Advice on a haswell system

casual_eze

casual_eze

casual_eze

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Hi guys,

i've decided to go for a haswell system once the CPUs/MBs are released in June and to try and spread the cost i'm picking up pieces as i go along starting today.
So far, I've decided on:

Case: Fractal Design Define R4
PSU: Corsair Builder 600W modular PSU

Now im thinking about the RAM but i have a couple of questions. Is DDR3 fine for haswell? Should i wait, will there be any new memory releases at the same time?

Also, whats the difference between 1600MHz/1866/2400/2800MHz memory. Ok its obvious there is a speed difference but is it worth it? What is the actual difference (i.e. extra FPS-doubt it, quicker loading times - possibly, better multitasking)?

I'm not building a super enthusiast system but just something good that will last a while and allow me to upgrade later.

Can you advise me on memory? I think 8GB is suitable and depending on what cooler i go for, im erring towards low profile as i see lots of comments telling people to be aware re fitting.

Please feel free to advise or chip in on anything related to this build. Im looking for guidance on everything!

Thanks guys
 
@smilertoo, yes this is a possibility but im thinking if something like that develops i would return for one with no whine or just swap to something else.

@yashiro, thereaperguy, appreciate the advice guys and i will consider it, however, if it was a case of having to spend money in dribs and drabs rather than big bang, do you have advice on the original questions in the thread?

Thanks
 
casual_eze said:
@smilertoo, yes this is a possibility but im thinking if something like that develops i would return for one with no whine or just swap to something else.

@yashiro, thereaperguy, appreciate the advice guys and i will consider it, however, if it was a case of having to spend money in dribs and drabs rather than big bang, do you have advice on the original questions in the thread?

Thanks
Click to expand...

DDR3 will be perfectly fine, 1600Mhz will do you good as well, anything faster isn't really needed. I know that trinity builds benefit from fast ram as they have a integrated GPU. 8GB of Samsung Green RAM will be best, it is very low profile meaning all CPU coolers will fit over it.

I'm upgrading when Haswell is released and I'll be looking at the following -

  • Intel i5 4670k 3.4Ghz
  • MSI 7950 (x2 maybe)
  • ASUS/Gigabyte 1150 Motherboard (Formula/Extreme)

I already have a Corsair 860W PSU (Seasonic Internals) but that PSU you specced will be fine for a single card, if you want a more preferred PSU get a 750W XFX which will allow you to SLI/X-Fire in the future.

Hope this helps. :D
 
OCuk stopped stocking Fractal case due to quality concerns (ie they were damaged more often than not).

YOUR BASKET
1 x Antec P280 Super Midi Tower Case - Gun Metal Black £99.95
1 x XFX 750W XXX Edition Modular '80 Plus Silver' Power Supply £83.99
Total : £198.04 (includes shipping : £11.75).



That's a fine case which is also sound proofed, the PSU is seasonic made and has enough power to run dual GPUs if you wanted to have that option.

In regards to RAM faster than 1600mhz doesn't make much odds on the 1155 socket. Once Haswell is released and benchmarked we will know more about it. In truth it largely comes down to price.

YOUR BASKET
1 x Patriot Viper "Black Mamba" Generation 3 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-15000C9 1866MHz Dual Channel Kit (PV38G186C9K) £49.99
1 x GeIL EVO Leggera 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit (GEL38GB1600C9DC) £47.99
Total : £106.68 (includes shipping : £7.25).



Ideally you want the CAS as low as possibubble (C9 is better than C11) but in the real world it doesn't make much odds. The mamba RAM kits OC quite well and it's also 1833Mhz whilst being priced very close (if not cheaper) than some 1600mhz kits. Get the fastest you can afford within reason as RAM comes with a limited lifetime warranty ;)
 
I made the mistake once of spreading the cost of components over a couple of months. When I built the rig the power supply was dead. OC would not replace it as it was outside the time limit. I ended up having to go through the manufacturer (Seasonic).

as others have said, save up and buy all at once.
 
Similar position to me OP. I want to buy parts now and parts next month so I can get on with it now. But tbh its best to wait and buy it all in one go and just save the money now :)
 
Some food for thought on your power supply choice process:

Quote:
One of the staples of Intel's upcoming Haswell processor architecture is its support for lower-power idle states that can rival tablet chips in power consumption, even on the desktop. However, that may come with a big caveat for budget and custom-built PCs: certain power supplies might not cut it. XXXXX claims that those idle states require as little as 0.05 amps of current, which could be too nuanced for older or cut-rate supplies that deliver power in bigger clumps. That might not be a problem for companies building complete PCs, but Corsair's Robert Pearce tells The Tech Report that it may lead to a lot of motherboard builders playing it safe by disabling those specific modes by default. Many of us, in turn, would either have to buy a fresh supply or toggle the power-saving options ourselves. We've reached out to Intel to verify the truth, but it may be wisest to make a cleaner break from the past with any near-term upgrades.
 
Those features, are just like speedstep / c1e right? I normally would have those off so.. should be okay for my old PSU hopefully.
 
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