First pc build

[Killer01]

ok, so this is my first build. Ive got limited knowledge. This is the things im buying, tell me if it will work- plz.

CASE: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811208009
POWER: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182070
MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128358
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115036
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145184
edited* VIDEO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102826
edited*HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136358
edited* DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136155
FAN: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835209011
edited*OPERATING SYS: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116678

Total Cost: 1,202.62 (tax and shipping included)

Yeah, so far, these prices are the cheapest i've found. Can u tell me if this build will work?

[glc]

Very well chosen. 2 comments - I'd build without a soundcard till you try the onboard video. You can always put one in later. Also, why do you need more case fans?

[Killer01]

Well, im actually only going to buy the one. Case comes with 2 80mm, and theres a spot on the front that fits a 120mm, so i figured to put one in couldnt hurt- right?

Plus i read that having a fan on the front of the case is the best spot for one. I'm actually going to edit a few of those products- ill mark which ones i do.

Yeah, the OS is windows vista 64-bit ultimate, and comes with an upgrade to win7 come october. I put in a smaller WD HD 500gb, because i dont really need much- ive got a few externals. the blue-ray burner/reader- found a cheaper one that does all the same as the first. Pretty good one, it reads and writes all discs.

Good point on the video card comment. I'll consider that- im trying to keep the price under $1200, which ive done quite nicely- so thats where i can shed some dough if i need further on.


Edit* So your saying that the video card will have sound card also? or is this a compatability
concern?


edit** another thing i just noticed. The dimensions of the case compared to the dimensions of the MOBO. Does the mobo lay flat on the bottom of the case, or does it stand up? because from what i can see, they may not fit inside that case. can someone confirm this for me?

*So i think i know what you mean. The Motherboard has onboard audio, so that can suffice until a later date?

[Brencog13]

No, that was a typo. What glc is meant was wait till you try the onboard audio. It is usually enough for most users, and if you don't like it you can add it in a sound card later anyway. Saves you $100 if onboard sound is enough for you

EDIT: You beat me to the punch with your 2nd edit

[cmichael258]

The case has a motherboard tray and the MB mounts on the side.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowIm...Panel%20Window

[Killer01]

right on, thanks man. i got rid of that audio card. Going to get a better gfx card. the MOBO supports CrossfireX so im going with ATI. Looking at 2GB cards atm.

Is that enough power for my set-up? Im thinking of getting more, maybe like 900watts

[glc]

If you are planning on Crossfire, buy a certified power supply. You have to research units that are certified for a particular pair on ATI's website.

No, the front is NOT necessarily the best place for a fan. Best cooling is done by using exhaust fans in the rear sucking air through the case from the front vents.

[Killer01]

Thanks for all the talk so far, but ive done some serious updating to all my selection. And i think you are going to be impressed. So much has changed, and this is the new list of items:

CASE: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811103026
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182072
MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813136054
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115037
GFX CARD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150394
DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827249043
HD BOOT: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136074
HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136317
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227298
MONITOR: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824001317
CABLES(2): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812123166
CABLE(1): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812123132


There you have it, i changed just about everything around. New board, new cpu, gfx, and everything was a little cheaper this time around, so i was able to buy a kick ass monitor that im really excited about.

Total price: $1,199.94

In Just 6 cents under budget. I also got 1-year warrantys on the MOBO, DVD-RW drive, and the 850W PSU.

Tell me what you think. I like this set-up more, its more streamlined and better for what i need.

[vtfanmv5]

Is that a complete list? The parts you listed only come up to about $1150 (before shipping and the extra warranties).

For nearly two grand, I would except a very high end i7 build with an even better graphics card, at the very least. If that list isn't complete though, it's a different story.

Also, several (4-6) SATA cables will come with your mobo, unless you prefer those for some reason.

[Killer01]

The cables were recommended. This is a complete build, the warranties together are about 50$ so its all there.

I've actually changed the case again. Found this deal on an Antec 900, comes with 750watt PSU, and this other case- which doesnt seem worth much more than the fan i plan on taking out of it. Here are those links:

CASE: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129021
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182186
free Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147109

This new set-up is $1,165 better deal on case and PSU, no longer with a warranty on the PSU.

I switched to the X48 board instead of the P45- anyone know of some differences between these two?

[vtfanmv5]

The Antec 900 is a great case.

Still not sure how that all added up to $2000 in your previous post, though.

And I believe the X48 chipset is generally DDR3 RAM.

[Killer01]

Mis-type. Supposed to be $1199.94.

Yeah, but i could go the bottom of the barrel i7 set-up, but i wouldn't be able to get that monitor, and i could get a 2gb gfx too, but i dont think its worth it. I need a better monitor, and 2gb of graphics is more than i'll ever really need.

plus there is no need trying to get a mobo that does 24GB or ram tops, i mean i dont do 3d rendering or anththing like that, so this mobo with 8GB max ram is still more than enough space to grow with.

[vtfanmv5]

No, you're right, the setup you have right now is probably what will be best for you. I was just confused by the price you listed and wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything.

[glc]

You took some unnecessary steps backwards.

1. Stay away from DFI and X48. Get an Asus P5Q Pro.
2. Plextor opticals are now made by Lite-On and NOT worth the extra money over what you had.
3. Why a slow SE16 drive? You want a FAST drive for the OS - a Caviar Black. A Green is fine for a data drive.
4. No need for DDR2-1066, all you need is DDR2-800 unless you are going to be seriously overclocking.
5. Don't bother with SATA cables, the mobo comes with 4.

[Killer01]

Originally Posted by glc You took some unnecessary steps backwards. 1. Stay away from DFI and X48. Get an Asus P5Q Pro. 2. Plextor opticals are now made by Lite-On and NOT worth the extra money over what you had. 3. Why a slow SE16 drive? You want a FAST drive for the OS - a Caviar Black. A Green is fine for a data drive. 4. No need for DDR2-1066, all you need is DDR2-800 unless you are going to be seriously overclocking. 5. Don't bother with SATA cables, the mobo comes with 4.

I'm really leaning towards the X48 because I keep reading that its better at Crossfire, which is a really cool new to me* tech that i could see myself doing in the future. The P45 would be better if i wasn't likeing the crossfire. Plus, that board i choose is a $200 board, thats got $50 off, so thats pretty good too. But, im going to do more research between the two.

The Plextor is cheaper than that Blu-ray Burner- which I decided i would never even use, so i just wanted a DVD-RW drive that uses SATA cables. I like SATA cables more, they are prettier than the IDE, and run a bit cooler.

I might as well get some faster RAM that could be played with more, if I really get into OC'ing, plus the price difference is so small.

These SATA cables are 90' degree, which someone tells me will help.

But i think you were right about getting a faster boot drive. I found a 720GB caviar black that runs with 32MB cache as apposed that that 16MB the sp-16 had. here's the link to that one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136319

[glc]

Trust me - stay AWAY from both DFI *and* X48! That is an extremely fussy and flaky combination. The P5Q Pro does Crossfire just fine and it's a LOT more stable and reliable.

Get a $25 SATA DVD burner from Lite-On, LG, Asus, or Sony.

FORGET those extra cables! 90 degree doesn't do squat.

[Killer01]

Everything i read about this Intel P45 vs. X48 debate says that it comes down to CrossfireX performance. And all the reviews I've read comparing the two says that X48 edges out P45. A google search "P45 vs X48" will show you this.

This is why i am partial to the X48. If you say that the DFI is shaky, I'll research it some more, but do you have a different mobo that you recommend with X48?

Yeah, newegg is lacking in the dvd burner dept. Only one SATA drive is cheaper than the one I posted, and its only got one egg- so i wont be buying it. Seems like its got some issues with software or something.

[vtfanmv5]

Ah, life in the google era.

The information you receive here is worth far more than any random google search. Especially from someone as reputable as glc.

[Killer01]

Well, from what i can tell- when running two gfx cards in the pci 2.0 x16 slots, P45 runs them at x8/ x8, and X48 runs both at x16. This is the difference between the two boards. I really don't think I'm talking out of ignorance here, but please correct me if I am.

Now, if i had no desires to crossfire my system then there would be no issue here.

[glc]

If you are that fussy, build an i7.

[Killer01]

I'm not being fussy, just noting the reviews I've seen comparing the two. I wish you would explain your reasoning behind your preference of the P45.

[LeftyAce]

It's easier to get it to work at all, and to work stably. The slight increase in crossfire performance isn't worth the headaches you'll get from the other board/chipset.

[glc]

You are spending too much time researching every last ounce of performance without spending enough time researching reliability, stability, and ease of building and configuring.

[Killer01]

were can i see what you guys are talking about, can you link me to some site where i can read about these issues?

[Killer01]

OK, forget the mobo discussion for a bit.

here is another question, If i am building this PC for gaming, videos, downloads- and probably gaming and downloading at the same time (multi-tasking) which set-up would be better?

E8400 3.0GHz

or

Q9550 2.83GHz or maybe even a Q6600 2.4GHz

i could get the Quad with a mobo of price $100~ for about $10 more overall than i could get the Duo with a $150 mobo.

[glc]

I'd go with the Q9550. That's a superb processor.

Why not look at one of the X2 video cards - Crossfire on one card? Also, I'd advise you stay away from XFX, there are much better ATI vendors.

[Killer01]

Take a look at these choices. One with the Core 2 Duo, the other with a Quad. Both with a respected MOBO, which if you have a preference for P45 you can take the price of the MOBO i list and apply your reasoning to a MOBO of your choice. Here is what i was looking at- Remember to note the $10 price increase to go with a Quad:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115037
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813136054
$330

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115041
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813186144
$340


As for the Crossfire- I would like to Crossfire eventually, not right away because i dont have the funds, but i take this into consideration when choosing a mobo because i know it will affect me down the road.

X2 would be nice, but i can't afford a over $300 2GB card. And whats wrong with XFX? you use a saphire or what?

[vtfanmv5]

Originally Posted by Killer01 X2 would be nice, but i can't afford a over $300 2GB card. And whats wrong with XFX? you use a saphire or what?

Video Card Rating

XFX is in the epic fail category.

Both of those CPUs would be a good choice, and I would still go with an ASUS P5Q mobo, although you're stuck on X48.

[Khalil]

I have experimented with X48 chipsets, I am a gamer and mostly pvp so reliability is key for me so I don't have the computer crash on me during a fight.
I can tell you this, they are problematic and nowhere near as stable as P45.
P5Q Pro is the board you want if you want a stable gaming rig. Unless you have extensive experience I would stay away from any of the X series Intel chipsets including the i7, those are for experienced enthusiasts/geeks who have built gaming computers many times and have back ground in debugging. This applies also to DFI boards, many of the experienced guys on this forum will tell you the same thing, they are buggy and quirky. You will see no performance boost in the X48 over a P45. Benchmarks are just that, the human eye and senses cannot detect such small performance differences.
Crossfire X is a great idea however it does not seem to do much, recently we built a machine for a guy who had to have Crossfire X with 2 4890s. The slight difference it made in FPS (+7 in Crysis) was not worth all the effort and expense.
As I keep saying, 1 top notch video card is all you need, the only time Crossfire or SLI is helpful is if you are running multiple game instances on the same monitor.

[Killer01]

Yes, you're probably right. And you make a nice little case here. As you can see, i started with P45, but someone showed me the X48 and i made the switch.

But all this talk about P45 being more reliable is making me want to look back into the P45.

P5q Pro huh, yeah i hear a lot of people talk about this board, especially when im looking to compare the X48 to P45. Maybe you guys are right....

this is the board u mean? :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131377

What about this board:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131329
it comes in at budget cost so i can get the Quad- but no crossfire....dang

or this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157143
Supports Crossfire, P45, within budget (110$)