First time system builder needs advice

[Mjolnir]

The z77 is still a nice board and upgrade from the previous. Granted, I realize everything about this website is geared toward OCing, but IMHO, I feel its more reserved for those with older CPUs looking to get more out of them and achieve performance of say a newer CPU and avoid the upgrade expense. Otherwise, its like sitting in your driveway and revving the engine of your new high performance auto. Five years from now, I might need to OC to regain some lost performance on my current system, but for now its plenty fast enough to meet my computing needs. This is more of a hobby to most people here on OCF than it is a necessity, plus OCing makes much more sense AFTER your warranty expires. The person can OC the z77 down the road when its needed. Kinda like insurance, better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

I couldn't agree with you more on the SSD, and if you're going to invest in a mechanical HDD, its best to get one with a 10,000 rpm speed, though still much slower than any SSD.

I think most all new laptops are using SSDs, hence why they're so thin in profile.

I agree but the specification of the build was no overclocking. And to allow overclocking also means putting a k chip in. The cost adds up. Though I have put a z77 board in the proposed build above anyway.

And 5 years for a gaming build is a long time. I'd expect the platform to change by then... Warranty? Who pays attention to that? Lol . I get an overclocking chip and oc it after my fresh install is done

 

[PolePosition]

I agree but the specification of the build was no overclocking. And to allow overclocking also means putting a k chip in. The cost adds up. Though I have put a z77 board in the proposed build above anyway.

And 5 years for a gaming build is a long time. I'd expect the platform to change by then... Warranty? Who pays attention to that? Lol . I get an overclocking chip and oc it after my fresh install is done

I guess anyone who cares less about a warranty should also cares less about how cost adds up.

 

[kian525]

All seems fine except z77 is pointless for not overclocking.. A b75 board or h77 is more than enough. Why pay the z77 premium when you have no intention to overclock.

And why no ssd... 2 hdd won't make a huge difference for recording.. those seagate hybrid drives are useless too. I own one. The transfer rate is quite slow. Unless they've updated it.. access tines are average. Really only decent for basic laptop use and such.

the main reason i am considering 2 HDD's is as follows:
to boot my computer and store all of my games and software i am using the 1st 500gb. i will run the recording software on the second hdd and record to it also. if i use an ssd as my primary drive and it runs out of room, then i need to run games off the HDD, the same HDD that i am recording to, which makes games nigh unplayable.
any suggestions on how i can fix this? i want the speed of an ssd without paying through the nose for the size that i will need



and another thing though, i heard that a sandy bridge chipset wont work with an ivy bridge before being updated. which you cant do without a sandy bridge. is this accurate?

EDIT: is the b75 a ivy or sandy gen chipset?

 

[Knufire]

Get a cache SSD for the HDD with the games, or just don't install your games on the SSD. I have a 55GB SSD, only put Windows and Office on it, no games. Everything still feels a lot more responsive.

That's true on some boards. B75 is an Ivy Bridge chipset though. _6_ are Sandy, _7_ are Ivy. Except X79, that's Sandy Bridge-E/socket 2011.

 

[kian525]

Get a cache SSD for the HDD with the games, or just don't install your games on the SSD. I have a 55GB SSD, only put Windows and Office on it, no games. Everything still feels a lot more responsive.

That's true on some boards. B75 is an Ivy Bridge chipset though. _6_ are Sandy, _7_ are Ivy. Except X79, that's Sandy Bridge-E/socket 2011.

a cache ssd? whats that

also thanks for answering so quickly

 

[Knufire]

It's a small 30-60GB SSD with some software that basically combines it with a HDD. The computer keeps track of what you use most and moves that stuff over to the SSD, constantly moving/updating. You don't quite get the speeds of a normal SSD, but it's much faster than just a regular HDD.

Intel Z-series chipsets have this built-in, you can use any SSD to do it. If you don't have a Z-series chipset board, get a OCZ Synapse/Crucial Adreneline/Corsair Accelerator. There might be more I don't know about.

 

[Mjolnir]

I guess anyone who cares less about a warranty should also cares less about how cost adds up.

I think you're missing the point here... This build isn't for me. >.> what I do and don't do with my machine is irrelevant. I'm just saying there's no point spending extra on a z77 board with no overclocking in mind whilst using a locked CPU. B75 has everything required most of the time .. usb 3.0 sata 3, etc etc. But again I've already put a full size z77 board into the build pictured . So I'm not sure where the argument is x.x

 

[kian525]

It's a small 30-60GB SSD with some software that basically combines it with a HDD. The computer keeps track of what you use most and moves that stuff over to the SSD, constantly moving/updating. You don't quite get the speeds of a normal SSD, but it's much faster than just a regular HDD.

Intel Z-series chipsets have this built-in, you can use any SSD to do it. If you don't have a Z-series chipset board, get a OCZ Synapse/Crucial Adreneline/Corsair Accelerator. There might be more I don't know about.

my friend is quite adamant in his hatred toward ssd's, so for his I will just grab two hdd's. for mine though i may go for an ssd and hdd combo. one question that you may not be able to answer, if i run games off my win 7 install drive, will it lag the game?

 

[Mjolnir]

my friend is quite adamant in his hatred toward ssd's, so for his I will just grab two hdd's. for mine though i may go for an ssd and hdd combo. one question that you may not be able to answer, if i run games off my win 7 install drive, will it lag the game?

Why does he hate SSDs? I've had one for over 2 years. cost me 420 for my first 128gb ssd. No regrets. I now run two... Lol.

Lag? No. Especially if you're running it off the ssd. Pc case gear has a SanDisk 240gb ssd for 199. For your build you could consider that? .

 

[Mjolnir]

Kian; If you can stretch your budget to 1300 for your personal rig....

240GB SSD should be enough for a good bunch of games. Upp'd the board to a Extreme 4 as well.

 

[kian525]

Kian; If you can stretch your budget to 1300 for your personal rig....

240GB SSD should be enough for a good bunch of games. Upp'd the board to a Extreme 4 as well.

View attachment 114400

Thanks so much

the only thing i wonder about, is overclocking worth it?

$60 just to prep a computer for a feature i may not even use seems a bit steep. would i be better just not OCing and sink the money into said ssd or a better graphics card, or even just save $60?

 

[Horrerblade]

Well since you are on "overclockers".com lol our opinions are going to be a little bias in the end its all up to you if the extra power you get needed do you want it i mean do a little research and find the benifit/cons and make a drsicion imo though totally worth it... if you going to use it

 

[Mjolnir]

Thanks so much

the only thing i wonder about, is overclocking worth it?

$60 just to prep a computer for a feature i may not even use seems a bit steep. would i be better just not OCing and sink the money into said ssd or a better graphics card, or even just save $60?

You'd save a little more than 60 bucks... Drop the cooler a bit, 20 bucks. Drop the CPU. 20 bucks. Drop the board. 50-60 bucks. Plus prob change the RAM too. Save another 10. It's up to you =)

This'd be what I'd go with for a non-oc system. TBH I'd get an m-atx board.. But you wanted full size; so here tis. ^^

 

[kian525]

You'd save a little more than 60 bucks... Drop the cooler a bit, 20 bucks. Drop the CPU. 20 bucks. Drop the board. 50-60 bucks. Plus prob change the RAM too. Save another 10. It's up to you =)

This'd be what I'd go with for a non-oc system. TBH I'd get an m-atx board.. But you wanted full size; so here tis. ^^

View attachment 114414

mATX is fine if i dont oc, the ram ill keep the same as before.

 

[Mjolnir]

Don't need the RAM either frankly. But up to you. For the record; I use that 8GB RAM set in any machine that not OC'ing... No issues so far. No plausible differences in speed.

Asus B75-M

Would be the board I'd use. (And have used for such builds).

 

[kian525]

ok, it really comes down to this question. what will give me the best bang for my buck. an overclockable system with 2 hdd's, a system that is non OC and has a large ssd or a non overclockable system with a better gpu?

 

[Mjolnir]

ok, it really comes down to this question. what will give me the best bang for my buck. an overclockable system with 2 hdd's, a system that is non OC and has a large ssd or a non overclockable system with a better gpu?

That's up to you . I'd prefer the mix, ssd and oc. Lol. Could go with my slightly more expensive build. You don't need to of straight away either, just maybe when you're interested or want a few more frames in a game... up to you man lol

 

[PolePosition]

Don't need the RAM either frankly. But up to you. For the record; I use that 8GB RAM set in any machine that not OC'ing QUOTE]

If there is one thing I have learned over the years, its (just like money) you can NEVER have too much RAM, especially over time.

Buy/build a new system today with minimum RAM, chances are in a couple years and a few programs added you'll find yourself out of RAM, which equals lag or more dependence on virtual memory.

I got sick of this happening with prior systems, so now I have more than enough with the potential to add twice as much. That will get me into the next decade at least. FWIW

If you're a yearly system builder/replacement, ignore this post.

 

[Knufire]

Had 4GB of RAM for three years was fine.

Only have 2GB of RAM on a laptop I use when I'm out of the house. Got that laptop six years ago. Still is perfectly fine.

RAM usage depends on how you use the computer more than anything else.

 

[PolePosition]

I got by with 512mb on OCF ! lol
With my laptop of course.