Windows 7: New PC Build - Advice on MOBO and PSU Options

Spidey1976 · 19 Apr 2012

As a second option:

Another very similar build using an overclocked i7-3930K (to 3.8ghz), an Asus P9X79 Pro mobo and losing the sound card takes the price to:
US$ 2,170

I've read reviews all over that put the 2700K close or just above the 3930K, but I'd stomach the extra $170 to keep a quality build.

Wrench97 · 20 Apr 2012

The 6 cores will really shine in HD video editing(with multi-thread supporting software), gaming not as much, same can be said of the quad channel ram config over dual channel

Spidey1976 · 22 Apr 2012

(image courtesy Tom's Hardware)

Corsair Carbide 400R
Core i7-3930K six-core overclocked slightly to 3.84 GHz
Asus P9X79 Pro motherboard
EVGA GeForce GTX580 1.5 GHz Superclocked
8GB (2gb x 4) Quad-Channel Corsair Vengence
Corsair Hydro Series H60 liquid cooling
Corsair Pro Series AX850 80+ Gold PSU
120GB Intel 520 Series SSD
LG 12x Blu Ray RW
Sony 24x DVD RW
Windows 7 Pro x64

~Thanks for all of your advice~
Spidey1976

Wrench97 · 23 Apr 2012

It'll be a beast

bobkn · 23 Apr 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Spidey1976

(image courtesy Tom's Hardware)

Corsair Carbide 400R
Core i7-3930K six-core overclocked slightly to 3.84 GHz
Asus P9X79 Pro motherboard
EVGA GeForce GTX580 1.5 GHz Superclocked
8GB (2gb x 4) Quad-Channel Corsair Vengence
Corsair Hydro Series H60 liquid cooling
Corsair Pro Series AX850 80+ Gold PSU
120GB Intel 520 Series SSD
LG 12x Blu Ray RW
Sony 24x DVD RW
Windows 7 Pro x64

~Thanks for all of your advice~
Spidey1976

Be sure not to pay more for a GTX580 than you would for a 2GB GTX680. The 680 is $500 at the moment, for the base model.

Is the H60 adequate for for an I7-3930k? (That's not a rhetorical question.) I'm using a Noctua NH-D14 (air), but it's the largest cooler I've ever used. Fits well on the P9X79 Pro, though.

Wrench97 · 23 Apr 2012

Depends on the OC, if used at stock clocks it'll be quieter then the stock heatsink.

Spidey1976 · 25 Apr 2012

just a simple OC of 20% by the builder with Intel's protection plan and a 3 year warranty. As far as the GPU... I really wanted to get the GTX-680, but it would have been + US$245. My main goal now was to go high on the mobo and processer... I can always upgrade components later.

bobkn · 25 Apr 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Spidey1976

just a simple OC of 20% by the builder with Intel's protection plan and a 3 year warranty. As far as the GPU... I really wanted to get the GTX-680, but it would have been + US$245. My main goal now was to go high on the mobo and processer... I can always upgrade components later.

You can get a GTX580 for $255? Very good.

Good cooling is essential for the 3930k, as some reviewers have noted. It throttles at relatively low core temperatures. With a Noctua NH-C12P SE14 (C type), it was hard to get above 4.2 GHz. With the NH-D14 (double tower, with add-on PWM fans), 4.8 Ghz is not a struggle. (Fan noise increases when the fans speed up, of course.) I haven't tried to push further.

Spidey1976 · 10 May 2012

Final build in current My System Specs link. Final price was US $2,170. It pulled a 7.8 WEI score. I may add a sound card down the road (looking at this Asus one right now around $60 Newegg.com - ASUS Xonar DSX 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Express x1 Interface Audio Card )
I could also double the RAM to 16GB for around $50 right now, but the PC has set me back a while. Thanks again for all the advice

Spidey

Wrench97 · 11 May 2012

Nice score, the extra ram may be over kill, use task manager to see your actual usage.

Windows 7: New PC Build - Advice on MOBO and PSU Options

New PC Build - Advice on MOBO and PSU Options problems?