Gaming PC build advice

I'm building a new system completely from scratch, and I have two main questions:
  • I want to make sure that I don't have any hardware compatibility issues.
  • Also, it would be good to know if everything will fit in the case I picked out.
It will be a family computer, but I also like to game a lot. Laptop has hard time with Dishonored. I want a powerful, yet quiet system. Also, my wife isn't too into flashy or huge cases, which is why I picked out the one I did.

My soft budget is about $2,500, but I'm willing to go a little above that if needs be. In the past, we've been using laptops (I have a Dell XPS 15-L502x) for all our computing needs, but our kids are getting old enough to need to use the computer as well as me and my wife, so it's time to get a desktop.

The only component I already have is the OS. Other than that, will need to buy everything. I chose to not get a liquid cooling system, as I'm not very savvy when it comes to those. If you guys have any upgrade suggestions, please let me know.

Here are the specs (all pricing from Amazon.com--free shipping and slightly cheaper than Newegg):

Motherboard:................. ASUS Sabertooth X79 LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX .......... $314.99
Processor:..................... Intel Core i7-3770K Quad-Core Processor 3.5 GHz 8 MB Cache LGA 1155.. $319.99
CPU Heatsink Fan:........ Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus .......................................................................... $24.98
Video Card:.................... EVGA GeForce GTX670 FTW+ 4GB GDDR5 ................................................ $449.99
Thermal Paste:.............. Arctic Cooling Arctic MX-4 Thermal Compound.................................................. $6.65
Optical Drive:................ LG BLACK Internal SATA 12x Super Multi DVD Blu........................................... $57.65
Memory:......................... Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1866 MHZ (PC3 15000) ................. $84.99
Network Card:............... Intel PWLA8391GT PRO/1000 GT PCI Network Adapter................................. $30.50
Wireless Network Card: TP-Link TL-WN951N 300Mbps Wireless N PCI Adapter.................................. $23.99
SSD:............................... Crucial m4 128GB 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s ............................. $108.12
HDD:............................... Western Digital Caviar Green 3 TB SATA III 64 MB Cache Bare/OEM............ $149.98
HDD Fan:....................... VANTEC HDC-502A Aluminum Hard Drive Cooling System.............................. $9.99
Sound Card:.................. ASUS XONAR D1 -7.1 Channel PCI Audio Card Sound Card........................... $94.50
Case:.............................. Corsair Carbide Series Black 300R Mid-Tower Computer Case....................... $71.99
Case Fans:.................... Arctic Cooling ARCTIC F12 PWM 120mm Fans (x7, for max cooling).............. $61.95
Anti-Vibr. Fan Mounts:. Any Anti-Vibration Fan Mounts (enough for all fans)......................................... $17.43
Power Supply:............... Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold (SPG) 1000 Watts Modular Power Supply...... $189.99
Power Supply Gasket:.. Any Power Supply Anti-Vibration Rubber Fan Gasket....................................... $7.00
Speakers:....................... Creative Inspire T6160 5.1 Multimedia Speaker System................................... $64.50
Monitor:.......................... Asus VS247H-P 24-Inch Full-HD LED Monitor (1920x1080p)........................ $178.99
Camera:.......................... Creative Live! Cam Chat HD 720P, 5.7MP Webcam (Black)........................... $31.93
USB Expansion:............ NZXT IU01 Internal USB Expansion................................................................ $16.98
Mouse and Keyboard:.. Logitech Wireless Combo Mk520 With Keyboard and Laser Mouse............... $47.59
Total:............................... ................................................................................................................................................................ $2,364.67
 
A couple things:

Firstly, you have a MOBO & CPU incompatibility. Your MOBO is for socket 2011 CPU's while your processor is LGA 1155
Here is a compatible motherboard for your build.
Asus Sabertooth Z77 LGA 1155 ($239.

Secondly, I wouldn't waste my money on the: Network card, extra case fans,HDD fan,PSU gasket, and fan mounts. I would put all that money in your CASE budget and look for a more solid case. All those fans would do the exact opposite of what you'd like to achieve. You want a quiet machine, you do not put 9+ fans inside of it.

Thirdly, Id recommend buying something like the Corsair H100i for your cooling needs. I did notice you said you're not "Savy" enough for liquid cooling. However, these closed loop solutions require no real experience to install. Furthermore, they require zero maintenance.

Also, I wouldn't grab the 4GB 670. You will not need all of that VRAM. Instead, go with the 2GB version it's much cheaper.

Your power supply is also overkill. Unless you plan on running 3 GPU's 1000 watts is not necessary. I would go with aCorsair HX Series 850W. This will give you some room for future upgrades.
Even then, If you want. Id grab the 650 or 750w variation of that PSU. It will save you some money.


EDIT: Added GPU recommendation & PSU recommendation
 
Secondly, I wouldn't waste my money on the: Network card, extra case fans,HDD fan,PSU gasket, and fan mounts. I would put all that money in your CASE budget and look for a more solid case. All those fans would do the exact opposite of what you'd like to achieve. You want a quite machine, you do not put 9+ fans inside of it.

Can't seem to edit the original post? But, I updated the cooling section of my specs in my excel file. What case would you recommend? Like I said, not looking for anything bulky or flashy.

Also, I wouldn't grab the 4GB 670. You will not need all of that VRAM. Instead, go with the 2GB version it's much cheaper.

We're hoping to use this PC for the next 5-7 years, hoping to run top-of-the-line games for as long as possible. Would you still recommend the 2GB version?

Your power supply is also overkill. Unless you plan on running 3 GPU's 1000 watts is not necessary. I would go with aCorsair HX Series 850W. This will give you some room for future upgrades.
Even then, If you want. Id grab the 650 or 750w variation of that PSU. It will save you some money.

850W only saves $20, but looks like a good choice. PSU Updated. Thanks!
 
Can't seem to edit the original post? But, I updated the cooling section of my specs in my excel file. What case would you recommend? Like I said, not looking for anything bulky or flashy.
Well, when it comes to cases. It's really a personal preference. I personally would go with something like the
HAF XM or Storm Trooper both are solid cases with good airflow and cooling.

We're hoping to use this PC for the next 5-7 years, hoping to run top-of-the-line games for as long as possible. Would you still recommend the 2GB version?
Yup, you're gaming at 1080P resolution if you buy the monitor you linked in the first post. 4GB RAM would not be used at that resolution. VRAM gets utilized at higher gaming resolutions.

850W only saves $20, but looks like a good choice. PSU Updated. Thanks!
Yeah, but I was mainly talking about the 650-750w variations. Sorry for not being clear. As you stated, the 850w will still grab you a little bit of savings.
 
We're hoping to use this PC for the next 5-7 years, hoping to run top-of-the-line games for as long as possible. Would you still recommend the 2GB version?
A couple of things about the GPU: generally it's a bad idea to plan for using a GPU 5-7 years in the future, by that time a GTX 670 will be what an 8800 series is today, I.e. a total dinosaur. Something like 2-3 years is a sensible upgrade timeline for a GPU, it's one of the easiest components in a PC to upgrade (unlike the CPU/mobo for example). Also a single GTX 670 is not powerful enough to utilise more than 2GB of VRAM so 4GB is unnecessary unless you're running SLI or tri-SLI and gaming at high resolutions with lots of AA.

Given your relatively high budget, there are some strange choices in some of your components. My suggestions:
  • As Blkfx1 mentioned there's no need for all those case fans, HDD fans or anti-vibration stuff, just invest in a decent case. I'm a big fan of Corsair's 600T but if you're going to get a H100i cooler then you might want something bigger. It fits a H80i fine though.
  • Get a better monitor, either a 120Hz TN one for gaming or IPS for picture quality and colour reproduction. Unfortunately 120Hz IPS monitors don't exist yet :(
  • Spending $95 on a sound card and $65 on some speakers is not a great idea, either ditch the sound card or invest in some better speakers (which will be expensive).
  • Get a 256GB SSD, even if you store all your data on the HDD you'll find 128GB fills up very quickly if it's a family computer. Crucial m4 is a good choice.
  • Invest in a better keyboard and mouse. Generic wireless mice aren't good for gaming so you might want to look at a gaming mouse. I'd also recommend a mechanical keyboard, here's a good guide to get you started. Decide on which Cherry MX switches you prefer (best to try them out in person or at least watch some youtube videos) and then choose the keyboard you want.
 
Unfortunately 120Hz IPS monitors don't exist yet :(

:eek:

BTW - I agree with what both of these guys said. Shorten your timeline at least for the GPU and just go with a 2GB version. I also second both the HAF XM and the H80i options and for that dollar range a 256GB SSD.
 
I don't understand why both 10/100/1000 and Wireless N cards are listed, normally only one network interface is needed not both. And this is not even considering most motherboards integrate 10/100/1000 by standard, so an add-in card would be a redundancy.
 
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