I'm looking for suggestions for a new home desktop build. I don't build a new system every year. In fact, the current system will be six years old in March (how did that happen?), so while I want to keep the cost reasonable, I also want a system that I won't feel has been left behind in a year or two.

• Uses will be:
  
  
  • programming (compiling C and C++)
  • audio file crunching - CD ripping, encoding FLAC, Mp3 and Ogg Vorbis
  • light video editing - mostly just chopping up scenes
  • typical office apps
  • web surfing
  • maybe some light gaming
  
  
• My desire is for either a three or four core CPU.
  
  I've been hearing such great things about Intel desktop processors for the last several years that I haven't kept up with AMD's desktop offerings (although I love their Brazos/E-350 platform for a car PC that I'm building).
  
  
• The main system disk will be SSD, somewhere between 64GB and possibly 128GB in size. There will be no more than one internal spinning disk, as I have a 12TB file server on the network.
  
  
• The OS will be Win7 Pro 64-bit.
  
  
• I currently have two 19" 1280x1024 monitors and want the ability to add either a third monitor of the same model or else a wide screen with 1920x1080 resolution. So three monitors.
  
  
• I have an IDE Plextor CD-RW drive that I love for ripping CDs and will not part with until it dies. So I'll either need a motherboard wit IDE header or an inexpensive PCI card offering the same.
  
  
• From the research I've done so far, I love the Antec Solo II chassis, so that's what I'm planning on using. I like the noise damping, the front 120mm fan options, I even like the top location for the PSU. More than enough room for one SSD, one HDD and two optical drives; in fact I'd love it even more if it were microATX in size.
  
  
• Expecting to spend about $1100-$1300 for the build, including OEM copy of OS.
  
  
• I'm looking for a very quiet, but not necessarily absolutely silent system.

I want exactly make a lsit of specific models, instead I'd like to give you some guidelines for some components. Of course, some of these are personal preferences, but I'll let you judge the arguments.

CPU. Right now, you should even consider AMD processors. The new Bulldozer-architecture really disappoints, sometimes it's worse than AMD's previous generation. Instead, look at the Core i5 2500k or the 2600k if you need high performance. The ladder has hyperthreading (still four cores, but 8 threads, good for highly threaded software). If you're not overclocking, then the i5 2300 og 2400.

SSD. Though offering great performance, Sandforce-driven SSD's has been riddled by so many firmware bugs that I'd rather recommend something more reliable, e.g. Crucial M4 (recently had a firmware-bug, but issue was easily figured out, and Crucial has offered a firmware update to fix the problem), Samsung 470 or 830, Intel 320 (quite overpriced, also had firmware bud which has been fixed).

Three monitors. Either choose a Radeon 5xxx or 6xxx with a DisplayPort (NB: Most lower-end Radeons can't run three monitors because of this. Sapphire Go-flex, however, allows for three monitors despite the lack of DisplayPort) or you'll need two GPU's, but I sense that you won't be able to Crossfire/SLI these.

PSU. Silent/VERY quiet PSU's: Seasonic X, Enermax Modu87 or Pro87 (not modular) or Eco-series (not modular), Kingwin Lazer or Stryker, Nexus NX-5000 (not modular) or 430W value (not modular). I'd recommend spending a little extra for the Seasonic X or the Kingwins for both silent performance, excellent quality, and modular cables.

Motherboard: I prefer ASUS boards because of their excellent fan-controlling. Via FanXpert in ASUS AI Suite (windows application), you can control a temperature/RPM curve. The CPU PWM fan can be controlled to as low as 10 % (of 12 V - VERY LOW SPEED), and 3-pin case fans to 50 % (or 40%?? don't quite remember.. but somewhere around 5-6 V which is still very low). And as your system is pushed hard you can control how much these fans should ramp up.
Also, if you don't use many add-on PCI cards, then I'd recommend a micro-ATX board. It gives you the sense that your components don't take up so much room.

CPU cooler. I prefer the Scythe coolers because their stock fans are excellent and they can run as low as 300 rpm (at least with good fancontrolling, for example by ASUS boards). You can't really go wrong with something like the 49 $ Scythe Mugen 3.

Case. The Solo II is a good case, especially if you utilize the HD suspension system. Also, the top PSU placement should be quite suitable for a fanless PSU.

HDD. Western Digital Green. I believe those are the quietest you can find, and they've even received the Editor's Choice.

Hope this helps

Fantastic. Just what I'm looking for.



Should not consider, right?



I'm just beginning to sort out the Intel i5 model numbers. I won't be overclocking, so the 2405S looks interesting at its price point.



Thanks for that. SSDs are an area where I've only begun to scratch the surface in my research.



So if a video card has two DVI and a display port (and sufficient processing power), it should be able to handle three monitors?

Any ideas about whether or not the onboard HD 3000 graphics of the i5 can drive the two 1280x1024 monitors that I currently have? I'm thinking that it might be a while before adding the third monitor and was wondering if I could get away with no video card.



Chipsets are another area where I've only begun to scratch the surface. All I know right now is that the mobo will likely have an LGA 1155 socket.



HDDs aren't a concern at the moment. I have sufficient storage on my file server, plus I'll be moving a 3.5" drive from the current system to the new one.

Right, should *not* even consider, my mistake

GPU: Yes, one display + 2 DVI (or 1 DVI, 1 HDMI, or 2 HDMI, or whatever...) can take three monitors. Every modern integrated GPU can drive two monitors. No issues or concerns there! Perhaps you should wait for Ivy Bridge which can handle three monitors.

Mobo:Chipset has nothing to do with the fancontrolling og ASUS. Any contemporary ASUS board should have the FanXPert application.

This is exactly what i was going to say. IVB has native triple-header support and should handle light gaming (I use a 2500K's graphics to play StarcraftII), as long as that's all you honestly want, gaming-wise. If you can hold out until April 8, that's what I'd recommend.

Just grabbing prices from Newegg:

Solo II case $130
Kingwin STR-500 Platinum fanless PSU $110
i5-2400 cpu $180
Scythe Mugen 3 cooler $50
Asus P8H67-M Pro/CSM rev 3 mobo $115
G.Skill Ripjaws X 8GB 1.35V CL9 RAM $48
use old HDD - prices are crazy now
Crucial M4 128GB SSD $195
Masscool PCI card: IDE interface $16
Win7 Pro 64 OEM $140
total $984 plus tax/shipping

comments:
- The i5-2405 only comes in the S variant, so it clocks at 2.5GHz instead of 3.1GHz. Upside is HD3000 vs HD2000 on the i5-2400. But...see light gaming.
- no overclocking and you want to use the onboard graphics = get an H67 mobo. This Asus version has the latest gen audio chip.
- add-on PCI card to get you an internal IDE slot.
- Ivy Bridge: my rule of thumb is don't be the beta tester. Wait at least 3 months to let them work out the mobo driver bugs. So, not April, but August for Ivy Bridge.
- light gaming: too vague to spec. flash based games on a 1280x1024 monitor doesn't take much gpu power. If you add a 1920x1080 for gaming and want to play Battlefield 3, then it's a different story.

The suggestion to get a PCI IDE card is a good one, be aware that many do not support ATAPI devices, only hard drives. Anything that says "RAID" probably won't work. Make sure you get a card that supports ATAPI.

Another option is to get an external 5 1/4" IDE to USB enclosure. I have one for my old ripping drive and it works fine, at least with EAC.

Steve, thanks for the shopping list. That looks a lot like what I've put together as a preliminary build. Thanks for taking the time to flesh it out.

washu, I appreciate the advice. I wasn't aware of that.

I think I may see how well the onboard graphics handle the two monitors I have now, and can always add a video card later. Any thoughts on this PowerColor Radeon 6750 card with passive cooling?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814131449

Still need more granularity on your use before rating cards.

I have the PowerColor Radeon 5750 in a NZXT H2 with very little airflow. With Furmark, temperatures exceeded 95 C afterwhich I stopped immediately. I don't know how temps would be when gaming, but I strapped on a fan running at about 3-400 rpm via zip-ties. It went very easy and afterwards temps would only reach 56 C when using Furmark! And the fan is inaudible even during the most silent nights. So I can easily recommend that you zip-tie a fan on that GPU!

If that's the case, maybe I'll just get a GPU with a fan that's reputed to be quiet. I just like the idea of fanless, because small video card fans have always been the ones to go bad in my systems and end up sounding like rocks in a blender. I don't think I've ever had one NOT go bad, including those in aftermarket quiet coolers.

I also did the same as Kuzzia on my HTPCMI build and strapped a Scythe Kama Flex 120mm PWM fan on the Passive Sparkle GTS450 and it worked out really well, at 300RPM it the highest i seen is 56C. Im not into AMD, but if i were i would probably go with the Powercolor AX6850 and strap a 120mm fan on it, a 500rpm fan should be enough.