Another new PC builder

[Erik005]

For the video card I would recommend a version with the asus DC2 cooler, they come on top in every review.

 

This is one of the best 7970's

http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/radeon-hd-7970-royalking.html

I don't know if it is available in the USA though.

 

EVGA doesn't have a lot of interesting cards although they offer good warranty but I personally don't keep graphics card for 10 or even 5 years.

Edited July 15, 2012 by Erik005

[Martindn]

I am too in the process of building a new pc, with a budget of £1500 in order to play Rome total war 2 among other games right now. No point starting a new thread, so i thought i would get advice from people who know more than me.

 

I have built one other pc in the past with my dad, well when i say build i mostly just watched. This time i will be solo and have a vague idea of what i will need, and an idea of what to do. Mostly what i need from you guys is parts suggestions. I really dont want to be building another for a few years yet so i want the best of what i can get right now with the budget. Here is what ive come up with so far;

 

Intel core i7-3930K

GeForce GTX 680

Asus P9X79 PRO Motherboard

Corsair 16GB 1600MHz

CoolerMaster Silent Pro M1000

 

I have just over £300 left, any suggestions for hard drive? Cooling? Also im not sure what cables come with these products so is it best to buy them aswell? Case?

 

Thanks for any advice.

[FMod]

Here is what ive come up with so far;

Intel core i7-3930K

Asus P9X79 PRO Motherboard

Not worth it. Games just plain don't use the extra two cores, so you'll save a fair bit by sticking with 3570K and Z77, with no loss of performance.

 

Check my post on page 1 for other component selections. There's a lot of things to put that money towards.

 

 

Corsair 16GB 1600MHz

CoolerMaster Silent Pro M1000

Samsung RAM is better.

For PSU, take Corsair HX650V2, it should be better built and has well enough power. Or AX850 if you really want the best for the sake of it alone.

 

 

I have just over £300 left, any suggestions for hard drive? Cooling? Also im not sure what cables come with these products so is it best to buy them aswell? Case?

A lot like my previous suggestions:

Cooling - Thermalright Macho HR-02 or NZXT Havik 140

Drive - Crucial m4 256GB for OS and games and WD Green or Samsung 2TB HDD for video, storage, etc

Case - Antec P280 or Fractal Design XL

There are some other good cases on the market, but they're not as quiet.

 

All cables come bundled and work just fine, no need to buy any.

 

Also, X-Fi Titanium sound card - if you have or plan on buying any decent speakers.

See for other peripherals.

[hoofhearted4]

quietest cases right now are the Corsair 550D and the new Fractal Design Define R4 (successor to the immensely successful R3)

 

i myself will be comparing the two for whenever i build my PC (havent seen the full reviews on the R4, just know that they have been good)

[FMod]

quietest cases right now are the Corsair 550D and the new Fractal Design Define R4 (successor to the immensely successful R3)

Antec cases have a considerable edge in cooling. When your primary source of noise is GPU cooling with a high-end card, you want a spacious case with good cooling and low noise, not just an almost entirely sealed box. For that, the only competition to Antecs is the Fractal XL, but even that's lagging behind.

[hoofhearted4]

both the 550D and the R3 (and im sure R4) all get good enough air flow. they are only a few degrees hotter then cases designed for airflow. id rather have a few degrees hotter in my case (which is irrelevant in any case) and have absolute silence, then anything else.

 

there isnt an Antec case out there that i like look wise. i love the smooth simple looks of the Corsair case and the Fractal cases. even when i was looking at cases before i decided i wanted silence, i never considered an Antec case. even the ones i could get by on looks, had something about them that i wouldnt like. sometimes something big, sometimes only a minor detail. but in the end, an Antec case was never one i was considering.

Edited July 21, 2012 by hoofhearted4

[Erik005]

I've seen several reviews of the new r4 and it's just stunning.

 

The case to buy right now.

Edited July 21, 2012 by Erik005

[FMod]

both the 550D and the R3 (and im sure R4) all get good enough air flow. they are only a few degrees hotter then cases designed for airflow. id rather have a few degrees hotter in my case (which is irrelevant in any case) and have absolute silence, then anything else.

Well, first, you don't get absolute silence either way. Second, it's not like Antecs are anything but quiet - their P180 is actually the case that other makers copied in design and styling (in Fractal's case particularly closely).

 

Some cases like Define R3 win a little in absolute noise level with loud parts inside, but they do so by closing off vents that are permanently open in Antecs. My preference goes with Antec's balance of noise/airflow, where you have a very quiet case, but always with cooling headroom.

Plus, if you need the ultimate in silence, you can always stick some foam or car soundproofing on the inside of P183's/P280's walls or close off the vents with fabric filters yourself. You can't turn the walls of other cases into three-ply panels, mimic the internal structure, cut out vents that aren't there (well, you can, but only technically).

 

And with Fractal, for a high performance system, it's probably better to go with XL anyway, not R3 or even R4.

[hoofhearted4]

both the 550D and the R3 (and im sure R4) all get good enough air flow. they are only a few degrees hotter then cases designed for airflow. id rather have a few degrees hotter in my case (which is irrelevant in any case) and have absolute silence, then anything else.

Well, first, you don't get absolute silence either way. Second, it's not like Antecs are anything but quiet - their P180 is actually the case that other makers copied in design and styling (in Fractal's case particularly closely).

 

Some cases like Define R3 win a little in absolute noise level with loud parts inside, but they do so by closing off vents that are permanently open in Antecs. My preference goes with Antec's balance of noise/airflow, where you have a very quiet case, but always with cooling headroom.

Plus, if you need the ultimate in silence, you can always stick some foam or car soundproofing on the inside of P183's/P280's walls or close off the vents with fabric filters yourself. You can't turn the walls of other cases into three-ply panels, mimic the internal structure, cut out vents that aren't there (well, you can, but only technically).

 

And with Fractal, for a high performance system, it's probably better to go with XL anyway, not R3 or even R4.

 

and thats all your opinion. as i said, i spent months looking at cases, and never once, did any Antec case catch my eye. but i didnt create this thread, so you dont need to try to convince me of which case is better, as i already know which i would choose. i was just threw out the names of two (three if you count the R4) cases that are basically the top cases when it comes to silence.

[FMod]

I'm just saying there's no reason at all to suddenly dismiss Antec cases. Objectively, i.e. in terms of a combination of acoustic and thermal performance, they're no less competitive.