qubit's Sandy upgrade

[qubit]

Ok, I've decided to get the i7-2700K and have ordered it as a collect from store from www.novatech.com as I don't think Ivy Bridge is worth waiting for: a better IGP I'll never use and lower power consumption - wow. They're nice improvements, but hardly worth waiting for until next April.

All I need now is a mobo, RAM and performance air cooler - and I'd like your suggestions please!

Here's some criteria to base your suggestions on:

MOBO - My current one is a Gigabyte (see specs) and it's been flawless for almost three years now, so this is my preferred brand. I would also consider Asus and perhaps one or two others. I'm looking to overclock it a fair bit and hope to get 5GHz out of the CPU, if possible (not gonna go mental to achieve it, though). Also, the mobo should have a UEFI, no BIOS. I'm not looking to run SLI or Crossfire, but dual x16 pci-e slots can always come in handy. Onboard sound performance is irrelevant, as I'll be using my trusty Creative X-Fi card.

RAM - I want 8GB at least. I'm easy regarding brand, as any quality one such as Corsair, OCZ etc have all worked reliably for me.

CPU COOLER - a potent air cooler, but no need to go over the top. Again, any decent brand will do.

EDIT: Oh duh! I was half asleep when I wrote this post and I meant to add that I'm looking to spend £400-450 overall on this upgrade, although I'm always flexible if the better item isn't massively more expensive. Also, I meant to say that I compared chipsets the other day and I want a Z68 mobo. These don't seem especially expensive, either.

And finally, the cooler has to be quiet, too. I think that's everything.

 

[Darkleoco]

For the cooler it would be nice if you gave a bit more to go on really, their are many factors that would help recommendations for cpu coolers such as size, noise level, and price point.

 

[Sir B. Fannybottom]

http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1417&ID=2044

Thermaltake Frio Ock for teh cooler?

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

If you want UEFI go Asus and avoid Gigabyte. Asus has had a flawless implementation since day one and Gigabyte's is still funky. Brand loyalty never benefits you anyways. For ram just get the cheapest cas 9 1600mhz that runs 1.5v. The cooler I can't help without knowing UK prices, as that's about as big a factor as anything else given how cool SB runs. I like the H60 for the performance and finger room but that's cause it's been on sale for $50 for ages now, cheaper than even the H40.

 

[John Doe]

http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1417&ID=2044

Thermaltake Frio Ock for teh cooler?

Agreed, Frio OCK is a solid cooler. It's built like a Megahalems underneath, and comes with push-pull fans attached.

As for the board, Asus WS Revo/AsRock Extreme7 if you want NF200, P67 Fatal1ty/P67-GD80 if you don't want NF200.

 

[Frizz]

X79 gigabyte mobos have uefi now, I too have been using gigabyte for 2 generations of platforms and they haven't died on me so I could recommend sticking to what you're familiar with. But in that regard I have a p5q pro from Asus lga775 and it's still running like a king after much abuse it is close to 3 years old.

 

[John Doe]

X79 gigabyte mobos have uefi now, I too have been using gigabyte for 2 generations of platforms and they haven't died on me so I could recommend sticking to what you're familiar with. But in that regard I have a p5q pro from Asus lga775 and it's still running like a king after much abuse it is close to 3 years old.

It doesn't matter. There're better choices than Gigabyte on Sandy.

 

[Rowsol]

okay, why hasn't this been asked yet?

Why not save money and get the 2600k? I'm assuming you can handle overclocking 100 mhz on an unlocked processor...

I know this isn't relevant to the thread but for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would spend way more for the 2700.

 

[John Doe]

okay, why hasn't this been asked yet?

Why not save money and get the 2600k? I'm assuming you can handle overclocking 100 mhz on an unlocked processor...

I know this isn't relevant to the thread but for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would spend way more for the 2700.

Why not do some research on 2700k OC'ing? The chip has been out for weeks, it's not a rebadged 2600k. Later 2600k's have a worse batch than earlier ones, and the 2700k has the best batch out of all. People have been OC'ing them to 5-5.4. And it doesn't cost "way more". You can find it for a few ten dollars more on some retailers.

http://www.eteknix.com/reviews/processors/intel-core-i7-2700k-flagship-showdown-review/

http://www.eteknix.com/reviews/processors/intel-core-i7-2700k-flagship-showdown-review/3/

As a side note, you should have suggested him a 2500k. The 2600 is a waste over it (for gaming) as well. We told him that on an older thread but he wanted the best.

 

[Frizz]

It doesn't matter. There're better choices than Gigabyte on Sandy.

It depends what you mean by better, I can definitely agree with that statement on the P67 platform but that is solely based on the motherboard not having UEFI but since the x79 variations do have this feature I got lost when you said that there are better choices as it comes down to layout and personal preference this is also considering heavily on the fact the OP had a Gigabyte Mobo for 3 years now and has run flawlessly for him. :S Don't forget the OP is the one buying the motherboard. Anyway to emphasize on my previous post, Asus can be really reliable as well so I'd suggest looking at their offerings also.

 

[John Doe]

It depends what you mean by better, I can definitely agree with that statement on the P67 platform but that is solely based on the motherboard not having UEFI but since the x79 variations do have this feature I got lost when you said that there are better choices as it comes down to layout and personal preference this is also considering heavily on the fact the OP had a Gigabyte Mobo for 3 years now and has run flawlessly for him. :S Don't forget the OP is the one buying the motherboard. Anyway to emphasize on my previous post, Asus can be really reliable as well so I'd suggest looking at their offerings also.

So... point being? Gigabyte's P45 offerings were some of the best S775 boards. Who cares what it writes on top of a board? It's the product that matters, not the brand.

Better suggestions have been made. Gigabyte's Sandy offerings (on the higher end) are overpriced and lack functionality (slot config etc.).

 

[Frizz]

So... point being? Gigabyte's P45 offerings were some of the best S775 boards. Who cares what it writes on top of a board? It's the product that matters, not the brand.

Point being, they're all good it's up to what the OP's layout needs and personal preferences are. Saying there are better choices than x mobo without justifying your own opinion is a very canned response.

And yes who cares? so what does it mean if Gigabyte is written on top of the board? really lost here.

 

[Damn_Smooth]

Ok, I've decided to get the i7-2700K and have ordered it as a collect from store from www.novatech.com as I don't think Ivy Bridge is worth waiting for: a better IGP I'll never use and lower power consumption - wow. They're nice improvements, but hardly worth waiting for until next April.

All I need now is a mobo, RAM and performance air cooler - and I'd like your suggestions please!

Here's some criteria to base your suggestions on:

MOBO - My current one is a Gigabyte (see specs) and it's been flawless for almost three years now, so this is my preferred brand. I would also consider Asus and perhaps one or two others. I'm looking to overclock it a fair bit and hope to get 5GHz out of the CPU, if possible (not gonna go mental to achieve it, though). Also, the mobo should have a UEFI, no BIOS. I'm not looking to run SLI or Crossfire, but dual x16 pci-e slots can always come in handy. Onboard sound performance is irrelevant, as I'll be using my trusty Creative X-Fi card.

RAM - I want 8GB at least. I'm easy regarding brand, as any quality one such as Corsair, OCZ etc have all worked reliably for me.

CPU COOLER - a potent air cooler, but no need to go over top. Again, any decent brand will do.

Fine! Ditch me here to wait for Ivy all alone.

At least I have a pink handbag to cry into

Seriously though, what are you looking to spend on these parts?

 

[John Doe]

Point being, they're all good it's up to what the OP's layout needs and personal preferences are. Saying there are better choices than x mobo without justifying your own opinion is a very canned response.

And yes who cares? so what does it mean if Gigabyte is written on top of the board? really lost here.

The point here is you're suggesting him a Gigabyte board just because his P45 is Gigabyte. You're the one that needs to give reasoning behind your suggestion. All my suggestions are cheaper than their Gigabyte equivalents while offering more slots/better VRM, BIOS and so on. Get real.

 

[Shou Miko]

qubit, if u ain't a benchmark freak than just take one running x8/x8 in SLi if u will plugin a another GTX580 one time, and personally i don't think £300 is worth it for a NF200 chip, and if u want it why not just get a AsRock Z68 Extreme7 Gen3 than?

if u r planning on using 2 graphics avoid the Asus P8Z68 except the Deluxe it's the only one u actually of them uses the PLX chip, and the normal V, LE, LX and Pro has this at Note:

The PCIe x16_3 slot shares bandwidth with PCIe x1_1 slot, PCIe x1_2 slot, USB3_34 and eSATA. The PCIe x16_3 default setting is in x1 mode.

even i like the fact that u get a PCI-E x16 slot that only runs at x4 maybe many don't use it, but it's fine even it runs off the chipset and not the cpu.


atm i use a Asus U3S6 card bcs i got the old Intel P67 B2 chipset on my ECS P67H2-A but that doesn't matter the only i am using onboard SATA-2 for is my dvd-brænder.


and talking about the Frio cooler what is the difference between the Frio and Frio Ock? there is a about 36USD / 27euro between them.

 

[John Doe]

and talking about the Frio cooler what is the difference between the Frio and Frio Ock? there is a about 36USD / 27euro between them.

Fans lol.

 

[Shou Miko]

Fans lol.

so if that's the only thing than u can find some better i think for that price i think

but thx for the answer John Doe.

 

[Frizz]

The point here is you're suggesting him a Gigabyte board just because his P45 is Gigabyte. You're the one that needs to give reasoning behind your suggestion. All my suggestions are cheaper than their Gigabyte equivalents while offering more slots/better VRM, BIOS and so on. Get real.

Z68/P67 Gigabyte boards are missing UEFI and only one slot is capable of PCIE 3.0, I've mentioned before to avoid Gigabyte on Z68 and P67's because of this. AsRock and Asus by far have better offerings for the 1155 platform. P8Z68 Asus or AsRock Extreme7 is a good ticket to that 5ghz and some added future proofing.

 

[kyussgr]

Hi,

I have done a lot of research recently and these are my results. Although my choices are based on pricing in Greece.

Motherboard: Sensible choice : MSI P67A-GD65 , (129 Euro) (has everything + no reported
problems + reviews in all major websites)
High-end choice : ASUS MAXIMUS IV EXTREME (295 Euro) for multi GPU setups
(has everything + no reported problems + reviews in all major websites)

Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB 12800, (60 Euro) or
Mushkin Blackline 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz 1.35V 9-9-9-24 (996988) if you want a
low profile + low voltage memory (64 Euro)

Cooler: Be Quiet! Dark Rock Advanced (60 Euro) or Thermaltake Frio (64 Euro)
(both great! Choice depends on availability and aesthetics. For example the TT Frio has red lines on the top cover that suit the ASUS MAXIMUS IV EXTREME which has a black and red colour scheme.

I hope this helps

Regards

 

[John Doe]

The Maximus is overpriced, not worth it. The AsRock Extreme7 does the same thing for cheaper, while looking better.

 

[kyussgr]

The Maximus is overpriced, not worth it. The AsRock Extreme7 does the same thing for cheaper, while looking better.

I agree that it is very expensive but if you are building an overclocked multi-gpu monster would you trust AsRock for BIOS (functionality, updates) and power (voltage) management ?

Personally if I choose to go extreme I go all the way cause if you spend a lot of money you want results and more significantly peace of mind.

Having said all the above I never had an AsRock anything so I can't comment on their products.... but I have read mixed reviews about them

Cheers

 

[John Doe]

The new AsRock isn't the same as the old one. Their new boards are designed by the people who left Asus, so they're not low-end anymore. Their Sandy boards are argueably "the" best.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2380133#post2380133

There's not one thing the Extreme7 lacks over the Maximus. If anything, it's a more likeable board than the Maximus due color scheme.

 

[kyussgr]

The new AsRock isn't the same as the old one. Their new boards are designed by the people who left Asus, so they're not low-end anymore. Their Sandy boards are argueably "the" best.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2380133#post2380133

There's not one thing the Extreme7 lacks over the Maximus. If anything, it's a more likeable board than the Maximus due color scheme.

Hi,

I don't want to get to a protracted argument about mobos that I don't have or have not tested (in a way it is silly to say something is better than something else when I don't have any of them) but.....

When I googled the AsRock Extreme7 I couldn't find reviews on any of the major websites (probably because it is brand new) and I did find many complaints regarding overclocking in forums (although sometimes people that write in forums don't have a clue about overclocking)

Anyway I must agree that the mobo looks amazing....

 

[John Doe]

Even a cheap Gigabyte is capable of maxing out a CPU, you don't need the best of the best of boards for an OC on air. AsRock boards are praised over the net nowadays and they certainly have hit the nail on Sandy. Asus may have an edge on extreme overclocking, but that's beyond what you or I do, which makes the AsRock a better choice for everyday OC'ing.

 

[Sinzia]

I really, really REALLY love my P8P67 Deluxe, and my P8Z68 Deluxe...

Both have nearly the same feature set as the Maximus, and can overclock just as well.