First computer build in a LONG time

[unclepauly28]

Hi all,

I, like many others here, am new at the forum. The last computer I built was so long ago the only part I remember was adding an 8088 math coprocessor. Now I was considering at first to build with the i7 990x processor but I am hearing more and more about the i7-2600K as a good option for a high end machine (like from Ricky Tick's list on this forum). I am wanting to future proof my build as much as possible hence the 1500W power supply. I want the group's opinion about 2 things. First should I go ahead and spend the extra money and go with the 990x or stay with the 2600K. Second, what is your opinion of the three video card options I've listed. The first column of totals is for the 2600K and the second for the 990x respectively for each video card option. And finally a question. Take the Asus P8P67 DELUXE motherboard. It has 3 DIMM slots and is listed to handle a total of 32 GB of RAM. The problem is I haven't found any supplier that has single 8GB sticks, only 4 GB which will give me only a total of 16GB. What's the answer? Thanks in advance for your help.

CASE Coolermaster HAF X
PSU Thermaltake Toughpower W0171 1500
MOTHERBOARD Asus P8P67 DELUXE Asus Rampage III Extreme
CPU Core i7-2600K Intel i7 990x
CPU Cooler Corsair CWCH50-1 Liquid Cooler
RAM Corsair XMS3 16 GB : 4 x 4 GB Memory - DIMM 240-pin - 1600 MHz ( PC3-12800 )
VIDEO 1 nVidia GTX 590
VIDEO 2 nVidia GTX 580
VIDEO 3 nVidia GTX 570
HDD Western Digital Black Caviar WD2002FAEX x 2 (1 os 1 DATA)
OPTICAL DRIVE LG GH22NS50 x 2
SOUND Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD
TOTAL 1 $2,839.35 $3,680.35
TOTAL 2 $2,639.35 $3,480.35
TOTAL 3 $2,489.35 $3,330.35

[zburns]

unclepauly28, welcome to the forums!

Curious as to what made you pick a 1500 watt psu. The 590 card 'system requirements' call for 700 watts total -- for one card being used plus either cpu, and, to add a little 'headroom' -- I would tend to think in terms of 1000 watts max. Technically, if you talked to several people at Invida about system requirements, the 590 plus the rest of the system would probably run fine on a 750 watt psu -- but if that is the so called 'system req' via the design engineers, it is probably the minimum system req, and therefore, I would opt for more than 700 or even 750 watts. Here is the link to Nvidia gforce 590 'system requirements' (go to bottom of page, Thermal and Power Specs): http://www.geforce.com/#/Hardware/GPUs/geforce-gtx-590/specifications

If you were planning on going to two 590s, then 1200 watts would suffice. There is such a thing as oversizing a psu. The 1500 watt psu you selected is 'probably' two 750 watt units operating in parallel, I think, for a total of 1500 watts - see this review: http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/power_supply/thermaltake_toughpower_1500w_w0171_atx_psu/1 . If you go to the review, look at the bottom of the first page for comments on the configuration of the four +12 volt rails. The two rails V1 and V4 are identical in output to V2 and V3. Probably, the design of this psu MAY look and act like a dual 750 watt psu; meaning initially how the +12 volt rails are used you could have two +12 volt rails running your entire new computer. Two rails may not be used and that would be your choice. It is also possible that you could use two rails for 'most' of the computer's wattage supply (good idea), and, accidentially, use one of the other rails for a very low current component (and this is not a good idea).

Your comment regards RAM and trying to find 8 GB sticks is correct -- hard to find. Also, you have four slots, dual channel operation, therefore 4 sticks required for max RAM capability. Here is a link from your Asus mobo webpage under 'Memory Support' that I think answers your RAM question: http://uk.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8P67_DELUXE/#MSL

Here is one review on the i7 990x but I would suggest you read all that you can find: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/pc-components/processors/intel-core-i7-990x-extreme-939516/review . You need to know for a fact that if you build around a six core cpu, that, in fact, six cores will be efficiently used for at least the programs or apps that led you to settle on a six core cpu. Assuming you can use a six core efficiently, then 'how much RAM is required to feed it' now becomes an issue. (Both cpus, I think, are hyperthreaded, so theoretically you are 'using' 8 cores with the 2600 (4 actual, 4 virtual) and 12 with the 990x (6 & 6).

Regards future proofing, I am not so sure if it really exists. Intel has shown that new and significant technology can come along very fast -- nothing sits still with this stuff. My dual core AMD is now right at 3 years old; I will soon do a new build with the Sandy Bridge i7-2600k but with a huge photoshop capability -- but I assume in three or four years, I will want to do again because of tech advances.

Back to the PSU at 1500 watts. That is an interesting psu design for the +12 volt rails; it really seems like two 750 watt psus, sort of 'one for now', 'one for the future'. I will read other reviews on it. In general - the whole build - you are planning to spend a lot of dollars, you need to be certain of the end results. I will have some more comments. I hope others comment also!!

[RickyTick]

First of all, the psu is way overkill.

What are you using the computer for that requires a 990X and 32 gb of ram?

Consider a i7-970 (which is still a true Gulftown cpu), and maybe 12gb of ram, then run 2 GTX580's in SLI or 2 HD6970's in Crossfire.

[zburns]

If you are running a math application that literally takes tons of calculations per unit time, then the system requirements for that software should say something about RAM requirements based on a particular quad core or more (6 core). In addition, specifications on that kind of software should say something about the number of cores (actual and virtual) that the software is designed to use.

The more cores - actual and virtual - that can be used by a particular application will determine how much RAM is required just for that app. If the software app uses only 4 cores, a certain amt of RAM would be required. If the software uses 8 cores, then more RAM required (maybe close to 50% more). If the same software app was running on 12 cores and no more RAM was added (compared to the 8 core just mentioned), then the cpu cores would be idle some of the time. But system requirements for application software that would use these number of cores would clearly spell out the amount of RAM required at each stepping up in cpu cores.

I have said the same thing multiple ways. 32 Gig of RAM is enormus. For example, there is one application in Photoshop that can use that much so it is possible to need it. But unless the application software specifies very high levels of RAM, you have no need for it.

[unclepauly28]

I am wanting to build a high end gaming computer with as much future proof components as is feasible at this time. That is why I was ponder over which CPU to use and to get as much headroom, as zburns indicated, as possible on both fronts. As far as the RAM question I was just curious about the lack of availability of 8GB sticks. Got to go to work now. Thanks for the input and I'll post more later.

[unclepauly28]

Well after much consideration and research on this forum and others here is the build I have decided on.

CASE Coolermaster HAF X $179.00
PSU Corsair Professional Series Gold High-Performance 1200-Watt Power Supply CMPSU-1200AX $280.00
MOTHERBOARD Asus P8P67 DELUXE $224.00
CPU Core i7-2600K $315.00
CPU Cooler Corsair CWCH50-1 Liquid Cooler $70.00
RAM Corsair XMS3 16 GB : 4 x 4 GB Memory - DIMM 240-pin - 1600 MHz ( PC3-12800 ) $180.00
VIDEO MSI GTX580 Lightning Xtreme Edition (when available) $600.00
HDD Western Digital Black Caviar WD2002FAEX x 2 $160.00ea (1 os 1 DATA) $320.00
OPTICAL DRIVE LG GH22NS50 x 2 $20 ea $40.00
SOUND Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD $180.00
TOTAL $2,388.00

The only things I have not settled 100% are the following.

OCZ RevoDrive X2 OCZSSDPX-1RVDX0480 PCI-E 480GB PCI-Express x4 MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) $1,350.00
LiteOn iHBS212 - BD-RE drive $122.00

All that I have read about the OCZ PCI-E SSD have been positive. Yes it is very expensive but the cost to performance consideration seems to be worth it. The other issue is whether to go ahead and jump on the blu ray band wagon right now or not. The one listed is a burner. It has gotten overall the most consistently positive user reviews of any blu ray burner available. Any thoughts or recommendations?

[RickyTick]

For a cpu cooler, I would suggest the Corsair H60 or the Antec Kuhler 620.

[zburns]

unclepaulty: I could not match up your memory with the memory support list on the Asus Motherboard web page. I would suggest you give it a try, come up with a particular Corsair cat # for 4 x 4 gig or 2 x 8 gig OR both, and let us look at the choice.

Okay, I am going to leave the above statement alone. I went back and looked at the Asus Memory support lists. The cat # unclepaulty lists is not on the Asus lists. What surprises me is several things (1) I can find no date on the lists (2) I find mostly RAM sticks for 2 gig each. Since this mobo has 4 slots for 32 gig max, 2 gig 'sort of' does not cut it. In addition to this I see multiple statements like the following (direct copy from the Asus page): "The above QVL is for the DDR3 1800MHz memory module. Due to CPU behavior, DDR3 1800MHz memory module will run at DDR3 1600 MHz frequency.." The other troubling ommission is the lack of reasonable number of 4 gig sticks in these lists -- there are a couple, not many. For example, only 2 gig sticks for Corsair. --- this supports my thoughts that the data is old.

The above does not make sense; it is like it is 2009 or early 2010 data or just not updated to current data. The easiest thing to do is to get Asus Tech Support USA to answer these questions above. By publishing Memory Support Lists, Asus (and others) should keep them current PROVIDED it is important that memory be chosen from such a list. If it does not matter, then Asus (and others) should say so!

Another point about the statement above: "The above QVL is for the DDR3 1800MHz memory module. Due to CPU behavior, DDR3 1800MHz memory module will run at DDR3 1600 MHz frequency.." One likes to know what is going on with your computer, particularly if you build it! Statements like the quote, if important, should be known to the owner or builder. It is important information that should be known; it is part of the 'specifications' for the computer.

EDIT about 7:30 pm. Figured out some of the above. The LGA socket 1155 was introduced in 1st quarter 2011. The Asus mobo in question had to be developed and introduced sort of parallel to Sandy Bridge and socket LGA 1155. So if the memory data is old, the date range we are talking about is late 2010 coming forward. Maybe some of the explanation for 2 gig sticks being the bulk of sticks Asus claims compatibility with is that they are the 'early products' to marry up with the new intel cpus and the new mobos with socket 1155. The higher gig sticks coming later in 2011, meaning, the Asus is not up to date.

[unclepauly28]

Rick, a question. I noticed on your rig you list the Corsair H50 cooler. Are you not happy with it and if so why. Thanks for the suggestion. And zburns thanks for all the information. I believe I got the information on my choice of RAM from a recommended combination purchase either on newegg for another forum like overclockers3d. I will definitely follow your advice and consult with Asus directly before I buy my RAM.

Thanks for your help, Paul

[RickyTick]

I bought the H50 before the H60 was available. The H60 is said to have a newer/better design and is also compatible with Intel LGA1155. Reviews I've read have rated the Antec Kuhler 620 as a better product. I don't think you'll be disappointed either way.