Almost Ready to Buy

[eXtOphius]

Alright, so I've already purchased a couple of items for my new PC, and I'm ready to pull the trigger on the last remaining pieces this evening.

I have a few simple questions that should help me decide on the final build.

Purchased already:
Keyboard ($164.96 total) - http://tigerimports.net/sunshop/inde...detail&p=11538
Monitor ($126.17 total - Memorial Day Sale) - http://shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-of...=35252&cj=true

Remaining build to buy:
GPU - Asus 550 Ti (waiting for a 660 Ti upgrade, going to use that to get by for now)
Motherboard - Asus Sabertooth Z77 (honestly I just love the look)
Processor - i5 3570K
OS - Windows 7 Home x64 bit OEM
SSD - Crucial M4 128 GB
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 64 MB Cache 7200 RPM 1 GB
RAM - DDR 3 1600 Mushkin Enhanced Blackline (matched the look)
Mouse - Logitech G9x or the new Cyborg 7
PSU - 850W Kingwin Lazer

Here is where I am unsure:
Case - I am leaning towards a few choices: Antec 1100 (depends on CPU cooler), Corsair 400R Carbide, Fractal Design Arc Midi, Lian-Li Lancool (has a window too, depends on CPU)
Cooler - I really like the Xigamtek Dark Night II Night Hawk edition for the aesthetic value, but I know the ND-H14 is the Rolls Royce of CPU air coolers, I can't decide on what I want to do. If I get the Xigamtek Night Hawk, I want a case that has a window for sure (and will go with white LED setup). If I get the Noctua, I don't mind going with a closed look with the Corsair 400R Carbide or maybe a Fractal Design Arc Midi.

What are your thoughts as to go with the Dark Night or the ND-H14? I know that Ivy Bridge runs hotter than Sandy Bridge, so I don't want to spend the money on a Noctua if it's not absolutely worth it with the overclocking. Otherwise, I don't mind buying the best there is.

Also, which case do you guys prefer? I personally like the idea of a window case (I've never had one) with some White LED fans maybe setup. Or if not, I'd like an extremely quiet and cool chassis to use that I will throw the Noctua in.

Also, I will be getting a much cheaper Motherboard if I don't get a case with a window.

Cheers!

[glo]

1. Motherboard is overkill. Drop it to something sane and take the money you save to buy a 7850.
2. If you absolutely -must- have the Sabertooth, the 550ti is woefully bad for gaming. There's better cards at the same price point. Look at the AMD 6850, 7770, GTX 460, and the GTX 560 SE.
3. PSU is complete overkill. Grab a quality bronze+ rated 500-550w PSU.

[Enhshamanlol]

1. Motherboard is overkill. Drop it to something sane and take the money you save to buy a 7850.
2. If you absolutely -must- have the Sabertooth, the 550ti is woefully bad for gaming. There's better cards at the same price point. Look at the AMD 6850, 7770, GTX 460, and the GTX 560 SE.

Did you read the post?. He said he's geting 660TI when it comes out and is using an old 550TI for right now.
Motherboard isn't that much overkill. It's good motherboard/Good looking motherboard if he wants to show off his pc with a sidewindow.
PSU could be downgraded, unless you're looking to SLI down the road.

[Deleted]

a 650W PSU is more then enough until you start running SLI / CF.

[glo]

Did you read the post?. He said he's geting 660TI when it comes out and is using an old 550TI for right now.
Motherboard isn't that much overkill. It's good motherboard/Good looking motherboard if he wants to show off his pc with a sidewindow.
PSU could be downgraded, unless you're looking to SLI down the road.

It sounds like he's going to buy it to me. I might be wrong.

[eXtOphius]

1. Motherboard is overkill. Drop it to something sane and take the money you save to buy a 7850.
2. If you absolutely -must- have the Sabertooth, the 550ti is woefully bad for gaming. There's better cards at the same price point. Look at the AMD 6850, 7770, GTX 460, and the GTX 560 SE.
3. PSU is complete overkill. Grab a quality bronze+ rated 500-550w PSU.

I am going to buy a cheap 550 Ti, I don't currently run any graphically intensive heavy games that require anything else. I'm just going to get it until 660 Ti's drop, then I will be running two of them in SLI. For instance, I used to play in a server first 25 man WoW guild with an average of <8 FPS on numerous fights in Heroic ICC/ToGC/Ulduar. I play League of Legends at 1900+ elo on <20 FPS during heavy fights, and I get about 10 FPS in a 4 man Diablo 3 Hardcore game. I'm only looking to seriously upgrade when the particular piece of hardware that I want is coming out. I don't have any questions about the GPU, only the case + CPU cooler. I would just get a 560 Ti 448 if the 6xx series wasn't already out.

Part of the Kingwin purchase is for the good reviews of that particular PSU are solid, and a nice White LED on the PSU should set off the case pretty well if I go with a window'd case.

[glo]

I am going to buy a cheap 550 Ti, I don't currently run any graphically intensive heavy games that require anything else. I'm just going to get it until 660 Ti's drop, then I will be running two of them in SLI. For instance, I used to play in a server first 25 man WoW guild with an average of <8 FPS on numerous fights in Heroic ICC/ToGC/Ulduar. I play League of Legends at 1900+ elo on <20 FPS during heavy fights, and I get about 10 FPS in a 4 man Diablo 3 Hardcore game. I'm only looking to seriously upgrade when the particular piece of hardware that I want is coming out. I don't have any questions about the GPU, only the case + CPU cooler. I would just get a 560 Ti 448 if the 6xx series wasn't already out.

Part of the Kingwin purchase is for the good reviews of that particular PSU are solid, and a nice White LED on the PSU should set off the case pretty well if I go with a window'd case.

Well what I'm saying is that in the meantime until you buy your 660, those other cards I listed are the same price, and perform much better. So you wouldn't be losing money, just getting better performance for a while.

[jmacphee9]

Well what I'm saying is that in the meantime until you buy your 660, those other cards I listed are the same price, and perform much better. So you wouldn't be losing money, just getting better performance for a while.

worth looking into the resale value of the mentioned cards as well, if your plan is to sell the 550ti. im sure the 550ti's resale value is non-existant, the 7770 is probably the highest because its so new but the 6850 could be just as high and its a slightly better card.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

You would likely have to pay somebody to take a used 550ti away. I would get a 6850, and, as it is actually quite a good card, keep it.

[Evil Inside]

I recommend you either get a 6850/70 or 7850/70, the 550 is god-awful for gaming.