I want to double check! Review my final build please

[yume]

So... Hell there guys!

I am building this PC to help learn Computer Graphics... aka modelling mainly and some animation at some point aka Zbrush, Maya, 3ds Max + Photoshop / After Effects at some point...

The second purpose will be gaming.

Now, a few important notes.
First of all, I have around 1200 euro to build this including the monitor and all other peripherals. Since I wanted to make no compromise on the core parts I decided to purchase a cheap monitor for now and a cheap mouse/keyboard and upgrade later on when I will have some cash.
Secondly, regarding the hard ware... I intend to overclock the CPU to about 4.5. Also the GPU. Please tell me if the PSU and the CPU cooler are allright. I made some research and they are allright to me but, as the title is saying, review it one more time.

So let's get down to business... this is the rig:

Case: Cooler Master HAF 912
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=41084&agid=631
CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K Box, LGA1155
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=56294&agid=1617
Mobo: ASRock Z77 Extreme4, Sockel 1155, ATX
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=57624&agid=1601
GPU: ASUS ENGTX560 Ti DCII/2DI/1GD5, 1024MB,PCI-E,2xDVI,HDMI
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=44186&agid=707
RAM: 8GB-Kit Corsair XMS3 PC3-12800U CL9
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=48886&agid=1193
PSU: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX650 V2
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=46158&agid=1629
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1TB SATA 3 6GB/s
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=42805&agid=1342
SSD: Crucial M4 64GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5")
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=46113&agid=1145
DVD: ASUS DRW-24B3ST Bulk SATA schwarz
Monitor: ASUS VE228H
http://www1.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsps?aid=44477&agid=1648

This is it. Please tell me any issues you might find keeping in mind the budget I have. Also please note that everything is purchased from hardwareversand.de since they deliver to Sweden and they are cheaper than here... and they are building the computer for me since I don't have a lot of experience with hard ware and I really don't want to **** my brains... I kinda found everything I wanted to their shop and for 20 euro I prefer to let their guys do it.

So here it is! I am looking foreword to your replys and to order this rig... At the moment I need to make clear how I'm gonna pay and once that's fixed I can order it. So hopefully in 7-10 days I will browse these forums from a brand new computer

Thanks a lot for your time dudes!

EDIT: Sorry... my bad for not listing the cooler... is from a shop here, in stockholm since they can't mount it on the rig because of security reasons ( the road from germany to sweden etc etc) . So the cooler is Cooler master 212 evo OR Cooler master 612S ( http://www2.hardwareversand.de/Intel+AMD/53134/Cooler+Master+Hyper+612S,+alle+Sockel.article)

 

[ssjwizard]

Looks good to me but you didn't list an aftermarket CPU cooler? Overall youve got a nice quality list there. A few things could probably go cheaper but nothing substantial enough to be worth hastling with. I would suggest trying for a 128GB SSD if you can afford it. If not you can always upgrade later IF you need it, which you will if you plan to install all of those apps onto the SSD. Most of those being large software suites with many many small files being on the SSD improves performance in them quite a bit, well startup time at least.

 

[LiquidArrogance]

My first thought is that you're not going to get anywhere near 4.5 ghz on an ivy bridge with stock cooling.

My 3770k was into the low 90s at STOCK speeds with a stock cooler and ambient around 26.6c

 

[KillrBuckeye]

I second the suggestion of a 120 GB SSD. My first SSD was 60 GB and it quickly filled up to the point where I would need to uninstall apps if I wanted to install a new game.

 

[yume]

I added the cooler in the main post... forgot about it since is not coming with the rest of the rig... Btw.. I shouldn't have any problems removing the stock cooler and isntalling the new one, right?

On the SSD side.. I am taking it just for Windows and Zbrush ( maybe Maya as well). All the other things, including the games, will go on the HDD... at least for now... Basically I am in a situation where I either buy this 60 gigs SSD and use it like I mentioned earlier or I just drop it all together... However, depending on what they will answer me regarding the exchange rate I might be able to add another 20-30 euro and than maybe I can think about 128 gigs SSD... but I don't dare to hope yet

 

[LiquidArrogance]

Just being honest . . . I find installing aftermarket coolers to be the most frustrating part of building a PC -- especially ones that are bulky and / or not designed well.

My point being, if you're comfortable doing that then maybe you should reconsider just doing the whole build yourself

Edit: would also save you enough to get 128g ssd, right?

 

[yume]

Just being honest . . . I find installing aftermarket coolers to be the most frustrating part of building a PC -- especially ones that are bulky and / or not designed well.

My point being, if you're comfortable doing that then maybe you should reconsider just doing the whole build yourself

Edit: would also save you enough to get 128g ssd, right?

what do you mean by "installing aftermarket coolers" ? It might sound a stupid question but I am really not sure what you mean... Are you talking about the process of uninstalling the stock cooler and installing the new one?

EDIT: Nvm, I got it... jesus... I must be tired

Could you maybe tell me more about it? Why is so difficult? Is it because you run with the cooler into other components and you have to find ways to go around them? Or is something more complex? Like the way you put it on... or something else... Or maybe the uninstalling part of the stock cooler from Intel... The thing is I would happily ask them to do it for me since I have no experience whatsoever in building rigs... but they refuse to because they are saying that it might damage the package during delivery process...

 

[Knufire]

If you want to save a bit, the Corsair CX600 will easily run that rig, and it's typically a good bit cheaper than the TX650.

Other than that, looks like a great build to me!

Aftermarket coolers are just sometimes hard to install, you have to put TIM (it's a paste that goes in between your CPU and heatsink to fill the microscopic gaps, put the cooler straight down on it, and make sure it's lined up with whatever mounting bracket at the same time, while trying to move it at little as possible after it touches the CPU. It's not hard, persay, just a PITA.

 

[yume]

Right... the thermal paste... I forgot about that.. Well.. since I've never done it before, can you please tell me how risky it is? What can happen in the worse case scenario? Can you mess the CPU for good?
I've been thinking about this today and I might have found a shop here in Stockholm who said that they can mount the cooler on even though they didn't build the rest of the computer... is gonna cost 200-500 kronors ( about 20-50 euro) but if the risks are high, there is no point to do it by myself...
I would really love to have a shot at building the entire system by myself but I really need to get down to work for my portofolio so I really don't want to delay it any further (is geting so frustrating to work in Zbrush on my i3 laptop).
Anyway, thanks for the input and I hope to get some more answers from you guys! Keep the awesomeness of these forums going


PS: I will have a look on that PSU, thanks!

 

[LiquidArrogance]

Unless you spill your coffee on the motherboard while you're doing it there is no real risk. Definitely not enough risk to justify paying a shop 20-50 Euro.

It's like changing the oil in your car. Not the easiest thing in the world but once you do it once you're like "wow . . . I can't believe I ever paid anyone to do this."

just watch lots of videos on youtube and you'll be fine.

Worst case? You suck and putting on thermal paste and your temps are 1-3c worse than they could have been. no biggie.

 

[yume]

So you are basically saying that there is no risk whatsoever to **** up the CPU... right? I mean... judging with my logic... and after I saw a few videos.. even if you get it wrong, eventually you can remove the thing and give it another go... or?
One more stupid question... Is the thermal paste geting solid after you put it on? If so, how do you remove it ( for example when I want to get off the stock cooler)
Right, I hope I didn't scare you away but I must go ahead and ask any stupid question I have in mind since 1) you guys know these issues like you know your own pockets and 2) I have no other plays where to find someone reliable enough to ask him....
Thanks again... and... I might go ahead and try it... >_> <_< O_O

 

[Mandrake4565]

Yume, installing an aftermarket cooler isn't hard just take your time read how to do it correctly and do it. It's not a big deal. Thermal paste doesn't get solid after it may dry out over time but not solid, at least the ones I have used. Just use a coffee filter to clean the old paste off and some alcohol. The coffee filters don't leave behind fibers that's why they are suggested.

 

[LiquidArrogance]

Definitely just go ahead and try it. It's really not hard. Just take your time, read a lot, and just look at how everything goes together before you start slapping it on. You'll be fine.

As for removing old thermal paste it's pretty simple -- just isopropyl alcohol and q-tips. Probably tons of videos for that on youtube as well

 

[Knufire]

You can't screw things up. You just have to keep trying again until you get it right. Make sure you buy extra TIM though.

 

[yume]

yea, I am checking lots of videos right now... the first few of them were skiping the thermal paste for some reason ) But I found some good ones! Any recomandations are welcome since people are talking about... different techniques of applying the paste... cross, middle thin layer.. O_O ... :S ..
So yea... I will still ask them to put the rig together in Germany at the shop since they will install all the soft ware I need as well... And than... yea, I will give it a shot and try to install the cooler myself... I just saw an article and at some point it was saying something like "go ahead and get your feet wet with this... is not rocket science and nowadays CPUs are quite resistant to rubing and ****ing around with the heat sink"...

Going back to the whole system itself... Exept the SSD issue (I am still waiting to see how we gonna deal with the exchange rate and after that I can see if I have money for the 120 gigs one) you guys say is a well built rig? I was interested in the quality of the parts mostly for their prices.. Compatibility wise, I know they are all going well together. Just wanted to check one more time if there are any Red Lights towards any of the components.

Speaking of which, I just heard today that the Corsair RAM are coming with issues lately... anyone has any idea about this? I heard it from a guy who was working at some shop, here in Stockholm, and I asked for Corsair RAM and they said they have only Kingstone since they stopped getting Corsair because of the many issues and complaints they had because of the faults they were coming with... Do you guys know something along these lines?

 

[yume]

You can't screw things up. You just have to keep trying again until you get it right. Make sure you buy extra TIM though.

ROFL at that Yea, I will, no worries

 

[LiquidArrogance]

and just for the record, buying extra is pretty much just buying one tube ... every tube I've ever bought has enough for multiple installs.

 

[Knufire]

Never heard of any widespread faults with Corsair RAM. But RAM is RAM...doesn't really matter what brand you buy from.

I use the pea-sized drop method, just put some in the middle and make sure you press the cooler down flat. AFAIK, there is no best method, whatever works for you works for you.

 

[yume]

Cool... ahm... Just a question that poped in my mind... In order to fix the heat sink you need to fix that metal small tray with the holes on the edge on the back of the mobo... Does anyone know if the Cooler Master Haf 912 has a smart build? As in enabling you to remove the side of the case so you can fix that little tray without actually taking off your whole mobo? I hope that didn't sound confusing...

 

[LiquidArrogance]

Cool... ahm... Just a question that poped in my mind... In order to fix the heat sink you need to fix that metal small tray with the holes on the edge on the back of the mobo... Does anyone know if the Cooler Master Haf 912 has a smart build? As in enabling you to remove the side of the case so you can fix that little tray without actually taking off your whole mobo? I hope that didn't sound confusing...

Looks like it does have a mobo cut out, yup