Documenting my new build - Advices ?

vrosa

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Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Hi all,

After 6 years having a socket 775 rig as my main computer I think it's time to invest in a new system. It's still a good machine, but in a near future it wont handle all that I'm gonna need.

Here goes my first thoughts. Any advice is welcome !

Average prices from "Mercado Livre Brasil"

CPU: Core i7 3930K ~ US$ 690,00 - 790,00
MB: Asus Rampage IV Formula ~ US$ 490,00 - 590,00
RAM: 4x8GB (32GB) DDR3 1866 Vengeance
~ US$ 300,00 - 350,00


I'm not sure about the VGA. Both GTX690 and HD7990 are very expensive, so I thought in a setup with 2x HD7950 crossfired.


Vlad.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10.0.10122
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My Build - Vorttex Ultimate
    CPU
    Core i7 @ 4500 MHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Z87-Plus
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 @ 1822 MHz (OC)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R9 280X 3GB @ 1180 / 6800 MHz
    Sound Card
    7.1 HDA
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD LG 22" + CRT LG 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1760 x 1320 / 1280 x 960
    Hard Drives
    1 x 240 GB SSD (System)
    3 x 500 GB HDD (Data/Media)
    1 x 2000 GB e-HDD (Backup)
    PSU
    ThermalTake 1000W PSU
    Case
    Corsair Carbide R300
    Cooling
    Corsair H60 (Push-Pull)
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 Mbps (Down) 5 Mbps (Up)
    Browser
    IE, FF, Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG Internet Security 2015
    Other Info
    Some wired stuff
Wow, that is a system! :eek:

Is this going to be a gaming rig/graphics intensive system? Because if so, you're pretty much set for the next decade. :p
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS
    CPU
    AMD FX 8320
    Motherboard
    Crosshair V Formula-Z
    Memory
    16 gig DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS R9 270
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Seagate Barracuda (starting to hate Seagate)
    x2 3 TB Toshibas
    Windows 8.1 is installed on a SanDisk Ultra Plus 256 GB
    PSU
    OCZ 500 watt
    Case
    A current work in progres as I'll be building the physical case myself. It shall be fantastic.
    Cooling
    Arctic Cooler with 3 heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K750 wireless solar powered keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Touch Mouse
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, but I might go back on KIS 2014
Hi Coke Robot !

Yes, it's gonna be a rig for heavy work and gaming. The idea is to build something that will serve me for some years. It's gonna be a quite expensive build, so I'm not going to buy all the parts at once. This month I'm gonna buy MoBo and RAM, what will cost arround R$ 1600,00 (US$ 800,00). It is what I can disponibilize monthly without being killed by my wife...lol... My build will be probably finished in early June in this rhythm.

~update~

I changed my mind and decided to get the CPU first !

Vlad.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10.0.10122
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My Build - Vorttex Ultimate
    CPU
    Core i7 @ 4500 MHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Z87-Plus
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 @ 1822 MHz (OC)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R9 280X 3GB @ 1180 / 6800 MHz
    Sound Card
    7.1 HDA
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD LG 22" + CRT LG 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1760 x 1320 / 1280 x 960
    Hard Drives
    1 x 240 GB SSD (System)
    3 x 500 GB HDD (Data/Media)
    1 x 2000 GB e-HDD (Backup)
    PSU
    ThermalTake 1000W PSU
    Case
    Corsair Carbide R300
    Cooling
    Corsair H60 (Push-Pull)
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 Mbps (Down) 5 Mbps (Up)
    Browser
    IE, FF, Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG Internet Security 2015
    Other Info
    Some wired stuff

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10.0.10122
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My Build - Vorttex Ultimate
    CPU
    Core i7 @ 4500 MHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Z87-Plus
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 @ 1822 MHz (OC)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R9 280X 3GB @ 1180 / 6800 MHz
    Sound Card
    7.1 HDA
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD LG 22" + CRT LG 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1760 x 1320 / 1280 x 960
    Hard Drives
    1 x 240 GB SSD (System)
    3 x 500 GB HDD (Data/Media)
    1 x 2000 GB e-HDD (Backup)
    PSU
    ThermalTake 1000W PSU
    Case
    Corsair Carbide R300
    Cooling
    Corsair H60 (Push-Pull)
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 Mbps (Down) 5 Mbps (Up)
    Browser
    IE, FF, Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG Internet Security 2015
    Other Info
    Some wired stuff
I've built many systems lately (http://www.eightforums.com/general-support/19861-documenting-my-new-pc-re-build-q6600-i7-3770k.html) and just built my own PC to replace my 6 year old Q6600-based PC. I have found the i7-3770k ($229 USD) to be a particularly good CPU and the ASUS P8Z77-V Lk ($130 USD) or the Intel DZ77GAL-70K ($200 USD) to be excellent motherboards to run the CPU at it's maximum stable speed (I run mine at 4.5GHz). I like the all-in-one liquid cooling systems by Corsair, Antec, etc... as they are effective, easy to install and provide more room inside the case than the monstrous air coolers, for about the same price. I use a 120GB SSD to boot Windows and I load my applications on a 2 or 3TB WD Red or Caviar Black USB3 hard drive. The nVidia GTX-660 SC (superclocked) video card at $200 USD, is an excellent video card. I like Corsair 300R or 650D cases with Corsair 750 or 850watt modular power supplies.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10 Pro 64bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home built Intel i7-3770k-based system
    CPU
    Intel i7-3770k, Overclocked to 4.6GHz (46x100) with Corsair H110i GT cooler
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula 2.30 BIOS
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 2133 Corsair Vengeance Pro
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 980ti SC ACS 6GB DDR5 by EVGA
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, Corsair SP2500 speakers and subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27EA33 [Monitor] (27.2"vis) HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB (system drive)
    WD 6TB Red NAS hard drives x 2 in Storage Spaces (redundancy)
    PSU
    Corsair 750ax fully modular power supply with sleeved cables
    Case
    Corsair Air 540 with 7 x 140mm fans on front, rear and top panels
    Cooling
    Corsair H110i GT liquid cooled CPU with 4 x 140" Corsair SP "push-pull" and 3 x 140mm fans
    Keyboard
    Thermaltake Poseidon Z illuminated keyboard
    Mouse
    Corsair M65 wired
    Internet Speed
    85MBps DSL
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro and CCleaner Pro
    Other Info
    Client of Windows Server 2012 R2 10 PC's, laptops and smartphones on the WLAN.

    1GBps Ethernet ports
I have had great results with the Corsair Vengeance and Crucial Ballistix Sport 12800 DDR3 RAM. I like to install 16GB or 32GB of RAM, depending upon the use of the PC.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10 Pro 64bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home built Intel i7-3770k-based system
    CPU
    Intel i7-3770k, Overclocked to 4.6GHz (46x100) with Corsair H110i GT cooler
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula 2.30 BIOS
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 2133 Corsair Vengeance Pro
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 980ti SC ACS 6GB DDR5 by EVGA
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, Corsair SP2500 speakers and subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27EA33 [Monitor] (27.2"vis) HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB (system drive)
    WD 6TB Red NAS hard drives x 2 in Storage Spaces (redundancy)
    PSU
    Corsair 750ax fully modular power supply with sleeved cables
    Case
    Corsair Air 540 with 7 x 140mm fans on front, rear and top panels
    Cooling
    Corsair H110i GT liquid cooled CPU with 4 x 140" Corsair SP "push-pull" and 3 x 140mm fans
    Keyboard
    Thermaltake Poseidon Z illuminated keyboard
    Mouse
    Corsair M65 wired
    Internet Speed
    85MBps DSL
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro and CCleaner Pro
    Other Info
    Client of Windows Server 2012 R2 10 PC's, laptops and smartphones on the WLAN.

    1GBps Ethernet ports
For a serious gamer, I would recommend 2 x GTX680 or 2 x GTX690 to get the maximum framerate and resolution. I would not consider the nVidia Titan as it's too new and too much $ at almost $1200 USD. Running two GPU's will require excellent cooling and a very stable power supply. Get a nice, big case that allows cable mgmt and plenty of large, quiet fans and then use liquid cooling for the CPU (and GPU, if possible)...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10 Pro 64bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home built Intel i7-3770k-based system
    CPU
    Intel i7-3770k, Overclocked to 4.6GHz (46x100) with Corsair H110i GT cooler
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula 2.30 BIOS
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 2133 Corsair Vengeance Pro
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 980ti SC ACS 6GB DDR5 by EVGA
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, Corsair SP2500 speakers and subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27EA33 [Monitor] (27.2"vis) HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB (system drive)
    WD 6TB Red NAS hard drives x 2 in Storage Spaces (redundancy)
    PSU
    Corsair 750ax fully modular power supply with sleeved cables
    Case
    Corsair Air 540 with 7 x 140mm fans on front, rear and top panels
    Cooling
    Corsair H110i GT liquid cooled CPU with 4 x 140" Corsair SP "push-pull" and 3 x 140mm fans
    Keyboard
    Thermaltake Poseidon Z illuminated keyboard
    Mouse
    Corsair M65 wired
    Internet Speed
    85MBps DSL
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro and CCleaner Pro
    Other Info
    Client of Windows Server 2012 R2 10 PC's, laptops and smartphones on the WLAN.

    1GBps Ethernet ports
I strongly recommend "against" building machines for the intent of "being top of the line for a long time" Reason being, in a few years a new chip will come out, it will require a new mobo, might even require different ram and even though you spent a pretty penny today, it won't make it any more upgradable in the future.

As far as your RAM goes, what type of heavy lifting are you really going to be doing with this machine? Because 8GB of RAM is almost always enough for most people, and 16GB of RAM is almost universally overkill and unnecessary. But 32GB of RAM is most often purchased in hopes of "future-proofing" and is often times just wasted cash. I would instead purchase 2 x 8GB sticks today, and keep 2 slots free for the future and decide later if you need it. In 3 years time, when you have a need for that much RAM, you might find that socket 2011 is gone and DDR4 is out and maybe having 32GB of RAM today just doesn't make sense.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
I agree with your statements about RAM. I use virtual machines for testing, so I want to give each VM plenty of RAM and have multiple VM's running, so max'ing out the RAM ($175) in my new PC made sense for me. Most will not need more than 8GB of RAM and your analysis makes perfect sense. Either buy just what you need for now and upgrade/replace soon or "buy big" now and plan on keeping the system for a long time. My last system lasted over 6 years for me and my wife is still using it. Of course, the hard drives were replaced long ago.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10 Pro 64bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home built Intel i7-3770k-based system
    CPU
    Intel i7-3770k, Overclocked to 4.6GHz (46x100) with Corsair H110i GT cooler
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula 2.30 BIOS
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 2133 Corsair Vengeance Pro
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 980ti SC ACS 6GB DDR5 by EVGA
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, Corsair SP2500 speakers and subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27EA33 [Monitor] (27.2"vis) HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB (system drive)
    WD 6TB Red NAS hard drives x 2 in Storage Spaces (redundancy)
    PSU
    Corsair 750ax fully modular power supply with sleeved cables
    Case
    Corsair Air 540 with 7 x 140mm fans on front, rear and top panels
    Cooling
    Corsair H110i GT liquid cooled CPU with 4 x 140" Corsair SP "push-pull" and 3 x 140mm fans
    Keyboard
    Thermaltake Poseidon Z illuminated keyboard
    Mouse
    Corsair M65 wired
    Internet Speed
    85MBps DSL
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro and CCleaner Pro
    Other Info
    Client of Windows Server 2012 R2 10 PC's, laptops and smartphones on the WLAN.

    1GBps Ethernet ports
I strongly recommend building machines for the intent of "being top of the line for a long time"


my ever so humble opinion is that this is almost impossible to do ,giving how quick things change
even buying parts over a 3 or 4 month period you could end up having bought something that you wish you hadn't
just an opinion based on watching computers change the past 15 years
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win8.1.1 enterprise
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Hinze57
    CPU
    AMD FX 6100 6core 3.30gHz
    Motherboard
    gigibyte ga-78lmy-s2p
    Memory
    4gig ddr3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radon hd5000 Series
    Sound Card
    onboard realtek hd
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19" viewsonic/ 22"Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    128gig ssd Kingston
    80gig WD 10000 rpm spinner
    Case
    micro
    Keyboard
    microsoft curve 200
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M215
    Internet Speed
    high speed 20
    Browser
    ie 11
    Antivirus
    windows defender
    Other Info
    updated enterprise apr 2/14
I strongly recommend building machines for the intent of "being top of the line for a long time"


my ever so humble opinion is that this is almost impossible to do ,giving how quick things change
even buying parts over a 3 or 4 month period you could end up having bought something that you wish you hadn't
just an opinion based on watching computers change the past 15 years

I screwed up in my above post and left out a key word "against". I've editing the post and now it reflects my actual opinion.

I agree with your statements about RAM. I use virtual machines for testing, so I want to give each VM plenty of RAM and have multiple VM's running, so max'ing out the RAM ($175) in my new PC made sense for me. Most will not need more than 8GB of RAM and your analysis makes perfect sense. Either buy just what you need for now and upgrade/replace soon or "buy big" now and plan on keeping the system for a long time. My last system lasted over 6 years for me and my wife is still using it. Of course, the hard drives were replaced long ago.
My job is virtual machines. I have a ton of them and use them all of the time. And even so, I run with 16GB of RAM in my primary desktop and laptop at work. That allows me to comfortably run 4-6 VM's without any issue. Even with most Windows VM's, I give them 2-4GB of RAM max and that is ok. VM's typically don't get the load that an actual production workstation would need. But VM's are a great reason to have RAM. But I think we agree, its probably best to determine that you actually need RAM for more VM's, than simply to buy today thinking that it might come in handy later.



 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
I screwed up in my above post and left out a key word "against". I've editing the post and now it reflects my actual opinion.



yes, very important missed word ,now we agree ,lol
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win8.1.1 enterprise
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Hinze57
    CPU
    AMD FX 6100 6core 3.30gHz
    Motherboard
    gigibyte ga-78lmy-s2p
    Memory
    4gig ddr3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radon hd5000 Series
    Sound Card
    onboard realtek hd
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19" viewsonic/ 22"Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    128gig ssd Kingston
    80gig WD 10000 rpm spinner
    Case
    micro
    Keyboard
    microsoft curve 200
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M215
    Internet Speed
    high speed 20
    Browser
    ie 11
    Antivirus
    windows defender
    Other Info
    updated enterprise apr 2/14
My interpretation of "being top of the line for a long time" is to build a PC that compares favorably (performance-wise) to the newer gear that will come out for quite awhile. For instance, the new Haswell CPU is supposed to be 7-10% faster than the i7-3770k, so it will take several more "generations" of CPUs until the i7-3770k no longer performs comparably to the new CPU. My 6 year old Quad2Core 6600 still compares favorably to the lower end i3 and i5 cPUs as well as most of the AMD's, so even though it's "old" now, it still has some life left in it. As long as your PC will run the applications (and games) that you want, it's still a good PC. As soon as you want something your PC can't provide, you start looking at the "build versus upgrade" choice and go from there...
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10 Pro 64bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home built Intel i7-3770k-based system
    CPU
    Intel i7-3770k, Overclocked to 4.6GHz (46x100) with Corsair H110i GT cooler
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula 2.30 BIOS
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 2133 Corsair Vengeance Pro
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 980ti SC ACS 6GB DDR5 by EVGA
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, Corsair SP2500 speakers and subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27EA33 [Monitor] (27.2"vis) HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB (system drive)
    WD 6TB Red NAS hard drives x 2 in Storage Spaces (redundancy)
    PSU
    Corsair 750ax fully modular power supply with sleeved cables
    Case
    Corsair Air 540 with 7 x 140mm fans on front, rear and top panels
    Cooling
    Corsair H110i GT liquid cooled CPU with 4 x 140" Corsair SP "push-pull" and 3 x 140mm fans
    Keyboard
    Thermaltake Poseidon Z illuminated keyboard
    Mouse
    Corsair M65 wired
    Internet Speed
    85MBps DSL
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro and CCleaner Pro
    Other Info
    Client of Windows Server 2012 R2 10 PC's, laptops and smartphones on the WLAN.

    1GBps Ethernet ports
Thanks for your advices !

I have found the i7-3770k ($229 USD) to be a particularly good CPU and the ASUS P8Z77-V Lk ($130 USD) or the Intel DZ77GAL-70K ($200 USD) to be excellent motherboards to run the CPU at it's maximum stable speed (I run mine at 4.5GHz).

Surely 3770k is a very good CPU. My choice for 3930k was more because of the quad-channel platform.

I would instead purchase 2 x 8GB sticks today, and keep 2 slots free for the future and decide later if you need it.

The question with RAM is that the board has 4 DIMMs for quad-channel. If I install 4x4GB I'll be stuck on 16GB, by the other hand if I install 2x8GB I'll get only dual-channel.

I would recommend 2 x GTX680 or 2 x GTX690

I'm concerned about VGA pricing here in Brazil. That's insane... I wanted a HD7990 6GB, but it costs arround US$ 1700,00 here, just like GTX690. Said that, I'm seriously wondering to get 2x HD7950(70) or 2x GTX680, but anyways the VGAs will be the last parts to be bought.


Well, there's still a lot of things by the way.

:)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10.0.10122
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My Build - Vorttex Ultimate
    CPU
    Core i7 @ 4500 MHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Z87-Plus
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 @ 1822 MHz (OC)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R9 280X 3GB @ 1180 / 6800 MHz
    Sound Card
    7.1 HDA
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD LG 22" + CRT LG 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1760 x 1320 / 1280 x 960
    Hard Drives
    1 x 240 GB SSD (System)
    3 x 500 GB HDD (Data/Media)
    1 x 2000 GB e-HDD (Backup)
    PSU
    ThermalTake 1000W PSU
    Case
    Corsair Carbide R300
    Cooling
    Corsair H60 (Push-Pull)
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 Mbps (Down) 5 Mbps (Up)
    Browser
    IE, FF, Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG Internet Security 2015
    Other Info
    Some wired stuff
My interpretation of "being top of the line for a long time" is to build a PC that compares favorably (performance-wise) to the newer gear that will come out for quite awhile. For instance, the new Haswell CPU is supposed to be 7-10% faster than the i7-3770k, so it will take several more "generations" of CPUs until the i7-3770k no longer performs comparably to the new CPU. My 6 year old Quad2Core 6600 still compares favorably to the lower end i3 and i5 cPUs as well as most of the AMD's, so even though it's "old" now, it still has some life left in it. As long as your PC will run the applications (and games) that you want, it's still a good PC. As soon as you want something your PC can't provide, you start looking at the "build versus upgrade" choice and go from there...

Yeah, my current home rig is a Q9550 that I bought in July of 2009. And even though it's nearly 4 years old, it's going strong. I've not been able to justify upgrading to a Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge setup.

The question with RAM is that the board has 4 DIMMs for quad-channel. If I install 4x4GB I'll be stuck on 16GB, by the other hand if I install 2x8GB I'll get only dual-channel.
I will admit, I didn't even realize that quad channel was even out there. That's what happens when you have a 4 year old PC at home. I still would likely go for 4 x 4GB myself and save the cash as more than 16GB of RAM really requires a specific task...but that's up to you.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
I strongly recommend building machines for the intent of "being top of the line for a long time"


my ever so humble opinion is that this is almost impossible to do ,giving how quick things change
even buying parts over a 3 or 4 month period you could end up having bought something that you wish you hadn't
just an opinion based on watching computers change the past 15 years
That depends on how you use the PC. I just finished working on this HP laptop that is five years old, dual core Intel Core 2 Duo, four gigs of DDR2 RAM, a spacious hard drive and runs Windows 8 like a charm. If that person were to use it intensively for intensive tasks, yes, this is true. You can't over build to have it last pretty long. BUT, if you really go out and buy the OVER THE SPACE ROOF top of the line parts, they will last FOR SURE. A graphics card with two GPU chips on board kind of won't be pressed to its limits any time soon, and such and such and such...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS
    CPU
    AMD FX 8320
    Motherboard
    Crosshair V Formula-Z
    Memory
    16 gig DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS R9 270
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Seagate Barracuda (starting to hate Seagate)
    x2 3 TB Toshibas
    Windows 8.1 is installed on a SanDisk Ultra Plus 256 GB
    PSU
    OCZ 500 watt
    Case
    A current work in progres as I'll be building the physical case myself. It shall be fantastic.
    Cooling
    Arctic Cooler with 3 heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K750 wireless solar powered keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Touch Mouse
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, but I might go back on KIS 2014
I always start with an excellent power supply, quality motherboard and RAM and a CPU that performs at the "top" of it's class
(Q6600, I7-3770k, etc...) I can always upgrade hard drives, SSD's, video cards, etc... as tiime goes on but it's very difficult to justify upgrading the CPU or motherboard as to me, that constitutes a new system, not an "upgrade".
 
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10 Pro 64bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home built Intel i7-3770k-based system
    CPU
    Intel i7-3770k, Overclocked to 4.6GHz (46x100) with Corsair H110i GT cooler
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula 2.30 BIOS
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 2133 Corsair Vengeance Pro
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 980ti SC ACS 6GB DDR5 by EVGA
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, Corsair SP2500 speakers and subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27EA33 [Monitor] (27.2"vis) HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB (system drive)
    WD 6TB Red NAS hard drives x 2 in Storage Spaces (redundancy)
    PSU
    Corsair 750ax fully modular power supply with sleeved cables
    Case
    Corsair Air 540 with 7 x 140mm fans on front, rear and top panels
    Cooling
    Corsair H110i GT liquid cooled CPU with 4 x 140" Corsair SP "push-pull" and 3 x 140mm fans
    Keyboard
    Thermaltake Poseidon Z illuminated keyboard
    Mouse
    Corsair M65 wired
    Internet Speed
    85MBps DSL
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, MalwareBytes Pro and CCleaner Pro
    Other Info
    Client of Windows Server 2012 R2 10 PC's, laptops and smartphones on the WLAN.

    1GBps Ethernet ports
My only advice I can give for your new build vrosa is make sure your case is big enough to handle your 7950 (I would recommend the 7970) GPU and if your air cooling can handle one to those big air cooling cpu coolers. I just purchased a Thermaltake Overseer RX 1 full tower, best decision I ever made was going full tower and after my rebate comes in it will have only cost me $79.99. Excellent cable management and excellent air circulation with high end parts is a must have in my book.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom build
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X 4 965 BE
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-MA790X-DS4
    Memory
    G-Skill 8 GB PC 8500
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD XFX HD Radeon 6790D
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2l Samsung SyncMaster S20B300
    Screen Resolution
    1600 X 900
    Hard Drives
    Seagate Barracuda 320 GB w/OS
    Seagate Barracuda 1 TB data storage
    PSU
    Ultra X4 750 watt fully modular
    Case
    Thermaltake OverSeer RX 1 fulltower
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper212 120mm
    Keyboard
    Logitech G510
    Mouse
    Razor DeathAdder 3.5
I always start with an excellent power supply, quality mothernoard and RAM and a CPU that performs at the "top" of it's class
(Q6600, I7-3770k, etc...) I can always upgrade hard drives, SSD's, video cards, etc... as tiime goes on but it's very difficult to justify upgrading the CPU or motherboard as to me, that constitutes a new systsm, not an "upgrade".

Very true ! In 2006 I built a rock solid Q6600 system that served me well for 6 years, time in which I upgraded many times. I still have two skt755 systems, a Q9550 and a QX9770. Those quads are still strong performers, but with the advent of SATA-3, PCI-Ex 3.0 and USB 3.0 I have no option but building a new rig.

@PParks1:: I will admit, I didn't even realize that quad channel was even out there. That's what happens when you have a 4 year old PC at home. I still would likely go for 4 x 4GB myself and save the cash as more than 16GB of RAM really requires a specific task...but that's up to you.

@azasadny:: My interpretation of "being top of the line for a long time" is to build a PC that compares favorably (performance-wise) to the newer gear that will come out for quite awhile. For instance, the new Haswell CPU is supposed to be 7-10% faster than the i7-3770k, so it will take several more "generations" of CPUs until the i7-3770k no longer performs comparably to the new CPU.

Right again ! As a geologist / geotechnical engineer I run several simulation softwares that are multicore optimized and very RAM hungry, and it's important to build a system that will serve me for some years, after all it's better to spend more money one time then rebuild a system every 2 years or so.

My only advice I can give for your new build vrosa is make sure your case is big enough to handle your 7950 (I would recommend the 7970) GPU and if your air cooling can handle one to those big air cooling cpu coolers. I just purchased a Thermaltake Overseer RX 1 full tower, best decision I ever made was going full tower and after my rebate comes in it will have only cost me $79.99. Excellent cable management and excellent air circulation with high end parts is a must have in my book.

Yes. I'm thinking in a X-Predator Case... >> Gabinete AeroCool Xpredator X3 Devil Black Edition - The Ultimate Gaming Series - EN57103 - AeroCool - Gabinete - Oficina dos Bits

xpredator1.png xpredator2.png xpredator3.png

... or a Mechatron Black Edition >> Gabinete AeroCool Mechatron Black Edition - Interior Preto - Janela lateral - EN57011 - AeroCool - Gabinete - Oficina dos Bits

34980ampliada3.jpg
airflowb.jpg

:)
 
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10.0.10122
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My Build - Vorttex Ultimate
    CPU
    Core i7 @ 4500 MHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Z87-Plus
    Memory
    32GB DDR3 @ 1822 MHz (OC)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R9 280X 3GB @ 1180 / 6800 MHz
    Sound Card
    7.1 HDA
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD LG 22" + CRT LG 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1760 x 1320 / 1280 x 960
    Hard Drives
    1 x 240 GB SSD (System)
    3 x 500 GB HDD (Data/Media)
    1 x 2000 GB e-HDD (Backup)
    PSU
    ThermalTake 1000W PSU
    Case
    Corsair Carbide R300
    Cooling
    Corsair H60 (Push-Pull)
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 Mbps (Down) 5 Mbps (Up)
    Browser
    IE, FF, Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG Internet Security 2015
    Other Info
    Some wired stuff
after all it's better to spend more money one time then rebuild a system every 2 years or so.
Not sure I completely agree. Let's say you build a computer for $2800 today. Let's say it lasts 4 years. If instead, you build a computer for $1,200 today, then invested the remaining $1,600 for 2 years and then build a new computer in 2 years for another $1,200...you might only have $2400 in the 2 computers at the end of 4 years, and you have 2 full system, and potentially some investment income from that money that you saved on day 1.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
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