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[Celcius]

For the motherboard, I would choose the P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3. The Extreme-Z would be a waste with only one videocard and you might as well choose a gen3 board to be future-proof. The gene-z is popular, but due to the micro-atx size, you would be giving up pci-e slots in exchange for better overclock-ability. For most users, the P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 is more than enough and you still have the option for more pci/pci-e cards or a second videocard later if necessary.

On the videocard, even though the 7970 is the best (for gaming) at the moment, isn't nvidia more supported by Photoshop and the other Adobe programs you plan to use?

 

[FourDoor]

For the motherboard, I would choose the P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3. The Extreme-Z would be a waste with only one videocard and you might as well choose a gen3 board to be future-proof. The gene-z is popular, but due to the micro-atx size, you would be giving up pci-e slots in exchange for better overclock-ability. For most users, the P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 is more than enough and you still have the option for more pci/pci-e cards or a second videocard later if necessary.

On the videocard, even though the 7970 is the best (for gaming) at the moment, isn't nvidia more supported by Photoshop and the other Adobe programs you plan to use?

Thanks for the input. I missed the whole part that the Maximus IV GENE-Z/GEN3 was a micro ATX. I do plan on running a single video card for now but I don't want to rule out running dual in the future. And yes a GEN3 board would be great to possible upgrade to ivy bridge if the prices and boost is right in the next year. The P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 is definitely the front runner but was looking for other potential options that may be better if I decide to spend a little more $.

I wasn't aware the the Adobe programs supported nvidia more over amd. I'll have to look into that. I was looking into getting something like the GTX 580 but the last few pages of everyone talking up the 7970/7950 convinced me to go the other route.

 

[Branson]

Ah crap. I didnt know about the GEN-3 boards. I feel stupid now. I just ordered my pc parts yesterday too. This is the Mobo I ordered... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131781

Ok, I replaced it with the GEN-3 ASUS Mobo

 

[scogoth]

What's up PC GAF!!! OK, I read all 21 pages of this thread so here it goes:

Basic Desktop Questions:

• Your Current Specs: Dell400SC P4 (don't laugh too loud) LOL
• Budget: ~$2k (USA)
• Main Use: (1) Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop for picture editing (80% usage) (2) BR/video ripping/streaming @ 1080p (3) some gaming (SWOTR) (4) Adobe Premiere (5) General Use
• Monitor Resolution: 1080p on dual Dell 24" monitors and an LG 42" LCD
• List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: SWOTR (but doubt I'll find time to play it)
• Are reusing any parts?: None outside the monitors
• When will you build?: I plan on building this within the next couple of weeks
• Will you be overclocking?: Yes (will be my first one)

........................

TLDNR; Help me pick out a motherboard for the 2600k and choose between the 7950 and 7970 given my current reqs.

THANK YOU, someone who read the OP. Now with a 2K budget and using is mostly for work I would suggest looking at the SB-E processors. You will benefit from from the extra cores and extra cache. If you still want to stick with the mainstream processors bump that 2600k-> 2700k, not much in clock difference but its a higher binned part, will overclock better and be faster in photoshop.

GPU I would stick with Nvidia just because they have better support for GPU acceleration in most professional software. BUT they only support 2 displays from one card so you need that HDMI splitter. That being said there next generation of Nvidia GPUs won't be out till February at the earliest and April/May at the latest. If you need one now, 7970.

Motherboard I would stick with ATX sizes just for expandability if you want an audio card or second GPU (Quadro card maybe). The ASUS Z68V-Pro is a very good motherboard. The maximus boards are really for extreme overclock and epeen size.

 

[Tashi]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204&Tpk=ASUS%20DRW-24B1ST

Anyone have any issues with the recommended CD/DVD Drive?

Mine is acting up. It takes like 5 minutes for it to open. It's trying hard to but something is stopping it. It's locked up. Eventually, it does open after I've pressed the button like 60 times. Very annoying.

 

[scogoth]

BitFenix Shinobi XL

Very interesting, now where does this leave the colossus? I like this better, simpler and clean but they are eating their own market.

 

[FourDoor]

THANK YOU, someone who read the OP. Now with a 2K budget and using is mostly for work I would suggest looking at the SB-E processors. You will benefit from from the extra cores and extra cache. If you still want to stick with the mainstream processors bump that 2600k-> 2700k, not much in clock difference but its a higher binned part, will overclock better and be faster in photoshop.

GPU I would stick with Nvidia just because they have better support for GPU acceleration in most professional software. BUT they only support 2 displays from one card so you need that HDMI splitter. That being said there next generation of Nvidia GPUs won't be out till February at the earliest and April/May at the latest. If you need one now, 7970.

Motherboard I would stick with ATX sizes just for expandability if you want an audio card or second GPU (Quadro card maybe). The ASUS Z68V-Pro is a very good motherboard. The maximus boards are really for extreme overclock and epeen size.

I spent the last 2 weeks reading this thread and going over the links in the OP. I figured now was a good time to finally get up to speed a little with hardware.

I considered the SB-E processors for a moment when I was trying to see if my friend still had a connection at Intel. But that soon fell apart when it looked like I'd have to pay retail at $1k....

I'll look into 2700k. I've primarily focused on the 2600k based on the feedback here but my needs are obviously different.

The Maximus boards look like it may be out of the running as I don't see any gen3 full sized ones either.

For the GPU, this does suck as I was looking forward to going with an nvidia card. But I'm not sure if I can hold out for another 2-3months. If I do try to hold out, what are some holdover cards I can pick up?

BTW: What's up Tashi!!!! Another thing that I just thought about seeing you here. It would be nice to get the rig setup as well where I can hook up the 360 for some nice video captures in the future like Tashi here without having to worry too much about it being capable of processing all of that video.

 

[Celcius]

^^I wouldn't recommend the 2700k over the 2600k unless you plan to run at stock speeds. At the end of the day, I'd bet they will both overclock to the same speed and you could put the saved cash towards something else.

Ah crap. I didnt know about the GEN-3 boards. I feel stupid now. I just ordered my pc parts yesterday too. This is the Mobo I ordered... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131781

Ok, I replaced it with the GEN-3 ASUS Mobo

Nice, you were able to change the order before it shipped?
If you don't mind me asking, which video card did you end up going with?

 

[njean777]

Guys/girls I have a weird problem, I hook up my pc to my tv which is 1360x768 and currently have a gtx 570. The problem is most games throw off the resolution after I alt-tab, or quit the game. BF3 is the main culprit, but sometimes killing floor does it also. I have no clue what is causing this problem as the tv is not even a year old. It is a 26in LED, LG tv if that matters. Also connected via vga.

 

[FourDoor]

I wouldn't recommend the 2700k over the 2600k unless you plan to run at stock speeds. At the end of the day, I'd bet they will both overclock to the same speed and you could put the saved cash towards something else.

Here's an interesting opinion here on the 2700k from a google search:

I've been considering going Sandy Bridge for a while now and I'd like to achieve safe stable 24/7 clocks in the upper 4's to 5 Ghz if possible. Could I do that on a 2600K? Yea, probably. But to me a "safe stable 24/7 clock" is one that passes significant time on prime 95 (10+ hours) and never exceeds 70-72 on the cores. I have a much better chance of achieving that with a 2700K than 2600K.

So in my eyes, the 2700k being a higher binned just gives me better chances of clocking higher? While that does sound tempting as this rig will be on 24/7 I'm not sure if that extra $80 is worth it for that chance with ivy bridge about to be released.

 

[Branson]

^^I wouldn't recommend the 2700k over the 2600k unless you plan to run at stock speeds. At the end of the day, I'd bet they will both overclock to the same speed and you could put the saved cash towards something else.


Nice, you were able to change the order before it shipped?
If you don't mind me asking, which video card did you end up going with?

No it shipped unfortunately, just going to get a refund on the other Mobo and picked 1 day shipping with the new one lol. I went with a 3gb 580 since it would probably have a higher resale value once the Kepler's come out.

 

[scogoth]

I spent the last 2 weeks reading this thread and going over the links in the OP. I figured now was a good time to finally get up to speed a little with hardware.

I considered the SB-E processors for a moment when I was trying to see if my friend still had a connection at Intel. But that soon fell apart when it looked like I'd have to pay retail at $1k....

I'll look into 2700k. I've primarily focused on the 2600k based on the feedback here but my needs are obviously different.

The Maximus boards look like it may be out of the running as I don't see any gen3 full sized ones either.

For the GPU, this does suck as I was looking forward to going with an nvidia card. But I'm not sure if I can hold out for another 2-3months. If I do try to hold out, what are some holdover cards I can pick up?

BTW: What's up Tashi!!!! Another thing that I just thought about seeing you here. It would be nice to get the rig setup as well where I can hook up the 360 for some nice video captures in the future like Tashi here without having to worry too much about it being capable of processing all of that video.

With a Z68 board and 2700K with on board video can hold you over as long as you don't game. The GTX580 is a very capable card too but the 680(or 780, name is not confirmed) will probably be 10-15% faster.

Also this is what CUDA will do for you with compatible plugins.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204&Tpk=ASUS%20DRW-24B1ST

Anyone have any issues with the recommended CD/DVD Drive?

Mine is acting up. It takes like 5 minutes for it to open. It's trying hard to but something is stopping it. It's locked up. Eventually, it does open after I've pressed the button like 60 times. Very annoying.

Thats fine

 

[FourDoor]

No it shipped unfortunately, just going to get a refund on the other Mobo and picked 1 day shipping with the new one lol. I went with a 3gb 580 since it would probably have a higher resale value once the Kepler's come out.

So you did go with the 580. What kind of resale value were you looking to hopefully get out of it when the Keplers come out?

 

[FourDoor]

With a Z68 board and the 2700K the on board video can hold you over as long as you don't game. The GTX580 is a very capable card too but the 680(or 780, name is not confirmed) will probably be 10-15% faster.

Also this is what CUDA will do for you with compatible plugins.

Wow, thanks for that. I had no idea about the performance boost. Crap now I have to rethink my plan again and see if the onboard video can indeed hold me over for a few more months.

 

[Branson]

So you did go with the 580. What kind of resale value were you looking to hopefully get out of it when the Keplers come out?

I wouldn't even know honestly. I don't even know why I said that since im kind of not interested in anything new at this moment haha.

 

[Smidget]

What's the best video for installing the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus? I found this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSq_xbxsm7Q but I see complaints about not showing how to apply the thermal paste. Thanks! Scared to death, the stock cooler appears to be much easier to install lol

Well I used that one plus a lot of worrying and got it installed, my old temps with Prime95 were 74-77C on stock, now 51-54C Amazing!

Now to try to overclock this puppy!

 

[Thaedolus]

Question:

I recently bought an ASUS VE248Q LED monitor because SWTOR was starting to cause burn in on my plasma. Right now Windows is picking it up as a Generic PnP monitor, so I can only choose up to 60hz refresh rate. Its native is 76hz. I'd like to be able to run it at the native refresh because even with v sync I feel like I'm seeing odd tearing going on. The problem is, I can't find a driver for the monitor on ASUS' website, and I can't see anyway of selecting the refresh rate since every setting I find tops out at 60hz. Anyone know what I should do next?

 

[scogoth]

Question:

I recently bought an ASUS VE248Q LED monitor because SWTOR was starting to cause burn in on my plasma. Right now Windows is picking it up as a Generic PnP monitor, so I can only choose up to 60hz refresh rate. Its native is 76hz. I'd like to be able to run it at the native refresh because even with v sync I feel like I'm seeing odd tearing going on. The problem is, I can't find a driver for the monitor on ASUS' website, and I can't see anyway of selecting the refresh rate since every setting I find tops out at 60hz. Anyone know what I should do next?

Go into your graphics driver (for your GPU) and manually set it.

 

[Thaedolus]

Go into your graphics driver (for your GPU) and manually set it.

Are you talking about the nvidia control panel? (I forgot to mention I'm running nvidia). If you are, then that option also maxes at 60hz

 

[FourDoor]

I know it's just a rumor but I think this may have for sure sealed the deal for me on waiting for the GTX 680 for next month:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Nvidia-Kepler-GTX680-GPU-geforce,14499.html

Now time to finalize a Z68 mobo to go with the 2600k/2700k. I can live off one single screen if need be for the next month.

 

[scogoth]

Are you talking about the nvidia control panel? (I forgot to mention I'm running nvidia). If you are, then that option also maxes at 60hz

Iirc nvidia allows you to set custom refresh rates but i looked up your monitor where does it say native is 76Hz. I see that accepts inputs that high but that doesnt mean its native. Usually LCDs are 60Hz or 120Hz.

 

[Thaedolus]

Iirc nvidia allows you to set custom refresh rates but i looked up your monitor where does it say native is 76Hz. I see that accepts inputs that high but that doesnt mean its native. Usually LCDs are 60Hz or 120Hz.

I think you're right @ 1080p, I think 76hz is the maximum refresh at 720p looking at the manual. So I guess 60hz is correct and I'm gonna mess around with some triple buffering or something to see what I can do about the tearing.

 

[OriginofHysteria]

Just got a new PC off of craigslist for 315.

Basically it has an AMD Phenom II X4 (2.8 core) thinkin about OC'ing
1GB Nvidia 9500GT (gonna order a 550Ti from Newegg unless neogaf has other suggestions)
4 GB ram
Biostar motherboard

Any other options to make this better?

 

[Spiritreaver]

Just built my new PC today, and despite some stupid mistakes (I'm looking at you CPU power plug), it's up and running with one problem....

The keyboard I own just died. SO I can't use it until tomorrow when I feel like venturing out into the cold.

Went with:

Asus P8Z68-V PRO
Intel i5-2500k
MSI AMD 7970
8GB Corsair Vengende RAM
128GB Crucial m4 SSD
1 TB blah blah expensive HDD that I should've waited on
Corsair TX750W PSU
Fractal R3 Titanium Gray Case
CM Hyper 212+ Heatsink

I pretty much followed the OP and mix and matched to my liking, only thing I'm worried about is the PSU, think it's fine for moderate OCing?

 

[Hazaro]

I spent the last 2 weeks reading this thread and going over the links in the OP. I figured now was a good time to finally get up to speed a little with hardware.

I considered the SB-E processors for a moment when I was trying to see if my friend still had a connection at Intel. But that soon fell apart when it looked like I'd have to pay retail at $1k....

I'll look into 2700k. I've primarily focused on the 2600k based on the feedback here but my needs are obviously different.

The Maximus boards look like it may be out of the running as I don't see any gen3 full sized ones either.

For the GPU, this does suck as I was looking forward to going with an nvidia card. But I'm not sure if I can hold out for another 2-3months. If I do try to hold out, what are some holdover cards I can pick up?

BTW: What's up Tashi!!!! Another thing that I just thought about seeing you here. It would be nice to get the rig setup as well where I can hook up the 360 for some nice video captures in the future like Tashi here without having to worry too much about it being capable of processing all of that video.

It depends how capable you think you will need. An SSD plus an i7 will demolish everything, Now if you got a 6 core it'd demolish it faster, but it probably would seem like light speed already. It's a poor value proposition unless you are doing some serious number crunching.

Thanks for taking the time to look over the OP. I put in effort, you put in effort, everyone is happy.

Just got a new PC off of craigslist for 315.

Basically it has an AMD Phenom II X4 (2.8 core) thinkin about OC'ing
1GB Nvidia 9500GT (gonna order a 550Ti from Newegg unless neogaf has other suggestions)
4 GB ram
Biostar motherboard

Any other options to make this better?

Post PSU model/make/wattage. Probably will need to upgrade unless you want to take your chances on some crummy OEM (That could easily run great for 2-3 years).
Part wise, not really much to add.

Just built my new PC today, and despite some stupid mistakes (I'm looking at you CPU power plug), it's up and running with one problem....

The keyboard I own just died. SO I can't use it until tomorrow when I feel like venturing out into the cold.

Went with:

Asus P8Z68-V PRO
Intel i5-2500k
MSI AMD 7970
8GB Corsair Vengende RAM
128GB Crucial m4 SSD
1 TB blah blah expensive HDD that I should've waited on
Corsair TX750W PSU
Fractal R3 Titanium Gray Case
CM Hyper 212+ Heatsink

I pretty much followed the OP and mix and matched to my liking, only thing I'm worried about is the PSU, think it's fine for moderate OCing?

Looks good to me. Sucks on the KB. Your system will draw under 500W load, plenty of OC room even with 50W on the CPU added and 100W if you overvolt and OC the 7970.

 

[Rabbit Clock]

My Specs:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
1.75gb DDR
I don't know what motherboard i have
ATI X300

My computer is a joke but I can't afford to buy a new one right now. Buying a newer graphics card wouldn't do much to help, would it? Is there any (cheap) way to make this computer less awful? Thanks.

 

[Hazaro]

64GB SSD + SATA to IDE adapter? I guess?
Not much.

 

[TheExplodingHead]

My Specs:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
1.75gb DDR
I don't know what motherboard i have
ATI X300

My computer is a joke but I can't afford to buy a new one right now. Buying a newer graphics card wouldn't do much to help, would it? Is there any (cheap) way to make this computer less awful? Thanks.

Save your money, a new card won't do much unless you're only interested in playing older or indie games. And even then you might need to put them at low settings. So save your money for something better.

More RAM and a better GPU could help, is it AGP or PCIE?

 

[Rabbit Clock]

Save your money, a new card won't do much unless you're only interested in playing older or indie games. And even then you might need to put them at low settings. So save your money for something better.

More RAM and a better GPU could help, is it AGP or PCIE?

PCI-E

 

[Wolf Akela]

An actual card and a better PSU will help but everything else will drag it down a lot.

 

[Hazaro]

Don't waste money on upgrades you can't carry over.
If you can cough up $60 for a used GTX 260 / 4870 / 5770, or find a used GTX 460 for a bit more + a CX430W PSU $35, then you could go that route, but your CPU won't be helping at all.
At least SSD you'll have a much smoother user experience.

 

[Rabbit Clock]

Don't waste money on upgrades you can't carry over.

You're right. I'll just save for a new one. Thanks =]

 

[Biggzy]

My advice would be to save your money up and buy a new PC further down the line.

 

[Flayer]

Building myself a new PC and going with the 6870, that's plenty for 1650x1050 resolution gaming isn't it with current releases? Then I can upgrade to something better in a couple of years if I want to be able to run new games on high again.

My previous PC had a 8800 which was still plenty good to play new releases but was getting dangerously close to having to turn everything to low on top end games. I'm amazed it was still able though after what, 5 years?

 

[herod]

I currently have an ASRock N68S with 4GB DDR2, a 1055T and a GTX260.

I'm aware that I'm on borrowed time, but I was wondering if dropping in a 560 Ti would be a stupid thing to do? I think I'm only very rarely CPU or memory bottlenecked in the games I dare to try, mostly based on seeing tearing while trying to drive 1080P from the GTX260.

Bump for possibly overlooked

 

[specialguy]

Bump for possibly overlooked

Not imo. Hell I'm looking to pair up something from the 7k line with my Q6600.

You'll be much faster with a 560Ti, most games aren't CPU limited they're GPU limited, with a few exceptions.

 

[Like2Drive]

I'm in need of a new CPU. I'm thinking something like i5? but I'm not sure if it will work on my motherboard...

RAM is 4GB
PSU is 550W


I'm completely oblivious about this stuff, so any help will be highly appreciated.

 

[Tashi]

I spent the last 2 weeks reading this thread and going over the links in the OP. I figured now was a good time to finally get up to speed a little with hardware.

I considered the SB-E processors for a moment when I was trying to see if my friend still had a connection at Intel. But that soon fell apart when it looked like I'd have to pay retail at $1k....

I'll look into 2700k. I've primarily focused on the 2600k based on the feedback here but my needs are obviously different.

The Maximus boards look like it may be out of the running as I don't see any gen3 full sized ones either.

For the GPU, this does suck as I was looking forward to going with an nvidia card. But I'm not sure if I can hold out for another 2-3months. If I do try to hold out, what are some holdover cards I can pick up?

BTW: What's up Tashi!!!! Another thing that I just thought about seeing you here. It would be nice to get the rig setup as well where I can hook up the 360 for some nice video captures in the future like Tashi here without having to worry too much about it being capable of processing all of that video.

Hey bro, buildin a new PC? Nice shit.

So you wanna capture some Xbox 360 video? Awesome. If you're building a modern PC, you shouldn't have any problems capturing in HD. My PC has an i5-2500k, over clocked but handled the capturing perfectly before Overclocking. Also have 4gb of DDR3 ram and the GTX 560 ti twin frozr II from MSI. Capture and stream in HD without a problem.

If you have any questions regarding capture cards and my setup, lemme know.


Also, scogoth, I already have that drive but I'm having major issues with it. I'm just trying to see if anyone else with that drive is having similar issues.

 

[Smidget]

OK playing with my overclocking this morning, I'm at 4.4GHz with just a couple of tweaks, did not change anything in my voltage screens and CPU-Z and HW Monitor is showing 1.056V and my temps hover around 60-63C with my i5-2500K and 212+ while running Prime95 for ~30 minutes or so, I'll keep running it as I go out this morning just to test stability.

I'd like to try higher since I have a couple of Cs to go before I feel like I need to dial it back.

I see in the OP that "1.3V and 4.4Ghz is a good benchmark for many though." but I'm only showing 1.056V (unless I'm looking at something wrong?) so I can probably bump it up a to 1.1V and maybe get a bit more juice out of it without raising my temps too much?

Edit: Just saw that in Core Temp 1.0 I'm actually at 1.3861V. Looks like the Gigabyte board doesn't have a VCore setting, need to look for it using CTRL+F1 maybe?

 

[CecilRousso]

I was reading the table over recommended builds in the OP, and want to make sure that I get this with the graphic cards.

GTX560ti 1gb is recommended over a GTX570 1,2gb? GTX580 is not recommeded?

 

[Gav47]

I'm in need of a new CPU. I'm thinking something like i5? but I'm not sure if it will work on my motherboard...

http://i.imgur.com/eeZWL.png[IMG]

[B]RAM is 4GB
PSU is 550W[/B]


I'm completely oblivious about this stuff, so any help will be highly appreciated.[/QUOTE]You'll need a new motherboard if you want to upgrade to an i5. [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115060]This[/url] is the fastest processor available for your MB but it's really expensive, you'd be better off upgrading the MB and CPU.

 

[Celcius]

edit: nvm

 

[chaosblade]

I was reading the table over recommended builds in the OP, and want to make sure that I get this with the graphic cards.

GTX560ti 1gb is recommended over a GTX570 1,2gb? GTX580 is not recommeded?

Not sure where you're getting that. 580 is not recommended because the 7970 is a better value, although it looks like 580 prices might have dropped a little.

570 is a better card that a 560Ti, but it's only slightly better than the 560Ti 448. The 448 core model might be recommended over the 570 depending on the price difference.

 

[FourDoor]

It depends how capable you think you will need. An SSD plus an i7 will demolish everything, Now if you got a 6 core it'd demolish it faster, but it probably would seem like light speed already. It's a poor value proposition unless you are doing some serious number crunching.

Thanks for taking the time to look over the OP. I put in effort, you put in effort, everyone is happy.

Thanks for putting together a nice OP. It definitely helped. In regards to the CPU, what are your thoughts on the 2600k vs 2700k? And if you could upgrade the P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 to a nicer board that was also a gen3, which board would it be (disregarding price at the moment)?

Hey bro, buildin a new PC? Nice s hit.

So you wanna capture some Xbox 360 video? Awesome. If you're building a modern PC, you shouldn't have any problems capturing in HD. My PC has an i5-2500k, over clocked but handled the capturing perfectly before Overclocking. Also have 4gb of DDR3 ram and the GTX 560 ti twin frozr II from MSI. Capture and stream in HD without a problem.

If you have any questions regarding capture cards and my setup, lemme know.

Yeah it's finally time to pull the trigger. My old P4 setup was used for capturing old school Halo2 games back in the day. With Halo 4 on the horizon, it would be nice to be able to have that option again with the new rig.

What capture card would you recommend picking up if I was to buy within the next couple of months? Is your setup always capturing while you're streaming and you just keep and toss the clips after the night is done? How many gigs of video do you end up having after a nights worth of gaming?

 

[chaosblade]

Thanks for putting together a nice OP. It definitely helped. In regards to the CPU, what are your thoughts on the 2600k vs 2700k? And if you could upgrade the P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 to a nicer board that was also a gen3, which board would it be (disregarding price at the moment)?

I'm not sure the 2700k offers anything the 2600k doesn't aside from slightly higher stock clocks, unless Intel is binning chips. Either will OC really well, and how far any individual CPU is going to go is completely unpredictable.

As for the motherboard, it all depends on what you're looking for in a nicer board. The P8Z68-V PRO GEN3 is a damn nice board.

 

[FourDoor]

I'm not sure the 2700k offers anything the 2600k doesn't aside from slightly higher stock clocks, unless Intel is binning chips. Either will OC really well, and how far any individual CPU is going to go is completely unpredictable.

As for the motherboard, it all depends on what you're looking for in a nicer board. The P8Z68-V PRO GEN3 is a damn nice board.

Supposedly the 2700k is from higgher binned chips which will make them easier to OC but the 2600k looks to almost have a cult following online right now. Not quite sure if the extra $ is worth it.

I like graphs and tables. Which is why I liked the OP. I was just looking to see what the next level up recommendation was for the board after P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 for the 2600k. For reqs, its pretty basic for now as I am still coming up to speed on the current state of hardware. I want it to be a gen3, onboard HDMI to hold me over for the next month or 2, and room for expansion for a second gpu and whatever other extra slots it can give me. Esthetics wise, yes I know this should be last on the list, I want something that will go with a white/black/red color scheme as I purchased a windowed panel for my Phantom case that this will be going into. If you guys say that the P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 is the be all end all motherboard for the 2600k, then I can start looking for deals on it this weekend.

 

[TheKurgan]

I am building a new gaming PC for a buddy of mine ($1,500 budget with monitor) and had a few quick questions.

- What is the best value 120mm case fan? Looking for a good balance between price/airflow and noise.
- Should I go Coolmaster 212+ EVO or pay a little more for a Corsair H60?
- What is the cheapest 750w powersupply that still has good build quality? Only going to be running a single video card so don't need a top of the line PS, but don't want a crappy one either.
- What size SDD do I need if I am only going to use it as a boot drive with minimal core programs installed on it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hazaro]

Building myself a new PC and going with the 6870, that's plenty for 1650x1050 resolution gaming isn't it with current releases? Then I can upgrade to something better in a couple of years if I want to be able to run new games on high again.

My previous PC had a 8800 which was still plenty good to play new releases but was getting dangerously close to having to turn everything to low on top end games. I'm amazed it was still able though after what, 5 years?

Should be set for a good while.

Supposedly the 2700k is from higgher binned chips which will make them easier to OC but the 2600k looks to almost have a cult following online right now. Not quite sure if the extra $ is worth it.

I like graphs and tables. Which is why I liked the OP. I was just looking to see what the next level up recommendation was for the board after P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 for the 2600k. For reqs, its pretty basic for now as I am still coming up to speed on the current state of hardware. I want it to be a gen3, onboard HDMI to hold me over for the next month or 2, and room for expansion for a second gpu and whatever other extra slots it can give me. Esthetics wise, yes I know this should be last on the list, I want something that will go with a white/black/red color scheme as I purchased a windowed panel for my Phantom case that this will be going into. If you guys say that the P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 is the be all end all motherboard for the 2600k, then I can start looking for deals on it this weekend.

Can't go wrong with 2600K and that mobo. 2700K is a touch nicer, but $50 for some extra clock speed beyond 4.5Ghz isn't too worth it. It's for benchers or stock users.

I am building a new gaming PC for a buddy of mine ($1,500 budget with monitor) and had a few quick questions.

- What is the best value 120mm case fan? Looking for a good balance between price/airflow and noise.
- Should I go Coolmaster 212+ EVO or pay a little more for a Corsair H60?
- What is the cheapest 750w powersupply that still has good build quality? Only going to be running a single video card so don't need a top of the line PS, but don't want a crappy one either.
- What size SDD do I need if I am only going to use it as a boot drive with minimal core programs installed on it.

Thanks in advance.

Cooler Master 120mm 4 pack or Yate Loons (Medium speed)
EVO
Corsair 750W
I'd go with 64GB as a minimum, you do want some free space on the drive so it can stay speedy. Especially since the 64GB M4 is $5 more than a 40GB Intel 320.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Here's an interesting opinion here on the 2700k from a google search:


So in my eyes, the 2700k being a higher binned just gives me better chances of clocking higher? While that does sound tempting as this rig will be on 24/7 I'm not sure if that extra $80 is worth it for that chance with ivy bridge about to be released.

Nope, not worth it. Just add more voltage and you'll get close to 5 Ghz.

 

[scogoth]

Nope, not worth it. Just add more voltage and you'll get close to 5 Ghz.

I say it is when your work is dependant on it. Always go the safer more stable route even if it means more money when it your livelyhood at stake. You would be royally pissed if your overclock BSODs halfway through a photoedit.