My first time building a rig (i7 $1300) Needs Advice

[elo820]

Hey guys, I have been checking this part of the forum a lot lately, and now its my turn to get a build started. I need every bit of help that I can get.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Within this month. BUDGET RANGE: $1300 usd

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT:gaming and movies

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, speakers, OS.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com / Microcenter. Im wondering does microcenter have whatever newegg has? I plan to go to microcenter to buy my parts.

PARTS PREFERENCES: I would like to have 22-25 inch monitor that is good for gaming and is fully hd with HDMI. Intel and nvidia

OVERCLOCKING: Yes

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes in the future and waiting for dx11 so what should I do? go for something cheap now and wait it out and get 2 totally new cards?

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080 arnd lowe

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I don't really need to make a combo list but that helps I guess. I Just want to have a future comp, and I wanted to make sure that I am able maybe have a mobo that is able to upgrade to the next cpu that might come out?

Parts that I know I want.


CPU: i7 920 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202- It has to be D0 stepping but How do I know? I am getting my parts at microcenter.

Mobo: im unsure on this. Sli or Cf capabilty with a sound card built in it

PSU : if i plan to overclock and get strong gpus what watt should I get? I just dont want to buy a 4850 then suddenly i plan to get two gtx 295 then I have to buy another PSU

Graphics: Gtx 275 or 4890 xfx models

Monitor - Still need help with picking a gaming monitor

Case- Antec 902 -http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0305999

Heatsink - CCF - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004

and bracket -http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207005

Ram- OCZ platinum http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227381

Hard Drive- two 640 gb caviar black.

Am I missing anything? Help is greatly appreciated, Thanks!

 

[hunter315]

Get 6 GB of the OCZ platinum, get a 4890 it will run 1920x1080 quite well. Get a corsair 750TX PSU, it is strong enough for 2 GTX275's, if you ever have to move up to 2 GTX295's you are doing something horribly wrong.

Consider an ASUS P6T, it supports SLI and crossfire. Ask for a D0 stepping when you go to microcenter, you can also check the sSpec number to tell what stepping it is. Get the core contact freezer and mounting bracket, it performs better than the xigmatech.

 

[raybob95]

Hey guys, I have been checking this part of the forum a lot lately, and now its my turn to get a build started. I need every bit of help that I can get.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Within this month. BUDGET RANGE: $1300 usd

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT:gaming and movies

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, speakers, OS.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com / Microcenter. Im wondering does microcenter have whatever newegg has? I plan to go to microcenter to buy my parts.

PARTS PREFERENCES: I would like to have 22-24 inch monitor that is good for gaming and is fully hd with HDMI. Intel and split between ati/nvidia

OVERCLOCKING: Yes

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes in the future and waiting for dx11 so what should I do? go for something cheap now and wait it out and get 2 totally new cards?

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I don't really need to make a combo list but that helps I guess. I Just want to have a future comp, and I wanted to make sure that I am able maybe have a mobo that is able to upgrade to the next cpu that might come out?

Parts that I know I want.


CPU: i7 920 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202- It has to be D0 stepping but How do I know? I am getting my parts at microcenter.

Mobo: im unsure on this

PSU : if i plan to overclock and get strong gpus what watt should I get? I just dont want to buy a 4850 then suddenly i plan to get two gtx 295 then I have to buy another PSU

Graphics: I'm Really confused about this.. Should i get something that is cheap now and wait for Dx11?

Monitor - Asus?

Case- Antec 902 -http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0305999

Heatsink - Darknight - http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0307055

Ram- I dont know what to get, but I see a lot of people getting ocz platinum or gold. Which?

Am I missing anything? Help is greatly appreciated, Thanks!

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R
Video Card - NVIDIA GTX 275 (SLI if possible; 2x275 > 1x295)

Exactly right. Get OCZ Platinum and a Corsair 750TX PSU

And DO NOT get an ATI 4890.

Pretend that ATI is the bug and NVIDIA is the foot.

 

[elo820]

hmm. for graphics card.. What i meant to say like in the future when dx 11 cards come out. I just want to future proof if say i get gtx 3xx sli. So you think 750 watt is good enough for future proofing?


I dont know which company graphics card i should go with? And for the d0 stepping. "you can also check the sSpec number to tell what stepping it is" what does that mean?

Is that heatsink easy to install? "Get the core contact freezer and mounting bracket, it performs better than the xigmatech."

Any monitor ideas?

Any particular thing Do I need to look for in a Mobo?

 

[belial2k]

Here is a monitor on sale
http://www.compusa.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=4774495&sku=F93-2404&SRCCODE=COMEM326BY&cm_mmc=EML-_-Main-_-COMEM326-_-special
With your budget you should consider the budget x58 MBs
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cheap-x58-motherboard,2368.html
if you are 100% sure you are going to upgrade to dx11 graphics you should not buy anything higher than a 4850 ($100) for now...but that is up to you and only you know if its worth it to wait on a true 19x12 card. Another thing to consider is there will likely be a real price drop in the current generation of cards when the new ones come out, so if the performance doesn't seem worth it for the new cards you can do some bargain shopping for 4890s at that time....

 

[elo820]

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R
Video Card - NVIDIA GTX 275 (SLI if possible; 2x275 > 1x295)

Exactly right. Get OCZ Platinum and a Corsair 750TX PSU

And DO NOT get an ATI 4890.

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thu...stockphoto_9875031-foot-stepping-on-roach.jpg

Pretend that ATI is the bug and NVIDIA is the foot.

Ok so can you recommend what 275 is good? LOL funny pic

 

[raybob95]

hmm. for graphics card.. What i meant to say like in the future when dx 11 cards come out. I just want to future proof if say i get gtx 3xx sli. So you think 750 watt is good enough for future proofing?


I dont know which company graphics card i should go with? And for the d0 stepping. "you can also check the sSpec number to tell what stepping it is" what does that mean?

Is that heatsink easy to install? "Get the core contact freezer and mounting bracket, it performs better than the xigmatech."

Any monitor ideas?

Any particular thing Do I need to look for in a Mobo?

For the graphics card get EVGA. The heatsink is not hard to install, just remember to remove the plastic wrap. Get OCZ Freeze along with the Dark Knight cooler.

Get this monitor.

 

[elo820]

What is OCZ freeze? Does that work with any heatsink?

Does anyone know If Microcenter online site is limited in things that have in store? Like does instore have more options for parts? I guess imma redo my first post

 

[elo820]

For the graphics card get EVGA. The heatsink is not hard to install, just remember to remove the plastic wrap. Get OCZ Freeze along with the Dark Knight cooler.

Get this monitor.

Why 23"? Just curious haha. Do you know for example if I plug my computer to it does it use the hdmi part? Or is that for a console? And how does sound work do i go from console --> hdmi--> monitor--> speakers? how?

 

[hunter315]

You would connect it to your computer via DVI port, if you want to hook your console up to it you would use the DVI cable.

Why do you suggest so heavily against the 4890 in favor of the GTX275? They are about equal performance wise.

I suggest getting the CCF instead, frosty tech has it ranked higher and it comes with grease preapplied
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207005
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

 

[redgarl]

Get 2 4850 in Crossfire... stronger and cheaper than a GTX275. You got the motherboard able to do it, so why wasting money if you plan to get new graphic cards in 2 months DX11 compatible?

 

[elo820]

You would connect it to your computer via DVI port, if you want to hook your console up to it you would use the DVI cable.

Why do you suggest so heavily against the 4890 in favor of the GTX275? They are about equal performance wise.

I suggest getting the CCF instead, frosty tech has it ranked higher and it comes with grease preapplied
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207005
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

Thanks for that monitor help!

I guess I should go with the CCF. Those 2 newegg links.. those are both needed right to fit in my comp?

 

[hunter315]

yeah, the LGA 775 mounting bracket wont work with an LGA 1366 socket, that mounting bracket does.

 

[elo820]

Get 2 4850 in Crossfire... stronger and cheaper than a GTX275. You got the motherboard able to do it, so why wasting money if you plan to get new graphic cards in 2 months DX11 compatible?

I don't plan to upgrade in 2 months at all. I just wanted to know how I should probably spend my money.

 

[redgarl]

Pretend that ATI is the bug and NVIDIA is the foot.

two 4850 OC in crossfire (160$) == GTX285 (275$ minimum)

NVidia beating ATI.... phhh... keep dreaming, ATI is proposing alternative at almost half the cost of NVidia.

AMD is really having a big momentum I didn't see in years. Stop acting like a fanboy.

 

[elo820]

yeah, the LGA 775 mounting bracket wont work with an LGA 1366 socket, that mounting bracket does.

I tried reading the frostytech link, but Can you summarize why it is good compared to other heatsinks? I dont get like what it is trying to say. =/ ugh

 

[redgarl]

I don't plan to upgrade in 2 months at all. I just wanted to know how I should probably spend my money.

DX11 is coming in october-november... around 2 months.

If you don't crossfire or SLI with your i7, you are wasting money. You will get the same performance with a Phenom II X4 955 except if you buy a 4870X2 or a GTX295... meaning 400$ minimum of graphic cards.

Here a good example of what happening with a mainstream card (GTX260) in single card configuration in Far Cry 2.

The rest of the benches... show... about the same result...

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-x4-955,2278-9.html

 

[elo820]

DX11 is coming in october-november... around 2 months.

If you don't crossfire or SLI with your i7, you are wasting money. You will get the same performance with a Phenom II X4 955 except if you buy a 4870X2 or a GTX295... meaning 400$ minimum of graphic cards.

Here a good example of what happening with a mainstream card (GTX260) in single card configuration in Far Cry 2.

http://media.bestofmicro.com/8/S/206380/original/image032.png

The rest of the benches... show... about the same result...

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-x4-955,2278-9.html

So you are saying.. inorder to get the right performance.. I should get 2 cards?

 

[redgarl]

Today reality is that 2 small cards are better than a big one.

Also, cpus are now strong enough to support 2 graphic cards... but the big question is how much performance can my cheap cpu achieve.

 

[elo820]

I forgot to include that I needed hard drives haha. Which one to get?

 

[redgarl]

So you are saying.. inorder to get the right performance.. I should get 2 cards?

Absolutely, at least two GTX260 or two 4870... if you can't afford it, go with AMD. Tomshardware made a review trying to figure out if the same money could achieve you better performance on core i7 and Phenom II. The result is surprising, the performance is about the same even with high end cards.

It's all depend if the game is cpu bottleneck or gpu bottleneck...

 

[redgarl]

I forgot to include that I needed hard drives haha. Which one to get?

Western Digital seems to be the most reliable brand right now. Seagate got problems, so forget them.

 

[elo820]

Absolutely, at least two GTX260 or two 4870... if you can't afford it, go with AMD. Tomshardware made a review trying to figure out if the same money could achieve you better performance on core i7 and Phenom II. The result is surprising, the performance is about the same even with high end cards.

It's all depend if the game is cpu bottleneck or gpu bottleneck...

So why does everyone recommend a 275 or 4890?

 

[elo820]

Western Digital seems to be the most reliable brand right now. Seagate got problems, so forget them.

Ok so I noticed that people are getting two 640 Western Digital Caviar hds. Why? Can you explain?

 

[elo820]

I forgot to include that the mobo has to have sound card built in it since I dont plan to get a sound card. Which mobo has that?