New Rig - First build in 3+ years

[blaine1989]

So i'm looking for a new build for when I am out. I have experience with building rigs, i have done 4+ personal and helped friends etc, but I have absolutely no experience when it comes to overclocking.

It will be used for a variety of digital visual effects work including 3D modelling, lighting, rendering, etc, etc and everything after and in between. I also (obviously) game on the side when i manage to find any free time, general entertainment.

SO down to business, i will be looking to purchase in about 8-12 weeks. I am sure some of you know that in the field of digital visual effects and computer animation, computer power is essential (at the standard i am currently working at it is impossible to even run some of the stuff i do at the office at home on my current out dated rig).

As far as the budget looks, its not a massive concern, the build i have been looking at since last month has come down from around 1750 last month to about 1650 this month, < £1500 would be a bonus but i wouldnt whine if it cost me 1600. Bearing in mind i'm not buying for another 8 weeks.

It will be a 2011 socket build, with upgrade potentials.

The Rig Proposal.
MB: Gigabyte X79-UD5
CPU: I7 3930k colled by Corsair H80
RAM: G.Skill RipJawsZ 16GB DDR3 PC3-17000C9 2133MHz
GPU: EVGA GTX 680
SSD: Adata XPG SX910 128GB
HDD: 7200RPM 1TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache
Optical: 12x BR-RW
PSU: Corsair AX850
Case: Corsair 600t

overclocking probably taken to some limit at least on the CPU.

Any thoughts, suggestions, things I am forgetting about or bad decisions?

Many thanks!

 

[yassarikhan786]

I wouldn't get the H80. I'd rather get the H100 as it's better and should still be within budget.

I've not heard much about ADATA SSD's so I can't really comment on whether or not I think it is a good choice. Have you considered any other SSD brands? Corsair, Crucial, Intel, Kingston and Samsung all have very good drives. The Crucial drives have the lowest failure rate as far as I've read and in terms of performance are very similar to the other SSD's in the same price range. Crucial and Intel seem to be the most popular drives when it comes to reliability and performance.

Which HDD are you purchasing? You've not specified the company. I would go for a WD Black

Where will you be purchasing the hardware from?

 

[blaine1989]

I wouldn't get the H80. I'd rather get the H100 as it's better and should still be within budget.

I heard that there wasnt a massive performance different between the 80 and 100? i may have been missinformed?

I've not heard much about ADATA SSD's so I can't really comment on whether or not I think it is a good choice. Have you considered any other SSD brands? Corsair, Crucial, Intel, Kingston and Samsung all have very good drives. The Crucial drives have the lowest failure rate as far as I've read and in terms of performance are very similar to the other SSD's in the same price range. Crucial and Intel seem to be the most popular drives when it comes to reliability and performance.

The ADATA's came from a recomendation from a friend but i hold no bias towards them, Corsairs were the first ones that caught my eye and i looked at kingstons too they all look good, my main goal is to get one that has a competitive price point is reliable and reads and writes at 550+/500+ respectively.

Which HDD are you purchasing? You've not specified the company. I would go for a WD Black

Didn't put a company just because I have no preference, as long as it falls into those specs, nice to get a recomendation! thanks!

Where will you be purchasing the hardware from?

I have a geeky little excell spreadsheet thing going on keeping an eye on prices of components across about 6 e-tailers, I imagine the components will come from a number of stores depending on their prices and deals at the time.

Thanks

 

[seumasbeathan]

Go with a 670 apposed to a 680, the 670 is just as good but a lot cheaper

 

[G-Dubs]

2x 670

If you can afford it why not?

 

[blaine1989]

yea is an option, and the 680 is better on paper in pretty much every way than the 670 ? is it not worth the extra 80ish quid ?

 

[G-Dubs]

Yes the 680 is a better card, but the 670 isn't too far behind. What I was trying to say was if you don't mind going up a few quid then 2 x 670s will outperform 1x680 by quite a margin, and for not much more £££

 

[seumasbeathan]

Get a 670, it gives more a less the exact same performance of a 680 and is a lot cheaper

 

[blaine1989]

I have become torn between the H80 and H100 coolers, using the 600t (which i am now starting to question but will use in this example).

I am trying to think about the airflow, I am guessing that it is pretty important to have the H80/H100 drawing in fresh air over the rad ? their positions in the 600t would usually be used by exhaust fans.

H80 drawing in, case fans on the front and side panel drawing in, with either a 200mm exhaust in the roof or 120+140 exhaust in the roof.
H100 Drawing in from the roof, rear 120mm exhaust front and side intakes.

OR am I mistaken and i could have the H80/H100 fans working as exhausts as well ? I did notice on one of Toms videos that I watched he was exhausting the H100

thanks

 

[Josh Weston]

H100 is the only enclosed waterloop that i'd go for. The H80 is outperformed by air coolers such as the 'D14.
And such coolers are generally used as exhausts, as it complements the airflow of the case, without having a real impact on temps.