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[Lambtron]

So I think I'm going to go visit a friend in a couple weeks, and while I'm there get parts for a new build at Micro Center.

Your Current Specs: Phenom II X3, Asus motherboard, 1 GB Radeon 5850, 4 GB RAM, 2 x old (2007) Samsung 500 GB hard drives.
Monitor Resolution: Looking to get a 1920 x 1080 monitor.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Would prefer 60fps, but I'm fine with 30 with high settings. The most intensive games I have a lot of interest in playing are probably Sleeping Dogs and Fary Cry 3.
Looking to reuse any parts?: I'll be re-using my case (Thermaltake Element S) and PSU (OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W). I'll likely leave the two hard drives in the case for extra storage.
When will you build?: Hopefully in two weeks (weekend of 2/8/13).
Will you be overclocking?: Probably.

Here's what I'm planning on buying:

CPU: Intel Core i5 3570K 3.4GHz LGA 1155 Processor
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus Universal CPU Cooler
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V LK LGA 1155 Z77 ATX Intel Motherboard
RAM: Kingston HyperX blu 8GB DDR3-1333 PC3-10600) CL9 D
GPU: Gigabyte GV-N66TOC-2GD NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2
SSD: Samsung 840-Series MZ-7TD120BW 120GB SATA 6.0Gb/s
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB IntelliPower SATA

Pretty standard build, I suppose. I know the 840 Pros are better, but they are $115 with the 840 at $79. Is it worth that much extra?

Is there a recommended 22" 1920 x 1080 monitor? I want something that's not going to be too laggy for gaming.

 

[mkenyon]

Looks good! 840 has a shorter life than the 840 pro. If they have Crucial M4s for about the same price, I'd grab one of those instead of the 840.

Recommended monitors are in the OP.

 

[kharma45]

On the topic of SSDs, I found the Kingston V300 to be a very good one (hence why I went for it) as I was stuck between it and the Crucial M4, and sort of the Samsung 840 too.

Really worth a look in my book.

 

[BlastProcessing]

So I think I'm going to go visit a friend in a couple weeks, and while I'm there get parts for a new build at Micro Center.

Your Current Specs: Phenom II X3, Asus motherboard, 1 GB Radeon 5850, 4 GB RAM, 2 x old (2007) Samsung 500 GB hard drives.
Monitor Resolution: Looking to get a 1920 x 1080 monitor.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Would prefer 60fps, but I'm fine with 30 with high settings. The most intensive games I have a lot of interest in playing are probably Sleeping Dogs and Fary Cry 3.
Looking to reuse any parts?: I'll be re-using my case (Thermaltake Element S) and PSU (OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W). I'll likely leave the two hard drives in the case for extra storage.
When will you build?: Hopefully in two weeks (weekend of 2/8/13).
Will you be overclocking?: Probably.

Here's what I'm planning on buying:

CPU: Intel Core i5 3570K 3.4GHz LGA 1155 Processor
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus Universal CPU Cooler
Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V LK LGA 1155 Z77 ATX Intel Motherboard
RAM: Kingston HyperX blu 8GB DDR3-1333 PC3-10600) CL9 D
GPU: Gigabyte GV-N66TOC-2GD NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2
SSD: Samsung 840-Series MZ-7TD120BW 120GB SATA 6.0Gb/s
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB IntelliPower SATA

Pretty standard build, I suppose. I know the 840 Pros are better, but they are $115 with the 840 at $79. Is it worth that much extra?

Is there a recommended 22" 1920 x 1080 monitor? I want something that's not going to be too laggy for gaming.

I think the 840 is unduly maligned. For light workloads (the type of use it would get as an OS/App drive) it puts up almost identical performance to the PRO. Its writes are slower than the pro but are still good in light loads.

The place the PRO performs better are in high load situations where you are writing and re-writing gigs of information, no question.

As to longevity, again, it only seems to be an issue for heavy workloads. For many users the 840 is a great deal.

 

[Koroviev]

I think the 840 is unduly maligned. For light workloads (the type of use it would get as an OS/App drive) it puts up almost identical performance to the PRO. Its writes are slower than the pro but are still good in light loads.

The place the PRO performs better are in high load situations where you are writing and re-writing gigs of information, no question.

As to longevity, again, it only seems to be an issue for heavy workloads. For many users the 840 is a great deal.

I agree. The only reason I upgraded to the Pro model is that I found a great deal on it.

Edit: Also, since my question seems to have been overlooked, is there any reason that the recommended cards go directly from the 7850 to the 7950/660ti? 660/7870 not worth considering?

 

[aristotle]

So I finally decided now is the time to upgrade my old PC. I don't want to break the bank and get the best for my money.

Current specs:

HP Pavilion a6419fh

Motherboard : ASUS P5LP-LE (Leonite2)
CPU : Pentium E2180
GPU : Zotac 9500 Geforce GT 1GB
Ram : 3 gb PC2-5300
Audio : Realtek ALC888S Audio
Disc drive: SuperMulti 16X DVD(+/-)R/RW 12X RAM (+/-)R DL LightScribe SATA drive
PSU : 300W power supply

Extras:
15-in-1 multimedia card reader

Parts to upgrade:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/A5BY

CPU : Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor
Motherboard : ASRock B75 PRO3 ATX LGA1155
Memory : G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Video Card : Zotac GeForce GTX 650 2GB Video Card
Power Supply : Antec 450W ATX12V Power Supply

Extra:
Monitor : Asus VS228H-P 21.5" Monitor


Will I have any issues with the video card being PCIe 3.0 with that cpu/MB combo? I saw one person on Newegg say it doesn't work, but I think he may have been mistaken but I don't know. I'll also be upgrading from Win8 32-bit to Win8 64-bit too. I haven't done an OS upgrade like that before so I'm hesitant about what I can and can't back up. I know the apps need to be reinstalled, but I assume any user profiles will be fine. I'll also need to get speakers since my current monitor (came with the HP) has them built in, but the monitor I have listed is on the last of my list.

I wanted to use my old case and the old sound card since it's not bad and the case has some extras built in. I figure I shouldn't have any issues putting all the new stuff in but it is a micro-ATX MB. Will I need a new case as well?

 

[Cute Dragon Here]

After some consideration, do you think I'll be able to get away with just a 60 GB/120 GB/128 GB SSD? I've read the price data sheets for retailers that are close to me, and... well, for SSDs, it ain't pretty. I guess I'll have to live with shuffling data out.

Or should I try to get my hands on the XT?

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I'm doing a second post so this deal doesn't get missed.

SEASONIC X-750 ON NEWEGG FOR $90

That is $100 off MSRP.

Promo code: EMCYTZT2857

Hell of a deal on the PSU. Paid slightly more for the x850 about 10 days ago.

 

[TronLight]

Anyone knows what could be causing getting interference on my monitor while playing a game?
Most noticeably with darker screens, actually since I restored my monitor to default settings (by mistake) it got worse, but maybe before it was that different settings were hiding this a bit(?).
I've googled a bit, it seems that it might be that the PC is too near the power outlet, and the cable non being well protected against it.
I tried to move the computer, but I can't move it too far away, now it's like 5cm away from the outlet (before it was basically on it), but I'm still getting interferences... So I've read about these "shielded" cable with ferrites cores, but mine already has two of them at both ends.
But, it's the cable that came bundled with the monitor, so maybe it's not so well protected?

I'm trying to understand the cause, if it's the gpu or the monitor I'll deal with it for now, if it's the cable I can try and replace it.

If it makes any difference, the monitor is a cheap plug-and-play 1080p LCD VGA-only ASUS, the gpu is a GTX570 (OC by the manufacturer (Gigabyte), and it doesn't really matter if it's doing 60° or 70°, I'm still getting the same interferences.

I hope someone can help me. :\

Edit: I'm also using a DVI-to-VGA adapter that came bundled with the VGA.

 

[mkenyon]

I think the 840 is unduly maligned. For light workloads (the type of use it would get as an OS/App drive) it puts up almost identical performance to the PRO. Its writes are slower than the pro but are still good in light loads.

The place the PRO performs better are in high load situations where you are writing and re-writing gigs of information, no question.

As to longevity, again, it only seems to be an issue for heavy workloads. For many users the 840 is a great deal.

3.5 year estimated lifespan is not good when there are other similarly priced SSDs without this issue. With SSD's, speed is a very low priority in terms of how we view value and consideration for the OP. It's all on reliability and longevity.

3.5 years is a really short amount of time. Storage can be transplanted between systems, so even if one were to do a refresh 2 years after buying their current system, there's a chance that the drive could fail sooner than that (if they are heavy on use) or during their second system.

We don't want to recommend someone buy a drive that has an estimated lifespan that is within the realistic length of use of the item. With this in mind, it's less "840 vs. 840 Pro", but "840 vs. 830, M4, or other reliable SSDs of similar value".

When it comes to speed of a drive, I think people should pretty much flat out ignore these specs unless you have a specific use for it. There's near zero real world difference in performance when it comes to varying SSD speeds. There's no perceivable difference to me even between RAID0 M4s and a last gen Corsair SSD.

 

[electricpirate]

I agree. The only reason I upgraded to the Pro model is that I found a great deal on it.

Edit: Also, since my question seems to have been overlooked, is there any reason that the recommended cards go directly from the 7850 to the 7950/660ti? 660/7870 not worth considering?

7870 LE (also called the XT, or powercolor calls it the "Myst" edition) Is a real beast for the price. It's a gimped 7950 instead of a pumped up 7870, and it's specs are closer to to the 7950 than the 7870.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...E16814131484&gclid=CO64oIHfi7UCFSmCQgodizsAEg

220 for that beast, and you can overclock it to perform like the 7950.

Thanks for patiently steering me to this card kharma45

 

[Coldsnap]

Anyone own the Phantom keyboard and can comment on if your able to lay on your back with the keyboard across your stomach and also use the mouse? Sorta odd but thats how i play my games on my HTPC, except with a controller...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00492C1DY/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Momentary]

Any news on the release dates of the Corsair 900D and K95? Are there any other videos of this case other than the one on its announcement page?

 

[Koroviev]

7870 LE (also called the XT, or powercolor calls it the "Myst" edition) Is a real beast for the price. It's a gimped 7950 instead of a pumped up 7870, and it's specs are closer to to the 7950 than the 7870.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...E16814131484&gclid=CO64oIHfi7UCFSmCQgodizsAEg

220 for that beast, and you can overclock it to perform like the 7950.

Thanks for patiently steering me to this card kharma45

Isn't PowerColor a brand to avoid because of bad RMA?

 

[Anbec7]

So NeoGAF a little help here..... I'm a noob on PC's but after seeing that some games are actually a lot better (and cheaper!) I want one....

but could you help me with this? I would want one if possible that can capture from other consoles

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009O7XGGA/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I saw this one and... I don't know if it's ok????

Thank you!

 

[kharma45]

Isn't PowerColor a brand to avoid because of bad RMA?

Sapphire do a version too if you prefer them

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWKYB1M/?tag=neogaf0e-20

So NeoGAF a little help here..... I'm a noob on PC's but after seeing that some games are actually a lot better (and cheaper!) I want one....

but could you help me with this? I would want one if possible that can capture from other consoles

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009O7XGGA/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I saw this one and... I don't know if it's ok????

Thank you!

No it's shit to be blunt, the FX 4100 isn't that great a CPU.

 

[Koroviev]

So NeoGAF a little help here..... I'm a noob on PC's but after seeing that some games are actually a lot better (and cheaper!) I want one....

but could you help me with this? I would want one if possible that can capture from other consoles

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009O7XGGA/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I saw this one and... I don't know if it's ok???? The

Thank you!

Build your own. Only way to guarantee yourself the quality you're paying for. Most pre built PCs are priced at a minimum of double their actual value.

 

[mkenyon]

If you can afford it, the Alienware X51 is a good value if you go for the i5/i7 during a discount.

Otherwise, building your own is the only way to go.

 

[infinityBCRT]

I have to say I love that the Samsung 840 exists. Picked up 2 250GB 840's on boxing day from newegg for my desktop and laptop (I think they were $160 a pop?). Now I'm enjoying Windows 8 + SSD bliss on both my desktop and laptop.

I was running a Corsair 80GB SSD on my desktop previously but it wasn't enough for Windows 8, even after installing *everything* to my secondary 1.5TB HDD and disabling the page file. Windows 8 booted in about 25-30 seconds on that drive as well. With the 840 it takes less than 10 seconds to boot up.

Before I got the 840, my laptop was running it's original install of windows 7 on a conventional 7200RPM HDD and it had become as slow as molasses. I'm good at managing crapware on my PC but it still took like 90 seconds to boot up and even when the PC was booted it still would be loading like mad. It also takes less than 10 seconds to boot now

 

[Koroviev]

If you can afford it, the Alienware X51 is a good value if you go for the i5/i7 during a discount.

Otherwise, building your own is the only way to go.

And there is no "I can't" in the era of YouTube videos and picture guides.

 

[mere_immortal]

OK so looks like the GHz edition of the 7970 is actually £40 more than I though, was looking at the regular Gigabyte 7970.

Should I switch back to the Asus 670?

 

[kharma45]

OK so looks like the GHz edition of the 7970 is actually £40 more than I though, was looking at the regular Gigabyte 7970.

Should I switch back to the Asus 670?

What price are you talking?

 

[Akai__]

Now, that I'm getting a good amount of money back from my insurance, I will start to build my PC:

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP7 EATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($399.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Samsung 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Shinobi XL Window (Black) ATX Full Tower Case ($159.99 @ Newegg) || will actually be black, PcPartPicker isn't listing the black one
GPU: Waiting for new announcements or for priece drops
PSU: Not sure, because I will also do watercooling and I don't know, how much power I will need
Total: $944.95

Will 8GB of RAM be enough for gaming, some After Effects and Sony Vegas work? It takes ages with my 4GB currently to render something.

I already own a Samsung 830(128 GB) and a BluRay Optical drive, but I don't know, if I will need the BluRay drive, because I don't use it anyway. I also own some Cougar Vortex HDB 120mm fans, which I will also use in the future, because they are very quite and they are looking cool.

Also, I would appreciate it, if somebody could recommend me good pumps, radiators (want to go with a 360mm and a 120mm radiator) for water cooling. If something won't work, please tell me. Thanks.

 

[mere_immortal]

What price are you talking?

670 is £300, 7970 is £340.

 

[Koroviev]

Sapphire do a version too if you prefer them

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWKYB1M/?tag=neogaf0e-20



No it's shit to be blunt, the FX 4100 isn't that great a CPU.

I'm actually a bit wary of any brand other than MSI or Gigabyte... EVGA RMA is fine, but I haven't heard good things about the cards relative to others. PNY also seems to be okay.

 

[infinityBCRT]

Now, that I'm getting a good amount of money back from my insurance, I will start to build my PC:

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP7 EATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($399.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Samsung 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Shinobi XL Window (Black) ATX Full Tower Case ($159.99 @ Newegg) || will actually be black, PcPartPicker isn't listing the black one
GPU: Waiting for new announcements or for priece drops
PSU: Not sure, because I will also do watercooling and I don't know, how much power I will need
Total: $944.95

Will 8GB of RAM be enough for gaming, some After Effects and Sony Vegas work? It takes ages with my 4GB currently to render something.

I already own a Samsung 830(128 GB) and a BluRay Optical drive, but I don't know, if I will need the BluRay drive, because I don't use it anyway. I also own some Cougar Vortex HDB 120mm fans, which I will also use in the future, because they are very quite and they are looking cool.

Also, I would appreciate it, if somebody could recommend me good pumps, radiators (want to go with a 360mm and a 120mm radiator) for water cooling. If something won't work, tell me. Thanks.

80GB wasn't nearly enough for windows 8, and that was with me doing crazy management and installing everything to my secondary hard drive and disabling certain things. 128GB will be enough (but you'll still have to micromanage). Why not try to go for something bigger?

I guess people are cautious about the Samsung 840 because its a new drive but I'm really happy with it so far (250GB version).

 

[Akai__]

80GB wasn't nearly enough for windows 8, and that was with me doing crazy management and installing everything to my secondary hard drive and disabling certain things. 128GB will be enough (but you'll still have to micromanage). Why not try to go for something bigger?

I guess people are cautious about the Samsung 840 because its a new drive but I'm really happy with it so far (250GB version).

I'm not sure, if you didn't catch it, but I already own a 128GB Samsung 830. If I buy a 2nd one, I would have 256GB.

And to answer your 2nd point. People are cautious, because the Samsung 840 has a less life time, then the 830 or the 840 Pro, because of the technology it uses. It's basically this way: 840 Pro > 830 > 840

 

[sorijealut]

Started off as a very budget rig but one thing led to another and it went a bit over budget

• i5 2500K that I got off eBay for £120 brand new, can't argue with that.
• Be Quiet Pure Power L8 430W Modular PSU
• Corsair 200R
• Kingston 120GB SSDNow V300 SSD
• Some 160GB Toshiba HDD that I have lying around from the PS3
• MSI 7770 that I won in a competition
• The 4GB version of these G.Skill Ripjaws that my brother is giving me
• ASRock Z75 Pro3 Motherboard
• Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO

Also got a set of homeplugs too.

Should be alright for the 1280x1024 monitor I've got lying around, it's only going to be a secondary gaming PC for my house at uni so didn't want to spend anything too big.
.

Ahh, a quick throw-together, then. Tasteful choices, as expected. I actually like that 200r.
That indirect front intake means quieter operation, eh? ho ho

I'm doing a second post so this deal doesn't get missed.

SEASONIC X-750 ON NEWEGG FOR $90

That is $100 off MSRP.

Promo code: EMCYTZT2857

That Seasonic X is the PSU of my dreams... It really does seem like a killer deal.

 

[Dynamic3]

Is there a de facto SSD speed test app? I may be crazy, but I feel like my 840 Pro is slower than my Vertex 2 (not very scientific, but I always used to be the first to load in Dota 2, now I'm usually the last or close to it).

 

[kennah]

Interesting ><

Good luck and hopefully it works.

Referring to post on last page.

So, what was in the box!?

A twin frozr 660! Finally the wind tunnel in my living room will be tamed.

 

[infinityBCRT]

I'm not sure, if you didn't catch it, but I already own a 128GB Samsung 830. If I buy a 2nd one, I would have 256GB.

And to answer your 2nd point. People are cautious, because the Samsung 840 has a less life time, then the 830 or the 840 Pro, because of the technology it uses. It's basically this way: 840 Pro > 830 > 840

So are you going to do a RAID configuration then? If so, then obviously you're good there . I saw that you already had an 830 but didn't know what the implication was.

As far as the 840 having less life, from what I've heard, its way more likely that another part of the SSD fails before the storage's life is exhausted. From the estimates I was reading, it would theoretically last something like 8-10 years even under (reasonably) heavy usage situations.

I guess the way the risk/reward thing played out in my mind is that usually I expect conventional HDD's to last for around 3 years before they start giving issues. So if this will last for at least 3 years, I don't really care if it's life is shortened down the road. Plus the way I backup my data (everything important is in the cloud), even if I have a catastrophic failure down the road its not a big deal because the only pain I have to go through is re-downloading all of my Steam games.

 

[garath]

I'm doing a second post so this deal doesn't get missed.

SEASONIC X-750 ON NEWEGG FOR $90

That is $100 off MSRP.

Promo code: EMCYTZT2857

If I had ANY need of a PSU right now I'd go for it. Modular would be wonderful but my PC Power and Cooling 750 I bought a few years ago is still kicking.

 

[kharma45]

I'm actually a bit wary of any brand other than MSI or Gigabyte... EVGA RMA is fine, but I haven't heard good things about the cards relative to others. PNY also seems to be okay.

Where are you located? This is for the UK at least but is a rough guide to the RMA service for us over here

Ahh, a quick throw-together, then. Tasteful choices, as expected. I actually like that 200r.
That indirect front intake means quieter operation, eh? ho ho

After I got the CPU sorted it was, took about 3 weeks to get a good deal on an i5 and the rest I sort of new what I was going to get from there on. Only things I really couldn't decide on was the PSU and the case.

Always so much easier to give advice than to actually take it yourself when building lol.

 

[mere_immortal]

Where are you located? This is for the UK at least but is a rough guide to the RMA service for us over here

After I got the CPU sorted it was, took about 3 weeks to get a good deal on an i5 and the rest I sort of new what I was going to get from there on. Only things I really couldn't decide on was the PSU and the case.

Always so much easier to give advice than to actually take it yourself when building lol.

Well I thought this was it too at first, but they also have this. Is the second not the GHz?

 

[kharma45]

Well I thought this was it too at first, but they also have this. Is the second not the GHz?

Yeah I arsed up, the GHz edition is the one at 1100MHz and the regular one is the one clocked 1GHz.

 

[mere_immortal]

Yeah I arsed up, the GHz edition is the one at 1100MHz and the regular one is the one clocked 1GHz.

Ah ok. Would you recommend sticking with the 670 then or is the extra 1gb vram worth the slight performance drop?

 

[Spongebob]

Is a CPU temperature of 80°C safe?

 

[sorijealut]

Is a CPU temperature of 80°C safe?

No! mine is around 39 Celcius

 

[mkenyon]

I guess people are cautious about the Samsung 840 because its a new drive but I'm really happy with it so far (250GB version).

As mentioned above, the type of flash cells they use are written to 3 times per cell rather than 2. This increases size without increasing price, but comes as a reduced lifespan. Anandtech puts them at about 3.5 years, which is ~half of the recommended SSDs in the OP.

Is there a de facto SSD speed test app? I may be crazy, but I feel like my 840 Pro is slower than my Vertex 2 (not very scientific, but I always used to be the first to load in Dota 2, now I'm usually the last or close to it).

Crystal Disk Mark I believe.

 

[kennah]

Is a CPU temperature of 80°C safe?

Depends on the processor, if it's overclocked and ambient room temp.

 

[mere_immortal]

As mentioned above, the type of flash cells they use are written to 3 times per cell rather than 2. This increases size without increasing price, but comes as a reduced lifespan. Anandtech puts them at about 3.5 years, which is ~half of the recommended SSDs in the OP.

Crucial M4 256gb still looks like the best overall unless I'm seeing that wrong.

 

[mkenyon]

It's what I use in most of my systems. More of a happenstance based on what was on super sale when I was ready to pick up a new one though. There's a number of other drives I wouldn't think twice about buying, like the Kingston Hyper 3K, or even the V300 based on Kharma's rec. Corsair Neutron GTX, from what I've been able to find, seems like a safe bet too.

I think SSD buying is ultimately about waiting a two week period in which one of the above drives will go on sale for $.60-.70 per gigabyte.

 

[minasodaboy]

Any recommendations for changes from this build?

3rd Gen Intel® Core i5 I5-3570k 3.4Ghz CPU
Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H Motherboard B75 Express (New)
Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB DDR3 1600Mhz DDR3 (8Gx2)
Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2.0 TB 3.5" HDD
Cooler Master Elite RC-350-KKR500-GP System Cabinet – Midtower - Black
LiteOn 24X iHAS124 DVD-Writer - Black - Internal Bulk
Asus PCE-N15 IEEE 802.11n (draft) PCI Express - Wi-Fi Adapter
WINDOWS 7 Home Prem 64 Bit 1PK License and Media – OEM
Full System Assemble with 24 Hour Burn In ($35.99)

Total Price $770

My thoughts are to knock down the RAM to 8GB and replace the 2TB HDD with an 128GB SDD.
This PC is primarily for Photo / Video editing and I plan on adding in an graphics card, more RAM and a media HDD at a later date online.

Is there any real benefit between Z77 vs. B75 in a motherboard? Keep in mind, I am trying to keep costs DOWN and benefits UP!

 

[Calibrated Chaos]

What's a decent upgrade from a XFX Radeon 5770 without breaking the band*? Looking to spend under $200 (closer to $100 if possible)

Edit: Breaking the bank* The band is already on indefinite hiatus citing irreconcilable creative differences

 

[Damian.]

Is a CPU temperature of 80°C safe?

It's not recommended, but if that is 100% load after some time has passed then it shouldn't cause a problem. My 2600k @ 4.7 gets to 79-81c after several hours of encoding in Handbrake if my room is warm.

 

[Zeth]

Anyone familiar with the Asus VE monitors? I got a VE24H because it was the closest to what I was looking for at the time at a brick and mortar Microcenter when I was building my rig, but now I'm realizing it's never really brought up in monitor discussions. It's a 1080P LED backlit panel. Anyone else use one?

First upgrade will be an SSD. I'm aiming for a 250GB. Is $230 a lot to spend on one? My Microcenter has the 840 Pro in stock but I'm not sure I even need the pro if it's mainly for games. Should I just go with an M4 or 840 and save some money? edit: read SSD discussion earlier on this page

 

[mere_immortal]

Oh man choosing a video card is hard. Seen the EVGA 670 FTW Signature 2 at less than the Asus 670 and it seems to outperform it ever so slightly too.

 

[kharma45]

What's a decent upgrade from a XFX Radeon 5770 without breaking the band*? Looking to spend under $200 (closer to $100 if possible)

Edit: Breaking the bank* The band is already on indefinite hiatus citing irreconcilable creative differences

7850 would be your best bang for buck for under $200.

 

[M.Bluth]

Is the 3GB version of the GTX660ti worth considering over the 2GB?

I'm looking at them on NewEgg, and the price difference isn't that big, so is it better at 1080p, or is it just needless..?

 

[mkenyon]

Any recommendations for changes from this build?

3rd Gen Intel® Core i5 I5-3570k 3.4Ghz CPU
Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H Motherboard B75 Express (New)
Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB DDR3 1600Mhz DDR3 (8Gx2)
Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2.0 TB 3.5" HDD
Cooler Master Elite RC-350-KKR500-GP System Cabinet – Midtower - Black
LiteOn 24X iHAS124 DVD-Writer - Black - Internal Bulk
Asus PCE-N15 IEEE 802.11n (draft) PCI Express - Wi-Fi Adapter
WINDOWS 7 Home Prem 64 Bit 1PK License and Media – OEM
Full System Assemble with 24 Hour Burn In ($35.99)

Total Price $770

My thoughts are to knock down the RAM to 8GB and replace the 2TB HDD with an 128GB SDD.
This PC is primarily for Photo / Video editing and I plan on adding in an graphics card, more RAM and a media HDD at a later date online.

Is there any real benefit between Z77 vs. B75 in a motherboard? Keep in mind, I am trying to keep costs DOWN and benefits UP!

Can't overclock on B75.

You might consider an FX-8350 if this is indeed mostly for multimedia tasks. It's a ways behind the i5 in games though.

Oh man choosing a video card is hard. Seen the EVGA 670 FTW Signature 2 at less than the Asus 670 and it seems to outperform it ever so slightly too.

Looks like that cooler performs pretty well.

An overclock like that is easy to achieve with any 670, though.