first time builder, comments welcome!

[adam_j_mil]

Hi, I'm a first time builder, any comments on what I've got so far would be much appreciated! I'm not a gamer, but am looking to build a pretty decent system that will last a while. I plan to dual-boot XP and Linux (probably ubuntu).

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

Antec Three Hundred Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

ASRock P45TS LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157135

ASUS EAH3850/G/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 3850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121219

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (x2)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
(note: these are OEM, does this mean I need to buy my own mounting hardware?)

Kensington 64365 Black USB Wired Slim Keyboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823155003

Acer P243WAid Black-Silver 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor with HDCP Support
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009125

ASUS 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model DRW-2014L1T
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135156

ASRock WIFI-802.11G MODULE Wireless Adapter
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833368001

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

Total cost, after mail-in rebates: $1400
(would have been $1040 without monitor).

thanks in advance!

 

[adam_j_mil]

ps not planning to overclock

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

I wouldn't get a board with both ddr2 and ddr3 support. kinda pointless as intels next chip will require new motherboards anyway. Also I wouldn't get the proprietary wifi card.

This would be a better mobo choice.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131322

If your going to use linux get a linksys wifi card of your choice. I hear it has better linux support.

 

[Proximon]

I like the Corsair 750TX a lot, and I truly respect those who want to get a PSU larger than what they currently need. Too many people here recommend PSUs that will be tossed in 2 years.

However, I would recommend that PSU for gamers running single cards... not non-gamers or those on limited budgets.

For you, there is a great deal on an even higher grade PSU right now, that costs less and has a great rebate. Plus a REAL 5 year warranty:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703005

That is more power than you need. At 83% efficiency it will save you money too.

 

[Proximon]

Oh and no on the board and RAM. The P43 linked for you is what you need.

Don't waste money on 1066 RAM. I know boards say 1066 in the specs but that is just to let you know the fastest RAM they support. It will not improve YOUR performance with that CPU, unless you overclock a lot. It needs more voltage, which can lead to issues as you build.

You do not need to spend a great deal to get all the quality you need:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731

If you want to use the Arctic cooler, you can take the thermal paste off your list. It comes with some pre-applied paste that I understand to be quite good, and really great for those who have no experience TIM is easy to mess up.


I'm guessing you had a good experience with ASRock? I have nothing against them. I used their dual AGP/PCI-E board for a bit. The only reason to buy that board though would be for the RAM, with the idea that you could reuse the DDR3 on the next generation of motherboards.

DDR3 is too expensive and by the time you upgrade again will likely be obsolete

So get the P43 board, or ask for more suggestions.

 

[adam_j_mil]

Thanks much for the suggestions so far. Clearly I am new at this!

Re: the motherboard, I picked the ASRock only because:

-It has a pretty good manual that describes exactly what every component on the motherboard is
-Reviews of other ASRock boards indicated they were pretty stable as far as bios. One thing I am a little concerned about is initial setup, because I have no IDE drives, no floppy, and usb mouse and keyboard.

If I go with the P43 motherboard, how do you recommend I start out? Flash the bios as soon as I can, or start by installing Windows (I'm probably going to use XP 32 bit, although I'm going to do more research on 32 vs 64). My plan is to make sure Windows is up and running and the bios is stable, before I take the next step and install linux.

thanks

 

[beru]

Maybe this will help ...I just bought a Gigabyte EP43-DS3L for about 110$ and it is very stable, very fast and with Gigabyte back at the top it's got the best bang for your buck out there!!!!As far as ASROCK it's not that it's a bad choice but compared to what you get for the same price at GIGABYTE well the choice is quite clear!!!I'm a independent system builder and I use Gigabyte on most of my builds (home/commercial/Gaming/multimedia etc...) So far NO returns or Defects....and if you check out the latest reviews of any new Gigabyte board well it's all good news...!

 

[aevm]

You don't need the Arctic Cooling Freezer. Your CPU is retail, and the HSF that comes with it will be just fine since you don't overclock.

 

[aevm]

You can save another $20 with this PSU:

PC Power & Cooling S61EPS 610W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703005

RAM:
mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731

When you say "I'm not a gamer", what does that really mean? If you NEVER play games except maybe Solitaire, a HD 3650 card would be better than the HD 3850 because it's cheaper and consumes less power. If you DO play games from time to time, get a good card like the HD 4850. The HD 3850 is right in between those two and TBH doesn't make much sense for anybody these days.

 

[adam_j_mil]

When you say "I'm not a gamer", what does that really mean? If you NEVER play games except maybe Solitaire, a HD 3650 card would be better than the HD 3850 because it's cheaper and consumes less power. If you DO play games from time to time, get a good card like the HD 4850. The HD 3850 is right in between those two and TBH doesn't make much sense for anybody these days.

It means I am unlikely to play cutting edge games. Getting older, don't have the time or attention span anymore .

Because of rebates the 3850 and 3650 are the same price right now (Can get either for $55). But less power is good, so 3650 sounds like a good idea. Suspect it will take up less room also.

You can save another $20 with this PSU:

PC Power & Cooling S61EPS 610W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817703005

Looks like I have to buy this today to get the deal. I'm new to newegg, what do they usually do after a savings special is over, is it likely to go back to full price?

 

[aevm]

I don't think there's a pattern about Newegg's sales, or I haven't noticed it yet. They do have sales often at the most popular items. If you don't want to buy today, just start a new thread when you are ready to buy. We like finding good sales on this forum

By the way, this GameXStream 600W is $60 after rebate and shipping, and it's still powerful enough for your build. The only objection I have to it is the blue light.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341001

 

[adam_j_mil]

If your going to use linux get a linksys wifi card of your choice. I hear it has better linux support.

Are linksys cards worth it for this? They all seem expensive, > $60.

What about this as a wireless adaptor:

D-Link WDA-1320 IEEE 802.11b/g 32-bit PCI Wireless G Desktop Adapter
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127080
$20 after rebate

thanks for all the advice everyone.

 

[adam_j_mil]

I'm still debating what mobo to get...I guess my requirements are:

-something with at least decent instructions so a newbie can put everything together
-stable enough bios that I can install without having any IDE drives, floppy drives, or PS/2 mouse/keyboard. (maybe i'm naive that i think this can be done)
-supports linux well.

I'm willing to pay a little more for a solid mobo. Seems like the reviews are littered with issues based on either incompatibilities or crappy bios.

Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[Proximon]

My P5Q -E. had no trouble with my G15 keyboard or G5 mouse, both USB. Linux support though, that's trickier. P45 chipset is new.

There is a little part that comes with some keyboards, to convert a USB KB to PS/2. Check your drawers, you may have received one and don't recall. If not, check friends or the local store.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1220387&CatId=469

I think

 

[carlinra]

If your going to use linux get a linksys wifi card of your choice. I hear it has better linux support.

Are linksys cards worth it for this? They all seem expensive, > $60.

What about [D-Link] as a wireless adaptor?

First time poster, so please take this with the proverbial lick of salt.

I've run into a great deal of problems with D-Link routers - stability, ability to access my company & client VPNs, and overall performance - and can't recommend them. The D-Link wireless adaptor I purchased (with the aforementioned router) has been adequate, but no great shakes.

On the other hand, I've never run into a problem with Linksys products. While they're generally a bit more expensive, I've found that you typically get what you pay for, and in this case I'd second PsyKhiqZero's suggestion.

-RAC

 

[adam_j_mil]

There is a little part that comes with some keyboards, to convert a USB KB to PS/2. Check your drawers, you may have received one and don't recall.

Ok, so I pulled down my pants, but I don't see....Oh, you mean desk drawers. gotcha.

Linux support though, that's trickier. P45 chipset is new.

Yes, Linux may be trickier. Might have to wait a while for drivers to catch up with the new hardware. For example, linux may not recognize SATA drives unless in AHCI mode: http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?board_id=1&model=P5Q&id=20080624021821000&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

which may cause problems on Windows (especially with XP): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Host_Controller_Interface