any additions/subtractions to this list? cap is 1500 quid

[blaindev]

have a quick glance over this list folks and see if you would change anything at all, note please I won't be changing colour scheme, and i have already bought the following:

XSPC dual bay res/pump

Bitfenix Shinobi XL

TX850M PSU

Mushkin enhanced blackline 8GB @2000MHz

Coolermaster sickleflow fans (x5)

Seagate 500GB SATA III HDD

Crucial M4 128GB SSD

XSPC raystorm CPU waterblock

so have a glance over and see where I can make improvements based on my black/green colour scheme:

HIS HD 7970 3072MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card - AMD 3 for FREE Promotion

Intel Core i7-3820 3.60GHz (Sandybridge-E) Socket LGA2011 Processor - Retail

Gigabyte X79-UD3 Intel X79 (Socket 2011) DDR3 Motherboard

BitFenix Shinobi XL Full Tower Gaming Case - Black

Corsair Enthusiast Series TX850M High Performance 850W '80 Plus Bronze' Modular Power Supply (CP-9020004-UK)

Crucial RealSSD M4 128GB 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Hard Drive (CT128M4SSD2)

Mushkin Redline Ridgeback 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-14900C9 1866MHz DIMM Kit (997052)

XSPC X2O 750 Dual 5.25” Bay Reservoir Pump

Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB SATA 6Gb/s 16MB Cache - OEM (ST500DM002)

XSPC EX360 Multiport Radiator

XSPC RayStorm CPU WaterBlock (Intel) Out of stock

BitFenix Alchemy 24pin ATX extension 30cm - Green

BitFenix Alchemy 8pin PCI-E extension 45cm - Green

BitFenix Alchemy Molex to 4 x SATA power extension - Green

Cooler Master 12cm Sickleflow Green LED System Case Fan

BitFenix Alchemy 6pin PCI-E extension 45cm - Green

BitFenix Alchemy 8pin EPS extension 45cm - Green

BitFenix Alchemy SATA 6GB/s braided cable 30cm - Green

Mayhems Dye, UV Green - 10ml

BitFenix Alchemy Molex to 3pin x3 Fan adaptor 12V 20cm - Green

Mayhems Ultra Pure H20 Watercooling Fluid 1L

BitFenix Alchemy Internal Audio Extension Adaptor 30cm - Green

BitFenix Alchemy 2pin I/O extension 30cm - Green

BitFenix Alchemy 3pin Fan extension 30cm - Green

EK PSC Compression Fitting 1/2" - Black

XSPC 1/2" ID High Flex Hose - Clear

total cost for build: Total: £1530.72 (with shipping at 14.99 total and this is at todays current prices, I have saved around 50-60 quid so far on that price)

 

[jamesriley94]

I would change the processor and motherboard and go Ivybridge personally, as you'd benefit more from the memory bandwidth of the mushkin. Also, if you're doing watercooling you can overclock the Ivybridge better than you could the SB-E. May also work out a little cheaper, but it's up to you really. It'll be a good build whatever!

If you can save money, you may find a cheaper power supply. That system really doesn't need an 850w PSU, probably get away with 650w, but if you're planning to upgrade in the future then fair enough!

Most people on this site would also recommend you getting a 670 instead of the 7970... Tbh, you're gunna be happy with either, so I wouldnt change it, and again, you'll be very happy with either.

The bay res and pump combo is also generally frowned upon here, but it should do the job fine and since you've already bought it we cant really change! Did you not think about getting a RASA kit though? as it includes everything you've listed but saves you around £50?

 

[blaindev]

I thought about the RASA kit, however i had read that the included waterblock aint as good as some of their higher priced models, and i really liked the raystorm and heard good reviews about it.

Yeah i'm still torn between the 7970 and the 670, as i could go grab a PALIT 670 from OCUK for 300 quid, and in terms of rad, im still deciding between a 45mm crossflow XSPC and a 45mm koolance rad (both are 360mm and cant go above 45mm else i wont have push/pull in the shinobi XL

)

this is the rad im contemplating:

http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop...60mm-Triple-Radiator--HX-360HL-pid-15139.html

the pump/res combo i had heard mixed reviews about, im only looking to cool the CPU so didnt feel the need for a specialised D5 pump and individual res, then again, at 50 quid for the combo, if it does die after 2 years, its a simple swap out of both at the same time, so I run the risks knowingly

 

[jamesriley94]

The RASA block is a good block, with very good performance? Thats why they built the RASA kit around that block?

Nevermind

Push pull will save you like 3-4 degrees C, whereas a 60mm thick rad with a single set of fans will save you quite a bit more - generally. However, as you're only cooling the cpu - and on a 360 rad at that, thats probably irrelevant as you'll be hitting the lowest possible temps anyway. I would personally just go for a pull config in the top so cut down on noise, just I'd probably avoid the CM fans as they arent as good for RADs as some others - but I do kind of guess you're getting them for the LEDs?

 

[blaindev]

yep doing them for the LED's which are great, im planning on using 7v extensions from bitfenix (not the 12v ones mentioned above) to lower the CFM down and thus noise, although i must admit, with the side panel on they aint too bad, other option is a front bay fan controller (like the new bitfenix recon a LOT!)

dont forget, to get a 60mm rad in the shinobi XL without cutting bits and pieces is with sythe slims only, hence the 45mm option with coolermatsters in push and then sythe slims in pull under the top grill will work fine, just undervolt both to 7v or 9v on extensions

as for IVY, mmmmmmmm i dunno, i do like the 3820 (can get 4.3GHz without any hassle) as im not looking for extreme overclocking, 4.3-4.5GHz will be all I need, but i want good temps and thus i overlook IVY straight away!

 

[blaindev]

The RASA block is a good block, with very good performance? Thats why they built the RASA kit around that block?

Nevermind

I dont doubt the preformance of the rasa, its just if you are buying a full kit from them, its cheaper and better to get the rest of the parts seperate as you are kinda restricted in what they give you, and I like to customise a lot, IF I was going for a bog standard rig, then in a heartbeat I would grab a rasa kit, just for the way I wanted this one, I liked the XSPC waterblock more

 

[jamesriley94]

Er - Ivy at 4.3-4.5ghz will be cooler? It's only when you start hitting 4.8-5ghz ish that temperatures start being an issue

 

[SavageCupcake]

i would grab a 670 instead mate

also drop it to a 3570k or 3770k, thatll save you a fair bit

 

[Master&Puppet]

The price of a 3820 or 3770k rig is the same and so is the performance. Only money is to be saved by going for a 3570k build which will shave off about another £70.

Ivy temps are very threshold dependant - the chips will run cooler until around the 4.7ghz mark where the extra volts exceed the sockets ability to shift heat. SB heats up lineally, IB is cool and then BOOM.

Both very easy to overclock and you'll end up with the same ghz anyway tbh. IB will clock to 4.5-4.7 ish fine on a good cooler... and that's the same as most people set their SB chips to. It's only benchmarkers who have given IB a reputation because it gets too hot at 5ghz where SB could be pushed beyond but nobody keeps there chips at that ghz for a 24/7 clock (or if they did the chip wouldn't stay there very long lol).

Raystorm better and sexier than RASA (just by about 2C and some Leds

)

You might also want to take a look at the Alphacool UT series rads and the Phobya G-Changer series. Both top notch and cheap.

I had a XSPC RASA 750 RS360 kit for my first build and it was great.

670 and 7970 are both awesome, either will do. I'd personally overclock a 7950.

 

[blaindev]

670 and 7970 are both awesome, either will do. I'd personally overclock a 7950.

that is another thing i was considering, as the XFX 7950 is a smexxxxy looking card, and if i ever upgraded my PSU (even if i need to?) then i could stick another in on the UD3 and have 2x16 pci3.0 lanes straight off the bat, for me to have 2x16 lanes on a choice motherboard on ivy i would need an assassin or a high end asrock (which i dont like the gold coloured capacitors) which are outside my price range

 

[Master&Puppet]

Na, you don't need 2x16 pcie3 lanes for sli.

The latest gen cards can't fill an 8gb/s lane by a long way (they only just overflow 4gb/s in certain cases)

pcie3 x16 = 16gb/s

pcie3 x8= 8gb/s = pcie2 x16.

Virtually any z77 board can do it.

If you want 2 cards then get an 850 psu.

 

[blaindev]

Na, you don't need 2x16 pcie3 lanes for sli.

The latest gen cards can't fill an 8gb/s lane by a long way (they only just overflow 4gb/s in certain cases)

pcie3 x16 = 16gb/s

pcie3 x8= 8gb/s = pcie2 x16.

Virtually any z77 board can do it.

If you want 2 cards then get an 850 psu.

Im running a corsair TX850M at the moment, and in terms of sandybridge E over ivy, ive heard too many negative reviews about ivy, plus theres only one or 2 Z77 boards that fit my black/green colour scheme, and that i actually like!!!!! (assassin and UD5H) obv if i could afford/fit it to the scheme, i would go with a ROG board straight away over anything else.

 

[Master&Puppet]

There's nothing wrong with IB, it's just a reputation it's got from benchmarkers who are trying to get over 5ghz. For everyone else it's the same situation as it has been with Sandy for ages - 24/7 overclock with a good cooler in the 4.5-4.8 ghz range.

Just trying to save you some money by getting an i5 - you'll spend about £400 on a 3820 and mobo but around £300 on a 3570k and mobo. Unless you are going to be doing a fair amount of video or photo editing you'll not make use of the hyperthreading. There's even a board which fits your colour scheme:

http://www.aria.co.u...productId=49018

The z77 boards all perform equally as well in most regards - including the ROG gene which is the only ROG out atm. I don't expect the ROG atx boards to do any better either - asus just like adding gubbins which you don't really need (and I've owned an ROG recently)

No excuses! If you want an i7 for the sake of it then just say

 

[blaindev]

thats where hyperthreading is going to be needed, ill be video and photo editing, the PC's main use will be as a hub for website design and maintainence and I will also be gaming on it, running tri-screen etc, and it may even evolve one day into a home server also, but for the most part it will be an editing PC

bit overpricing there for the 2011 rig: UD3 (129.99) 3820 (219.99) so 350 tops, but i do get your point, if it was just as a personal rig for gaming etc, then i wouldnt even be considering a 2011 rig, it would be an ivy rig all day long

 

[blaindev]

also just to add master&puppet, although it is a cracking mobo, it would look a bit out of place inside an XL-ATX case (shinobi XL)!!!!!!

 

[Master&Puppet]

Ah fair one, well if it is editing then go with an i7. 3820 or 3770k builds perform identically and also the platform cost will be the same. I really can't pick between them tbh.