Advice on my first build

[Jvonvon]

Hello All,

I am looking at building my first computer. I live in Australia and am looking at sourcing the parts from Umart online (Local Store).
Reasons/ purpose for the build are:
Work - AutoCAD/ 12D
Gaming (new to gaming - light use) - Assassins 3, Starcraft II, GTA 5 etc
Quiet, reliable and future proof (lasting 4-5years)
I would like to learn about overclocking with my new system but have previously no experience. May use SLI if software is demanding on new GPU.

Budget is approx. $2000.
Building from scratch, parts include:
1x Logitech Wireless Desktop MK710 Keyboard & Mouse
1x Samsung T27A950 27inch 3D FULLHD TV TUNER PIP SAM SMART APPS
1x Microsoft Windows 8 64bit OEM
1x WD Black 2TB HDD (already own)
1x Samsung 256GB SSD 840BW Pro SATA3 2.5
1x Antec P280 Black Super Mid Tower, with additional USB3.0 port
1x Antec TrueQuiet PRO 120mm Case Fan with 2-Speed Switch
1x Antec EA-650 Platinum Power Supply, 80PLUS Platinum
1x Asus SABERTOOTH Z77 SABERTOOTH Z77.Z77 4xDDR3 3xPCI-E16 GBL SATA3 USB
1x Intel Core i5 3570K LGA1155 CPU 3.4Ghz 6Mb Cache Ivy Bridge
1x ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2-2GD5 2GB GDDR5, 1502MHz, 2DVI, HDMI, DP, PCI3.0
1x Corsair 16GB (2x8GB) CMZ16GX3M2A1866C10R Vengeance Performance Memory Module DDR3 1866MHz Unbuffered
Total= $2200 approx

All constructive advice is appreciated as this is a first time build.
Have I missed anything?
Are parts compatible etc.?
Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
James

 

[Mod-R]

Hi James! Welcome to the forums, I hope you will find what you're looking for.

I have many things to say. Please consider this purely as advice, and keep in mind I may be lacking some infos here to do a complete review of your hardware choice vs. intended use. Please specify if CAD is going to be used professionally or more as a hobby/learning/studies. Then, perhaps, what else will be going on apart CAD and games and usual apps & browsing?

First off, I would much rather go with a wired keyboard/mouse, especially for gaming. W/less is nice, but not something I'd intend for serious use. Usually too much gap between command and on-screen result, and not enough reliability. Also, those damn batteries, such a waste...

Most of your choices I agree with. Power supply is an important part, and perhaps I'd rather go with a modular/hybrid, but the Antec EA-650 is a good and quiet unit. Have a look at a Seasonic X650 Gold if you want to have the best - and not that much more expensive considering the offer. High IPC would be a priority with CAD, and Intel wins, so go with it. HT would not be my first priority anyway when it comes to CAD or gaming, so the i5 does the trick. You really don't need that Sabertooth board, though. Nice, I considered it myself, but was recommended against it. Generally I have found that the Asus P8Z77V series are quite reliable, and will save you about 50$. Then the ASRock are usually highly considered, and will also save you some money. Support for SLI or Crossfire may come as important to you, so you'll have to keep that in mind in any case. Just be sure to use the right drivers whatever your final choice is, go directly to the source, and don't allow Windows to do hardware updates for you. Usually you'll want to install Chipset drivers, MEI, then all the other Mobo drivers, then GPU drivers, and only then run Windows Updates while keeping an eye on the top tier of suggested updates, where most hardware drivers usually appear. Untick and hide them if they do. You shouldn't have much if any when you install as I said, but usually Windows will try to crack its Intel iGPU driver at you somewhere down the road, and sometimes Chispet or MEI. Also, if you intend NOT to use Internet Explorer, my own preference is then to uninstall it as a default program and avoid all related updates. I just hate Internet Explorer, though.

Then there's the screen... I don't know what's your price for it, but I think money could perhaps be invested better. But it's for you to decide.

I'd go with 32GB of RAM. CAD usually loads the whole drawing into memory, the more you have the better, and the fastest memory is still RAM. 32GB will also be as futureproof as you can get considering your needs. Then as OS (with Paging Files set to maximum), Autocad, and most usual apps will run you around 60-70GB of space maximum, perhaps a 128GB ssd would suffice and save you some money then again. (You'll really need that money in the next part.) Just move the user files on the HDD. Games will run perfectly well out of a HDD too, so I usually dedicate some partition on my HDDs for them. You can always keep your favorite one on the SSD. In any case you should try to keep below 70% usage of the SSD space for the best TRIM, so that easily means OS, apps, and 1-2 games running on a 128GB.

Case... P280 is nice for quiet and maintenance, perhaps not that nice for cable management, nor for the best cooling options when you'll come down to OC... but at first glance you won't need that much cables anyway, and normal airflow will support a low overclock. Then again, a modular PSU would greatly improve your options with this case - the likes of the Seasonic X650. The Antec isn't... Really, consider your options carefully, and you might want to think about adding a dedicated CPU cooler in that rig. With this in mind the P280 might not play nice.

GPU, at last. And hence the question about Cad being used professionally. It's a sad thing in your case, but gaming GPUs aren't the best for professional CAD. For that you need a Quattro or a Firepro... which if I understand correctly is not the best for gaming. It's a question of drivers, not specs. Cad issues special drivers for supported GPUs and gaming GPUs aren't usually part of the list. If for any reason a workstation GPU doesn't fit or isn't needed, then I'd consider Radeon HD over Nvidia, they seem to close the gap to the Firepro/Quattro more closely in most Cad applications. Perhaps run a Crossfire with dual HD7970, the likes of Sapphire 3GB edition. This will run you about the price of a basic Quattro, and will rock for gaming, and will be as futureproof as you can get when it comes down to GPUs.

All suggestions and comments were provided with futureproof thinking.

Good luck, and I'll happily answer any question if I can.

 

[wingman99]

+1 for a motherboard ASRock Z77 Extreme 4 or 6.

 

[Jvonvon]

Thanks Mod-R!

There was plenty of interesting considerations in there, I have a bit more research to do. I think there are some price differences for me in AUS to you in the USA, but that is a small matter.

If I went with the Asus P8Z77V- Pro...
Wondering your thoughts/ anyone else's on what RAM if any particular?
What GPU considering CAD is for studies at the moment/ professional shortly (I had a look at the system requirements and there is no mention of Firepro/ Quattro) and I don't think I could pay more than $500 for a GPU? I will possibly SLI or Crossfire down the track?

Please advise...
Even suggest core components of a new system, I am open to suggestion

 

[Jvonvon]

Hi wingman99,

Sorry I saw your post after I sent the one above, I will look into the ASRock.
Any thoughts on GPU/ RAM etc?

 

[Mod-R]

Thanks Mod-R!

There was plenty of interesting considerations in there, I have a bit more research to do. I think there are some price differences for me in AUS to you in the USA, but that is a small matter.

If I went with the Asus P8Z77V- Pro...
Wondering your thoughts/ anyone else's on what RAM if any particular?
What GPU considering CAD is for studies at the moment/ professional shortly (I had a look at the system requirements and there is no mention of Firepro/ Quattro) and I don't think I could pay more than $500 for a GPU? I will possibly SLI or Crossfire down the track?

Please advise...
Even suggest core components of a new system, I am open to suggestion

Then I would just go with the best HD7970 with the most GDDR5 you can get for that money. What I said about the Quattro and Firepro comes from reading a lot of stuff on Cad forums. It is possible though that the requirements for the particular suite you are using in your studies ain't that high, I wouldn't know. But I strongly recommend taking a look into it, just for your personal information. If no professional use is intended for now anyway, it is better to keep within the gaming GPUs, lots of fun to be had there, and it will run autocad nicely anyway. Just choose one with 3GB or more. And double the RAM. Any 1600 MHz will do, Corsair is real fine, XMP enabled and everything. I think Windows is really akin with 1600MHz for the best reliability - but I never had problems with my own Corsair 1866MHz.

Core components are fine, really, just swap the Saber with the ASRock if you can.

 

[Jvonvon]

Awesome, thanks for the tips!

 

[Ajay57]

As for a GPU you could have one of these with 6GB of GDDR5 of ram that would save the Crossfire for now. AJ.


P.S. If your looking in OZ for Cards then these 2 are pretty good places to look!

1, http://www.mwave.com.au/product/sku...z_6gb_vaporx_oc_edition_with_boost_video_card

2, http://www.techbuy.com.au/searchcatbrand/VIDEOCARDS~Sapphire.asp


Good luck James on what you decide to do with your build.

 

[wingman99]

Hi wingman99,

Sorry I saw your post after I sent the one above, I will look into the ASRock.
Any thoughts on GPU/ RAM etc?

I would purchase HD 7970 with 3GB of Vram is plenty and if you want to crossfire it will help to keep the cost down.

http://hardocp.com/article/2013/03/11/asus_hd_7970_directcu_ii_video_card_review/1

And for memory just purchase 1600MHz is all you need for speed, any faster it has diminishing returns. 16MB is what 12D recommends and AutoCAD recommends 4GB or more.