# Coming over from laptop gaming, need advice!



## SemiGamer (Apr 7, 2013)

Hey guys, I've been a laptop user for awhile and finally decided to get a gaming desktop as well.
Currently I have a m18xR2 with a 7970m and 3720qm, 16gb 1333mhz RAM and 1920x1080 18in display.


So I want something that will top that by a little for now, and upgrade to even higher later (Giving my girlfriend my laptop if I build a desktop)

Heres what I've come up with:






And for the case: 
http://www.xoxide.com/aerocool-strike-xgtblackedition-midtowercase.html

I have an SSD and 500gb HDD to put in it already. My budget is around $1400. 
Are all of those components the best I could get for my budget? And those specs should out perform my m18xR2 by a little bit, correct?
Also am I missing any components? (Don't need a DVD / floppy / etc drive right now)

Thanks guys!

EDIT:
Also is the Sabertooth nessasary or should I go with this one to save $30? 
ASUS P8Z77-V PRO Intel Motherboard - Newegg.com


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## de.das.dude (Apr 7, 2013)

those are pretty nice. if you dont want to overclock, dont buy the K edition processor, and go for a cheaper motherboard if you dont plan on dual GPU ing it.

dont know about asus ATM, but dell makes some really great IPS monitors at the moment.


and not sure if it will outperform the dual 675 in your alienware.

dvd drive wont cost more than 20$, and get an aftermarket CPU cooler as well. The Hyper 212 EVO is a cheap and good choice for your 77W CPU.


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## SemiGamer (Apr 7, 2013)

de.das.dude said:


> those are pretty nice. if you dont want to overclock, dont buy the K edition processor, and go for a cheaper motherboard if you dont plan on dual GPU ing it.
> 
> dont know about asus ATM, but dell makes some really great IPS monitors at the moment.
> 
> ...



Hey thanks for the reply! 
You might've misread my OP a little though  My laptop has a single (1) AMD 7970m in it. And I plan to eventually add another 670 to the desktop build to make it SLI 670 in the future when I have the cash. 

I added that CPU cooler to the cart, looks like alot of people like it so might as well. 

As for the case I posted, it should fit everything including that CPU cooler, correct?

As for the motherboard, I was thinking of just going with this one:
ASUS P8Z77-V PRO Intel Motherboard - Newegg.com
It supports dual GPU's for a future SLI setup as well, correct?


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## Jetster (Apr 7, 2013)

For $20 more I just bought a HP 23xi IPS 23" monitor


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## SemiGamer (Apr 7, 2013)

Jetster said:


> For $20 more I just bought a HP 23xi IPS 23" monitor



Is that one better than the Asus in clarity? They're both at $169.99 on newegg right now.
I notice the HP is 10,000,000 to 1 and the Asus is 50,000,000 to 1, that doesn't matter?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Is that one better than the Asus in clarity? They're both at $169.99 on newegg right now.
> I notice the HP is 10,000,000 to 1 and the Asus is 50,000,000 to 1, that doesn't matter?



The Asus is a TN panel monitor. The HP is an IPS and itll have better color reproduction and clarity regardless of the contrast ratio. Research a bit on IPS vs. TN.

Both monitors are 1000:1 Native contrast ratio which is the number you want to pay attention to. Other ratios are dynamic. 

Its a no brainer. Get the IPS. The IPS is also 10% off with promo code DSKBNCE17


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## drdeathx (Apr 8, 2013)

If  you live by a Microcenter, you can save almost $100 on the 3770K(In store only)


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## Cotton_Cup (Apr 8, 2013)

I would recommend a seasonic gold/plat or specially corsair gold/plat as you have a shiny rig might as well get something shiny too.

or get a h100i or something to match things up a bit ^_^


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> The Asus is a TN panel monitor. The HP is an IPS and itll have better color reproduction and clarity regardless of the contrast ratio. Research a bit on IPS vs. TN.
> 
> Both monitors are 1000:1 Native contrast ratio which is the number you want to pay attention to. Other ratios are dynamic.
> 
> Its a no brainer. Get the IPS. The IPS is also 10% off with promo code DSKBNCE17



Thank you, helped a bunch!



drdeathx said:


> If  you live by a Microcenter, you can save almost $100 on the 3770K(In store only)


Yeah I wish I had one but the nearest is 7hrs away :\



Cotton_Cup said:


> I would recommend a seasonic gold/plat or specially corsair gold/plat as you have a shiny rig might as well get something shiny too.
> 
> or get a h100i or something to match things up a bit ^_^


Isn't the PSU I listed a Corsair gold? Not sure what you mean if thats not what you're talking about. 

As for the h110i I do plan on going liquid cooling later on but its over my budget right now :\


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Thank you, helped a bunch!
> 
> 
> Yeah I wish I had one but the nearest is 7hrs away :\
> ...



The PSU you chose is fine. Don't worry about it.


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> The PSU you chose is fine. Don't worry about it.



Thanks!
Based off of you guys' feedback, this is the updated cart:





With the case I posted in the OP from xocide. 

Does this seem like the best choices for my budget or do you guys have some more suggestions before I purchase? 
NOTE: The rubix cube is a gift for one of the components, its free when I go to check out, not $20. 

Thank you all for the great help. Glad to see this forum is much like the laptop forum I'm used to.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Thanks!
> Based off of you guys' feedback, this is the updated cart:
> http://i48.tinypic.com/2qta3jr.png
> 
> ...



Go even cheaper on the motherboard.

I really like Gigabyte boards. Far more then Asus right now.

GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UP4 TH ATX Intel Motherboard - Ne...

And I recommend getting the MX-4 paste.

ARCTIC MX4 Thermal Paste - 4gram - Newegg.com


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## [Ion] (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Thanks!
> Based off of you guys' feedback, this is the updated cart:
> http://i48.tinypic.com/2qta3jr.png
> 
> ...


If your goal later on is real watercooling and you're considering SLI, I really think you'd be well off to spend the extra $20 or $25 for the 3770k so you have a CPU that can be overclocked (with a custom loop 4.5GHz wouldn't be a challenge in the slightest)

The amount you could save by going with the Gigabyte board that Phenom suggested will nearly buy you the 3770k 

Otherwise, a very solid build 


MxPhenom 216 said:


> Go even cheaper on the motherboard.
> 
> I really like Gigabyte boards. Far more then Asus right now.
> 
> ...



I have this Gigabyte board in my 3770k cruncher and I've been very happy with it


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Go even cheaper on the motherboard.
> 
> I really like Gigabyte boards. Far more then Asus right now.
> 
> ...



If I'm not mistaken, that Mobo will downclock the RAM I have chosen, no? 
Thats no big deal since I can just switch the RAM to the 1600mhz option, but will that MB support SLI when I upgrade in the future? I believe so since its 3x PCI Express 3.0 x16, which means it will hold 3 graphics cards, Right? 
Sorry, still trying to get used to PCI slots instead of MXM cards and such that I'm used to on laptops. <.<


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> If I'm not mistaken, that Mobo will downclock the RAM I have chosen, no?
> Thats no big deal since I can just switch the RAM to the 1600mhz option, but will that MB support SLI when I upgrade in the future? I believe so since its 3x PCI Express 3.0 x16, which means it will hold 3 graphics cards, Right?
> Sorry, still trying to get used to PCI slots instead of MXM cards and such that I'm used to on laptops. <.<



Downclock? No, your going to have to manual set/overclock your memory on which ever board you get to get it to run at 1866 anyways so. Ivy Bridge default memory clock is up to 1600mhz so any memory you get that's over that speed you are going to have to overclock anyways, or atleast its considered overclocking.

You can also set XMP profiles in the bios to run the memory. Sometimes that won't work though, so sometimes you have to manually set speeds and timings.


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## [Ion] (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> If I'm not mistaken, that Mobo will downclock the RAM I have chosen, no?
> Thats no big deal since I can just switch the RAM to the 1600mhz option, but will that MB support SLI when I upgrade in the future? I believe so since its 3x PCI Express 3.0 x16, which means it will hold 3 graphics cards, Right?
> Sorry, still trying to get used to PCI slots instead of MXM cards and such that I'm used to on laptops. <.<



Yes, it supports 3 GPUs when using an Ivy Bridge CPU (i3/i5/i3 3-series) and does PCIe 3.0 on at least the first two slots.

And it's fully SLI/Crossfire compatible


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

[Ion] said:


> If your goal later on is real watercooling and you're considering SLI, I really think you'd be well off to spend the extra $20 or $25 for the 3770k so you have a CPU that can be overclocked (with a custom loop 4.5GHz wouldn't be a challenge in the slightest)
> 
> The amount you could save by going with the Gigabyte board that Phenom suggested will nearly buy you the 3770k
> 
> ...



Thank you! Sorry I didn't see your reply when I responded to Phenom, I think you posted as I was posting as well lol



MxPhenom 216 said:


> Downclock? No, your going to have to manual set/overclock your memory on which ever board you get to get it to run at 1866 anyways so. Ivy Bridge default memory clock is up to 1600mhz so any memory you get that's over that speed you are going to have to overclock anyways, or atleast its considered overclocking.
> 
> You can also set XMP profiles in the bios to run the memory. Sometimes that won't work though, so sometimes you have to manually set speeds and timings.



I'll just grab the g-skill 1600mhz RAM chips than and save a few bucks, if its anything like laptops there isn't much of a difference anyway right?



[Ion] said:


> Yes, it supports 3 GPUs when using an Ivy Bridge CPU (i3/i5/i3 3-series) and does PCIe 3.0 on at least the first two slots.
> 
> And it's fully SLI/Crossfire compatible



So the only thing that the ASUS has better is some extra USB ports and WiFi? I believe the Gigabyte has LAN only, correct? 

First time comparing desktop mobo's. Hope I'm doing it right LOL
And I believe you meant i3/i5/i7, right? Just making sure the i7 is compatible in that list.


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

(Sorry for double post)
I was reading the reviews of that gigabyte board and some mention they wish they had gotten this one for the small price increase:
GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD5H ATX Intel Motherboard - Newe...
But its on sale currently and less than the first Gigabyte you guys showed me.
Which one would be better? The UD5H or UP4 TH? From my understanding the UD5H has an mSATA and extra sata ports while the UP4 TH has a Thunderbolt port or two? Never even heard of a thunderbolt, don't think I'd need it though?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> (Sorry for double post)
> I was reading the reviews of that gigabyte board and some mention they wish they had gotten this one for the small price increase:
> GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD5H ATX Intel Motherboard - Newe...
> But its on sale currently and less than the first Gigabyte you guys showed me.
> Which one would be better? The UD5H or UP4 TH? From my understanding the UD5H has an mSATA and extra sata ports while the UP4 TH has a Thunderbolt port or two? Never even heard of a thunderbolt, don't think I'd need it though?



Id take the UP4 still. And you can get the 1600mhz memory, but memory speeds might default to 1333 regardless when you power up. So you are going to have to do some setting changes manually(Switch XMP profile on or manually set speeds, timings, and sub-timings) to get really any memory to run at its advertised clock speed correctly. 

The 1866 memory will probably default to 1333. Ivy Bridge Memory controller native memory speed is up to 1600 but it can handle way above that over 2000 generally.


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## [Ion] (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Thank you! Sorry I didn't see your reply when I responded to Phenom, I think you posted as I was posting as well lol
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, I meant i3/i5/i7, apparently I can't type 
It's thoroughly compatible--I have my 3770k @ 4.2GHz on that board (Lazy OC, got to that point while I was using the stock cooler and haven't bothered to push it further even with the Corsair H50 on it now)


SemiGamer said:


> (Sorry for double post)
> I was reading the reviews of that gigabyte board and some mention they wish they had gotten this one for the small price increase:
> GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD5H ATX Intel Motherboard - Newe...
> But its on sale currently and less than the first Gigabyte you guys showed me.
> Which one would be better? The UD5H or UP4 TH? From my understanding the UD5H has an mSATA and extra sata ports while the UP4 TH has a Thunderbolt port or two? Never even heard of a thunderbolt, don't think I'd need it though?



Either way I think you'll be happy.  I think that Thunderbolt is more appealing on laptops where otherwise your options for expansion are limited, but I guess it can't hurt to have.

And the UP4 TH also has mSATA, although I figure for a desktop you might as well use a full-sized faster/more reliable drive


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Id take the UP4 still. And you can get the 1600mhz memory, but memory speeds might default to 1333 regardless when you power up. So you are going to have to do some setting changes manually(Switch XMP profile on or manually set speeds, timings, and sub-timings) to get really any memory to run at its advertised clock speed correctly.
> 
> The 1866 memory will probably default to 1333. Ivy Bridge Memory controller native memory speed is up to 1600 but it can handle way above that over 2000 generally.



Reason being for taking the UP4? 
Not doubting any of  you guys' opinions at all, I'm just curious "why this" and "why that" so I know for the future. 
And than for $5 I'll just stick with the 1866 in case I decide to overclock the RAM in the future. 

So heres what the cart looks like now:
http://i47.tinypic.com/104gobo.png

The 3770 I'm undecided if I want to go with the K or not so its give or take $40. 

That look about right? 
Should out perform my mobile 7970m + 3720qm set-up in my laptop, correct?



[Ion] said:


> Yes, I meant i3/i5/i7, apparently I can't type
> It's thoroughly compatible--I have my 3770k @ 4.2GHz on that board (Lazy OC, got to that point while I was using the stock cooler and haven't bothered to push it further even with the Corsair H50 on it now)
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah I think I'll be happy either way as well since the case I'm getting has more USB ports too which is what I'm mainly after.
Also I don't understand how that works for drives. The case has the slots for the drives but if the motherboard doesnt have enough ports for all the slots than some slots become useless on the case? Is that how that goes?
And I have my 2.5in 128gb Crucial M4 SSD that I'm going to be putting in it, does that go in mSata or  ?


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## [Ion] (Apr 8, 2013)

If it really is $40 more for the 3770k then it's perhaps less worth it--your choice to make.  I'd probably go ahead and get the 3770k just so I could OC it, but both will still be fast.  And the HD7970M is like a lower-clocked HD7870, so, yes, this will be a good bit faster


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

[Ion] said:


> If it really is $40 more for the 3770k then it's perhaps less worth it--your choice to make.  I'd probably go ahead and get the 3770k just so I could OC it, but both will still be fast.  And the HD7970M is like a lower-clocked HD7870, so, yes, this will be a good bit faster



God you guys are quick here lol. I edited my previous post to quote your previous post as well once I saw it.
But to add onto that drive question, I have a GPU question.
Is that 670m the best nVidia GPU possible for $370 price range?


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## drdeathx (Apr 8, 2013)

I would stay away from Asus Z77 boards. A lot of mixed reviews with their Bios Look at the MSI Z77 GD55 od MSI Z77 GD65. They both overclock great and I tested both boards plus Tested the P8Z77 boards. Go with MSI and save a few bucks. The MSI GD65 overclocked my 2600K to 5,2GHz and Asus boards wouldn't get that high.


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## [Ion] (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> God you guys are quick here lol. I edited my previous post to quote your previous post as well once I saw it.
> But to add onto that drive question, I have a GPU question.
> Is that 670m the best nVidia GPU possible for $370 price range?



To be honest I can't answer that one too well.  As a college student, $370 is a bit above my usual GPU budget 

I would actually consider the HD7970 if you're thinking of adding a second GPU later--apparently Crossfire scaling w/ two HD7970s is supposed to be a good bit better than SLI scaling w/ two GTX670s/GTX680s (see W1zzard's reviews).


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

drdeathx said:


> I would stay away from Asus Z77 boards. A lot of mixed reviews with their Bios Look at the MSI Z77 GD55 od MSI Z77 GD65. They both overclock great and I tested both boards plus Tested the P8Z77 boards. Go with MSI and save a few bucks. The MSI GD65 overclocked my 2600K to 5,2GHz and Asus boards wouldn't get that high.


This one?
MSI Z77A-GD65 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s U...
Whats everyone elses take on this?


[Ion] said:


> To be honest I can't answer that one too well.  As a college student, $370 is a bit above my usual GPU budget
> 
> I would actually consider the HD7970 if you're thinking of adding a second GPU later--apparently Crossfire scaling w/ two HD7970s is supposed to be a good bit better than SLI scaling w/ two GTX670s/GTX680s (see W1zzard's reviews).


Ah I see, and yeah I'm never going back to Crossfire again lol. My m18xR2 was bought with two 7970m's and after all the bullcrap from AMD drivers and compatibility with the games I play I just sold off one of the cards and stuck with single 7970m since I was running corssfire off most of the time anyway. Decided when I go dual cards it'll always be nVidia now. Lol


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## [Ion] (Apr 8, 2013)

Fair enough.  I've been quite happy with two GTX470s in SLI--while I could try Crossfiring my HD7930 and HD7950, I haven't gotten around to it because quite frankly I don't see a need to do so.  In that case, I think a GTX670 is a very solid choice


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

[Ion] said:


> To be honest I can't answer that one too well.  As a college student, $370 is a bit above my usual GPU budget
> 
> I would actually consider the HD7970 if you're thinking of adding a second GPU later--apparently Crossfire scaling w/ two HD7970s is supposed to be a good bit better than SLI scaling w/ two GTX670s/GTX680s (see W1zzard's reviews).



Well right now crossfire is broken. Doesn't really scale at all.


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

So I guess everythings pretty set in stone except the Mobo, Should I with that MSI that was mentioned or stick with the gigabyte?
Heres the two in comparison to save you guys some trouble:
Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, L...

I'm thinkin' maybe go with the MSI and use the $40 to go with the 3770k instead of 3770? 
Sound smart or bad choice?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> So I guess everythings pretty set in stone except the Mobo, Should I with that MSI that was mentioned or stick with the gigabyte?



MSi makes pretty decent boards now-a-days. My neighbor has the P67 GD65 and its been very solid. Honestly you cant go wrong with either board. Gigabyte or MSi. Which ever one is cheaper I guess?



SemiGamer said:


> So I guess everythings pretty set in stone except the Mobo, Should I with that MSI that was mentioned or stick with the gigabyte?
> Heres the two in comparison to save you guys some trouble:
> Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, L...
> 
> ...



Good choice. I was actually thinking that as well.


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> MSi makes pretty decent boards now-a-days. My neighbor has the P67 GD65 and its been very solid. Honestly you cant go wrong with either board. Gigabyte or MSi. Which ever one is cheaper I guess?
> 
> 
> 
> Good choice. I was actually thinking that as well.



Alright, final shopping cart on newegg 






Now a lot of times I see people saying they got some free stuff from newegg for building their PC through them, how do I do that?


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## [Ion] (Apr 8, 2013)

Occasionally they have promotions--last week, they had one where if you bought a motherboard from a certain list you got 8GB of RAM free.  Not so bad


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Alright, final shopping cart on newegg
> http://i49.tinypic.com/2zdr708.png
> 
> Now a lot of times I see people saying they got some free stuff from newegg for building their PC through them, how do I do that?



Good build. Order now!


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Good build. Order now!



Workin on it  

You guys never did give me an answer on the case I chose over at xocide though lol
http://www.xoxide.com/aerocool-strike-xgtblackedition-midtowercase.html
Is it good enough for the components I'm getting?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Workin on it
> 
> You guys never did give me an answer on the case I chose over at xocide though lol
> http://www.xoxide.com/aerocool-strike-xgtblackedition-midtowercase.html
> Is it good enough for the components I'm getting?



Its decent, im not a fan of the looks of it, buts a cases are personal preference. Are you set on that case, because there are a lot of other good options that fit the whole gamer look on newegg.

EDIT: Such as this guy. 

COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS ...


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Its decent, im not a fan of the looks of it, buts a cases are personal preference. Are you set on that case, because there are a lot of other good options that fit the whole gamer look on newegg.



Nah I'm not set on the case at all.
What caught my eye was the low price of it for the decent looks it has.
If you know of a better one around the price, by all means do show me.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Nah I'm not set on the case at all.
> What caught my eye was the low price of it for the decent looks it has.
> If you know of a better one around the price, by all means do show me.



posted a link above ^^^

but here it is again

COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS ...

And if you want a more subtle case.

Bitfenix makes a good one.

BitFenix Shinobi Window Black Steel / Plastic ATX ...

And this is a popular case but a bit more expensive. 

NZXT Phantom 410 CA-PH410-G1 Gunmetal Steel / Plas...


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> posted a link above ^^^
> 
> but here it is again
> 
> ...



Hmmm the price of the first one interests me.
I am kinda looking for some flashy lights though.. (Laptop is an alienware, love my lights LOL)
Any recommendations with nice lighting?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Hmmm the price of the first one interests me.
> I am kinda looking for some flashy lights though.. (Laptop is an alienware, love my lights LOL)
> Any recommendations with nice lighting?



Im pretty sure the 912 has front fan that's LED lit with red LEDs.


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## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Im pretty sure the 912 has front fan that's LED lit with red LEDs.



Ah, I was searching some of the brands you listed and came across this one from NZXT:
NZXT Guardian 921 RB 921RB-001-BL Black SECC steel...
Its got some style to it but not overly lit, and the price is decent.
But what about the internals? Is it as good as the others at all?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Ah, I was searching some of the brands you listed and came across this one from NZXT:
> NZXT Guardian 921 RB 921RB-001-BL Black SECC steel...
> Its got some style to it but not overly lit, and the price is decent.
> But what about the internals? Is it as good as the others at all?



That looks good. Not much of a fan of cases with lights, ive grown out of that phase haha, but like I said. Cases are personal preference. Reason I said check newegg for cases is so you can buy your stuff all in one order install of having to waste paying shipping for 2 orders from 2 separate places haha.


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## boogerlad (Apr 8, 2013)

I dunno, but if I were you I would wait until the next generation of graphic cards. By getting a 7970 or a 680, you get a 30% boost at most.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 8, 2013)

boogerlad said:


> I dunno, but if I were you I would wait until the next generation of graphic cards. By getting a 7970 or a 680, you get a 30% boost at most.



Depends on if he wants to wait. What he has listed is better then his laptop, which is what he was worried about originally. 

Next gen from AMD and Nvidia wont be here till Q4 this year, and then at the latest Q1 2014.

EDIT: 30% boost? This rig will crush his laptop. Even if it is a 30% boost its no slouch. These days we feel lucky to even get a 30% boost generation to generation when it comes to GPUs.


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## drdeathx (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Workin on it
> 
> You guys never did give me an answer on the case I chose over at xocide though lol
> http://www.xoxide.com/aerocool-strike-xgtblackedition-midtowercase.html
> Is it good enough for the components I'm getting?



You will love the MSI Z77 GD65 BTW


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## Huddo93 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Ah, I was searching some of the brands you listed and came across this one from NZXT:
> NZXT Guardian 921 RB 921RB-001-BL Black SECC steel...
> Its got some style to it but not overly lit, and the price is decent.
> But what about the internals? Is it as good as the others at all?



I'm not to sure how long your looking to keep your case, but if your looking for a case to keep for the long haul, possibly look at something a little more pricey. I bought a cheap case, coolermaster storm scout, it was okay for a while but I soon became very annoyed with it, as it had basically no room for cable management, or space to add additional graphics cards or large coolers. If your looking to get your computer looking clean and crisp on the inside maybe look for something around the $150-170 price point. NZXT (Phantom/Switch Series), Corsair (D Series) and Fractal Design (If your into a clean/sleek design) have some really good cases around that price point. With the difference in build quality and the features (cable managment, internal space, room for radiators for water coolers and metal instead of plastic) that come with the more expensive cases it is most definitely worth it if your looking to keep your case for the long haul. I bought a Corsair 650D (around $200 when I bought it) and it has been worth every dollar so far! and if your looking at lighting, LED strips are great and easy to use for lighting up the inside of any case if your looking to show off your internals!

Edit:
Added a few links to cases

NZXT Examples:
http://www.xoxide.com/nzxt-phantom-630-modular-ultra-full-tower-case-white.html
http://www.xoxide.com/nzxt-810ftcase-white.html

Corsair Examples:
Corsair Obsidian Series 650D (CC650DW-1) Black Ste...
Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Arctic White Steel AT...

Fractal Design Examples:
Fractal Design Define R4 with Window Titanium Grey...
Fractal Design Define XL R2 FD-CA-DEF-XL-R2-TI Tit...

If you are strictly buying a case from Xoxide, then definitly look at the NZXT cases I linked, they are personally my favourites for looks and features out of there series for that price range. If anyone has a different opinion please let me know!  but these cases are my personal favorites when it comes to build quality and internal and external features.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 8, 2013)

Huddo93 said:


> I'm not to sure how long your looking to keep your case, but if your looking for a case to keep for the long haul, possibly look at something a little more pricey. I bought a cheap case, coolermaster storm scout, it was okay for a while but I soon became very annoyed with it, as it had basically no room for cable management, or space to add additional graphics cards or large coolers. If your looking to get your computer looking clean and crisp on the inside maybe look for something around the $150-170 price point. NZXT (Phantom/Switch Series), Corsair (D Series) and Fractal Design (If your into a clean/sleek design) have some really good cases around that price point. With the difference in build quality and the features (cable managment, internal space, room for radiators for water coolers and metal instead of plastic) that come with the more expensive cases it is most definitely worth it if your looking to keep your case for the long haul. I bought a Corsair 650D (around $200 when I bought it) and it has been worth every dollar so far! and if your looking at lighting, LED strips are great and easy to use for lighting up the inside of any case if your looking to show off your internals!
> 
> Edit:
> Added a few links to cases
> ...


Thank you a bunch for all the time you took for that post!
Unfortunately I hate white 

I was looking at reviews for the 912 that Phenom posted and the 922 lored me in 
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN3-GP Black Steel ...
If you look at the reviews, the bubbled side panel is for wire management and such, I think its a pretty solid choice for a few years?
Review here: Cooler Master HAF 922 Case Unboxing & First Look L...

EDIT: Grrr you guys lol 
Would this one be worth the extra $30? I rather just get a decent case now instead of regretting skimping on $30 later if its a lot better.
COOLER MASTER HAF XM RC-922XM-KKN1 Latch Side Pane...
I also like the all black paint job, the silver on the instead of the 922 just looks bad to me..


----------



## Huddo93 (Apr 8, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Thank you a bunch for all the time you took for that post!
> Unfortunately I hate white
> 
> I was looking at reviews for the 912 that Phenom posted and the 922 lored me in
> ...



Most of the cases I linked come in a variety of colours  the HAF series is okay, I just find them a bit to plasticy (my problem when it comes to build quality). But for a starting case I am sure it will be fine. In a year or two I think you'll probably want a upgrade, the tech cravings will get you! I get an urge to buy something new every 2-4 months  Next on my list is a mechanical keyboard!.. Anyways, goodluck with your build! and Happy gaming!


----------



## [Ion] (Apr 8, 2013)

I was going to suggest the Cooler Master RC-692, but in the three weeks since I purchased it, apparently Newegg has decided to discontinue it.  A great shame IMO--it looks great and has a good deal of space inside.  Cable management and airflow are both very solid


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

Lol dammit I didn't think case choosing would be so hard!
Currently I'm standing on this one:
COOLER MASTER CM Storm Series Trooper (SGC-5000-KK...
But I've still got a few more days to wait (waiting for tax check to come!) so I'm sure my mind will change by than <.<
Any thoughts on that case ?


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Lol dammit I didn't think case choosing would be so hard!
> Currently I'm standing on this one:
> COOLER MASTER CM Storm Series Trooper (SGC-5000-KK...
> But I've still got a few more days to wait (waiting for tax check to come!) so I'm sure my mind will change by than <.<
> Any thoughts on that case ?



Its a good case. Really big though. You might be surprised haha.

I like this case a bit more.

COOLER MASTER HAF XM RC-922XM-KKN1 Latch Side Pane...


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

I stumbled upon this:
Refurbished: DELL XPS 8500LE (X850014790222SA) No ...
Do you think thats worth buying, than getting a better case, selling the 7770 and getting the 670?
Possibly have to upgrade the motherboard but I'd be getting a 256gb SSD as well as Windows 7 which I'll need anyway and a 2TB storage drive.


----------



## Jetster (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> I stumbled upon this:
> Refurbished: DELL XPS 8500LE (X850014790222SA) No ...
> Do you think thats worth buying, than getting a better case, selling the 7770 and getting the 670?
> Possibly have to upgrade the motherboard but I'd be getting a 256gb SSD as well as Windows 7 which I'll need anyway and a 2TB storage drive.



No, to many issuews with pripriatary parts


----------



## de.das.dude (Apr 9, 2013)

^ he means "proprietary"


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

Ah gotcha, I'll stick with my build.
Unfortunately the HP monitor doesn't seem like it will be available when I go to buy (its out of stock now). So how is this for an alternative?
ASUS VS239H-P Black 23" 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen ...


----------



## tokyoduong (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Is that one better than the Asus in clarity? They're both at $169.99 on newegg right now.
> I notice the HP is 10,000,000 to 1 and the Asus is 50,000,000 to 1, that doesn't matter?



That contrast is dynamic is not an actual representation of real contrast. You'll be lucky if you get 1000:1 in during operation.

How they get that is they compared their brightest white in their brightest mode and compared it to their blackest black in their dimmest mode. That means the contrast is comparing 2 different frames at different times. They get away with this BS because they can say their monitor have software that will automatically adjust brightness and picture modes. Not to mention there's no standard in measuring these contrast ratios so it's different for every manufacturers.

If you look at monitor reviews then you'll see that contrast usually falls between 200-1000.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

tokyoduong said:


> That contrast is dynamic is not an actual representation of real contrast. You'll be lucky if you get 1000:1 in during operation.
> 
> How they get that is they compared their brightest white in their brightest mode and compared it to their blackest black in their dimmest mode. That means the contrast is comparing 2 different frames at different times. They get away with this BS because they can say their monitor have software that will automatically adjust brightness and picture modes. Not to mention there's no standard in measuring these contrast ratios so it's different for every manufacturers.
> 
> If you look at monitor reviews then you'll see that contrast usually falls between 200-1000.



For which monitor are we talking about?
The HP one that was suggested earlier is no longer available, I tried to find an equivalent monitor and came up with the Asus I found just above your post, was wondering if thats any good since I'm searching for a monitor again?


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> For which monitor are we talking about?
> The HP one that was suggested earlier is no longer available, I tried to find an equivalent monitor and came up with the Asus I found just above your post, was wondering if thats any good since I'm searching for a monitor again?



I wouldn't get a TN panel at this point in the game. Here are some IPS panels on Newegg.

Acer H236HLbid Black 23" 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen...

LG 23EA63V-P Black 23" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LED Bac...

Dell UltraSharp U2312HM IPS-Panel Black 23" 8ms Sw...

The Dell is 10% off with promo code right now. I have the 24" version of Dell. Awesome monitor.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> I wouldn't get a TN panel at this point in the game. Here are some IPS panels on Newegg.
> 
> Acer H236HLbid Black 23" 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen...
> 
> ...



I thought this was an IPS not TN? ASUS VS239H-P Black 23" 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen ...
Also at $219 I'd prolly just buy this guy: ASUS VG Series VG23AH Black 23" 5ms HDMI Widescree... haha


----------



## tokyoduong (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> For which monitor are we talking about?
> The HP one that was suggested earlier is no longer available, I tried to find an equivalent monitor and came up with the Asus I found just above your post, was wondering if thats any good since I'm searching for a monitor again?



I explained the dubious contrast ratio. It's not real.

Right now, there's no monitor that can realitically do 10,000:1 contrast. Reading through reviews of some of the most expensive monitors and bested rated ones, their contrast ratio is only ~1,000:1 and that is really high.
The budget monitors claiming these ridiculous 50,000:1 ratios only do 200-400 in reality.


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> I thought this was an IPS not TN? ASUS VS239H-P Black 23" 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen ...
> Also at $219 I'd prolly just buy this guy: ASUS VG Series VG23AH Black 23" 5ms HDMI Widescree... haha



Oh yeah, it is IPS. 

Why would you get the $219 Asus IPS when you can get the Dell monitor for 10% off? 

Dell UltraSharp U2312HM IPS-Panel Black 23" 8ms Sw...

With Dell you get a lot better support if you have any issues. Asus it can be a pain in the ass.

And the Asus doesn't have height adjustments or anything like that which is nice to have with a monitor.


----------



## tokyoduong (Apr 9, 2013)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ell+ips,aps&rh=i:aps,k:dell ips&tag=tec06d-20


both dell ips and asus ips can be bought for ~170. I personally like dell along with many people i know that have tried both. The dells are just good ips and very easy on the eyes. The Asus seems to have better color. The dells have better better stands too. I use dells at work and samsung at home.


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

tokyoduong said:


> http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ell+ips,aps&rh=i:aps,k:dell ips&tag=tec06d-20
> 
> 
> both dell ips and asus ips can be bought for ~170. I personally like dell along with many people i know that have tried both. The dells are just good ips and very easy on the eyes. The Asus seems to have better color. The dells have better better stands too. I use dells at work and samsung at home.



Those are the non Ultrasharp Dells though too.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Oh yeah, it is IPS.
> 
> Why would you get the $219 Asus IPS when you can get the Dell monitor for 10% off?
> 
> ...



The $219 Asus has speakers, 3D and it indeed has height adjustments. The $170 asus is the one that doesn't. I figured at the same price the Asus had many more features. Though the  10% off coupon on the dell does lower it to $199 or so. But at both $219 I thought the Asus was better for the speakers and 3D. 


tokyoduong said:


> http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ell+ips,aps&rh=i:aps,k:dell ips&tag=tec06d-20
> 
> 
> both dell ips and asus ips can be bought for ~170. I personally like dell along with many people i know that have tried both. The dells are just good ips and very easy on the eyes. The Asus seems to have better color. The dells have better better stands too. I use dells at work and samsung at home.



Which one do you recommend for ~170?


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> *The $219 Asus has speakers*, 3D and it indeed has height adjustments. The $170 asus is the one that doesn't. I figured at the same price the Asus had many more features. Though the  10% off coupon on the dell does lower it to $199 or so. But at both $219 I thought the Asus was better for the speakers and 3D.
> 
> 
> Which one do you recommend for ~170?



If this is a gaming rig why aren't you using headphones or discrete speakers?


----------



## BiggieShady (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> The $219 Asus has speakers, 3D and it indeed has height adjustments.



I don't know where did you see 3D, that monitor does not have 120 Hz vertical refresh rate.

Also, I would not recommend using speakers on any monitor, be nice to your ears


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

BiggieShady said:


> I don't know where did you see 3D, that monitor does not have 120 Hz vertical refresh rate.
> 
> Also, I would not recommend using speakers on any monitor, be nice to your ears



It advertises as having 3D Capabilities, and comes with glasses. I also thought it was weird that it was NOT 120hz.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> If this is a gaming rig why aren't you using headphones or discrete speakers?





BiggieShady said:


> I don't know where did you see 3D, that monitor does not have 120 Hz vertical refresh rate.
> 
> Also, I would not recommend using speakers on any monitor, be nice to your ears


We're talking about this one Biggie: ASUS VG Series VG23AH Black 23" 5ms HDMI Widescree...

And I use a Logitech G930 headset but many times when my friends/family/girlfriend want to watch a youtube video with me I play it through my laptop speakers for obvious reasons. 

Its no big deal, external speakers for that would work just fine. I was just curious why at the same price not go for the more features. 
Not fighting you guys on the decisions, just wondering the "why" get less features for the same price. Thats all. 

EDIT: After watching some reviews they say the 3D feature isn't very great anyway but that its still a great 2d monitor as expected. 
I doubt I'd use a crappy 3d feature since I have a samsung 3d TV for that kind of mumbo-jumbo. 
Wasn't looking forward to the $219 price range anyway. So do you think that dell is the best for the price at $199 after discount code?


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> We're talking about this one Biggie: ASUS VG Series VG23AH Black 23" 5ms HDMI Widescree...
> 
> And I use a Logitech G930 headset but many times when my friends/family/girlfriend want to watch a youtube video with me I play it through my laptop speakers for obvious reasons.
> 
> ...



Yeah I think so. I probably wont buy any other monitors other then Dell from here on out. They are a bit pricier then competition, but its worth it. Love my U2412M.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Yeah I think so. I probably wont buy any other monitors other then Dell from here on out. They are a bit pricier then competition, but its worth it. Love my U2412M.



I just noticed the Dell doesn't have HDMI.. Still worth it? I rather run HDMI to be honest..
Heres the compare I'm currently doing
Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, L...
Both $199 after rebates/coupons


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

Get the Asus then, Weird the Dell doesn't have HDMi as it has a 1080p resolution. Or you could just run DVI. 

Why do you prefer HDMI?


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 9, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Get the Asus then, Weird the Dell doesn't have HDMi as it has a 1080p resolution. Or you could just run DVI.
> 
> Why do you prefer HDMI?



Well its all I've ever used lol. Is it not the best option? 

Remember I'm coming from a laptop so the screens always been built in. Feel free to correct me whenever I insist something stupid. Thats why I'm here, to get taught / schooled ;P


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 9, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Well its all I've ever used lol. Is it not the best option?
> 
> Remember I'm coming from a laptop so the screens always been built in. Feel free to correct me whenever I insist something stupid. Thats why I'm here, to get taught / schooled ;P



Well since your limited to 1080p on either monitor it won't matter what you use HDMI or not. But monitors that are like 27 or 30" that have 1440p and 1600p resolutions, unless you have an HDMI cable that's version 1.4 I think it is, you can only do 1080p resolutions, where as DVI can basically do all of them right now. Only thing you don't get with DVI that you do with HDMI is sound.


----------



## BiggieShady (Apr 10, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> It advertises as having 3D Capabilities, and comes with glasses. I also thought it was weird that it was NOT 120hz.



Oh. I suppose you can watch stereoscopic bluray on it, I don't know about gaming in stereo though. Maybe on AMD capped at 30 fps. I know nVidia 3D requires 120 Hz monitor (why not let people try it capped at 30 fps is beyond me)


----------



## RCoon (Apr 10, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Well its all I've ever used lol. Is it not the best option?
> 
> Remember I'm coming from a laptop so the screens always been built in. Feel free to correct me whenever I insist something stupid. Thats why I'm here, to get taught / schooled ;P



DVI will do anything except sound, whereas HDMI is limited, but includes sound. I prefer to use my Graphics cards to output JUST video, as many other do. Sound can just be brought from the sound on the PC. Unless the monitor has built in speakers (which will be crappy), you dont need HDMI per se. DVI will support higher resolutions.


----------



## tokyoduong (Apr 10, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> The $219 Asus has speakers, 3D and it indeed has height adjustments. The $170 asus is the one that doesn't. I figured at the same price the Asus had many more features. Though the  10% off coupon on the dell does lower it to $199 or so. But at both $219 I thought the Asus was better for the speakers and 3D.
> 
> 
> Which one do you recommend for ~170?



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009H0XQRS/?tag=tec06d-20

get that one. Seriously, the difference between the ultrasharp and the nonultrasharp is really not that big of a deal. It just has a higher contrast between pixels so it appears sharper instead of softer. The cost difference is huge though. The resolution is still 1080p for both.


----------



## Huddo93 (Apr 10, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Well its all I've ever used lol. Is it not the best option?
> 
> Remember I'm coming from a laptop so the screens always been built in. Feel free to correct me whenever I insist something stupid. Thats why I'm here, to get taught / schooled ;P



DVI and HDMI are basically the same @ 1080p. Most people use DVI as its a very easy option.. there is no need to specifically use HDMI, espeically when the monitor will have a DVI cable included. 

I'd prefer the dell, over the "Feature Rich" Asus. The 3D like you said is basically crap, and the speakers are horrible quality, you are much better off using speakers. Once upon a time I used to only game through a headset, now I much prefer using speakers, so if your looking to have a fairly permanent place for your gaming rig, look into getting a set of speakers when you have the cash. 

The Dell monitor, whilst having less "features" will have much better product support if anything goes wrong, and the build quality really beats most brand and in my opinion Asus. Its kind of like buying a Volvo or a Volkswagen if you have ever heard that expression  It may not have the features, but its not gonna break, and by the add chance something goes wrong, it will be fixed easily and quickly.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 12, 2013)

Thanks for the information Huddo!

And now I'm back at you guys with yet ANOTHER monitor decision.
My friend says he has this Acer GD235HZbid Black / Orange 23.6" 2ms(GTG) HDMI... 
Hes telling me to get it because its 120hz.
I notice it doesn't have the stuff you guys recommend I get such as IPS, so my question is, is 120hz worth throwing away IPS and all that jazz? Like I mentioned before I don't plan on 3d everyday, only looking at the screen because of the 120hz. Looking at youtube reviews I notice a lot of good reviews for it but theres some from 2011 and such so I'm wondering if its outdated and not worth it.

Thanks! (again)


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 12, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Thanks for the information Huddo!
> 
> And now I'm back at you guys with yet ANOTHER monitor decision.
> My friend says he has this Acer GD235HZbid Black / Orange 23.6" 2ms(GTG) HDMI...
> ...



Not at all. Ill take the better color reproduction, contrast, and over all image quality in every scene then 120hz refresh rates. Now if that monitor was 120hz and IPS, then that might be a different story. I mean unless your into 3D and that kind of thing. Go for it I guess.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 12, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Not at all. Ill take the better color reproduction, contrast, and over all image quality in every scene then 120hz refresh rates. Now if that monitor was 120hz and IPS, then that might be a different story. I mean unless your into 3D and that kind of thing. Go for it I guess.



Yeah was my thoughts exactly, just figured I'd run it by you guys.
Also don't want to spend that much but I was hoping you guys could discourage it and you did thankfully haha.
Heres what else I found:
Refurbished: ASUS VS239H-P 23" LED 1920x1080 Res 5...
The price is what interest me the most but its refurbed. Any experience with refurb monitors?


EDIT: Actually just noticed it doesn't qualify for free shipping which puts it around $165,
ASUS VS239H-P Black 23" 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen ...
There it is new for $169.99 after mail-in-rebate and has free shipping so not as good of a deal as I thought.
Dang it monitor choosing has proven to be the biggest challenge.


----------



## Huddo93 (Apr 12, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Yeah was my thoughts exactly, just figured I'd run it by you guys.
> Also don't want to spend that much but I was hoping you guys could discourage it and you did thankfully haha.
> Heres what else I found:
> Refurbished: ASUS VS239H-P 23" LED 1920x1080 Res 5...
> ...



Just find a design you like, as long as its IPS and is in a price range you like, go for it! The difference between IPS Panels themselves in the same price range most likely wont differ that much, just find a monitor design you like thats in a price range your willing to pay and go for it. 

Get an IPS Panel then show it off to your friend with the 120Hz monitor, he will cry himself to sleep when he sees how much brighter and vibrant your colour reproduction is compared to his monitor


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 12, 2013)

Huddo93 said:


> Just find a design you like, as long as its IPS and is in a price range you like, go for it! The difference between IPS Panels themselves in the same price range most likely wont differ that much, just find a monitor design you like thats in a price range your willing to pay and go for it.
> 
> Get an IPS Panel then show it off to your friend with the 120Hz monitor, he will cry himself to sleep when he sees how much brighter and vibrant your colour reproduction is compared to his monitor



Don't forgot warranty and manufacture support


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 12, 2013)

Huddo93 said:


> Just find a design you like, as long as its IPS and is in a price range you like, go for it! The difference between IPS Panels themselves in the same price range most likely wont differ that much, just find a monitor design you like thats in a price range your willing to pay and go for it.
> 
> Get an IPS Panel then show it off to your friend with the 120Hz monitor, he will cry himself to sleep when he sees how much brighter and vibrant your colour reproduction is compared to his monitor





MxPhenom 216 said:


> Don't forgot warranty and manufacture support



yeah I decided to save a few bucks and get the IPS panel for $179. It'll suite my needs. 

One other change I've made was I went on Cooler Masters site and found the Trooper case for $40 less as refurbished. I figure since its just the case refurbished should be fine.

With the $40 I save from the case and $20 I save from the monitor, I'm thinking of upgrading the Gtx 670 to a 7970 3gb.
Originally I was looking a the Sapphire ghz edition but its sold out on Newegg now so I was looking a the XFX.
Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, L...
Theres the comparisons, should I keep the $30 (thats how much the 7970 is over the 670 after rebate) or should I take the AMD plunge again? (If the sapphire comes back in stock I'm getting that one, if not it'd be the XFX since none of the others are in my budget)

EDIT: added the GIGABYTE version to the list since I've actually heard of Gigabyte and never heard of XFX lol 
GIGABYTE GV-R797TO-3GD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition ...

And if I go with a 7970 it'd be sticking with one card because like I said before I HATE crossfire.
So should I go single 7970 or get the 670 and than another one in a year?


----------



## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 12, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> yeah I decided to save a few bucks and get the IPS panel for $179. It'll suite my needs.
> 
> One other change I've made was I went on Cooler Masters site and found the Trooper case for $40 less as refurbished. I figure since its just the case refurbished should be fine.
> 
> ...



Either one you get, you won't need another if you only play at 1080p later on. I know in most benchmarks a stock GTX670 and HD7970 are basically equal in performance. Then the 680 is above both. But then if you take the GE edition of the 7970s it beats it all. You could get the gigabyte 7970 non GE edition, then flash the GE bios to it to easily get 1100mhz clocks.

GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD 7970 3GB 384-bit ...

You could probably get a HD7950 too and just clock it to about 1100-1200 which will come close to stock 7970/680 performance.


----------



## SemiGamer (Apr 12, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Either one you get, you won't need another if you only play at 1080p later on. I know in most benchmarks a stock GTX670 and HD7970 are basically equal in performance. Then the 680 is above both. But then if you take the GE edition of the 7970s it beats it all. You could get the gigabyte 7970 non GE edition, then flash the GE bios to it to easily get 1100mhz clocks.
> 
> GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD 7970 3GB 384-bit ...
> 
> You could probably get a HD7950 too and just clock it to about 1100-1200 which will come close to stock 7970/680 performance.


Flashing the BIOS probably voids the warranty. Think it's just worth it for $50 to keep the warranty?


*EDIT:*
Alright, no more pu$$y-footing around lol
Heres the purchase cart I'm going with:





Note the case I only have in there for reference, the actual version I'm buying is $40 cheaper (Refurbished from Cooler Master themselves)

*Reasons for the changes: *

*680:* I really want to go nVidia but I don't feel right buying a 670 and knowing I can get a 7970 for the same price so I'm just taking the plunge on the best 2gb version of the 680 (only 1080p so I don't think I need 4gb)

*Display:* No need for 3d technology and its IPS (Doesn't say it in the shortened title but it is) for a good price.

*212+ cooler:* I really don't think I need the h100i for the time being so I'm using that $80 to help with the GPU cost, and since its cheap its only $29.99 I'm throwing away when I have the money for a water cooler. 

*3770k:* Just feels right to get with a GPU that monstrous compared to a locked CPU.

*2x blue LED Cooler master fans:* Replace the red fans included with the case with these to match the blue theme of my system. 

After mail in rebates ($70) and the discounted refurb case, the total is *$1482*. A little over what I wanted to spend but the peace of mind knowing I don't have to upgrade for a very long time is worth it.


I just want to thank you all for the help and if you guys have any words on the finalized system I'd be glad to see them!
Have a wonderful day! Can't wait to receive the system


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 13, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Flashing the BIOS probably voids the warranty. Think it's just worth it for $50 to keep the warranty?
> 
> 
> *EDIT:*
> ...



Goooooood lord!

For one don't get the Cooler Master R4 fans you have listed. They suck.......like really bad. Cooler is fine, monitor is fine. 


..........................................and why would you get that horrible monstrousity of a GPU? I would just get a factory clocked GTX670 to be honest. Itll be about the speeds of a stock GTX680 since they are so close at stock already.

I always recommend the Evga GTX670 FTW.

EVGA 02G-P4-2678-KR GeForce GTX 670 FTW 2GB 256-bi...

or since it seems like you going for a blue theme.

MSI N670 PE 2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GD...


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## SemiGamer (Apr 13, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Goooooood lord!
> 
> For one don't get the Cooler Master R4 fans you have listed. They suck.......like really bad. Cooler is fine, monitor is fine.
> 
> ...



Recommendations on the fans?

And the only problem I have with the 670 is the price comparison to the 7970.
Why go with a 670 thats less powerful than a 7970 and is the same price nearly?

The Evga you suggested is $399, This 7970 is faster and $419. 
XFX Double D FX797GTDFC Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition...
Also it comes with Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite codes which I can sell for $60 or so easy, so thats $359 for a card that is faster. 

Now being that I hate AMD, I don't see any other option than to go with a 680 that is $479 with amazing cooling.
I know the 670 overclocked is as good as a 680 stock BUT its not as good as an overclocked 680 so comparing OC'd to non OC'd isn't very fair IMO lol


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 13, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Recommendations on the fans?
> 
> And the only problem I have with the 670 is the price comparison to the 7970.
> Why go with a 670 thats less powerful than a 7970 and is the same price nearly?
> ...



If you want good cooling at on a 680. Then get one of these 3 cards.

GIGABYTE GV-N680OC-2GD GeForce GTX 680 2GB 256-bit...

EVGA Superclocked,  Signature 2 02G-P4-2687-KR GeF...

MSI N680GTX Twin Frozr 2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 680 2GB...

That other gigabyte card you listed is going to be LOUD. It has like 5 super small fans, that will need go be moving at a really high RPM to be effective with cooling. 

But honestly a HD7970 GE edition such as, GIGABYTE GV-R797TO-3GD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition ...

Is going to perform better then the 680 anyways. I know you don't like AMD, but if your not running crossfire, single GPU setups from them are the best right now.

And back to stock 670, the stock reference 670 vs. stock reference 7970 the 670 is actually faster by about 5%. Not much but still.


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## BiggieShady (Apr 13, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> That other gigabyte card you listed is going to be LOUD. It has like 5 super small fans, that will need go be moving at a really high RPM to be effective with cooling.



This cooling solution was tested and got good reviews but it is a bit louder. I would go with gigabyte's 3 fan solution.



MxPhenom 216 said:


> But honestly a HD7970 GE edition is going to perform better then the 680 anyways. I know you don't like AMD, but if your not running crossfire, single GPU setups from them are the best right now.



You forget to mention that gtx 680 uses less power and produces less heat. Also AMD drivers, although improved, are still not as good as nvidia's.


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## SemiGamer (Apr 13, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> If you want good cooling at on a 680. Then get one of these 3 cards.
> 
> GIGABYTE GV-N680OC-2GD GeForce GTX 680 2GB 256-bit...
> 
> ...





BiggieShady said:


> This cooling solution was tested and got good reviews but it is a bit louder. I would go with gigabyte's 3 fan solution.
> 
> 
> 
> You forget to mention that gtx 680 uses less power and produces less heat. Also AMD drivers, although improved, are still not as good as nvidia's.



Don't forget guys that I'm coming from an m18xR2 laptop, I keep the three small fans at FOUR THOUSAND rpm 24/7 through HWinfo. When you come from laptops you have a mind set that "If you can't hear it, its not doing its job". I don't care about fan noise one bit, I rather hear it and know its working lol.

As for the other three options Phenom gave I'm indeed checking out the other gigabyte since it fits my theme style but the look of the SoC gigabyte just makes all the other look like crap to me (Personal preference of course)

And yeah I do realize the 7970's power which is why I said I'd smack myself if I got a 670 knowing I could get a 7970 thats more powerful and cheaper after rebates and selling the included games. Since the 680 is roughly the same speed I'm basically paying for the mindset of knowing I don't have to deal with AMD bullcrap drivers anymore (Been using AMD for 3 years). And that to me is worth the extra $70 or so premium in the long run  
Plus I still have Boarderlands 2 sitting in my steam library waiting to be played so Phsyx on the nVidia shall make the experience a little more fun ;D

Also *@MxPhenom,* I notice you have a 680, just wondering if you regret getting it or something since you advise a 670 or 7970 instead? Mind shedding some insight on that?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 13, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Don't forget guys that I'm coming from an m18xR2 laptop, I keep the three small fans at FOUR THOUSAND rpm 24/7 through HWinfo. When you come from laptops you have a mind set that "If you can't hear it, its not doing its job". I don't care about fan noise one bit, I rather hear it and know its working lol.
> 
> As for the other three options Phenom gave I'm indeed checking out the other gigabyte since it fits my theme style but the look of the SoC gigabyte just makes all the other look like crap to me (Personal preference of course)
> 
> ...



Yes, I have a 680 and its been the best computer part ive got and upgraded to in the last 4-5 years. To the point ill probably get another one this coming summer, but pricing for Nvidia is awful right now. Not so much with the 670 since it performs right around the hd7970 with no overclocking, and its priced right with the 7970. But a lot of the 680 cards are $500+ still.

So no I do not regret buying the 680 one bit. Just price to performance on the 670/7970s is quite a bit better I think.



BiggieShady said:


> This cooling solution was tested and got good reviews but it is a bit louder. I would go with gigabyte's 3 fan solution.
> 
> 
> 
> You forget to mention that gtx 680 uses less power and produces less heat. Also AMD drivers, although improved, are still not as good as nvidia's.



yes that is true, but if you talk to some people they have ZERO issues with AMD drivers right, and then a lot of people do have issues. Then you go to Nvidia and its the same thing. They are about the same at this point, maybe a little less stable for some things on AMD drivers, but for single card configuration they are damn close. Multi card is a different story though.


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## SemiGamer (Apr 13, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Yes, I have a 680 and its been the best computer part ive got and upgraded to in the last 4-5 years. To the point ill probably get another one this coming summer, but pricing for Nvidia is awful right now. Not so much with the 670 since it performs right around the hd7970 with no overclocking, and its priced right with the 7970. But a lot of the 680 cards are $500+ still.
> 
> So no I do not regret buying the 680 one bit. Just price to performance on the 670/7970s is quite a bit better I think.
> 
> ...



If I go for nVidia I do plan on a future SLI, if I went with AMD I'd never plan on Crossfire, so I just see the 680 being more future proof for me, the 670 is nice but I rather just not skimp on a part that is so crucial to the system, instead I'm getting the refurb case to make up for the costs so its around the same. 

And you're correct about single card setups being damn near close for drivers, but Crossfire is just garbage from experience. Rather have the SLI support ready for a future upgrade. 


680 it is folks, SoC since it looks like a freakin' bat mobile and I don't care about fan noise since either one will be quieter than what I'm used to in my laptop. 

Thank you all for the help, appreciated every ounce of information I got from you guys on here. Helped so much! 

The only last question I have now is, the 750w should be powerful enough to power this updated system right?


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 13, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> If I go for nVidia I do plan on a future SLI, if I went with AMD I'd never plan on Crossfire, so I just see the 680 being more future proof for me, the 670 is nice but I rather just not skimp on a part that is so crucial to the system, instead I'm getting the refurb case to make up for the costs so its around the same.
> 
> And you're correct about single card setups being damn near close for drivers, but Crossfire is just garbage from experience. Rather have the SLI support ready for a future upgrade.
> 
> ...



Yes, your build will probably only pull about $400w from the wall stock speeds.

Get the Asus DirectCUII


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## SemiGamer (Apr 14, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Yes, your build will probably only pull about $400w from the wall stock speeds.
> 
> Get the Asus DirectCUII



Is that 400w with the hard drives? I will have a SSD as boot and 500gb as storage for now.
Also will it still be okay with a second GPU in the future or would I have to upgrade the PSU when I got a second card?

And this one?
ASUS GTX680-DC2O-2GD5 GeForce GTX 680 2GB 256-bit ...
Its clocked slower yet more money than the Gigabyte SoC no?


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## SemiGamer (Apr 29, 2013)

*UPDATE:*
Here's what I ended up building guys!










CPU: Intel Core i7 3770k OC'd to 4.6ghz
GPU: Gigabyte Windforce x3 GTX 680 OC
RAM: 8gb 1600mhz DDR3
SSD: 256gb Crucial M4
HDD: 500gb 7200RPM WD
PSU: Seasonic X-series 850w Gold
Mobo: MSI Z77A-GD65
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i
Case: CM Storm Stryker (modified)
Added fans: 2x SP120, 1x AF140
Case Lighting: NZXT Hue Controller 
Monitor: Asus 23" 1080p IPS Panel


Just wanted to thank you all for the help!


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## MT Alex (Apr 29, 2013)

Great job
I'm somewhat jealous


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## ste2425 (Apr 29, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> *UPDATE:*
> Here's what I ended up building guys!
> http://i40.tinypic.com/53poy9.jpg
> http://i42.tinypic.com/5ehjpf.jpg
> ...



Very nice rig, now you get the fun of cable management and other things like that


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## SemiGamer (Apr 29, 2013)

Lol Thanks you two! 
Yeah the cables in the back are a MESS and I'm gonna have to dedicate a whole day to cleaning them up Lol! 
I think I did decent on the panel side with cables for my first time though


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## ste2425 (Apr 29, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Lol Thanks you two!
> Yeah the cables in the back are a MESS and I'm gonna have to dedicate a whole day to cleaning them up Lol!
> I think I did decent on the panel side with cables for my first time though



Aye I wasn't saying there a mess  

I may have missed it but have you thought about dust filters and things like that? Your cleaning regime is going to be a bit of a bigger job then with your laptop


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## SemiGamer (Apr 29, 2013)

ste2425 said:


> Aye I wasn't saying there a mess
> 
> I may have missed it but have you thought about dust filters and things like that? Your cleaning regime is going to be a bit of a bigger job then with your laptop



Hahaha unfortunately there is though.   got everything connected and was so excited to boot it up I just shoved the panel on LOL

EDIT: The case has dust filters in it already


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 29, 2013)

Nice Work! I See You Didn't Buy The Massive Gigabyte 680. What Made You Change?


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## SemiGamer (Apr 29, 2013)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Nice Work! I See You Didn't Buy The Massive Gigabyte 680. What Made You Change?



Thanks man!
Yeah Haha well I sat down and thought about it and I decided $509 was just too much for a 2gb version, so I bought the $469 Windforce 3 version that you suggested and sold the Metro Last Light key for $40 so it was $409 after that and mail-in rebate.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Apr 29, 2013)

SemiGamer said:


> Thanks man!
> Yeah Haha well I sat down and thought about it and I decided $509 was just too much for a 2gb version, so I bought the $469 Windforce 3 version that you suggested and sold the Metro Last Light key for $40 so it was $409 after that and mail-in rebate.



Smart decision! 

How do you like the performance? Better then the laptop!?


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## SemiGamer (Apr 29, 2013)

Haha well let's put it this way, 
The laptop streams APB: Reloaded with in-game settings on medium with AA off at 70fps average, the desktop streams with in-game settings on Max with AA maxed as well at 100fps average. 
So Yeah I'm pretty happy with it ;D


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