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Thoughts on My First Build (i7-860) and Please Help Answer Questions

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Hello Everyone!!!

I am somewhat new to computers and this is my first build. I have been researching extensively for the past few weeks and this is what I have come up with so far. Please share any suggestions, comments, concerns and opinions you have. Also please don't forget to answer the questions I have at the bottom if you have any knowledge on them.

Thanks in advance everyone

Quick Update: Hey I got some sweet deals on my mobo, cpu, and case from frys. Everything else i plan to get from newegg or anywhere else that has good prices. Please tell if you know of any.
Everything else is still debatable though

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: this week (hopefully)

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming, surfing the internet, watching/downloading movies and music

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com

PARTS PREFERENCES: Whatever is good quality and worth the price. I also don't mind lifetime warranties=)

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: (keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS)

OVERCLOCKING: Yes SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes in future



MY Build:


Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

ASUS P7P55D Deluxe LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor - 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 -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

LITE-ON Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW SATA CD/DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

ASUS EAH5850/G/2DIS/1GD5 Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...


So things that I am still somewhat undecided on are the RAM, HDD, PSU and CPU cooler.

Do you think that the cpu cooler is overkill or needed now or in future? Any other cooler or fans that i should get?

I plan to crossfire the 5850 sometime down the road but not right now. I also plan to add more RAM, drives, and HDDs down the road as well. I want a power supply that is going to last me to be able to do all of that when the time comes. So given that which one would you choose? These are the ones that i have been looking at right now:

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ700MXSP 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7 - Retail
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 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...



The HDD I have shown is one that was recommended to me by a friend. What do you think about its specs and is samsung a good brand for HDD's? I want a HDD that will be fast (especially for gaming) without breaking the bank on an SSD. lol. Should I go with a 32 cache over a 16 cache?

I am completely confused on what RAM I should get. The whole speed vs cas latency thing is very confusing. I just want some fast RAM that will be good for gaming. I know that i will need at least 4gb for my operating system though. I will add more probably later. This is one thing where I would very much prefer a brand that has a lifetime warranty


Sorry if my questions are rather noobish, but i guess if the boot fits=)

More about : thoughts build 860 answer questions

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I'd save some money on the mobo
ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

also get this HSF and drop the TIM
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-GP 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Go for the 750W TX, it will be plenty.

And this RAM
OCZ Platinum 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

That HDD is excellent, it's the fastest non-SSD HDD. See the HDD section of the link in my sig for an explanation and the RAM section as well. 4gb will be plenty for a while.

Hey guys thank you both for the replies.

Now i noticed that those two both have the same timings but one is a 1333 while the other is a 1600 speed. So am i going to notice a big difference between the two? Is another 267 in speed worth $20?
Related ressources
Ask the community

Hey jbakerlent was actually just looking at your list of recommended parts link under your name. Very helpful and informative, glad to see some of my components on it =)

How can you tell that RAM won't work for my mobo? I'm sure the answer is really obvious, but i can't figure it out

Ok that sounds handy and now i know thanks

Now what i have heard and you saying about the samsung HDD confirms that i will be getting that one. I am wondering though if i put my OS on a HDD can i transfer it to another one if i need to?

I have an Antec 900, MSI P55-GD65, a i7 860 and a hyper 212 Plus.

some things to think about: If you use a Hyper 212 Plus in an Antec 900, you can't mount a 120mm fan in the side. I don't mind since the 900 has excellent air flow. The 900 only has 3 bays accessible from the front if you use both 120mm front fans. Not a problem for most, but you should know. I have a floppy and 2 opticals. If I wanted to add a fan bus, I'd be out of luck. I can fit my 800GTX (10.5in card) but it requires not using the internal 120mm fan mount also. And don't forget the 900 uses a bottom mount PSU. not sure if that matters to you (doesn't to me).

Is there a different cpu cooler that i could use that would allow for everything to fit down the road? Are they even necessary for my build right now, or just for future?

What about:

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

OR

XIGMATEK Intel Core i7 compatible Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Will either one be better performance or fit better in my antec 900 case than the Hyper 212 plus?

+1 for the Corsair 750TX and ASUS P55 PRO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

And here is a solid deal with the case and a very fast HDD...
WD Black 1TB + Antec EA 900
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

And as for the CPU cooler, that Artic is good but not the best out there if you really want to overclock high...
another alternative...
Scythe katana 3
http://www.crazypc.com/products/katana_3-50623.html

Hey thanks for the reply!

So is there any other reason you would pick that power supply over the 850W other than the combo deal?

I'm not familiar with that cpu cooler. Why would you recommend that one? Above someone also mentioned that the Hyper 212 is a little crammed in the case, would this one be as well?

^ For your CPU, say for an overclock of 3.4GHz(Maybe more but it depends on the settings), that CPU cooler would do...
And anyways the case has enough fans for good airflow...

^ You would have to reinstall the OS or create a backup and restore it onto that HDD when you get one...
But make sure you get a faster HDD as this WD Black 1TB HDD is one of the fastest 7200RPM drives out there...
And you wouldnt want to install an OS on to a slower drive when you have a fast one...

Would you suggest getting a 1tb now and then getting something small and fast later, perhaps an ssd when they become more appropiately priced, to run your os on
OR
Would you suggest getting the samsung 500gb now and then getting a 1tb later and using the 1tb as your backup?

Unless you format your HDD, the data wont be lost(not taking into account HDD crash and viruses)...
And have you selected the OS yet? You can reinstall the OS without any issues on the same system...It can take care small hardware changes...

^ Yeah there will be no issues...
And I wouldn't have to implicitly say that you must have the installation disc and the registration key when you will be reinstalling the OS...do I ?

No. haha
But im glad you did anyway

So since i already got my mobo, cpu, and case on some sweet deals at frys, i can't really use those deals you showed me, but its all good.

Having said that though are you sure you would still go with the 750W over the 850W for the psu? Since price isn't an issue with them and theres no combo deal now. Is it bad to have a bigger psu than you need?

hey gkay09 maybe you Can help me.. I just build me a new computer

It's a...

CPU: Intel Core i7-860 2.88GHz LGA1156 (Standerd Cooling Intel Heatsink and FAN)
GPU: XFX ATI RADEON HD5870 1GB DDR5
RAM: 4GB DDR3 1333MHz (2x2GB Gaming RAM DUAL-Channel)
HDD: Seagate 1TB Barracuda 7200.12 (and my old SATA HARDRIVES 250GB & 500GB)
MOBO: Asus P7P55D EVO LGA1156
PSU: Cooler Master Extreme 650W
CASE: Cooler Master HAF922 Black (3x 20cm Chasis FANS)

SCREEN: Samsung HD 23.3" Wide LCD 50000:1 2MS

OS: Windows 7 build 7100 Ultimate

Any thing that i need to change to make it last longer for gaming and LAN's? Sorry for using this thread but i dont know how to add my own one I know where to go but I can't find the submit button to add my own thread??

Thats ok you must be a newbie too
Don't worry we can share thread=)

Your setup looks pretty sweet to me though. Gkay recommended the WD Black 1TB HDD to me cause its the fastest. U might want to use that instead

@NightlyToast Check the ATI website about the power requirements for HD 5850 crossfire - http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/ati-rad...
It says you would require a 600W PSU with 4 6-Pin PCIe power connectors for HD 5850 crossfire...So dont you think that 750W would suffice?

But its your call though...if getting a bigger PSU will give you peace of mind, then go ahead and get it...

@DISCONNECTED_MIND Did you find the "Ask the community" button above the table containing the list of thread ? That would open a new page, from where you can add your own thread...
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-31-322.html
And do read this sticky - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-31-322.html
As for your setup, the only major issue I see is the power supply...The CM extreme PSUs are not of very good quality...If you will be sticking with just 1 HD 5870, then a quality 500-550W PSU from Corsair/ Seasonic/ Silverstone/ PCP&S/ Antec EA/ True power series/ CM Real power series/ OCZ would do...If you want to crossfire 2 HD 5870s, then get atleast a 650W PSU with 4 6-Pin power connectors from any of the above manufacturers...The Corsair 750TX that I had suggested in this thread will be a good option...

@NightlyToast the price of the 750W higher than the 850W ? links ?

And @DISCONNECTED_MIND is there no buttons present after that bid textbox ?
"Preview" and "Submit" button ? What browser are you using ? Did you try in any other browsers ?

I know about that when im on that Ask Community page there is a box where i chose whats my threads name and where i type my message nut there is no submit button to add my thread to thes forum the only way i can reply is to use this quick reply thing i cant even use the Add a Reply button because is does the same I type my message but no submit button..

Oh the links are at the top of the page. But when i added them on here, they both came out to be about $100 (with the rebates), now the 850 is up $30

Good thing the 750 is still at $90, i better order soon though who knows when they are going to change their price again.

^ From what he is saying, he has done it properly but there might be problems with the page and the browser, which can causes such problems with the controls(button)...
Try with other browsers too...

So then this is my new and approved build:

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129021

ASUS P7P55D Deluxe LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131400

Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115214

LITE-ON Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW SATA CD/DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827106289

ASUS EAH5850/G/2DIS/1GD5 Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121349

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835100007

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139006

Scythe Katana 3 SCKTN-3000 CPU Cooler
http://www.crazypc.com/products/katana_3-50623.html

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives -Bare Drive
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 F3-12800CL8D-4GBRM - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Any other suggestions or comments?








And if you are not buying the parts with the combos, then switch these parts -
1. HDD - The WD Black like is said is very fast...but it would be a better only at that reduced price in the combo...Alternatives - Samsung F3/ Seagate 7200.12

2. Why do you need that Deluxe mobo ? Any specific reason ?
Go with the Deluxe version if only its revised version is out... - http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/asus-changes-course-...

3. This case will also be a very good option to consider...
CM HAF 922
http://www.provantage.com/cooler-master-rc-922m-kkn1-gp...
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=CA-RC922MK&c=fr&pid=50...
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