Trooper PC Build

[Airtrainer]

Well I have been saving for a year (well actually over a year) and have finally bought most of the components for my new build. My current rig is probably coming up 10 years old, so is long over due.

The specs on my old machine that matter:

- AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 2.0GHz
- 1.5GB RAM

New Machine Specs:

- Case: Corsair 600T White
- CPU: Intel Ivy Bridge Core i5 3570K
- CPU Cooling: Corsair H60
- RAM: 16GB Corsair Vengeance LP RAM
- Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD4
- GPU: EVGA GTX670
- SSD: Samsung 128GB (Still to buy)
- PSU: Corsair AX750
- HDD: WD 1TB Black


All the bits I currently have before assembly begins:


The RAM in the motherboard, I specifically wanted white RAM for this build and had to get it shipped from the US as I was too late to buy an NZ stock:


The CPU installed:


A slightly arty shot of the CPU and RAM:


The case! I just love this case, it reminds me so much of a Stormtrooper helmet (though maybe a Biker Scout would be more appropriate):


The motherboard in the case. I have removed the second drive bay and also installed my HDD, the SSD will sit just above the HDD:


The GPU and PSU installed:


A close up:


My H60 with a Corsair SP120 aftermarket fan. I had to go visit CL to get some extra screws to mount the rear fan in a push/pull config:


I still have to buy the SSD and I am going to buy white power cables for the PSU, which is one of the main reasons I bought a AX series power supply. I also plan to add an Imperial Logo and a Stormtrooper image to the case. I'm still searching for a decent image of the later in a vinyl style sticker.

I will then finally be able to install FSX and start playing that again. I'm also looking forward to playing CIV5 which I haven’t really been able to play since getting it as a Xmas present two years ago. I will post more pics once it is fully assembled.

[nzav8tor]

Looks awesome. What model of 670 is that? I'm going to pick one up shortly, the 2678 seems to be the biggest seller at the moment.

[Ian Warren]

I do like these personal PC builds .. the case i don't like .. looks more like a bread making machine .. glazing window to watch the loaf rise with a Vengeance .

[cowpatz]

Nice looking build. Not that I am into it myself but the theme you have chosen is great.
I have been looking at a new build for quite sometime now. It is a confusing process with ever moving goal posts. Sandy bridge, Ivy bridge or wait for Haswell, SSD or Hybrid, AMD or Intel, i5 or i7, dual or quad, water or air, Gigabyte mobo or Asus, Corsair or GSkill ????????? . You read an encouraging review on a component somewhere only to find another review that says otherwise and then of course the prices keep changing which means it all needs to be revisited. I need to quit dithering and just muster the courage to draw a line in the sand and say NOW. In the meantime my poor little 42% overclocked Q6600 just keeps heating the study! And I am so over AMD GPU's.

[deeknow]

Great stuff AT, keep the pics and progress reports coming !!!
I'm a sucker for pretty looking things too and went for blue-color-coding inside the case, the storm-trooper theme is great !!

BTW - can you turn the lower HDD cage 90'deg? might help with airflow on that front fan?

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Nov 19 2012,12:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

just keeps heating the study! And I am

I always get people stop and how warm it is in here .. back in the old days it was looking into ya wood burner ... today its your virtual flight sim doing the heating ... is that multi-tasking or WHAT!

[cowpatz]

AT what is your reasoning for going for the Z68 chip set and not the Z77?
I don't mean this in a critical way at all. From my somewhat limited research (and knowledge for that matter) the Z68 supports SB CPU's but can run a IV with a bios upgrade. Does the Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD4 come with this Bios upgrade?
Apart from that and the fact that the Z68 lacks PCI support there appears not to be too much difference between the two.

[Airtrainer]

QUOTE (nzav8tor @ Nov 19 2012,9:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Looks awesome. What model of 670 is that? I'm going to pick one up shortly, the 2678 seems to be the biggest seller at the moment.

It's the base model 670 'EVGA NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX670 2GB GDDR5 PCI-E3.0'; I would have been happy with a GTX660 Ti but went for the white colour scheme on the 670, it's expensive buying to a theme. Anything would be an improvement over my current AGP style graphics card!

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Nov 19 2012,10:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do like these personal PC builds .. the case i don't like .. looks more like a bread making machine .. glazing window to watch the loaf rise with a Vengeance .

lol, each to their own. I didn't like it when I first saw a review on it either, but it has grown on me and looks awesome in person!

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Nov 19 2012,12:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nice looking build. Not that I am into it myself but the theme you have chosen is great.
I have been looking at a new build for quite sometime now. It is a confusing process with ever moving goal posts. Sandy bridge, Ivy bridge or wait for Haswell, SSD or Hybrid, AMD or Intel, i5 or i7, dual or quad, water or air, Gigabyte mobo or Asus, Corsair or GSkill ????????? . You read an encouraging review on a component somewhere only to find another review that says otherwise and then of course the prices keep changing which means it all needs to be revisited. I need to quit dithering and just muster the courage to draw a line in the sand and say NOW. In the meantime my poor little 42% overclocked Q6600 just keeps heating the study! And I am so over AMD GPU's.

Tell me about it, I was saving at most $60 a week (my 'pocket money') and the technology and goals kept changing on me too. I guess you just have to go with what you believe is going to give you the best bang for your buck and take the reviews with a pinch of salt.

QUOTE (deeknow @ Nov 19 2012,12:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great stuff AT, keep the pics and progress reports coming !!!
I'm a sucker for pretty looking things too and went for blue-color-coding inside the case, the storm-trooper theme is great !!

BTW - can you turn the lower HDD cage 90'deg? might help with airflow on that front fan?

I'm not 100% sure, will have a look and see. Though I do like the fact that the cables are hidden from this angle. The surplus 3 HDD bays have already been removed. Will post more shots next week once the last few components turn up. Then it's install time!

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Nov 19 2012,7:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

AT what is your reasoning for going for the Z68 chip set and not the Z77?
I don't mean this in a critical way at all. From my somewhat limited research (and knowledge for that matter) the Z68 supports SB CPU's but can run a IV with a bios upgrade. Does the Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD4 come with this Bios upgrade?
Apart from that and the fact that the Z68 lacks PCI support there appears not to be too much difference between the two.

Ha! You have hit the nail on the head with my current problem. I was hoping that the board (ver 1.3) would have the BIOS update for the IVB CPU but no. So thats my mission at the moment to try and track down a SB CPU to upgrade the BIOS. I bought the MB awhile ago and never got around to buying the CPU at the time and then all of a sudden all the SB CPUs (i5s anyway) were sold out. That's one major drama of buying a PC a bit at a time over 12 months. As for why the 'GA-Z68XP-UD4'? I wanted a board that was as black as it could be without any red or blue (or other colour) bits. Fits better into the theme that way.

[Charl]

Looks like fun.
Now at last you can run a maxxed-out FS9.5 with decent AI, weather, and addons, and still have a buttersmooth flight simulator... but I would say that.

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Nov 19 2012,12:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...I need to quit dithering and just muster the courage to draw a line in the sand and say NOW.

CP: One notch backed off bleeding edge, is the only Golden Rule.
Makes it much easier on the pocket too.
The only thing you really need to push for MS products, is CPU clock speed, how simple is that.

[lowglow]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Nov 19 2012,10:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the case i don't like .. looks more like a bread making machine .. glazing window to watch the loaf rise with a Vengeance .

Haha cracks me up

Nice build

[AndrewJamez]

Your building this rig for FS9????? Im gonna cry.

Sorry, just read your posts properly. Good luck with FSX. These new powerfull machines will run FSX fine with minimal tweaks so you dont have to go through the years of struggling that we have endured. just stick to the recommended install procedures, a few key "Jesus" tweaks, Nvidia inpector and you away laughing, oh yeah and accusim, accufeel, REX everything, EZdok.....................................