NOOB---1st build question!! Be easy on me,lol

[flames9]

Good morning!! I have gotten a lot of info from other sites and trying to pull it together. This will be my very first computer build. Trying to stay around the $1000 usd range and primarily wil be used for internet, general word processing (nothing special, just Microsoft office 2007) and some gaming. I play Call of duty and many of the Sports games, such as NHL 2010.

I'm looking for a system that can grow. I know systems appear to be obsolete 10 min after you build them, but would like something thats going to last awhile. My current system is 3 or 4 yrs old, a Dell XPS 410. Here is what I have in mind:

Keep in mind, its my first build and I do not want to go and start cutting cases, etc etc,lol Thank you.

CASE:
Antec Sonata 3 with 500 watt power (around 120 at newegg_

MOTHERBOARD:

1) Gigabyte GA-P55a-UD4P (185 new egg)
or
2) ASUS SABERTOOTH 55i LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard ($170 newegg)

Which 1 would u prefer????

PROCESSOR:
Intel Core i7870 ($289 new egg)

RAM:
Crucial ballistix PC3-12800 DDR3 ($280 for 8GB)

VIDEO CARD:
EVGA GeForce GTX 465 (Fermi) 1GB GDDR5 PCI Express Video Card ($182 newegg)

HARD DRIVE:
HITACHI Deskstar H3IK20003272SP (0S02861) 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive ($109 newegg)

DVD: RW

Not sure any recomendations?????? Just need to be able to burn and fast is always good

OPERATING SYSTEM
Windows 7, I have a .edu addy (not sure if it still works, as I graduated last yr) So would like to get a full copy of Windows 7, any recommendations??? And should one get the "builders" windows 7?

NETWORK CARD??????

have verizon fios, so what works best with that and the system built?????

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, thank you very much. Scott

 

[gordon_81]

no no no, go with a gtx 460 1gb, and an i5 760, and 8gb of ram is overkill 4gb is perfect now, actually i would go for an amd system right now like an amd phenom II x4 965 and a 5850 or 5870 gpu

 

[flames9]

Just curious why 1 would go down to a i5 vice the i7??? Thinking of long term, wouldn't the i7 be a bit better?

 

[gordon_81]

well if you are thinking long term go for lga 1366, so that would mean getting an i7 930 and an x58 mobo, the only thing the i7 870 benefits over the i5 760 is HT which does not make a difference in gaming, they will probably perform equally while gaming and the i5 760 is cheaper, the reason to go for lga 1366 is that you have a better upgrade path and in the future you can upgrade to a i7 980x when it gets cheaper, as for getting the i7 870 it would mean no upgrade path cpu wise as it is lga 1156, thats why i think going amd is better right now, because intel are releasing new cpus and so on later and are releasing new sockets, if you go for the amd it would mean you would have a much better upgrade path as socket am3 (amds socket) will support the new bulldozer cpus meaning that in the future when you feel your pc needs an upgrade you can just chuck in a new cpu and not have to buy a new motherboard, and as amd cpus are cheaper you can spend the money saved on a better graphics card

 

[flames9]

Interesting.

Doyou have any recommendations for AMD MOBO, processor and game card,lol have you posted anywhere of a set up that you would recommend??

 

[gordon_81]

cpu $166 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727&cm_re=965-_-19-103-727-_-Product

gpu $370 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102883&cm_re=5870-_-14-102-883-_-Product

 

[gordon_81]

or this gpu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102884&cm_re=5850-_-14-102-884-_-Product

 

[gordon_81]

mobo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128441&Tpk=890%20ud5

hdd http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181&cm_re=samsung_spinpoint_f3-_-22-152-181-_-Product

PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015


or this 1 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171052

ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

how much do you want to spend on a case? and are you going to be overclocking? if you are then you can go for a phenom II x4 955 as it is the same chip the 965 is just at 3.4 ghz and the 955 is at 3.2 ghz so if you are overclocking that would not make a difference and you could save a few bucks

 

[flames9]

I just want a nice system,lol! I'm willing to spend more $$$ on a case if it helps keep the system cooler and makes for an easy install!

Prob not going to overclock it, as it is my first build.

For the HDD, would the hitachi 2GB 1 I listed above be better?? I like a large Hard drive!


I truly appreciate all your help, and I think i will go ahead and order what ur recomending. thanks

 

[gordon_81]

well then get this hdd http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&cm_re=samsung_spinpoint_f3-_-22-152-185-_-Product

, ok il give you a list of cases you can choose which one you prefer and you can tell me if you want to spend more on the case

case no1 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197&cm_re=coolermaster_haf_922-_-11-119-197-_-Product

case no2 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021&cm_re=antec_900-_-11-129-021-_-Product

case no3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216&cm_re=coolermaster_690II-_-11-119-216-_-Product

 

[gordon_81]

1 thing you should do is look for combos on newegg, here is a cheaper case that also should do well http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066&Tpk=antec%20300%20illusion

lol this is a bit of a flashy case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119212&cm_re=haf_932-_-11-119-212-_-Product

do you want a mid tower case or a full tower case?

 

[flames9]

I do not need anything fancy, as it just sits below my desk!! Just require something thats can expand and its easy to install the varies components. thnaks

 

[gordon_81]

the antec 300 should be fine then

 

[gordon_81]

or the coolermaster 690II it has good cable management, decent airflow and the case interior is painted

 

[gordon_81]

look for combos like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.469343&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3899435&SID=skim1402X558040

 

[flames9]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.473044

what do u think of this combo???

 

[gordon_81]

the x6 is not very good at gaming its more towards the people who are mainly multitasking and people who use cs4 and so on

 

[flames9]

Ok, here is my latest try and putting pieces together:


I have been on this all day,lol!! HERE is my latest set up:

ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM $22.99

HD:
HITACHI Deskstar H3IK20003272SP (0S02861) 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive $109

MOBO:
GIGABYTE GA-870A-UD3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard $108


COMBO deal: $115 power and case:

Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified

AND

Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

COMBO DEAL: $398 (Video card and processor)

XFX HD-585X-ZAFC Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity

and

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ955FBGMBOX

Still need a Windows 7. Which 1 should I get?? Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM ????????? $99


AND what should I get for memory??? 4GB be enough??? When i type in my gigabyte mother board, in those memory finder programs, the GIGABYTE GA-870A-UD3 does not come up!!

Would this memory be good? G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM


ttl for system is around $987 minus approx $25 in rebates! All bought from newegg. I wonder since I bought so much they would waive the $21.75 in shipping??

thank you.

 

[gordon_81]

raher get two samsung spinpoint f3 1tb hdds they are faster and if 1 crashes you still have some your data on the other unlike getting 1 2tb harddrive and when that crashes you are screwed, the gskill ripjaws RAM is good, yes stick with 4gb of RAM

 

[gordon_81]

is the motherboard i suggested out of your price range (the ud5)

 

[flames9]

is the motherboard i suggested out of your price range (the ud5)

No, not at all. What are the benefits to the UD5 over the one I listed??

 

[gordon_81]

has better features and can support true crossfire

 

[flames9]

has better features and can support true crossfire

OK, will go with the UD5

Anyhting else I should pick up for parts??? Thermal paste???? I need an anti-static strap, anythign else u can think of? Cables??

hopefully put the order in today. thanks a million, Scott

 

[flames9]

oh ya--will any network card do??? Need to hook this up to my Verizon Fios Internet. thanks

 

[gordon_81]

you dont need an anti static strap you just need to ground yourself properly, the stock heatsink will have thermal paste pre applied so it is not necessary, you wont have to get extra cables and so on and here is a network card that professional gamers use, its good http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833189002