New Pc Build

[R31Nismoid]

Well I'm a bit outta the loop with everything of late... So a few of you can help me this time for a change

Parts so far:

CPU: i7 2600k - $330

RAM: Corsair CMP8GX3M4A1600C8 8GB (4x2GB) DDR3, 1600MHz 8-8-8-24 - $170

Also includes RAM cooler in package (usually around $30)

GPU: HD6970 of some description - $400

CPU Cooler Something around the $100 mark should do.

CASE/PSU: Have a Corsair HW650 & a big case, so all covered there.

Parts I'm struggling with:

MOBO: Had good experiences with Gigabyte boards, so thinking a Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3R-B3 Motherboard, $185

I just need the board to clock well, aiming for 5.0ghz on air from the 2600k

SSD: No clue here at all. I would imagine something around the 120-200gb marker. Just have no idea with the whole TRIM stuff, series 1/2/3 SSDs etc. Really not been following it.

Total so far: $1185 (excluding SSD)

Have at it boys

[DivHunter]

You can't pick your RAM before the board. I have had Corsair RAM simply not work in a board...looked at the QVL, not listed, somad. Sent for RMA...completes every test, which it did in the board too it would just crash windows as well. Tried setting timing manually, upping voltages etc etc, nothing could get it to work. RAM from QVL list works no issue.

SSDs there are a lot more to choose from now. I'd stick with the newest gen possible, preferably intel (generally expensive).

[SoFreshSoClean]

Well I'm a bit outta the loop with everything of late... So a few of you can help me this time for a change

Parts so far:

CPU: i7 2600k - $330 -Go for the 2700K which is coming out.. pretty much right now

RAM: Corsair CMP8GX3M4A1600C8 8GB (4x2GB) DDR3, 1600MHz 8-8-8-24 - $170 Seems massively expensive.. why not go for a 2x4GB kit? Should be about ~$70

Also includes RAM cooler in package (usually around $30) Wouldn't bother, RAM makes SFA difference

GPU: HD6970 of some description - $400 Good

CPU Cooler Something around the $100 mark should do. Hard to go wrong here, but Noctua or Coolermaster seem to be pretty good. CM212+ is only ~$30 for example

CASE/PSU: Have a Corsair HW650 & a big case, so all covered there. You will need a bigger PSU if you want to overclock IMO, more like 850w

Parts I'm struggling with:

MOBO: Had good experiences with Gigabyte boards, so thinking a Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3R-B3 Motherboard, $185

I just need the board to clock well, aiming for 5.0ghz on air from the 2600k I have this board, works great but I can't get 5.0. I got 4.8 with lots of volts but I wasn't comfortable with it, so now I just run 4.5. In the scheme of things it's only 10% difference...

SSD: No clue here at all. I would imagine something around the 120-200gb marker. Just have no idea with the whole TRIM stuff, series 1/2/3 SSDs etc. Really not been following it. This is one of the fastest developing areas of the PC world, it changes so often that I have NFI. I have 2x 128GB G.Skill drives. They work, er, great! Hah.

Total so far: $1185 (excluding SSD)

Have at it boys

You can't pick your RAM before the board. I have had Corsair RAM simply not work in a board...looked at the QVL, not listed, somad. Sent for RMA...completes every test, which it did in the board too it would just crash windows as well. Tried setting timing manually, upping voltages etc etc, nothing could get it to work. RAM from QVL list works no issue.

Sounds like a one-off problem more than anything else, I don't really think it's true as a rule. Although some RAM is specificially designed for 2nd generation Core CPU's that have XMP (Xtreme Memory Profile)

[R31Nismoid]

You can't pick your RAM before the board. I have had Corsair RAM simply not work in a board...looked at the QVL, not listed, somad. Sent for RMA...completes every test, which it did in the board too it would just crash windows as well. Tried setting timing manually, upping voltages etc etc, nothing could get it to work. RAM from QVL list works no issue.

SSDs there are a lot more to choose from now. I'd stick with the newest gen possible, preferably intel (generally expensive).

Well of course ill check compatibility once a decision is reached, I'm not that silly

A set of G.Skill ripjaw will be the 2 choice, around the same timing.

And to answer why 4x2 over 2x4 - I want to push and overclock hard. You need good ram to do this and I want 8gb. No more/less and this config whilst bout $50 more (taking cooler into account) is good spending IMO.

I will do more reading on XS for branding and chip batches closer to decision.

[SoFreshSoClean]

RAM is of much lower significance to good overclocks with sandy bridge CPU's

[R31Nismoid]

Ye I know, however ram speed will still need to be dropped in most cases, resulting in even tighter timings... Making for snappier system etc.

I noticed good gains with my old gear and playing around with ram etc. Not huge, but spending the extra $50 really doesn't both me as i will do a few days of solid benching with it etc as i do with all my new setups to test the limits

[Mayuri Krab]

Parts I'm struggling with:

MOBO: Had good experiences with Gigabyte boards, so thinking a Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3R-B3 Motherboard, $185

I just need the board to clock well, aiming for 5.0ghz on air from the 2600k

People on WP seem to be recommanding the Asrock Z68 boards as the best bang for buck atm with proven OC ability that matches those from the more 'expensive' brands...

SSD: No clue here at all. I would imagine something around the 120-200gb marker. Just have no idea with the whole TRIM stuff, series 1/2/3 SSDs etc. Really not been following it.

IMO the best one atm is the Curical M4. Best blend of peformance, speed & reliablity short of going the expensive Intel SSDs. None of this "my computer is freezing/BSOD after installing an SSD" that I hear a lot from the current gen OCZ Vertex 3s. The lastest 00009 firmwire for the Curical brings some extra speed boost.

I got one from PCCaseGear (128GB version) & have being using it for several month now & no problem what so ever.

[oweban]

Hmm, I haven't had any problems with the OCZ Vertex series; I'm running about 12 of them in different machines at work (most as boot, some as database drives).

Biggest thing I found: Don't sysprep your installation across; just do a fresh install and it's frigging brilliant. But hey, I'm sure there's better out there. There always is.

(just my $0.02)

[Mayuri Krab]

Are they the current Vertex 3s?

Those are the ones that have the reported problems due to the newer sandforce controller in them.

Have 2 friends with them & both are having freezing BSOD problems & the there seem to be a lot more cases being reported on WP forums.

But the Vertex 2 my parents had, have no problems for over a year now Statistically speaking I think intel SSDs have the lowest failure rate, but they are also the most expensive ones around.

[oweban]

Hmm, might have been when they first came out. I'm running V2's in my MBP, PC, and my testbench at work. Looking at getting a Aura Pro 6G for my Macbook Air though ;P

All good, I'll keep that in mind re: new V3's.

[iseekool]

Well I'm a bit outta the loop with everything of late... So a few of you can help me this time for a change

Parts so far:

CPU: i7 2600k - $330

RAM: Corsair CMP8GX3M4A1600C8 8GB (4x2GB) DDR3, 1600MHz 8-8-8-24 - $170

Also includes RAM cooler in package (usually around $30)

GPU: HD6970 of some description - $400

CPU Cooler Something around the $100 mark should do.

CASE/PSU: Have a Corsair HW650 & a big case, so all covered there.

Parts I'm struggling with:

MOBO: Had good experiences with Gigabyte boards, so thinking a Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3R-B3 Motherboard, $185

I just need the board to clock well, aiming for 5.0ghz on air from the 2600k

SSD: No clue here at all. I would imagine something around the 120-200gb marker. Just have no idea with the whole TRIM stuff, series 1/2/3 SSDs etc. Really not been following it.

Total so far: $1185 (excluding SSD)

Have at it boys

I'd personally go for 2x GTX560 in SLI. $200each...

[R31Nismoid]

Nah that's one thing I don't wanna get into - SLI or Crossfire.

Friends of mine have too many issues with both to justify it for me. Mate is getting rid of 2x GTX280 for the GTX580 for just this reason.

I mean i could get 2x 6950 for around $500 and really stomp things but i cannot handle the headaches.

[Aleckr33]

For a CPU cooler, get the Coolermaster V8, I paid $60 for it. its quite big, but keeps my i7 2600k very cool, 20 deg or lower on idle and maybe 35 - 40 on load/gaming.

And as for a GPU, I wouldnt bother buying a 6970 because the difference between a 6950 and 6970 is minimal, not worth the extra $120~

I bought a HIS 6950 IceQ 2GB for $276 with a free game (Dirt 3).

For a Motherboard, i bought a GA-Z68XP-UD3.... plenty of features, very stable... well worth the money. $152. Highly recommended.

[liger]

Nah that's one thing I don't wanna get into - SLI or Crossfire.

Friends of mine have too many issues with both to justify it for me. Mate is getting rid of 2x GTX280 for the GTX580 for just this reason.

there were alot of problems with the 200 series cards. i managed to kill 2 of the GTX 285's by myself.

[bigkevracer]

Mate of mine just went with the G.Skill Ripjaw kits, and I'm looking at going the G.Skill Ripjaw 1833MHz kit. For the price you've quoted you could get 16GB RAM.

[SoFreshSoClean]

Yeah, always get the most powerful single card you can afford, then you can SLI/Xfire later if you want

[R31Nismoid]

Mate of mine just went with the G.Skill Ripjaw kits, and I'm looking at going the G.Skill Ripjaw 1833MHz kit. For the price you've quoted you could get 16GB RAM.

Corsair 8GB: 1600MHz 8-8-8-24 ($140 effective when you remove cooler cost)

G.Skill 8GB: 1866MHz 9-10-9-28 ($90)

Fair performance different between the two, and from what I've found digging around the Corsair will hit 1900Mhz @ the same timings which is quite impressive. I do a lot of Unzip/Zip which will see a good 15+ sec difference each time on large files (10gig+). Saving a good 15mins over a week is win for me

Still digging around though with memory. Perhaps there is a cheaper option around the $110-$120 mark with awesome chips on it that a company has tried to fly under the radar (which often happens).

Will peruse the XS forums more for that, those guys always know what's going on in that regard.

[bozodos]

get Sandy Bridge Extreme fark ya, 64GB of RAM ftw!

also, SLI haters should get over it, my 460's are awesome, and I've managed to convert all of the SLI haters in the office after a year and a half of no issues, and more performance with my 400 dollar setup then their (at the time) 700 dollar 580's! Crossfire is apparently still fairly shithouse though.

[R31Nismoid]

LOL SB-E offers nothing, step back even.

Still not going dual card. Just not interested, not haters really, just know more people with problems than without which is not what I build a PC for. I like my machines to work flawlessly... I have enough trouble at work

[bozodos]

ALWAYS had my SLI run flawlessly, it's a lot different to what it used to be!

SB-E definitely isn't a step back, I'm still waiting for Ivy Bridge though to assess my options for a new build though