performance questions

Do i really need to have a 6 core processor? i am looking at a gaming build that will last me some time

Also what does everyone think about liquid cooled graphics card especially in sli

Like bprat says, unless you're doing heavy video editing, 3D rendering, heavy Photoshop use, or something similar that really takes advantage of multi-threaded cpus, gaming really only needs four cores.

Even the i5 2500K is more than suitable for a strictly-gaming machine, The 2500K performs in most games at about 90-95% of the 2600K, and saves you over $100 if you're on a budget.

That said, the 2600K is the better chip (just don't go for the 2700K, that is a waste of money for no performance gain), so if you're not hitting the upper apex of your budget, then it's really your choice.

Liquid cooling for the GPUs is nice, but normally one would look at the CPU for that first, especially ones like the Sandy Bridge-E chips that generate a ton of heat. The HAF X case, like bpratt says, is one of the very best air-cooled cases, and it comes with a side-mounted fan and shroud specifically for air-cooled graphics cards. Reviews paint this fan as unnecessary and kinda in the way, unless you have (bum bum bummm) dual SLI/Crossfire cards in your case. Then it can have an effect of 10°C or more on their cooling.


Ultimately, personal choice and budget will be your determining factor