Noob building an i7-930 comp

July 7, 2010 11:12:57 AM

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Probably next few weeks

BUDGET RANGE: Preferably under $1500

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, surfing, videos

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, mouse, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Preferably newegg.com/microcenter, but if you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.

PARTS PREFERENCES: Intel/Nvidia

OVERCLOCKING: Probably in the future

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe down the road as an upgrade

MONITOR RESOLUTION: Currently 1680 x 1050, planning on a second monitor @ 1920 x 1080 that will be used as the primary gaming monitor

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

Motherboard: ASUS P6X58D-E LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CPU: Core i7-930
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml...

GPU: GeForce GTX 275 OC 896MB GDDR3 PCIe 2.0 Graphics Card
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml...

RAM: CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

HDD: 2x Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply (Is 750w enough?)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Monitor: Don't know. Looking for a good 1920 x 1080 monitor that can be flipped into portrait mode. Any suggestions?

So, how's it look?

More about : noob building 930 comp

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asteldian

July 7, 2010 11:37:54 AM

Your mobo and your case can be bought in a combo for a great price of $279.94 after rebate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

I know you prefer Nvidia but I will throw in the 5850 combo with PSU anyway - $354.98 after rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

I would grab G Skill RAM for lower latency and faster speed - $159.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Total: About $790
Add the i7 930, and the 2 HDDs:
New Total: $1180

I am not entirely convinced by the new 6gb/s yet and so would personally probably get 2 x Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB, saves another $40.

The 5850 is a good card and is Direct X 11 compatible, seems a waste to buy an Nvidia card like the 275 which is old tech when you have a nice computer.

If you really want to get Nvidia though, I would go with the GTX470, while I am not a fan of Nvidias latest series I still consider it better than buying the old stuff. There may be some good combos with it.

If you do go Nvidia and you plan on SLIing in the future, you may have to get a more powerful PSU as they are power whores. The ATI cards will Crossfire with a 750W easily and leave room for OCing

I am no expert on monitors, I just go for a nice 1920 x 1080 of about 24 inches with 2ms response times, I don't worry about all the fancy extra bits as they add to the cost a lot, but I am sure someone here can advise.

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banthracis

July 7, 2010 1:46:43 PM

SATA III on a mechanical HD is a complete joke. Mechanical drives barely saturate the original SATA I, not even close to utilizing SATA II. You'll need a SSD to even consider SATA III.

There's very little difference between monitors of the major manufacturers. Just make sure have the ports you want and get the cheapest for the size you want.

As for the portrait mode thing, be aware that feature add's a significant price premium ~$50-$100

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EmperorDusk

July 7, 2010 7:13:13 PM

So you think the GPU would be a bit of a bottleneck compared to the rest of the build? I noticed the 5850 does have significantly less power draw. I'll keep that in mind. Also, I forgot to mention the OS, but this is simple.

OS - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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asteldian

July 7, 2010 7:33:28 PM

It's not so much it is a bottleneck - the 275 is powerful, its just it is old technology - Direct X 11 will only become more common, and $200 for a card that is not compatible with the latest tech (only manages Direct X 10) just seems a bit much, especially when ATI have some great cards out. Also, with your budget you could fit a GTX470 if you wanted to stick with Nvidia, so there is little reason to go with the 200 series

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Kraze7

July 18, 2010 2:08:14 PM

This is just a tip for newegg. Always check out their deal during weekends if you can. There are a lot of weekends sales that many people don't know about.

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