[help/suggestion] BUILDing MY FIRST NEW PC

[ibuild]

How's it going guys? It's nice to get acquainted to PCMECH. I am trying to build a new PC as a gift for my cousin whom does a lot of video editing, and uses softwares such as Adobe Premiere, Photoshop CS, and is drastically advancing towards MAYA.

I hope to supply you with adequate amount of information in order to receive helpful advices from people here with a decent knowledge of building a PC--or just some good advice on choosing PC hardwares for use with video editing.

I'm trying to keep my build at a minimum of 1300-1500$ if possible, but an extrea 300$ can be added as a last choice.

These are my build given the research I have done by reading a LOT of threads relative to building a new PC:

NOTE: I WILL ANY PARTS I HAVE DECIDED NOT TO PURCHASE UNTIL FURTHER SUGGESTIONS IS GIVEN.
Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel, SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $49.99

PSU: ePOWER ZU-550W ATX12V Version 2.0 / EPS12V 550W Power Supply 115/230 V UL, CE, FCC, TUV - Retail - $54.99

Mobo: ASUS P5W DH DELUXE/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel 975X ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $215.99

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail - $225.90

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (Perpendicular Recording) ST3500630AS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $129.99

RAM: CORSAIR ValueSelect 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Desktop Memory - Retail - $62.99 (I am getting two sets of these)

Pri Optical: LITE-ON Black 52X CD-R 32X CD-RW 52X CD-ROM 1.5MB Cache IDE CD Burner - Retail - $18.99

Sec Optical: LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache E-IDE/ATAPI DVD Burner with LightScribe Technology - OEM - $33.99

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail - $89.99

Video Card: ATI 100-437807 Radeon X1950PRO 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Video Card - Retail - $229.99

FDD: MITSUMI Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal USB 2.0 digital card reader with Floppy Drive Model FA404M BLK - OEM - $18.99

Keyboard: Logitech Office Pro 967452-0403 White 104 Normal Keys 7 Function Keys PS/2 Standard Keyboard - OEM - $4.99

Mouse: Rosewill RM800P Black 3 Buttons 1 x Wheel PS/2 Wired Optical Mouse - OEM - $4.49

Modem: ?

Lan: ?

Monitor: SAMSUNG 206BW Black 20" 2 ms (GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 800:1 (DCR 3000:1) - Retail - $259.99

Speakers: Logitech S-100 BLK 5 Watts RMS 2.0 Speaker - OEM - $11.99

OS: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Upgrade with SP2 - Retail - $199.99

Extras: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 64 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail - $29.99

Prices may not be accurate due to changes in hardwares.
Sub Total $1,220.28

Freight $88.47

Total $1,360.14

The other thing I wanted to know before going any further in my build is that after reading several threads, I figured that maybe I'll need an ATI crossfire or a nVidia quadro? And the other thing is, will all my hardware be compatible (such as the 4gb (2X2gb) stick) with each other? I hope so, because I don't want to build a system with incompatibilities.

I will update on any that comes to mind, so Thank You!

PS: I hope the installation does not require much effort, and one more thing, do I need a heat sink? :-)

***All hardware was found at NEWEGG.

[LeftyAce]

Welcome to PCMEch!

Some changes/tweaks (many of which will save some $$ :-):

I'd swap that motherboard for an ASUS P5B...more stable chipset. Also, unless you specifically need onboard wireless networking (WIFI), you can go for one of the basic P5B models.

Switch those DVD drives for SATA models (newer standard, plus the new ASUS boards have some issues with their IDE controller) Something like this would work: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106057

The ram you picked out is overkill in two directions.....DDR2800 is faster than your processor can use....downgrade to some Corsair Valuselect DDR2 667 speed ram.
Also, Windows XP can't see more than 3.2 GB ram......general consensus is that modern gaming machines only need 2GB, but with video editing/maya, you might benefit from going the full 3GB.

You don't need crossfire....it's a gaming thing, and even then it's a gimmick.
Quaddro would make sense for this kind of setup.

You also don't need a sound card, unless your cousin is an audio nut with great speakers....the onboard audio on the motherboard should be fine.

The retail CPU you've got comes with a heatsink which you must use to preserve the 3 year warranty.

Other than that, looks good!
Installation takes some time, just to go about it carefully, but it's perfectly doable. Check out htis link for installing the CPU heatsink....the new Intel heatsink design is a bear to get on right: Intel 775 Stock HSF Install Guide

Oh, one more thing. Get parts from newegg.com...their customer support is second to none, and their prices are quite competitive.

[perkster]

not sure about anyone else here but i would not go for the ATI radeon card, i would go for one of the nvidia top notch cards.

[XenaWP]

For photo and video editing, I wouldn't go for any kind of gamer card. An ATI FireGL or Matrox board is going to be a better fit.

That Samsung monitor is ok for photo/video, since it's 8-bit, but TN panels aren't generally the most favored choice among photo/video users. S-IPS panels are the top choice, but tend to be pricey. A good P-MVA panel like a Viewsonic Pro line is a good cost/quality performer.

[Staren]

Originally Posted by perkster not sure about anyone else here but i would not go for the ATI radeon card, i would go for one of the nvidia top notch cards.

Actually, when it comes to video, the ATI cards do a bit better. nVidia makes pure gaming cards, while ATIs seem to do a little better all around.

[andper10]

I would get this microsoft keyboard and optical mouse combo instead:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823109132

Like someone else said, pick up two 2x1GB kits of corsair vs DDR2 667 (ram prices have gone way down lately, so you can get 4GB's for under $140!) since your cousin isn't gaming, he doesn't need DDR2 800:
two of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145098

If you are getting a flat panel LCD monitor, get a 22". They are the best bang for the buck with LCD's right now. Something along these lines:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009094
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824112009
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824254020

Not sure where you got those prices from, but Newegg.com is about the best. Here is a much better price for a X1950Pro (if that's what you end up getting):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102061
Or if you want a 512MB version:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127246 (That looks like a nice cooler. Keep in mind that it will take up the slot next to the video card)

It doesn't take too long to build a PC (maybe a couple of hours if all goes well), but just make sure you know what you are doing and take it fairly slow so that you don't drop something or something like that.

[ibuild]

Originally Posted by LeftyAce Welcome to PCMEch! I'd swap that motherboard for an ASUS P5B...more stable chipset. Also, unless you specifically need onboard wireless networking (WIFI), you can go for one of the basic P5B models.

I browsed through Newegg and found this motherboard (ASUS P5B Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard), I have also read the reviews saying it's sound chip wasn't too great, so what's the deal with this? Maybe I should go with another pick?

Originally Posted by XenaWP For photo and video editing, I wouldn't go for any kind of gamer card. An ATI FireGL or Matrox board is going to be a better fit.

What graphic card did you have in mind? A few links to them would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by andper10 I would get this microsoft keyboard and optical mouse combo instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823109132 Like someone else said, pick up two 2x1GB kits of corsair vs DDR2 667 (ram prices have gone way down lately, so you can get 4GB's for under $140!) since your cousin isn't gaming, he doesn't need DDR2 800: two of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145098 If you are getting a flat panel LCD monitor, get a 22". They are the best bang for the buck with LCD's right now. Something along these lines: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009094 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824112009 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824254020

Thanks, I'm gonna have to go with the mouse/keyboard combo you listed above. And I think I'm gonna go with the 2 sets of Corsair DDR2 667 ram like you mentioned, also I'll keep this monitor into consideration ( Hanns·G HW-223DPB Black 22" 5ms HD 1080P supported DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 1000:1 Built in Speakers - Retail--I might get it.

[XenaWP]

Originally Posted by ibuild I ... What graphic card did you have in mind? A few links to them would be greatly appreciated. ...

Matrox Millennium P650 PCIe 128 (http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/cr...s/p650pcie.php)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ist&sku=436735

Or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814195008

[ibuild]

I was editing my first post and it disappeared? And I can't seem to reply with a long post.

[Alaron]

__Moderator Note__

ibuild, your posts got stuck in our filter. I have fixed them. Please have patience and contact a moderator in the future. Thanks.

[ibuild]

Originally Posted by Alaron __Moderator Note__ ibuild, your posts got stuck in our filter. I have fixed them. Please have patience and contact a moderator in the future. Thanks.

Thank You for the quick fix, I appreciated it :-)

[ibuild]

I'm gonna go with this dvd drive then:
LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner - Retail - $39.99

And I hope all information can be gathered and ordered in time before my cousin's graduation, Thank you!

[minsonngo]

Originally Posted by ibuild I'm gonna go with this dvd drive then: LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner - Retail - $39.99 And I hope all information can be gathered and ordered in time before my cousin's graduation, Thank you!

Good choice.

[ibuild]

OK, everything looks good, and I hope the compatibilities issues are all fine. Thank you guys!

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by ibuild I browsed through Newegg and found this motherboard (ASUS P5B Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard), I have also read the reviews saying it's sound chip wasn't too great, so what's the deal with this? Maybe I should go with another pick?

Since you're going to add a sound card the quality of the on-board sound of the P5B is a non-issue. The sound card will take care of the sound chores and the on-board sound won't do anything (be sure to disable it in the BIOS).

Please post a updated list of all the parts you're getting for this computer so we can check for compatibility.

Cricket

[ibuild]

OK. I gathered every parts needed as suggested to build a new PC as a gift. Earlier I stated I need a good PC for adobe photoshop and other programs, but seeing as photoshop makes use of the CPU more than it does in video card, I then decided to stick with a basic build until later when I have enough in my budget for a high-end PC, these will have to do for now, and here is the list:


Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel, SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $49.99

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply - Retail - $124.99 (zipzoomfly.com goes for $105)

Mobo: ASUS P5B Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $179.99

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600 - Retail - $224.90

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3500630AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $129.99

RAM: CORSAIR ValueSelect 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Desktop Memory Model VS2GBKIT667D2 - Retail - $64.99

Pri Optical: LITE-ON CD Burner Black IDE Model SOHR-5239V - Retail - $18.99

Sec Optical: LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black SATA Model LH-20A1S - Retail - $35.99

Sound Card: ??? A 20$ sound card will be purchased afterwards at my local electronics store ONLY if the sound chip goes haywire on my arse.

Video Card: EVGA 256-P2-N624-AR GeForce 7900GS 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 KO Video Card - Retail - $149.99 (I chose this instead of Radeon X1950 because getting it will go a little above my 1500$ budget; I tend to buy another one that is better in the future such as one going for 400$ or more, and also the PSU is SLI compatible (given that does at least something?))

FDD: MITSUMI Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal USB 2.0 digital card reader with Floppy Drive - OEM - $18.99

Keyboard&Mouse: Microsoft CA9-00001 Black PS/2 Standard Basic Keyboard and Mouse Mouse Included - OEM - $16.99

??? Modem and Lan ???

Monitor: SAMSUNG 906BW Black 19" 2 ms (GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail - $229.99 (zipzoomfly.com sells it for $215)

Speakers: Logitech S-100 BLK 5 Watts RMS 2.0 Speaker - OEM - $11.99

OS: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Multilingual SR2 w/SP2B 1 Pack - OEM - $144.99 (for the Japanese language interface, if there is one)

Extras: NOTHING, only if the parts are not compatible as is, and also does not overheat and requires extra fans.



Sub Total as calculated by NEWEGG: $1,382.77

Freight $ $52.45

Total $ $1,535.47

AND for MAYA, I'll just have to wait until I get my next paycheck to upgrade with more high-end hardwares.

[Alaron]

Looks fairly solid. Just a few things to mention.

Your motherboard does not support SLI, so you won't have that option in the future. The P5B Deluxe has two PCI-Express slots, but they only support ATIs Crossfire. However, I wouldn't worry about it, SLI isn't worth the hype. One video card is plenty.

You won't need a network card, they are built into the motherboard. You only need a modem if you have dialup.

[ibuild]

Originally Posted by Alaron Looks fairly solid. Just a few things to mention. Your motherboard does not support SLI, so you won't have that option in the future. The P5B Deluxe has two PCI-Express slots, but they only support ATIs Crossfire. However, I wouldn't worry about it, SLI isn't worth the hype. One video card is plenty. You won't need a network card, they are built into the motherboard. You only need a modem if you have dialup.

Considering on what you have told me, then does that mean I should get a Radeon instead of GeForce?

[Staren]

Originally Posted by ibuild Considering on what you have told me, then does that mean I should get a Radeon instead of GeForce?

No. The whole dual card thing isn't worth it. The only time you see improvement is in benchmark testing. In real world use a single one of the latest card is all you need. And it isn't an upgrade option either really because by the time you get the second card the next latest and greatest card would be out. One 8800 beats 2 7900s, one 7900 beats 2 6800s. It's been like that since SLI and crossfire where developed. We aren't recommending the Radeon alternative to the 8800 right now anyway. All the testing that's been done says they aren't any better and they run hot and noisy. Basically they still need some work.

[minsonngo]

Its your choice on the video card...

Alaron just pointed out that the motherboard you picked out does not support SLI but it will support Crossfire which is ATI technology.

Then he states that the technology is not worth it. The money you spend on two video cards to run SLI or Crossfire is better spent on a single higher performing card that will yield even better performance results.


I would go with a GeForce 8800 series card. eVGA is a good brand to look for.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by ibuild OK. I gathered every parts needed as suggested to build a new PC as a gift. Earlier I stated I need a good PC for adobe photoshop and other programs, but seeing as photoshop makes use of the CPU more than it does in video card, I then decided to stick with a basic build until later when I have enough in my budget for a high-end PC, these will have to do for now, and here is the list: Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel, SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail - $49.99 PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply - Retail - $124.99 (zipzoomfly.com goes for $105) Mobo: ASUS P5B Deluxe LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $179.99 CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600 - Retail - $224.90 HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3500630AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $129.99 RAM: CORSAIR ValueSelect 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Desktop Memory Model VS2GBKIT667D2 - Retail - $64.99 Pri Optical: LITE-ON CD Burner Black IDE Model SOHR-5239V - Retail - $18.99 Sec Optical: LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black SATA Model LH-20A1S - Retail - $35.99 Sound Card: ??? A 20$ sound card will be purchased afterwards at my local electronics store ONLY if the sound chip goes haywire on my arse. Video Card: EVGA 256-P2-N624-AR GeForce 7900GS 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 KO Video Card - Retail - $149.99 (I chose this instead of Radeon X1950 because getting it will go a little above my 1500$ budget; I tend to buy another one that is better in the future such as one going for 400$ or more, and also the PSU is SLI compatible (given that does at least something?)) FDD: MITSUMI Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal USB 2.0 digital card reader with Floppy Drive - OEM - $18.99 Keyboard&Mouse: Microsoft CA9-00001 Black PS/2 Standard Basic Keyboard and Mouse Mouse Included - OEM - $16.99 ??? Modem and Lan ??? Monitor: SAMSUNG 906BW Black 19" 2 ms (GTG) DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail - $229.99 (zipzoomfly.com sells it for $215) Speakers: Logitech S-100 BLK 5 Watts RMS 2.0 Speaker - OEM - $11.99 OS: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Multilingual SR2 w/SP2B 1 Pack - OEM - $144.99 (for the Japanese language interface, if there is one) Extras: NOTHING, only if the parts are not compatible as is, and also does not overheat and requires extra fans. Sub Total as calculated by NEWEGG: $1,382.77 Freight $ $52.45 Total $ $1,535.47

That's a basic build?! My "basic builds" usually cost half of that.

Cricket

[ChiroJPo]

Not sure if anyone saw this or if it matters. But your primseth optical is sb IDE and not a SATA. You might want to look for another SATA drive.

[ibuild]

Originally Posted by ChiroJPo Not sure if anyone saw this or if it matters. But your primseth optical is sb IDE and not a SATA. You might want to look for another SATA drive.

Shucks! Thank you for catching it! I'll go look for another one at Newegg, since I will be ordering the PC sometime tomorrow or tuesday and get it shipped to my house in less than 2 days.

[ChiroJPo]

Since it looks like you already have a dvd burner (just make sure it comes with nero [if you need it]) and are just looking for a dvd-rom drive. This one is a Lite-On 48x (with 256k cache) dvd drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106039 and this one is a Lite-On 52x (with 128k cache) dvd drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106038. Decide which one you would like. Both are cheaper than the one you picked out before.


Also, I apologize for the poor spelling in my last post, I was typing quickly on my cell phone while in the mall.


Good luck and post some pictures when you finish.