Last minute tips and advice

niloklives

Distinguished
Sep 17, 2009
32
0
18,530
Ok so I'm looking at putting together this system sooner than later, but I'm still getting the money together. This isn't my first system and I've pretty much decided on everything but i wanted to double check with the community to make sure that I couldn't do better at this price point and that there weren't any weird quirks that I should know about, particularly with the mobo.

Budget: ~$1000.00 before tax/shipping
Current package: ~$1200.00 before savings ~$944.00 after (includes MIR)
General use: Gaming, watching movies, possible mild video editing
Not Required: Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse. I have a Samsung 22" LCD and a nice Logitech Mouse. My KB is fine
Preferred Website: Newegg. i've checked a lot of sites and these guys have the best selection and prices by far
Parts Preferences: I'm dead set on an Intel CPU and am a big fan of Asus MoBos. I've also taken a liking to Gigabyte, though I don't care much for their BIOS. Other than that, I prefer Seagate HDDs, but I can be swayed for a good reason. no preferences otherwise.
Overclocking: No reason not to. suggested settings would be helpful. Not looking at SLI or Crossfire now, but I wouldn't mind having it as an option
Monitor Res: 1600x1050

comments:

My current computer has about 800 gigs of storage total and I'm constantly looking to make room, so storage and reliability are a must. I'm looking to O.C. the cpu and the ram. if you can recommend a good fan (clearly most anything is better than the stock fan, but I'm not sure I'd need more than the stock fan considering the illusion's cooling). let me know about additional brackets I'd need. I don't expect to get the MIR back, so I'm not really factoring that in to the cost. Thanks in advance.

Antec 300 Illusion
newegg $69.99
Antec Earthwatts 650
newegg $84.99 after discount, $69.99 if purchased with the Antec 300
Intel C2Q Q9550
newegg $219.99 after discount
Asus P5E Deluxe
newegg $164.99 after discount, $84.99 when purchased with the Q9550, $54.99 after MIR
Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 1GB
newegg $154.99
OCZ PC6400 DDR2 800 2x2GB Ram
newegg $65.99 $40.99 when bought with Sapphire Radeon 4870
Seagate 1TB HDD(x2)
newegg $89.99 after discount
Sony Black DVD+/-RW
newegg $33.99
Windows Vista 64 Home Premium OEM
Newegg $109.99



I'm thinking about grabbing this CPU fan
Xigmatek 120mm
newegg

again I'm not sure that I even NEED this since the 300 has the 4 fans...also I can get a similar deal I believe by getting the standard issue 300 and two 120mm LED fans. I'm considering the thermal takes since it seems they run quieter.

newegg

i know the antecs have speed control, but I don't think the TTs need it seeing as they run so quieter and have the same efficiency as the antecs at their highest settings. any input on the lifespan of either of these?

Thanks for everything

 
Sony Optiarc Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe LightScribe Support - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118032

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive x2 fatest hdd range out atm

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

SAPPHIRE 100279-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102849

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP 600W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017

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=N82E16820231279

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

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131405

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=N82E16819115215

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders w/ Tech Guarantee - OEM
Includes free Windows 7 upgrade coupon

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116677

haf 922

http://www.provantage.com/cooler-master-rc-922m-kkn1-gp~7COOL06Y.htm

all for $1,073.91 with combos it should be cheaper
 

tecmo34

Administrator
Moderator
Total Cost $1,090.84

Combo Deal: $214.98
Intel Core i5 750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115215
COOLER MASTER Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-GP 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16835103065

Combo Deal: $234.98
SAPPHIRE 100279-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814102849
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRH - Retail
Item #: N82E16820231279

Combo Deal: $139.94
Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16817371015
Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811129066

EVGA P55 LE 123-LF-E653-KR LGA1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM

Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM x2

Sony Optiarc DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model AD-7241S-0B LightScribe Support - OEM

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders w/ Tech Guarantee - OEM





 

niloklives

Distinguished
Sep 17, 2009
32
0
18,530
I actually saw that combo just now, hatcher. it's actually really enticing, I may in fact go with that. is there a cpu fan you can recommend with that around the same price as the xigmatek? I hear the stock fan with the i5 is pretty bad.


Also if the P5E wasn't that cheap I'd have gone with one of the cheaper gigabyte boards. but I figured at that price, i couldn't pass that board up
 

niloklives

Distinguished
Sep 17, 2009
32
0
18,530
Thanks hatcher, I didn't know any of those would work with a socket 1156. do i need to do anything special to get them to fit?

thanks to everyone else as well. I lose a half a terabyte this way, but I actually save a little money this way, too. and HDDs are easy to add later, so it's a viable option I hadn't fully explored. Will the i5 o.c. as well as the q9550?

also any input on the thermal take fans as opposed to the antec illusion stock intake fans?
 
Only the 212 says it fits the 1156, the other do NOT (they only have 1366 brackets per the specs). The 212 at $30 is such a good deal I have a hard time justifying anything else.

The i5 should overclock from its base 2.6 to 3.8 easy. Many reviews have them overclocked at 4 or higher with minor voltage adjustments.
 

niloklives

Distinguished
Sep 17, 2009
32
0
18,530
awesome. thanks for all the input.

how do you like those thermal take fans? between the lower noise level and the color, I'm leaning in that direction, but if the antecs will last longer, I'll stick with the illusion
 
My 900 sits on my desk right behind the monitor. The plinging of the HDD is more annoying than the fans since they have the speed control. I think my back one is at medium to compete with the big top one on low and the front 2 are at low.
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.259675 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $89.98
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
COOLER MASTER Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-GP 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU - Retail

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10006382 $99.99 Free Shipping
PC Power and Cooling SILENCER 750W QUAD S75CF Power Supply Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.259878 Combo Discount: -$30.00 Combo Price: $339.98 Free Shipping*
ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Intel Core i5 750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.256275 Combo Discount: -$15.00 Combo Price: $219.98 Free Shipping*
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL - Retail
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100269VXLE Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.259577.22-152-181 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $149.98 Free Shipping*
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - Retail
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders w/ Tech Guarantee - OEM | Includes free Windows 7 upgrade coupon

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=AD7240S-0B $32.99 Free Ground Shipping
Sony Optiarc AD-7240S-0B 24X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW SATA Drive (Black), Bulk

Total: $932.91
 

niloklives

Distinguished
Sep 17, 2009
32
0
18,530
Ok so here's a revised version of the build. Thanks to everyone who's helped


Combo Deal $497.99
Intel Core i5 750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115215
ASUS P7P55D LE LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813131410
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive (bare drive) - OEM
Item #: N82E16822148337
OCZ Platinum 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1333LV4GK - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227478

CPU Fan 29.99
COOLER MASTER Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-GP 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16835103065

Case and PSU $124.94
Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16817371015
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811129042

Case Fans (x2) $19.98
Thermaltake Thunderblade A1928 120mm Green LED Case Fan - Retail
Item #: N82E16811999139

GPU $154.99
SAPPHIRE 100279-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814102849

DVDRW $33.99
Sony Optiarc DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model AD-7241S-0B LightScribe Support - OEM
Item #: N82E16827118032

Arctic 5 thermal compound $6.99

Vista Home Premium 64 $109.99

Subtotal: $978.86