New PC Specs

xy16644

xy16644

xy16644

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I want to build myself a new desktop computer. I currently use a laptop but its almost 4 years old and I miss desktop performance!

I'll be using the new machine for internet browsing, email, watching BluRay 1080p movies, HD YouTube videos and possibly running a couple virtual machines with VMWare or VirtualBox. I'm a total speed junkie and since I have waited so long to build a new machine, I am willing to spend more on it.

Here are the specs so far:

Case: Fractal Design Define R3 Black Pearl Mid-Tower USB 3.0
CPU: Intel CPU Core i7 3770K Quad Core IvyBridge Processor Retail
Mobo: Asus P8Z77-V DELUXE Intel Z77 Socket 1155 Ivybridge Ready
RAM: Corsair Memory Dominator Platinum 16GB DDR3 1600 MHz
Boot drive: OCZ RevoDrive3 120GB PCI-E SSD
Data drive: Western Digital 2TB Caviar Black WD2002FAEX Hard Drive
PSU: Corsair CMPSU-850AXUK Professional Series Gold AX 850W
Monitor: Dell 27" IPS Monitor A12 U2711 IPS Monitor
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14-2011

How does this look? Is all the above mentioned hardware compatible? I was also thinking of replacing the included case fans with Noctuas too. I like a quiet machine!

Will the motherboard (with RAM) and the (giant) CPU cooler physically fit in the case?

I'll be running Windows 7 Professional 64bit.

You'll notice I have not included a video card. I thought I would use the built in (Intel HD 4000 displayport) as I don't ever play games (or plan to). Later on I may add a second or third monitor and maybe some more drives for data.

I already have the BluRay drive (LG).

Am I on the right track? Quite excited about this :D
 
Aaaah, thanks for that re the CPU cooler! Can you recommend any low profile RAM for my specs that'll work with the Noctua CPU cooler?

I am aware of the resolution limitations of using HDMI for the second monitor. I thought I may just get a cheapish video card for the 2nd and 3rd monitor so I could get the full resolution of the U2711 with Displayport.
 
Those do look low profile! I'd rather go for 2x8GB modules if possible so I have the option of adding more RAM in the future. Are there low profile 8GB modules?
 
The Corsair XMS3 16GB looks perfect, thank you!

Am I going to be ok with everything fitting in the case with the CPU cooler? How many Noctua case fans should I purchase for this setup? Should I just replace the included fans or add a couple more?

I assume for what I am using the machine for that the HD 4000 built in graphics will be more than enough? How much video RAM does the HD4000 use? I'll be running the monitor in the maximum resolution in Windows (no games at all).

Thanks for all the help, really helpful.
 
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I thought the PSU was a tad overkill but I may add more hard drives later on and possibly another video card to support 3 monitors.

I definitely don't want to cram as many fans as possible into the R3 case. I'm more interested in what is the minimum recommended amount of fans I should run with the CPU and hard drives I'll have in the case. Less is better as it makes the machine quieter and I like quiet machines!

I did consider the M4 256GB SSD (or an OWC) but the RevoDrive is hard to resist when I look at the speeds you get from it!
 
Just had a look at the Corsair Obsidian 550D Quiet Midi Tower Case. Damn, that does look nice. Am going to have to read up a bit about this case! The R3 takes 10 3.5" drives though.
 
Thank you re the PSU. I want everything about this case to be quiet ;-)

I think I'll replace the included case fans (two I believe) with 120 or 140mm Noctua fans. Hopefully that will mean a really quiet case!
 
olivier renault said:
Or Bitfenix Spectre Pro, BeQuiet SilentWing, Akasa Apache. Lots of good fans around.
Click to expand...

Thanks for mentioning these brands, I'd never heard of any of them :p

Its certainly made me rethink my choice of parts. I have now changed the following:

PSU: BeQuiet BN203 DARK POWER PRO 10 850W Power Supply
CPU Cooler: Be Quiet BK017 Dark Rock Pro 2
Case fans (replacing the included fans with the R3): Be Quiet BL063 SilentWings 2

I really like Noctua but can't stand the colour of their stuff. The BeQuiet products look amazing and more importantly, from what I have read are VERY quiet.

Am I making a good change here?
 
Cagerty said:
No problem :)

As with the above advice though, I would still recommend you save some money and go for the AX 650w, as it should be able to handle a GPU and any HDDs you add in the future.

Re the fans you could always try Sharkoon Silent Eagles or Gelid Silent 12's
Click to expand...

You've got me thinking of changing from a 850W PSU to a 750W maybe. I need to check out some PSU calculators I think just to make sure.
 
Thanks for all your comments Olivier and everyone else!

After reading about the BeQuiet PSU I am definitely going to get one! Thanks for the advice re the wattage PSU I need. You've really go me thinking now. There isn't much price difference though betweek 750W and 850W. Silly question but, will a 850W use more power than a 650W PSU when idle during the day?

Will the Be Quiet BK017 Dark Rock Pro 2 CPU cooler fit in the R3 case? You mentioned it being a taller cooler.

You also mentioned that the Be Quiet BL063 SilentWings 2 have unconventional mounting mechanisms. Will this be a problem with the R3?

After reading up about the Corsair Obsidian 550D case I am now undecided about the case! The R3 looks amazing and takes two more 3.5" drivers but the Corsair case seems like a more solid/quality case. Can anyone help me decide between the two? They both get very good reviews online.
 
The nice thing about going for the 850W is that it gives me plenty of room to grow into and its not that much more expensive.

I have compared the Noctua and Be Quiet specs of the CPU coolers and I see the Dark Rock Pro 2 is 6mm higher than the Noctua NH-D14. I have emailed Be Quiet asking them if this will be an issue with fitting their cooler in the R3 case.

Still can't decide between the R3 and the 550D case...hmmm. Tough one. On the "TimeToLiveCustoms" Youtube channel he gives the 550D his gold award. I couldn't find a review by him though for the R3. Pity.
 
I've been doing some more reading up on the OCZ RevoDrive3 120GB PCI-E SSD. From what I understand its not the best choice for home users especially if you don't use compressed files.

So it got me thinking. Would it be better to get two SSD drives and configure them in RAID 0? Two OCZ Technology 128GB Vertex 4 or Crucial RealSSD M4 128GB drives are still cheaper than the RevoDrive3! Before anyone lectures me on the risk of running RAID 0, I get it, if one drive fails I lose everything. Not really a problem as I'll be imaging the machine shortly after its built and regularly after that.

So is two SSDs in RAID 0 a better choice than one RevoDrive3? And if it is a good idea...OCZ or Crucial drives? OCZ Vertex 4 seem waaaay faster than the Crucial M4. I have had a Vertex 2 for 18mths and have been really happy with it.
 
I like that Samsung SSD drive. I also like the OWC drives from what I have read (very fast but pricey).

Choices choices. RevoDrive 3 or Samsung/OWC SSD...hmmm.
 
After much research and reading of reviews I have finally decided on the following hardware for my new desktop build:

Case: Corsair Obsidian 550D Black Mid-Tower
CPU Intel CPU Core i7 3770K Quad Core IvyBridge Processor OEM
Mobo: Asus P8Z77-V DELUXE Intel Z77 Socket 1155 Ivybridge Ready
RAM: 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair DDR3 XMS3 (1600)
Boot drive: OCZ Technology 256GB Vertex 4
Data drive: Western Digital 2TB Caviar Black WD2002FAEX Hard Drive
PSU: BeQuiet BN203 DARK POWER PRO 10 850W Power Supply
Monitor: Dell 27" IPS Monitor A12 U2711 IPS Monitor
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 Dual Radiator and Fan Quiet CPU Cooler
Case fans: Be Quiet BL063 SilentWings 2 (3 of these)
Keyboard: Logitech Illuminated Multimedia Keyboard
Mouse: Logitech Corded Mouse M500
UPS: APC Back UPS ES8 Power Saving Outlet 700VA

How does the above look?

The only questions/thoughts I have on this build are:

1) Will the UPS I have selected be ok for this kind of setup? I only need enough battery time to have the machine shutdown properly in the event of a power failure. I also want the UPS to protect my machine from power surges etc.

2) Since I am not running any video card, I thought running two case fans in the front and one in the rear should be enough? Or should I only worry with one case fan in the front of the case?

3) I'm hoping this machine (once built) will be very VERY quiet considering the parts I have selected?

4) Can anyone recommend a passive/quiet video card that I could consider for when I want to run with two or three 27" monitors running at maximum resolution? I won't be playing any games...just using it to extend my desktop.

Many thanks to all for your input and comments regarding this build. You have all been so helpful and I greatly appreciate it!
 
olivier renault said:
1) No idea about UPS.

2) I wouldn't even worry about custom fans, but you seem dead set on them. In any case, Two front sounds reasonable. One will do it, but optimally, one for the drive bays at the bottom, and one for the system air flow above, removing the top drive bay since you shouldn't need it. And one at the back of course.

3) Yes. Use the adapter on the Noctua to run the fans at 7 volts (it's provided with the cooler).

4) Dunno really. Would probably be some AMD 6xxx series. They will run triple display on the DVI-D, DVI-I and displayport, so if your monitor doesn't have a DisplayPort connector, you will need an active HDMI->DisplayPort dongle. Sapphire makes FLEX cards, which basically allows you to run 3 monitors on almost any ports.

AFAIK the only NVIDIA cards supporting Nvidia Surround (that would allow triple displays) at the moment are the 670's and 680's. Else you will need to SLI them. These use the digital connectors (DVI-D, DVI-I, and HDMI).
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The only reason I want the custom case fans is that I'm sure I read somewhere that the fans the case ships with are a bit noisy. Or it might have been the R3...getting confused now! Either way, I like a super quiet machine!

Speaking of fans. Is it worth even worrying about a fan controller with the Noctua CPU cooler and BeQuiet case fans?

I assume the video card will need a Displayport to be able to run the monitor(s) in its maximum resolution? HDMI doesn't seem suitable for this?
 
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