Need Help with First Build

[vulture1162]

Hey everyone this is my first build, i've posted a few other times on here but i've made a few changes and would like some response before i make my purchases. This is my first build and i am new at this so i wouldn't want to **** it up.

System:

CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor
187.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102719

GPU – EVGA 512-P3-N975-AR GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI
$109.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130380

Cd/DVD - LG Black LG Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM
$99.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136154

CASE – Cooler Master CM 690 NVIDIA Edition ATX Mid Tower
$109.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$74.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218

RAM - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB)
$24.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145184

(i know the g.skill ram is better but its $50 is it really make a huge difference for 4-4-4-12 vs 5-5-5-18?)

MOBO - MSI P7N SLI Platinum LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
$129.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130159

(Not really sold on the mobo if u have any suggestions)

PSU - CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Power Supply
$39.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008

OTHER - Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 ATSC/ClearQAM/NTSC TV Tuner PCI
$74.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116007

Total comes to $782.87!! I already have a few copy's of windows both 32 and 64 bit vista, and i plan on either buying a monitor or just using the 32" toshiba 32HL67US i have as a monitor (i think i can watch the blu-ray on it as long as my graphics card supports HDCP right?)

Any and All comments will help, THANKS!!

 

[Proximon]

Do you understand that you can't burn Blu-ray with that burner? It's fine, just want to make sure you know that.

Save 40 bucks:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136154

Your 400W Corsair is going to struggle with those parts.

I would not recommend any SLI board except x58 right now.


This all just seems a bit out of whack. Did you have a budget?

 

[vulture1162]

Not necessarily, but i'm trying to keep it cheaper and i've playing around with a few options.

I had this PSU - RAIDMAX AURORA 2 RX-600F 600W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V $34.99 but a few people were telling me it was overkill.

I also heard that nVidia was on the uprise after AMD got bought out so i switched from the SAPPHIRE 100225L Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256-bit GDDR4 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire with the ASUS P5Q Pro mobo for $114.99

And no i don't plan on burning blu-ray's i would just like to watch them on my nice 32" 720P TV.

i've read a bunch of your post's, including the one about how which parts to use, which was very helpful btw, and i thank you in advance for your help you seem very knowledgeable.

 

[Proximon]

AMD didn't get bought out

They bought out ATI a while ago.

The only reason to buy an SLI MB right now would be because you already owned a good NVidia card and wanted to add another.

It seems to me that you could get far better performance with a P43 MB and a better video card... regardless of type.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131329
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121272



The Raidmax PSU would have been overkill at 600W, if it in fact was a decent PSU

This one is 30 bucks after rebate and at least an adequate unit:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341012

That seems better to me, and might even save you a bit after rebates... the only thing I don't know right now is what kind of power draw that tuner card has.

 

[vulture1162]

Ok we'll lets try this. Would you say that the ATI cards are better than Intel's right now? If so i'll go with this build which i think works out better.

Purposes for new computer:
Minimal video editing, not enough to buy a quad
Non-video intense gaming, I game but not like large video intensive games like WOW
TV Recording
Blu-Ray viewing (I have a Toshiba 32” (32HL67US) can I hook up my comp to it via a dmi to hdmi/hdmi to hdmi cable and have it view? I heard there was some sort of protection with the blu-ray’s)
I have a decent surround sound system, 5.1 surround Logitech Z-5500
IT Ability, I’m a college IT major and want the ability to interchange certain parts to check and fix other people’s computers
Basically a Home Media computer

System:

CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - $187.99

GPU – ASUS EAH4850 TOP/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit - $129.99


Cd/DVD - LG Black LG Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM - $139.99

CASE – Cooler Master CM 690 NVIDIA Edition ATX Mid Tower – 109.99


HD - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

RAM - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) - 24.99

MOBO - ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - 114.99

PSU - OCZ StealthXStream OCZ500SXS 500W ATX12V / EPS12V Active PFC

OTHER - Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 ATSC/ClearQAM/NTSC TV Tuner PCI - $74.99

only thing i still don't understand is the ram... is it really worth it to buy quality ram at 4-4-4-12? And i know absolutely nothing about power supply's so i'm just going with what you suggested verbatim.

 

[Proximon]

ATI cards are just as good as Nvidia. It simply comes down to price and performance on specific models. AMD is doing a much better job on drivers than ATI did.

The RAM you chose is a good deal. I think it will do fine. You'll get some minor improvement with the CAS 4 RAM, but it's likely not 30 dollars worth.

I was trying to save you a few bucks with the P43 board, but if you want P45 that's OK There are exactly two differences between the P43 and P45 chipsets:
1. Ability to support DDR3, which most P45 boards do not use anyway. 2. Ability to support crossfire, which the majority of P45 boards do.. but not all.

The P5Q Pro is a very inexpensive crossfire board, but is not cheaply built. The Gigabyte UD3P would be more robust, and that might be good for you, but it's out of stock currently. A P43 board MIGHT not have quite the build quality of a P45, at least if we are speaking about ASUS. There is no way to say for certain, but it's generally assumed that the most design work and best parts go into the more deluxe boards. That's why I myself use the P5Q-E, because it's more in the deluxe family of boards but at a reasonable price. (It also comes with eSATA and a few other goodies).
P5Q-E
The Gigabyte board I mentioned is even better than the P5Q-E, but a bit less... but as I said out of stock:
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P

A 4850 will be significantly faster than a 9800GT.

The P5Q pro comes with a combo deal on an E8400.

I believe your TV needs to be HDCP-compliant, which it is. It will not display in 1080p however, just 720p

 

[V3NOM]

^i don't think the P5Q is inexpensive, but it's certianly a good choice of P45.

If you do plan to SLI later, get the evga 750i FTW motherboard instead of that MSI, depending on the prices of course.

oi proximon i thought p43's supported crossfire too... oh well doesnt really make a difference :lol:

imo save the money on the "TOP" and oc it yourself. good choice with the 4850 btw, i like both it AND the 8800/9800GT, although i am a bit of an nVidia fanboi at heart.. pros and cons.