Need opinion on custom PC build

[Vonzip]

Hey guys I'm going to be building my first PC soon, but first I'm really uncertain as to what to choose on a few components such as a motherboard. Problem is theres so much variarity, be it by brand or or on prices itself, one could cost $100 than the other simply because it has some new thermal paste technology or some thunderbolt speed thing. So hopefully you experienced guys could help me out. ops:

So far I have listed:

Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (Plan on OC'ing it to 4.0 later on)
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard (Not sure if this is good enough, don't plan on doing SLI)
Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler
G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Asus GeForce GTX 680 SC 2GB Video Card
NZXT Phantom (Black) ATX Full Tower Case
Antec EarthWatts Green 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply (Is this enough power?)
Windows 7 64bit

Thanks for the help guys

[LITOralis.nMd]

That seems like a perfectly good build list in and of itself.

One funny thing to mention, if you plan to put your NZXT Phantom on the floor, and use it as a footrest or to place stuff on top of it, like controllers, headset, etc, the top of it is like a house roof ^ , very uncomfortable on your feet/calves and everything falls off.

You might do better finding a i5-3570k and Z77 motherboard at this point, as those are still in production and might be cheaper in a combo deal.

The Antec EarthWatts Green 650W 80 PLUS Bronze is perfectly good for your selected parts list, even if you OC the CPU and GPU.

Don't forget to buy extra case fans, and thermal paste. And a DVD drive if you can't use the one you have already.

LITOralis.nMd;1867815']

My general reply to those in the US asking for websites:
Quote:
My suggestion is based upon finding the best prices, not on specific hardware...

start checking online deals websites daily:
my personal preferred bargain hunting websites:
slickdeals.net
fatwallet.com
bensbargains.net
dell.com outlet deals in conjunction with coupons I find on the web.
amazon.com Gold box deals
email subscription to newegg.com for their daily deals
email subscription to us.ncix.com for their weekly deals

others I check from time to time:
techbargains.com
subscribe to tigerdirect.com email daily deals.
subscribe to buy.com email daily deals.

Sign up for accounts on slickdeals.net and fatwallet.com
You can create keyword searches that are instantly emailed to your email address you sign up with,
set up email deals alerts for "Radeon" "gtx" "psu" "i5-2500k" "ssd"
set up a filter in your email to put all those alert emails to a single folder.
you'll get some desktops and notebooks mixed in the emails, but it's a pretty good otherwise.

depending on where you live,
microcenter.com
frys.com
hhgregg.com
ncix.com
All run deals for brick and mortar retail stores. Micrcocenter is the best in the country for pricing.

I'd suggest going to the Build Log forums of various websites, I generally use this one:
Intel Build Logs

and sorting through what looks good to you, you don't need to reinvent the wheel.

Also, look into the 120Mhz refresh rate 1440p monitors. That will be the next big thing in PC gaming.

Easiest way to start now is to decide how many monitors you want to have, and what size.
That is the easiest component to quote, and then subtract that from total build budget and fit the rest into the budget from there.

[Vonzip]

Hahaha yeah Ive used my previous PC's as a footrest and sometimes Ive carelessly placed drinks/food on it like an idiot aswell. This time I'll have it isolated to a side since it doesn't fit under my desk and just for extra care aswell.

Ive changed and added few components,

Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard
Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer

They didn't make much of a difference on price (the 3570k was actually cheaper) so that's good.

This is what the case has and includes in regards to fans.

COOLING SYSTEM
FRONT, 1 X 140mm
REAR, 1 X 120mm (included)
SIDE, 2 x 120mm, 1 x 200/230 (2 x 120mm included)
TOP, 2 X 200mm (1 x LED 200mm included)

I'm not sure if that's going to be sufficient although I remember reading an article that 4 fans provides good enough airflow and that anything over could possibly even generate more heat than cooling. Again no knowledge on that, you guys are the experts.

Thanks

[LITOralis.nMd]

We should be at this parts list now:

Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (Plan on OC'ing it to 4.0 later on)
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard (Not sure if this is good enough, don't plan on doing SLI)
Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler
G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Asus GeForce GTX 680 SC 2GB Video Card
NZXT Phantom (Black) ATX Full Tower Case
Antec EarthWatts Green 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply (Is this enough power?)
Windows 7 64bit

That is a solid build.

The included fans look plenty good, you can at your discretion, buy a replacement 4 pin PWM fan for the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO. The included fan is not a bad fan, it can be replaced by a fan that is ever so slightly quieter. Not necessary, just an option.

You will need to buy thermal paste to put the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO onto the CPU.
I personally use Artic Silver 5, but many many people have switched over to MX4, MX4 is fully non-conductive, which means if any gets placed on an electronics circuit, there is no chance of shorting out the mobo/cpu/RAM/etc. http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/therm ... d-20g.html

Some people are going to chime in and say the Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard is not good for overclocking, and you should go with any of the UD5 models. The UD3H is not a bad mobo for overclocking at lower 24/7 overclocks, but it uses lower quality components that are stressed by the extra voltage used to overclock. IF you only go up to 4.2Ghz it's an acceptable choice.

And as a last mention, the best media center remote you'll find on the market is this one:
external USB model:http://shop.inteset.com/inteset-remote- ... r-receiver
internal USB model: http://shop.inteset.com/inteset-remote- ... r-receiver
Inteset also has an EBay store, as another way to purchase it.

Take your time to watch some youtube videos before you start, it's monkey work to build a PC these days, and only slightly more thought to O/C the i5-3570k.

[Vonzip]

For now I'll just leave the fans how they are, if they end up being unbearably loud overall, I'll just replace them with silent variant fans that supposedly work

I'm aware of the thermal paste (a thin layer on the CPU would do right?)

I really don't plan on overclocking right off the bat maybe in the future if I ever consider the need of a slight FPS boost, but like you've mentioned I don't plan on going over 4.0ghz so I guess I'm safe on that.

[Vonzip]

Thanks for all the help man, really appreciate it.
One last thing though, what's your opinion on dust filters like do you see them necessary or not?
My house has carpet floors and I haven't seen anything pick up too much dust, but should I just get them for just good measure?

[LITOralis.nMd]

Conversations about air flow direction, and dust filters can and has started flame wars.

I use an old trick that is generally frowned upon, i place used dryer sheets, as my air filters. 3M Scotch-Brite pads are another old school trick.

Now the flame wars revolve around direction of airflow.
you can google for:
positive or negative air flow pc case
and find untold thousands of links.

In general, if you keep all fans pushing" POSITIVE" air flow into the case, and put filters on them, the air flow out of the case will sneak out through the small case openings here and there. This means all inbound air is filtered.

If you do it the other way "NEGATIVE" air flow, all inbound air comes from the small openings, and is unfiltered.

However, depending on many factors, you might not get enough air flow, or enough air flow throughout the case.

One big factor is the type of cooler on your GPU, reference 'blower' designs that push air out of the PCIE slot, tend to allow for all inward case fans. OC OEM designed GPU fans tend to blow hot air around inside the case, raising the total case ambient temps.

For your case, you might be able to use that big fan as outward, and filter the smaller ones inward.

Case Fans: Should You Worry About Positive Or Negative Pressure? : How To: Properly Plan And Pick Parts For An Air-Cooled PC, Part 2
SilverStone Technology Co., Ltd. What is positive air pressure?
EggXpert - Positive air flow vs. Negative air flows.
Effective Air Cooling Guide (Part I) - Cleanliness Is Next To Coolness - TechSpot Forums
Effective Air Cooling Guide (Part II) - Myths, Old Rituals, and Analysis - TechSpot Forums
Positive Or Negative Pressure Cooling? - Republic of Gamers

Either of you mind explaining how negative pressure moves more air? Been thinking about it for awhile and I don't grasp that concept.

The simple answer is that it doesn't. If the sole exhaust fan is a 1200 RPM 80mm the amount of air it can exhaust is the amount of air it can move. Period.

However, with positive pressure the air the exhaust fan(s) will move is the air it has easiest access to. Air in the corners, crevices, under the video card, &c will become pockets of stability where the air doesn't move because other air can be pulled into the exhaust easier. The air in these pockets gets heated by the nearby components and stays that way since it isn't being circulated and exhausted.

With negative pressure those pockets of stability disappear. The exhaust is working harder than the intake, basically creating a vacuum inside the case, so those pockets of stability can't form. And that in turn ensures that all the air in the case is being circulated and heat doesn't build up around any single component--heat source.

There are, of course, other ways to ensure that pockets of stability don't form where you really don't want them (see for example Lian Li's side intake just under the video card on their newer cases), but as a general principle and without going to additional effort, negative pressure will provide a cooler case interior.

The optimum configuration can be different in every situation. If the only real pocket of stability is in the top front of your case and there aren't any components there (heat rises so it will try to go up an since the PSU is generally toward the back the top front is a place heat collects) you might choose to ignore it. I would. If, however, the overpressure from a positive pressure system is creating a pocket of stagnant air around the hard drives and they're running warmer than they would with proper circulation I'd work on eliminating that pocket of stability and negative pressure is the first thing I'd try. It's all a question of tuning--there is no "right" answer that always applies.

Positive case pressure vs Negative case pressure - Overclockers Forums

And one small note, thicker air filter brackets usually need longer fan screws, which are not always provided by the air filter manufacturer.

[LITOralis.nMd]

I'm guessing you want the Phantom 820, it comes with pretty good filters except the side panel

Dust Filters And Prevention : NZXT Phantom 820 Case Review: Conceptualized By Enthusiasts

"Side Fan

The side fan is only really necessary if you have a couple of Radeon HD 7970s or similarly warm-running cards installed. We recommend getting rid of it otherwise."

I think you could pick up some Scotch Brite pads if you want, gerry rig them, and be done with it.

From what I can tell the phantom 630 looks to air cool slightly better, and maybe has better dust control for the side panel because they include a piece that covers the mesh around the fan. You lose the integrated lights and the more advanced fan controller, and I don't think the 630 comes with an 8 pin extension.

[LITOralis.nMd]

FYI, Just found the phantom 630 on sale for $60, factory refurbed.
PHANTOM Refurbished

[Vonzip]

Just bought the i5 3570k and Z77X-UD4H in combo with $60 in savings
and a White NZXT Phantom 410 at $80.

Btw Litoralis, what's your thought on 2GB vs 4GB VRAM. Is paying the extrq $ for 4GB worth it?
I do plan on keeping the card for awhile, and I'm wanting to mod the heck outta games like Skyrim, etc, although I won't be playing on any resolution higher than 1920x1200.

[LITOralis.nMd]

Very few games are using over 1.5GB of VRAM, but Skyrim with dozens or hundreds of mods is definitely one of the cases where have 4GB VRAM is worth it. I personally don't play any games that need more than 2GB of VRAM, so I can't give you any first hand accounts.

[Vonzip]

So far purchased,

NZXT Phantom 410
Intel i5-3570k
Z77X-UD4H
Corsair TX650
Crucial M4 128GB
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB
WD Caviar Black 1TB

Going to wait out until May for the GPU, heard rumors of the 7XX series of Nvidia coming out soon, if not I'll go with the GTX 670 4GB FTW.

[Vonzip]

Just arrived at door, yeaaah buddy



Soon the beast shall rise.

[Vonzip]

Okay so after I was done building it I placed it on the ground and proceeded to boot it up through an HDMI to my TV. Everything looks to be fine, all the fans are running, green light on GPU although theres a red/orange light on the power button of the http://i.imgur.com/6DcMdrw.jpg[/img]]Motherboard and at the same time I'm getting no signal on my TV. Some people say it's because my PC is outputting video through the GPU so they suggest removing it and checking if it runs with the CPU integrated graphics or just plug in DVI through the GPU to the TV/Monitor. Dunno, wondering your guys opinion.

I'm going out to buy a monitor but just for more info my TV has 3 types of HDMI, (HDMI/DVI, HDMI ARC, HDMI3)

[SnipeHunt]

Did you install a Graphics card, or are you running with the onboard video?

The I/O panel pics look like the HDMi port closest to the S/PDIF port is your HDMI port, are you plugged into that one?

[Vonzip]

I have the graphics card installed. I went out to buy the monitor and connected the monitor with the GPU through DVI and I'm getting this message.


Now my GPU has two 8 pin power connectors (I'm not sure if both are needed)



My TX650 only has ONE 6+2 PCI power connector which I had connected. (I'm not sure if theres supposed to be two of them, I can't seem to find the second one.)



The graphics card included two 6 pin to 8 pin connectors



Don't know what to do

[Vonzip]

NVM THE FUCKING SECOND PCI CONNECTOR WAS LOST BEHIND THE CASE, LOL.

Goddamnit WIRE MANAGEMENT IS A *****. Thanks guy, I'm installing the OS and shit, I'll keep you guys updated

[Vonzip]

Just got all the drivers and updates done. Really got to thank Litoralis for all his help, very grateful. I'll soon be uploading a walk around video and a benchmark! First I have to get done with this cable management (Never buying a mid tower again.)

[DesmoLocke]

Couldn't hold out for the GTX 780 eh? Or do you plan to "step up"?

All in all though, great build!

[Microwaife]

Heard something that the gtx 780 will be pretty much a very good overclocked 680, meaning that you could possibly upgrade your 680 to an 780.

Can't find the article about that atm.