSU? And then buy an SSD, plus a WD Caviar Green? And then buy a couple of fans? And buy that case?
P67A-GD65 (B3), i7, GTX 570 (GT 630 temp. card), 8GB RAM, 1TB + 500GB, FSP 700W PSU
 
Arclight
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:47 am

For your intended use the build is ok. The only lacking part is the video card. Idk how it will fair in Diablo 3......

But i also can't vouche for the Biostar mobo or the Antec PSU. Personally i'd get Asus or Gigabyte for the mobo and Seasonic for PSU (for your budget a 520W version should be OK).

Also i can't justify the case, unless you really like the design, in which case i won't judge. The SSD might be a stretch for your budget since you want a monitor as well.....but if it's essential for the work you need to do, then keep it. If not sacrifice it and up your PSU first and if u got some spare money left upg the video card
nVidia video drivers FAIL, click for more info
Disclaimer: All answers and suggestions are provided by an enthusiastic amateur and are therefore without warranty either explicit or implicit. Basically you use my suggestions at your own risk.
 
atrifix
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:50 am

I don't think that a high-end GPU is necessary since gaming will be minimal, I am not going to be playing Metro or Crysis. I will consider a small upgrade, though.

Given that I intend to overclock, is it worth it to get IB & Z77? I am not sure about the difference between the 2500K and 3570K in practice. I don't think I need any of the features of the Z77 (native USB3/PCIe3).

PSU - is this insufficient for this build? If so, what do I need here?

Case - looked like a resonable, roomy case with good airflow and cable management. I am open to anything though. Planned to add fans to keep the case & CPU cool, but I can reevaluate that.
 
JustAnEngineer
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:07 am

atrifix wrote:
The PWM fan that's included with the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo cooler is fine. If you want to use the Scythe fan for case cooling, that's okay but expensive.

atrfix wrote:
Do you live near a Micro Center? They have some excellent deals on the Core i5-3570K processor with Z77 motherboards. The Core i5-3570K with the ASRock Z77 Pro4-M is just $250 + tax, for example.

artfix wrote:
That's pretty dreadful for 3D gaming. With Radeon HD7770 available for under $130, I wouldn't get anything less. If you absolutely want a low-end NVidia card, the new GeForce GT640 is current.
· R7-5800X, Liquid Freezer II 280, RoG Strix X570-E, 64GiB PC4-28800, Suprim Liquid RTX4090, 2TB SX8200Pro +4TB S860 +NAS, Define 7 Compact, Super Flower SF-1000F14TP, S3220DGF +32UD99, FC900R OE, DeathAdder2
 
Arclight
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:21 am

atrifix wrote:
I don't think that a high-end GPU is necessary since gaming will be minimal, I am not going to be playing Metro or Crysis. I will consider a small upgrade, though.

Given that I intend to overclock, is it worth it to get IB & Z77? I am not sure about the difference between the 2500K and 3570K in practice. I don't think I need any of the features of the Z77 (native USB3/PCIe3).

PSU - is this insufficient for this build? If so, what do I need here?

Case - looked like a resonable, roomy case with good airflow and cable management. I am open to anything though. Planned to add fans to keep the case & CPU cool, but I can reevaluate that.



For case i'd recommand:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811112247
Pros:
Tooless everything (even PSU)
Comes with 4 fans preinstalled (3x140mm, 1x120mm)
Cons:
Might be a pro for some, but the front bezel is known to come off easily (for me i would be a plus, since you will have to take it off from time to time to clean the dust filter).

For PSU, i'd get:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817151093
Moduler, 520W, Seasonic brand (they have from anecdotal reviews, a good technical support and sell high qulity products)

As for video card, i didn't mean high end, rather mid end, like a HD 6850 or something.....

Edit:
Check out this link:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gef ... 214-9.html

Seems like a HD 7750 would be more than adequate at 1080p in Diablo 3. But be warned that they used an OCed 4,25 Ghz Core i7 3960x in that review. But, in games the 2500K at 1080p it shouldn't be far behind....
nVidia video drivers FAIL, click for more info
Disclaimer: All answers and suggestions are provided by an enthusiastic amateur and are therefore without warranty either explicit or implicit. Basically you use my suggestions at your own risk.
 
ludi
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:49 am

Another suggestion for the video card: MSI GTX550 Cyclone. Reasonably fast, not pricey. I have its predecessor, the 460GTX Cyclone, and it is almost completely silent. Big, slow fan and lots of heatsink fins = bliss.
Abacus Model 2.5 | Quad-Row FX with 256 Cherry Red Slider Beads | Applewood Frame | Water Cooling by Brita Filtration
 
atrifix
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:44 pm

Revised:

CPU - i5-3570K $240
Heatsink - CM Hyper 212 EVO $34
Motherboard - BIOSTAR TZ68K+ $100 ($15 MIR)
RAM - Samsung 8GB DDR3-1600 $47
GPU - EVGA GeForce GTX 460 1GB $140 ($25 MIR)
HDD - WD Caviar Green 2TB SATA3 $120
Optical - Lite-On 24X $20
SSD - Plextor M3 128GB $130 ($30 MIR)
PSU - CORSAIR TX650 650W $90 ($20 MIR)
Case - Lian-Li PC-K7B $80
Monitor - Asus 23.6" VH242H $180 ($10 MIR)
Keyboard/Mouse - Logitech Wireless MK260 $29
OS - Windows 7 $100

Total: $1,310 ($1,210 after MIRs)

I don't live anywhere near a Microcenter but I may be driving by one this weekend. So I can pick up a Z77 mobo if they have a good deal on it.
 
Airmantharp
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:17 pm

If you can grab an Ivy setup on sale, you're golden- if not, a 2500k in a budget Z77 board will be just as fast after overclocking.
 
integer
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:40 pm

atrifix wrote:
I don't live anywhere near a Microcenter but I may be driving by one this weekend. So I can pick up a Z77 mobo if they have a good deal on it.

With the processor you've picked, you should get $50 off the motherboard.
(My build, thanks to TR) i5-3570k | P8Z77-V | DDR3 1600 (4x4 GB) | 7950 | 850 EVO 500 GB | m4 128 GB | Blue SE16 500 GB | Green SE16 1 TB | Xonar DG | M12II 520 W | 550D | LP2475W | Blu-Ray | Shine Zero | MX310 | Windows 10 Home
 
JustAnEngineer
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Re: New build for ~1200

Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:08 pm

The option to save another $45-$50 on select Z77 motherboards with the Core i5-3570K processor at Micro Center may have expired. :(
· R7-5800X, Liquid Freezer II 280, RoG Strix X570-E, 64GiB PC4-28800, Suprim Liquid RTX4090, 2TB SX8200Pro +4TB S860 +NAS, Define 7 Compact, Super Flower SF-1000F14TP, S3220DGF +32UD99, FC900R OE, DeathAdder2
 
Arclight
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Re: New build for ~1200

Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:42 am

atrifix wrote:
Revised:

CPU - i5-3570K $240
Heatsink - CM Hyper 212 EVO $34
Motherboard - BIOSTAR TZ68K+ $100 ($15 MIR)
RAM - Samsung 8GB DDR3-1600 $47
GPU - EVGA GeForce GTX 460 1GB $140 ($25 MIR)
HDD - WD Caviar Green 2TB SATA3 $120
Optical - Lite-On 24X $20
SSD - Plextor M3 128GB $130 ($30 MIR)
PSU - CORSAIR TX650 650W $90 ($20 MIR)
Case - Lian-Li PC-K7B $80
Monitor - Asus 23.6" VH242H $180 ($10 MIR)
Keyboard/Mouse - Logitech Wireless MK260 $29
OS - Windows 7 $100

Total: $1,310 ($1,210 after MIRs)

I don't live anywhere near a Microcenter but I may be driving by one this weekend. So I can pick up a Z77 mobo if they have a good deal on it.


That's very good improvement compared to the original. But are you certain about that case? I mean it got top mounted PSU (that's so 1999) plus a lot weaker air flow compared to either the HAF 912 or the one i suggested.....
nVidia video drivers FAIL, click for more info
Disclaimer: All answers and suggestions are provided by an enthusiastic amateur and are therefore without warranty either explicit or implicit. Basically you use my suggestions at your own risk.
 
atrifix
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Re: New build for ~1200

Wed Jun 06, 2012 3:53 pm

Not sure about the case, but I think I want something a little bit smaller and lighter than the K60B. There is the possibility that I'll move/travel with it at some point. Airflow is obviously a big plus, and I like Lian-Li's more subtle style and perpendicular drive bays. But, I am not excessively picky.
 
ludi
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Re: New build for ~1200

Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:18 pm

atrifix wrote:
Not sure about the case, but I think I want something a little bit smaller and lighter than the K60B. There is the possibility that I'll move/travel with it at some point. Airflow is obviously a big plus, and I like Lian-Li's more subtle style and perpendicular drive bays. But, I am not excessively picky.

If you like the look and configuration of that Lian Li then you might look at the Antec Sonata series. It's the same size and layout with higher-quality hard drive caddies and a quick-remove side door. The Proto starts at $65, the Elite is $99 and upgrades the hard drive bays to a vertical layout with better ventilation.
Abacus Model 2.5 | Quad-Row FX with 256 Cherry Red Slider Beads | Applewood Frame | Water Cooling by Brita Filtration
 
Jambe
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Re: New build for ~1200

Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:55 am

Crucial's m4 SSDs are stupid-cheap atm and I see no reason to buy any other SSD unless it's a firesale. Just looked; the 128's going for around $100, the 256 for $200 and the 512 for $400 (!!!). They're not the absolute fastest but they hang with the best SATA III SSDs and they've been solid for a long time now.

You might consider an mATX build. Silverstone makes the Temjin TJ08-E which TR's David Morgan recommends in a review. I've built a few OCing/gaming systems in it; it's a nice case. The Hyper 212 EVO will fit! mATX boards OC just as well and they have the normal four DIMMs and decent expansion slots. Also, the TJ08-E has USB 3.0 up front, which Z77 boards can utilize (all Z77 boards have internal headers for it). Regardless, you might as well get a case with USB 3.0 since you're getting a Z77 setup. Lian-Li makes several if you wanna stick with them. Antec and Corsair have nice stuff out, too.

I believe Seasonic built the PSU you selected, and at the same price you can go direct to them with this M12II and get modular cables to boot.

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