ITX Build featuring a GTX 590, roughly $2K budget

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stateofjermaine

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
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Hello people.

So, like many others around here, I've been rolling this idea around for awhile, and I think I need to "put it to paper" and iron out the logistics. If you've seen my posts before, you know I'm a gamer, and you know what kind of gamer I am. I like pretty stuff (Mass Effect 2, Mafia II, Dirt 3) at high frame rates, and I pretty much have settled on 1920x1200 as my resolution until I build my hardcore Surround man cave. I also do a lot of graphics stuff, plenty of encoding and decoding large files, and using CS5, and wouldn't mind getting into some 3D animation, but that's not a priority, here.

That said, I'm hoping to get a little feedback on this, and find out if it is feasible. Here is what I was thinking:

CASE: 209.99 Silverstone Sugo SG07-B
PSU: 129.99 Silverstone Strider ST75F-P 750W
ACC: 24.99 Silverstone PP05 Shortened Cable Set
MOBO: 129.99 Intel LGA 1155 Intel H67 Mini ITX Motherboard
CPU: 314.99 Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz
RAM: 124.99 8GB (2 x 4GB) Mushkin Enhanced Radioactive DDR3
GPU: 749.99 EVGA GTX 590 3GB CLASSIFIED Limited Edition
HDD: 198.99 2 x 500GB Seagate Momentus XT 7200 RPM Hybrid
SSD: 122.99 64GB Crucial RealSSD C300
LCD: 509.99 HP ZR24w 24'' 7ms S-IPS LCD

Any thoughts, so far? Thanks!
 
I wonder if the lack of response is attributable to disinterest because it's so simple and plausible that it doesn't warrant a response, or disinterest because it's so implausible that it doesn't warrant a response. :)
 
CPU Cooling? I used an H50 + AP180 + 140mm to cool my system.
Better Mobo? Z68?
Better SSD? M4?
The case also comes with a 600W PSU. It's pretty good and powerd my 5970. I'm just wondering if you are set on the case and wanted to pay the premium to swap the PSU out.
 
Any particular reason you've got two spindle drives in there?

I'd also be interested in your cooling strategy, figure you're probably going AIO h2o, right?

Also, why the "K" if you're going with H67 (no oc capability)?

Thermal management / airflow is going to be key in this build.
 
lvyelion said:
Pls, do some simple research first
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Really? :confused:

I researched the exact size of the PSU to the mm, and read the jonnyGURU review. I checked the measurements and energy requirements of the graphics card, the necessity for the shorter cabling, and the benefits of going H67 vs. P55 (or waiting for Z68).

Is that not enough for starters?
 
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trungerz said:
CPU Cooling? I used an H50 + AP180 + 140mm to cool my system.
Better Mobo? Z68?
Better SSD? M4?
The case also comes with a 600W PSU. It's pretty good and powerd my 5970. I'm just wondering if you are set on the case and wanted to pay the premium to swap the PSU out.
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I'm open to suggestions!

I was planning on going with the Samuel 17, just because I've read that it fits, and Prolimatech has a good reputation. I have the H50 in my current rig, and I love it, but I feel like the tubing would need a little more room to breathe.

I did read about the Z68 boards, but nothing has come out to really grab my attention. I don't think Newegg is carrying any, yet, either, right? I'd rather stick with Intel or one of the big guns (GIGA, ASUS, MSI) for my motherboard, and nothing seems to be on offer (not comfortable with ZOTAC, yet).

I'll check out the M4. I only chose the Crucial based on some reviews I'd read. What's the deal with the M4?

As far the PSU and the case, I just couldn't find an alternative that I liked better. I know the included PSU is supposedly of good quality, but the modular (and shorter) cables were a big selling point for me on the Strider solution. But I am open, if there are any cases that would fit this situation without doubling the size.
 
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Machupo said:
Any particular reason you've got two spindle drives in there?
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Heh, never heard the term "spindle drives," and I've read a little bit about the XT drives. I understood the XT's to be mechanical drives with small pockets of flash memory to boost performance. Do enlighten me, please.

I'd also be interested in your cooling strategy, figure you're probably going AIO h2o, right?
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Hadn't gotten there, yet, honestly! But I wasn't thinking water would be feasible in such a small space. From what I'd read on the GTX 5XX series, their heat and noise was fairly manageable given the proper conditions. My GTX 570 never makes a peep, compared to my old 5850. Not that either card is/was very loud.

Again, I'm all ears.

Also, why the "K" if you're going with H67 (no oc capability)?
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Really good question. I waffled back and forth between whether or not I might upgrade the motherboard at a later date. For the measly $20, I figured it was worth the investment, just in case. I may still change my mind on that, tho.
 
TheQuestian said:
Heh, never heard the term "spindle drives," and I've read a little bit about the XT drives. I understood the XT's to be mechanical drives with small pockets of flash memory to boost performance. Do enlighten me, please.
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;) -- yeah, I haven't used one in a while (other than as a media storage drive), so I guess I'm a bit jaded and the nomenclature shows :p

The only reason I pointed it out is now you've got two big drives blocking airflow for not too much in the way of measureable benefit. What does your hard drive storage plan look like? i.e. OS on the SSD (obviously?) and then program files on the hybrid drives? The way I look at it is that unless you're pushing some really massive files, 8GB ram should be plenty to completely load any program file you're using into memory, so the benefit from the hybrid drive is going to be questionable. I'd save the $ you're spending on these, get a single spindle drive as files/media storage, double (or quad) the size of the SSD you're using for a similar amount of cash.

I think the C300 is actually a better price/performance ratio than the M4, but if you're going for all out maximum speed, I'd check the latest reviews (I'm using an onboard mPCIe 64gb SSD, so certainly not tops in speed department, but it's what I needed to fit the form factor I was trying. Still it's plenty fast).

TheQuestian said:
Hadn't gotten there, yet, honestly! But I wasn't thinking water would be feasible in such a small space. From what I'd read on the GTX 5XX series, their heat and noise was fairly manageable given the proper conditions. My GTX 570 never makes a peep, compared to my old 5850. Not that either card is/was very loud.

Again, I'm all ears.
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I was speaking of all-in-one watercooling for the cpu -- I seriously doubt you could get something robust enough to handle a 590 in that case without some serious planning and custom work... if that's what you want to do I'll be your biggest cheerleader, lol, but it sounds like you're looking for more of a works-out-of-the-box type of computer ;)

The reason I suggested the AIO h2o is that they take up much less room on the surface of the motherboard, and make wire management quite a bit easier (giving you more room to work with). You do have to mount the radiator, but the SG07 has plenty of space for roof mounting, IIRC.

TheQuestian said:
Really good question. I waffled back and forth between whether or not I might upgrade the motherboard at a later date. For the measly $20, I figured it was worth the investment, just in case. I may still change my mind on that, tho.
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Cool -- if you're keeping an eye out for a future upgrade to Z68 or something else, by all means, get the K... the price difference is negligible, I was just curious :)



Looks like this will be a neat build. Be sure to post pics as you go through the process and definitely take time plan out your wiring so that you can keep good airflow (might need some custom wiring parts -- I use www.frozencpu.com for their DIY stuff).
 
Are you sure that PSU will fit? The stock SG07 PSU is 140mm long, while the ST75F-P is 160mm (though, confusingly, Silverstone has diagrams showing two different sizes on their site). I think you'd probably be okay with the stock PSU.
 
There are two models of the Strider on Newegg (an 80 Plus Gold, and an 80 Plus Silver). I believe the older 80 Plus Silver version is the same size as the SG07's included PSU. The revision is more expensive, and larger.
 
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I think your build is a bit overkill. Maybe it's not, but you didn't say a whole lot about your needs other than 1920x1200 and high fps. I think for the resolution your driving, you could save a lot of money and put it towards your eventual surround set-up or other fun items.

The reason I think you can scale it back a little bit is because the 6970 and 570 are both amazing little cards (I think the 570 is better at your resolution, while the 6970 is better at higher resolutions). HardOCP ran Dirt 3 at 1920x1200 with 4X AA, 16X AF, and the highest available in-game graphics options selected with a reference 570 and their min FPS was 48 and their average was 55. It may even improve as drivers are updated.link.

I may have wasted your time and mine by proposing an alternate build, but I think it's always good to take a step back and re-consider how much we care about having the best set-up vs having a great set-up.

An alternate proposal
Case: 209.99 Silverstone Sugo SG07-B w/ 600W PSU
PSU: Stock
MOBO: $93 ASRock H67 ITX
CPU: $220 i5-2500K (because unlocked will increase resale value)
RAM: $651333 memory (may not reach CAS 7 on H67, but you can hope). mobo doesn't support anything higher
GPU: $310 AR EVGA 570 (dual fan) 9" long
HDD: $60 1.5 TB - It's hard to recommend a HD without knowing more about your needs/wants.
SSD: $117 Crucial M4 (cheap, very fast reads, but not the fastest)
Heatsink: Hard to say. Maybe a nice down-blowing Noctua that would be used for many builds to come, or a low profile Big Shuriken (cheap) that could eventually move to an HTPC build.

LCD - $510 Can't comment.

Amount saved
Case $0
PSU $155
MOBO: $37
CPU: $95
RAM: $60
GPU: $440
HDD: $140
SSD: $5
Heatsink + Fan ($40-80)

Not including heatsink cost
Your original cost: $2515
Alternative build cost: $1585
Amount saved: $930 (which is like 2 amazing monitors - Maybe 2 of these)
Or maybe grab a larger SSD or a 2nd SSD for RAID
 
Thanks for the posting, jamaicanpi. Not a waste at all. And I understand your point, as I think I did pretty much the equivalent of what you've suggested last generation. A Radeon 5850 and a Core i5-750 with a 1TB Seagate 7200RPM, and 4GB of RAM. No SSD, nothing too fancy. Probably only cost me about $1300 - $1400, and it was (still pretty much is) a great system and met my needs.

But, that said, performance did disappoint every once in a while. I like 60fps. That's always my goal. But I also like 4XAA, and full screen, and max details. In some games, I had to compromise. I sadly started playing Crysis at 1366x768 to get the frames I wanted. GTA IV still frustrates my system at max settings. My wife would ask, "Why are playing it so small?" Haha.

So, I have taken some lessons from that, and I know I have high performance tastes. I'm the type who wants even "poorly optimised" games to run at 60fps, full details, 1920x1200. Even Metro. It's just my ilk, I guess. And I've come to terms with it. I'm the type who is still trying to force AA in Mafia II, even though it looks quite good. Because it could be better.

So, sure, it's a major cost, but I consider myself a full-blown enthusiast, now, and I don't "do" anything else, so I don't mind saving up for a bigger budget build. Prudence be danged! :D

Edit: Oh, and a quick note about the power supply. I original built my current system with an Antec True Power New 750, as it was very well-reviewed, and well-liked around here, too. But I quickly had to swap it out, because (among other reasons) I hated having so many extra cables laying around. I'm definitely a modular convert, and being FULLY modular makes the Strider even better. Also, from what I've heard of the cable length on the stock PSU, I'd be even more annoyed in the small confines of an ITX case. So, I think I've made the right decision for me on that particular issue! On an entirely separate note, tho, I will probably swap the RAM out, as it is a little pricey for just some cool-looking "heat spreaders", when the ones you posted should yield better performance. :cool:

Although I've rarely really noticed a difference when dealing with 8GB of RAM! :p
 
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TheQuestian said:
I'm intrigued by the monitor selection. Why that one in particular? I don't know a lot about IPS monitors, only that the ZR24w's were pretty well-reviewed from what I read.

Please share!
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I am sure both are excellent monitors. I selected this because I was looking for a 24" monitor with a thin bezel, for a surround set-up (I didn't see anything super thin), that was a little cheaper than your HP, but without a doubt a great monitor. NEC is a very safe brand and both the Newegg & B&H customer reviews are good, as should be expected for a monitor that sells for $660. I have also had good experience with open box discounts, so I am attracted to $180 off open box deals.

So what I am trying to say is, it wasn't a "recommendation", as much as it was an attempt at helping you get an amazing surround set-up for ~the value saved by going with the alternate build. ($465 per monitor).

You're set-up is going to be awesome. Good luck with it.
 
By Surround Set Up do you mean multiple monitors? If so, then yes, you'll want thin bezel monitors ideally. If you don't plan to do that then you could save money by shopping for another monitor and most likely save money there. Also, if you are going with a H67 mobo there really is not much sense getting a K type CPU since you can't overclock it with the H67 mobo. You could save a few dollars by buying a non K version.
 
TheQuestian said:
I wonder if the lack of response is attributable to disinterest because it's so simple and plausible that it doesn't warrant a response, or disinterest because it's so implausible that it doesn't warrant a response. :)
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Lack of response usually means the people who may be interested in responding have yet to log into the forums from the previous time.

TheQuestian said:
GTA IV still frustrates my system at max settings.
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Isn't that game partially CPU limited?

How about aiming a bit bigger on the case? I recall seeing people do mATX mods to cases like the Lian Li PC-Q08/Q11. Maybe there's a mATX case that can fit those cases which are overclockable?
 
Skott said:
By Surround Set Up do you mean multiple monitors? If so, then yes, you'll want thin bezel monitors ideally. If you don't plan to do that then you could save money by shopping for another monitor and most likely save money there.
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Yes, Surround as in NVIDIA Surround, with triple monitors.

Also, if you are going with a H67 mobo there really is not much sense getting a K type CPU since you can't overclock it with the H67 mobo. You could save a few dollars by buying a non K version.
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As far as the K processor, it has been brought up in this thread (and addressed, actually!). But the short version is that I do realize you can't overclock a K processor on an H67 board, and it is a combination of a possible future Z68 upgrade and potential resale value that has motivated me to go with the K. And really, it's about $20 difference, so . . . that's really not a deal-breaker.
 
Zap said:
Isn't that game partially CPU limited?
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Yeah, that's what they say. I was referring to the graphics card and the processor when I mentioned my slight disappointment with my current system. I think an i7 would have helped a bit in games like that.

How about aiming a bit bigger on the case? I recall seeing people do mATX mods to cases like the Lian Li PC-Q08/Q11. Maybe there's a mATX case that can fit those cases which are overclockable?
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Aww, and take all the fun out of it!? Hehe, no, I don't think I want to go any larger. Part of the joy of it is keeping the package really small and potentially portable. My current case (while somewhat large, relatively speaking) is an mATX, and really, I've had that fun. Time to explore new horizons. :)
 
In response to the overclocking questions, bytheway, I think I'll be fine with a Core i7 Sandy Bridge chip turbo-ing to 3.7GHz, even if I never overclock it.
 
I havent found any instances where the CPU give me a problem. Slow internet connection (256k/128k down/up) can frustrated me, but the processor-not at all. Games, spreadsheets, booting, shutdown, everything works fast and smooth. I even ran some games just on the chip before the GPU finally arrived. The online game didnt show much difference. Oblivion got much better tho.
 
imho,should still go with a z68 and a 2500k board; assuming Ivy bridge will also be OCable on the same 1155 board. But then again the z68 from zotac doesnt show much promise and Gigabyte's version isnt coming out anytime soon. So maybe wait a little or go with h67 and a a regular i5-2500 for now.
 
joelC said:
imho,should still go with a z68 and a 2500k board; assuming Ivy bridge will also be OCable on the same 1155 board. But then again the z68 from zotac doesnt show much promise and Gigabyte's version isnt coming out anytime soon. So maybe wait a little or go with h67 and a a regular i5-2500 for now.
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Heh, why? Just wondering what is so bad about going with an H67 board and an i7. :confused:
 
TheQuestian said:
Heh, why? Just wondering what is so bad about going with an H67 board and an i7. :confused:
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Nothing bad, just odd. You are essentially paying for features you will not use. I get the increased resale value and upgrade thoughts. But here's the thing:
By the time you feel like upgrading the mobo, the extra cycles you could get out of an OC will not likely make a huge difference, given the dominance of GPUs over CPUs in bottlenecking performance.
Also, getting the K series, or staying with H67, with the idea of increased resale value just never seems to pan out economically. I mean, paying more to get more back will likely= paying less and getting less.

I ALMOST did the same thing with my new build (see sig), and went back and forth myself on these issues. Ultimately, I ponied up and got the P55. The cost was not that much more, and in the end, it will increase the amount of time before I feel like I need to upgrade, which will absolutely save me money, guaranteed.

Anyway, post pics when it all comes together!
 
Its gonna be hard to fit a modular PSU and a GTX 590 inside this case. Because of the graphic card is gonna almost touch the PSU and cover it. So if any of you modular connections is spread out at the back of the PSU you don't gonna end up well.

Hope you understand what i am saying. Stick with the Stock PSU.
 
Modred189 said:
Nothing bad, just odd. You are essentially paying for features you will not use.
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I guess you're referring to the K, and not to the actual Core i7? I was asking why the previous poster recommended I "wait a while," or go with an i5. I understand the K point, but I was asking about something different. Unless you meant something else.

I get the increased resale value and upgrade thoughts. But here's the thing:
By the time you feel like upgrading the mobo, the extra cycles you could get out of an OC will not likely make a huge difference, given the dominance of GPUs over CPUs in bottlenecking performance.
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Yeah, it's not really a huge consideration, honestly. Maybe it would sell for a bit more. But really, I just don't mind spending the extra $20 on an off chance.

Also, getting the K series, or staying with H67, with the idea of increased resale value just never seems to pan out economically. I mean, paying more to get more back will likely= paying less and getting less.
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Yeah, again not a major financial hardship, so not worth the extra thought, in my opinion. If it were a difference of $75 or $100, maybe. But not for $20. :D

I ALMOST did the same thing with my new build (see sig), and went back and forth myself on these issues. Ultimately, I ponied up and got the P55. The cost was not that much more, and in the end, it will increase the amount of time before I feel like I need to upgrade, which will absolutely save me money, guaranteed.
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Now THIS interests me! I just realized . . . are you running a Sandy Bridge chip on a P55 board!? There was an outstanding ITX P55 board I looked at in the past, IIRC, but I just figured that the socket switch had ruined that for me. I had no idea this was possible, and I could have sworn I read forum posts stating that it was not an option. Please tell me it's so! Also, are there any downsides to going P55 vs. H67 with a Sandy Bridge chip (obviously assuming that on-board video is not an issue).
 
TheQuestian said:
I wonder if the lack of response is attributable to disinterest because it's so simple and plausible that it doesn't warrant a response, or disinterest because it's so implausible that it doesn't warrant a response. :)
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probably cos its been done. check out the oc3d forums
 
Rizzt said:
Its gonna be hard to fit a modular PSU and a GTX 590 inside this case. Because of the graphic card is gonna almost touch the PSU and cover it. So if any of you modular connections is spread out at the back of the PSU you don't gonna end up well.

Hope you understand what i am saying. Stick with the Stock PSU.
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I mean, it would have to be at LEAST a trade-off to dealing with crap like this.

sg07-3.jpg
 
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the_galvatr0ns said:
probably cos its been done. check out the oc3d forums
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Haha, I didn't presume it was a new phenomenon! Nothing is new under the sun, as they say. I only wondered if the general consensus was, "Sure, go for it," or, "You will rue the day you ever thought it." Not looking for any special awards, just a few opinions, and a simple nudge in the right direction. :)
 
TheQuestian said:
Haha, I didn't presume it was a new phenomenon! Nothing is new under the sun, as they say. I only wondered if the general consensus was, "Sure, go for it," or, "You will rue the day you ever thought it." Not looking for any special awards, just a few opinions, and a simple nudge in the right direction. :)
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nah thats not what I meant, its been done so pretty much validates ur build
 
TheQuestian said:
Now THIS interests me! I just realized . . . are you running a Sandy Bridge chip on a P55 board!? There was an outstanding ITX P55 board I looked at in the past, IIRC, but I just figured that the socket switch had ruined that for me. I had no idea this was possible, and I could have sworn I read forum posts stating that it was not an option. Please tell me it's so! Also, are there any downsides to going P55 vs. H67 with a Sandy Bridge chip (obviously assuming that on-board video is not an issue).
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Sorry, typo. :eek:
 
I feel your pain. It took me forever to get my act together and make a decision. The one thing I am glad I did was get an SSD. HUGE improvement.

The one thing I would be careful of is MSI's UEFIs. On mine at least, and I assume they are all similar, it is NOT well laid out at all, and unlike asus UEFIs, doesn't really support a mouse. Yea, you can select a major option group with the mouse, but once you do, it's all back to /\, \/, >, < and enter. It's a FANTASTIC board, don't get me wrong, but I'd almost prefer a BIOS ui before a hybrid like this one.
That said, overclocking can be done from w/in the OS, so I have nto spent much time there since initially setting up the machine.
 
A Geforce 590 and modular PSU (of any size) will fit inside a Lian Li PC-Q08 when using the PSU extension bracket. I know because I'm using this setup for my system, minus the 590. My Corsair AX750 PSU did fit in the case without using the PSU extension bracket, but it was so tight that I opted for the bracket. I do know the length of the 590 is just under the maximum length the case supports. A Radeon 6990, which is slightly longer, might fit too, but it might require replacing the front 140mm fan with a thinner model.
 
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