Help with first build.

[SomeoneMustGetHurt]

Okay so this is officially my first build and I need a few things clarified...

Here's the situation - I need a new computer that is generally top-notch that plays the newest games yet to come but within a 900 dollar budget (I could go for 1000 but thats a stretch) to replace my old Dell Inspiron which most importantly includes an Intel Core 2 Q6600 @ 2.39 GHz that I'll put into my system (if recommended). I'll also use other parts of it like the hard drive for my new build.

On Newegg.com I will order the following hardware-

Case - XCLIO Windtunnel Fully Black Finish 1.0 mm SECC Chassis ATX Full Tower Computer
Video Card- SAPPHIRE 100281SR Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire
Processor- Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.39 GHz
PowerSupply- CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power
Motherboard- ASRock P55 Extreme LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel
Memory- 2 orders of : Crucial 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit

Note: The processor will be taken from old computer if anything is wrong with that.

That's what I'll purchase to build my new pc... other things such as my old sound card, hard drive, network card?, as well as my old processor probably will be used in my new pc.
So would there be any problem with this like incompatibility, better offers on parts, or if I left out any important information?

 

[rockyjohn]

One little issue, the CPU has the 775 socket and the mobo the 1156 socket, so you might have a little problem plugging in the CPU to the mobo.

To keep from buying old technology, you really need to update the CPU along with the mobo and RAM all at one time. The 775 socket is two generations back and your CPU is three or four generations back - depending on how you want to count all of the new ix CPUs. But the good news is you can get an i3 ot i5 CPU for about $100 that will beat the old one and for $200 will run circles around it.

 

[welshmousepk]

yeah, thats not gonna work.

you need a 775 mobo. other than that, a very strong build.

 

[rockyjohn]

No he needs an 1156 CPU

Oh yeah, and the mobo requires DDR3 memory not DDR2. You really should look at the mobo list of compatible CPUs and memory.

 

[rockyjohn]

I think this would provide and excellent i5 System:

CPU
Intel Core i5-750- Retail - $200 and free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215

Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD4P LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard w/ USB 3.0 & SATA 6 Gb/s – Retail $185 + $8 shipping http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128409

You might be interested in an article about the UD – ultra durable – feature of the Gigabyte mobos:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gigabyte-ultra-durable,2094.html

And here is a review on the mobo above and 6 other mobos in the same price range:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lga-1156-motherboard,2463.html

The conclusion on the last page of the article states:

The four boards that remained 100% stable are Gigabyte’s $170 P55-UD4P, Biostar’s $185 TPower I55, Asus’ $195 P7P55D EVO, and EVGA’s $200 P55-SLI. Of these, Gigabyte’s P55-UD4P has the second-highest CPU overclock, highest base clock, highest memory clock for high-end four-module configurations, lowest power consumption, and lowest VRM temperature. Gigabyte’s P55-UD4P also has the lowest price of the four top-quality boards and is thus the best value in its class.

Memory
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL8D-4GBHK - Retail - $109 with free shipping
Timings: 8-8-8-21
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189&Tpk=F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK

Graphics Card
2 each BFG GTS 250 1GB PCI-Express Video Card - Retail - 2 @ $110 AR plus $16 shipping = $236
http://www.frys.com/product/5866223?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Here is THG list showing the best cards for each budget level and the GTS 250 SLI was selected for the $250 budget level. BFG is my preferred manufacturer and their cards come with a lifetime warranty.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2521-5.html

Case
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case – Retail - $70 and free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137

PSU
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 - $60 AR with free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341018

Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - $95 and free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433

DVD RW
Pioneer Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 40X CD-R 32X CD-RW 2MB Cache SATA CD/DVD Burner LabelFlash Support - OEM - $33 + $2 shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129045


Total Cost - $972 - AR and before OS and taxes where applicable, plus $27 shipping = $999

If you need to trim backto $900, cut the HD to 500 GB and save about $40 and cut the graphics card back to what you can afford. Or alterntively, get the entire system now except with just one graphics card - saving about $115 now - and add the second card later.

 

[welshmousepk]

did you read his first post?

he wants to use a CPU he already has (and a good one) instead of buying a new. so he does want a new mobo, then the RAM and CPU will work fine.

 

[rockyjohn]

Fine, he can substitute his own parts in whereever he wants. But I already explained the issue of trying to build a new system over some of the older parts - especially keeping the 775 socket. To that I will add that a new HD is likely to be twice as fast as the old - why hamstring the whole system for a $50 part?

The things worth saving are the ones not needed - sound card and network card - they can be used but by and large are effectively replaced with integrated devices.

If he keeps the cpu and ram, why bother replacing the mobo? What is going to be gained by upgrading the system? Why pour $900 into a system that does little more than can be obtained by adding a faster graphics card supported with a PSU upgrade?

Forgive me, I thought he wanted the best system possible for the investment of $900 to $1,000.

 

[SomeoneMustGetHurt]

After some serious consideration I redone some of my upcoming specs... I'm going to buy a new AMD processor, a new AMD motherboard, a different RAM for DDR3, keep the full-tower case, and downgrade my planned video card. I'm also going to stick with my full-tower and the power supply. As for things I'll use from my old system- the hard drive, sound card, network card.

Case (Unchanged)- XCLIO Windtunnel Fully Black Finish 1.0 mm SECC Chassis ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Mobo (changed to AMD for about 50 dollars less)- ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
RAM (changed;used your link) G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
Graphics card (downgraded to from 5870 for 100 dollars less)- HIS H585F1GDG Radeon HD 5850 (Cypress Pro) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
Powersupply (unchanged)- CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power
Processor (upgraded to a stronger AMD)- AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor Model HDZ965FBGMBOX
all of this is almost exactly $1000.

Still, I'd like some opinions on this? Like would having some of these parts bottleneck other parts of the system? I know my motherboard is somewhat weak. I'd also want to know whether AMD is a better or worse company than Intel in the way of Motherboards and processors (it's definitely cheaper from what I can see).

 

[rockyjohn]

The i5-750 is a better processor, see the comments in the THG guide to CPUs:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gaming-cpu,2520.html

The Gigabyte motherboards are better, as shown in the articles linked above.

In the long term you are better off with nVidia graphics cards because of CUDA and Physx.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gf100-fermi-directx-11,2536.html

Also in the short term ATI cards have been having some problems:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ATI-Grey-Screen-Fix-5870,9549.html

AMD provides more performance for the dollar in low cost systems, at $1,000 you can afford and should have the better i5-750 based system.

 

[r_manic]

Best answer selected by r_manic.

 

[rockyjohn]

Strange choice.