Help! My first custom computer! Need Suggestions / Support

well looks good but its a bad time to go with a 775 build id suggest tht i5 or amd 955x4 route but cant find the i5 there

XFX Radeon HD 4890 Video Card - 1024MB DDR5, PCI Express 2.0 x16, CrossFireX Ready, (Dual Link) Dual DVI, HDTV

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...

NZXT Tempest ATX Mid-Tower Case - Clear Sides, Front USB, eSATA Ports

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...

Ultra Antistatic Wrist Strap

and sata and DVI cables same as yours

OCZ / GameXStream / 850-Watt / ATX / 120mm Fan / SATA-Ready / SLI-Ready / Active PFC / Power Supply

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...

LG GH22NS50 DVD Writer - DVD+R 22x, DVD+RW 8X, DVD-RW 6x, DVD-RAM 12x, SATA (OEM)

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...

OCZ Dual Channel Platinum 4096MB PC12800 DDR3 1600MHz DDR3 Memory (2x2048MB)

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Quad Core Processor - 3.20GHz, Socket AM3, 6MB Cache, 2000MHz (4000 MT/s) FSB, Retail, Processor

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...

Asus M4A79XTD EVO AMD 790X Socket AM3 Motherboard - ATX, PCIe 2.0, 12x USB 2.0

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...

$1,068.83 for an extra $54
you get a faster cpu better and ddr3 ram and the am3 platform for future upgradability

but since the 955 is a chip made for overclocking i'd add this

Cooler Master RR-B10-212P-GP Hyper 212 Plus CPU Cooler - 120mm, LGA 1366, 1156, 775, AMD AM3, AM2+, AM2

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-de...

and http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...

$10 for a SATA cable! seems like rather a lot to me.
Also I agree with the above, go for a PhenomII or i5/i7. And a good GPU is better than two not so good ones.

Thanks a ton for this! Just a few quick questions. You said that 775 is a bad build right now and amd is better, why is that? Also I'm guessing this is because the processor is much better. Second, if in the future i wanted to use crossfire, is that motherboard capable, i couldn't see anything that said crossfire ready. Finally, my power unit says SLI ready on it, i assume this wont affect if it runs crossfire or not for if i ever buy a second GPU?

Once again thanks a ton!!

-Fahey

ok intel stopped making 775 sockets so you wont be able to upgrade using the same board and ram in future,the am3 platform is newer and will last a few yrs with newer tech coming out and the board is a crossfire board all 790 boards are,sli/crossfire ready only means your power supply can support 2 graphics cards doesn matter if its sli or crossfire

For your first build, checkout the propus 620 quad core at newegg for $99, and a 785 chipset motherboard. Newegg has a combo special with ecs 785 board and propus 620 for around $175 with rebate. Some of the amd boards use ddr2, some ddr3, so check your board specs carefully before ordering memory. All am3 boards use ddr3 only, but am2+ boards work with either am2 or am3 cpus and use ddr2. For your first build, I would not plan on overclocking or using an sli setup. Just getting everything working smoothly will be a challenge. I remember my first build with a pentium 100 cpu. It was not a pleasant experience.

After you settle on a motherboard go to the manufacture's site and check the QVL (qualified vendor list) to make sure you get memory that has been tested for compatibility. On initial boot-up I recommend using only 1 stick, then after Posting or loading an Op-Sys shutting down and add another.

Thanks for the tip. May i ask why you recommend using only 1 stick at first?

Also, i was looking at the QVL for the Asus M4A79XTD EVO AMD 790X Socket AM3 Motherboard - ATX, PCIe 2.0, 12x USB 2.0 and the Ram i had selected: OCZ Dual Channel Platinum 4096MB PC12800 DDR3 1600MHz DDR3 Memory (2x2048MB)
was not on the list. Will it still work?
Also, i was looking at the part numbers of the ones of the QVL and none of them were on comp usa. Does the ram i buy need to have the same part number or does it just need to be like the same vendor and have the same timing lables?
Thanks.
Note: here is QVL http://usa.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=vk9Pqxby9MjO0WHm&...

The reason I recommend adding 1 stick at a time is on a previous platform I up-graded the memory slammed both sticks at once and killed the MoBo. And recently I did a BIOS up-grade with 4 stick in and killed a stick.

On an uneducated guess on my part I would have to say there's over 80% chance that they will work. But to be on the safe side go to OCZ' forum and post the question. They seem to respond in a timely manor, as ASUS doesn't up-date their list as often as they should.

i used that same ram on that board and worked fine you just need to manaully set voltage and timings

sounds kind of hard.. Is there a guide anywhere?

You can try to boot with both sticks, but it the memory is of a type that needs more than standard voltage, then it will likely only boot with 1 stick. You boot, go into the BIOS, set the correct voltage for the memory you have, shut down and install the 2 nd stick. Of course, if it boots fine with both sticks, then just ignore this.

Guide? Yeah, it is called a motherboard manual, you know, usually found in the box with the motherboard.........

Ok well after final tweaks, this is the list i have come up with. What do you guys think?

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Processor ^ $200.00

----- For the overclocked Processer -----
http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-de...
Heat Sink ^ $22

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Thermal paste ^ $15


http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Motherboard ^ - $130

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
4gb Ram ^ - $112

http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-de...
Computer Case ^ - $100

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
DVD Burner ^ $30

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Video Card ^ $200

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Hard Drives ^ $70 x2 = $140

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Power Supply ^ $100

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Dual DVI for TV ^ - $20

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Serial-ATA Cables $10 x3 = $30

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-de...
Ultra Antistatic Wrist Strap ^ 7$

TOTAL: $1106

Fahley, that builds pretty good, but the 955 BE is on newegg for $180 dollars i thinks. Saving $20 on the same thing never hurt anyone  

ah thanks for that

Finally, do you guys think i should extend the manufacturer warranty on any of the computer parts? Thanks

i have to ask you first of all , what do u need ur computer for?
is it just for internet and office apps?
do you plan to play games on it?
is it a gaming rig?
what r ur needs , first and foremost? after we get that covered we can get into the budget and then see what u can get for it.

Well i already have a final list: it is for gaming

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] u=A79-0955
Processor ^ $200.00

----- For the overclocked Processer -----
http://www.compusa.com/application [...] No=4950641
Heat Sink ^ $22

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] &CatId=503
Thermal paste ^ $15


http://www.compusa.com/application [...] =A455-2903
Motherboard ^ - $130

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] =O261-8098
4gb Ram ^ - $112

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] tresources
Computer Case ^ - $100

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] 1028%20OEM
DVD Burner ^ $30

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] =P450-4894
Video Card ^ $200

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] TSD-750AS3
Hard Drives ^ $70 x2 = $140

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] =O261-2006
Power Supply ^ $100

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] C184-26911
Dual DVI for TV ^ - $20

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] 5&CatId=84
Serial-ATA Cables $10 x3 = $30

http://www.compusa.com/application [...] CatId=4748
Ultra Antistatic Wrist Strap ^ 7$

TOTAL: $1106

At the moment i am just wondering if/what i should get the extended warranty on some things.

the ram has a life time warranty cpu,board 3 yrs and xfx has double lifetime warranty power supply i think it may be 5 yrs but most manufactures offer 3 yrs

so would you recommend i extend anything?

i would suggest this power supply its better quality http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?Product...

this has been going on a while i think i can make my build better

hold on a sec

there are problems with the links you have posted.
cannot see them,but if you are already sure of what youre getting than it doesnt really matter;)

its because of the [...] in them. just look up a few posts from where you posted without reading previous posts -_-

if your buying that c2q you might as well get an i5. Overall a bit more for the mobo and ddr3 ram, but worth it imo

No to EVER buying an extended warranty. Period. Period. Period.

Just updated the first list since a lot of people aren't checking posts below it. I am thinking your post refers to the first build.

SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner LightScribe Support - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive(the fastest non ssd hdd out right now)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Seagate Barracuda LP ST31000520AS 1TB 5900 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
(cant seem to find the 790xtd anymore)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

XFX HD-489A-ZDFC Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Double Lifetime Manufacture Warranty

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
(enough for 2 cards)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRH - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120 mm Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooler W/TX-2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

$1,040.91 add $50 for cables and wrist strap

or this

SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner LightScribe Support - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive(the fastest non ssd hdd out right now)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Seagate Barracuda LP ST31000520AS 1TB 5900 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

hsf http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-RR-B10-212P-GP-Univ...

thermal compound http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

XFX HD-489A-ZDFC Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Double Lifetime Manufacture Warranty

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
(enough for 2 cards)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRH - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...


$1103 add $50 for cables and wrist strap

sorry yea i only saw your old post when i responded... then after i respond i see like 10 more posts in betwen as well as your edit... the 955 is definitely on par with i5.

I agree the 955 is on par with the i5, but does get kinda beat by the i7s (but there is a $100 diff in price).