Advice/Help My First Build !

[Jag809]

Budget Range: $1000-$1300
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming and Some ''noob'',rendering,video editing,CAD, and use of some Adobe products like CS5 etc etc
Parts Not Required: All peripherals..Im also planning to keep my 2 current HDD (160GB,ATA133,3.5",7200rpm,8MB Cahe and 250GB, ATA 100,3.5",7200rpm,8MB Cahe) plus another External 100+ HDD)
Country: USA
Overclocking: Probably.. but not too exaggerate that I'll then need water cooling...
SLI or Crossfire: Not sure... If buying a 2GB GPU or 2 sli/crossfire GPUs
Monitor Resolution: 1600x1200
WHEN do you plan to build it: 2 to 3 weeks...Not sure if it's worth to wait for the release of the Ivy Bridge CPUs so the price of the Sandy Bridge CPUs drops..
Additional Comments:I wanna be able to play games like (BF3 and Dirt) in High setting and get 50 to 60+ FPS,
''More info: I've never built a PC before so im not a PC genius.. I basically learned everything i know about PC hardwares in the last 2 weeks...So if i make a mistake ''Sorry"

Right now what i got in mind is:

CPU:Intel Core i7 2600K 3.40GHz
GPU: Any Good NVIDIA or AMD (Also im not sure about the all PCI 2.0 and 3.0)
RAM:8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz (Corsair Vengeance)
HDD:Keeping Old ones.... Unless you guys think a new one is better
PSU:700 Watts - Standard Power Supply - SLI/CrossFireX Ready (this would do the job just fine) (i guess)
MOBO: Undecided!!..Depending on the GPU...(but still gotta be good to O/C)

P.D I've been cheeking out some wedsides where you can customize some Pre-build PC, And i was wondering if it was better Make my pc online and save me the hassle of building it or Buying the parts online and build it my self ?

 

[Ieat]

I would build my own pc. Its always good to learn how to do it so you can troubleshoot down the line if something breaks. But I admit its also a lot easier when you have a friend or family member you can get help from if you run into a snag. However, I'm sure there are plenty of youtube videos on how to build a pc so they should help.

For the components I would get a i5 2500k over the i7 2600k. The 15% or so boost in some applications isn't worth the 45% bump in price. I would spend the money saved on a SSD. But I would wait for the Ivy bridge i5. You may also need to replace both those hard drives. I'm pretty sure most 1155 motherboards don't have an ide connector. For the gpu I would wait to see what nvidia brings to the table. Otherwise I would get a 7870 when they become available.

 

[Fire&Blood]

Budget Range: $1000-$1300
P.D I've been cheeking out some wedsides where you can customize some Pre-build PC, And i was wondering if it was better Make my pc online and save me the hassle of building it or Buying the parts online and build it my self ?

On a low budget, it makes sense to buy a built one, difference of building vs paying for built is low and if there is warranty with the built machines, it pretty much outweighs the benefit of building your own.

I have a thread about a boutique I bought and I am satisfied with it.
In your case however, it makes perfect sense to build your own. The loss of value between the 2 options is too big to be ignored. You may get fair price on cheaper parts but boutiques will rip you off on expensive parts. While the boutique shop's profit margins are tolerable in <$800 builds, it will hurt on the >$1000 builds.

I would suggest you aim for the best bang for the buck, arm yourself with patience and shop used parts here and other reputable forums.

Others can give better advice, I can only suggest a loose idea: Z68 Mobo, 8GB RAM and a Crucial M4 SSD. Power supply/case from Seasonic, Antec or Corsair. Aim for 650W with over 50A on the 12V rails. Even a high end GPU will fit within your budget if you go with these parts. Again, buying a used PS, case and a GPU in reputable FS/T places will give you a lot more maneuvering room. Good luck.

 

[Zap]

A couple things...

Ditch your EIDE hard drives. They are old and slow and small. Plus, most new motherboards will NOT have EIDE on them anymore. Just buy a new single, large drive and maybe get some USB enclosures to use the old drives for backups.

Most likely Sandy Bridge will NOT drop in price when Ivy Bridge comes out. IDK why people always think this, but this is NOT how Intel works. Other companies? Maybe. Intel? Nope. Initially older stuff either stays same price, or just becomes outright discontinued. One possibility, however, is to pick up a cheap used one. That is because there are those who will run out and upgrade right away to the latest/greatest.

At your monitor resolution, just buy a single graphics card. Make it higher end and with a fast quad core CPU you should be able to run just about any current and near future game cranked up pretty high. Check out the new high end Radeons.

Gaming doesn't need any more than a Core i5-2500K. For your other stuff, depends on how hardcore you are into them. A 2600K eats another $100 out of your budget.

If you only use one graphics card, you can get by with a lower wattage PSU in the 500W range. Just make sure it isn't a crappy one. Don't have to go super high end, just avoid "crap."

 

[janas19]

Intel will not drop their prices, however there may be more deals offered on Sandy Bridge hardware after Ivy Bridge is released.

 

[SickBeast]

Op get a 2500k and put the savings toward 16gb of ram and an SSD.

 

[Jag809]

Ok, This What i got So far:

Part list permalink: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/5ug8
Part price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/5ug8/by_merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($279.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($112.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Western Digital Scorpio Black 250GB 2.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($77.99 @ Adorama)
Hard Drive: Patriot Torqx 2 32GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB Video Card ($219.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.00 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec 550W ATX12V Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1035.91 (im willing to spend some 200$+)

Lets suppose i change the i7 for the i5, and save the 100$... What should I upgrade or Add to my Rig?

Thnks for all the reply so far.

 

[SickBeast]

Why are you buying a 2.5" hdd?

The ssd is too small. You need at least 60gb. I've seen vertex 3s go for $60 lately which is a bit deal imo.

Your psu is too small as well. I would get at least 700w and make sure it is bronze certified or better. I prefer quiet psus with 140mm fans.

 

[Jag809]

Update:

Part list permalink: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/5uvw
Part price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/5uvw/by_merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($279.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($112.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Western Digital RE4 250GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Hard Drive: Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($83.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 570 1.25GB Video Card ($314.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.00 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec 650W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($86.99 @ Adorama)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1208.91

 

[SickBeast]

I would go with amd for the gpu because you'll get 2gb of vram which is a big deal.

You're getting ripped off on the hdd.

The rest looks pretty good.

Try to get an amd 7950/7870/7850 if you can. They are newer, they run cooler,consume less power, and like I said they have more memory.

 

[4ghz]

You could get the 500gb version of that Western Digital for $10 more.
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digita.../dp/B003SALVN4

750w Antec power supply for $70 after rebate:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371051

Microcenter also has a special going on if you buy an i5 2500k you get $50 off a motherboard there. With that $150 savings you could spend $450ish on a video card(s) which will give you better performance in games then buying a i7 2600k will. Nvidia will be introducing their new cards next week. I would wait for that. I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a 15 month old card.

 

[PhoenixEnigma]

Why the RE4? IIRC, those are the enterprise class hard drives, and you pay a pretty penny for them. I'd sooner go for something like this with twice the storage, roughly comparable performance, and a couple bucks cheaper.

 

[Ieat]

Why the RE4? IIRC, those are the enterprise class hard drives, and you pay a pretty penny for them. I'd sooner go for something like this with twice the storage, roughly comparable performance, and a couple bucks cheaper.

Well it is a 5 yr warranty vs 1 yr. Might be worth the $20 extra for that.

 

[DSF]

Well it is a 5 yr warranty vs 1 yr. Might be worth the $20 extra for that.

Not really. A warranty is essentially just a bet between you and a company. When you pay for a warranty, you're betting the part will fail, the company is betting it won't. Do you really believe 1 in 5 hard drives will fail within five years? If so, you're making the right bet. If not, WD is winning in the long run. (And I would imagine they are.)

 

[oynaz]

Your psu is too small as well. I would get at least 700w and make sure it is bronze certified or better. I prefer quiet psus with 140mm fans.

No it isn't. 550W is plenty for a single video card build.

 

[lehtv]

I agree, 550W is enough for 560 Ti and OC'd 2500K in your average system. It's would be a bit tight with a GTX 580 though, especially if that was overclocked.

 

[Jman13]

Yeah, a good 500-550W is plenty for a standard 1 card system. I have a 5 year old Corsair HX520W PSU and it powers my machine without any problems at all. Rock solid. From looking at full load wattage, my machine pulls about 380W at full load on everything.

 

[Jag809]

You're getting ripped off on the hdd.

Yep, Im gonna change that.

Nvidia will be introducing their new cards next week. I would wait for that. I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a 15 month old card.

I was doing my research about that, And you are completely right!, Nvidia is releasing the new ''kepler'' GPUs, and paying 300+ for a year+ old GPU isn't quiet a good deal.. BUT, if im buying one of those new GPU, that means i'll have to change my MOBO, since the ''kepler'' cards are PCIe3.0 "and not many MOBOs has the PCI 3.0 slot !! Imma right here?

No it isn't. 550W is plenty for a single video card build.

I'm just confused about this ? It's a 550W PSU good enough to handle a high-end video card and a slightly O/C i7 2600K ? IF SO!! can someone suggest me a good one ??? plus, i heard that i can O/C my CPU to ~4.4GHz without getting it to Overheat using the Stock Fan !!!

 

[Jman13]

Whoever told you to OC your chip to 4.4 on the stock fan doesn't want your chip to last long. At 4.4, you'd likely be pushing 90-95C at full load on the stock cooler. My 2500K was in the mid 80s C at 3.8GHz on stock cooling. With my TX3, which is not exactly a high-end cooler, though it's quite good for its size, I am in the mid 60s at 4.2GHz and low volts (1.23).

For power supply calculation, plug your components into this...I've found it to be quite good. It gives actual full load wattage for your components, including talking about overclocking. I'd recommend going about 25% over the calculated wattage for your system, unless you plan on doing SLI later on.
http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Unfortunately, right this second, they're doing site maintenance, so hopefully it'll be up soon.

I like the Seasonic PSUs and Corsair PSUs (which their higher end units are made by Seasonic). As I mentioned earlier, my Corsair 520W power supply easily handles my overclocked 2500K, three hard drives, an overclocked GTX460, an SSD and optical drive...only thing to watch is how much more power a higher end GPU would pull. Still, I think a good 550W should be fine.

 

[Zap]

Well it is a 5 yr warranty vs 1 yr. Might be worth the $20 extra for that.

For an extra few bucks, how about a 1TB WD Black for $130 shipped? The Black drives retain 5 year warranties.

 

[Ieat]

I was doing my research about that, And you are completely right!, Nvidia is releasing the new ''kepler'' GPUs, and paying 300+ for a year+ old GPU isn't quiet a good deal.. BUT, if im buying one of those new GPU, that means i'll have to change my MOBO, since the ''kepler'' cards are PCIe3.0 "and not many MOBOs has the PCI 3.0 slot !! Imma right here?

Pci-e 3.0 is backwards compatible so a pci-e 3.0 video card will work fine in a pci-e 2.0 slot.

 

[Jag809]

Ok Guys this is what im going with:

Part list permalink: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/5vBB
Part price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/5vBB/by_merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($279.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($112.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Hard Drive: Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($83.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 570 1.25GB Video Card ($314.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.00 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec 550W ATX12V Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1175.91

Maybe later on, i'll buy a better fan for the CPU ''so i can O/C it without any problems'' and right now im not gonna b getting another GPU so "I THINK'' the 550W PSU will do the job (plus, it has some really good reviews)...

P.d : Anything else, yo guys want to add..... All your suggestions and opinions have been A great HELP..

 

[Jag809]

Pci-e 3.0 is backwards compatible so a pci-e 3.0 video card will work fine in a pci-e 2.0 slot.

OOOohk, Thanks for that info: So, do you think is worthy to wait for the new Nvidia cards or i should run with what i already have planned have ?

 

[mfenn]

Ok Guys this is what im going with:

Part list permalink: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/5vBB
Part price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/5vBB/by_merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($279.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($112.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Hard Drive: Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($83.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 570 1.25GB Video Card ($314.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.00 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec 550W ATX12V Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1175.91

Maybe later on, i'll buy a better fan for the CPU ''so i can O/C it without any problems'' and right now im not gonna b getting another GPU so "I THINK'' the 550W PSU will do the job (plus, it has some really good reviews)...

P.d : Anything else, yo guys want to add..... All your suggestions and opinions have been A great HELP..

A few comments:
- I see no point in getting an i7 for somebody who just dabbles in 3D rendering and other productivity apps. The i7 is faster sure, but you won't notice it. Get the i5 2500K instead.
- You can get DDR3 1333 for $37 that will perform the same as that Vengeance
- The GTX 560 Ti 448 is better price/performance after you factor in the rebate
- You can double the HDD capacity for $20 if you want.

 

[lehtv]

- The GTX 560 Ti 448 is better price/performance after you factor in the rebate

But get the MSI Twin Frozr III Power Edition for the same price. Tastier cooler, more overclockable. I wouldn't want a 200W card cooler by a single small fan.