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First Time build ever!

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Hello,

I've been browsing around the forum and have decided to build my very first computer as opposed to the ibuypower route and im like for some suggestions/critique and advice. I plan on playing games like WoW, Starcraft 2, Command & Conquer and the like. I also like to multitask (play music, browse the web etc) while playing. My monitor will be a 32in samsung lcd tv with a 1920x1080i resolution. I have $1400-$1500 USD to spend but I am aiming for about $1300 USD. I don't know much about compatibility issues and what not and I am considering over-clocking. Building dec-jan Here is what I have so far:
Newegg.com
Case: NZXT Phantom (white)

Cpu:AMD Phenom II X4 970 Black Edition Deneb 3.5GHz Socket AM3

MoboASUS M4A88TD-M AM3 AMD 880G SATA 6Gb/s AMD Motherboard

PSU:XFX Black Edition XPS-850W

GPU:AMD 6870(HIS)

Cpu Cooling:Thermaltake SpinQ Performance Series cooler

Hard Drive:G.SKILL Phoenix Series FM-25S2S-120GBP1 2.5" 120GB

Dvd Drive:SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM

OS: Windows 7

RAM:CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
And thats all I have so far...All this + AS5 priced at $1371.87USD

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Homebuilt system Expert

You could buy a 955 and OC it to a 970. (Save $20)

You could def spend a lot less on a mobo for a first build. (Save $50+)

PSU should be Seasonic, Corsair, XFX. (spend $20)

External may work for storage, media, but you'll want a larger SSD, since you won't have enough space for games, etc on a 40GB SSD.

GPU: Grab a single 6870 for now. If you want to upgrade down the road (you shouldn't need to for games listed) crossfire then.





Homebuilt system Master

Unless you plan to put a minimum of 2 GPUs in your PC, you can get a lower power PSU. I have 2 GTX 460s on a 650W Antec, and am planning to get 3 GTX 470s on the Corsair 850HX (or the like).

I would also get an internal hard drive for storage; accessing files via USB is slow and somewhat inconvienient. I've had some bad luck with externals (they just keep wiping my data randomly), so keeping all of your important files on there could potentially be risky.
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2 Spinpoint f3's in raid will easily replace that SSD, from what I've been reading there is an issue involving files that are constantly overwritten on SSDs. That SSD also gives you 285/275 read and write, 2 F3's will give you ~330/310. It's also cheaper because you don't need to spend your extra money on a data drive.

For a motherboard, go with the Asrock 870 Extreme. (~$90)

With that processor and GPU, you can easily drop the Wattage of your power supply down to 500 and be comfy. Save some more money.

Get a BE 955 instead of the 970. It can be overclocked with your cooling system to ~4 GHz. Save $30 or more.

Go with the ASUS 24x dvd burner, save you a few bucks.

Go with the G. Skill ripjaw 1600 DDR3 ram too.

You will be just fine :) 
Homebuilt system Master

^ No it won't that's in benches, but if you actually compare boot times of RAID 0 F3's and a single like say A-Data S599, you'll see the SSD boots much faster than the F3's in raid... The read and right may be high, but that is only in benchmarks, SSDs will always boot faster than standard hard drives.

Speaking of SSDs the Pheonix as good as it is I wouldn't recommend it seeing as it isn't the best bang for the buck you could get. The Adata 64gb and get a Samsung F3 as a backup or main storage, SSD's are primarily used for just programs so you want to have a back up for pics and etc.

A-Data S599: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
S599 review: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/storage/2010/06/25/san...

Just something to consider.

Ummm... Mobo wise i agree with Chumly, the Astrock 870 Extreme3 is a better board for a lower price and bigger space to operate. The 955 would save you more cash as the 970 is just a higher stock clocked 955. Just get like a Hyper 212+ and that'd be the price diff. from 955-970 which would let you OC easy.

The SpinQ, it is a bit old and not as effective as some of the more current hsfs of its price, as the Frio which is the same price performs/cools much better than it, as well as the Hyper 212+ which is actually cheaper.

Who cares about boot speed, I want computer performance speed. I understand SSDs boot fast, but I want to be able to write to my drives on a regular basis. I also want them to handle large files quickly. I honestly only boot once a week or so, if that, why do I care about booting 20 seconds faster? It's not worth $100 more. Or the size of the drive.

I had planned on leaving the option open for dual 6870's if need be.. as far as the psu i wasnt sure how much i needed to OC...as for the ssd i do need a fast boot drive since my daughter enjoys turning my computer off and 1 yr olds arevirtually unstoppable. Would i be needing a fan for my RAM aswell? And with the mobo's the asus' SEEM like they make OC'ing easier but are most of them the same? you know with the cpu level up and core unlocker and stuff like that? or are those just those perks that really dont do anything diffrent then any other mobo with the same functions.. just a fancier name... like the Crosshair IV and boards similar to it.
Homebuilt system Master

^ Where you hear that kind of BS? And SSD-wise, I think it'd be worth it, since I actually OC I mind the boot speed since I have to keep entering and exiting BIOS. And it saves a bunch of hassle. I'm not saying that F3's are bad, I just think that he doesn't need them in raid, I mean for the same cost as two F3's he could get an SSD and a single F3. So... That's just my 2 cents.

aznshinobi said:
^ Where you hear that kind of BS? And SSD-wise, I think it'd be worth it, since I actually OC I mind the boot speed since I have to keep entering and exiting BIOS. And it saves a bunch of hassle. I'm not saying that F3's are bad, I just think that he doesn't need them in raid, I mean for the same cost as two F3's he could get an SSD and a single F3. So... That's just my 2 cents.


I got 2 F3's off newegg for $74. Wait for them to go on sale again.
Homebuilt system Master

Yes but that's on sale, I'm just talking w/o sales. W/o Sales it costs 150$, that's a S599 and a 500gb F3. Anyways, Umm when I said where'd you hear that BS, I meant AM3 boards fully support DDR3 -_- all AM3 boards, unless then include AM2+ in the socket as well.
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