custom pc i7 spec tbd

gagomes

As one of my main PCs just died, I've started thinking out loud what I want to do when it comes to hardware (not a gamer!)

I intend to dual boot it to run multiple virtual machines on Linux but simultaneously to boot into windows and either play the odd game and/or do music recording and production (mainly guitar recording and drum sampling and other virtual instruments)

I have an Intel i7 in mind, but I'm not sure which model yet. I need to identify what are the current trends in cpus and mobos, as I would like to keep this system working for the next 2 years without big requirements to upgrade.

I don't need to buy memory as I have 8 gigs from my dead old system.

If anyone has got any recommendations, I would greatly welcome them


1. What is your budget?
800-1000 euros

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? [Gaming/Video editing/3D Modelling/HTPC/Internet] (If gaming include which games)

Music Production/Video Editing/Gaming(low)

3. Do you need a copy of Windows? [Yes/No]
No

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? [Hard drive/DVD Drive/Case/PSU/etc.] (If possible state brand and model of the parts to ensure compatibility)
Memory


5. Do you need a monitor? [Yes/No]
No

5b. If no, what resolution is your current monitor and do you plan to upgrade in the near future? [1920x1080/1440x900/etc.] [Yes/No]
1920x1200 - 16:10

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? [Yes/No]
Yes

8. How can you pay? [Bank Transfer/Credit Card/Laser]
any method

9. When are you purchasing? [In x days]
between now and mid january

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? [South Dublin City/Cork City/Kerry/etc.]
South Dublin (Drimnagh/Kilmainham areas)

Serephucus

If you could copy/paste the questions from this thread, would be helpful.

gagomes

Serephucus wrote: »

If you could copy/paste the questions from this thread, would be helpful.

Thanks for the follow up, I've ammended the original post with the requested information!

Serephucus

Slightly over budget, but hopefully it's an ok start:

Item|Price
ASRock Z77 Extreme4, Sockel 1155, ATX|€127.04
Intel Core i7-3770K Box, LGA1155|€301.00
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 Windforce 2X, 2GB GDDR5, 2x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort|€198.45
Super-Flower SF550P14XE Golden Green Pro 80plus gold|€72.50
Corsair Hydro Series H100i|€109.99
Samsung SSD 830 128GB SATA 6GB's Basic|€94.99
FRACTAL DESIGN Define R4 Titanium Grey|€102.00
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€1024.96

Went for quiet here, so there's a good quality case with included sound dampening, as well as a powerful and quiet CPU cooler to help with overclocking.

In the same vein, there's a pretty good board for OCing, and a decent graphics card if you want to play games (might be a bit overkill here. If you could list some common games that would help).

I only included a 128GB drive as I assumed you'd have stuff on externals, though I could be wrong?

There's also a good quality PSU in there, and rated at Gold efficiency, so it should help a little with ESB and be quiet at the same time.

gagomes

Thanks A LOT, I hope it was fun to put this together and that you get a good kick out of helping people like me choosing a good spec for a computer!

As for games, I can see myself wanting to play pretty much any RTS out there, but certainly going for the classics the most: Warcraft3, age of mythology/empires, c&c, dawn of war and a few first person shooters. As there is a ton of games I have never experienced because of having had low gfx specs for the past 4 years, I might be on a rampage for the first or second month to play all the games I can possible get ahold of, but I guess that's about it ;-)

Slight twist:
If I didn't wish to overclock, could you suggest an equivalent config?

If I wished computer versand to send all of this pre-built, do you know how much it w/could cost me?

RodgersLFC

gagomes wrote: »

Thanks A LOT, I hope it was fun to put this together and that you get a good kick out of helping people like me choosing a good spec for a computer!

As for games, I can see myself wanting to play pretty much any RTS out there, but certainly going for the classics the most: Warcraft3, age of mythology/empires, c&c, dawn of war and a few first person shooters. As there is a ton of games I have never experienced because of having had low gfx specs for the past 4 years, I might be on a rampage for the first or second month to play all the games I can possible get ahold of, but I guess that's about it ;-)

Slight twist:
If I didn't wish to overclock, could you suggest an equivalent config?

Processor wise, if you dont want to overclock,the i7 3770 basic looks pretty nice. The 3770K is set up for overclocking whereas the 3770 isnt. You might save a few quid going for that option.

I'm looking for a new PC myself at the moment hence me gatecrashing this thread

gagomes

RodgersLFC wrote: »

Processor wise, if you dont want to overclock,the i7 3770 basic looks pretty nice. The 3770K is set up for overclocking whereas the 3770 isnt. You might save a few quid going for that option.

I'm looking for a new PC myself at the moment hence me gatecrashing this thread

Thanks for your contribution and information on the subject! Good luck shopping ;-)

tuxy

This cpu

http://lb.hardwareversand.de/Socket+1155/56295/Intel+Core+i7-3770+Box%2C+LGA1155.article

With this motherbaord

http://lb.hardwareversand.de/DDR3/59305/ASRock+B75+Pro3%2C+Sockel+1155%2C+ATX.article

For a no overclock build

gagomes

Tuxy:

What are the essential differences between the two mobos (Z77 and B75 Pro3) ?

tuxy

B75 does not allow overclock

Z77 allows overclock

That's that's the only difference as far as I know.


The Z77 Extreme that Serephucus put in his build supports overclocking and dual graphics cards and has a raid controller.

Serephucus

Actually, that's a good point; as far as I'm aware, the 3570K doesn't support VT-d, you'd need the 3570 for that. Depending on just what you're doing, that might play a part in your decision.

gagomes

I'm a little confused -- you say 3570 in the previous post, but we started the discussion with regards to the 3770(k) -- what do you mean?

Serephucus

The K variant allows overclocking, but there is also a 3570, which is basically the same thing as the 3570K, except that it's locked, and won't allow overclocking. It does however (as I said above) support VT-d, which the 3570K does not.

gagomes

I think VT-d is not available on 3570(k) -- I think this is only available in the i7 (37xx) correct?

See this link for the 3570k:
http://ark.intel.com/products/65520

Serephucus

Yes; that's what I've said twice now.

gagomes

Serephucus wrote: »

Yes; that's what I've said twice now.

My apologies. No coffee yet!

tuxy

The 3770 supports VT-d but does not overclock
The 3770k supports overclock but not VT-d

You will have to google VT-d I can't explain it as I'm not sure what it is.

Edit: always too slow

Serephucus

tuxy wrote: »

Edit: always too slow

Gmail Notifier win.

gagomes

tuxy wrote: »

The 3770 supports VT-d but does not overclock
The 3770k supports overclock but not VT-d

You will have to google VT-d I can't explain it as I'm not sure what it is.

Edit: always too slow

I'm familiar with what VT-d is and how to leverage it from an hypervisor point of view. I'm just not familiar with what the hardware trends are these days, hence asking.

Thanks for all the clarifications so far, I feel informed ;-)

cros13

Part|Price
ASUS P8Z77-V LE PLUS, Socket 1155, ATX, DDR3|€132.29
Intel Core i7-3770 Tray, LGA1155|€259.81
Corsair Hydro Series H70|€73.69
Samsung SSD 840 Pro 128GB SATA 6GB's Basic|€125.87
EVGA GeForce GTX 660 SC, 2048MB DDR5, PCI-Express|€206.09
OCZ OCZ600MXSP-UK ModXStream Pro 600W ATX Power Supply|€75.00
Bitfenix Survivor Core|€95.00
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€987.74


The case and PSU are available for this price with free shipping from Amazon.co.uk

The rest is at hardware versand.

gagomes

I just noticed that there are some catches in this website, which need to go into the final pay as well, namely:
- All prices are at 19% VAT and they will final quote you with an extra 4% for the VAT conversion to 23% as used in Ireland
- 3% extra on payments using paypal, credit card or amazon checkout.

tuxy

Can't be helped they are VAT registered in Ireland and that's what our vat rate is. They are still much cheaper than other sites.

Pay by bank transfer to avoid the extra 3% charge.

gagomes

not to mention some prices have gone up since the posting and others gone down (avg -1/+1)

gagomes

tuxy wrote: »

Can't be helped they are VAT registered in Ireland and that's what our vat rate is. They are still much cheaper than other sites.

Pay by bank transfer to avoid the extra 3% charge.

Ah, stupid me. I just returned from the UK, where transfers to euro-lands always adds an extra 10£... somehow I was still thinking I'd have to pay the 10£ for the transfer. *shrug*

Thanks tux!

tuxy

They renew stock very frequently so prices do fluctuate as you would expect.

gagomes

tuxy wrote: »

They renew stock very frequently so prices do fluctuate as you would expect.

In fairness, it's hard to justify the prices for items that have gone up. It's not like they are any better than they were! Am I missing some basic business justification?

tuxy

Supply and demand maybe?

Have a look around, I'd be really surprised if you could find the parts cheaper on any other European site.

gagomes

As I realized the ram I have doesn't suit the new computer, I've started looking up the prices. The cheapest I came up with is

16GB Kit G.Skill RipJaws X PC3-12800U CL7 selling at at 119,67 €

Do you see any problems/disadvantages in this memory kit?

Serephucus

One: It's far too much money.

http://lb.hardwareversand.de/1333+Low+Voltage/58859/16GB-Kit+Corsair+ValueSelect+PC3-10667U+CL9-9-9-24.article

Just get whatever's cheap, and pay a bit extra for the cheapest one that matches your colour scheme if you want/need to.

gagomes

Thanks Serephucus!

cros13

gagomes wrote: »

Thanks Serephucus!

I'd recommend Samsung Green 30nm RAM and avoid G.Skill like the plague... I've have more than four separate G.Skill modules DoA.

gagomes

Question: If I order the PC pre-built, will they ship manuals and CDs that come with the individual parts along with the PC?

Also: It appears the "corsair hydro 100i" is out stock and there is no clear date when the stock will be available. Would there be any alternatives ? (especially if considering I may not choose the overclocking configuration anymore)

cros13

gagomes wrote: »

Question: If I order the PC pre-built, will they ship manuals and CDs that come with the individual parts along with the PC?

Also: It appears the "corsair hydro 100i" is out stock and there is no clear date when the stock will be available. Would there be any alternatives ? (especially if considering I may not choose the overclocking configuration anymore)

the h100i is overkill for almost any non-overclocked rig.

gagomes

Happy new year all!

I've made my mind and I'm going to go with serephucus' initial configuration (overclock'eable).

One of my current concerns is that the h100i is out of stock for a long time and there is no provision for when they can restock. I'm afraid if I wait too long, something else might go out of stock, etc delaying things further. I must buy the computer before next monday so any advice on where I can find this in Dublin or an alternative cooling syste, would be very welcome

Beez

gagomes wrote: »

Happy new year all!

I've made my mind and I'm going to go with serephucus' initial configuration (overclock'eable).

One of my current concerns is that the h100i is out of stock for a long time and there is no provision for when they can restock. I'm afraid if I wait too long, something else might go out of stock, etc delaying things further. I must buy the computer before next monday so any advice on where I can find this in Dublin or an alternative cooling syste, would be very welcome

Why not just order the PC with stock fan and then you can add the H100i once it comes in stock.

Serephucus

I'd just do what Beez is suggesting. It's something you can very easily add later on. In the meantime all you have to put up with is quite a bit of extra noise. It's not just HWVS; Overclockers and Dabs are both waiting on deliveries. Amazon have them in stock, but it's extremely expensive (€152 delivered) so I'd just order everything now and get the cooler from Dabs later on.

gagomes

Serephucus wrote: »

I'd just do what Beez is suggesting. It's something you can very easily add later on. In the meantime all you have to put up with is quite a bit of extra noise. It's not just HWVS; Overclockers and Dabs are both waiting on deliveries. Amazon have them in stock, but it's extremely expensive (€152 delivered) so I'd just order everything now and get the cooler from Dabs later on.

FYI: Cool, thanks for your and beez's advice. I saw that Komplett has 4 units in stock at 118euros.

I've everything now in the basket, what do I need to do to include the service, VAT delta, exact shipping cost?

IOW, I want to know how much I am going to be charged

Serephucus

You'll be charged whatever your basket is plus €18.99. If you want them to build it for you, you'll need another €20 for it.

gagomes

Thanks Serephucus.

Just one question:

You'll be charged whatever your basket is plus €18.99

I found this in their website which sort of contradicts the above, though I'd rather not contradict someone who' experienced it, but thought I'd highlight it to your thoughts?

The prices stated on the product pages include German value-added tax, currently at the rate of 19 per cent, and currently at 7 per cent for books and magazines. They do not include shipping co or any surcharges for bulky goods. Different rates of value-added tax for countries in which hardwareversand.de remits value-added tax in the destination country are shown in the table below


Now, looking at the basket, the price is 1.033 € + shipping (which I believe is the 18.99 extra.)

After I press the "buy" button, what are the next steps? Where do I transfer the money to and what do I need to do in order to make them aware that the transfer is from me?

BTW: I Also added this tower instead of the one you suggested, because the one you suggested is out of stock. I believe the difference is in color only, but could you confirm and in case it's obvious, is there any major differences?

Serephucus

Case is fine, it's just colour.

That paragraph is a bit misleading. I don't know how the VAT goes, or any of that (I find anything to do with business exceedingly boring) but the order I placed a month or so ago came to.. whatever it was, and I was only charged that amount, same with everyone here, and all their builds.

The easiest (and cheapest) way of paying them is via bank transfer. When you hit buy, you'll get a confirmation page, then an email, with their bank account and necessary details. You can do it yourself online, or get someone in a bank to do it for you. They'll give you a number that you include in the reference field of the transfer, that let's them know it's from you.

gagomes

Serephucus wrote: »

Case is fine, it's just colour.

That paragraph is a bit misleading. I don't know how the VAT goes, or any of that (I find anything to do with business exceedingly boring) but the order I placed a month or so ago came to.. whatever it was, and I was only charged that amount, same with everyone here, and all their builds.

The easiest (and cheapest) way of paying them is via bank transfer. When you hit buy, you'll get a confirmation page, then an email, with their bank account and necessary details. You can do it yourself online, or get someone in a bank to do it for you. They'll give you a number that you include in the reference field of the transfer, that let's them know it's from you.

Thank you so much Serephucus

gagomes

I'm just about to hit the "order now" button but just can't help and overthink things too much. I have a hard time dealing with strategical incompetence when ordering online, so I prefer to quad-check everything before buying.

Assuming I don't buy a fan, there is a stock one that is part of either the cpu or board, I presume? or is this something I must add into my basket?

I assume also, it's fairly reliant seeing as the whole set up is overclock-able and the major downside being the noise ?

Serephucus

If you got the 3770K "Box" then it'll come with a cooler, but it's not really any good for overclocking. You can play with it a bit, but I wouldn't try any serious overclocks with it. It's not quite bare minimum, but it's very much a "does the job" cooler, and not much else.

gagomes

Serephucus wrote: »

If you got the 3770K "Box" then it'll come with a cooler, but it's not really any good for overclocking. You can play with it a bit, but I wouldn't try any serious overclocks with it. It's not quite bare minimum, but it's very much a "does the job" cooler, and not much else.

Thanks once more

This is the final order:

ASRock Z77 Extreme4, Sockel 1155, ATX Intel Core i7-3770K Box, LGA1155 Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 Windforce 2X, 2GB GDDR5, 2x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort Super-Flower SF550P14XE Golden Green Pro 80plus gold Samsung SSD 840 120GB SATA 6Gb/s 16GB-Kit Corsair ValueSelect PC3-10667U CL9-9-9-24 (2x) FRACTAL DESIGN Define R4 Black Pearl Rechner - Zusammenbau

Macker1

gagomes wrote: »

Thanks once more

This is the final order:

ASRock Z77 Extreme4, Sockel 1155, ATX Intel Core i7-3770K Box, LGA1155 Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 Windforce 2X, 2GB GDDR5, 2x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort Super-Flower SF550P14XE Golden Green Pro 80plus gold Samsung SSD 840 120GB SATA 6Gb/s 16GB-Kit Corsair ValueSelect PC3-10667U CL9-9-9-24 (2x) FRACTAL DESIGN Define R4 Black Pearl Rechner - Zusammenbau

Best of luck with build. Nice spec..... I will be placing an order at end of month and would be very interested in hearing feedback from yourself on the delivery of your order in particular the Fractal Design Define R4 case. Comments on the packaging and condition of the case. The reason being is that I have seen other suppliers cease the selling of these cases due to poor quality control on behalf of Fractal.

Tij da feen

Macker1 wrote: »

Best of luck with build. Nice spec..... I will be placing an order at end of month and would be very interested in hearing feedback from yourself on the delivery of your order in particular the Fractal Design Define R4 case. Comments on the packaging and condition of the case. The reason being is that I have seen other suppliers cease the selling of these cases due to poor quality control on behalf of Fractal.

What suppliers? Just that I didn't see anything about that and would be interested to see.

Macker1

Tij da feen wrote: »

What suppliers? Just that I didn't see anything about that and would be interested to see.

I have been looking at getting this case for a while even back when the R3 was the option. Overclockers UK no longer sell cases from Fractal and when I checked their forums for info I discovered the reasons given where poor quality control regarding their cases. I'm most probably will still take a chance but its a concern.

gagomes

I don't mind to place here a review. It's the least I can do.

As for the claims regarding fractal's poor quality control, is there anything specifically known to be fragile or otherwise not on par with quality?

And, to all you who have bought from HWVS. I suppose the money will fall on their account tomorrow (Tuesday), so how long does it take for them to ship things over? Do I need to do anything or just wait?

I'm over-eager to receive and assemble it as you may guess...

Macker1

gagomes wrote: »

I don't mind to place here a review. It's the least I can do.

As for the claims regarding fractal's poor quality control, is there anything specifically known to be fragile or otherwise not on par with quality?

And, to all you who have bought from HWVS. I suppose the money will fall on their account tomorrow (Tuesday), so how long does it take for them to ship things over? Do I need to do anything or just wait?

I'm over-eager to receive and assemble it as you may guess...

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18468916

gagomes

I just got this email from HWVS, which acknowledges the money in their account.

when I look to the order, I can see this:

Payment type Prepayment
Date Event
2013-1-04 at 20:50 Online-Order
2013-1-08 at 10:25 We received your payment amounting to 1.050,00 EUR .

Do I need to do anything else at this stage, or it's all automatic?

gagomes

Macker1 wrote: »

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18468916

Scary. I hope mine is good, though. From what I can see, I wonder if the problem is poor quality control on the making or packaging, as a lot of the problems being reported could happen in the hands of the wrong delivery person(s).

It's more common for people to come out of their shelter to complain than to make a positive review and as far as I can see that thread seems well balanced in terms of pros vs cons, so I wouldn't really sweat this too much. A few scratches on the paint job wouldn't be a big deal to me, but a bent case or something else broken would.