New Build Advice

CKY_86 · #1 09-22-2011, 08:01 PM

Sorry to bring up another build thread. I'm considering making a new build in the near future and I'd like some advice on the componets I'm thinking of putting in there. Specifically if they would be the right ones to go for.

The build will be a Windows 7 64 system and the componets I'm thinking of are as follows:

Asus Rampage III Extreme X58 Socket 1366 8 Channel HD Audio ATX Motherboard
Corsair 12GB (3x4GB) DDR3 2000MHz Unbuffered, 9-10-9-27, XMS3
Intel Core i7 990X Socket 1366 3.46GHz 12MB Cache
Hitachi 3TB Deskstar 7K3000 3.5" Hard Drive SATA 6GB/s 7200RPM 64MB Cache
Gainward GTX 580 Phantom 3072MB GDDR5
Coolermaster Silent Pro Gold 1000W Modular PSU

Thanks in advance

Madfish · #2 09-22-2011, 08:44 PM

Mh, why a socket 1366? I personally think this socket is close to dead and the sandy bridge platform gets you a lot of bang for the buck.

12gb of ram? Do you need that much? I got 16 in my workstation but not for gaming. Everything beyond 8gb of ram is currently not beneficial in gaming, the opposite even, it slows down the system. Yes, I know it's because of triple channel but then again... 1366 isn't ideal anymore and sandy bridge (socket 1155) supports simple dual channel again.

I wouldn't go for the 3TB hard drive. Beyond 2TB they aren't as robust anymore currently and they're also not the best system drives. If you have the money to spend why not go for an SSD and 1 2TB data drive? Also keep in mind that if you got a disk that big you WANT a backup. 3TB of data loss will drive you nuts.

The graphics card is surely performant. I didn't check if it's an already overclocked model or not but if it is don't go for it. Pick a normal model and save the money, the additional 5% of perfomance aren't worth the extra money and you can OC it yourself if necessary (hardly likely).

Power supply is fine.

AndyJWest · #3 09-22-2011, 08:52 PM

Looks good to me. If you can afford it, I'd think about getting an SSD for the OS (and possibly CloD) to go on. A couple of other considerations are the case (with hindsight, I should probably have got a bigger one - my new system will be a little tight for space if I fit a second GPU, as I'd allowed for), and of course cooling - particularly if you are thinking of overclocking. As someone said, my CPU cooler (an Alpen Matterhorn) is almost the size of a VW engine block: but it does the job nicely: