evoeater wrote:
This build will be used for DAW, CAD, and some occasional gaming in the future (no video card to start). I live in LA and my computer room can be as high as 80-95F when I am using it in the summer. I only record occasionally, so I will cool the room down durring those times to 60-70f. I am mechinaccly adept, but need advice on how to best to control the CPU and Exhaust fan.
Here are the components I am looking at. Does anyone have any suggestions for better components? Would like to focus on cost savings or better for DAW use. The Processor and ram were purchased, but can be returned.
i7-2600K - (purchased $280 from Frys, so I went for it instead of the non-"k")
The 2600K is the right choice if you are not going to have a graphics card and you are not worried about the total cost of your computer. The "K" versions have twice the number of graphics cores compared to the non-K (12 cores, rather then 6 cores).
You should find out if anyone is using the CAD software that you use with the Intel HD 3000 or Intel HD 2000 graphics.
If you want to save money, you could get a Pentium G840 for LGA 1155 for around
$85. It is only a dual-core CPU and it will not overclock. It is still much faster then most of the computers that people are buying today.
If you pair the Pentium G840 with a AMD/ATI HD 5570 or 6570 or 6670 for another $65-90, you might get a better CAD and will get a better gaming experience. All of these cards can be found in passive versions (cooling without a on-card fan).
evoeater wrote:GA-Z68-UD3H-B3 (I like having descrete graphics, but don't know what I need to look for on PWM. Using a PCI interface for Daw. Like the z68 for flexibilty in overclocking and possible SSD SRT in the future.)
If you look at
page 56 of the manual for the GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 you will see that it can only control one PWM fan. Your case fan can not use control, in fact the manual does not say anything about controlling a case fan. For my personal system, I'm waiting for the Ivy Bridge Gigabyte boards that (I hope) can control a couple of PWM case fans.
Intel's SSD SRT is not the best for someone who is recording. SRT will not let the magnetic disk shut down while letting you record to the SSD.
evoeater wrote:Fractal Design Define R3 (more cooling than 183 for hot days. Will cut out the rear fan shroud)
People around the forum have not been happy with the included fans on the R3. The 120 mm low-speed sleeve-bearing Nexus fans can be bought for $9-12 each. At a full 12 volts they only turn at 800-1000 rpm, but they do not move much air. In the SPCR reviews they are the reference fans.
Option 4:
Get a cheaper case, one that can hold 2-4 reference Nexus 120mm fans to run at 12 volts, and use the Gigabyte PWM controls on the CPU cooling fan.
evoeater wrote:X650 Gold (picked from SPCR reviews)
Good choice for silence, as it will not run its fans unless you need them. The down side is that it will not help keep your case cool, and it may be hard to plan your inside-the-case airflow with a intermittent and high-powered PSU fan.
The Corsair TX750 V2 is not going to be as quiet, but it does run the fan all of the time. This means it is easy to plan your airflow.
evoeater wrote:4gb x2 Corsair XMS3 1600MHZ (Cheap and seemed ok. Purchased$40 after rebate. Should I set this to 1.5V and 1600MHZ in bios?)
Use an in-Windows utility to see what speed it is running at before you change anything. If it appears to be running slower then 1600 you should set it in the BIOS.
Web surfing, DAW, and gaming will fit inside 4GB of RAM.
CAD programs can use huge amounts of memory if you have large and high-detail projects. You should try to find out how much memory your CAD program will use during your normal work. You may want to buy 8GB of RAM.
evoeater wrote:Thermalright Ultra eXtreme 120 (Does the 1366 set work on 1155 too? Megahelems is another option )
Nice cooler. You could save yourself a lot of money by using
the Xigmatek Gaia SD1283. It is a good cooler, and it
costs $15 less while including a high-quality PWM fan and vibration-isolating mounting hardware.
The 1366 mounts are wider then the 1155 mounts. The 1155 mounts are wider then the 775 mounts. (The 1156 mounts ARE the same as the 1155 mounts.)
The Hitatchi Deskstar 7200RPM 1.5 TB is a fine drive for most people, but
not for you. The seek noise of the hard drive is a ping'ing sound that can show up on your recordings. The 7200 rpm drive will cause vibrations that might be noticeable.
The
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F4EG HD155UI 1.5TB 5400 RPM might be a better choice. It is a 5400 rpm drive, and it will use slower seek speeds.
You might want to consider an SSD, as they are silent. I would suggest that you save money on other parts of the computer, so that you can afford a 160GB or a 300GB Intel 320 SSD. Adding another $300-550 to your computer bill might not be something you are comfortable with.
evoeater wrote:I really need help in figuring out what fans to use and how to control them. From my research it looks like the following options exist. I am not sure yet which applies to the CPU verus the exhast fan. Also fan recommendations help. From reading the latest
review, I would think I would want to lean toward a Noctua NF-S12-1200 for the higher CFM per dB but I am not sure.
I have the NF-S12-1200 and it is quiet when you use the Ultra-Low-Noise adapter. With this adapter, it does not move much air.
People have been saying that newer ASUS boards have 3 levels for the
PWM case & CPU fans. You can set Min and Max speeds at temperatures. You can also define the slope of the temperature vs fan speed curve for the middle.
Most current Gigabyte boards only let you define a slope of the PWM value to temperature. You can not define a Min and Max. They also only control a CPU fan, not a case fan.
Option 3: You can buy an after-market fan controller.
evoeater wrote:
- 1. Manual
- a. Use the R3 fan controler
- i. Cheap and variable, but can’t dial down to 5V, so total quiet is limited.
- b. Wire in a toggle switch to switch between 12V and 5V
- i. Easy but no middle range adustability
2. Automatic
- a. Use PWM header on MB to control fan
- i. How much can the Gigabyte board adjust this? Is there a seperate header for the CPU fan and Exhaust fan?
Thanks for your help. I will be buying everything in the next 2 weeks.
I would choose option #4 above. Use case fans that are quiet at 12 volts. Then be sure that you are using a PWM fan on the CPU, and set up the motherboard's CPU fan control system.
I think I'm in the same boat that you are, unable to get everything I want and feel I need in one board.
I want to get ASUS's fan control, but ASUS uses cheap on-board sound chips that only get 88-92 decibels of signal-to-noise.
Only Gigabyte uses 103+ decibel signal-to-noise chips for their on-board sound, but they do not control the fan noise as effectively as ASUS.