Description

This is an update to a previous build that was built March 2013. It started as an i5-3570K, 7970 build. Another 7970 was added later. The build paid for itself with litecoin mining, so a 2560x1440 was added for gaming at 1440 at 96hz. The monitor looks amazing, but there was some backlight bleeding. Not the greatest for movies, but this isn't a HTPC rig. Playing twitch fps games is completely different at 1440 at 96hz. Other games like skyrim and bioshock infinite look amazing. Now, it's all about how long I can hold out before upgrading again.

3D Mark at 2560x1440 at 96hz:

Ice Storm: Total - 167036, Graphics - 306576, Physics - 64417

Cloud Gate: Total - 20772, Graphics - 90237, Physics - 5623

Firestrike: Total - 11657, Graphics - 16326, Physics - 7899, Combined - 4795

Update 12/2014:

There's no point in a PC rig without the peripherals. Added logitech z623 speakers, AKG Q701 and ATH-M50 headphones, an AUNE T1 headphone amp, a ducky shine 3 with MX blue switches, and another 2560x1440 monitor. The rig still keeps up for all games except BF4. Looking to upgrade to SLI 970s and broadwell when it comes out.

Comments

  • 73 months ago
  • 4 points

Wow. That is a sweet PC dude! I'm assuming you keep your HDD's in the 5.25 drive bay? Also, how much money would you say you made by Litecoin Mining so far? I'm curious.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Thanks. And yeah, I keep my media drive in the 5.25 drive bay.

The price of litecoin just shot up, so I just made up the price that I paid for the PC. Utilities are included in my apartment, so that's part of the reason why. If you have to pay for your own electricity, you won't make a profit.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

so i just started litecoin mining and i am only generating about 0.4 coins a day and i have a 7970 with a khash rate of 725. so how are you making a profit. please help

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

I don't have to pay for electricity. And you aren't going to make a profit right away. I've been mining for 7 months and am just turning a profit now. The first seven months were generating enough to make up for the price I paid on the computer.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

I dont pay for electricity either but what about wear and tear on the GPU and how do u game with it on

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

You turn it off when you game and leave it on any other time. The wear and tear on the GPU shouldn't matter unless you plan on keeping the GPu for years.

Continue this thread
  • 73 months ago
  • 4 points

I can honestly say that I am a FAN of this build. ;D

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

I see what you did there.

  • 73 months ago
  • 2 points

I see you like to keep your pc very, very, very cold....

  • 73 months ago
  • 2 points

The cards heat up to 78-80C during mining in the summer. Right now, they're at 69-72C during mining. They stay cool for everything else.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Ahh, i see. That makes more sense then what i thought. :)

  • 73 months ago
  • 2 points

You should reverse the fans in between the gpus because it would be better to give them fresh air than exhaust.

  • 73 months ago
  • 2 points

It's not. I already tried that. I've tried different configs and it's the coolest when they work as exhaust.

  • 73 months ago
  • 2 points

Oh, nevermind then lol. I just thought that configuration would have cooled better.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

What is that thing under your mouse? is it a butt wipe? naw i just playing with you, thats a tiny mousepad dude! nice rig by the way! Is litecoin easier than bitcoin?

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Haha. Yeah. Going to replace it eventually.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Litecoin is easier for GPU mining. It wasn't giving much returns until recently though.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

That's a pretty intense GPU cooling setup you've got there haha! I like how the distance between the PSU and the heatsink is exactly 160mm..

Mind sharing that little connector you used (connecting the bottom 2 fans together)?

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Yeah. I didn't want to waste money on a water cooling loop, so I came up with this setup for mining and it works pretty well. I got the connectors off ebay.. It's meant for connecting fans for a PCI slot cooler, but that wasn't working for me, so I ended up with this arrangement.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

How did you mount the fans like that?

  • 73 months ago
  • 2 points

It just kind of wedges in between the PSU and the CPU heatsink.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

How do you like that QNIX? Is the gloss on it as bad as people make it out to seem?

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

The monitor is really nice. It has some back-light bleed, but no dead pixels. The stand sucked, but I have it mounted now. I got the gloss because the colors are more accurate on the gloss than the matte. The glare is only noticeable on when it's completely white or black. I might have gone matte if I had to do it over again.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

did you get that desk from ikea?

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Yes it's a $20 desk for a 2K system.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

hahah as long as it works. im about to pick one up for my build

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

also what monitor mount are you using?

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

I'm using monoprice 3 way adjustable, but since I have 2, I could have gotten away with their 2 way adjustable ones.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

You should of got 2x R9-280x in Crossfire instead of the 7970 in Crossfire. Because the R9-280x has better mechanics in handling new games. -Example- (Battlefield 4, Assassin's Creed IV, Grand Theft Auto V, and Sim's 4)... The R9 series is around the same price range of the 7000 series :)

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

I built this in March... And the r9-280x has the exact same architecture as the 7970, so whatever optimizations the r9-280x has, the 7970 will benefit also. The 7970 Ghz editions are about equal to or better than the R9-280x. If you are talking about Mantle for BF4, mantle will also work for the 7900 series cards. The only reason to get a r9-280x now is if the 7970 ghz editions are out of stock.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Get a better motherboard like the ASrock Extreme 3. I dont think an MSI can handle this.

  • 73 months ago
  • 2 points

The asrock extreme 3 uses the same cheap caps that are in the msi z77. It handles it just fine.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

I think the newer ones are better.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Yeah, but the newer ones are z87 boards which aren't compatible with my ivy bridge i5. Currently, gigabyte motherboards are the best because they use digital caps. Either way, it doesn't make a huge difference in performance because I'm not extreme overclocking which is why I just got the MSI.

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

I've never seen anyone use those 80mm fans that way.. I'm not sure if it is effective or not, but +1 for thinking outside the box!

  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

what are the cons of your graphics cards like how much noise they produce

  • 60 months ago
  • 1 point

How is your psu handling crossfire? I'm planning on crossfiring my setup and have an 850 WATT as well.

  • 60 months ago
  • 1 point

What GPUs do you have and what PSU do you have? The one I have handles my 7970s without issues.

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  • 73 months ago
  • 1 point

Sure it could be better if you spent more or if I bought it now. But for the price I got it for in March, it's about as good as it could get.