First time building computer

[Finisher]

Hello everyone I’m new to this forum, and this is my first time building a computer. Before I just buy a custom built from someone. I was referred here for advice and help since most of you are knowledgeable about computers. I'm not up-to-date with the new computer technologies, so I don't want to buy parts that aren't compatible. I want a really good built that has a lot of upgrade ability in the future.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Primarily for gaming; games like BFBC 2, SC2, CIV 5, CSS, TF2, and future games.
Some photoshop and graphics, Web browsing, and just general stuffs like Microsoft Office suit and webcaming. My current computer (specs below) can do everything, except for gaming. I can only play CSS and TF2 at medium settings.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
Im hoping to spend around $1000 after tax & shipping, excluding rebates, but willing to spend a little more if it’s a good built. Maybe + 150 to 200

3) Where do you live?
SF, CA

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

CPU: I want Quad core, preferably Intel. I dont like AMD. Can someone explain to me the difference besides the prices? I’m assuming the Bloomfield is faster than the Lynnfield? Whats LGA? And high W on the cpu requires higher vottage PSU?
Motherboard: List the motherboard that will be compatible to the cpu you choose
CD/DVD/BluRay Drives: Sony?
Memory: 8gb. Im assuming its ddr3? Corsair or Ocz
HD: Probably go with a 1TB. Should I partition it, or get a 2nd hd? SATA is the common ones now right?
Videocard: ATI or NVidia? Which one is better for gaming, or is it base on preference? Im assuming PCI-express x16. I don't know what’s the fast speed for video card now
Soundcard: something decent that's cheap
Ethernet card for internet: fastest speed.
Powersupply: OCZ, Cooler Master, or Corsair? Gaming system needs a high powered psu right? So at least 600 to 700W?
Case: Which of these two should I get
(1) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119138
(2) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119225

Operating system: Windows 7 or stick with XP Pro?

Do I need any extra cooling devices like fans or the cases Im targeting has enough fans?


5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Logitech laser mouse
Logitech Wired keyboard
Logitech 2.1 speakers
Sennheiser headphones
Monitor: SAMSUNG 941BW Black 19" 4ms (GTG) Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 500:1
Cat 6 wired cable for internet

6) Will you be overclocking? No

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
Monitor: SAMSUNG 941BW Black 19" 4ms (GTG) Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 500:1

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
I want to start buying end of January 2011, and will build after I get all the parts.

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
Crossfire has something to do with using 2 vid card right? Do you need 2 monitors?Don’t know what RAID or firewired is. I guess usb 3.0 or 2.0 and SATA. I’m not too knowledgeable about motherboard

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
See #4. I don’t have another cd key so planning to get a legit version of Microsoft. Windows 7 or stick with XP Pro?

My current computer specs. It is very ancient. I have been using this computer for 7 years.
CPU: Pentium 4 3.0Ghz HT 800FSB
Motherboard: Intel D865PERL (Desktop/Motherboard on Intel Website under download)
BIOS: 02-13-05 22:02:08 ver. 08.00.10
CD/DVD Drives: 8x DVD
Memory RAMs: OCZ 400512ph 4x 512mb latency 2.5-3-3-7 premier series pci 3200 dual channel DDR (added more RAMS)
Video Card: ATi Radeon X1950 Pro AGP 575MHz 8X/4X 512mb 256bit 8-channel GDDR3- 1.38 GHz Shader Model 3.0 (Upgraded)
Power supply: OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ550FTY 550W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply (Upgraded)
Hard drive: 120gb IDE ATA100
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster SB0570 Audigy SE 7.1 Channels PCI 24bit 96KHz SNR: 100dB (Upgraded)
Logitech speakers and Sennheiser head phones
Logitech laser mouse and wired keyboard
Monitor: SAMSUNG 941BW Black 19" 4ms (GTG) Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 500:1

Thanks for the help.

 

[cmdrdredd]

My responses are in bold.

I want Quad core, preferably Intel. I dont like AMD. Can someone explain to me the difference besides the prices? I’m assuming the Bloomfield is faster than the Lynnfield? Whats LGA? And high W on the cpu requires higher vottage PSU?
Well...Bloomfield is supposed to be faster than Lynnfield at the same clock speeds with everything else equal. I would not use that to determine the choice. I'd go with the fastest clocked CPU you can fit into the budget. It's also one of the most crucial components. Since you are not overclocking it makes it easier because you do not necessarily need to choose the motherboard based on overclocking features. I think your best bet is to go with LGA-1366 because for the money, it offers a faster out of the box clock speed. LGA simply stands for Land Grid Array. It means the pins for the CPU are on the motherboard and not attached to the processor itself. The Wattage rating on the CPU doesn't necessarily mean you need a bigger PSU. It's only telling you the power it draws which isn't that much in a non overclocked state. I think an i7 950 with an Asrock motherboard would be a good fit because you get a CPU that is 3.2Ghz out of the box and a motherboard that is reliable and solid. Since you're not overclocking there is no need to have a $250+ motherboard IMO. Now before you say "but my Pentium 4 is 3.0Ghz already, the new CPU is only 3.2Ghz" remember that the new CPUs are more efficient at processing and therefore do tasks much more quickly than previously even at the same clock speed. The i7 also does hyperthreading which allows it to process 2 threads per core. So the 4 cores can do 8 things at once total.

CD/DVD/BluRay Drives: Sony?
DVD drives are cheap. You shouldn't pay more than $30 for one these days.

Memory: 8gb. Im assuming its ddr3? Corsair or Ocz
Corsair makes good memory as does G.Skill. I do not like OCZ all that much myself, but they are generally fine for non overclockers. For an LGA-1366 motherboard you can run triple channel which means you can buy a memory kit that comes with 3 sticks of DDR3. I wouldn't worry much about the speed of the memory for non overclocking purposes but how much you have. You can get 3GB kits and 6GB kits or run two 6GB kits for 12GB. 6GB would probably be enough for all but the most memory taxing photoshop or video work.

HD: Probably go with a 1TB. Should I partition it, or get a 2nd hd? SATA is the common ones now right?
SATA drives are cheap and easy to find. SSD would run out of your budget so I would go with two large HDDs. I don't partition my drives as these days I find no need with modern file systems and OSes, but that's up to you. a 1TB drive should cost no more than $90 for one of the faster ones that uses SATA 6Gb/s interface. I'd get two 1TB drives and call it good unless you really want more storage or faster performance in which case there are other options.

Videocard: ATI or NVidia? Which one is better for gaming, or is it base on preference? Im assuming PCI-express x16. I don't know what’s the fast speed for video card now
Nvidia and AMD(AMD purchased ATI some time ago) are both good. It depends on what games you play as the top cards trade blows depending on the situation. I lean toward Nvidia as my preference but there's no reason to think an AMD card would be a bad choice. The GTX 460 is pretty cheap these days as it's been replaced with the 570 and 580 but is not slow by any means. Especially true at the resolution you plan to use with a 19" monitor. The larger monitors might require a more powerful card.

Soundcard: something decent that's cheap
You can use what's built on the motherboard. It works relatively well.

Ethernet card for internet: fastest speed.
Built onto the motherboard

Powersupply: OCZ, Cooler Master, or Corsair? Gaming system needs a high powered psu right? So at least 600 to 700W?
I'm a big fan of corsair powersupplies. I would say a TX750 (750w unit) would do nicely for you and probably have more reserve power than you need.

Case: Which of these two should I get
(1) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119138
(2) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119225
I have a Coolermaster HAF 932 which is the previous model before the HAF 942. It's a great case with all the fans you need. Good layout, good cooling, easy expansion access.

Operating system: Windows 7 or stick with XP Pro?
Xp works, but I am a huge fan of windows 7. Personally I see no reason not to upgrade. Espcially if you have more than 4GB of memory so you can get a 64-bit version of the OS and allow programs to access that memory.

Do I need any extra cooling devices like fans or the cases Im targeting has enough fans?
If you buy a CPU that comes retail boxed then you do not need a heatsink/fan for it as it comes in the box and the HAF 942 comes with all the fans you need.

Crossfire has something to do with using 2 vid card right? Do you need 2 monitors?Don’t know what RAID or firewired is. I guess usb 3.0 or 2.0 and SATA. I’m not too knowledgeable about motherboard
Crossfire and SLI are ways to interconnect 2 or more video cards at a time to render graphics to your monitor. At 19" your monitor is not large enough to require this as most mid range cards can handle that just fine by themselves. You don't do it for 2 monitors, although with AMD cards you can hook up to 3 monitors if you wanted to. It's normally used when a single card is deemed not fast enough for a large monitor and the latest games. If you don't know what RAID is, you won't need it. It's a way to interconnect multiple hard drives for increased capacity and speed, or redundancy. The Asrock Extreme 3 comes with USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s(newest and fastest version of SATA) It's a solid and reliable board. It's not super expensive either at around $210.

 

[Dangman]

First and foremost: Please come back in two, even three weeks, and bump this thread up. Or make a new one with the same answers. Why? For three reasons:
1) Intel is releasing their new CPUs on January 5th. We're all gonna need time to fully digest all of the data/improvements that the new Intel CPUs will bring. Since you really want Intel for some reason, you're better off waiting and see what these new Sandy Bridge CPUs really offer.

2) You live in California which means that you will have to pay taxes at Newegg.com, our most recommended online store. However whenever this forum gets a California resident, I will actually recommend that they buy parts from Amazon.com to avoid CA taxes. We've actually managed to save Californian residents $100 to $150. Unfortunately it takes a while for new parts to hit Amazon.com warehouses. Like 2-3 weeks actually . So if you want to save money, buy most of the parts from Amazon.com when they hit Amazon shelves 2-3 weeks from now.

3) Even if you want to avoid Amazon.com for whatever reason, a lot of our parts recommendations will involve Newegg combo links. Those generally have pretty decent discounts. So that would help mitigate some of the taxes that you would have to pay. Unfortunately it's the first day of the month so a lot of the combo deals are either expired, just being introduced, will expire, or just plain crap. It usually takes 2-3 weeks for the good combo deals to come out

So no matter what, your best bet for a great bang for the buck PC is to wait 2-3 weeks and ask for help again.

But to cover some of your questions and to further reinforce some of the cmdrdredd's answers:

CPU: I want Quad core, preferably Intel. I dont like AMD. Can someone explain to me the difference besides the prices? I’m assuming the Bloomfield is faster than the Lynnfield? Whats LGA? And high W on the cpu requires higher vottage PSU?

For gaming, all you need to know that Bloomfield is not that much faster than Lynnfield to justify the higher costs. SO if you had to buy RIGHT NOW, you'll be just fine with the Core i5 750/760 CPUs. Maybe the Core i7 860 if you want a little overkill. But again this recommendation will change when Intel releases their new CPUs.

Memory: 8gb. Im assuming its ddr3? Corsair or Ocz

Yup DDR3. Between those two, Corsair hands down. I don't recommend OCZ RAM these days. However as cmdrdredd, G.Skill makes pretty good RAM. In fact, G.Skill RAM tends to be cheaper, lower voltage and roughly the same quality as more expensive Corsair RAM sets.

HD: Probably go with a 1TB. Should I partition it, or get a 2nd hd? SATA is the common ones now right?

Meh, up to you. As far as hard drives go, I recommend this Samsung since it's simply one of the better bang for the buck hard drives out there:
$60 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Videocard: ATI or NVidia? Which one is better for gaming, or is it base on preference? Im assuming PCI-express x16. I don't know what’s the fast speed for video card now

It pretty much comes down to which card can fit into your budget and offers the most bang for the buck.

Powersupply: OCZ, Cooler Master, or Corsair? Gaming system needs a high powered psu right? So at least 600 to 700W?

Whether or not they need high powered PSUs is dependent on the GPU they're gonna have. You cannot go by brand alone when it comes to PSUs: Unfortunately all three PSU companies have certain or, in the case of OCZ and partially Coolermaster, many PSUs that are of questionable or just plain crap quality. So it's pretty much gonna come down to a model by model comparison.

Case: Which of these two should I get
(1) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119138
(2) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119225

Neither. Both of those cases are not worth $200 at all. And considering your budget, I wouldn't be looking at those expensive cases anyway. Check out these other bang for the buck cases instead:
$55 - NZXT M59 ATX Case
$60 - Cooler Master HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 ATX Case
$80 - Cooler Master RC-590-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$80 - Cooler Master CM690 II Basic ATX Case
$80 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K58 ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li PC-60FN ATX Case
$110 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case
$120 - Velocity Micro GX2-W Silver Classic Aluminum Case with Side Window
$110 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
$130 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT Black Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - Cooler Master HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$160 - Fractal Design Define R3 Black ATX Case (US Shipping Factored in) (Fill in the ++++ with "N C I X" without the spaces)
$160 - Fractal Design Define R3 Titanium ATX Case (US Shipping Factored in) (Fill in the ++++ with "N C I X" without the spaces)
$160 - Fractal Design Define R3 Silver ATX Case (US Shipping Factored in) (Fill in the ++++ with "N C I X" without the spaces)
$160 - Corsair Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$160 - Silverstone RV02B-W ATX case
$200 - Cooler Master ATCS 840 RC-840-KKN1-GP Full Tower ATX Case
$200 - Lian Li PC-B25F ATX Case

Operating system: Windows 7 or stick with XP Pro?

Windows 7 hands down.

Do I need any extra cooling devices like fans or the cases Im targeting has enough fans?

Depends on the new case you're choosing now .

 

[cmdrdredd]

Well, the case is expensive but when it comes to expansion access, cooling properties, looks, and all that I think the Coolermaster HAF series is one of the better options out there. I tend to buy more case than I need most times simply because I never really know how many HDDs I'll acquire over time or how much room I'll need. I started off with 2 HDDs, now I have 4 internal and 2 external and it doesn't ever seem like enough I do tend to like a roomy case so it's easy to work in when I dust it out and replace parts, add parts, or upgrade. I guess it's overkill for most applications though, but I still recommend them to anyone who asks, it's just my way. I see the HAF 932 is $140, that's much less than I paid for mine when they became available and I'd highly recommend that one from my personal experience with it.

I do think it's a good idea to wait for the new CPUs to hit and take a 2nd look then. I didn't think about that, but one possible thing is the older CPUs dropping in price slightly to move inventory of models that might be discontinued, replaced, or just to make room for the new ones.

 

[tiraides]

Don't assume that the new processors from Intel will drop the prices down on the rest of the existing lineup. If anything, Intel will make the prices of the newer prices a bit lower that the old stuff -- just to encourage more people to buy the new processors.

Unless you have a massive water-cooling setup, I don't see any reason why you need a full tower case. For a $1000 graphics/gaming system, spending $200 on the case is a waste of money. That money would be better invested towards an SSD or a better video card.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Don't assume that the new processors from Intel will drop the prices down on the rest of the existing lineup. If anything, Intel will make the prices of the newer prices a bit lower that the old stuff -- just to encourage more people to buy the new processors.

Unless you have a massive water-cooling setup, I don't see any reason why you need a full tower case. For a $1000 graphics/gaming system, spending $200 on the case is a waste of money. That money would be better invested towards an SSD or a better video card.

It's easier to work in a full tower, just like I said. I prefer them and I recommend them when space for the tower is not a concern.

Way to jump on people

 

[SBSuperfly]

+1 for the HAF 932 Full tower. I have one and love it--easy cable management, roomy, the 3 240mm fans are awesome. I also like modular power supplies for the cable management.

 

[tiraides]

Are you going to buy a newer, better monitor within the next six months?

Why don't you like AMD? Even though Intel makes more powerful processors, an AMD processor is more than good enough for a gaming rig. Plus, the money that you save by going with an AMD processor and motherboard (which oftentimes comes with more features for the same price compared to an Intel-based board) could be used toward other, better components.

 

[Dangman]

Well, the case is expensive but when it comes to expansion access, cooling properties, looks, and all that I think the Coolermaster HAF series is one of the better options out there. I tend to buy more case than I need most times simply because I never really know how many HDDs I'll acquire over time or how much room I'll need. I started off with 2 HDDs, now I have 4 internal and 2 external and it doesn't ever seem like enough I do tend to like a roomy case so it's easy to work in when I dust it out and replace parts, add parts, or upgrade. I guess it's overkill for most applications though, but I still recommend them to anyone who asks, it's just my way. I see the HAF 932 is $140, that's much less than I paid for mine when they became available and I'd highly recommend that one from my personal experience with it.

Totally understand the need/want for a larger roomier case. However, the problem is that the two cases posted by the OP are not worth $200 IMO. There are better cases in that $200 price range. That was one of the things I was getting at with that huge list of cases that I posted. So even if the OP wants to go with a larger and more expensive case, he can do a whole lot better than those two $200 cases.

 

[Finisher]

Thanks everyone for your input. I will take all of you advices into consideration, and will check back in a couple weeks after the new intel cpu comes out. Hopefully, by then you all will have more info on it and I'll bump this up again.

I might go with the cooler master 932, but the only difference between the haf 932 and the haf 942 that I posted is has 4 fans and cost $60 more. I like the ability to upgrade in the future, so if a full tower that gives me a room to do that is preferred. I will take a look at the other cases you posted Danny.

 

[Dangman]

I might go with the cooler master 932, but the only difference between the haf 932 and the haf 942 that I posted is has 4 fans and cost $60 more. I like the ability to upgrade in the future, so if a full tower that gives me a room to do that is preferred. I will take a look at the other cases you posted Danny.

Cool. Note that the HAF 932 also gets my recommendation as well since it is in that list of cases I posted.

 

[Finisher]

Forgot to ask, do I need stuff like ThermalTake to glue on the cpu to the heatsink/motherboard or whatever I see people do? I'm not too knowledgeable about it. Do I need anything else besides a screw driver to do the physical assembly? Thanks.

 

[Dangman]

Forgot to ask, do I need stuff like ThermalTake to glue on the cpu to the heatsink/motherboard or whatever I see people do? I'm not too knowledgeable about it. Do I need anything else besides a screw driver to do the physical assembly? Thanks.

Thermaltake is a PSU and case brand. You meant to say Thermal paste. It's not a glue: It's literally a paste that helps better facilitate the transfer of heat from the CPU to the heatsink. Thermal paste already comes with the stock HSF of the CPU. So no need to buy additional thermal paste.

There's a huge list of guides in the stickied FAQ on how and what you need to build a PC. I recommend hitting that up.

 

[bastage]

hmm oh how I remember when a full tower case was appealing. now I dont want anything extra thats not needed & quite frankly with 3.5" drives hitting 3tb capacity I dont see why anyone would need more then 2 drives in there main rig (exclusing those with raid setups of course) & one of those 2 would be an SSD..

Given the budget I would get the Haf912.. If you think your going to need more HDD space then get a bigger drive upfront with the cost saved on the case.. Plus with the middle rack removed I dont think there are many cases that are as roomy around the video card which is often the tightest area on new cases..

As for CPU Choice.. With a budget of 1k you can easily save enough going with an AMD rig to make up for a better GPU or an SSD.. Given your res, I would say SSD since it wont actually take much of a video card to push that screen @ max.

 

[Finisher]

hmm oh how I remember when a full tower case was appealing. now I dont want anything extra thats not needed & quite frankly with 3.5" drives hitting 3tb capacity I dont see why anyone would need more then 2 drives in there main rig (exclusing those with raid setups of course) & one of those 2 would be an SSD..

Given the budget I would get the Haf912.. If you think your going to need more HDD space then get a bigger drive upfront with the cost saved on the case.. Plus with the middle rack removed I dont think there are many cases that are as roomy around the video card which is often the tightest area on new cases..

As for CPU Choice.. With a budget of 1k you can easily save enough going with an AMD rig to make up for a better GPU or an SSD.. Given your res, I would say SSD since it wont actually take much of a video card to push that screen @ max.

What is SSD stand for?

 

[tiraides]

Solid State Drive.

 

[Finisher]

Solid State Drive.

What is that, and what does it do?

 

[Finisher]

Are you going to buy a newer, better monitor within the next six months?

Why don't you like AMD? Even though Intel makes more powerful processors, an AMD processor is more than good enough for a gaming rig. Plus, the money that you save by going with an AMD processor and motherboard (which oftentimes comes with more features for the same price compared to an Intel-based board) could be used toward other, better components.

I'm not planning to buy a new monitor anytime soon. Only if my current breaks down. I need all the money I can to spend on building the computer.

I just think that Intel is stronger and more reliable from AMD, just hearing from people and plus I have always used Intel so I'm familiar with it.

 

[tiraides]

What is that, and what does it do?

Seriously?

If you want more details on the tech behind an SSD, read the Anandtech SSD Anthology.

[Anandtech] The SSD Anthology: Understanding SSDs and New Drives from OCZ
[Anandtech] The SSD Update: Vertex Gets Faster, New Indilinx Drives and Intel/MacBook Problems Resolved
[Anandtech] The SSD Relapse: Understanding and Choosing the Best SSD
[Hard|OCP] SSD RAID scaling under Windows 7

Start with the above, and use Google or Bing to continue your research.

I'm not planning to buy a new monitor anytime soon. Only if my current breaks down. I need all the money I can to spend on building the computer.

I just think that Intel is stronger and more reliable from AMD, just hearing from people and plus I have always used Intel so I'm familiar with it.

You really don't need anything greater than the GTX 460 for the resolution you're using. Hell, I doubt that you would have any performance issues with the 768MB model (versus its oft-recommended 1GB sibling).

With your budget, an AMD-based build would give you a better bang for your dollar. Contrary to what you may have heard in the past, AMD isn't any worse quality-wise than Intel.

 

[Finisher]

Thermaltake is a PSU and case brand. You meant to say Thermal paste. It's not a glue: It's literally a paste that helps better facilitate the transfer of heat from the CPU to the heatsink. Thermal paste already comes with the stock HSF of the CPU. So no need to buy additional thermal paste.

There's a huge list of guides in the stickied FAQ on how and what you need to build a PC. I recommend hitting that up.

Ok checking out the FAQ now. Thanks

 

[Finisher]

So after reading all the FAQs and the tutorials on the hardware installation, I still have some questions.

Some of the tutorials stated to ground yourself before touching the computer parts, and one way to do that is to touch a psu. Other stated to buy an anti-static wrist band. I want to know if there are any other methods to ground myself? Also, so if you don't ground yourself before touching the motherboard, it will make it the mobo short circuit and not work anymore?

Do I have to touch the grounded surface or item every time before I touch a new part?

I did try to google some info but there are too many conflicting/contradicting advices.

 

[Dangman]

Some of the tutorials stated to ground yourself before touching the computer parts, and one way to do that is to touch a psu. Other stated to buy an anti-static wrist band. I want to know if there are any other methods to ground myself? Also, so if you don't ground yourself before touching the motherboard, it will make it the mobo short circuit and not work anymore?

Just touching the metal portion of a case connected to the power outlet has worked out for me. Yes there is that possibility of short-circuiting the motherboard. With that said, what usually happens is latent damage: basically the damage isn't noticied initially but over a period of time that can vary from as little as a week to as much as two years. However, also note that many new motherboards are/should be fairly resilient against ESD.

Do I have to touch the grounded surface or item every time before I touch a new part?

I would recommend yes for new builders.

 

[Finisher]

First and foremost: Please come back in two, even three weeks, and bump this thread up. Or make a new one with the same answers. Why? For three reasons:
1) Intel is releasing their new CPUs on January 5th. We're all gonna need time to fully digest all of the data/improvements that the new Intel CPUs will bring. Since you really want Intel for some reason, you're better off waiting and see what these new Sandy Bridge CPUs really offer.

I read that the Sandy Bridge cpu uses a different lga, 1155. So does that mean that all the lga 1366 & lga 1156 will be useless because they can't upgrade and have to buy a new set of mobos for the lga 1155 socket?

The new Sandy Bridge might be too expensive when it first comes out, so it might be better to stick with the lga 1366?

 

[Dangman]

I read that the Sandy Bridge cpu uses a different lga, 1155. So does that mean that all the lga 1366 & lga 1156 will be useless because they can't upgrade and have to buy a new set of mobos for the lga 1155 socket?

They won't be useless but they basically would have zero upgrade path left in them

The new Sandy Bridge might be too expensive when it first comes out, so it might be better to stick with the lga 1366?

No. The Sandy bridge CPUs are priced well below most socket LGA 1366 CPUs yet outperforms many of the socket LGA 1366 CPUs. Simply put, short of special circumstances, it would be an extremely bad idea to buy a socket LGA 1366 setup these days.

 

[Finisher]

Here is my first draft. Your input is appreciated. Let me know if any of these are not compatible or if you can suggest better parts. Thanks.

CPU: $290 free shipping not including tax
Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601950
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211

Motherboard: For the memory standard, they are listing at the OC speed? Besides the differences in the price and number of expansion slots, rear ports, and storage, I don’t know how to tell what’s better. I’m leaning towards the cheapest, AsRock. Seems like the AsRock takes the different Ram speed at 2000/1800/1600/1330/1066. Not sure why it’s cheaper than the other two.

GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard $200
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128423

ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard $165 + $3 shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157163

ASUS P6X58D Premium LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard $270
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131614

Video Card: What are the most important specs to decide one card over the other, besides the memory? Are these compatible with my motherboard? Also, what is Fermi?

ASUS ENGTX460 DirectCU TOP/2DI/1GD5 $210 + $2 shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121389

EVGA 01G-P3-1373-AR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) $220
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130568

PNY XLR8 VCGGTX4601XPB-OC GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) $190
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133326

Memory: So to take advantage of the dual/triple channel, I should get all the same RAM with the same latency? So buy them all in bulk now? 8Gb (2x4gb), or 8gb (4x2gb), or go with 12gb (6x2gb). The speed (2000/1800/1600/1330), Cas latency and voltage will depends on the motherboard I choose? Is there a section in the forum to explain the speed, cas latency and voltage? What is the dual/triple channel kit?
I’m planning to go with Corsair xms (newer model?) or GSkill. Estimated $160-200 8gb-12gb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...re=memory_desktop_ddr3-_-20-145-258-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...re=memory_desktop_ddr3-_-20-145-222-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...re=memory_desktop_ddr3-_-20-145-250-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...re=memory_desktop_ddr3-_-20-231-225-_-Product

PSU: $110 60Amp on a single +12VRails, is that dangerous instead of 2 12VRails?
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&cm_re=psu-_-17-139-006-_-Product

HD: Should I go with SATA 3gb/s or 6gb/s? How much of a difference does the 16mb vs 32mb cache?
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Case: $140
COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer

Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160

CD/DVD Drive: Newegg doesn’t have many selection. Might buy from another website like Amazon or Bestbuy. I might get 2 drives. Estimated at $80?

Sound Card: Debating should I use the sound on the mobo or get a cheap separate one. Might just reuse my current sound card to save some money.

OS: Windows 7 Premium Full $260
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...116717&cm_re=windows_7-_-32-116-717-_-Product


Total budget average estimate: $1530
Wow way over my budget. Might have to cut back on something, maybe go to i5 instead?

 

[Finisher]

Maybe I'll wait for the Sandy if you say it is cheaper than the lga 1366

Edit: Will the current Video cards, say nvidia gtx 460 will work with the Sandy's mobo?

 

[Taikero]

I read that the Sandy Bridge cpu uses a different lga, 1155. So does that mean that all the lga 1366 & lga 1156 will be useless because they can't upgrade and have to buy a new set of mobos for the lga 1155 socket?

The new Sandy Bridge might be too expensive when it first comes out, so it might be better to stick with the lga 1366?

Yes, it uses a different socket and chipset. LGA 1156 and 1366 boards cannot upgrade to the second generation Core ix processors. It appears that you will be able to use the same coolers, however.

The reviews have just been released, and the platform looks to be very affordable, and it seems as though the i5 2500k ($216) and i7 2600k ($317) will be largely (entirely) supplanting 1156/1366 systems for new builds. Upgrading from these platforms to SB, however, is another issue entirely.

I'll wait for those more knowledgeable than I to digest the information available, but it appears that for budget-minded enthusiasts who are looking to build new, the i5 2500k is generally the way to go. I think I'll skip the hyperthreading and increased cache and save my $100 to invest into a GPU/SSD.

Edit: I'm six minutes late to provide a useful response, and it's 2 a.m.! That's why this forum is awesome.

 

[Dangman]

Again, wait for Sandy Bridge. In fact read this review and see for yourself how good those CPUs will be:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2011/01/03/intel-sandy-bridge-review/1

Conclusion: Worth the fucking wait.

Other notes:
- NEVER pay more than $200 shipped for a GTX 460. Otherwise, you're getting ripped off.
- A single rail is not dangerous at all. Don't bother SATA 6.0Gb/s when it comes to hard drives.
- That Samsung F3 1TB drive is significantly faster than the Seagate drive due to greater platter density and design
- Yes ANY current PCI-E card will work fine with Sandy Bridge based motherboards.
- Don't go with Asrock as many of their motherboards are of lower quality than Gigabyte or Asus motherboards. In addition, they only have a one year warranty whereas Gigabyte and Asus have 3 year warranties

EDIT: Yeah Taikero is right; the $216 i5 2500K will be the way to go.

 

[Finisher]

Again, wait for Sandy Bridge. In fact read this review and see for yourself how good those CPUs will be:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2011/01/03/intel-sandy-bridge-review/1

Conclusion: Worth the fucking wait.

Other notes:
- NEVER pay more than $200 shipped for a GTX 460. Otherwise, you're getting ripped off.
- A single rail is not dangerous at all. Don't bother SATA 6.0Gb/s when it comes to hard drives.
- That Samsung F3 1TB drive is significantly faster than the Seagate drive due to greater platter density and design
- Yes ANY current PCI-E card will work fine with Sandy Bridge based motherboards.

EDIT: Yeah Taikero is right; the $216 i5 2500K will be the way to go.

Thanks. I'll wait another 3 to 4 weeks then. Btw will the current Video cards, say nvidia gtx 460, work with the Sandy's mobo/set up?

Edit: I haven't read the reviews yet, but do you know why Intel come out with SB when the Bloomfield and Lynnfield are just reaching their peak and getting more popular? Why didn't they make SB compatible with the current 1366 & 1156, or Intel just want people to spend more money switching?

 

[Dangman]

Thanks. I'll wait another 3 to 4 weeks then. Btw will the current Video cards, say nvidia gtx 460, work with the Sandy's mobo/set up?

Read my post again.

 

[Finisher]

Read my post again.

Sorry, I read too fast and miss the last sentence

 

[Dangman]

Edit: I haven't read the reviews yet, but do you know why Intel come out with SB when the Bloomfield and Lynnfield are just reaching their peak and getting more popular? Why didn't they make SB compatible with the current 1366 & 1156, or Intel just want people to spend more money switching?

Well the compatibility part is due to Intel wanting to make more money. But the main reason why Intel is coming out SB is to dominate AMD. If Intel does not continually release CPUs that'll outperform AMD CPUs, they will lose market share. In the past when Intel did not release a good/fast CPU in time, AMD took over a lot of market share. Same thing happened with AMD: Despite holding a clear advantage in performance for years, AMD did not spend that time making/designing CPUs that were even better/faster than their current CPUs. So it was a huge victory for Intel when they released their significantly faster Core 2 Duo CPUs. So from that point on, Intel has vowed to keep releasing faster and faster CPUs to make sure that their dominance of the CPU market is never threatened like it was back in the day.

 

[tiraides]

Finisher, I'm just curious as to why you went towards a Core i7 950 when several of us (myself included) told you to wait for Sandy Bridge. Didn't you say that you only wanted to spend "around" $1000?

 

[Finisher]

Finisher, I'm just curious as to why you went towards a Core i7 950 when several of us (myself included) told you to wait for Sandy Bridge. Didn't you say that you only wanted to spend "around" $1000?

Oh I am going to wait for Sandy Bridge. The list is just a 1st draft and something for me to practice on choosing parts to see if I have an understanding. The rest of the list should still be relevant since the parts are still compatible with SB & its mobo. I still need to do more tweaking of the list, and thats where you guys come in the give me tips

 

[Finisher]

Also, how will we know if Intel will develop the SB series further and not just a one time wonder and goes back to the lga1366&1156?

 

[Dangman]

Oh I am going to wait for Sandy Bridge. The list is just a 1st draft and something for me to practice on choosing parts to see if I have an understanding. The rest of the list should still be relevant since the parts are still compatible with SB & its mobo. I still need to do more tweaking of the list, and thats where you guys come in the give me tips

Well in addition to the advice I gave earlier:
- Since current Sandy Bridge CPUs are only dual channel, don't bother with triple channel. Since you're not overclocking, just go for the cheapest 4GB DDR3 1333 you can find that runs on 1.6V or less. That's all you need to look for in RAM. No need to worry about higher speeds or latencies and such.

- A good 8GB DDR3 1333 RAM set can be found for around $100 shipped these days. So your estimate of $160 is way off and too high.

- Ditch the Corsair 750TX and go with this higher quality Antec instead:
$126 - Antec Truepower New TP-750 Blue 750W PSU

- DVD drive wise, DVD drives are as low as $17 these days. Just go with this DVD drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135221

- Try the new onbaord audio FIRST and then your current sound card to see if you actually need a new sound card

- Again, Newegg charges California residents tax. So you should be looking for parts on Amazon.com.

- OS wise, do you actually need most, if not all of the features for Windows 7 Pro? From what you've described so far, Windows 7 Home Premium will be fine for your needs. BTW, you linked to Windows 7 Pro but listed Windows 7 Premium. A little confused there as to what you want.

Also, how will we know if Intel will develop the SB series further and not just a one time wonder and goes back to the lga1366&1156?

Because that would go against Intel's rather succesful strategy for the last four years. Sandy Bridge is not a one-time wonder. It's gonna be the main platform until two years from now when Intel's Haswell CPus are released in 2013.

 

[Finisher]

Well in addition to the advice I gave earlier:
- Since current Sandy Bridge CPUs are only dual channel, don't bother with triple channel. Since you're not overclocking, just go for the cheapest 4GB DDR3 1333 you can find that runs on 1.6V or less. That's all you need to look for in RAM. No need to worry about higher speeds or latencies and such.

- A good 8GB DDR3 1333 RAM set can be found for around $100 shipped these days. So your estimate of $160 is way off and too high.

- Ditch the Corsair 750TX and go with this higher quality Antec instead:
$126 - Antec Truepower New TP-750 Blue 750W PSU

- DVD drive wise, DVD drives are as low as $17 these days. Just go with this DVD drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135221

- Try the new onbaord audio FIRST and then your current sound card to see if you actually need a new sound card

- Again, Newegg charges California residents tax. So you should be looking for parts on Amazon.com.

- OS wise, do you actually need most, if not all of the features for Windows 7 Pro? From what you've described so far, Windows 7 Home Premium will be fine for your needs. BTW, you linked to Windows 7 Pro but listed Windows 7 Premium. A little confused there as to what you want.

Because that would go against Intel's rather succesful strategy for the last four years. Sandy Bridge is not a one-time wonder. It's gonna be the main platform until two years from now when Intel's Haswell CPus are released in 2013.

-I might go for 12gb of ram. How come you don't suggest going with 1600, or 1800 instead of 1333? Isn't 1333 slower than 1600 & 1800?

-One question about the Antec psu. The 12VRails seem to be underpowered at 25amp, even though there are 4 12VRails. I read that you don't add them up to get the total amp. So in that means that it is underpowered isn't it. Even my current agp vid card requires at least 30amp on the 12Vrails

-Is the OEM version the full, original version? For some reason I thought OEM doesn't come with the full package, like lack of instructions, etc.

-After the additional research, I think I will agree with you to go with the Windows 7 Home Premium. What is the difference between the full and the upgrade version?


Edit: Also, I have been reading and hear that Intel will come out with socket 2011. Isn't that going to make the socket 1155 irrelevant?

 

[Finisher]

So I read that the SB has an integrated GPU, does having a separate video card work together with the integrated GPU? Or how does that work anyway?

Edit: Wasup with the SB only support DirectX 10? Does that mean this new CPU is behind the current standard of DirectX 11?

 

[tiraides]

Unless you constantly use Photoshop or another resource-intensive program, you'll be fine with 8GB of RAM. Most games won't require that much memory; the majority of games out today are largely dependent on the processor or video card, if not both.

The "stock speeds" for RAM with the current Intel and AMD setup is DDR3 1066. While DDR3 1333 is slower than DDR3 1600, so far, nothing has indicated that you'll need more DDR3 bandwidth for "stock" operation.

The simplest way to determine the maximum amount of amperage available for a power supply is to divide the total number of watts going through the 12V rail by 12. In the case of the Antec Truepower New, its max load is 62A or 744 watts. Keep in mind, however, that 62A is the most that the power supply can handle; ideally, you shouldn't be coming anywhere near that amount.

The OEM (or Systems Builders') copies of Windows that we recommend are the full versions of the operating system. Full versions are standalone installations, meaning that you can install Windows onto a new system, whereas upgrade versions allow you to install the new OS on top of an existing older version (like Vista or XP). It's much easier for many people to work with the full version of Windows, so stick with that.

You have said nothing that indicates that you need Windows 7 Professional; stick with Windows 7 Home Premium. Get the 64-bit version, which allows you to run 32-bit and 64-bit programs. Upon activation, however, the OEM license key is "bound" to the motherboard and dies when the motherboard dies. In other words, it's illegal to transfer the key to a new computer. But since many people keep their machines for several years, we often recommend the OEM copy due to its lower price.

Socket 2011, aka Ivy Bridge, is the slated replacement for the Socket 1366 Core i7 processors and the X58 chipset. Yes, the older Socket 1366 platform becomes "outdated" upon Ivy Bridge's arrival, but it will take at least six months after its arrival before Socket 2011 fully supplants Socket 1366 as the "enthusiast" lineup of choice.

The integrated GPU in the Sandy Bridge processor acts like the onboard GPU that's part of the motherboard, provided that you have a board capable of utilizing that GPU. I don't know much about the integrated GPU, but it was never designed to replace dedicated video cards for high-resolution gaming.

 

[Dangman]

-I might go for 12gb of ram. How come you don't suggest going with 1600, or 1800 instead of 1333? Isn't 1333 slower than 1600 & 1800?

Outside of synthetic benchmarks, you will not notice an iota of difference between DDR3 1333 and DDR3 2200 let alone 1600 and 1800 speeds in real world apps and games. Since you're not overclocking where that higher speed RAM will come in handy, zero reason for you to spend the extra cash for DDR3 1600 or DDR3 1800 RAM unless you need a huge e-peen or something.

-One question about the Antec psu. The 12VRails seem to be underpowered at 25amp, even though there are 4 12VRails. I read that you don't add them up to get the total amp. So in that means that it is underpowered isn't it. Even my current agp vid card requires at least 30amp on the 12Vrails

Yes you don't add up the +12V rail. You determine the amperage on the +12V rails by first finding out what's the total combined, max load, combined or max wattage set aside for the +12V rails/section alone. Then divide that total by 12 and you get how much amps the PSU has on the +12V rail.

In this case, it's clearly noted on the PSU label of that Antec has 744W available on the +12V rail or 62A on the +12V rail. So technically, that Antec has more power than the Corsair. As for the rail layout, don't worry about that.

Oh and no way in hell does your AGP GPU require 30A on the +12V rail alone. That 30A rating was for the entire PC, not just the video card.

-Is the OEM version the full, original version? For some reason I thought OEM doesn't come with the full package, like lack of instructions, etc.

Comes with some instructions but basically the OEM version is tied to the first and only PC it's installed on. So technically if you get a new PC, you would have to get another Windows 7 key for that new PC.

-After the additional research, I think I will agree with you to go with the Windows 7 Home Premium. What is the difference between the full and the upgrade version?

Upgrade requires that an existing Windows installation be already in place in order to upgrade to Windows 7.

Edit: Also, I have been reading and hear that Intel will come out with socket 2011. Isn't that going to make the socket 1155 irrelevant?

No. It's part of Intel's differentiation plan for their hardware. Socket 2011 is aimed at the server, high-end performance, workstation, or high-end enthusiast market whereas the Socket 1155 is aimed at the mainstream market. As such the socket 2011 will be more expensive than socket 1155. They're suppose to co-exist side by side. Considering that you're only gaming, socket 1155 is all that you need.

So I read that the SB has an integrated GPU, does having a separate video card work together with the integrated GPU? Or how does that work anyway?

Edit: Wasup with the SB only support DirectX 10? Does that mean this new CPU is behind the current standard of DirectX 11?

The seperate video card should work alongside, not with, but alongside the integrated GPU. Basically means that you can power more monitors via the onboard video if you want to.

Don't worry about the DX10/11 stuff.

EDIT: beaten to the punch!