New core i3 system

[Derek145]

I've been playing around with several builds lately, trying to get a cheap gaming build. Now I have one and I just want confirmation that it will actually work.

-Intel Core i3 530 2.93 GHz

-Giagbyte H55M-S2H Mother board

-Diablotek PHD550 550w ATX Black PSU

-OCZ 4GB DDR3 PC3-10666 Platinum

-Cooler Master Elite 330

-WD Caviar 500GB Serial ATA HD

-Samsung 22X DVDRW

I have a 8800GT for the video card and windows 7 32 bit.

So, will this build work alright?

 

[MadAdmiral]

Not a good gaming build. In fact, I might venture out and say it's horrible.

The i3 is an HTPC CPU, not a good gaming CPU. That PSU you choose is surely crap. OCZ RAM is known to have compatibility problems. The WD HDDs are third right now in a three company race.

You might want to follow the guidelines from the link in my signature. If I had a budget, I could get you a much, much better build.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

The first thing that absolutely HAS to go is that cheap POS power supply. The key to a stable system is a quality PSU. That PSU is anything but a quality unit. A quality 400W - 500W PSU would be plenty for your build. You need to look for a unit with active PFC, at lease 80 Plus certification, and high Amps on the 12v rail. This unit would work great for the above components:

Antec EarthWatts Green EA-430D Green 430W Continuous power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS 12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $49.99

The Samsung F3 500GB drive is faster and cheaper than the WD model.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive $54.99

An AMD build would probably be a much better idea depending on your budget. Please edit your post to include all the information in the "How to ask for new build advice" sticky so we can build you a good system for your intended use and budget.

 

[MadAdmiral]

Here's a better gaming CPU and board: X3 425 and Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4 for $197.