Caperture Tech Project For 2012

Starting 2012 right is to reach the goal of getting a gaming rig before the year ends. Target specifications will be stated after the jump.

Its been a very long time since I’ve been able to use a gaming rig for my needs and I say I am pretty bored right now to not be doing any gaming stuff as I used to several months back. Stuck with a really old dual core laptop with no dedicated GPU, I can’t get to play the latest games and even my BF3 game since my big move.

Anyhow, half way through saving up for the rig, I finally got my candidates for what to put into my rig.

And here they are… (Feel free to comment and discuss as I need more input regarding this my setup)

Motherboard

The motherboard will be a Z68. The main problem for me would be the features as I want my rig to be kept cool by being able to power as many fans as possible. Also overclocking is something I really want to look into in the near future after I get the rig.

Here are my candidates..

Asus P8Z68 Deluxe Z68 1155 ATX

This board was recommended to me by my brother. The board has a ton of unique features to it especially the added USB 3.0 slots that can be placed at the front of the rig. Capable of handling the latest processors and may go for Ivy bridge when it comes out.

The second candidate is a tough one. The Maximus IV and it is a beauty! From the Republic of Gamers, this board was meant for overclockers and that is something to really look into. A ton of great futures plus it carries USB 3.0 slots instead of 2.0. It’s pricey but then its pretty much worth it.

Between these two boards, I really want to get the Maximus IV mainly due to its added overclocking features and added fan capabilities. If things turn out well, then I’ll push through with the Maximus. If not, the P8Z68 is not that bad either.

Graphics

I only have one thing in mind for my GPU and that would be to have the latest card, and this would be the HD7970 PowerColor 3GB 384bit GDDR5.

The reviews on this GPU are amazing. One of the fastest GPUs out in the market and better architecture. Capable of multiple displays (a thing I plan on doing in the future once the rig is completed) and better thermal management makes this card a great option.

Processor

I have looked into some processors and found that the 2600k is an amazing yet fast processor. A flagship of the i7 Sandy Bridge processors, this suites my needs perfectly. I love to multi-task especially when gaming and running several needed applications as well. The 2600k also grants overclock capabilities to better speeds.

RAM

This would be pretty much confusing on my part on what brand would be best for memory. Did a bit of research and just thought of following what other people mostly use and that is the Corsair Vengeance. I’m looking into getting an 8gb kit first then expand to 16gb later on.

Cooling

I wanted to go for fan cooling for mainly safety reasons. Lesser risks for accidents unlike water cooling systems. I’m new to this ‘make your rig’ thing and its still quite controversial on my part. I am convinced though that water cooling is the best way on keeping your rig cool especially when you overclock it.

So for cooling, I decided to get a closed loop cooling with the Corsair H100. This cooling system has gotten great reviews and I believe it will suite my needs. I’m really hoping that it won’t leak later on.

I won’t leave it to the H100 an stock case fans alone. I also plan to add a ton of fans to the case as much as possible. Make it also look great to really enjoy using it.

PSU

I have no idea as to how much power I’ll be needing for this rig. May need to use a ton of hard drives later on for archive and also to help power added fans as I really want to keep my rig cool enough to run almost all day long – no plans of shutting down the rig.

I’ve asked several people regarding my setup and they think I’m on the brink of the 850w on overclock. As I do not have any idea, I’m also thinking of future proofing this rig for added modifications like crossfire or SLI later on, and also to power several added cards and drives.

I’m looking into Corsair PSUs. But if you have anything to recommend, I’ll take that into consideration.

Chassis

Now all these parts require a home. And I’m looking into something big. A big case grants better space for large boards and cards. It also grants better air space for helping the hot stuff vent out steam while keeping them cool.

There are a lot of gaming chassis that is out in the market. One of the top recommendations given to me is the Coolermaster HAF X.

The HAF X is a full tower gaming chassis. It has great cooling due to massive fans in the front, side and back. Allows a ton of configurations and easy management of cables and drives.

Its not the most pretty of cases but what lacks in beauty fights back with performance for outstanding cooling design. The HAF chassis is defined as ‘High Air Flow’. There’s no mistake with that name and the HAF X has been the reigning chassis when it comes to cooling.

Next up is the Storm Trooper.

This new chassis adds modern tech into the chassis. When compared to the HAF X, the Storm Trooper lacks a little bit in cooling mainly due to not having a side panel fan which helps cool your GPU. And you really need to cool down that GPU for better performance.

What is great about the Storm Trooper as its design is great for LAN parties. It comes with a high duty grip at the top to assist in carrying it. Mesh design adds better cooling possibilities for this chassis. I have seen some modifications of the Storm Trooper in which they have added a side panel fan to help cool the GPU. Now that is a wonderful idea if I were to buy this chassis.

This would be a great chassis especially for travelling gamers as myself but then, I do not participate in LAN parties that much anyway. It’s still a great chassis to have even at home though.

If the money fits, I would certainly get this big baby right here. And I really mean BIG! The Cosmos 2!

The Cosmos 2 is an ultra tower and is a very heavy chassis. The chassis alone weights 22kg! It is the most expensive chassis that I have ever known. Its design is wonderful especially with the side panels having latches to open instead of screws. Easier to manage cables and better cooling. A lot of possible tweaks and this big baby cools by a tremendous rate. A ton of fans and great cooling design makes this case ideal for not just gaming but also for other applications. Getting this case would just make me drool. The price hurts my wallet but then again, its a great deal for that price already.

Its a lot of expensive stuff we have laid out here and I do hope that this project succeeds.

What do you think of this setup? Will it work? Let me know of your thoughts and discuss by leaving a comment below.