New PC Build

[Luminis]

Hey Guys, I'd like some opinions on the new PC I'm going to be building soon. Saved up quite a bit of cash for this one, so I want it to last me a few years - and run everything I come across at maxed out settings.

Thing is, I've got to build it from scratch entirely, as my only computer ATM is a laptop. So no spare parts to cut some costs, sadly. Even the mouse needs to be replaced, but I guess I can handle that. I'm currently looking at a budget of around ~ € 1,800, everything included. I'm quite busy right now, so I'll probably start building the whole thing by the end of January or early in February, so, yeah, prices might go down a bit here and there.

Anyways, the rough outline of components I'm currently looking at is the following:

• Intel Core i7-3820 (Socket 2011)
• Palit GeForce GTX680 JetStream 4GB
• Asrock X79 Extreme4
• 16 GB (4 Bars) G.Skill DIMM DDR3-2133
• be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 2 CPU Fan
• Thermalteke Berlin 630W PSU
• Thermaltake Chaser MK-I Case
• Seagate 2TB 7200rpm
• Random DVD RW
• Asus VE278H (27'', 1920*1080)
• Razer DeathAdder
• Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
• Corsair Vengeance 1500 7.1

So, what do you guys think about? Anything that's off?

 

[dice1998]

Out of curiosity, what made you go with a 3820?

 

[Luminis]

Out of curiosity, what made you go with a 3820?

Mainly the socket. I was originally looking at a 3770K, which is quite popular and similar in terms of processing power, from what I know. However, the 3820 sits on the 2011 socket, compared to the older 1155 of the 3770K, so I suppose that this'll leave me more headroom for an upgrade without switching the MOBO. The 2011 should be supported for a bit longer than the 1155, so my train of though was that this'll provide me with a wider range of CPUs to choose from when I want to get something a little faster.

The 3820 supposedly caps out at around 4.5GHz when overclocked, though, but I guess I wouldn't need to OC it for the time being. That thing should be fine with most of what I'd be throwing at it, anyways.

 

[Phoenix]

I got the 3820 myself, and I must say it's a really good CPU.

So I think you'll be satisfied with it. 👍


Im running mine on stock specs, because I got no need to overclock it.

 

[Luminis]

Thanks McSoad 👍

By the way, just for the lulz, these are the specs of my current laptop:

Core2Duo @ 2.53 GHz
6GB RAM (DDR2, don't know the exact clock atm)
GeForce GTX260M

Pretty pathetic by now Can't even run stuff like Diablo III properly, I even struggle with StarCraft II when it's close to max settings and there's a lot going on

 

[bevo]

Might want to consider a little bigger PSU in case you want to sli that 680 one day( unless you think that one woul dbe big enough. I can't remember for sure the PSU size for 2 680s)

Alos think about and SSD for your OS. It amazes me how much better an SSD makes a system run. It's just about the best upgrade you can do for any PC.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Out of curiosity why you're getting a 4gb 680 ? Is there any particuliar reason ?

I thought that those kind of card where only usefull if you had a multiscreen setup ?

 

[dice1998]

Mainly the socket. I was originally looking at a 3770K, which is quite popular and similar in terms of processing power, from what I know. However, the 3820 sits on the 2011 socket, compared to the older 1155 of the 3770K, so I suppose that this'll leave me more headroom for an upgrade without switching the MOBO. The 2011 should be supported for a bit longer than the 1155, so my train of though was that this'll provide me with a wider range of CPUs to choose from when I want to get something a little faster.

The 3820 supposedly caps out at around 4.5GHz when overclocked, though, but I guess I wouldn't need to OC it for the time being. That thing should be fine with most of what I'd be throwing at it, anyways.

That makes so much sense that I should've did that myself .

Other than that, everything you have is cool runnings. The only other gripe is that the 3820 isn't a K series CPU but even if its ceiling is 4.5ghz, that should be more than enough.

 

[Luminis]

Might want to consider a little bigger PSU in case you want to sli that 680 one day( unless you think that one woul dbe big enough. I can't remember for sure the PSU size for 2 680s)

Alos think about and SSD for your OS. It amazes me how much better an SSD makes a system run. It's just about the best upgrade you can do for any PC.

Good point about the PSU 👍 Is running the 680 in tandem a big upgraded, or would it more efficient to just wait for the next generation of GPUs to be released when looking for an upgrade?

I'll think about getting an SSD. So far, I've only known about them decrasing loading times for whatever programs are installed on them - which isn't that important to me. Are there any FPS gains from running a SSD?

Out of curiosity why you're getting a 4gb 680 ? Is there any particuliar reason ?

I thought that those kind of card where only usefull if you had a multiscreen setup ?

That's pretty much it, yes. I just want to have the option to go tripple screen should I want to. It's quite likely that I'll venture into games such as Project CARS and Asetto Corsa, so going that route is certainly a possibility. And I'd rather be ready for that than to switch cards later on

I might get a second screen soon-ish, anyways, though. We're running twin screens at work, and they do make multi tasking considerably easier.

That makes so much sense that I should've did that myself .

Other than that, everything you have is cool runnings. The only other gripe is that the 3820 isn't a K series CPU but even if its ceiling is 4.5ghz, that should be more than enough.

Haha, thanks

Yeah, I think the CPU should be holding up well enough for the next few years. After all, even my old dual core isn't exactly what's bottle necking my laptop, it's actually the GPU. Powerful CPUs tend to last a while, from my experience.

 

[Sharky.]

Intel Core i7-3820 (Socket 2011)

Don't.

For a start, you'll actually have zero upgrade options outside of a 3930K/3970X/server chip because Haswell is going to be LGA 1150 (makes sense, given 1155 succeeded 1156 succeeded 1366), which means you'd need a completely new board + chip for Haswell onwards anyway.

2011 is not a socket for the average consumer. If you're not running a home server, don't need eight DDR3 slots or require 40 PCI-E 3.0 lanes to power several RAID cards then 2011 is a waste of money and has absolutely zero added value over 1155. For people who want 64GB of RAM and need to run 690s in four-way SLI with a stack of hard drives hanging off a RAID controller it has its merits, but not for a plain jane gamer.

1155+3570K is all you need for a gaming rig. You do not need anything more than that, especially when you then mention cutting costs.


A 4GB 680 is also horribly pointless if you're only gaming on one monitor. I have a 2GB 670 and even that is more than sufficient for 1920x1080 maxed gaming. While I don't have multiple monitors myself, a 670 is still powerful enough for that too. Two 4GB 680s + three displays is yet another waste of money when you could run three no problems off one 670 or 680.

Also your PSU sucks, get a better one. Corsair HX650 master race.

And you need an SSD for boot purposes.

 

[nick09]

Are there any FPS gains from running a SSD?

No FPS gains, just faster load times.

 

[Pako]

Hey Guys, I'd like some opinions on the new PC I'm going to be building soon. Saved up quite a bit of cash for this one, so I want it to last me a few years - and run everything I come across at maxed out settings.

Thing is, I've got to build it from scratch entirely, as my only computer ATM is a laptop. So no spare parts to cut some costs, sadly. Even the mouse needs to be replaced, but I guess I can handle that. I'm currently looking at a budget of around ~ € 1,800, everything included. I'm quite busy right now, so I'll probably start building the whole thing by the end of January or early in February, so, yeah, prices might go down a bit here and there.

Anyways, the rough outline of components I'm currently looking at is the following:



[*]Intel Core i7-3820 (Socket 2011)
[*]Palit GeForce GTX680 JetStream 4GB
[*]Asrock X79 Extreme4
[*]16 GB (4 Bars) G.Skill DIMM DDR3-2133
[*]be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 2 CPU Fan
[*]Thermalteke Berlin 630W PSU
[*]Thermaltake Chaser MK-I Case
[*]Seagate 2TB 7200rpm
[*]Random DVD RW
[*]Asus VE278H (27'', 1920*1080)
[*]Razer DeathAdder
[*]Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
[*]Corsair Vengeance 1500 7.1

So, what do you guys think about? Anything that's off?

The words budget and Socket 2011 should not be used to describe the same build. I would suggest you go all out and double your allowance or look at a 3770k for your CPU options. Either way, should be a nice build.

 

[Luminis]

Don't.

For a start, you'll actually have zero upgrade options outside of a 3930K/3970X/server chip because Haswell is going to be LGA 1150 (makes sense, given 1155 succeeded 1156 succeeded 1366), which means you'd need a completely new board + chip for Haswell onwards anyway.

Wouldn't I need to change the board if I want to switch from 1155 to 1150, anyways? I mean, if that's the case, the 2011 and the 1155 would be similarily bad in terms of future proving, as I'd have to switch to a 1150 MOBO, either way, right?

But, yeah, if upgradability is out of the window, I'd rather go with a 1155.

A 4GB 680 is also horribly pointless if you're only gaming on one monitor. I have a 2GB 670 and even that is more than sufficient for 1920x1080 maxed gaming. While I don't have multiple monitors myself, a 670 is still powerful enough for that too. Two 4GB 680s + three displays is yet another waste of money when you could run three no problems off one 670 or 680.

Covered above, going multi screen isn't going to be something I'll be doing right of the bat, but I'll certainly want the ability to do so. The (roughly) 50 bucks the 4GB costs more than the 2GB is acceptable for that, imho.

Also your PSU sucks, get a better one. Corsair HX650 master race.

Any reason as to why I shouldn't go with a Thermaltake PSU? I'll have a look at what Corsair has on offer, though.

And you need an SSD for boot purposes.

No FPS gains, just faster load times.

Thought so. I'll skip the SSD, in that case. Thanks 👍

The words budget and Socket 2011 should not be used to describe the same build. I would suggest you go all out and double your allowance or look at a 3770k for your CPU options. Either way, should be a nice build.

3770K it is, then

 

[Gdog96]

I agree with Sharky and Pako, there's not alot of point going for a budget 2011 build. I heard the 3770k beats the 3820 too, but don't call me on that one.

 

[dice1998]

Don't listen to Sharky; Ultra X4 Power Supplies all..the..way..

Nevermind. I hate mine. Corsair Master Race 👍

 

[Luminis]

Corsair Master Race? Well, I'll switch to Corsair RAM, then, it's about the same price as the G.Skill one And while I'm at it, Corsair does cases too, right?

New build, including the suggestions made in here:

• Intel Core i7-3770K
• Palit GeForce GTX680 JetStream 4GB
• Asrock P79 Extreme4
• 16GB Corsair Vengeance LP Blue DDR3-2133 DIMM CL11 Quad Kit
• be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 2 CPU Fan
• Corsair HX650 PSU
• Corsair Carbide 500R case
• Seagate 2TB 7200rpm
• Random DVD RW
• Asus VE278H (27'', 1920*1080)
• Razer DeathAdder
• Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
• Corsair Vengeance 1500 7.1

Now, the only avoidable non-Corsair items would happen to be the mouse and the keyboard, but I'm not gonna change those (although it's tempting)

 

[ShaZZa]

The words budget and Socket 2011 should not be used to describe the same build.

HAHAHA oh yeah that's true. The CPU alone cost me around $800 - $900 when i got mine last year. The system ended up costing over 5K

Luminis I would probably swap out the dvd drive for a bluray/dvd drive. You may never use it but it's better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it 👍

 

[Sharky.]

Wouldn't I need to change the board if I want to switch from 1155 to 1150, anyways? I mean, if that's the case, the 2011 and the 1155 would be similarily bad in terms of future proving, as I'd have to switch to a 1150 MOBO, either way, right?[

Yes, but 1155+IB -> 1150+HW would hurt your wallet a lot less than 2011+IBE -> 1150+HW would.

Covered above, going multi screen isn't going to be something I'll be doing right of the bat, but I'll certainly want the ability to do so. The (roughly) 50 bucks the 4GB costs more than the 2GB is acceptable for that, imho.

Fair call 👍

Any reason as to why I shouldn't go with a Thermaltake PSU? I'll have a look at what Corsair has on offer, though.

That was me just being a jerk making note of the fact there doesn't seem to be much information about the Thermaltake Berlin, namely if it's 80PLUS g/s/b (think it's Bronze from what I can tell) or even if it's modular. I'd stick to models that are known worldwide to be good, such as Corsair's modular models (HX etc. HX650v1 user here). That Thermaltake unit appears to be a Germany-only model?

(speaking of Corsair, 500R master race also)

Thought so. I'll skip the SSD, in that case. Thanks 👍

You won't know what you're missing until you use one

3770K it is, then

Personally I don't see much need for anything above a 3570K in a gaming build, but that's just me


Built a workmate's ASRock Z77 Extreme4+3570K build for him last week, sexy motherboard. Black PCB with gold accents! Good choice, especially if you're into aesthetics.

 

[David]

I agree with Sharky and Pako on everything. I can highly recommend Corsair psu's and RAM.

 

[bevo]

A 4GB 680 is also horribly pointless if you're only gaming on one monitor. I have a 2GB 670 and even that is more than sufficient for 1920x1080 maxed gaming. While I don't have multiple monitors myself, a 670 is still powerful enough for that too. Two 4GB 680s + three displays is yet another waste of money when you could run three no problems off one 670 or 680.


And you need an SSD for boot purposes.

If you have any plans of going triple monitors do not listen to that. I had my single 4gb 670 for 3 days before I ordered another. One will run triple screens but not that great. Medium setting at best with no AA. Definitely pay the extra 50$ also and get the 4gb. Most new games go way over 2gb with triples and any AA at all, some even cap out my 4gb cards if I raise the AA high enough.
And an SSD helps with so mucho the then just boot purposes. Anything you use with windows will be a lot better with an SSD. That was the most noticeable upgrade I have ever made.

 

[Sharky.]

Since when have people been able to expect triple monitor setups without having to make a compromise somewhere? Fact is, a 2GB 670/680 can run multiple monitors. No, they won't do it at 60fps maxed out, but if you're expecting a card to be able to do that in the first place you're delusional...

 

[Luminis]

Luminis I would probably swap out the dvd drive for a bluray/dvd drive. You may never use it but it's better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it 👍

I might look at that, good call. A BD drive is easily added afterwards, though, if necessary, so I'll take that sort of stuff easy

Yes, but 1155+IB -> 1150+HW would hurt your wallet a lot less than 2011+IBE -> 1150+HW would.

Yup, noticed that right away when looking up the individual parts for a 1155 based build. About 150 bucks less than what I originally had, which I'll be investing elsewere

That was me just being a jerk making note of the fact there doesn't seem to be much information about the Thermaltake Berlin, namely if it's 80PLUS g/s/b (think it's Bronze from what I can tell) or even if it's modular. I'd stick to models that are known worldwide to be good, such as Corsair's modular models (HX etc. HX650v1 user here). That Thermaltake unit appears to be a Germany-only model?

I've got to admit, I selected that PSU basically because it had some good customer reviews on the retailer's website I used to put the system together. Well, that, and the fact that it's relatively cheap. But cheaping out on the PSU might not be the best idea, given that I'll be sinking close to € 2,000 into the build. Don't want it to backfire because I bought a cheap PSU

(speaking of Corsair, 500R master race also)

And whole lotta fans in that case

You won't know what you're missing until you use one

That's why I can get away with it I might consider adding one later on. For now, getting the rig to run games as good as possible is my primary concern

Personally I don't see much need for anything above a 3570K in a gaming build, but that's just me

I might be pushing it a bit with that thing (and the 4GB 680), that might just be my OCD kicking in I'm a sucker to get a range topping product, so I'll gladly admit that that's part of the decision making here.

On the other hand, I'm actually planning to keep the system around for a good while and the 3770K will hopefully last me a good bit. That's what I came up with as a reasoning, at least

Built a workmate's ASRock Z77 Extreme4+3570K build for him last week, sexy motherboard. Black PCB with gold accents! Good choice, especially if you're into aesthetics.

Aesthetics are somewhat secondary to me, but yeah, that's a nice bonus 👍 Haven't heard anything bad about the ASRock Extreme4 boards and they're not exactly asking an arm and a leg for it, so I thought "why not?"

Anyways, just wanted to thank you guys for giving me a heads up in the whole socket 2011 thing. Saved me a good bit of cash (and irritiation, to boot) 👍

 

[bevo]

Since when have people been able to expect triple monitor setups without having to make a compromise somewhere? Fact is, a 2GB 670/680 can run multiple monitors. No, they won't do it at 60fps maxed out, but if you're expecting a card to be able to do that in the first place you're delusional...

I have triple screens. They use well over 2gb of Vram. Why would you buy a 2gb card if you may go 3 screens down the road, and 2GB more is only around 50$. If your spending 1500$ on a system an extra 50$ for a 4gb card is a really good idea.

And as far as people having to make a compromise with triples, you don't have to with a 4GB card. You can just get another one and be good to go. If you get a 2GB card you will either have to turn of AA or turn down the graphics.
For instance. I had sli 570s and they ran triples great until I hit the Vram limit and then I couldn't go any further. They ran games better then a single 670 to a point, but once the Vram was reached you had to stop with the sli 570s and could not go any higher in graphics even though the FPS was still great. Once you hit the Vram wall and tried to go passed it, the game either crashed or FPS dropped way down. With a single 4GB 670 it wouldn't run with as high FPS on medium settings, but you could go way passed where the 570s did and still have playable FPS.

As far as 670s and 680s being able to ryun triples, the fact is they can. You can also run triples with a single card from 3 or 4 years ago, but if you are buying new it would be stupid to do that. If your buying new and wanting the longest lasting equipment then 4GB should be a no brainer. Of course a 2GB 670 can run triples but there is no need to that unless you get a super deal on a 2gb 670. If you ever think about going triples and sli then a 2gb card would be pointless. You would max out the Vram before you needed the power of the 2nd card. It would help a little but not close to as much as the 4GB would allow. I've run several tests comparing when the Vram hit with my sli 570s and then a single 4GB 670. The 4GB let me take games higher with less horsepower.

Far cry 3 can go passed 4gb with triples and even Arma 2 can max out a 4gb card with high enough settings. I can't run them with that high of settings with two 670's but I can run them with settings that take them into the high 3GBs.

And that's all i ahve to say about that.