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1st time new build

W

western1

n00b
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
35
This will be my first ever build. I have had several "store bought" PC's and have been convinced by reading here and on TH to try my own. I will list what I need based from NewEgg, but I will buy where cheaper and convenient.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming, Photoshop, Web browsing, Light photo editingg
***
2) What's your budget? $1500 or less, but flexible if needed based on your recommendations.
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3) Where do you live? USA near Ft Worth, TX.
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4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, MB, PSU, Case, HDD,GPU, Heat sink???, monitor.
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5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Keyboard and mouse for now, Have gateway speakers if needed??
***
6) Will you be overclocking? Never have. May want to some day.
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[/COLOR]7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have? Open to suggestions
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8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Within 3-5 weeks.
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9) What features do you need in a motherboard? I actually couldn't tell you 100%, I do know which one I want/like.
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10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? NO, will need that too.
***

Here is what I have chosen so far.

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
Model #:BX80623I52500K
Item #:N82E16819115072
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

MB: ASUS SABERTOOTH P67 (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Model #:SABERTOOTH P67(REV3)
Item #:N82E16813131702
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131702

PSU: XFX Black Edition P1-750B-CAG9 750W ATX12V v2.2 / ESP12V v2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207003

GPU: Not sure, but EVGA 012-P3-1570-AR GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card Model #:012-P3-1570-AR
Item #:N82E16814130593
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130593
The super clocked is only $10 can I use that?
UPDATED GPU XFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Model #:HD-697A-CNFC
Item #:N82E16814150517
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150517

[B]Pig tail for PSU/GPU[/B] HIS Power Cable (2x4 pin in, 8 pins out) Model HPC24I8O
Model #:HPC24I8O
Item #:N82E16814999022
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999022

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
Model #:F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
Item #:N82E16820231428
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428

HSF: Scythe SCMG-2100 Sleeve CPU Cooler
Model #:SCMG-2100
Item #:N82E16835185142 OR Noctua NH-C14 140mm x 2 SSO CPU Cooler???Model #:NH-C14 Item #:N82E16835608020
Changed to COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel ...
Model #:RR-B10-212P-G1
Item #:N82E16835103065
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

DVD: SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM
Model #:SH-S223L
Item #:N82E16827151188
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151188

Case: IN WIN Maelstrom Black SECC(0.8~1.0mm) ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Model #:Maelstrom
Item #:N82E16811108190
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108190
Changed to: COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Model #:RC-922M-KKN1-GP
Item #:N82E16811119197
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
Model #:GFC-00599
Item #:N82E16832116754

ADDEDMonitor: ASUS VH236H Black 23" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen Full HD 1080P LCD Monitor
Model #:VH236H
Item #:N82E16824236059
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059

ADDED : Koutech IO-FPM421 5-in-1 USB 2.0 Card Reader with USB 2.0 / Firewire 1394a / Audio Ports / eSATA (3.5")
Model #:IO-FPM421
Item #:N82E16820162019
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820162019


Not sure if I need Heat sink, not sure about allot of stuff, even if an old guy like me can build it !!

Sincere thanks in advance.
 
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MOtherboard wise, you haven't said anything so far that would make that motherboard the right choice for you.

Ditch that RAM: No real world performance difference between DDR3 1333 and DDR3 1600 RAM:
$80 - G.Skill Value Series F3-10600CL9D-8GBNT 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM

HSF wise, I recommend this HSF:
$30 - Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus HSF for LGA 1366 and LGA 1156

Monitor wise, I recommend this:
$220 - Asus VW246H Black 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor

Case wise, that InWin case is not worth $110. There are better cases for the money:
$80 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K58 ATX Case
$80 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K58W ATX Case
$90 - NZXT Tempest Evo TEVO-001BK ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
$100 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case
$106 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II ATX Case
$110 - NZXT Whisper WHI - 001BK ATX Full Tower Case
$120 - Velocity Micro GX2-W Silver Classic Aluminum Case with Side Window
$140 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001BK Black Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - Cooler Master HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP ATX Case
 
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For a first time build that's put together very, very well. You did your homework! I don't see anything wrong with it, though as Danny mentioned you can save money and have just as good of an experience by swapping some parts out. I'm on my phone before I head into work, but if I get some downtime I'll try to figure out a monitor for you. I would go no lower than 23" @ 1920x1080. You might me able to get a 2560x1600 but I haven't checked monitor prices in awhile. I would also get an IPS panel as that will have superior colors. After I got mine I can't see myself going back.
 
Danny Bui said:
MOtherboard wise, you haven't said anything so far that would make that motherboard the right choice for you.
Click to expand...

IMHO the Sabertooth P67 is not worth $30 more than the P8P67 Pro (features-wise).
 
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western1 said:
1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming, Photoshop, Web browsing, Light photo editing
***
3) Where do you live? USA
***
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Within 3-5 weeks.
***
Click to expand...

1) What games? Do you do photoshop professionally, as a serious hobby, or occasionally? The more you can define your usage the better your build can be tailored to fit you.

3) If you give us a city or a zipcode, builds can accomodate the great deals Microcenter will have, or if you have to pay taxes on purchases from Newegg.

8) 3-5 weeks is a long way out. Prices can change significantly in that time. I'm not saying you shouldn't get an idea of what to buy, just don't get your heart set on a final price.

E4g1e said:
In fact, the OP has not answered any of the questions from the sticky that he quoted above. For that reason alone, I cannot make any recommendations for a new build at all unless he answered all or most of those questions.
Click to expand...

He answered them. It's just that OP didn't make it very obvious via bolding or color coding. Some of the answers are pretty vague though.

E4g1e said:
By the way, IMHO the Sabertooth P67 is not worth $30 more than the P8P67 Pro (features-wise).
Click to expand...

I agree. It's probably possible to trim enough fat from the build to get a 2600k instead of a 2500k, or get a better monitor, SLI, save money, etc.
 
Thanks Guy's, I thought I did answer the questions?? I was trying to be literal with my answers. I know allot of you are busy and donate your time out of love of the craft. i was worried if I wrote to much, it may be looked over.

As far as games go, I would like to walk into a store and buy whatever game I want and be able to play it, for at least a month. The photo shop I use for enlarging photos for a hobby (metal work), Other than that, I run Exell, intuit Quickbooks and basic small business uses.

I live Just North of Ft. Worth Texas, so I have a allot of shopping options
Micro center,frys,bestbuy, all within 1 hr.

3-5 weeks works with my budget, I have waited 4 months already, (waited for SB as recommended). My main goal is like everyone else, I want to future proof myself as long as I can. The pc I had, lasted 6 yrs (store bought) with minor upgrades. (on my daughters loaner now). I am not an impulse buyer, except for my wife's corvette;) At the time of purchase, I will pay for the parts that have ultimately been chosen with your help.

As far as my RAM choice, I tryed the ASUS QVL and went to the G Skill web page (forums) where they recommended the "X" series to avoid P67 compatibility issues.

Thanks for the HSF recommendation, really didn't know if I would need that or not.

MB: Sabertooth just sounds like it is built stronger, I also liked the Extreme4. It was the recommended top of the line model for the i7 950 I was going to try last October.

Monitor wise, I would like to stay around 22" viewable ,I think. need your wisdom here.

CASE Thanks for the recommendations there also, I was thinking I needed a full tower?? I need FUNCTION more than looks. My mouse and keyboard are usb ??, and I have several other things, camera ect tra I use to upload . I also need an San disc port for my SD cards.

CPU I was told it was "no added" benefit i7 2600k for me (on another board) If it is and will give me better usability, I will buy it.

I've never overclocked but would like the ability to if I want. SLI, again never have but would like the ability to.

Now as I change components, should I just edit them on my first post??

Thanks again guy's for your help and patience.
 
western1 said:
i was worried if I wrote to much, it may be looked over.
Click to expand...

Filling the sticky out (as you did) should be a good summary of what you're going to be doing, but having extra details (especially on specific software) is helpful.

western1 said:
As far as games go, I would like to walk into a store and buy whatever game I want and be able to play it, for at least a month.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't be a problem with what you've posted. It'll all come down to your video card and monitor resolution, as well as what graphics settings you want.

western1 said:
I live Just North of Ft. Worth Texas, so I have a allot of shopping options Micro center,frys,bestbuy, all within 1 hr.
Click to expand...

Microcenter often has great deals on CPUs and motherboards to watch out for.

western1 said:
3-5 weeks works with my budget, I have waited 4 months already, (waited for SB as recommended). My main goal is like everyone else, I want to future proof myself as long as I can. The pc I had, lasted 6 yrs (store bought) with minor upgrades. (on my daughters loaner now). I am not an impulse buyer, except for my wife's corvette;) At the time of purchase, I will pay for the parts that have ultimately been chosen with your help.
Click to expand...

That's fine, just keep your budget flexible. You might see some great deals at Microcenter that can really lower your price, or you might see your ideal motherboard go out of stock right when you're about to buy it. Waiting can go both ways.

western1 said:
Monitor wise, I would like to stay around 22" viewable ,I think. need your wisdom here.
Click to expand...

I have this monitor and love it:
$265 - NEC Display Solutions EA231WMI-BK 23" IPS
The colors are significantly better than average, and I notice no ghosting when gaming (playing games like TF2 and Battlefield Bad Company 2.) It also has tilt, swivel, and height adjustment. There appears to be a newer version out for $270 (the EA232WMi) but there are no reviews on it yet.

A few others to consider:
$290 - ViewSonic VP2365wb 23" IPS
The Asus monitor Danny Bui quoted above (Asus VW246H)
$180 (before a $20 MIR) - ASUS VH236H 23" 2ms(GTG)

western1 said:
CASE Thanks for the recommendations there also, I was thinking I needed a full tower?? I need FUNCTION more than looks. My mouse and keyboard are usb ??, and I have several other things, camera ect tra I use to upload . I also need an San disc port for my SD cards.
Click to expand...

A full tower case shouldn't be necessary. Midtower cases are actually fairly large. Consider the difference between the Antec 900 and the Antec 1200 (chosen because they're very similar cases, just one is a "mid-tower" and one is a "full tower".) The 900 is 19.4" tall, and the 1200 is 22.9" tall, an 18% difference. But the 900 will still accomodate triple SLI and 10 drive bays (3 5.25", 6 3.5", and 1 2.5".) The 1200 will hold up to 13 drives in various configurations. Unless you have a lot of hard drives to stash in there, you might not notice a benefit going to a full tower.

western1 said:
CPU I was told it was "no added" benefit i7 2600k for me (on another board) If it is and will give me better usability, I will buy it.
Click to expand...

You won't notice a large benefit from it. If you did a lot Photoshop batch jobs there would be a benefit. Same with video/rendering work. But current games don't benefit from hyper-threading. I was including it more as an example. Putting the money toward SLI or CrossfireX would result in better gaming performance.

western1 said:
I've never overclocked but would like the ability to if I want. SLI, again never have but would like the ability to.
Click to expand...
Would you consider AMD/ATI or would you prefer to stick to nVidia?

western1 said:
Now as I change components, should I just edit them on my first post??
Click to expand...

Either way, but make sure it's clear that the first post is or is not the most up to date proposed build. (Unforunately) a lot of people will open the thread, check out the first post, and then jump to the end, missing any changes that have come up. It can also be nice to see the original build, and then see the changes that you've put in.
 
Thanks Tonytnnt,

Added changes above as recommended.

I like Nvidia, but have had good luck with the Radeons too. As far as 2 GPU's, I was hoping to get a good one with the option to add another later as games get more demanding. ??

If I can get my GPU nailed down, will that help determine the monitor, or is it the other way around, monitor first?

Then do I need to re-address the the Sabertooth? I like it, but only based on others reviews, no technical reason. Why I'm here I guess.
 
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Nailing down the monitor is only a big deal as far as budget and resolution are concerned. Right now, after you buy the monitor, you could have between $1200 and $1300 left, and $100 can be the difference between getting (for example) two 2GB 6950s vs two 1 GB 6950s in Crossfire. Or getting more RAM. Or something else.

The monitor resolution is needed for getting a grasp on graphics performance. So you'll probably be getting a 1920x1080 display, which helps decide your graphics card solution.
 
western1 said:
Then do I need to re-address the the Sabertooth? I like it, but only based on others reviews, no technical reason. Why I'm here I guess.
Click to expand...

In light of the current issues that seems to be plaguing some of the Asus P67 motherboards, I recommend taking a look at this MSI motherboard instead:
$180 - MSI P67A-GD65 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard
 
Here's a prelim build. Newegg is having a LOT of issues keeping their P67 boards in stock and unfortunately I need them to be in stock to put them in my shopping cart to calculate shipping. Also, as mentioned before, Newegg's April combos will be out soon so expect price changes.

Prices include tax where appropriate.

$195 - Intel Core i5 2500K LGA 1155
$260 - MSI P67A-GD65 and G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (Asus P67 motherboards are scarce right now, but this is pretty decent. Check this thread out to see how a motherboard in the same line performs (the GD65 has a few extra features.) Also, this combo deal effectively gives you the DDR3 1600 ram at the 1333 price.)
$550 ($275 a piece, before $30 MIR, limit one per mailing address) - XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB (Your system will scream at 1920x1080 with a pair of these in Crossfire. I can't confirm that these particular XFX models will unlock additional shaders, but many other 6950s can. Unlocking them gives a performance boost. However, you might need a different power supply if you plan on unlocking. See below for more information on this.)
$65 - SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s
$95 (before $30 MIR) - XFX XXX Edition P1-650X-CAG9 650W (See below for more information on this.)
$100 (before $10 MIR) - COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP
$35 - COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1
$19 - LITE-ON Black 24X DVD
$100 - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM
$180 (before $20 MIR) - ASUS VH236H 23" 2ms(GTG) (I do like my IPS monitor quite a bit, but my eccentricities aren't for everyone. This monitor should do the job very well for your described usage. If you want to spend a bit more to get a bigger screen or IPS technology the options are in this thread.)

Subtotal (including taxes at Microcenter): $1598.72
Shipping: $24.01
Total (before MIRs): $1622.73
Total (after MIRs): $1502.73

Areas to consider trimming:
Graphics Cards: If you don't want to go with a two card solution (and save some money), you can get a Geforce 580 or 570, or a Radeon 6970 for less than two of the above cards. If you want to save a bit of money and still be in Crossfire performance territory, two 6870s can be had for about $440 before any mail in rebates.

About unlocking the 6950s: The 6950 is really a 6970 chip that has had some shaders disabled. See this article on unlocking plus the card's power consumption. A huge thing to note about power consumption. The PSU I recommended above was a budget saving measure. It will get the job done with two STOCK 6950s. They should pull about 31.5 amps on the 12V rail (I'm using the numbers for the 6950 +20% for a safety factor.) The XFX 650W PSU will supply up to 52 amps on the 12 volt rail. This should be enough left over to supply your system. If you decide to attempt unlocking the 6950s, I would suggest going to the XFX 750 that you originally picked out as it has 62 amps on the 12v rail. The numbers for the modded 6950 + 20% equate to about 42 amps for two cards, again leaving enough left over for the system. If you plan on overclocking the CPU, I'd probably try to find an even bigger power supply but maybe I'm overestimating the power demand.
 
Man you guy's laid it on me good that time, Thanks. Allot of reading..

As far as the MB (MSI P67A-GD65 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard) Honestly I am a little worried about that board for all the complaints about the "power Looping". I had initially thought about it after your suggestions, but the complaints on just the one problem leaves me nervouse, any other recommendation on MB??

I like this Monitor if it would work

NEC Display Solutions EA232WMi Black 23" Full HD Height,Swivel & Pivot Adjustable IPS Panel LED Backlight LCD Monitor Slim ...
Model #:EA232WMi
Item #:N82E16824002578
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824002578
this one good then, right
I really would like to get my monitor local, for return and service if possible.

I think for budget purposes I will start with one GOOD GPU, then as graphics get more demanding I can add another like card??

As far as unlocking/overclocking, I've only read about it, but not in great detail. I will be happy if I can get this thing together and it actually boots!, but it may be kewl and a possible way to stay up to speed.

Thanks agian for your help
 
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western1 said:
As far as the MB (MSI P67A-GD65 Intel P67 ATX Motherboard) Honestly I am a little worried about that board for all the complaints about the "power Looping". I had initially thought about it after your suggestions, but the complaints on just the one problem leaves me nervouse, any other recommendation on MB??
Click to expand...

That's about it from me for motherboard recommendations. As tonytnnt pointed out, Newegg has some issues keeping stock of their P67 motherboard.

western1 said:
I like this Monitor if it would work

NEC Display Solutions EA232WMi Black 23" Full HD Height,Swivel & Pivot Adjustable IPS Panel LED Backlight LCD Monitor Slim ...
Model #:EA232WMi
Item #:N82E16824002578
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824002578
this one good then, right
I really would like to get my monitor local, for return and service if possible.
Click to expand...

If you're doing extensive photoshop work and need accurate color representation, then yes that's the monitor you want to get. However if you want better faster response time for gaming, you want to avoid IPS panels altogether.

So in this case, you're may have to decide what's more important: Significantly more accurate color representation or fast response time for gaming.
 
Danny Bui said:
That's about it from me for motherboard recommendations. As tonytnnt pointed out, Newegg has some issues keeping stock of their P67 motherboard.



If you're doing extensive photoshop work and need accurate color representation, then yes that's the monitor you want to get. However if you want better faster response time for gaming, you want to avoid IPS panels altogether.

So in this case, you're may have to decide what's more important: Significantly more accurate color representation or fast response time for gaming.
Click to expand...

Thanks Danny,

I will change the monitor then, I can do allot of my photoshop in black and white if needed, I don't need the color, only the designs.
ASUS VH236H Black 23" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen Full HD 1080P LCD Monitor
Model #:VH236H
Item #:N82E16824236059
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059

As far as NewEggs out of stocks, I'll buy anywhere if needed and I'm willing to wait if it's the part I need. Seems p67 MB are randomly available, I had the same issue when I was going to put the X58 together too.
 
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western1 said:
Thanks Danny,

I will change the monitor then, I can do allot of my photoshop in black and white if needed, I don't need the color, only the designs.
ASUS VH236H Black 23" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen Full HD 1080P LCD Monitor
Model #:VH236H
Item #:N82E16824236059
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059
Click to expand...

Actually, the TN monitors do a craptacular job of reproducing both color and black-and-white. This is because TN panels reproduce only 6-bit color (or 64 total colors), and actually approximate "fake" grayscale by combining all three primary colors. (But then again, no color panel can do a good job of black-and-white as a black-and-white-only LCD does.) Hence, the capabilities of modern GPUs are mostly wasted when used with TN panels. Remember, the TN panels respond very quickly at the serious expense of color accuracy and color fidelity.
 
E4g1e said:
Actually, the TN monitors do a craptacular job of reproducing both color and black-and-white. This is because TN panels reproduce only 6-bit color (or 64 total colors), and actually approximate "fake" grayscale by combining all three primary colors. (But then again, no color panel can do a good job of black-and-white as a black-and-white-only LCD does.) Hence, the capabilities of modern GPUs are mostly wasted when used with TN panels. Remember, the TN panels respond very quickly at the serious expense of color accuracy and color fidelity.
Click to expand...

Thanks E4g1e,

How do I tell what is a TN panel in the monitor descriptions?? I'm going from CRT to this. Do you have any recommendations on a monitor?

I have looked up TN, twisted something or other. My lack of technical knowledge is probably offensive to some. Trying to educate myself.

Thanks again.
 
I think right now, it boils down to is what is more important to you, gaming such as fps type gaming.or image quality for PhotoShop? Coming from a crt to say a TN pal monitor, the viewing angle and color quality may bother you. But, the response time is faster than an IPS lcd monitor that delivers better view angle and more color. The IPS monitor will have slight trailing as its response time is not as fast as. TN panel monitor. For most games you should be fine on an IPS monitor. The high fps gaming though is where it will show some trailing. TN panels are limited in its horizontal and view angle. You can tell when its viewing angles are 170/160 or 160/160. These are TN. Most monitors you'll see TN panels. The NEC 23" ips monitor you had is a pretty decent one for $270.

If your a hardcore gamer into high fps gaming, then the Asus VH263H would be more suitable.
 
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western1 said:
Man you guy's laid it on me good that time, Thanks. Allot of reading..
Click to expand...

Sorry, I get carried away sometimes... :eek:

E4g1e said:
Actually, the TN monitors do a craptacular job of reproducing both color and black-and-white. This is because TN panels reproduce only 6-bit color (or 64 total colors), and actually approximate "fake" grayscale by combining all three primary colors. (But then again, no color panel can do a good job of black-and-white as a black-and-white-only LCD does.) Hence, the capabilities of modern GPUs are mostly wasted when used with TN panels. Remember, the TN panels respond very quickly at the serious expense of color accuracy and color fidelity.
Click to expand...

I have the NEC EA231WMi and I like it. I don't notice any ghosting but maybe I'm not paying enough attention. I'm also a geek who really appreciates the above quote though so I wouldn't say I'm indicative of the population as a whole. Since you want to buy your monitor local, I looked at Microcenter, Fry's and Best Buy's website, and the only IPS display I could find at those three was this one. I could have missed others but you can just go to some of the stores and look at them to get an idea of what ones you like. However, one warning about looking at big walls of monitors. I worked at Best Buy for six years, and they use a shitty way to send the signal to all the monitors. The signal is heavily degraded, and the monitors are usually never set up properly. If I really wanted to show someone a monitor's performance I had to take it off the wall and hook it up to a desktop so people could actually see how good it looks. Basically what I'm trying to say is when you get the monitor home, it will look better than what you saw on the big monitor wall.
 
TN panels are not that bad really. Just make sure you choose the better ones.
 
Nice build dude!

As a personal preference I'd go with a Corsair PSU. As much as I use my DVD Burner (never), I'd opt for a USB Burner to save on sata ports and whatever else. I use a 4gb usb stick to install windows 7.

BTW if you have a microcenter around your area, you could save big on your CPU.

BTW the monitor police will crap on this. But there are a ton of fans for them.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254052

I have one of these poor tn panels and would never trade for a higher quality smaller display EVER. For the price you cant do much better. Movies are bitchin on them, so is gaming.
 
You guy's are great,
today is the 1st time I have heard of TN, in fact since it came up that is all I have been reading about, so many different panels besides TN and IPS or should I say variations and improvements. Geez e-ISP,S-ISP, PVA, S-PVA , worse than picking a case!!!.

I think I will have to go and do some shopping on this one, but I guess it's safe to assume I will be getting a 1920 x 1080 , so then I can focus on the GPU now??

I hope building it is as fun as this.
 
BurntToast said:
Nice build dude!

As a personal preference I'd go with a Corsair PSU. As much as I use my DVD Burner (never), I'd opt for a USB Burner to save on sata ports and whatever else. I use a 4gb usb stick to install windows 7.

BTW if you have a microcenter around your area, you could save big on your CPU.

BTW the monitor police will crap on this. But there are a ton of fans for them.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254052

I have one of these poor tn panels and would never trade for a higher quality smaller display EVER. For the price you cant do much better. Movies are bitchin on them, so is gaming.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but it's been a bi%$h, if it wasn't for you guy's I would just buy another off the shelf.

I have never burned a CD, fact I have never had good luck even doing backups on my Gateway!!. I've seen those flash drive thing's, I will have to talk to my son and see how he uses his.

I looked at that Monitor, what a beast and I like that brand, usually dependable. (had them at work) I will have to cruise Dallas Ft Worth and see what I can find.

I know 3 technical sites I was on today rated the one Tonytnnt recommended as top notch too. NEC EA231WMi as long as it is the new GtG or whatever it was.
 
western1 said:
I think I will have to go and do some shopping on this one, but I guess it's safe to assume I will be getting a 1920 x 1080 , so then I can focus on the GPU now??
Click to expand...
Just go for the HD 6850 2GB card that tony linked to.
 
If you're going to go with a single GPU I'd go with the 6950. You could consider going to a 6970 or GTX570 too, but the 6950 2GB cards are the best bang for your buck right now.

You're going to have a great computer by the time you're done building and have the satisfaction that comes with putting it together yourself. Feel free to keep asking questions throughout the process.
 
tonytnnt said:
If you're going to go with a single GPU I'd go with the 6950. You could consider going to a 6970 or GTX570 too, but the 6950 2GB cards are the best bang for your buck right now.

You're going to have a great computer by the time you're done building and have the satisfaction that comes with putting it together yourself. Feel free to keep asking questions throughout the process.
Click to expand...

Thanks,

Does it matter between PCI 2.0 or PCI 2.1 for the GPU

BOARD DESCRIPTION
Expansion Slots

PCI Express 2.0 x16
2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (single at x16 or dual at x8/x8 mode)

PCI Express x1
3

PCI Slots
1
 
Thanks Tony,

As far as "future proofing" Would it make any sense to go with the i7 2600k? I could "swing it" if it has value. I see allot of heavy users/gamers buying it, but I don't know iffit's a logical decision or just a "man" thing.
 
Probably a man thing. You won't really future proof yourself much by going that route. Remember that the best stuff out there today will be outclassed (though still competitive) in 6 to 12 months.
 
Yeah 750W should be good for two 6950s. Either of those two PSUs are good. I would go with the XFX Black Edition because it's modular and 80+ Silver (rather than Bronze) certified. But mostly because it's modular (some of the cables can unplug from the power supply so you don't have a big rats nest in your tower.)
 
tonytnnt said:
Yeah 750W should be good for two 6950s. Either of those two PSUs are good. I would go with the XFX Black Edition because it's modular and 80+ Silver (rather than Bronze) certified. But mostly because it's modular (some of the cables can unplug from the power supply so you don't have a big rats nest in your tower.)
Click to expand...

Thanks
 
western1 said:
As far as "future proofing" Would it make any sense to go with the i7 2600k? I could "swing it" if it has value. I see allot of heavy users/gamers buying it, but I don't know iffit's a logical decision or just a "man" thing.
Click to expand...

The difference between the i5-2500k and the i7-2600k is that the latter supports Hyper Threading, and Hyper Threading makes the i7-2600k perform as if it has eight cores instead of four. Multi-threaded programs like Photoshop can take advantage of Hyper Threading, but it's practically useless in gaming.

Though the i7-2600k is better than the i5-2500k with Photoshop, Hyper Threading isn't required to run the program. Either processor will give you a noticeable performance boost over what you're currently using. I recommend that you buy the i5-2500k and use the "savings" towards a good monitor.
 
tiraides,
Thanks that makes sense.

As far as GPU, this is what I am thinking, partly based on this review site.
www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/Radeon_HD_6970/7.html

VisionTek 900353 Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Model #:900353
Item #:N82E16814129170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129170

A little nervous about the brand, never heard of it. I like the hd6970, but familiar with Nvidia. Next to monitor, this is my hardest decision. Did I put to much stock on that review??

Any more thoughts??
 
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I'm not really sure how much is left in your budget for a graphics card. The performance of graphics cards goes like this (fastest to slowest): GTX580, Radeon 6970, GTX570, Radeon 6950 2GB. I left out the 6990 and GTX 590 because they're really SLI or Crossfire on a single board.

I'm assuming the room left in your budget for a graphics card is about $350 based on your posts. So if I were buying, I'd get this: XFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 2GB $365 before $30 MIR.
It's in stock at Newegg and has a lifetime warranty. The Visiontek you linked too also has a lifetime warranty, but is out of stock and is more expensive.

I didn't mention the GTX570 because it costs the same or more than a 6970 and generally does not perform as well as the 6970 except in a minority of instances (IIRC Starcraft II runs a lot better on nVidia, for example.) I didn't mention the GTX 580 because the cheapest one is around $500, and the 6970 is only slightly slower than the GTX 580 while being significantly cheaper.
 
Go with tonytnnt's recommendation of the XFX HD 6970 2GB card. Though VisionTek offers a limited lifetime warranty (upon registering the card), XFX offers a "double" lifetime warranty (that can be transferred to a second user of the card) and is considered a better quality manufacturer.

Try the onboard sound out first, before you consider buying a discrete sound card.
 
Thanks again,

I have updated the build. Total right now is $1316 w/o tax, less monitor. If necessary, I can go a little more on the GPU cost if it would make a difference. I was figuring I'd be in the $1500-$1600 range after the monitor, but no point "racking" it up more than I have to.

Nice thing is, There is a ton of stores within 50 miles, like Fry's, MC, TigerDirect/Comp USA, that have most of these parts, some cheaper without shipping cost. I will just have to check their return policies.

The major complaint on that GPU seemed to be the drivers and the PSU connector, checked the PSU and I will need that pig tail too. Good to know up front.

I will also wait on a soundcard.

Man I sure appreciate the help. I almost talked myself out of it before I posted on HForum, I had posted on another site, and only 2 responses, so I thought Geez, what if I need help getting it running, I would be screwed. I feel allot more confident now. I am not a "big time" gamer by you guy's standards, but it's nice talking to people that love doing this PC stuff.

I think my list is complete ?? Prior to buying, I will bump my post for your review, just in case something new is out, or problems with one of the components has come to "light", should be within 3 weeks soooo.

Thanks Tonytnnt for the patience and continued help and to the others that helped me make my list.
 
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