New Gaming Rig + HTPC

[Cymera]

Helllloooo Anandtech!

I am planning to build a new IB+680 Rig and turn my current machine into an HTPC, and I was hoping to get some input!

Here is some pertinent information:

Budget: ~$2500, but flexible
Country: Canada
Brand Preference: My preferences will be reflected in the component list I've put together so far, but I am VERY open to suggestions!
Overclocking: Yes, the CPU
Resolution: 1920x1080
Time frame: as SOON as IB + 7 series motherboards come out!

New Rig

With that out of the way, here is my component list so far. This is mostly based on the advice I got from Anandtech when I was going to make a SB build, but decided to hold off until IB.

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77 (not sure which one, I am not interested in SLI/CF; suggestions?)
CPU: i5 3750K/i7 3770K
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 680
PSU: Corsair Professional Series Gold CMPSU-750AX Full Modular 750W
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series DDR3 1600MHz (PC3-12800) 16GB (4x4GB)
CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9900A LED Low-noise 120mm Blue LED CPU Cooler 2 Ball Bearing PWM (is there a better CPU cooler out there?)
Case: Antec DF-85/Coolermaster HAF X (thoughts?)
SSD: Crucial m4 128GB/Intel 520 Series 120GB/Mushkin Chronos 120GB (Which brand has been most reliable? Price is not an issue compared to reliability for this build)
HDDs: 2x Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB SATA3 7200RPM 64M Cache (I am looking for the fasted 2TB HDDs I can find, suggestions?)
Sound card: Asus Xonar DS (already have it)

Questions:

1) How well is IB known to OC? I realize it is not out, but I think I've read some heat issues? Will this require special measures? I'd like to achieve a reasonable overclock, may 4.5 Ghz.

2) Are there any known issues with the 680 that I should be aware of?

3) Are the 7 Series motherboards know to support TRIM?

4) I am not sure if I should get the i5 of i7. Although I do multitask a lot, I'm not sure I would benefit from HT. Also, I recall that with SB, HT impeded gaming performance in some/many games? Is this still the case with IB?

5) Which Motherboard should I look into?

6) Which SSD based on reliability/HDDs based on speed/reliability should I get?

7) Are there any components that are mismatched in my build? Any suggestions on alternate parts?

HTPC

I plan to convert my current gaming PC into an HTPC that can play Sims 3 (for the wife). These are the components (copied from signature ):

Q6600 GO @ 3.0 Ghz w/ Zalman CNPS9500 | EVGA GTX 560 Ti FPB | 4 GB OCZ DDR2-800 | Asus Xonar DS | ~3TB via 3 WD HDDs | Asus P5K | Corsair TX850w PSU | Antec 900

I need some peripherals to finish it up:

1) Mouse and Keyboard. I'm not sure about wireless in this context: how long do batteries typically last? Are there reasonably prices (less than $50) mice/keyboards with charging stations? Are there any media keyboards I should look into?

2) Remote. I'd like a good W7 compatible remote to operate the HTPC. Not sure where to start, there seems to be rather limited selection where I've looked (Newegg.ca & Canada Computers).

3) Am I missing anything else?

That's all I can think of for now! Thank you in advance for your help and suggestions!

 

[Ken g6]

How well is IB known to OC? I realize it is not out, but I think I've read some heat issues?

Unknown. I've read that too. We just have to wait...

2) Are there any known issues with the 680 that I should be aware of?

Well, it's expensive. And the 670 may be coming out soon and it should be cheaper.

3) Are the 7 Series motherboards know to support TRIM?

I don't think there's a mobo being sold today that doesn't include TRIM support. I believe AHCI support == TRIM support, so look for that.

4) I am not sure if I should get the i5 of i7. Although I do multitask a lot, I'm not sure I would benefit from HT. Also, I recall that with SB, HT impeded gaming performance in some/many games? Is this still the case with IB?

Generally you don't need HT unless you have one application that uses 8 threads, or several applications fully using several threads all at the same time. Often not even then. For games, you can always turn off HT.

6) Which SSD based on reliability/HDDs based on speed/reliability should I get?

I believe the M4 has the best reliability track record.

A gold-series PSU is pretty much always overkill. 750W is a little more than you should need too. A >= 550W PSU with >= 45A combined on the 12V rail(s) should be sufficient even including overclocking.

 

[Cymera]

Thanks for the reply Ken!

Unknown. I've read that too. We just have to wait...

As long as it comes out by the end of April, I'm happy! Please don't tell me it's been delayed!

Well, it's expensive. And the 670 may be coming out soon and it should be cheaper.

How soon do you think it would come out? I've been waiting over a year to build this, and I'm just impatient at this point!

I don't think there's a mobo being sold today that doesn't include TRIM support. I believe AHCI support == TRIM support, so look for that.

Fantastic! Thanks!

Generally you don't need HT unless you have one application that uses 8 threads, or several applications fully using several threads all at the same time. Often not even then. For games, you can always turn off HT.

I can't think of too many situations in which this would occur, but I do like to leave Firefox open along with Outlook, maybe some other office apps, WMP, a game, etc. I might go with the i7 and if it is not good for gaming I'll turn HT off. On the other hand, I'd hate to waste $ for a feature I won't use... I suppose we'll have to wait until it comes out to see!

I believe the M4 has the best reliability track record.

Really? Even better than Intel? That's great because the Crucial is cheaper for more GB. Are they on par in terms of performance?

A gold-series PSU is pretty much always overkill. 750W is a little more than you should need too. A >= 550W PSU with >= 45A combined on the 12V rail(s) should be sufficient even including overclocking.

I wanted to give myself headroom to cover adding additional drives, etc. But maybe you're right, 750 is overkill.

 

[DSF]

I can't think of too many situations in which this would occur, but I do like to leave Firefox open along with Outlook, maybe some other office apps, WMP, a game, etc. I might go with the i7 and if it is not good for gaming I'll turn HT off. On the other hand, I'd hate to waste $ for a feature I won't use... I suppose we'll have to wait until it comes out to see!

With the exception of whatever game you might be running, most of that stuff is more of a drain on system memory and the hard drive than the CPU.

 

[Cymera]

With the exception of whatever game you might be running, most of that stuff is more of a drain on system memory and the hard drive than the CPU.

I thought so. Is there any other benefit to HT for overall system performance over an OC'd i5?

 

[Ken g6]

Is there any other benefit to HT for overall system performance over an OC'd i5?

Nope. Go i5.

Crucial is cheaper for more GB. Are they on par in terms of performance?

The Intel drive is sometimes faster; sometimes not. It's the only Sandforce drive that might have equal or better reliability. You could also consider a Samsung 830. But you probably won't notice the speed difference in any case. Or, if you insist on extreme reliability, there's this slower, more expensive drive.

I suggest you watch a couple of threads for info/rumors/speculation/suggestions about some of this hardware:

1. [thread=2237805]Don Karnage's Ivy Bridge thread[/thread]
2. [thread=2236383]GTX 670 - worth the wait?[/thread]
3. Don't forget the mobo preview posted last night.

 

[tuprox]

SSD: Crucial m4 128GB/Intel 520 Series 120GB/Mushkin Chronos 120GB (Which brand has been most reliable? Price is not an issue compared to reliability for this build)

I have a 80GB Intel SSD that was like 40% more than the other SSD's but it had all 5 star ratings (like 80 at the time). When I got it I was thrilled for about 2 weeks and then it crapped out on me. I RMA's and had a new one in 4 days - very speedy.

It has been running since and I love it. It is the X25-M. I'd recommend it even though I had a return. If you get a SSD I would run it on a test rig for a couple weeks, power cycling it and doing read/writes before you put it on a system you depend upon.

Good luck with the rig!

 

[Cymera]

Nope. Go i5.

That was the conclusion I came to last year.

The Intel drive is sometimes faster; sometimes not. It's the only Sandforce drive that might have equal or better reliability. You could also consider a Samsung 830. But you probably won't notice the speed difference in any case. Or, if you insist on extreme reliability, there's this slower, more expensive drive.

I'm not willing to spend quite that much on reliability! I am more than happy to go with the Crucial if it is toward the higher end of the reliability spectrum.

I suggest you watch a couple of threads for info/rumors/speculation/suggestions about some of this hardware:

1. [thread=2237805]Don Karnage's Ivy Bridge thread[/thread]
2. [thread=2236383]GTX 670 - worth the wait?[/thread]
3. Don't forget the mobo preview posted last night.

Will do! If a 670 comes out by the end of April/beginning of May I will likely look at it.

I have a 80GB Intel SSD that was like 40% more than the other SSD's but it had all 5 star ratings (like 80 at the time). When I got it I was thrilled for about 2 weeks and then it crapped out on me. I RMA's and had a new one in 4 days - very speedy.

It has been running since and I love it. It is the X25-M. I'd recommend it even though I had a return. If you get a SSD I would run it on a test rig for a couple weeks, power cycling it and doing read/writes before you put it on a system you depend upon.

Good luck with the rig!

Thanks for the insight! I'll think on it.

Also, as far as cases go, I'm starting to lean toward the CM HAF X over the DF-85, thoughts?

 

[DSF]

Also, as far as cases go, I'm starting to lean toward the CM HAF X over the DF-85, thoughts?

Well, what are you looking for in a case?

 

[Cymera]

Well, what are you looking for in a case?

Good air flow, easy to clean, good cable management, big enough for a top end GPU, solid build. Price and size/weight are less important as I'm looking for something that will last keep my system cool. Also, I am not currently interested in running water cooling.

Are there other things I should look for in a case?

Thanks!

 

[DSF]

Good air flow, easy to clean, good cable management, big enough for a top end GPU, solid build. Price and size/weight are less important as I'm looking for something that will last keep my system cool. Also, I am not currently interested in running water cooling.

Are there other things I should look for in a case?

Thanks!

Does noise matter to you? I like my computers to be inaudible to the greatest extent possible. A lot of the large, open cases that advertise good airflow aren't built to be quiet, and of course no case will be at a whisper when loaded up with 5 or 6 fans.

In some ways I think "good cooling" is overrated. It doesn't matter to me whether my CPU is 30 deg. C or 45 deg. C at idle as long as it's within the acceptable range at load. There's no prize for a slightly cooler CPU. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Cymera]

Does noise matter to you? I like my computers to be inaudible to the greatest extent possible. A lot of the large, open cases that advertise good airflow aren't built to be quiet, and of course no case will be at a whisper when loaded up with 5 or 6 fans.

In some ways I think "good cooling" is overrated. It doesn't matter to me whether my CPU is 30 deg. C or 45 deg. C at idle as long as it's within the acceptable range at load. There's no prize for a slightly cooler CPU. Just my opinion of course.

Noise doesn't matter to me. For whatever reason, I'm very accustomed to white noise - I have had my Antec 900 (running 4 fans on max) next to me for the past 4 years, and it hasn't bothered me at all (I've even slept in the same room without issue).

I agree with you that load temperature is all that matters, and that is what I am looking for. I would like my components - particularly CPU and GPU - to remain as cool as possible under load. I am concerned mostly about retaining safe temperatures for fairly long gaming sessions (although not as long as when I was younger, I still go for upwards of 5-6 hours on the rare occasion) with overclocked components.

Thanks!

 

[mfenn]

Noise doesn't matter to me. For whatever reason, I'm very accustomed to white noise - I have had my Antec 900 (running 4 fans on max) next to me for the past 4 years, and it hasn't bothered me at all (I've even slept in the same room without issue).

I agree with you that load temperature is all that matters, and that is what I am looking for. I would like my components - particularly CPU and GPU - to remain as cool as possible under load. I am concerned mostly about retaining safe temperatures for fairly long gaming sessions (although not as long as when I was younger, I still go for upwards of 5-6 hours on the rare occasion) with overclocked components.

Thanks!

Cases are generally much better than they were 5-6 years ago and components use less power. You definitely do NOT need something as monstrously huge and expensive to get good cooling. These days, it's about making your cooling system work smarter, not harder. Check out the Corsair 400R.

As for the rest of your choices:
- Mobo: It's hard to say if that's a good deal without knowing pricing, I didn't see that particular board on Newegg. There are lots of reasonable boards like the ASRock Z77 Pro3 out there though.
- CPU: Get the i5. Firefox running in the background does not count as heavy multitasking worthy of an i7.
- GPU: Pricy as all get out. Especially at 1080p, I'd rather get a 7870 and save some money to upgrade later. It's better from a price/performance perspective to build/upgrade with midrange parts every 1-2 years than to build a monster system every 5 years.
- PSU: Way overkill. For a single-GPU setup, this XFX Core 650W for $80 AR would work just as well.
- RAM: From what you've described, I doubt that you need 16GB of RAM. Get one of these Mushkin DDR3 1600 8GB kits for less money (or two if you really want 16GB)
- HSF: Zalman's design isn't that great of a performer relative to its cost these days. A standard tower cooler like the Mugen 3 costs less, performs better, and is more flexible.
- Case: See above
- SSD : I'd get the M4 for a good mix of performance, reliability, and price
- HDD : WD's are almost always overpriced and aren't really any better than the competition. Hitachi and Seagate 7200RPM drives are about $160 each. Also, chasing absolute max high performance in mechanical drives is pretty quixotic in the age of SSDs.

 

[VirtualLarry]

For a remote control, check out these generic remote controls off of Amazon.com.

They work in XP and Windows 7, WITHOUT NEED FOR DRIVER INSTALL.

I like them a lot. They do have some quirks though.

http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-USB-R...3936630&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/DekCell-Wirele...936630&sr=1-18

I use one just like these on my W7 HTPC. Works pretty well, have to change batteries every 1.5-2 months though.

 

[Cymera]

Hi mfenn! I was hoping to hear from you again! You were a great help last year!

Cases are generally much better than they were 5-6 years ago and components use less power. You definitely do NOT need something as monstrously huge and expensive to get good cooling. These days, it's about making your cooling system work smarter, not harder. Check out the Corsair 400R.

Hmm, thanks for your thoughts on the case. I'll take that into consideration.

- Mobo: It's hard to say if that's a good deal without knowing pricing, I didn't see that particular board on Newegg. There are lots of reasonable boards like the ASRock Z77 Pro3 out there though.

This is related to the response I have below for your advice on HDDs, but would I benefit from having more SATA 6GB/s connections? Seems like these 'lower' end (and I do not mean that pejoratively) motherboards only have 2 SATA 6 and 4 SATA 3 connectors.

Also, I have looked briefly at the range of Asus boards, and they seem to have somewhat different feature sets as you climb up in price - are these worthwhile?

- CPU: Get the i5. Firefox running in the background does not count as heavy multitasking worthy of an i7.

Ok. If all I really do on this machine is moderate multitasking, gaming, and the occasional video rendering/converting, should I get an i7 in case? I currently manage a professional gaming team, and we're making more and more videos/highlights - would an i7 benefit functions necessary to conduct those projects?

- GPU: Pricy as all get out. Especially at 1080p, I'd rather get a 7870 and save some money to upgrade later. It's better from a price/performance perspective to build/upgrade with midrange parts every 1-2 years than to build a monster system every 5 years.

I agree with that upgrade schedule for the GPU. I would get a 670/660 Ti if they come out by the time I am ready to build this rig (i.e. release of IB). I am more of an Nvidia guy, but I will consider the AMD offerings.

- PSU: Way overkill. For a single-GPU setup, this XFX Core 650W for $80 AR would work just as well.

Do the certifications matter for this build (i.e. Gold, Silver, etc.)? Also, I am particularly interested in a modular PSU. Would 650w be sufficient for a top end GPU (if I decide to go with the 680) and an OC'd IB (to maybe 4.5 Ghz)?

- RAM: From what you've described, I doubt that you need 16GB of RAM. Get one of these Mushkin DDR3 1600 8GB kits for less money (or two if you really want 16GB)

Do you recommend Mushkin over G Skill for any particular reason? I remember last year a few people recommended G Skill over any other memory.

- HSF: Zalman's design isn't that great of a performer relative to its cost these days. A standard tower cooler like the Mugen 3 costs less, performs better, and is more flexible.

Ok, I will look at other designs/products!

- SSD : I'd get the M4 for a good mix of performance, reliability, and price

Excellent!

- HDD : WD's are almost always overpriced and aren't really any better than the competition. Hitachi and Seagate 7200RPM drives are about $160 each. Also, chasing absolute max high performance in mechanical drives is pretty quixotic in the age of SSDs.

I realize an HDD cannot compete with an SSD, but I am looking for the best possible speed on a 2TB drive for applications/storage.

Which brand is most reliable? Do the differences in cache (i.e. 32 vs. 64 mb) and bandwidth (i.e. SATAII vs. SATA3) make any noticeable difference at all?

Thanks so much!

For a remote control, check out these generic remote controls off of Amazon.com.

They work in XP and Windows 7, WITHOUT NEED FOR DRIVER INSTALL.

I like them a lot. They do have some quirks though.

http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-USB-R...3936630&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/DekCell-Wirele...936630&sr=1-18

I use one just like these on my W7 HTPC. Works pretty well, have to change batteries every 1.5-2 months though.

Thanks! I'll check those out!

 

[Ken g6]

Do the certifications matter for this build (i.e. Gold, Silver, etc.)? Also, I am particularly interested in a modular PSU. Would 650w be sufficient for a top end GPU (if I decide to go with the 680) and an OC'd IB (to maybe 4.5 Ghz)?

A gold-series PSU is pretty much always overkill. 750W is a little more than you should need too. A >= 550W PSU with >= 45A combined on the 12V rail(s) should be sufficient even including overclocking.

You want a really awesome modular PSU? http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16817151095 Other good choices may present themselves closer to the time you're ready to buy.

 

[Cymera]

You want a really awesome modular PSU? http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16817151095 Other good choices may present themselves closer to the time you're ready to buy.

Thanks! Which brands provide the best quality PSUs? I currently have a Corsair, but you've recommended a Seasonic and mfenn recommended an XFX, are they all on par?

 

[DSF]

Thanks! Which brands provide the best quality PSUs? I currently have a Corsair, but you've recommended a Seasonic and mfenn recommended an XFX, are they all on par?

Well, you have to keep in mind that with PSUs the company whose brand name in on the PSU is in many cases not the manufacturer.

Seasonic is widely recognized as a quality PSU manufacturer, and they sell PSUs under their own brand, but they also market them to other companies for rebranding.

Some Corsair PSUs are Seasonics (and are great) and some are made by Channel Well, which are not as good. Seasonic also makes PSUs for Antec and possibly some other companies.

A quality 650W PSU will do a single-GPU gaming rig just fine.

 

[Cymera]

Well, you have to keep in mind that with PSUs the company whose brand name in on the PSU is in many cases not the manufacturer.

Seasonic is widely recognized as a quality PSU manufacturer, and they sell PSUs under their own brand, but they also market them to other companies for rebranding.

Some Corsair PSUs are Seasonics (and are great) and some are made by Channel Well, which are not as good. Seasonic also makes PSUs for Antec and possibly some other companies.

A quality 650W PSU will do a single-GPU gaming rig just fine.

Great information, thanks! Would the Seasonic X-660 Fully Modular 80PLUS Gold 660W PSU work well? I would go with the one you suggested, but I'd prefer to buy from Canada Computers, as they are right next to me (can pick up, don't have to have anything shipped) and have generally lower prices than Newegg (when they have the same products).

 

[mfenn]

Hi mfenn! I was hoping to hear from you again! You were a great help last year!

No problem.

This is related to the response I have below for your advice on HDDs, but would I benefit from having more SATA 6GB/s connections? Seems like these 'lower' end (and I do not mean that pejoratively) motherboards only have 2 SATA 6 and 4 SATA 3 connectors.

SATA 6Gb/s only matters for SSDs, HDDs cannot touch the bandwidth available on even SATA 3Gb/s. So no, it doesn't matter unless you plan to be running a lot of SSDs.

Also, I have looked briefly at the range of Asus boards, and they seem to have somewhat different feature sets as you climb up in price - are these worthwhile?

The extra cost is only worthwhile if you need a feature that's only available on a higher-end board. If you can't think of any specialized features you need off the top of your head, then chances are that you don't need a fancy board.

Ok. If all I really do on this machine is moderate multitasking, gaming, and the occasional video rendering/converting, should I get an i7 in case? I currently manage a professional gaming team, and we're making more and more videos/highlights - would an i7 benefit functions necessary to conduct those projects?

The HT on an i7 will improve video encode times, but it's up to you whether or not the usage is frequent enough to be worth $100.

Do the certifications matter for this build (i.e. Gold, Silver, etc.)? Also, I am particularly interested in a modular PSU. Would 650w be sufficient for a top end GPU (if I decide to go with the 680) and an OC'd IB (to maybe 4.5 Ghz)?

Yes, 650W is plenty, no 80PLUS certifications don't matter in an of themselves. Gold-rated power supplies usually entail so much greater CAPEX than a Bronze-rated unit that you will never make it up in reduced OPEX.

Do you recommend Mushkin over G Skill for any particular reason? I remember last year a few people recommended G Skill over any other memory.

It costs less. All of the major brands make very similar memory, choose whichever costs the least at any given time.

I realize an HDD cannot compete with an SSD, but I am looking for the best possible speed on a 2TB drive for applications/storage.

Why? There is simply not much extra performance to be had by spending a bunch of extra money. The performance differences are in the 10% range whereas the cost can vary over 100%.

Which brand is most reliable? Do the differences in cache (i.e. 32 vs. 64 mb) and bandwidth (i.e. SATAII vs. SATA3) make any noticeable difference at all?

The brands are all about the same in terms of reliability on average. Cache size and SATA spec. don't matter.

 

[mfenn]

Great information, thanks! Would the Seasonic X-660 Fully Modular 80PLUS Gold 660W PSU work well? I would go with the one you suggested, but I'd prefer to buy from Canada Computers, as they are right next to me (can pick up, don't have to have anything shipped) and have generally lower prices than Newegg (when they have the same products).

That is a very nice power supply, but it costs about twice as you should be spending. The extra $70 is better put into the GPU, CPU, or SSD.

 

[Cymera]

SATA 6Gb/s only matters for SSDs, HDDs cannot touch the bandwidth available on even SATA 3Gb/s. So no, it doesn't matter unless you plan to be running a lot of SSDs.

Gotcha. I will only be running 1 SSD for the foreseeable future.

The extra cost is only worthwhile if you need a feature that's only available on a higher-end board. If you can't think of any specialized features you need off the top of your head, then chances are that you don't need a fancy board.

I will read up on them more, but when I checked out the Z68's, I think I ended up with the standard board based on features.

The HT on an i7 will improve video encode times, but it's up to you whether or not the usage is frequent enough to be worth $100.

I am not sure I would use such a feature often, but I would likely stick with this CPU for 3-4 years, so I might go for the i7 in case I want it.

Yes, 650W is plenty, no 80PLUS certifications don't matter in an of themselves. Gold-rated power supplies usually entail so much greater CAPEX than a Bronze-rated unit that you will never make it up in reduced OPEX.

Gotcha! Well, the first part, cause I have no idea what CAPEX or OPEX are!

It costs less. All of the major brands make very similar memory, choose whichever costs the least at any given time.

Really? No significant differences in performance/reliability?

Why? There is simply not much extra performance to be had by spending a bunch of extra money. The performance differences are in the 10% range whereas the cost can vary over 100%.

Well, one of the 2TB drives would house most of my applications, the other my most frequently used data. If the differences in performance between HDDs are really that low, than I won't bother with the WD Blacks.

The brands are all about the same in terms of reliability on average. Cache size and SATA spec. don't matter.

Really? From what I've read around here, it seemed to me like Seagate drives had a higher failure rate.

So all those details about HDDs are more marketing gimmicks? A WD Black vs. Green would only see minimal differences in performance (you're right in that the cost is nearly 100% higher for the WD Black's)?

That is a very nice power supply, but it costs about twice as you should be spending. The extra $70 is better put into the GPU, CPU, or SSD.

If I find a cheaper modular PSU at 650w, I'll consider it

Thanks again!

 

[mfenn]

Gotcha! Well, the first part, cause I have no idea what CAPEX or OPEX are!

Capital expenditure and operating expense.

Really? No significant differences in performance/reliability?

Nope.

Well, one of the 2TB drives would house most of my applications, the other my most frequently used data. If the differences in performance between HDDs are really that low, than I won't bother with the WD Blacks.

Really? From what I've read around here, it seemed to me like Seagate drives had a higher failure rate.

They're really all about the same. A couple percent difference over 3 years.

So all those details about HDDs are more marketing gimmicks? A WD Black vs. Green would only see minimal differences in performance (you're right in that the cost is nearly 100% higher for the WD Black's)?

Yes, the only metric that matters is spindle speed. You want a 7200RPM drive, but that's about it.

If I find a cheaper modular PSU at 650w, I'll consider it

Is having a couple less cables in the case really worth spending $80 or so? Where else are you going to store them? :awe:

 

[Cymera]

Nope.

They're really all about the same. A couple percent difference over 3 years.

Yes, the only metric that matters is spindle speed. You want a 7200RPM drive, but that's about it.

Good to know!

Is having a couple less cables in the case really worth spending $80 or so? Where else are you going to store them? :awe:

I haven't enjoyed dealing with all the cables from my current PSU in my mid-tower. Perhaps it is because it lacks cable management, or because I have no idea what I'm doing in there, but I thought between a cable management-friendly case and a modular PSU, it would be more spacious inside (which means better cooling, no?).

 

[Cymera]

I'm trying to decide between the ASUS P8Z77-V LX and the ASUS P8Z77-V LE motherboards.

The LE is $20.00 more expensive than the LX, but boasts 2x the USB 3.0 ports and several more interesting features.

Considering I am likely going to stick with this motherboard for 3-4 years, will there likely be peripherals that take advantage of USB 3.0?

In terms of features, the LE has 'Smart DIGI+' which supposedly helps with overclocking? I am only interested in overclocking the CPU, would this feature help?

Asus also outlines some other features the LE has over the LX, although I'm not sure what they really do. I am not interested in throwing money at gimmicks, but if any of the features help reliability, overclocking, or anything else that would be genuinely beneficial to my daily PC usage, I wouldn't mind going for it for an extra $20.00.

Thoughts?