New PC Build Advice Please

[Orision]

My current gaming computer is about 3ish years old, figured it's time for an upgrade. I have never overclocked a computer before, and was thinking about doing it this time around. Have been lurking around the forums the last week or so and figured I'd post a build I had in mind. Hoping you can tell me if these parts are good, or if I should look at some thing else.

CPU: Core i7-960 Bloomfield 3.2GHz

Mobo: ASUS Sabertooth X58

RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
Already purchased RAM, read a couple good things on these forums about it, and with the recent deal, I jumped on it.

Video Card: I currently have a EVGA 768-P3-1362-TR GeForce GTX 460, only thing I upgraded since I built this 3 years ago. XFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 or HIS IceQ Turbo H697QT2G2M Radeon HD 6970 Read the article about the new IceQ cards and it made me think about them. Not sure because I am unsure about water or air cooling at the moment.

PSU: Currently have Rosewill Xtreme Series RX950-D-B 950W unsure if I should just stick with that or not.
I saw a bunch of recommendations or people using the CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX1200

Case: Currently have a Antec p180
Was thinking about going with COOLER MASTER RC-692-KKN2 CM690 II

Hard Drives: I currently have nothing special, a 400g and a 2TB hd. I want to upgrade to a SSD. I read some stuff on them, recommendations saying OCZ Vertex 2 OCZSSD3-2VTX90G 3.5" 90GB were good. I was reading that setting it up in a Raid 0 with two of them will increase the speed a good amount, just unsure about spending the money on two of those.

Sound Card: Haven't really looked. I have a Cyber Acoustic 2.1 speaker setup, so don't really think I need it at the moment.

Monitors: I think I'm fine with my current setup. Benq 21" WS and Acer 17" Not sure if it makes a much a difference these days, but figured I'd mention I run dual monitors.

I will say my budget is between $1000-1500. With everything there, it's about $1500ish. I didn't plan on spending that much money, but the PSU and 2 SSD's jumped it up that high.

I am unsure about cooling at the moment. Like I mentioned above, I've never overclocked before, I also have never done water cooling. I was thinking about getting into it now, obviously since I'm here. Any recommendations about cooling parts is appreciated, I really don't know where to look for parts. I have looked over the water cooling guide on this forum though.

Thanks for any help provided. I appreciate it.

 

[SMOKEU]

Is it just me or is the above post blank?

 

[Orision]

It's not showing anything for me, I contacted an admin about it to see what's up.

 

[ZRock]

It shows you as the OP actually.

 

[Daemonkin]

It shows you as the OP actually.

No, the board shows Orision as the OP. SMOKEU is showing as the first post because the above post was either deleted or removed by admin.

 

[Knufire]

It's a glitch. Go back to the list of topics, hover over this one, and it'll show part of the post. It happened in a thread I was reading a week or two ago, it'll appear in no time. Give it a day or so.

 

[Orision]

Bump, original post is now visible.

 

[Knufire]

Sandy Bridge is a better performer then Bloomfield. If you're strictly gaming, get the 2500K. If you also do some media editing and such, get a 2600K.
Motherboard, I'd suggest getting this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128498

For the PSU, Rosewill typically means not-so-great quality. Their Xtreme series isn't that bad though, I have the 850W. I wouldn't spend on a new PSU if you already have a decent 900W: http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=60

Doesn't look like you need the new case either, unless you go with water. If you do, I'd suggest something bigger then the CM 690 II. Water cooling SB is a waste though, it runs extremely cold. If you jacked up your video card to a beast like the GTX580, you might want to do a GPU only loop.

Vertex 2 is an old drive, the Vertex 3's are almost the same speed as two Vertex 2's in Raid 0. Get one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227706. 60GB Version costs significantly less, if you don't need more then 60GB.

For $1000-1500, you could build a whole new system, don't need anywhere close to that amount of money.

 

[Theocnoob]

You have an X58 board and CPU but a dual channel RAM kit. You want a 2500/600K. If you want sabretooth get the P67 version.

 

[Daemonkin]

+1 to sandy bridge cpu. Especially for gaming on one card.

You don't need water cooling, but if you want it understand its not hit it and forget it like air cooling tends to be. You have to drain it every 6 months and completely tear down the loop once a year for a complete cleaning. Also, it will add ~$450 to you build for a cpu only loop.

You have no need for the AX 1200 watt psu. Huge waste of your funds.

This xfx 750 watt psu will cover you on air or water if you stick with one card. Could do 2 cards with air for sure and probably still grab a water cooling solution as well.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207016

Grab a 2500k CPU with this motherboard.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128495&Tpk=GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3

Better performance and saves you $50 too.

Personally I would nix the ssd. They aren't going to help gaming performance at all.

There are better cases if you plan to water cool, but you will have to give up a little more money. $150ish. It could be done with that case if you don't mind hanging the rad off the back of it.

You could try one of the LCLC (Low Cost Liquid Cooling) solutions like the Corsair HW 80 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181016 , but for the price I would just grab a decent air cooler like the Hyper 212+ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...03065&cm_re=hyper_212+-_-35-103-065-_-Product

 

[Knufire]

He already has a decent PSU, no need to buy a new one. Plus why go with a super super low end microATX motherboard?

WC = waste on SB unless your benching. Hyper212+ is fine, $30 at Amazon.

 

[Daemonkin]

He already has a decent PSU, no need to buy a new one. Plus why go with a super super low end microATX motherboard?

WC = waste on SB unless your benching. Hyper212+ is fine, $30 at Amazon.

Waste? I don't consider lower temps and the quiet cooling it affords to be a waste.

Sure, sandy bridge can be effectively cooled with Air and still hit 4.8 ghz, but water cooling makes it run cooler.

Not a waste, just not as effective as on the older Core I series.

 

[Theocnoob]

Waste? I don't consider lower temps and the quiet cooling it affords to be a waste.

Sure, sandy bridge can be effectively cooled with Air and still hit 4.8 ghz, but water cooling makes it run cooler.

Not a waste, just not as effective as on the older Core I series.

Sorry but it is a waste. You're not bumping into the same thermal barriers on 2000 as you did on 900. You can run 1.45 through a bloomfield and get it to a very high OC without killing the CPU, but good luck keeping it at a reasonable temp on anything but water or extreme cooling. If you run 1.45 through a 2000 series, it's hot, but it still isn't outside the range of a premium air cooler in a good case.

Quality air coolers are as silent as quality water cooling. You can't really call water cooling quiet as it requires fans on the rad. A quiet fan is a quiet fan.

You can get well over 4.5Ghz on a CM 212+ for $30. Why would anybody spend a couple hundred on a decent WC system that can be put elsewhere and actually improve performance tangibly?

 

[Daemonkin]

Sorry but it is a waste. You're not bumping into the same thermal barriers on 2000 as you did on 900. You can run 1.45 through a bloomfield and get it to a very high OC without killing the CPU, but good luck keeping it at a reasonable temp on anything but water or extreme cooling. If you run 1.45 through a 2000 series, it's hot, but it still isn't outside the range of a premium air cooler in a good case.

Quality air coolers are as silent as quality water cooling. You can't really call water cooling quiet as it requires fans on the rad. A quiet fan is a quiet fan.

You can get well over 4.5Ghz on a CM 212+ for $30. Why would anybody spend a couple hundred on a decent WC system that can be put elsewhere and actually improve performance tangibly?

We are getting off topic so I will just say I will agree to disagree with that statement.

 

[Knufire]

Same fans, same noise. GT's and undervolted Yate Loons are fine for rad or heatsink.

Whether my OC loads at 50C or 70C, if the limit is 80 then I don't see much of a gain.

What me and OCNoob are getting at is that, if it isn't quieter and you don't get a higher overclock and both ways, temperatures are within normal ranges, then I don't see much of a benefit.

 

[Daemonkin]

Same fans, same noise. GT's and undervolted Yate Loons are fine for rad or heatsink.

Whether my OC loads at 50C or 70C, if the limit is 80 then I don't see much of a gain.

What me and OCNoob are getting at is that, if it isn't quieter and you don't get a higher overclock and both ways, temperatures are within normal ranges, then I don't see much of a benefit.

As I said I disagree with how you look at it. You're assuming that a radiator is going to have to run fans anywhere near as high as air does. That has never been the case. What you do with 1400-1800 rpm fans, water can do with 600-800 rpm fans. That and give lower temps to boot.

Air simply cannot compete with water on noise level. If sound is a big issue, and to many it is, then it is not a waste. Never mind the bling factor.