First Time Computer Build - hoping to run Bad Company 2

motoprnhog

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Dec 27, 2009
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Hello all, first off, thanks for all feedback and time spent to answering any questions or providing helpful information. I am here as a experienced computer user, but not so much when it comes to building a computer. I attempted to complete as much research as I can mentally and physically endure. With that being said, I am wondering if all my efforts were wasted or well spent. So please, add any information, better price ideas, compatibility issues, or known issues with the build listed below.


Keep in mind that I am going to use Tiger Direct due to not having any taxes applied to the products bought.


Asus M4A79T Deluxe Motherboard
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5296207&sku=B69-3242

Due to the AM3 still being a rather new chip, I am unable to find a motherboard that everyone is happy with. I looked at ASUS/MSI/GIGABITE. Neither of the three motherboard manufactures had squeaky clean reviews. So I went with the Asus M4A79T due to the motherboard having reasonable spacing for a larger than normal CPU aftermarket Fan/Heatsink cooler. Also it hits up to 1600 MHZ DD3 ram, pretty cool.

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Quad Core Processor
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5296207&sku=B69-3242

The AMD Phenom II X4 965 is defiently power hungry due to the fact that I will be receiving the 140W version. I do not mind, because I defiently compensated with the power supply. There are no bad reviews on the processor itself, so I believe this is a pretty solid choice.

Noctua NH-U12P SE2 120mm CPU Cooler
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5233169&sku=N126-1016

I chose this CPU fan/heatsink due to being able to point which direction you want the heat to go. Being that I will be purchasing a HAF 932 Case, I figured pointing the heat up to the 230mm fan at the top of the case, would be a good idea.

Cooler Master HAF 932 Full Tower Black Case
Cooler Master HAF 932 Full Tower Black Case

Basically, I was looking for an extremely well built case with a larger than normal amount of airflow. I do not like LCS due to the fact that I am stupid and will probably mess it up. However, this case contains a front 230MM, Side 230MM, and a top 230mm. Also located at the back of the case is a 140MM fan. This case looks like it will serve my needs in this build. Keep in mind I did research on two other cases that would probably fit my needs aswell, those being the Thermaltake Armor (with LCS system) and the Thermaltake Spedo.

Ultra X4 1200-Watt Modular Power Supply
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4143847&sku=ULT40323

I am completely oblivious when it comes to the needs of watts and what not, so I figured just go big. I chose this power supply due to it being not only a 1200W PSU but it's modular. From what I read, modular is a newer type of power supply, but it looks like it will work very well with attempting to regulate cables. If anyone has suggestions about this specific PSU, please please voice them.

Corsair Dominator 4GB DDR3 RAM - PC12800, 1600MHz, 4096MB (2x20248MB)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4837612&sku=C13-8216

The motherboard states that it can reach 1600mhz ram speed while overclocked. However, I did read reviews of people stating they had the MB recognize the RAM on the first initial boot. If you know for sure it will not work, please let me know.

WD VelociRaptor 150GB SATA HD 10K/16MB/SATA-3
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4164551&sku=TSD-150HLFS

I did extensive research on the differences between 7200 RPM, 10k RPM, and SSD. Now there is a huge variety of SSD which different models and makes complete different speeds. I don't really go too conservative on money when building a machine, but 400.00 for a 160 GB hard drive really makes me squirm. The speeds differences are vast, but I am not an impatient person, I just want a computer that can run Bad Company 2.

XFX Radeon HD 5870 XXX Edition Video Card - 1GB GDDR5 X2
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5562973&sku=P450-5872

I am really stumped on the differences on the graphics cards. It seems like the ATI is the bigger bang for your buck, so I stupidly chose the top card of the 5k series. If this was stupid, let me know.

OTHER STUFF

I will be running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.
I do have optical drives picked out.

I will be planning to overclock the processor, ram, and tweak the graphics card. I am not sure if what I have built will allow me to play BC2 and be able to tweak the hardware a bit without causing permanent damage to the components. I really do appreciate any feedback that is provided and thank you for your time.
 
This is cheaper RAM with lower latency and voltage. Kingston HyperX 4GB DDR3 1600MHz $112
+1 to getting a good 7200RPM HDD. If you want fast loading times for OS and games, you could get away with a 40 or 60GB SSD, altho it probably wouldn't be the best investment.
+1 on the Corsair PSU, save yourself some money here, with no compromise on reliability or ability to potentially crossfire one of the best cards you can get.
If you are just gaming, then you do not need anything more than Win 7 Home Premium.
 

motoprnhog

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Dec 27, 2009
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Ok, so I switched to two Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 Hard Drive - 750GB, 7200rpm, 32MB, Serial ATA-300 (3 lbs).
I also switched the PSU to Corsair HX850W 850w Modular Power Supply - Single Rail, 80 Plus Silver (8.95 lbs). That PSU can handle two 5870s?
 

motoprnhog

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Dec 27, 2009
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Ok, I took care of the RAM, I am now running Kingston HyperX 4GB DDR3 1600MHz Memory. I also took care of the hard drive and PSU.

I do agree with your opinion on the SSD. I just do not believe it is a worthy investment.

Anyone have anything else to add / change? Looking forward to ordering this sometime tonight / tomorrow.