PC Build Advice/Review Thread

[Don Katsu]

Is there a reason you will get a 680 over 7970?

If you feel like spending an extra $100 on a card for roughly the same performance

[Krandor]

680 runs cooler and has a lower power draw then a 7970, plus Physx nonsense. And it generally shouldn't be 100 bucks price difference unless you're getting a 4GB 680, more likely in the range of $50.

[Don Katsu]

Oh I see the price on the 7970 went up lol, It was $359 three weeks ago when I got my 7870XT for $219

[Jojimbo]

And the 680s have fallen in price, hasn't been a $100 difference in 2GB 680 to 3GB 7970s in quite a while. However most cheap 7900s have been non-reference coolers, Sapphire seems to be the cheapest HD 7900 (after MIR) every other month or so whereas all the cheap 680s have mostly been stock/blower designs (although checking ppp.com it seems that is changing as well). You also forgot about CUDA which might be important to some people.

[Waraji]

Looking to buy an eSATA 4-bay external enclosure, any thoughts? Aim is to un-congest my PC case and put in a modular PSU. If you take out my back side panel right now, it looks like the wiring in that Rocket Man (1997) scene in the pod lifting off from mars.

[chiyio]

The 4 bay version of this looks pretty sweet for that. http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-Super...I2ELR3P81QX32Y

[Kachiko]

I'm going to be upgrading my PC, as it's been about 2.5 years since I've done any real upgrades, and while I've no problems putting together a rig, I'm not proficiently knowledgeable about components to figure out what I want to do. I'm a bang for the buck type of buyer, but I don't mind spending extra money for longevity.

Here's my current rig:
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1
PCU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU 750 @ 2.67GHz
Memory: 12286.055MB
GFX: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470(VRAM 4049 MB)
MB: ASUS P7P55D-E LX
PS: 850 Watt
DVD Burner/Reader: A very old one that still works; could buy a new one though most everything is digital these days.

I really just use this for playing MMO's, surfing the net, and watching movies, so I really don't think dual GFX are something I'd use. I do use my 52 inch Plasma TV, as my monitor, so that compatability is key. I also don't currently overclock, as I worry too much about frying things. My place stays rather warm, year round, and in the summer it can stay in the 90s, though I have three fans to keep airflow going, however, I'm not opposed to doing it; I'm just not not knowledgeable about tweaking settings to do so.

Considering all of this, I'm thinking about upgrading to the following:

PCU: Intel Core i5-3570K or Intel Core i5-3770K
Fan: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
MB: ASUS P8Z77-V LGA or ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-1866
HD: SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC256B/WW 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
GFX: Asus GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB or EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB
Case: Cooler Master Elite 430 ATX Mid Tower Case

As you can see, it's pretty much what Tom's hardware, and some other places, do for their monthly rigs, but I could use some help narrowing down the PCU, MB, and GFX, given my normal PC use. I'm wondering if I were to upgrade the PCU and GFX to 3770/670 would really buy me longevity, or would I be upgrading close enough to not matter. Should I go even higher if it gave me a year or two more? Thanks in advance.

[Jojimbo]

Those are expensive versions of those GPUs and not worth buying, I would considering getting a HD 7950 and a Hyper 212 then OC the CPU you have, the i5 750 is still a reasonably decent quad core especially if you OC it a bit (can reach over 4GHz with a good enough MB/cooling). If you really want nVidia GPUs then get this GTX 660 Ti or this GTX 670.

If you want to do a full upgrade then something like http://pcpartpicker.com/p/SMgl would work (just don't buy what you can reuse, unless you have plans for your old build), however the 3570k, cooler and expensive Z77 MB would be a waste of money if you don't plan to OC and you could get something like http://pcpartpicker.com/p/SMk4. An i7 won't help with what you want to use the PC for and it's pointless to spend more on faster RAM as well, the difference is negligible for gaming and you could probably reuse some of what you have in your current build. Could do a lot better on the case as well, at least something with basic cable management is nice, but if you like the look of it go for it

EDIT:: There's also this i5 3570k + Extreme4 combo which is very good value, wasn't appearing on ppp.com, I would get a Hyper 212 with this MB though.

[Adajer]

If I were you, I would wait 1-2 months more. Haswell CPUs are due in June and rumor has it that GTX 700 series will be dropping in May/Early June. If you cant wait, go 3570k and ASRock extreme 4.

I built my first rig with the 3570k, ASRock Extreme 4, GTX 660 and Hyper 212+. It was very solid, I just wanted a bit more and went 3770k, NH-D14, and 670 Power edition. I strongly suggest avoiding EVGA GPUs. You can sometimes find the 660 ti on sale for $250-285. I would go for a 670 Power Edition or Gigabyte 670.

I really like ASRock MBs. They often outperform all other brands and cost much less for the same features. If you have access to a Microcenter, get a CPU + MB combo from them.

My 660 was actually powerful enough for everything I was running at 1080p. But I knew I was going 1440p and stepped up a notch.

If you want. I'll sell you my 670 for $300 when the 780 comes out.

Also, you don't need 1866 speed memory. 1600 is fast enough. In some cases, you may run into issues running your RAM faster than 1600.

And I would spend a few bucks more on a quality case. I prefer cases with a side fan, but that is a personal preference. You would at least want a case with space for cable management behind the motherboard.

This case is pretty nice and usually goes on sale.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811139013
This is a decent one too.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811139011
I am using the CM Storm Sniper.

[Krandor]

Nvidia 700 series won't be much of an upgrade, based on the specs that have leaked out.

The only card that's really an upgrade persay is the 780, which is more or less a lower specced Titan, albeit coming in at the $500-$600 range. The 770 looks to more or less be a slightly overclocked 4GB 680, and the 760 Ti is basically a 670. The main benefit looks to be a lower price point, with the 770 rumored to be coming in at $400 and the other 760 Ti similarly being around 100 bucks less then the 670.

Aside from the 780, the rest of the 700 series doesn't look to be offering anything new, mostly just lowering price points. Main thing i'd be looking at when it comes out is the price on the 600 series dropping, and maybe picking up myself another 680 for SLI, which should leave me set for awhile.

[Biggz]

Looking to build a pc for the first time. Have done some research but just would like a second opinion/critic of the parts. PC will be used for MMOs and possibly some FPS. I'm guessing that the RAM is overkill and can probably just go with 16GB. Plan on using a 60" tv as a monitor.

NZXT Phantom 820 CA-PH820-W1 White Steel / Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case.
ASUS P8Z77-V PRO LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
CORSAIR HX Series HX850 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC
Intel Core i7-3820 Sandy Bridge-E 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 2011 130W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
G.SKILL Sniper Gaming Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop
Western Digital Red WD20EFRX 2TB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
Corsair Air Series AF120 Performance Edition CO-9050004-WW 120mm Twin Pack High Airflow Case Fan
LG Black 14X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 12X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA BDXL Blu-ray Burner, Bare Drive, 3D Play Back
Samsung MZ-7TD250 250GB 2.5-inch SSD 840 Series with Full Kit

[izembo]

do you need 2 tb? i'd also get a wd black over a red. also i think there's a big improvement of the 840 pro series over the regular ones. and yeah drop the ram to 16, nothing short of extreme video editing is really gonna use 32

[Biggz]

do you need 2 tb? i'd also get a wd black over a red. also i think there's a big improvement of the 840 pro series over the regular ones. and yeah drop the ram to 16, nothing short of extreme video editing is really gonna use 32

I do quite a bit of downloading movies and music so yeah. Ill look into the WD black also. In regards to the 840 pro series, the only pro series i can get a discount on currently is the 512GB or the 128GB. 512 is still pretty expensive or id look into it.might be able to with saving money in going to 16 of RAM. Thanks for the advice tho.

[hey]

I'd definitely avoid the 840. They would be fine if they were much cheaper, but they just cost too much for what they are. TLC nand is much slower.

might be able to with saving money in going to 16 of RAM. Thanks for the advice tho.

16 gb is already massively overkill for gaming. I think the most ram i've ever had a game use is 3-4 gb. If you aren't completely sure you need more than 16 gb of ram, you don't.

[Mabubeezareel]

Looking to build a pc for the first time. Have done some research but just would like a second opinion/critic of the parts. PC will be used for MMOs and possibly some FPS. I'm guessing that the RAM is overkill and can probably just go with 16GB. Plan on using a 60" tv as a monitor.

NZXT Phantom 820 CA-PH820-W1 White Steel / Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case.
ASUS P8Z77-V PRO LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
CORSAIR HX Series HX850 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC
Intel Core i7-3820 Sandy Bridge-E 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 2011 130W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
G.SKILL Sniper Gaming Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop
Western Digital Red WD20EFRX 2TB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
Corsair Air Series AF120 Performance Edition CO-9050004-WW 120mm Twin Pack High Airflow Case Fan
LG Black 14X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 12X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA BDXL Blu-ray Burner, Bare Drive, 3D Play Back
Samsung MZ-7TD250 250GB 2.5-inch SSD 840 Series with Full Kit

Few things:

First, do you plan on OCing at all? If not, then you don't need a Z77 mobo. If you are, then the mobo that you've chosen is a winner, though your selected CPU can't be overclocked. Only the "K" series of Intel CPUs are OC'able (i5-3570K, i7-3770K, etc).

Next, speaking of the CPU, the i7 series is mostly wasted on gaming. If you were doing some heavy video editing, then the hyper threading of the i7 series would be worth the money over the i5 series. Since you didn't mention any video editing, I'd recommend the i5-3570K (if OCing) or the i5-3470 (if not OCing).

Moving on, as hey already mentioned, 16gb is overkill for a gaming rig, and 8gb will be plenty. Stick with 1600 speed, and also make sure that it's rated at 1.5 volts, as that is the recommended voltage limit for the IB CPUs. Personally, I prefer low-profile sticks, as the heatspreaders on a lot of sticks are usually completely unnecessary, but also can get in the way of a CPU cooler.

Cases can definitely be subjective, but the main things to look for are decent cable management and plenty of room for expansion. I'm not that familiar with the NZXT Phantom 820, but at $250.00, it seems like a big waste of money for your needs. I'm partial to Corsair cases, and you should definitely check out the entire Carbide and Obsidian lines. I personally own the Carbide 400r, which is a FABULOUS case for the money.

If it were up to me, I'd drop the RAM down, grab a cheaper case, drop down the CPU to an i5, and put the savings toward a 256gb Samsung 840pro SSD (or two of the 128gb 840pro).

[Biggz]

Thanks, I'll definitely take a look into making those changes to my build. With those savings I should be able to get the 512GB 840 pro SSD then. The 512 seems like its more than I need but the 128 just seems to small. Rather have all the extra space just in case. I'd like to overclock but still need to learn more about it before venturing into it on my own.

[Kachiko]

@ Jojimbo, Adajer, and Krandor: I appreciate the information you've given me, and, after reading about some of the components you posted, came up with this; any further comments are appreciated:

CPU/MB Combo: Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
GPU: MSI N670 PE 2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
HD: SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC256B/WW 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Case: Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Gunmetal Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

A couple of further questions though: Since my place has no AC and gets so hot in the summer (90+ with the afternoon sun hitting the room), should I really looking at Liquid Cooling or will the Hyper 212 Plus be enough? If this setup is also fairly idiot proof, to OC, will that force the liquid cooling issue? If so, what would I be looking at, for a rig like this? Would it be something like the CORSAIR Hydro series H50?

[Adajer]

IIRC my 3570k Hyper 212+ and 660 combo yielded temps below 50c at stock all the time. Would peak around 54c in most taxing games. My 670 pushed that up about 5c. I live in Chicago and that was around fall. Get some good airflow and you should be good. I cant say how much hotter you will get in 90f weather though.

Also, I know I suggested the C70 Case, but I hope you get something you like. This is the case that is going to be sitting on your desk for a while.

[Jojimbo]

Thanks, I'll definitely take a look into making those changes to my build. With those savings I should be able to get the 512GB 840 pro SSD then. The 512 seems like its more than I need but the 128 just seems to small. Rather have all the extra space just in case. I'd like to overclock but still need to learn more about it before venturing into it on my own.

What do you plan to use the SSD for? Unless you have a specific use that requires 512GB I would stick with 256GB, the 512GBs doesn't see the same speed increase that you see when going from 64 to 128 to 256 and are really expensive, would be better off either saving the money or using it for better components. I would also get a 7200rpm HDD over a Red, they are good drives but designed for use in a NAS. I don't see a GPU listed, what ones were you looking at? Oh and because noone exactly mentioned it, even if you did need an i7 you picked a SB-E 2011 socket CPU and an incompatible Z77 1155 socket MB. You can also get a Phantom 410 if you still like the looks, http://pcpartpicker.com/p/SWjE

A couple of further questions though: Since my place has no AC and gets so hot in the summer (90+ with the afternoon sun hitting the room), should I really looking at Liquid Cooling or will the Hyper 212 Plus be enough? If this setup is also fairly idiot proof, to OC, will that force the liquid cooling issue? If so, what would I be looking at, for a rig like this? Would it be something like the CORSAIR Hydro series H50?

Corsair H50 won't be much better than budget air coolers either, the low end AIO units kinda suck and the high end ones are either on par with air cooling or slightly better, a lot louder and more expensive. Also that SSD is out of stock and afaik will never be restocked as it's an older SSD.

[Isiolia]

Corsair H50 won't be much better than budget air coolers either, the low end AIO units kinda suck and the high end ones are either on par with air cooling or slightly better, a lot louder and more expensive.

I replaced an H50 with a 212+ in my old system, before I gave it to a friend. The 212+ did a better job.

Main reason I see to use them is if your case/components can't fit a decent sized heatsink on the motherboard.