Advice on rebuilding PC (£1500ish)

Nivagely

Nivagely

Posts: 28   +1
Hey all, even though I'm getting to grips with (Re) Building a PC, I was hoping if any of you could throw some better alternatives out there? Or better parts in relation to the price.

Basically I currently has a small formed PC, It has a decent MotherBoard ( Asus P8H77-M )
I decent CPU (i5-3450 StockCooling) Two GTX 680's (Only one used at the moment) 20 Gb 1600Mhz RAM (2x8, 2x2) A average PSU (650TX Corsair)

While the Computer is Good, I have excess Cash and decided to dedicate half of it to rebuilding Hulk ( My PC )

I have had some experience with Computers, I installed the PSU and the GPU with RAM, However I have never touched the Motherboard, nor do I have any experience with CPU Installation which is bad because I can't find a MoBo/CPU Combo.

Below are the Components I have decided upon.

Core Upgrades (Top Priority)

Motherboard

Asus Maximus V Extreme (1155)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-Maximu...UTF8&colid=AYWTLK2TW52T&coliid=I35P5FOTVZ3X0C

£297.14

CPU

i7-3770K 3rd Gen @ 3.5Ghz (Got Prolimatech Thermal Compound Ready)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intel-Gener...=UTF8&colid=AYWTLK2TW52T&coliid=IZJLCVV08L4G5

£248.89

Case

Inwin Dragon Rider Full Tower Mesh Gaming Case

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inwin-Drago...UTF8&colid=AYWTLK2TW52T&coliid=I2B56LMS6WYA3V

£94.80

PSU

Corsair HX850 Pro Series Modular

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-HX8...12?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1363711273&sr=1-12

£125.37

CPU Cooling

Thermaltake Water 2.0 Liquid Cooling


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thermaltake...UTF8&colid=AYWTLK2TW52T&coliid=I1L6ZFG492ZO1E

£119.32


GPU

Already have two GTX 680, Heres the link to it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008C0XJPI/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

OPTIONAL

SSD

Intel SSD 520 Series 2.5 inch 60 Gb/s

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intel-Serie...UTF8&colid=AYWTLK2TW52T&coliid=I1I8257NGZRLDP

£84.95

HDD

Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000 2TB 7200 rpm

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hitachi-Des...LK2TW52T&coliid=I3V9BJMX45JYGS#productDetails

£97.79

Sound Card ( I have 5:1 Surround Sound System)

Asus Xonar D2X/XDT


http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Xonar-...UTF8&colid=AYWTLK2TW52T&coliid=I2KVC1YIFYLAE9

£90.33

Mouse And Keyboard

MAD CATZ R.A.T.9 Mouse

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saitek-Elek...=UTF8&colid=AYWTLK2TW52T&coliid=IMIQDD87KJM77

£86.99

Corsair Vengeance K90

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CH-...UTF8&colid=AYWTLK2TW52T&coliid=I156HEX9U4G92E

£101.95


As you can see I am going for a long term rebuild, however there are a few areas I am not so sure with.

1155/2011 Sockets, At the moment all I know is that the 2011 is newer, I've opted for 1155 to keep safe, and not get caught out as these are expensive. I was wondering that the actual difference is in Layman's Terms.

The CPU Liquid Cooler is a bit of a concern too as you have to assemble it all, and I am not so good when I have to meddle with tiny objects. However Reviews state it is the one of the best around and since I plan to Overclock the CPU I do need a reliable and Powerful Cooler.

The SSD will be where my OS will boot from, and if necessary, as a last resort storage area.

That's all there is for now, I will be getting all this during halfway through April so there isn't any rush for now.

Does this seem reasonable to everyone? I have tried to make sure everything is compatible with each other and I'm hoping there aren't any issues.

Thanks for Reading :)
 
Well, you seem like an enthusiast.
1) Everything is fine, except go for this watercooler instead: :http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-H10...1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1363737630&sr=1-1
2) The motherboard is not necessary unless you are gonna watercool the motherboard. Get this instead (this is for if you care a lot about looks, otherwise save a few bucks and get a ASUS P8Z77V): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-SABERT...1_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1363737769&sr=1-3
3)Get this HDD instead: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Caviar-Blac...1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1363737859&sr=1-1
4) As for the SSD, since you game, you would want games on there also (so they load faster), not just your OS, so I would recommend this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Ser...1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1363737915&sr=1-1

May I ask, what clocks will you be bringing your CPU to, because a Noctua CPU air cooler may be a better choice since closed loop water cooling has risks. But if you are taking your CPU beyond 4.5 GHz, I would recommend the H100i. Also what sound system are you running? Sound cards do you no good if you dont have a >$100 sound system. Also socket 1155 is newer. 2011 is getting dated and the new version is rumored to be coming in Q4 13'.
 
Get a 120GB+ SSD. Otherwise looks OK. I'm not even going to comment on case/mouse/keyboard.
 
I would concur with JC713 about the Motherboard and Cooler. Although I do think it's also worth looking at Asus's P8Z77-V Pro and Deluxe models alongside that board personally, for extra features wise. I chose the deluxe over the saber myself for a few little reasons...one being I wasn't too keen on the sabre "armour" look.

Pro: Link - Deluxe: Link

Also, if you go with the H100i cooler as JC713 suggests, It comes with pre-applied thermal paste on the pump bottom...So it's a very simple case of just putting it on the CPU and tightening it up, no messy stuff. Really good for people who arn't comfortable with CPU fitting.
 
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Benny26 said:
I would concur with JC713 about the Motherboard and Cooler. Although I do think it's also worth looking at Asus's P8Z77-V Pro and Deluxe models alongside that board personally, for extra features wise. I chose the deluxe over the saber myself for a few little reasons...one being I wasn't too keen on the sabre "armour" look.

Pro: Link - Deluxe: Link

Also, if you go with the H100i cooler as JC713 suggests, It comes with pre-applied thermal paste on the pump bottom...So it's a very simple case of just putting it on the CPU and tightening it up, no messy stuff. Really good for people who arn't comfortable with CPU fitting.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was gonna say the P8Z77 since he seems like a real enthusiast and would like that gamer look lol. My friend has the sabertooth, it looks sick and is a great performer. The deluxe and Pro only have a few more 6GB/s ports + thunderbolt?
 
Also, a good thing to note is that the H100i comes with Corsairs Static Pressure fans, not some cheap fans. This is a great addition to the value. You could make it push pull by buying 2 more fans, but I saw a benchmark and push pull only reduces the temp by like 1 degree Celcius, while increasing dust.

This is interesting if you are wondering:
 
Can't recall what the saber was, and I can't see the 6GB/s stats for it on Amazon. The deluxe does have 4x6GB/s and 4x3GB/s though. Only the P8Z77-V Premium version has thunderbolt I think, but damn, it's a bit of a price jump that board for me (£300!!). Not worth it IMO.
 
Benny26 said:
Can't recall what the saber was, and I can't see the 6GB/s stats for it on Amazon. The deluxe does have 4x6GB/s and 4x3GB/s though. Only the P8Z77-V Premium version has thunderbolt I think, but damn, it's a bit of a price jump that board for me (£300!!). Not worth it IMO.
Click to expand...
Yeah. They are basically all the same.
 
Hey all, Wouldn't call myself a massive gaming enthusiast, I am however doing a Uni Course in Computer Games Development, so I can crudely justify the rebuild :p

Anycase

For the Watercooling, I do play a lot of RTS, Games such as Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance require a very high core speed since it doesn't like multi-core and is Full Simulation, so I was going to buffer about till I can get it steady at 4.7-4.8 but for that I need a REALLY good Cooling system to put my worries away.

Ahh I like the look of the Saber but that casing makes it look bland in my opinion, don't really have a clue with Motherboards so I did the typical 'if its worth more then it's better' the P8Z77-V Deluxe may just replace the current,
Everything else stated seems reasonable to me. :)

I actually have a very good surround sound system, and the crappy onboard sound at the moment just simply cannot use it, So I just use my TV for sound and haven't bothered with it

SSS

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-S55...1_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1363745811&sr=1-3

Was a gift that cannot be used :(

St1ckM4n, in regards in the mouse and keyboard, Fair enough, they're eccentric, But that Case.... Wouldn't you love to refer to your PC as a Dragon? ;)
 
Nivagely said:
St1ckM4n, in regards in the mouse and keyboard, Fair enough, they're eccentric, But that Case.... Wouldn't you love to refer to your PC as a Dragon? ;)
Click to expand...

Oops, I kinda didn't finish my sentence. I meant to say, that I won't comment on keyboard etc because it's pretty much personal opinion/taste for those, so I can't suggest much. :p

Your surround sound system is pretty good. Not sure why onboard 8ch audio won't work with it.
 
The sound system you have there (looks a beast by the way) would/should be fine with the Deluxe anyway with it's 8 channel, using the Realtek HD audio controller. I run a small 2.1 set through it and it sounds great for onboard.
 
St1ckM4n said:
Oops, I kinda didn't finish my sentence. I meant to say, that I won't comment on keyboard etc because it's pretty much personal opinion/taste for those, so I can't suggest much. :p

Your surround sound system is pretty good. Not sure why onboard 8ch audio won't work with it.
Click to expand...


Ahh, I have need of a lot of custom buttons in place, Just makes life easier for me :p It works to an extent, The Bass doesn't get used properly leaving a hollow tingy sound to it all, just so unsatisfying to me :( My laptop which is a mutant of Technology loves the System, it'll attempt to blow your ears every time you try to connect :p

And Cheers Benny :) It's not the first time this PC has had a tantrum >.> Doesn't surprise me they don't get along :L
 
Benny26 said:
The sound system you have there (looks a beast by the way) would/should be fine with the Deluxe anyway with it's 8 channel, using the Realtek HD audio controller. I run a small 2.1 set through it and it sounds great for onboard.
Click to expand...
It is better to send the audio encoding/decoding load through the sound card rather than the CPU. Most importantly, the sound card will reduce interference. I would say go P8Z77V (whatever model) or the sabertooth. As for OC'ing to 4.7-4.8 GHz for a dated game like Supreme Commander, it isnt necessary. I play Sup Com 2 fine on my i7 1st gen mobile CPU @ stock (plus a dedicated GPU of course). For newer games it may make a difference, but for games like Sup Com, not really. A lot of RTF games arent DX11 surprisingly. But they will be soon so it is good to future-proof. Good luck.
 
JC713 said:
It is better to send the audio encoding/decoding load through the sound card rather than the CPU. Most importantly, the sound card will reduce interference. I would say go P8Z77V (whatever model) or the sabertooth. As for OC'ing to 4.7-4.8 GHz for a dated game like Supreme Commander, it isnt necessary. I play Sup Com 2 fine on my i7 1st gen mobile CPU @ stock (plus a dedicated GPU of course). For newer games it may make a difference, but for games like Sup Com, not really. A lot of RTF games arent DX11 surprisingly. But they will be soon so it is good to future-proof. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Okay you play a 6v6 on SupCom, and have about 12000 units all at once trying to move somewhere and shoot, then tell me it isn't necessary ;) All joking aside, I will be joining the 120 Hz Gang, and going for a Tri Screen setup so I do need to be sure that everything will run smoothly :p Secretly I am trying to prepare for Battlefield 4, but that will be for another day xD

Cheers!
 
You want to run games at 120fps across 5760x1080 resolution? D: Daaaaaaaamnnnnn son. Gotta need some tri-SLI Titans for that!
 
Nivagely said:
All joking aside, I will be joining the 120 Hz Gang, and going for a Tri Screen setup
Click to expand...
Uh it's pretty much one or the other, your 2 GTX 680's will struggle to get 60fps at max settings in recent games over 3 screens. Even 3 Titans (costing £2500) won't see 120fps.

IMO upgrading your CPU, mobo and cooling is a total waste of money, you'll notice next to no difference when it comes to gaming or everyday tasks. Save your money and wait for Haswell at least. Right now I'd recommend getting a 256GB SSD,the HX850 PSU you picked and 3 decent IPS monitors.

Make sure you do some research on the difference Cherry MX switches for mechanical keyboards (Red, Blue, Brown, Black, etc.) The K90 uses Reds which personally I don't really like but it's all down to personal preference. If you are getting a K90 make sure it's the newer version with all mechanical keys because on the first version the F-keys and some other keys were crappy membrane ones.
 
True!
slh28 said:
Uh it's pretty much one or the other, your 2 GTX 680's will struggle to get 60fps at max settings in recent games over 3 screens. Even 3 Titans (costing £2500) won't see 120fps.

IMO upgrading your CPU, mobo and cooling is a total waste of money, you'll notice next to no difference when it comes to gaming or everyday tasks. Save your money and wait for Haswell at least. Right now I'd recommend getting a 256GB SSD,the HX850 PSU you picked and 3 decent IPS monitors.

Make sure you do some research on the difference Cherry MX switches for mechanical keyboards (Red, Blue, Brown, Black, etc.) The K90 uses Reds which personally I don't really like but it's all down to personal preference. If you are getting a K90 make sure it's the newer version with all mechanical keys because on the first version the F-keys and some other keys were crappy membrane ones.
Click to expand...

True! though it won't really be for gaming, I am going for three screens as to ease up my work load, I'll be getting the 120 Hz just because it isn't that expensive of a jump, :p

For the point of Rebuilding, If this spare cash doesn't get wasted on the PC, Then Steam will certainly bleed me dry ;)

In the case of the New Haswell, it is a bit of a wait, and since processors and Motherboards don't go through as quick of as advancements as GPU's let say, I can't foresee it being a big enough jump to justify the wait, in regards to the motherboard, CPU and Cooling, since I am getting a new case, it just be easier to do, as I can give the Old MoBo,CPU and Cooling to my friend who desperately needs a new system :) By the way just to see, what IPS Monitor would you recommend?

As for the Keyboard, one of my friends at Uni has one, so when I tried it, I loved it, there are two versions? Time to do more researching! xD
 
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