New To Computers: My First Build

[Vanguard_30]

As the title says I'm relatively new to making computers. I'm fairly confident in my choice of motherboard and CPU but everything else kinda bothers me. I'm a little uncertain about the power supply I chose (will it be enough?); also I'm not to sure about RAID, I'm not even sure what it does for the computer exactly...
What do you guys think of this computer? Its primary uses will be gaming (pretty heavily to) and music/movies.

I'll be using a 1000W power supply.

Mother Board

MSI 890FXA-GD70 Motherboard - AMD 890FX, Socket AM3, ATX, DDR3, RAID, SATA 6.0GB/s, USB 3.0

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6089047&CatId=5541


CPU

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition AM3 CPU HDZ965FBGMBOX - 3.40GHz, Socket AM3, 6MB Cache, 2000MHz (4000 MT/s) FSB, Retail, Processor with Fan

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5692033&CatId=4431

RAM (8GB)

Patriot PSD32G13332 PC10600 2GB DDR3 Desktop Memory Upgrade - 1333MHz, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, Non-ECC, CL9, 1x2048MB x4

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6572442&CatId=4534


CPU Cooling

Cooler Master RR-B10-212P-GP Hyper 212 Plus CPU Cooler - 120mm, LGA 1366, 1156, 775, AMD AM3, AM2+, AM2
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4950641&CatId=798


Video Card (I plan to get a second later)

MSI R6970-2PM2D2GD5 Radeon HD 6970 Video Card - 2048MB, GDDR5, PCIe, Dual mini-Display Port, HDMI, Dual DVI

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7092082&CatId=3669


Optical and Hard Drive

Asus DRW-24B1ST 24X Internal DVD Burner - DVD±R 24X, DVD+RW 8X, DVD-RW 6X, DVD±R (DL) 12X, DVD-RAM 12X, CD-R 48X, CD-RW 32X, SATA, 2MB, Black, OEM

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6078414&Sku=A455-5022


Hitachi 0F10381 Hard Drive - 500GB, 3.5", 7200 RPM, 16MB, SATA-3G x2

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6091097&CatId=2459


Case

Cooler Master HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Mid-Tower Computer Case - ATX, mATX

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6531504&Sku=C283-2094

I will be putting in

x4 Aerocool Shark 120mm Blue Edition Fan - 82.6CFM, 2 Modes, 15 Fan Blades, Blue LED

and

NZXT Sentry LX LCD Fan Controller



I'll be using Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit with a 22 inch LCD screen from Samsung.

Should I get an interface card or is it not worth the money?

I guess what I'm looking for is a green light from someone who knows this kind of stuff. Any suggestion or changes you would make?


Total Cost= $1,478

 

[eloric]

You might want to reevaluate your selections. A $1,600 gaming machine recommended in this forum at the moment would include a Sandybridge 15-2500K processor, P67 mobo, 8GB of RAM, heatsink for overclocking and one or two high end video cards. Take a look at the recent System Builder marathon articles on the Home page of Tom's to get some ideas in your price range.

 

[maziar321]

As of now, the bottleneck in your system is the graphics card. After lookng at your system, I can say that your ram is excessive. Drop it down to 8gb and use the leftover money to get a better card. How about a 6970? The person above also raises a point. Sandy Bridge is probably your best option right now...

Will you notice a diffrence between the AMD and the Sandybridge? probably not.... But its something to think about.


edit: for now just get one graphics card, this will give you room to crossfire in the future (if needed).

 

[Vanguard_30]

I had considered the RAM to be a little excessive... I am trying to keep the price below 1.5k and Intel is a little on the expensive side even if I save the money on RAM. AMD is just more familiar I guess (and a little easier for me to understand than Intel).

 

[maziar321]

save money, go with less ram. but i would reccomend a better graphics card.

 

[Vanguard_30]

with the RAM cut I'd have 237 dollars (without breaking my budget) for the new card. The 6970 is to expensive but Radeon HD 6870 will be fine. I might get a second later but since this card isn't very old (and I have yet to see a game that requires more) this one will be fine.

 

[maziar321]

with the RAM cut I'd have 237 dollars (without breaking my budget) for the new card. The 6970 is to expensive but Radeon HD 6870 will be fine. I might get a second later but since this card isn't very old (and I have yet to see a game that requires more) this one will be fine.

Actually, I have another option... Instead of going with a 6 core processor, I would just level down to the phenom II 965. Heres why: As of now, there isnt a game on the market that can use 6 cores. You can save yourself even more money if you level down from the 6 core. From what you said, you would have no use for the other 2 cores. MAYBE, there may be a game or 2 that comes out that can handle 6, but that wont be for a while....

Your just wasting money....

 

[Vanguard_30]

Looks like I fell into the 6 core whole...

I thought "oooooh aaaaaah 6 cores"



I'll put my changes to the first post.

 

[Vanguard_30]

PCIe slots are labeled as x1 and x 16, whats the major difference as PCIe cards don't specify which one to use with the card.

 

[eloric]

Let's answer this in reverse order.
1) Video cards using PCIe 16. PCI x1 is the short slot that you will not use for anythign in a gaming configuration.
2) An Intel Sandybridge quad core beats any number of AMD cores, and all we can do is hope that AMD gives Intel a run for their money in coming releases.
3) I think you have the RAM thing figured out, but you should know that 4GB of RAM is more than adequate for any game on the market today.
4) Make sure your video card is at least an HD 6950 2GB, and unlock it to a 6970.
5) You do not need either a network card or a sound card, since this functionality will be included on your motherboard.
6) You are considering buying unlocked (Black Edition) chips for overclocking - you deserverve to get a heat sink. A Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus works effectively on all platforms and is inexpensive too.

 

[Vanguard_30]

I understand the RAM thing but it's all ways good to have extra room to maneuver. I also see why your saying I don't need a sound or network card; plus it would save a fair bit of money that could then go into the graphics card your talking about. And extra cooling; will do.

 

[jfby]

Unless you are editing or running virtualization, 8 GB of RAM is more than enough. As you've said most people do just fine with on-board audio and network connectivity, too.

 

[maziar321]

I understand the RAM thing but it's all ways good to have extra room to maneuver. I also see why your saying I don't need a sound or network card; plus it would save a fair bit of money that could then go into the graphics card your talking about. And extra cooling; will do.

I agree, its never bad to have more than enough ram. but I would suggest a diffrent cooler. My personal choice is the zalman 9700. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118020&cm_re=zalman_9700-_-35-118-020-_-Product


I was also wondering why you added a sound/ network card. I didnt say anything because I just assumed you knew what you were doing. Get the 6950. This card is plenty. Plus, if need be, you can add another card in the future.

 

[maziar321]

Let's answer this in reverse order.
1) Video cards using PCIe 16. PCI x1 is the short slot that you will not use for anythign in a gaming configuration.
2) An Intel Sandybridge quad core beats any number of AMD cores, and all we can do is hope that AMD gives Intel a run for their money in coming releases.
3) I think you have the RAM thing figured out, but you should know that 4GB of RAM is more than adequate for any game on the market today.
4) Make sure your video card is at least an HD 6950 2GB, and unlock it to a 6970.
5) You do not need either a network card or a sound card, since this functionality will be included on your motherboard.
6) You are considering buying unlocked (Black Edition) chips for overclocking - you deserverve to get a heat sink. A Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus works effectively on all platforms and is inexpensive too.

I disagree with line 2. Yes, Intel sandybridge will beat any AMD.This is a given, you cant dispute it. But for his uses, the sandybridge is not nessasary. He wont notice ANY diffrence more than a few FPS. But even with the frame drop, his frames will still be over 30.

 

[Vanguard_30]

I agree, its never bad to have more than enough ram. but I would suggest a diffrent cooler. My personal choice is the zalman 9700. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118020&cm_re=zalman_9700-_-35-118-020-_-Product


I was also wondering why you added a sound/ network card. I didnt say anything because I just assumed you knew what you were doing. Get the 6950. This card is plenty. Plus, if need be, you can add another card in the future.

I may not even overclock...

For the extra cards I was looking for a boost in performance at a fraction of the cost a better gear. I may be over estimating the boost in FPS and sound so please tell me if I am. Is there really a benefit of the smaller cars other than the cost? While it may be enough, the card I chose should be great for a while to come.

 

[wombat_tg]

I think between the MB you've chosen and the processor you would be better to shell out the extra $50-$75 for a Sandybridge. The 2500K (unlockable) can be had for $220, and good mobos at the $150 pricepoint. So with your current set up you're looking at a $50 adjustment for much better hardware. If you do not care about OCing you can save a few more bucks buying the 2500.

I think a few extra bucks spent here is a few bucks very well spent given the 2500s dominance. Not that the 9 series aren't good steady grunts- I've got 6 955 BEs and they're very solid. I'm not running out to replace them with SandyBridges, but I'll be buying 2500Ks for new builds. It's just not worth it to me to save $75 and compromise THAT much on performance.

Additionally, you can get that card for MUCH cheaper at Newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127555

And as for your case- I think you need to upgrade the cooler you've chosen is 5.5" high, but your case is 7.5" wide (this is, ime, the EXTERIOR width measurement, not the interior) You may very well end up with a cooler that is far too large for your case once everything is all mounted.

 

[Vanguard_30]

I did kinda skimp on the case bit but it did come highly recommended to me. The case for me is an easy fix but I don't understand peoples love of Intel. AMD is faster at stock speeds then the 2500k and it's cheaper to get the unlocked version of the AMD then it is to get the locked 2500. Would there really be a huge difference in performance? Either way I'd see a huge leap in performance from what I'm using now. Acer is fine and all but a laptop just isn't working for me anymore.

 

[wombat_tg]

This isn't the intel vs AMD battle. The benchmarks and numbers don't lie- the SBs are, overall, do what most people want to do and do it better, and for very little money more.

Here are a few articles to get you started, there are quite a few more:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/sandy-bridge-efficienct-32-nm,2831.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-overclocking-processor-recommendation,2866-5.html


You will see a huge increase over what you're using now, and if you got the 965 you would almost surely see a noticible jump from 965 -> 2500. At a price difference of about $50.

 

[Vanguard_30]

To get the 2500k blows mu budget. To get an appropriate motherboard means spending somewhere over 200$ (thats about where my motherboard is now) then add the extra money from the i5 and I'll be scraping together pennies out of the dirty laundry. Either way I think the 965 is more sufficient for my needs.

 

[eloric]

Wholeheartedly agree with wombat here. I do not see any sense in spending the money for a new machine, only to use last year's parts when you can upgrade for minimal dollars.

Not sure that anyone can predict that yesterday's AMD quad core will be acceptable for awhile to come. It's not just a few FPS, either. There are in your face performance gains in nearly every benchmark, and that is with today's measures. Who can say what needs there will be next year? Will an AMD 955 BE still be good enough then?

Vanguard, if you really need to stay with AMD processors, then seriously think about postponing your build until Bulldozer is available next quarter.

 

[eloric]

OK, one time here, and then I will stop. Vanguard, you said earlier that you may not overclock. Every chip you have considered so far costs a premium for the privilege of overclocking. Every motherboard you have selected costs extra for the same reason. To spend $200 on one is for all sorts of features that you may not use is really senseless here, don't you agree?

If money is an issue here, then you can save hundreds on your build and still get a gaming machine. If you want to spend $700 just say so, and we can spec a 965 configuration for you.

 

[Vanguard_30]

I didn't think 700 dollars was possible...

I'd like to see what you guys come up with. Please and thank yous!

 

[eloric]

How about $527?

 

[Vanguard_30]

I'm not to sure of it's capabilities... Can't even find the CPU their using on tiger direct. Some slight upgrading would be called for but it would still be under 700.

 

[wombat_tg]

Are you DETERMINED to buy from TigerDirect?

I offer to you this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145299
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127555
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220453
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128478
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.618217

Grand total (WITH shipping): $909.64


Your previous build (with caveats below) at TD

$946.76 (with shipping)
Why on earth would you want to pay more for less machine?


My build above (swapped out a comparably priced MSI for the Gigabyte as TD does not have the Gigabyte) :

$1,015.82 (with shipping)
It pays to shop around!





A few points:

1) There's no point in spending tons of money on fans if you are not sure you are going to OC. Stock will be fine. However, newegg has your fans of choice for $15/each. You also do not need the controller in this case. This is something you can acquire after the fact IF you decide you are going to aggressivly OC the thing.

2) I did not include a DVD player. If you can salvage one you already have, it will work. If not, add $20

3) I gave you a 6950 instead of a 6970.

4) Tigerdirect does NOT offer free shipping- the shipping on the case you chose is about $13 alone. Remember to factor in shipping when considering who you finally purchase from. And salestax if applicable.

Even if you want to go with the fans (+$60), the controller ($60), the DVD player (+$20) and the 6970 (+$100) you are then at $1189 or so, plus a few bucks more in shipping.

Depending on if your budget is more towards $1500 then $1000 (your original post was $1400) you can now afford to go with better memory (the stuff you've chosen is meh), and get a better case (if you plan on going crazy with the OC you probably want a bigger case anyway) and still sail in easily.