First PC build, advice appreciated.

[hunter9000]

My goal with this PC is to make it moderately fast now, with an eye toward upgrading it in the future as better components drop in price. I went ahead and answered the questions from the stickied thread, so let me know what you think. Thanks.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc

Budget-ish gaming and general purpose. The goal is to build a decent computer now, with an eye toward upgrading it in the future as prices drop.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?

Around $800-1000

3) Where do you live?

USA

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.

Case: COOLER MASTER ATCS 840 RC-840-SSN1-GP Silver Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case This case seems plenty big for everything I'll ever put in it.
Power Supply (PSU): BFG Tech BFGR1000WPSU 1000W ATX 12V 2.2/EPS 12V 2.91 SLI Ready Active PFC Power Supply Already bought this, since it was on clearance at Best Buy. It's kind of a beast, so I think it'll be able to handle all this with ease.
Case Fan(s): I'll keep the stock fans, unless you think I need more.
Motherboard: MSI P55-GD65 LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler/Heatsink with Fan (HSF): Stock, unless I need more.
Memory (RAM): CORSAIR DOMINATOR 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TW3X2G1600C9D G
Hard Drive (HDD): Western Digital Caviar Black WD1501FASS 1.5TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Optical (Disc) Drive (CD/DVD/HD-DVD/BR): Reusing the dvd and cd drives from my old computer
Video/Graphics Card (GPU): SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100284VXL Radeon HD 5750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card I'm planning on buying another one of these eventually to use in crossfire. Will two of these fit on the motherboard without problem?
Sound Card: Motherboard has onboard sound, which I think is good enough for my purposes
Additional Cards
-- Wireless (802.11b/g/n) Network: Onboard ethernet
-- TV/Cable tuner: No
-- RAID controller: No
-- IDE/ATA/SATA controller: No
Miscellaneous
-- Floppy drive: Not going to bother with this, if I ever need one I'll get an external
-- Memory card reader: Case has an SD card reader built in.
-- Fan controller: No

I'll use the keyboard and mouse from my old computer, and I have a 19" lcd monitor that I'll

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.

The dvd and cd drives from my old computer, the keyboard and mouse, and my monitor will all be reused, but everything else will be new.

6) Will you be overclocking?

No, I don't plan on overclocking, I think this build will be plenty fast for me.

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?

I have a 19" lcd right now that I'm going to use, but I may get a second one further down the line.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?

Asap, my old computer died a little ahead of schedule

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.

I want to eventually have two of the video cards I listed in crossfire, so I need to have room for two of those cards, since they're pretty wide. I don't think I'll put any other cards on the motherboard to be honest. If I get a wireless adapter, I'll likely go with a usb one, and I don't plan on upgrading from the onboard sound card.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?

No, I don't. I don't really know much about windows 7 yet, but I'll need a copy. As far as 32 v 64 bit, this is probably a dumb question, but is that processor 64 bit? It doesn't say on the specs. I assume it probably is, but I'm not sure.

 

[quidproqu0]

I'm also building a comp roughly in that range. I'm no expert, but I'll see if I can help/ask questions to help clear things up

3) Where do you live?

USA

I didn't write the question, but I think the point of the question is to know whether you live near a Microcenter or Fry's. Those stores offer great deals on CPUs (MC definitely) and sometimes CPU/mobo combos (Fry's). For example, the i5-750 is $180 at MC and the i7-860,875K, and 930 are all $200 each.

Case: COOLER MASTER ATCS 840 RC-840-SSN1-GP Silver Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case This case seems plenty big for everything I'll ever put in it.
Power Supply (PSU): BFG Tech BFGR1000WPSU 1000W ATX 12V 2.2/EPS 12V 2.91 SLI Ready Active PFC Power Supply Already bought this, since it was on clearance at Best Buy. It's kind of a beast, so I think it'll be able to handle all this with ease.

Could be wrong, but Full tower might be overkill. Midtower might work better. Same with the 1000W PSU - don't think you need anywhere near that much, but already bought, so w/e.

Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor

See what I wrote above. imo, if you have an MC nearby, get something better.

Memory (RAM): CORSAIR DOMINATOR 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TW3X2G1600C9D G

I'm definitely NOT an expert on RAM, but 2 GB seems to be the minimum for computers to work properly now. I'd say go for 4 GB now, or upgrade this asap.

Video/Graphics Card (GPU): SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100284VXL Radeon HD 5750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card I'm planning on buying another one of these eventually to use in crossfire. Will two of these fit on the motherboard without problem?
Sound Card: Motherboard has onboard sound, which I think is good enough for my purposes

I know I'm just making your build progressively more expensive, but the 5770 might be a better choice, especially if you can find a deal on it for around the same price point. No idea about how it fits.

 

[Dangman]

Domininator RAM are a completely waste of money, expecially for a budget build like this. For not that much more, you can get 4GB of RAM:
$96 - GeIL GV34GB1333C9DC 2 x 2GB DDR3 1333 RAM

HD 5750 Crossfire is a very very bad plan as it'll cost nearly as much as a HD 5850 but has lesser performance than a HD 5850. In addition, at $145, the HD 5750 is a total ripoff considering that the significantly faster HD 5770 is only $15 more. Finallly Crossfire for a tiny 19" monitor is a bad idea since Crossfire is only justified on 24" monitors or more. You're better off either going with the HD 5770 for a 19" LCD monitor. Plenty of power for it for the foreseeable future.

When exactly do you plan on getting that second monitor? Will it be 23"?

Case wise, that's a good case. But considering your budget, I recommend this case instead:
$80 - Cooler Master CM690 II ATX Case

$120 cheaper but still has a lot of room in it, even for HD 5850 Crossfire.

 

[hunter9000]

I didn't write the question, but I think the point of the question is to know whether you live near a Microcenter or Fry's. Those stores offer great deals on CPUs (MC definitely) and sometimes CPU/mobo combos (Fry's). For example, the i5-750 is $180 at MC and the i7-860,875K, and 930 are all $200 each.

Gotcha, that makes sense. I'm in NC, so neither of those stores are close. I'm still price hunting, so I'll check out their online stores. I chose the i5 because I haven't seen any i7s at a price I want to pay yet.

Could be wrong, but Full tower might be overkill. Midtower might work better. Same with the 1000W PSU - don't think you need anywhere near that much, but already bought, so w/e.

Yeah, it might be, but I've looked at some mid towers, and I like the extra room in the full, and it could definitely hold whatever I wanted to put in it in the future.

See what I wrote above. imo, if you have an MC nearby, get something better.

I don't have either of those nearby unfortunately, but I haven't been able to find a better processor for around $200.

I'm definitely NOT an expert on RAM, but 2 GB seems to be the minimum for computers to work properly now. I'd say go for 4 GB now, or upgrade this asap.

I'm going to upgrade to 4 gb later, once the prices drop a little bit more on 1600 speed ram.

I know I'm just making your build progressively more expensive, but the 5770 might be a better choice, especially if you can find a deal on it for around the same price point. No idea about how it fits.

Yeah, I think that is a better card, and it's only a little more expensive. Thanks.
SAPPHIRE 100283L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

 

[E4g1e]

I'm going to upgrade to 4 gb later, once the prices drop a little bit more on 1600 speed ram.

Actually, as Danny Bui stated, you're paying way too much money ($78 shipped) for just 2GB by going with the Dominators. What's more, the Dominator's heat spreaders are so tall that you'd be very much permanently stuck with the freebie stock Intel boxed CPU cooler if you're going with many of the 1156 motherboards. Moreover, the Dominators are such piss-poor values considering that you can get a 4GB dual-channel kit for not much more money (such as the $96 Geil 4GB DDR3-1333 kit). 1600-speed RAM is not needed for a Socket 1156 system unless you're overclocking the CPU; in fact, you cannot really run DDR3-1600 memory at any speed above DDR3-1333 anyway unless you overclock the CPU.

 

[hunter9000]

Domininator RAM are a completely waste of money, expecially for a budget build like this. For not that much more, you can get 4GB of RAM:
$96 - GeIL GV34GB1333C9DC 2 x 2GB DDR3 1333 RAM

Thanks for the heads up. I switched to this
A-DATA Gaming Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model AX3U1600GB2G9-2G since it's only $10 more, and it's faster and has better reviews.

HD 5750 Crossfire is a very very bad plan as it'll cost nearly as much as a HD 5850 but has lesser performance than a HD 5850. In addition, at $145, the HD 5750 is a total ripoff considering that the significantly faster HD 5770 is only $15 more. Finallly Crossfire for a tiny 19" monitor is a bad idea since Crossfire is only justified on 24" monitors or more. You're better off either going with the HD 5770 for a 19" LCD monitor. Plenty of power for it for the foreseeable future.

So that's 2 votes for the 5770, I'll go with the card I linked in my last post.

When exactly do you plan on getting that second monitor? Will it be 23"?

Sometime in the near future. Right now I have the 19" lcd, and a crappy old crt as my second, I want to get a 23 or 24" to be the main, and the 19 be the second.

Case wise, that's a good case. But considering your budget, I recommend this case instead:
$80 - Cooler Master CM690 II ATX Case

$120 cheaper but still has a lot of room in it, even for HD 5850 Crossfire.

I like that case a lot, only feature it doesn't have is the mb tray, but I can definitely live without that for $120.

Thanks!

 

[hunter9000]

Actually, as Danny Bui stated, you're paying way too much money ($78 shipped) for just 2GB by going with the Dominators. What's more, the Dominator's heat spreaders are so tall that you'd be very much permanently stuck with the freebie stock Intel boxed CPU cooler if you're going with many of the 1156 motherboards. Moreover, the Dominators are such piss-poor values considering that you can get a 4GB dual-channel kit for not much more money (such as the $96 Geil 4GB DDR3-1333 kit). 1600-speed RAM is not needed for a Socket 1156 system unless you're overclocking the CPU; in fact, you cannot really run DDR3-1600 memory at any speed above DDR3-1333 anyway unless you overclock the CPU.

Oh, I didn't know that about the speed. I just did some searching, and found this http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/ddr3-1600-lga1156_2.html. I'll scale down to 1333 ram.

How about this one? A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model AD3U1333B2G9-DRH It's only $98 and has great reviews.

 

[Dangman]

Thanks for the heads up. I switched to this
A-DATA Gaming Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model AX3U1600GB2G9-2G since it's only $10 more, and it's faster and has better reviews.

That RAM wouldn't work too well since its max voltage is 1.75V, which exceeds the max voltage for Core i CPUs of 1.65V. So not a good choice.

I'll scale down to 1333 ram.
How about this one? A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model AD3U1333B2G9-DRH It's only $98 and has great reviews.

Should be ok.

 

[E4g1e]

That RAM wouldn't work too well since its max voltage is 1.75V, which exceeds the max voltage for Core i CPUs of 1.65V. So not a good choice.

One of the motherboards I came across (given by a friend) was so poorly calibrated that I needed a VDIMM setting of 2.8V for standard DDR3 memory just to even work at all. I had access to a tester that day, and found that its 1.75V setting delivered only 0.45V. This meant that the particular motherboard was undervolting the RAM so severely that I was surprised that it would have even booted at all at default settings. Needless to say, it was a defective board all around (whomever owned that mobo had severe stability issues). The replacement, which came via RMA, fared much, much better.