First Gaming PC Build - Product Updates - Start of Project is Delayed

[chipmunk_9]

This is a rig that I am hoping to start soon and was wondering what people though of it and if everything will work.

Future Rig:

Fractal Design Arc MIni

4x Bitfenix Spectre Pro 120mm Red LED Fans

Bitfenix Alchemy Braided Cable Extensions - 24 Pin ATX, 8 Pin EPS & 2x 6 Pin PCI-E

OCZ ZT 650W 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply - Maybe another brand of PSU

Asus ROG Maximus V Gene Z77 Micro ATX Motherboard

Intel Sandy Bridge Socket 1155 Quad Core i5-2550K Processor 3.4 GHz (OC to 4.4 GHz)

2x Corsair Vengeance Black Low Profile RAM 4GB (2 x 2GB)

Asus Radeon HD 7970 3GB Direct CUII TOP - Changed to: EVGA GeFore nVidia GTX 680 Superclocked w/ Backplate 2GB

Intel 520 Series 60GB SSD Sata III (Boot Drive)

Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD Sata III (Application & Game Drive)

Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Sata III (File & General Storage Drive)

Windows 7 Home Premium

Water Cooling: (UPDATE)

XSPC Rasa CPU Waterblock

XSPC EX240mm

XSPC X2O 200 Single Bay Reservoir Pump - Changed to: XSPC X2O 750 Double Bay Reservoir Pump

EK Compression Fittings 3/8" ID G1/4 Black

Masterkleer Hose Pack PVC 3/8" ID Clear Tubing

UPDATE:

It may be a while before i am able to start this build, so this will come in handy if i am planning to upgrade to Ivy Bridge.

 

[WillSK]

Looks awesome apart from the power supply. Like many others here i would suggest a Corsair AX 850w

 

[xdaax]

Looks awesome apart from the power supply. Like many others here i would suggest a Corsair AX 850w

I think so too but 850 Watts would be overkill. 500-600 Watts should be enough. To be on thje secure side I could get an 650 Watt one. Depending if you are looking for either a budget psu (this one is about 73€/95$/60£) or a high end/ modular psu( this one is about 124€/163$ /102£). I coverted the prices except from the € ones.

Additional you should may think about waiting until IB arrives, because this could reduce the prices for the SBs.

 

[PetrolHead247]

Looks good but ditch the OCZ PSU for a Corsair, Enermax, XFX, Bequiet, FSP or Seasonic PSU with around 650W also.

A Maximus V Gene should look awesome in an Arc Mini btw

 

[xdaax]

Looks good but ditch the OCZ PSU for a Corsair, Enermax, XFX, Bequiet, FSP or Seasonic PSU with around 650W also.

I agree to that but it should be one with an single-12V-rail as the two I recommend because these will give you more flexebility when you are overclocking.

 

[seumasbeathan]

I think so too but 850 Watts would be overkill. 500-600 Watts should be enough. To be on thje secure side I could get an 650 Watt one. Depending if you are looking for either a budget psu (this one is about 73€/95$/60£) or a high end/ modular psu( this one is about 124€/163$ /102£). I coverted the prices except from the € ones.

Additional you should may think about waiting until IB arrives, because this could reduce the prices for the SBs.

Did you really just link a Cooler master power supply?

 

[PetrolHead247]

Did you really just link a Cooler master power supply?

The only decent CM PSU is the Silent Pro Gold, but tbh there's better PSU's out there than that too. But yeah, CM PSU's are mostly to be avoided

I agree to that but it should be one with an single-12V-rail as the two I recommend because these will give you more flexebility when you are overclocking.

Doesn't really make a difference tbh as long as you get a solid PSU such as an Enermax or Corsair unit for example

 

[xdaax]

The only decent CM PSU is the Silent Pro Gold, but tbh there's better PSU's out there than that too. But yeah, CM PSU's are mostly to be avoided

Sorry, I won't recommend them in the futur,

Doesn't really make a difference tbh as long as you get a solid PSU such as an Enermax or Corsair unit for example

almost all psus of corsair are single-rail ones

 

[PetrolHead247]

almost all psus of corsair are single-rail ones

The Enermax Platimax has 6 rails. All the single rail and multi rail talk is just used as marketing, it really doesn't make a difference much at all.

 

[chipmunk_9]

Thanks guys, i only looked at the OCZ power supply at first because it was cheaper than a corsair AX650 watt, but i am still deciding over certain parts of the build. Also i might be taking up a project to put a side panel window on the Arc Mini.

 

[PetrolHead247]

Thanks guys, i only looked at the OCZ power supply at first because it was cheaper than a corsair AX650 watt, but i am still deciding over certain parts of the build. Also i might be taking up a project to put a side panel window on the Arc Mini.

You defo do NOT want to cheap out on the PSU, it'll bite you in the ass later on.

A side panel window, with no fan grills whatsoever, would be awesome! The Bitfenix Spectre's should light up your rig very nicely too, so yeah a side panel window would be a fantastic addition

 

[chipmunk_9]

If i were to do the side panel project, would it look better for me to punt the fans on top of the radiator pushing the air or underneath pulling the air, as i am not sure whether that fans would be too bright.

 

[PetrolHead247]

I'd put them underneath the rad pulling the air, just so it'll light up the rig nicely. Plus it would be a shame to hide them away above the rad.

 

[chipmunk_9]

If I were to try and get sponsors for this build from the companies, how would I do it and would it mean that I would get some of it sent to me for free?

 

[frufsa]

If I were to try and get sponsors for this build from the companies, how would I do it and would it mean that I would get some of it sent to me for free?

I dont think this project is special enough do, but heres a guide

http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2007/11/20/hitchhiker_guide_to_mod_sponsorship/1

 

[chipmunk_9]

Ok thanks for that, because the main companies that I would like to get sponsorship from would be Asus or XSPC as they both add up to being a lot of money and would save me loads if I got sent some of the parts for free.

 

[chipmunk_9]

If i were to do the side panel project, would it look better for me to punt the fans on top of the radiator pushing the air or underneath pulling the air, as i am not sure whether that fans would be too bright.

A way that I may solve this problem of the fans maybe being too bright is that I will use a lightly smoked acrylic sheet so that it makes it a bit darker.

 

[MrWizard]

I do agree about getting a corsair AX or HX but only from a aesthetic point of view.. I dont understand why people dont like OCZ psu's i have a OCZ 700W mod pro extreme in my current rig and it has been perfect for the last 2 years no voltage drops or anything.. I also have a OCZ 550 in my wife's facebook box and no issues with that eather.. I will say that the cables look like crap. The sleaving is horibad but they have been solid as far as functionality. Maybe i just got lucky

 

[chipmunk_9]

Yeah i know, i have seen lots of good reviews on the OCZ power supply i chose but the obvious choice that most people would go for is Corsair because they are the top brand in this industry.

 

[chipmunk_9]

If people want to ask me about the PSU or suggests others, i have set up another thread under the relevant section in the forums.