Heatsink: I'll be running an i7-860 on MSI P55-GD80 board, in a SOLO case. My current system (S775) is using an Ultra-120A. I've been considering the Noctua HD-C12P, though it requires a separate mounting kit. (Could order separately for $5-$10, or wait a couple weeks for a free one from Noctua.) Are there better options I should consider? Most of the Lynnfield reviews were with a Thermalright MUX-120, but that doesn't seem to be available yet. There are a few Scythe options (though the Zipang 2 looks a bit too wide), and Noctua's big tower cooler (though I'd probably want to stick with a single fan). Will likely just run at stock speeds. May consider a mild overclock, but overclocking not a priority.
RAM: What I put on my wishlist was this Mushkin pair. Slow timings (9-9-9-24), but low voltage (1.5v). Trusted brand, decent price. Going 2 x 2GB for now. Any better recommendations? Should I look at something with better timings? There are some Geil and G.Skill sticks rated at 8 or 7 CL.
*Edit* I guess this Geil pair is listed in the GD80's memory compatibility tests (PDF). Supposed to be rated at 7-7-7-24 (Geil product page), also at 1.5v.
HDD: I'll be using an OCZ Agility 120GB SSD for my OS & apps, and an HDD for most of my data. I'd like the HDD to spin up only as needed. I have a couple Samsung drives, a HD501LJ (500GB) and SP1614N (160GB) that I could use, though the last one is IDE, not SATA. I have a big external drive (USB) for large, rarely used files, if I'm short on space. Should I go with one of those, or find a single platter SATA drive? The SOLO has its built-in elastic mounting, so vibration shouldn't be an issue. Some day I might swap the data drive out for another SSD, but not at current prices.
Any recommendations appreciated.
New parts:
- Intel Core i7-860 (Lynnfield)
- MSI P55-GD80 (LGA 1156)
- OCZ Vertex 120GB SSD
- Dell 2209WA 22" LCD
- Windows 7 Pro Upgrade
- Antec SOLO case
- Corsair HX520W PSU
- XFX 7900GTX 512MB (for now)
- Samsung HD501LJ (500GB) or SP1614N (160GB) for data drive?
- Samsung DVDRW
- I have a variety of 120mm fans around for intake, exhaust, CPU if needed.