Hunter844

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Figuring on doing a new system build here in about a month or so. I will be blending in a few items I already have and I'll try to make note of those as well.


Needs:


1. Open up multiple applications without bog down (i.e. quickbooks, openoffice, dreamweaver, other business software)

2. Surf internet

3. Video/Audio encoding

4. music playing via foobar2000/ minimal movie playing using VLC player

5. NO-GAMING...want option for future expansion for Blu-Ray playback/backup

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To be purchased at a retailer most likely Newegg:

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
Model #:FQC-00765
Item #:N82E16832116758

Kingston SSDNow V Series SNV425-S2BD/64GB 2.5" Desktop Bundle 64GB SATA II Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Model #:SNV425-S2BD/64GB
Item #:N82E16820139133

GIGABYTE GA-785GMT-USB3 AM3 AMD 785G USB 3.0 HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Model #:GA-785GMT-USB3
Item #:N82E16813128432

AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Model HDX945WFGMBOX
Model #:HDX945WFGMBOX
Item #:N82E16819103809

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ
Model #:F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ
Item #:N82E16820231193

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Already in possession of what is noted below that can be integrated into build...

Acer 22'' LCD wide screen monitor
HP DVD-RW burner with Lightscribe (EIDE) (may get a blu-ray burner)
300gb Seagate SATA HDD (7200rpm SATA 1 I believe)
200gb WD SATA HDD (SATA 1) 7200rpm
1tb Fantom External eSATA HDD
Wireless bluetooth keyboard and mouse

PSU (have two options)

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7 (leaning toward using this one)

or

PC Power and Cooling S61EPS 610W Continuous @ 40°C EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7

GPU: Leaning toward just using onboard video unless someone talks me out of it.

Foxconn 8600GTS-256 GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card


Just looking for some input...I've tried to make sure to stick with vendor approved hardware. I am not an Overclocker...just wanted to point that out. I want this to be stable...intending on using SSD for OS only.


 

Hunter844

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On my prior build for my home computer (the one this is replacing) had a 95watt Pentium D 920 Pressler. It averages about 50c which I've always found to be fairly hot. Can I expect the same out of the 95w AMD I have selected? One thing I want to try to find is a nice balance of performance and efficiency...so input on that would be nice too.
 

ckim2116

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If you want to open up applications with no lag SSD is the way to go, but I seriously doubt that 64GB will be enough for you. How much space do the programs you want on the SSD take up?
 

janxta

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Solid build but I would change the RAM to the G Skills with the CAS 7 latency and use the PC Power and Cooling power supply. It will be a great machine for you and have fun with it.
 

Hunter844

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Anything in particular you would recommend? I've always been scared to go off the rez from the QVL but it seems most of the memory on that QVL is older models or newegg just simply doesn't have a lot of that. I would want something that I can possibly do a future upgrade so memory with loser timings might be more appropriate if I understand that correctly.

This mobo isn't overly popular right now and may never be, that may ultimately make me think twice before buying. It has several other boards that are rather close that are popular but for some reason this one isn't picking up much steam. I would have thought the USB 3.0 feature would have provoked more interest from systems builders looking to future proof.


If you want to open up applications with no lag SSD is the way to go, but I seriously doubt that 64GB will be enough for you. How much space do the programs you want on the SSD take up?

I thought about that but I figured 64gb would be more than enough to store the OS and a few of the primary programs. These aren't huge programs by any means. I just figured I could use one of my other HDD's as the primary storage for non-essential applications. Surely there won't be that much of a lag although between the SSD and the HDD a lag may be rather apparent working side by side.

I'm still up in the air on the SSD. I'd like to get one and I'd like to get all the storage I can afford without it getting overly crazy.



 

janxta

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GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard is the motherboard I recently used for a friends HTPC build and he's loving it. You can get this at newegg but they are out of the G Skills Cas 7 latency RAM, just go with 4 gigs that you chose. SSD is way over priced for what you get, wouldn't recommend it. I went with the SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive for speed and reliability.
 

Hunter844

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Anyway...dropped the SSD and favor of the SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive. I'd love to have the SSD but I just don't see it making much sense right now.

Added a cheap SATA DVD burner

Went with Windows 7 Home Prem 64-bit instead of pro in order to reduce costs. I've never had any major issues out of Home Premium Vista so to me this isn't a major drop off.

Everything else previously listed above stayed the same.

Ordered last night as part of the Newegg 24-hour sale and got a 15 dollar gift card and 10 dollars off on Windows 7 builders


All Total $584.91

Just a matter of waiting for it to ship in to me now.
 

Hunter844

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Anyway...I may be a bit over cautious but if I'm using wireless blue tooth mouse and keyboard should I go get a usb mouse while loading windows 7? I know in the old days if windows didn't see your mouse from the get go you were screwed. I have an old PS/2 keyboard, but don't have a usb mouse handy...only one ps/2 port on this mobo.

Everything else has seemed to go smoothly for me so far. Very easy to install the board, CPU went in so easily it scared me. Ram was recognized and no post issues so far.

So nice to get away from the EVGA pile of crapware I have been using.
 

Hunter844

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Thanks...that was the goal as with all builds I do I try to look to future proofing without getting too out of hand in the process. There were things I would have liked to have done like getting a blu-ray burner, SSD, and maybe just load this baby down with enough ram to kill a small elephant but I think I'll just get happy for now. :)

Installed Windows 7 Home Prem 64 bit this afternoon. Install went very easily.

Score 4.3 right now while using on-board video. But I don't care about scores...this thing is smooth right now and that's what I wanted to achieve.

In the interest of letting others know problems don't have to happen...I'm posting this update. It can be done (crossing fingers), trust me this is about my 5th or 6th build over the years and darn near every one had some problem that drove me up the wall until I could figure it out. So far I've been fortunate that this one has went flawlessly. It helps that I built a very similar ASUS system last year with Phenom deneb processor...that one went smoothly after I figured out the cpu wasn't jiving with the articsilver paste I put on thinking it needed it. Apparently it's a no no to mix that with the waxy stuff from AMD.





 


It is an approach I like also. There really is no such thing as future proofing though. I think of it as creating a flexible setup which gives you options.