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Need help on building a PC.

B

BliND123

n00b
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
18
1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
-Gaming, photoshop, video editing, designing (CAD), web browsing...so pretty much everything.
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
-Would like to keep it under $600 with taxes and shipping.
3) Where do you live?
-Live in Texas.
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, RAM, case, motherboard, video card,
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
-Don't plan on reusing any parts I currently have besides monitor, mouse, keyboard, and speakers.
6) Will you be overclocking?
-No.
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
-Have a 19" LCD but plan on getting a 27"-32" 1080p LCD TV to use as a monitor later on.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
-Would like to do it within the next 2 weeks.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
-Would like it to have optical audio port, and maybe onboard video incase I don't get a video card right away.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
-I have a Windows 7 license key.

Other notes: Would like a modular PSU to keep everything inside the case nice and neat. Currently had this case in mind because I like a full door to cover the CD/DVD drive and stuff http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156210 . I think thats about it, was told this other list of parts I already had setup was bad so I'm now here to ask you guys for help.
 
Please give us a time frame as to when you plan on buying the HDTV.

Also, which games are you (planning on) playing? At what level of visual quality?

Do you live near a Micro Center or Fry's B&M store?
 
Chimel said:
Tsst, tsst, tired tiraides, BliND123 already answered, his closest neighbors for miles are cows on the left, oil wells on the right... ^-^
Click to expand...
All of the possible jokes you could make about Texans and that's what you came up with?
noql1.gif


I know of a couple of Fry's stores in Texas, and I've been to one of them in the past. Micro Center also has two stores in the Dallas and Houston areas. That bit of information is relevant as there are some in-store specials that the OP may be able to take advantage of.
 
Thought I clicked submit on a message yesterday but guess I didn't. So...don't live near one of those stores, that Micro Center in Dallas might be the closest, still 2 hours away. Currently playing games like Bad Company 2, Kane & Lynch 2 Dog Days, Just Cause 2, Need For Speed Hot Pursuit, and waiting for HL2 Episode 3 and Portal 2! :) Would like to be able to play them on all high settings but with anti-aliasing at at least like 2x. And I'm hoping to get the HDTV within a month.
 
So you are going to need a HD as well? Its not listed in either your reuse, or needed list.
 
Ooops, yes, will be needing an HD...and I don't see any reason to get anything over 500GB. To me it just seems like a risk putting all my data on 1 and having it fail at some point. I'm actually going to keep an HD from my current desktop just for like music and stuff.
 
BliND123 said:
So anyone gonna help me? I'm going to go ahead and post the wishlist I had chosen from Newegg before I was sent here cause I was told it was crap.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=16452086
Click to expand...

You were told correctly. You selected the wrong motherboard for your chosen RAM to begin with. The motherboard accepts only DDR2 memory - but you chose DDR3 memory! DDR3 memory is both physically and electrically incompatible with DDR2 memory slots. As listed, you'll end up with a totally unusable system right off the bat (or as I put it, a stupid pile of shit that doesn't f__king work). So buy an AM3-only motherboard and stick with your selected DDR3 memory because the least-expensive 4GB DDR2 memory kit is now about $20 more expensive than most of the 4GB DDR3 kits we recommend.

In addition, that Raidmax Hybrid PSU is crappy: It can barely deliver even 400W, let alone the 530W claim.

Third, the HD 5670 is overpriced for its performance.

Fourth, that Seagate hard drive is relatively slow in both sequential transfers and random access speed for a 500GB hard drive with a single-platter design. Plus, it is priced higher than some of the other 500GB hard drives we recommend.

And you might want to consider a CPU with more than two cores enabled out of the box.
 
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BliND123 said:
So anyone gonna help me? I'm going to go ahead and post the wishlist I had chosen from Newegg before I was sent here cause I was told it was crap.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=16452086
Click to expand...

Yeah that list is pretty much crap for all the reasons E4g1e noted

I recommend this setup instead:
$170 - AMD Athlon II X4 640 CPU + Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3 AM3 AMD 770 Motherboard
$40 - G.Skill F3-10600CL9D-4GBNS 2 x 2GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$170 - PowerColor AX6850 1GBD5-DH Radeon HD 6850 1GB PCI-E Video Card
$55 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$22 - Lite-On iHAS424-98 DVD Burner
$85 - SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze 520W Modular PSU
$60 - Cooler Master HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 ATX Case
---
Total: $602 shipped.

Key notes:
- You won't notice a difference between DDR3 1600 and DDR3 1333 RAM in real world apps and games.
- The X4 640 is a more suitable CPU for your needs than the X2 555.
- The WD 500GB hard drive is significantly faster than that Seagate 500GB.
- The Coolermaster HAF 912 case is better case over all than the Raidmax due to the better cable management features and more room in general for ease of use and airflow. The only real advantage that Raidmax has over the Coolermaster is the extra fan and the door.
- The HD 6850 is the minimum I'd recommend for a 1920x1080P monitors (your future TV)
- In order to get a good quality modular PSU, you have to spend a lot more cash than normal. Here the Seasonic 520W PSU is of far far greater quality than that RaidMax PSU.
- Unlike your planned RAM and mobo setup, the RAM and mobo above will work well together.
 
Good substitutions for the case and the DVD burner, Danny. The DVD burner on the OP's list actually costs $26 shipped, not $22 shipped whereas the drive you picked out costs $22 with free shipping.

And in addition, I forgot to mention that the Raidmax case is not $50, but $60 shipped. That makes it a relatively poor value considering that you'd still need to add a front 120mm fan to make that case usable together with its relatively cramped (by current standards) internal dimensions.

And right now that WD Blue drive costs the same amount of money as that $50 Seagate hard drive. Plus, until January 17 the OP can save an additional $10 by using the special promo code listed on the page for that WD drive. That makes the final price of the WD Blue drive $40 if he orders that drive by the 17th.
 
Should I order everything but the video card now? Seems the video card is out of stock, is the ETA on Newegg reliable? Never had to wait for an item on Newegg.
 
BliND123 said:
Should I order everything but the video card now? Seems the video card is out of stock, is the ETA on Newegg reliable? Never had to wait for an item on Newegg.
Click to expand...

Newegg's ETA is generally off by a day or two from my experience. Yeah go ahead and order the parts now if you want. You could also just find a different HD 6850 card to buy. I just went with the cheapest at the time.
 
BliND123 said:
Anything wrong with this video card? I'd rather pay a little more to get one from a brand I've heard more of :p http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121399
Click to expand...

nothing wrong with it, But if it were me I would snage one of these. its an Ebay Auction with a BIN of 140 with free shipping & several H members have already received there's & they come shipped directly from newegg.. That would open a considerable chunck in your budget to up to 8gb ram. Another change I would make is the Mobo CPU combo.. This would be faster in most apps due to the slightly higher clock speed. Though it will be slower in anything that can use all 4 cores. But the extra core is not worth the extra 50 bucks of danny's combo imho. Though the gigabyte is probably better quality that biostar is a very good board for the cost.

Between those 2 changes if you stuck with 4gb ram (you would be at 516 shipped) you would actually have the budget to grab a inexpensive SSD.. (611.28 shipped total with this sandforce based 64gb ssd)
 
How about this:
$170 - AMD Athlon II X4 640 CPU + Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3 AM3 AMD 770 Motherboard
$40 - Mushkin 2X2GB DDR3-1333 RAM
$140 (Coupon EMCKJJJ72) - ASUS GTX 460 768MB Video Card (-$20MIR)
$55 (Coupon HARDOCP112C) - SAMSUNG F3 1TB 7200RPM Hard Drive
$17 - ASUS 24X SATA DVD Burner
$73 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233$90 (Coupon EMCKJJG33) - Cooler Master HAF 922 Computer Case
----------------------------
Total: $585 (-$20MIR)
----------------------------
 
The GTX 460 is a poor choice of video card if you're planning on gaming at a 1920x1080 resolution soon. Consider the Radeon HD 6950 instead.

While Danny recommended the 6850 earlier, he also said that the 6850 is the bare minimum for 1080p gaming.
 
bastage said:
nothing wrong with it, But if it were me I would snage one of these. its an Ebay Auction with a BIN of 140 with free shipping & several H members have already received there's & they come shipped directly from newegg..
Click to expand...
You can already get a GTX 460 for $120AR directly from newegg. If you are feeling adventurous, there's a Galaxy card at tigerdirect for $95 after a $60 rebate.
Another change I would make is the Mobo CPU combo.. This would be faster in most apps due to the slightly higher clock speed. Though it will be slower in anything that can use all 4 cores. But the extra core is not worth the extra 50 bucks of danny's combo imho. Though the gigabyte is probably better quality that biostar is a very good board for the cost.
Click to expand...
I disagree. The X4 640 is actually faster than the X3 450 by a significant margin in most applications. The only scenario the X3 450 manages to pull ahead is gaming. If the OP said his sole usage was gaming you may have had a point, but he didn't.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/188?vs=202
I like the mobo in Danny's combo because it is ATX-sized.
Between those 2 changes if you stuck with 4gb ram (you would be at 516 shipped) you would actually have the budget to grab a inexpensive SSD.. (611.28 shipped total with this sandforce based 64gb ssd)
Click to expand...
I actually like that idea. If there is no way he can squeeze Sandy Bridge with his budget and higher end AMD CPUs are a waste, he might as well get an SSD.

How about this (v2):
$170 - AMD Athlon II X4 640 CPU + Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3 AM3 AMD 770 Motherboard
$40 - Mushkin 2X2GB DDR3-1333 RAM
$140 (Coupon EMCKJJJ72) - ASUS GTX 460 768MB Video Card (-$20MIR)
$110 (Coupon HIBERNATE10) - Crucial 64GB C300 SSD
$55 (Coupon HARDOCP112C) - SAMSUNG F3 1TB 7200RPM Hard Drive
$17 - ASUS 24X SATA DVD Burner
$73 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU
$60 - Cooler Master HAF 912 Computer Case
----------------------------
Total: $665 (-$20MIR)
----------------------------
$50 over the budget, but I think it is worth it. Of course the OP can buy the SSD later on if he can't afford it now.
 
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tiraides said:
The GTX 460 is a poor choice of video card if you're planning on gaming at a 1920x1080 resolution soon. Consider the Radeon HD 6950 instead.

While Danny recommended the 6850 earlier, he also said that the 6850 is the bare minimum for 1080p gaming.
Click to expand...
The cheapest HD6850 out there is $40 more expensive (more if we count MIRs) than the GTX 460 despite the small ~10% performance advantage it holds. I believe the OP would rather have a fast SSD or a better enclosure.

I don't see how the GTX 460 is not adequate for 1080p gaming. HardOCP reviews clearly show the GTX 460 is capable of running the most recent and demanding games at their highest settings at 1600p and 1200p.
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/10/21/amd_radeon_hd_6870_6850_video_card_review/1
 
460 1gb is fine for 1080 gaming, but the 768 not so much. The 6850 for 140 I linked would be much better for the same cost though.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
 
BliND123 said:
How's this mix of items from everyone's suggestions?

$50 Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233
$155 CPU + Mobo Combo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.581161
$40 RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146748
$75 PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151093
$50 HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073
$17 CD/DVD Burner - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
+$20 Shipping on the above and last the...
$140 HD 6850 eBay Video Card Deal - http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1577315

$547 Total
Click to expand...

Won't work together at all, I'm afraid. In particular, that setup has DDR3 memory but only a DDR2 motherboard.
 
BliND123 said:
How's this mix of items from everyone's suggestions?
....
$155 CPU + Mobo Combo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.581161
$40 RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146748
Click to expand...

Yeah wrong RAM. As E4g1e noted, that mobo will not work with DDR3 RAM. Considering that the price of DDR3 RAM is really low at this point and the fact that DDR2 RAM is pretty expensive nowadays, not a good idea to build a brand new DDR2 based setup.
 
Ok, so how is this? Changed the RAM, was thinking something with a heatsink would be better, just $3 more.

$50 Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233
$184 CPU + Mobo Combo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.580615
$43 RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231190
$75 PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151093
$50 HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073
$17 CD/DVD Burner - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
+$20 Shipping on the above and last the...
$XXXGONEXXX HD 6850 eBay Video Card Deal - http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1577315

$435 Total without the video card, I guess he ran out. Only has some EVGA GeForce GTX 460 SE right now.
 
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You don't really need RAM heatsinks in a well-ventilated case. Better ways to save your money are to purchase as many (good) combo deals as you could find and buy more parts with free ground shipping.

Don't forget the promo code on the hard drive. If you need additional storage, you may want to switch to the Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB drive for a bit more.

And don't forget the old-yet-still-valid rule about eBay: caveat emptor.
 
tiraides said:
You don't really need RAM heatsinks in a well-ventilated case. Better ways to save your money are to purchase as many (good) combo deals as you could find and buy more parts with free ground shipping.

Don't forget the promo code on the hard drive. If you need additional storage, you may want to switch to the Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB drive for a bit more.

And don't forget the old-yet-still-valid rule about eBay: caveat emptor.
Click to expand...

I'm afraid to put too much data on one drive so I prefer to have two separate smaller ones. I'm keeping one from current desktop so only planning on buying one 500GB drive.

Edit: Hey, is the 1GB GTX 460 (non SE version) better than the 1GB HD 6850? If so I might just go ahead and buy an open box item from Newegg like this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121391R .
 
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The majority of the reviews that I've read on the GTX 460 ("normal" 1GB, not SE) versus the HD 6850 show the GTX 460 to be slightly better. I believe that unless you need an Nvidia card (for Adobe products, which uses Nvidia's CUDA technology, or Linux, where AMD/ATI has a long history of producing poor drivers), you wouldn't go wrong with either one. But before you buy, keep in mind that an open box model only comes with the video card (no software, adapters, or other "accessories") and has a 30-day return "warranty."

1TB hard drives have been out for a while now and are no less reliable than smaller capacity drives. If you're really that concerned about losing data, you really need to come up with some sort of backup option for your system.
 
Changing it up again, I'm okay with getting money back through rebates so here's the list now.

$50 Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233
$184 CPU + Mobo Combo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.580615 ($169 after rebate)
$55 RAM - http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=211245985 ($30 after rebate)
$70 PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017 ($55 after rebate)
$50 HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073
$17 CD/DVD Burner - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
$200 Video Card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121391 ($170 after rebate)
+$20 shipping

So here is the new total, $646 which then total to $561 after rebates. How's this look? Can I get any better deals?
 
I prefer up front discounts over waiting weeks for rebate checks. I know that you're okay with the latter, but I still have some issues with your build.

Switch out the power supply for the Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W PSU, which is available for $50 with a promo code. OCZ power supplies are generally of inferior quality to other brands like Antec, Seasonic, or Corsair (to name a few good brands). If you want a good quality modular power supply, you need to be willing to pay for the privilege. An example of what many of us here would consider a good modular power supply is the Seasonic M12II 520 Bronze.

The Samsung 1TB drive (with promo code) is a better deal than the Western Digital 500GB drive for $50. You need to get over your fear of putting "too much data" on one drive -- we don't recommend parts that have a history of failing constantly.

Get the Mushkin RAM and save $15 upon checkout now instead of waiting weeks for a $25 check.
 
Alright, changed to that drive, no idea why I would need that much space though. Now...I'm just going to go ahead and say it, I want as many parts as I can to be black. LOL I switched RAM again (same brand, but with black heatsink) and to a black Corsair PSU (not modular though :( ). I just keep finding ways to save a dollar here and there. :p

$50 Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119233
$184 CPU + Mobo Combo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.580615 ($169 after rebate)
$43 RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226092
$80 PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004 ($60 after rebate)
$70 HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185 ($55 after promo code)
$17 CD/DVD Burner - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827135204
$190 Video Card - hhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127518 ($160 after rebate and 2 free games, Just Cause 2 and Mafia II)
+$10 shipping

So, $644 total and it's $564 after rebates. Tell me if there is a better PSU, maybe I'm just picking something more expensive when there is something just as good for cheaper.
 
The first two and last link doesn't work.

That Corsair 550VX is not a good choice at $80 shipped. Better choice for the money:
$73 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU
 
BLiND123,

That GTX 460 card is not a bad value for a card that has a better-than-stock cooler. However, unless you have a grudge against ATi, or if you are running Linux, or if you are frequently running applications (such as the Adobe Creative Suite apps) that run best with Nvidia GPUs, you're better off getting an HD 6850 for $10 to $20 less than that GTX 460.
 
Well, I don't really like ATIs Catalyst drivers/software, hate having to mess with that on brothers computer. It just doesn't seem very organized to me. I can't believe I haven't bought anything yet. I noticed the promo code on the HD is gone, price on the burner went up and it's no longer free shipping, but the price on the RAM did go down $3. Any other good deals I should consider, I want to buy all this stuff by Sunday so I can hopefully get it all by next weekend.

$50 Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233
$184 CPU + Mobo Combo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.580615 ($169 after rebate)
$40 RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226092
$70 PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371031
$65 HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185
$20 CD/DVD Burner - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
$200 Video Card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127518 ($170 after rebate and 2 free games, Just Cause 2 and Mafia II)
+$18 shipping

So now the total is $647 and it's $602 after rebates.

EDIT: Well, I just purchased all the items above. Price on the CD/DVD Burner went back down to $17 and I don't know what else changed but shipping was only $6.89. Anyways, hopefully this works out well and there is no DOA items. :D LOL
 
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