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Gaming PC Build. Comments?
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MIBass2 View Drop Down
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Joined: 20 Jun 2012
Posts: 7 		  Quote MIBass2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Gaming PC Build. Comments?
    Posted: 20 Jun 2012 at 2:56pm

I indend to use this PC to play games like Civ 5, Diablo 3 and whatever else I might like.  In addition to that, I need to run up to 6, maybe 8 VMs to simulate various client computer environments.  The base configuration was taken from a well-reviewed build on Tom's Hardware, and all comments are welcome.  There are a few minor things I wonder about, though. 

 
Do I need the Nexus anti-vibration kit with this case?
Are the standard case fans sufficient?
How much trouble will the Zalman liquid cooler be to maintain, and how does one learn what must be done?
Any other recommendations?
 
  • ANTEC Performance One P280 Black Mid-Tower Computer Case, XL-ATX, 9 Slots, No PSU
  • SEASONIC Platinum-860 Power Supply w/ Modular Cables, 80 PLUS® Platinum, 860W, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, 4x 8/6-pin PCIe, Retail
  • ASUS P9X79 PRO, LGA2011, Intel® X79, DDR3-2400 (O.C.) 64GB /8, PCIe x16 SLI CF /2+2*, SATA 6Gb/s /4, 3Gb/s /4, USB 3.0 /6, HDA, BT, GbLAN, ATX, Retail
  • INTEL Core i7-3930K Six-Core, 3.2 - 3.8GHz TB, LGA2011, 12MB L3 Cache, HT EM64T EIST VT XD, 32nm, 130W, Retail
  • ZALMAN CNPS20LQ Liquid Cooling System, Socket LGA2011/1155/1156/1366/FM1/AM3/AM2, Retail
  • SERVICE Mild Overclocking, 10-20% Performance Increase
  • CORSAIR 16GB (4 x 4GB) Vengeance™ PC3-12800 DDR3 1600MHz CL9 (9-9-9-24) 1.5V SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC
  • GIGABYTE GV-N570OC-13I Rev 2.0, GeForce® GTX 570 780MHz, 1280MB GDDR5 3800MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, 2x DVI + mini-HDMI, Retail
  • MUSHKIN 240GB Chronos™ Deluxe SSD, MLC SandForce SF-2281, 560/520 MB/s, 2.5-Inch, SATA 6 Gb/s, Retail
  • SEAGATE 1.5TB Barracuda®, SATA 6 Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 64MB cache
  • SONY AD-7280S Black 24x DVD±R/RW Dual-Layer Burner, SATA, OEM
  • SABRENT CRW-UINB Black 65-in-1 Card Reader/Writer Drive, 3.5" Bay, Internal USB  
  • NEXUS MTK-6000 Anti-Vibration PC Mounting Kit
  • COMPUTER ACCESSORY Lamptron Deluxe Black Shakeproof PSU Gasket Silencer
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    Jmundy View Drop Down
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    Posts: 1333     		  Quote Jmundy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2012 at 6:01pm
    Hello MIBass2,
     
     
    Welcome to AVAForums, nice configuration!
     
    The configuration you put together is very well done, I knew it looked familiar. Wink I have no major concerns with it, however I'm wondering why you decided up a GTX 570, as opposed to a GTX 670? Price is practically the same, if new just a bit more, and performance is comparable to a GTX 580, which is a decent enough performance increase to seriously consider.
     
    Another recommendation, now that I see it, the Mushkin Chronos SSD uses the Sandforce controller, which has been painted red due to a lot of issues the Sandforce controller has created. (Blue screens, crashes, boot errors, freezes) So, that being said, I highly recommend either the Crucial M4 series SSDs, or the Intel 320 series SSDs. They're not as fast as the Sandforce SSDs, but they're by far the most reliable. I always say, there's no point in owning a blazing-fast SSDs if it's not reliable.
     
    Keep those considerations in mind and revisit our configuration tool, see what you can come up with. You're always welcome to post your thoughts and questions on here. If not people, other people will be happy to chime in and throw you their two cents. Hug
     
     
     
    Joseph Mundy
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    joseph.mundy@avadirect.com
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    MIBass2 View Drop Down
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    Posts: 7     		  Quote MIBass2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2012 at 10:54pm
    Thanks Joe!
     
    I'm glad there were no significant issues.  I went with the 570 because it was better than the 560, the default in many competitors' builds.  I had to start somewhere.  It looks like I can get a 670 for about $80 more.  That's not too bad.
     
    I read a review that called the Mushkin the best performance for the price, and again I needed a starting point.  The M4 is a nearly constant recommendation here and if it's more reliable, that works for me. 
     
    Here's where I'm at now:
     

    + QUIET GAMING PC, Core  i7 X79 8-DIMM Low-Noise Custom Gaming System

    • ANTEC, Performance One P280 Black Mid-Tower Computer Case, XL-ATX, 9 Slots, No PSU
    • SEASONIC, Platinum-860 Power Supply w/ Modular Cables, 80 PLUS Platinum, 860W, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, 4x 8/6-pin PCIe, Retail
    • ASUS, P9X79 PRO, LGA2011, Intel  X79, DDR3-2400 (O.C.) 64GB /8, PCIe x16 SLI CF /2+2*, SATA 6Gb/s /4, 3Gb/s /4, USB 3.0 /6, HDA, BT, GbLAN, ATX, Retail
    • INTEL, Core i7-3930K Six-Core, 3.2 - 3.8GHz TB, LGA2011, 12MB L3 Cache, HT EM64T EIST VT XD, 32nm, 130W, Retail
    • ZALMAN, CNPS20LQ Liquid Cooling System, Socket LGA2011/1155/1156/1366/FM1/AM3/AM2, Retail
    • SERVICE, Mild Overclocking, 10-20% Performance Increase
    • CORSAIR, 16GB (4 x 4GB) Vengeance PC3-12800 DDR3 1600MHz CL9 (9-9-9-24) 1.5V SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC
    • EVGA, GeForce GTX 670 915MHz, 2GB GDDR5 6008MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, 2x DVI + HDMI + DP, OEM
    • CRUCIAL, 256GB M4 SSD, MLC Marvell 88SS9174, 500/260 MB/s, 2.5-Inch, SATA 6 Gb/s, Retail
    • SEAGATE, 1TB Barracuda, SATA 6 Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 64MB cache
    • SONY, AD-7280S Black 24x DVD R/RW Dual-Layer Burner, SATA, OEM
    • SABRENT, CRW-UINB Black 65-in-1 Card Reader/Writer Drive, 3.5" Bay, Internal USB
    • NEXUS, MTK-6000 Anti-Vibration PC Mounting Kit
    • COMPUTER ACCESSORY, Lamptron Deluxe Black Shakeproof PSU Gasket Silencer
    • NONE, No Operating System (Choose OS or subject to Limited Support)
    I cut the storage drive down to 1TB to save a bit more.  I'd like the final price to be under $2400, since that's already about $200 over budget.  I use about 200GB today and only need about 500GB for VMs.
     
    Would you agree I have enough cooling for at least mild overclocking?  I wouldn't mind a bit more, but mild is the only option.
     
    I think I found the answer to my liquid cooling maintenance question.  The Zalman looks to be maintenance free and that's a big plus.
     
    To save a little more, is the Nexus anti-vibration kit worth the money?  The case already comes with HD vibration damping mounts.  I'm obviously looking for a quiet system, but my requirement is quiet, not silent.
     
    Thank you for taking the time to read and reply to my rather long posts.
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    crypt View Drop Down
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    Posts: 421     		  Quote crypt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 11:35am
    MIBass2,
     
         Great build really like your choices. Welcome to the forum. Long posts are the best posts :). It's alot to decide on what parts you want on a custom computer. It also helps other soon to be builders what specs they should look for their own rigs. The more questions and feedback the better.
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    MIBass2 View Drop Down
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    Posts: 7     		  Quote MIBass2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 1:10pm
    Thanks Crypt!
     
    I figure, the more detail I provide on what and why, the better you, Joe and others will be able to understand what I'm trying to do.  I'm glad you agree.  This will be my first custom build since before the original Pentium, and I don't want to mess it up.  Thank you again for confirming my choices.  I may just have to work out the nit-picky stuff once I place the order.  I've never used AVADirect before, I'm not sure how that works.
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    Jmundy View Drop Down
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    Posts: 1333     		  Quote Jmundy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 1:21pm

    Hello MIBass2,


    Very, very well done! Your custom gaming PC has gone a long way, regardless of the amount of changes, since the initial build you put together previously. Even the slightest of changes make a large impact in performance, and I'm happy to say that you will be very pleased with our your custom gaming pc turns out.

    2TB may have been overkill to begin with, so dropping that down to the SEAGATE, 1TB Barracuda was a smart decision. Remember, our custom gaming pcs have no limitation so you're able to add another SEAGATE, 1TB Barracuda in the future if need be.

    Definitely, the closed-loop liquid cooling solutions do a great job for mild overclocks. If you ever decide to go extreme, you could always add another fan to make it a push/pull setup. It may require some slight physical modification, but nothing we can't handle if you want to send your custom gaming pc to us, at that time.

    That's right, the ZALMAN, CNPS20LQ Liquid Cooling System is practically maintenance free. All you must do (we recommend at least once a month) is use a can of compressed air, or an air compressor if you have one, and blow the case out to prevent dust from collecting. Do the same for the radiator (what the fan mounts to) and make sure it's clean and clear.

    Antec has always focused on one aspect of case manufacturing; noise levels. I'm confident that, the case alone, will provide ample noise restricting tools to keep your system quiet and cool.

    You're welcome! As Crypt said, the longer, the better. The more details you can provide to us, the more in-depth we can be with our responses. Our forum is designed for you to put your questions out there and gather a myriad of responses, opinions, and facts to better help you make an informative decision on your build. We are all happy to help you in any way, shape, or form as a fellow enthusiast. Clap
    Joseph Mundy
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    1-216-503-6361
    joseph.mundy@avadirect.com
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    crypt View Drop Down
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    Posts: 421     		  Quote crypt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 1:23pm
    Originally posted by MIBass2

    Thanks Crypt!
     
    I figure, the more detail I provide on what and why, the better you, Joe and others will be able to understand what I'm trying to do.  I'm glad you agree.  This will be my first custom build since before the original Pentium, and I don't want to mess it up.  Thank you again for confirming my choices.  I may just have to work out the nit-picky stuff once I place the order.  I've never used AVADirect before, I'm not sure how that works.
     
     
    Glad to be any assistance I can. I love custom computers its fun to see other builds. Joe is a great guy to deal with and he will set you up with your dream system. Please visit forum often I want to hear views on your new rig. I'm hoping to get another build with AVA this fall. If all goes well in Sept a new rig will be heading my way as well.
     
    Congrats again
     
    Congrats
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    MIBass2 View Drop Down
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    Posts: 7     		  Quote MIBass2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 1:31pm
    Thanks Joe, this is exactly what I was hoping for.  I think I'll drop the gasket/anti-vibration bits. 
     
    Clean out the dust regularly.  Got it.  I think I'm about ready to go.
     
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    MIBass2 View Drop Down
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    Posts: 7     		  Quote MIBass2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 1:33pm
    Now that y'all have helped me refine my build, of course I'll let you know how it works out. :)
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    vikonic View Drop Down
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    Posts: 347     		  Quote vikonic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 4:34pm
    MIBass2,
     
    Mild overclocking will be ok on this particular cooler. Anywhere from 4.0Ghz-4.5Ghz and you should be ok. Keeping voltages at their minimum is going to help too. As Joe mentioned, the cooler you picked is virtually maintenance free. You just have to clear out the dust every once in a while depending how dusty the environment around it is.
     
    As far as anti-vibration pads, gaskets, etc, they all individually don't make much difference. However, when you put them together and go all out, we have seen noise differences drop by 3-7dB which is excellent considering we're just adding some rubber parts. You would be surprised how much certain moving parts like hard drives tend to transfer the noise throughout the whole system. So if you decide to upgrade to these rubber mounts, make sure you do as many as you can all around the system.
     
    The rest of the build looks great, I'm sure it will be a mean system. I hope you enjoy your new computer and continue to stay an avid AVADirect Forum member.
    Vedran Ikonic
    Technical Support Manager
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    MIBass2 View Drop Down
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    Posts: 7     		  Quote MIBass2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 4:55pm
    Thank you Vedran, I placed the order an hour or so ago. :)  I ended up cutting the gaskets and pads.  The case has some of this built in, and I really wanted the price under $2400.  Thank you for taking the time to review my config.
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    Age_of_Bundar View Drop Down
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    Posts: 5     		  Quote Age_of_Bundar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 5:48pm
    Pretty cool. That is one hell of a silent pc you put together, MIBass2. Definitely let us know how it turns out. I'm going to pull the trigger on my AVADirect system within the next few weeks but im doing research before I post anything on here.
     
    I read some reviews on the Crucial M4 SSDs, they have better garbage collection than Samsung SSDs. Apparently they have the best garbage collection out of any SSD.
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    Posts: 7     		  Quote MIBass2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 5:59pm
    Thanks Age_of_Bundar, now I can't wait for it to arrive!  Probably be well into July though.
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    vikonic View Drop Down
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    Posts: 347     		  Quote vikonic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jun 2012 at 2:30pm
    Great things are worth waiting for :)
    Vedran Ikonic
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    Age_of_Bundar View Drop Down
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    Posts: 5     		  Quote Age_of_Bundar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jun 2012 at 4:43pm
    Originally posted by vikonic

    Great things are worth waiting for :)
    Totally agree. :-)
     
    Thats actually one of the reasons I decided to choose AVA Direct. I know the wait time is longer than prebuilt computer companies but 7-14 business days is well worth it when you get exactly what you pay for. :-)
     
     
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    Jmundy View Drop Down
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    Posts: 1333     		  Quote Jmundy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jun 2012 at 4:53pm

    We're happy to hear that, Age_of_Bunder! We work hard to provide the most unique custom configurations, by listing thousands of different components on our website for individuals like you to choose from. It's great to know that you understand custom systems take time to complete, over pre-built, lesser powerful systems available off of the shelf. Clap
    Joseph Mundy
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