Thinking about building a new rig in 1 month

GooD

Hello there,

It's been a long time since i bought my last computer, and i think it's time to do it again You've always been a great help to me when doing so, i'll ask for you input another time, maybe it'll also help some other folks around here who are thinking about the same thing.

I'll buy my computer in 1 month or so , so if you know a new piece of something is coming be kind to advice if i should wait

I was waiting to see what Lynfield would be, but the more i read and wait the more i'm telling me that i would be better with an i7 (since i don't change my computer very often, every 5 years or more, and that the i7 will be better than any Lynfield offering, if you think i really should wait more to see lynfield offering reviews, im still open about the idea of waiting more).

So, let's say im willing to buy a gaming rig with an i7 processor for now. i'll show you every piece of hardware im thinking about for my new rig , with questions or input demand if needed. As always i did a lot of reading, maybe too much cuz sometimes one acticle or review is confusing my final choice lol

1. CPU : Intel Core i7 920 processor

2. Thermal Paste : NT-H1 Thermal Compound (Include with Noctua NH-U12P)

3. Heatsink : Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 LGA1366 i7 Heatpipe Cooler W/ 2XNH-P12 120MM Fan (80$ CND)

Prolimatech Megahalems Heatpipe Cooler (+ 2x 120mm Fan)

4. Motherboard : GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5

5. LCD MONITOR : The other big '?', i've always own samsung monitor, but recent model seems a bit disapointing, i don't want a HUGE screen, 22' would be the maximum im willing to have atm.

6. RAM : OCZ XTC Platinum OCZ3P1333LV6GK DDR3-1333 6GB 3X2GB CL7-7-7-20 Triple Channel Memory Kit

7. PSU : CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply

8. HDD (main drive) : Raptor 150GB [already owned] (waiting for SSD to mature a bit than i'll switch )
9. HDD (Media drive) : Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.B 1TB 1000GB 7200RPM SATA2 16MB Terabyte -> is there anything better than that ? I've read a lot of bad news on the fiability side with 2TB drives, even with 1.5, if there's one bigger than 1 TB that you know i should look for, please tell me.

10. CASING : CoolerMaster CM690 Case (im hesitating between this one and NZXT Tempest EATX Mid Tower Case Black but the CoolerMaster have more stable high score review and i like the bang for the buck it seems to offer. My only concern about mid tower is will they be big enough to hold the next release of video card , they seems to grow bigger and bigger, but im tired of full tower, they are hard as hell to move to lan party lol. I worried about heatsink size now too... )

11. GPU : PALIT 9600GT 1gig [already owned] (waiting for dx11 video card coming soon)

12. wINDOWS : WIN7 PRO 64BIT

13. SOUND CARD : Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-FI Xtreme Gamer 24BIT Sound Card 7.1 PCI (that's the piece of hardware i hate to most to chose, i've yet to find a sound card that never failed me or that i have no complains againts after using it. >.< But since i love gaming this card seems to be the best bet atm.

I think all is said and i've listed every piece of hardware a new build should have.

Also, price is not a problem (it must not be when you think about buying a i7 anyway... heh) But still i want best bang for the buck if possible.

I'll be waiting for your kind replys

Thankx !

Cliff_Forster

Only reason to wait a little might be for the Direct X 11 capable GPU's AMD should be releasing in the next month or so.

Have you considered AMD on the AM3 platform. Performs fantastic and could save you a good bit of money.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.253953

GooD

Thankx for the input Cliff, I read about AMD offering a bit but when compared to the i7 920 it falls a good bit behind on most reviews, mostly in the gaming area it seems, on everything else the diffrence is not enough to make a deal breaker. But because i want a gaming rig, i think i should pay the price premium for the i7 because of that =/

Obsidian

Ummm... I don't know what reviews you've been reading but the Phenom 2's excel in gaming while none of them can take advantage of the i7's extra threads. Also, I would definitely wait until DirectX 11 cards to come out to buy a new GPU even if it's just for price drops on DX10 cards. Also, you don't need anywhere near 750W for your system. Any decent 500W PSU will do nicely for any single GPU setup. Gaming mid towers like the CM 690 and NZXT Tempest can fit any of the big GPU's.

Thrax

The Core i7 is faster than the Phenom II clock for clock. The question I have is: What reviews have you been reading?

GooD

For the PSU , yeah i know but since i dont know what the next 'generation' of video card power requierement will be, i think its better to have more than less.

Anyway price for PSU are quite low, the one i chosed is 120$ CND lol

One question tho since we talk about that, does a PSU that can handle 750W will cost more per year in power than a PSU that can handle 500W ? I mean, even if i only used 450W of the 750W it can handle ? Or does more max power means more daily power comsumation even if we don't use it at its highest capacity.

If yes, That would be an argument to chose a 500W over a 750W for me maybe. Otherwise the price is low enough to justify a 750W for "future need protection".

GooD

The reviews... ehhh welll the top 12 google gave me lol

I love anandtech reviews but i didnt find one on that topic. Either an Icrontic one So i read any source i found lol I know its not always good source but when you read enough you can manage to summerize them in a "global score" :P

But here's some (ordered by source i trust the most) :

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-x4-965,2389-8.html

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/2863/amd_phenom_ii_x4_955_black_edition_processor/index11.html (doenst compare with the 920 tho but how that i7 does seem to give a significant boost when gaming, at least in Crysis, wich is a good start)

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2393&page=12

http://www.techspot.com/review/162-amd-phenom2-x4-955/page4.html

The other ones where on the same guide line but from more unknown source (to me in any way).

Obsidian

Wattage requirements should eventually go down because of efficiency improvements. Even if they need more and more power if you only want one GPU you really won't need the extra wattage over the next few years. It depends on the power supply for overall efficiency but PSU's are most efficient at 50% load. Since your system will probably be at IDLE most of the time your power draw will be closer to 250W than 375W. That means that if you have the choice between a 500W PSU and 750W PSU with the same efficiency ratings the 500W one will probably save you some money on your electric bill.

GooD

BTW I know even some reviews i linked recommand the Phenom for the price :P And and 15-20 FPS gain is not enough to notice in most game when you're over 80. But i don't know, i tend to buy the better to last the longer.

Obsidian

I highly doubt you could get a 20fps increase with a i7 920 vs P2 955 at high resolutions like that. Most reviews I've seen have them very close with the edge usually towards the 955/965. That looks pretty shady to me.

The only reason to get an i7 in my opinion is if you can really take advantage of its 8 threads.

Cliff_Forster

If its a pure gaming rig, if your not necessarily concerned about your HD video encoding times and your multitasking performance when you have more than two intensive tasks going at one time, then the Phenom II just makes better financial sense, the chip costs less and the board costs less, and its going to game equally as well as the i7 in most real world scenario's when paired with the same graphics card.

Very few games have the CPU as the limiting factor once you start turning up the sliders. The latest WOW expansion does to a fair degree, and even Left 4 Dead is a little CPU limited, but the framerates are going to be so high on either that its a negligible debate. Two years after its release still, nothing stresses a system like Crysis, nothing, and if you kick that out at 1920X1080 high detail in DX10 I bet you a dollar to a donut that your frame rate between the Phenom II and i7 comes right out in the wash.

If you have an AMD 790 fx chipset you are going to be ready for the DX 11 products when they arrive in crossfire if you so desire. For a system that has gaming as its #1 mission I think its the absolute best option available.

Thrax

And then we remember that AMD has nothing new until 2011, while Intel has an even faster chip on the way for LGA1366 in a few months, and we <i>also</i> remember that X58 also supports DX11 Crossfire. I think the pendulum goes back to Intel's favor for anyone who actually cares about owning platform that isn't dead in the water while the competitor figures out how to do 32nm.

Obsidian

Not everyone upgrades their CPU every six months.

Thrax

You're right, but this one does.

QUESTION : is it true that if i buy a i7 i could upgrade my processor to the next generation (the one after lynfield) when it will comes out cuz it will fit in the i7 motherboard ? I read that somewhere, if yes, than it would be another + for buying an i7 instead of a i5.

GooD

So its true, the next generation of Intel processor will be compatible with my computer if i buy a i7, thats a sold for me just for the upgrade possibility in that case.

Anyway, we talk about what... like 2-300$ price difference ? I can live with it, plus i rip a lot of video for my personnal library (thats the reason i ask questions about 2 TB fiability and so, i'll need a lot of space if i want to rip my entire library and still have place for more ). So if i listen to you well Cliff in that case the i7 would be a better buy too.

I don't say that i'll upgrade my cpu every 6 month, but let say in more than a year, when the next porcessor will be out i'll wait for it to drop in price, than i will have the POSSIBILITY, and having an upgrade path after 2 years is GREAT in my book.

Obsidian

The extra money you would be spending on an X58 motherboard and i7 920 CPU could easily be used to buy a new motherboard in a year or two.

GooD

BTW Cliff i love AMD, my current rig is a 4000+ and it was a pure fun to own, my last one was an AMD too. Because AMD was offering EQUAL or BETTER performance for less bucks. But the recent years makes me feel like Intel will be leading the thing for some times now.

Plus, the quality build of the i7 motherboards looks excellent, lots of mini heatsink along the way, quality components. You pay a lot more than before but you also get more.

Im looking at the ASUS P6T DeLuxe in depth right now, pricy for sure, but you get a hell of a good board with lot of connectivity. My only doubt, why on hell do a motherboard need 2x Gigabit Ethernet ? What can we do with the addionnal one ? lol

GooD

Obsidian you're right, but changing board often comes with some other problems, like sometimes your memory wont fit the new one because the new board will only work with the newest kits. And then you may have to change memory too. And when you change the board, the cpu and the memory, well you almost buy a complete new rig thats not an upgrade :P

Thrax

I really recommend the DFI T3eH8 (8-phase power+other goodies) or the T3eH6 (6-phase power+other goodies) as a motherboard. It's a sensational overclocker, and I just plain don't like Asus boards. I've owned 3 Asus products, and all of them have been quirky in some way, but my DFI board is out of this world. It's SO predictable, and I love it.

_k

You can port team. You could pick up the P6T7 WS and become a folding MASTER. There is also the DFI LP DK x58-T3eH6, which a lot of people on Icrontic love DFI and I know why.....their products are pretty darn near top notch all the way around.

EDIT: DARN YOU THRAX AND YOUR FAST TYPING!

Obsidian

Honestly, all of the X58 boards are very good. I would just go with one of the cheaper ones from a decent manufacturer. There is very little reason for most people to get one of the higher end X58's.

GooD

I currently have a DFI board with my 4000+ rig, and i had a lot of problems finding the right bios (there was like 120 bios version available lol, only 6 official, all of them outdated 1 year or more) to overclock my rig without problems. You had like 5-6 types of bios, each of them with "-1", "-2", "-3", "-4", each of them for different memeory. That was confusing as hell.

Don't get me wrong, the board was fantastic, but it took me like 3 complete weeks of trial error to find the good bios for my CPU / memory to overclock well and stable.

Is the news boards like my current one ? I don't want to waste away like 1 month to be able to overclock my rig normaly this time =/

That's my only complains about my current DFI board, and its one that would make a deal breaker on any future DFI board if nothing has changed. That and that the memory slot we're feeling like you were gonna break the memory stick each time you we're trying to fit it into the slot and close the locker lol

Thrax

No, DFI has cleaned up its act on the BIOS front. All their downloads are clearly labeled, and it's a one size fits all model. No BIOS for different modules.

GooD

_k_ : port team ?

You mean, like being connected to internet using TWO ethernet cable ? I don't understand realy where the gain will be, either how could i achieve to do it, with a router maybe, but that wont do me any good because it would only split the bandwith available in 2, no ?

Cliff_Forster

GooD - Keep in mind that transcoding and straight ripping can be two different animals. The i7 has proven to be a video coding beast especially when you get an overclock going on it. In all honestly its the only practical application where it wins by more than a few seconds, but......

All of that is becoming a moot point because....

ATI and Nvidia are both doing some really exciting stuff with GPU based transcoding, and GPU video encoding through Stream and Cuda are the future, not the CPU. Frankly, I'm running an ATI Radeon 4890 and I'm using stream to encode now, I unload the CPU and use all 800 of those sexy stream processing units to improve my encoding experience on the rare times that I do it. As good as the 4890 is at it, I have very good reason to believe that Evergreen will knock everyone's socks off when they see what it can do in this dept.

My suggestion to you, given the fact that video encoding and gaming are your two primary functions is to be reasonable on what you spend on the CPU, buy a decent board that allows you to crossfire two evergreen gpu's and just buy as much graphics processing horsepower as you can afford.

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=745&type=expert&pid=8

MAGIC

DFI is definitely an enthusiast board. Back in the Athlon64 days, they were definitley king of the hill in terms of performance, but at the cost of tricky bios and many little things. DFI as come a LONG way in terms of support, and i think the i7 platform is much more "user friendly" to overclockers. If i bought a new board today it would with little doubt be DFI and in that small margin of doubt be EVGA.

edit* lul there were like 5 new posts since 10:20 when is started reading this thread and by the time i finally posted.

GooD

@Thrax : Thankx god they corrected this mess

I'll read reviews than

That's what i like about this place, you get sometimes confronted to your own choice VS the other one would make but in the end you decide and you know the + and the - of your decision.


@Obsidian : Man 500W PSU are harder to find these days, can't find one with realy good quality and reviews. All the good ones seems to be at least 600 :P

The only one i found was this one :

Antec Basiq BP500UB 500W ATX12V Version 2.01 Active PFC Power Supply

But i don't trust Antec as a PSU maker, even tho i don't know why i don't lol

Obsidian

GooD wrote:

But i don't trust Antec as a PSU maker, even tho i don't know why i don't lol

Ok... well I've had very good experiences with them. Where are you going to be buying your parts from? It would be nice to know so we can help pick out specific parts and link them. I usually use newegg.com, for example.

GooD

Cliff, on the video card domain, i admit that i personnaly think my next video card will be an ATI one, i like what they are doing right now, they seems on to something. In fact i think that ATI will save AMD in the upcoming years while they try to invent someting new that will maybe (i hope so) throw us away

I'll read more on what you said tho, i didnt know GPU could be use to process video encoding, it is done without activating anyting ? i mean, it's "built-in" ? The GPU process the load first and if it cant process it all the CPU does ? If yes, that's huge, and cool too

GooD

Obsidian : Im in canada, i buy most of my parts on NCIX.com because they never failed me and even if we have newegg.ca now, NCIX is still better in service, even if not always in price, i'll stick to them for now

But any hardware piece that is available in the US is also available in Canada so anything you find i think i could find it too here

Thankx

GooD

BTW if what Cliff said is true and confirmed, i think i'll be tempted to go for CROSSFIRE with 2 cards in a near future So maybe it'll make me need a higher PSU than 500... =/

Is funny how many times you can change your mind when you try to build a rig hah The more you learn, the more you change :P