Just built my first own PC, please rate it!

[Sunius]

Hey guys! I've finally built my own system, and it's quite an accomplishment for me. Here's what I had:

Mobo: Asrock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3
CPU: Intel Core i5 2500k
GPU: Gigabyte GTX 560 Ti factory OC
RAM: Kingston HyperX blu 1600 MHz 8GB
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB 3.5" Sata2 64MB cache (WD10EARS)
SSD: Corsair Force Series™ 3 120GB SATA 3 6Gb/s
PSU: Corsair Builder Series CX600 12CM
CPU cooler: Scythe KATANA3
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 plus
DVD ROM: SAMSUNG SMG DVDRW 22X SATA BULK SH-222AB (Sorry, can't post link to embedded site)
Monitor: Samsung 23" 350 series LED
Keyboard: Hama AK 220
Mouse: Logitech m100

I was lucky to pick up one of the last cheap HDDs, even though it's WD Caviar Green. Also, the cooler didn't arrive yet, I for now I'm using the stock one. Here are the pictures (not too good quality, used my mobile phone):

Case:
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/9573/dsc01582fu.jpg
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/5633/dsc01620ka.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/5750/dsc01576l.jpg
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3461/dsc01579zu.jpg
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/5876/dsc01575y.jpg
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2164/dsc01618ch.jpg

This is how the case looked after being built:
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/4630/dsc01621u.jpg
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2763/dsc01622q.jpg

I love the case fan LED, especially when it's dark:
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7749/dsc01598w.jpg
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/81/dsc01600y.jpg

The inside:
http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/4330/dsc01602a.jpg
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/3065/dsc01603eb.jpg
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/200/dsc01604es.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4240/dsc01605b.jpg

RAM:
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1750/dsc01606q.jpg

GPU:
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/1652/dsc01608lo.jpg
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7980/dsc01611g.jpg

PSU:
http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/6154/dsc01613w.jpg

My Hard drive and SSD:
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/7238/dsc01615j.jpg
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/4274/dsc01616i.jpg
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8933/dsc01617s.jpg
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/6641/dsc01624i.jpg

Case LED fan from inside:
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/7259/dsc01619pf.jpg

Other side of motherboard:
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/8136/dsc01623oa.jpg

The system in it's place:
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/6799/dsc01597n.jpg
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/9074/dsc01627pw.jpg
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1452/dsc01631t.jpg

How my desk looks right now (on the right there's my old system):
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/5141/dsc01629t.jpg
http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/4130/dsc01632o.jpg

It was my first time I built a PC with my own hands. I know I made a lot of mess with the wires inside, but I couldn't find a way to make them look tidy, the PSU cables were so short.. Also, since I don't have an aftermarket cooler, I OC'ed only a little bit - to 4 GHz:

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=2071391

Also, as you can see in the link, I've OCed the GPU to 950 MHz, from 900 stock. Both processor and video card are stable: they have been stress tested the whole day. For the CPU I used offset mode with -0.95V setting. The temps are below 70 degrees for CPU and below 80 for GPU.

By the way, I totally love my SSD! World of warcraft loading screen takes around 10 seconds (with 55 MB worth of AddOns), when it used to be around 2-3 minutes on my old computer, and it takes around 60 seconds from pressing the power button to appearing in game in total. It's great! I recommend everyone to get an SSD each .

Also, any tips how to make the case look tidier?

[Redcrow]

Looks nice man, I am jelly.

[Deleted]

To help with airflow, try ruite your cables behind the computer, into the left side of the case.

[Sunius]

To help with airflow, try ruite your cables behind the computer, into the left side of the case.

Hey thanks for advice. But do you have any advice on how do I deal with short PSU cables?

[Deleted]

Hey thanks for advice. But do you have any advice on how do I deal with short PSU cables?

find a happy medium, you should have gotten a good few cable ties with your packaging, find a nice spot to run them along and use cables ties to neaten them

[Raphtheone]

I have limited knowledge of the intel chipsets, how's the 2500k overclocking on the z68? From what I understand, one of the first things anyone does who gets a 2500k is to change the multiplier to mid-40's.

[Drunkenvalley]

Wait, is there like a wall behind the HDD bay that keeps you from feeding a cable behind the tray, then into the HDD? o.Ô Can't quite see...

I have limited knowledge of the intel chipsets, how's the 2500k overclocking on the z68? From what I understand, one of the first things anyone does who gets a 2500k is to change the multiplier to mid-40's.

The Z68 is the P67 with the ability to utilize on-board graphics. However, the graphics aren't active unless you tell them to be, so it shouldn't be the faintest concern.

[Sunius]

I have limited knowledge of the intel chipsets, how's the 2500k overclocking on the z68? From what I understand, one of the first things anyone does who gets a 2500k is to change the multiplier to mid-40's.

Well, you do need to change voltages then. Personally 4.0 GHz is the highest I could go with the stock cooler to keep the temps below 70 degrees while maintaining a stable system.

Wait, is there like a wall behind the HDD bay that keeps you from feeding a cable behind the tray, then into the HDD? o.Ô Can't quite see...

It seems on so the SSD pic, but it's just the side pane. However, I can't get the cables behind it because they're too short :|.

[Raphtheone]

Sorry, I read h67 for some reason (shows how little facetime I have with the intel chipsets though), and my natural follow up question on overclocking with stock cooler was already answered by Sunius. I was under the impression that it was quite standard to get the 2500k quite high (<~4,6Ghz) without touching voltages though.

[Sunius]

Well, there are two methods of voltages. First one is fixed voltages. In that mode, whatever you set it, it will stay there (not including vdroop, since when it kicks in, it drops the voltages). I had to bump it to 1.3V to get it stable on 4.0 GHz. After Vdroop it actually was 1.2V.

There's also offset mode. There is some base voltage X, and when you increase the multiplier, the voltage automatically increases. You can control how much it increases by increasing or decreasing the offset. For example, when in idle mode in offset mode, voltages are around 0.88V, and when you get it under 100% load, it increases to around 1.2V. To get those results I had to set the offset to -0.95V.

Basically you could just set it to offset mode and you would never need to adjust it, so the impression of not touching the voltages when overclocking comes from there. However, the default setting isn't optimal for every CPU, since one might need more voltage than another, etc.

[BicycleMafioso]

That case is so ugly.
I can understand the Americanos buying it, as it's cheaper than the competition, but at the pricelevel in Europe (and especially Sweden), I see no reason why anyone has the HAF-cases.

Anyway, fix the cabling. You are blocking the airflow. I'd suggest you route all the cables immediately through the bottom routinghole and then just run them on the backside. Use zip-ties to clump the cables together and/or afix them to cableholes if they exist on the back.
Cables should reach, despite the low-quality PSU.

[Uggorthaholy]

I agree with Tetris. I have 2 criticisms of the build.

1) Low quality PSU
2) I'm not a fan of Kingston

Other than that, well done.

[Drunkenvalley]

That case is so ugly.
I can understand the Americanos buying it, as it's cheaper than the competition, but at the pricelevel in Europe (and especially Sweden), I see no reason why anyone has the HAF-cases.

Because it's got good airflow and some people find it goodlooking. >> Personally, I just consider it another flavor. I'm not for or against this particular style more than any other. Things only get into play when there's practicality involved.

As an example, I love cases that have door-mounting, not the slide on type. They're much easier to fix back on in my experience, which makes for a much higher quality of life surprisingly, as the slide-on-type can take forever to pop back on because any given point of it won't align properly...

Maybe I just don't have a sense of ugly.

[Sunius]

Hey guys here's an update. I fixed the wiring, installed CPU fan and overclocked CPU further to 4.3 GHz. I don't feel like pushing it further as I see no benefit and temps start getting to 70s if I go to 4.5 GHz and higher. Please tell me if I did a good job managing those cables, I took a few photos:



P. S. Sometimes, when GPU is idle (like browsing the web), the screen goes black for a few seconds and then it comes back again. Then it said that the video driver failed and recovered. Any idea what it could be caused by? It doesn't happen when GPU is under load, had 12 hours pass on furmark and had long gaming sessions. It only happens when GPU isn't busy.