First Time Builder, $2100-2300 Budget, Need EVERYTHING

[it is james]

This forum has been a tremendous help to my research these past three months, and it's almost time for me to purchase parts. I had posted another thread around a month ago but unfortunately my computer budget had to be loaned to a family member for a rather large hospital bill. In that thread I received lots of help and made many changes to my computer. Now I'm ready to buy

This is my first time ever building a desktop, or even modifying or changing any parts in a computer. I don't have any parts already so I will need everything (except the parts in the do not need section). If I don't have it included in my list of parts I'm purchasing, or list of parts I don't need, I will assume I don't need it.

Approximate Purchase Date: As soon as the GTX 680 comes in stock, or I get so incredibly impatient that I end up giving in and buying a Radeon 7970, only to see the 680 come in stock the next day after I do so.

Budget Range: $2100-2350 would be ideal. Remember, cheaper is always better.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Home Theater, Music Production/Video Editing (neither professional), Programming

Parts Not Required: Screwdriver, desk, chair, cable ties. Need EVERYTHING else, including peripherals.

Country: United States

Parts Preferences: Anything that's reliable. My biggest fear is DOA parts. Company reliability is extremely important in this build. I have a monthly income of only $200 from my websites, because I'm only 16. This build will leave me just about broke.

16 GB of RAM, 24 inch+ monitor, Keyboard with macro keys (at least 6 would be ideal), at least 1 TB hard drive (rpm speed is not important, using for storage only), I'd prefer a case with at least a small window, but not a necessity. Speakers that have good sound quality and some bass would be nice. Finally, if the case is going to have any lit up parts (such as fans) I prefer the color red. But yeah... I've said a lot, I'm not going to make myself sound too picky.

Overclocking: Yes, for the CPU. Don't think I will overclock anything else.

SLI or Crossfire: Not any time soon, but it'd be nice to have the option later on.

Monitor Resolution: 1900x1080 OR 1900x1200

Additional Comments:

My main use for this computer is gaming. I enjoy all types of games, but RPGs especially. I don't know if it makes any difference but maybe it will affect.. something.



If you read all that, thanks. Here is my build so far.

Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160


CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072


CPU Cooling: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099


GPU: EVGA GTX 680 (Implying I can ever catch it in stock)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130768


MOBO: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard (I keep getting told to get the Asus p8z68, but on reviews all I see is people complaining about it arriving with bent cpu pins, and that they won't RMA it. Sounds scary, plus I don't really understand what this board doesn't have that the p8z68 does have)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271


Hard Drive: SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 HD204UI 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive (Couldn't find a 1-2TB hard drive with great ratings... speed is not that important on this as long as it's not annoyingly slow, hard drive will mostly be used for stuff like small programs, pictures, movies etc.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152245


SSD: Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148448


RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233143


PSU: CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010


Optical Drive: LG Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 12X DVD-RAM 10X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA 12X Super Multi Blue with 3D Playback & M-DISC Support WH12LS39 LightScribe Support - OEM (Anyone got a suggestion for Blu-Ray playing software?)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136241


Monitor: ASUS VS248H-P Black 24" 2ms HDMI LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 ASCR 50,000,000:1

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236153



Keyboard: Microsoft Sidewinder X4

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823109191


Mouse: Logitech G500 10 Buttons Dual-mode Scroll Wheel USB Wired Laser 5700 dpi Gaming Mouse (very skeptical about this mouse, comfort is important when it comes to a good mouse though)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104318


Mouse Pad: RAZER Goliathus Gaming Mouse Mat - Fragged Speed Edition - Omega S

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826999067


Speakers: Logitech Z506 75 watts RMS 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121044


Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986


Ethernet Cable: Link Depot C6M-50-WHB 50 ft. Cat 6 White Network Cable

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189038


Anti-Static Wrist Strap: Rosewill RTK-002 Anti-Static Wrist Strap (I was told I don't need one of these, but it's so cheap and it'd make me feel way more comfortable when building)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899261005


Surge Protector: CyberPower 850 6 Feet 8 Outlets 2400 Joules Home/Office Surge Protection

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812120401

Total (with shipping, after rebates): $2,207.84

Will I need extra SATA cables?

Recommend a webcam by chance? I plan on purchasing one eventually, but not when I build.



That's it! Please let me know if I forgot anything I will need. I have no spare parts of anything. (Sucks being a first time builder, eh?) Thank you so much for reading all of this and thanks for helping me out.

 

[obsama1]

SATA cables come with the HDD, SSD, etc. Wouldn't change anything really.

 

[Tavo_Nova]

1st remove the anti static wrist strap

just touch your psu (switched off and connected to the wall or something) that should suffice.

and dont get a 4x4gb for a 4 slot system, although it should not pose any problem, but try getting a 18gb (2x8gb) 1600mhz or 1333mhz for ram, it should be better as it's not advisable on filling up all slots of the dimm

try g.skill

after that everything else looks really good, all you need to do is put it into your basket, buy everything, phone pizzahut, order a pizza and mountain dew, eat up, sleep, watch movies online or something or facebook/tweet until someone delivers your sweet cake, then build up ^_^

don't forget to always touch the psu (switched off and connected to the wall or something) this is a great way to discharge your self

 

[it is james]

1st remove the anti static wrist strap

just touch your psu (switched off and connected to the wall or something) that should suffice.

and dont get a 4x4gb for a 4 slot system, although it should not pose any problem, but try getting a 18gb (2x8gb) 1600mhz or 1333mhz for ram, it should be better as it's not advisable on filling up all slots of the dimm

try g.skill

after that everything else looks really good, all you need to do is put it into your basket, buy everything, phone pizzahut, order a pizza and mountain dew, eat up, sleep, watch movies online or something or facebook/tweet until someone delivers your sweet cake, then build up ^_^

don't forget to always touch the psu (switched off and connected to the wall or something) this is a great way to discharge your self

The difference between 1333mhz ram and 1600mhz ram isn't really that noticeable, is it? I will be overclocking my CPU probably to around 4.0-4.3ghz

How does this kit look? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231486

About the wrist strap, if I don't get one, how often should I touch the PSU when building? My feet will be on a wooden floor

 

[dadof1hunter]

Gotta bit of Overkill on the RAM. The difference between 8gig and 16gig is never noticable unless your working with some insanely huge files via video editing or photoshop. I would go with a bigger PSU, incase you want to SLI, 750w is like the MIN I would ever go, but 850w would cover two of those graphics cards.

I wish I could let you use my Corsair M90 and you would NEVER consider another Razer product. Razer products are make of the cheapest plastic, and I've had 4 Products fail me in 3 years. 3 Mice and 1 Keyboard(keyboard was only the Y button that failed, but it failed none the less) I would never buy another. Corsair M90 Solid Aluminum frame, and heavy duty construction... Its nice. I did have a good logitech last, and I liked it, but I love this Corsair with the extra buttons.
Secondly I would not use another Coolermaster Case for myself ever again. My last build was in a coolermaster Haf X, and it was BIG, but thats all it had going for it.. IT was SO big, i needed extenders for cables, and wire management was hell because of the size. I again went Corsair with my newest build. 650D It's very simplistic but super easy to route wires and make a clean build... I love a clean QUALITY contruction case. CM is not quality.. its Gimmick.

 

[Why_Me]

Ivy Bridge cpu's are due out April 29th.


http://www.anandtech.com/show/5626/ivy-bridge-preview-core-i7-3770k/9 <---- Ivy Bridge cpu review with benchmarks

http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-gtx-680-overclock-guide/ <----- Overclocking the gtx 680 w/benchmarks

This build allows you to add another one of those cards later on in SLI.

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Carbide-Series-Gaming-CC-9011012-WW/dp/B005E983JW/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1332866663&sr=1-3 $116.16 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Corsair Carbide Series 500R Mid Tower Gaming Case CC-9011012-WW

This XFX psu down below is manufactured by Seasonic as are all XFX psu's and the mid and upper tier Corsair psu's.

http://www.amazon.com/XFX-ATX-850-Power-Supply/dp/B0050751YS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1332866828&sr=1-1 $122.75 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
XFX PRO850W XXX Edition Semi-Modular 80 Plus Silver Certified 850 Watt Active PFC Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293 $139.99
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://pcper.com/news/Processors/Intel-Ivy-Bridge-Processors-Launch-March-23-2012 $225
Intel i5-3750K Ivy Bridge CPU 3.4Ghz

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-212-RR-212E-20PK-R2/dp/B005O65JXI/ref=pd_cp_e_0 $34.29 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO CPU Cooler (RR-212E-20PK-R2)

Add this fan down below to that CM 212 EVO cpu h/s for a "push - pull" effect to help bring the cpu temps down even more.

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-BladeMaster-Silent-R4-BMBS-20PK-R0/dp/B0030DL37I/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1333218396&sr=1-5 $11.99 Free Standard Shipping (3-5 days)
Cooler Master BladeMaster 120mm PWM High Air Flow Silent Case Fan R4-BMBS-20PK-R0

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231546 $44.99 FREE SHIPPING
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GAB

http://www.amazon.com/Asus-24xDVD%C2%B1RW-Serial-Internal-DRW-24B1ST/dp/B0033Z2BAQ/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b $19.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25
Asus 24xDVD±RW Serial ATA Internal OEM Drive DRW-24B1ST (Black)

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST1000DM003/dp/B005T3GRNW/ref=sr_1_8?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1334100651&sr=1-8 $99.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Seagate Barracuda 7200 1 TB 7200RPM SATA 6 Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive ST1000DM003

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226236 $124.99 FREE SHIPPING
Mushkin Enhanced Chronos MKNSSDCR120GB 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121626 $499.99
ASUS GTX680-2GD5 GeForce GTX 680 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

or....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130768 $499.99
EVGA 02G-P4-2680-KR GeForce GTX 680 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Premium-64bit-System-Builder/dp/B004Q0PT3I/ref=pd_sim_pc_5 $99.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack

Total: $1,540.17 *not including shipping and mail in rebates



http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-ST2000DM001-Barracuda-3-5-Inch-Internal/dp/B005T3GRN2/ref=sr_1_2?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1334116153&sr=1-2 $119.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Seagate ST2000DM001 Barracuda 7200RPM 2 TB SATA 6 GB/s NCQ 64 MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231558 $114.99 FREE SHIPPING
G.SKILL Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C10D-16GAO

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059&cm_sp=Cat_Monitors-_-Hot_Deal-_-24-236-059 $169.99 - $149.99 after mail-in rebate card FREE SHIPPING $20 off w/ promo code EMCNFJN45, ends 4/16
ASUS VH236H Black 23" 2ms Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor w/ Speakers 300 cd/m2 20000 :1 (ASCR)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007617%2050001077%20600060968%20600030956%20600255030&IsNodeId=1&name=120Hz <----- SAMSUNG 2ms Full HD LED BackLight LCD 120Hz 3D Monitors

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-CA-9011111-WW-Vengeance-Analog-Headset/dp/B005QUQP7Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1334120830&sr=1-2 $69.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Corsair CA-9011111-WW Vengeance 1300 Analog Gaming Headset

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Channel-Sound-Card-XONAR_DG/dp/B0045JHJSS/ref=pd_sim_pc_2 $26.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
ASUS PCI 5.1 Channel Sound Card XONAR_DG

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G500-Programmable-Gaming-Mouse/dp/B002J9GDXI/ref=pd_cp_e_0 $54.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
$54.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-920-002232-Gaming-Keyboard-G110/dp/B002RRLQIO/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0 $64.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Logitech Gaming Keyboard G110

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Concurrent-Wireless-Router-TEW-692GR/dp/B005B111II/ref=pd_cp_e_2 $122.37 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
TRENDnet 450 Mbps Concurrent Dual Band Wireless N Router (TEW-692GR)

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Wireless-Adapter-TEW-684UB-Black/dp/B004ZEZC0U/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1334121690&sr=1-1 $58.55 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
TRENDnet TEW-684UB Dual Band Wireless N Adapter IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n USB 2.0 Up to 450Mbps Wireless Data Rates 64/128-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2-RADIUS, WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK, WPS


http://www.corsair.com/pc-cases/carbide-series-pc-case/carbide-series-500r-mid-tower-case.html <---- a better look at that case

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=Z77%20Extreme4 <----- a better look at that board

 

[g-unit1111]

Mouse Pad: RAZER Goliathus Gaming Mouse Mat - Fragged Speed Edition - Omega S


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826999067

Ethernet Cable: Link Depot C6M-50-WHB 50 ft. Cat 6 White Network Cable


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812189038



Anti-Static Wrist Strap: Rosewill RTK-002 Anti-Static Wrist Strap (I was told I don't need one of these, but it's so cheap and it'd make me feel way more comfortable when building)


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6899261005



Surge Protector: CyberPower 850 6 Feet 8 Outlets 2400 Joules Home/Office Surge Protection


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812120401

Do not include any of these in your budget - they are completely useless and you're just throwing money away. The only time you'd include a surge bar in your budget is if you're buying a battery powered APC unit. Otherwise you don't need any of this stuff. Anti static wrist straps are not needed, and mouse pads have been useless since the switch to laser tracking.

Recommend a webcam by chance? I plan on purchasing one eventually, but not when I build.

Yes - don't include useless accessories or things like web cams in your build. Concentrate on what's in your case, not outside of it.

I'd suggest this as an alternate build if you want something a bit more future proof:

Case: Corsair Carbide 500R - $139.99 ($15.00 MIR)
PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer MKII 950 - $149.99 ($20.00 MIR)
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth X79 - $329.99
CPU: 3.6GHz Intel Core i7-3820 - $309.99
Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo - $34.99
Accessory: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo Socket 2011 Installation Bracket - $4.99
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaw X 1600Mhz 1.5V 16GB (4 x 4GB) - $119.99
SSD: 128GB Crucial M4 - $164.99
HD: 2TB Seagate Barracuda Green - $119.99
Optical: LG BD-R Burner - $79.99
Video Card: EVGA Geforce GTX 680 - $499.99
OS: Windows 7 Pro - $139.99
Monitor: ASUS VH236H Black 23" Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor w/ Speakers - $169.99
Mouse: Logitech G500 - $54.99
Keyboard: Logitech G110 - $64.99

Total: $2,344.98 - $35.00 MIR = $2,309.98

I didn't include speakers - you can always get those later, this is based around X79 which run the GTX 680 out of the box with no upgrade to Ivy required.

 

[it is james]

Mouse Pad: RAZER Goliathus Gaming Mouse Mat - Fragged Speed Edition - Omega S


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826999067

Ethernet Cable: Link Depot C6M-50-WHB 50 ft. Cat 6 White Network Cable


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812189038



Anti-Static Wrist Strap: Rosewill RTK-002 Anti-Static Wrist Strap (I was told I don't need one of these, but it's so cheap and it'd make me feel way more comfortable when building)


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6899261005



Surge Protector: CyberPower 850 6 Feet 8 Outlets 2400 Joules Home/Office Surge Protection


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812120401

Do not include any of these in your budget - they are completely useless and you're just throwing money away. The only time you'd include a surge bar in your budget is if you're buying a battery powered APC unit. Otherwise you don't need any of this stuff. Anti static wrist straps are not needed, and mouse pads have been useless since the switch to laser tracking.

Recommend a webcam by chance? I plan on purchasing one eventually, but not when I build.

Yes - don't include useless accessories or things like web cams in your build. Concentrate on what's in your case, not outside of it.

I'd suggest this as an alternate build if you want something a bit more future proof:

Case: Corsair Carbide 500R - $139.99 ($15.00 MIR)
PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer MKII 950 - $149.99 ($20.00 MIR)
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth X79 - $329.99
CPU: 3.6GHz Intel Core i7-3820 - $309.99
Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo - $34.99
Accessory: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo Socket 2011 Installation Bracket - $4.99
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaw X 1600Mhz 1.5V 16GB (4 x 4GB) - $119.99
SSD: 128GB Crucial M4 - $164.99
HD: 2TB Seagate Barracuda Green - $119.99
Optical: LG BD-R Burner - $79.99
Video Card: EVGA Geforce GTX 680 - $499.99
OS: Windows 7 Pro - $139.99
Monitor: ASUS VH236H Black 23" Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor w/ Speakers - $169.99
Mouse: Logitech G500 - $54.99
Keyboard: Logitech G110 - $64.99

Total: $2,344.98 - $35.00 MIR = $2,309.98

I didn't include speakers - you can always get those later, this is based around X79 which run the GTX 680 out of the box with no upgrade to Ivy required.

Glad to see you're still on. You've always been extremely helpful when I've needed it.

I do think I need a mouse pad, mat, or something flat to set my mouse on that doesn't take up a ton of space. My desk is extremely old and worn, It's really rough and has chips in it. But it's all I got. If not to increase movement, I'd at least like to get one to prevent the bottom of my mouse getting all scratched up.

The case you suggested for me is a mid tower. Will a mid tower be fine even though I may add another GPU in the future?

PSU looks nice and it's cheaper than the one I had. It's not silver certified but I still think I will consider it. I'm going to read more reviews on it when I have time and decide on it.

Someone told me earlier that I should try to get two sticks of 8 GB of RAM. You suggested a 4x4. What are your thoughts on this? Will 2x8GB show a performance increase?

HD: I was seriously considering that, but I've read that Seagate is one of the most unreliable major manufacturers of large capacity hard drives. Do you have good experiences with them? I'm new as I said, so I've been kind of basing my company reliability judgement on reviews and other research I find on the companies.

OS: Why Windows 7 Pro? What instances would I benefit using that over home premium? I really don't know. The only feature I think I may use is Windows XP Mode, but I have no immediate use for it. In the future, couldn't I just use a virtual machine if I needed to do something in XP?

 

[hellfire24]

Glad to see you're still on. You've always been extremely helpful when I've needed it.

I do think I need a mouse pad, mat, or something flat to set my mouse on that doesn't take up a ton of space. My desk is extremely old and worn, It's really rough and has chips in it. But it's all I got. If not to increase movement, I'd at least like to get one to prevent the bottom of my mouse getting all scratched up.

use a notbook cover or some thing like that :lol:

The case you suggested for me is a mid tower. Will a mid tower be fine even though I may add another GPU in the future?

the case is a great buy.comes with a lot of features.don't worry you will be fine.

PSU looks nice and it's cheaper than the one I had. It's not silver certified but I still think I will consider it. I'm going to read more reviews on it when I have time and decide on it.

it's a great unit.it is silver certified.silencer series is made by seasonic which is the best power supply maker!

Someone told me earlier that I should try to get two sticks of 8 GB of RAM. You suggested a 4x4. What are your thoughts on this? Will 2x8GB show a performance increase?

x79 requires quad channel ram.4x4 sticks run in quad channel configuration.

HD: I was seriously considering that, but I've read that Seagate is one of the most unreliable major manufacturers of large capacity hard drives. Do you have good experiences with them? I'm new as I said, so I've been kind of basing my company reliability judgement on reviews and other research I find on the companies.

i am a big fan of sumsung.this one is a better HDD but it's 10 bucks more-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152245

OS: Why Windows 7 Pro? What instances would I benefit using that over home premium? I really don't know. The only feature I think I may use is Windows XP Mode, but I have no immediate use for it. In the future, couldn't I just use a virtual machine if I needed to do something in XP?

yep,go with home premium,it's fine for gaming.

 

[it is james]

Someone told me earlier that I should try to get two sticks of 8 GB of RAM. You suggested a 4x4. What are your thoughts on this? Will 2x8GB show a performance increase?

x79 requires quad channel ram.4x4 sticks run in quad channel configuration.

HD: I was seriously considering that, but I've read that Seagate is one of the most unreliable major manufacturers of large capacity hard drives. Do you have good experiences with them? I'm new as I said, so I've been kind of basing my company reliability judgement on reviews and other research I find on the companies.

i am a big fan of sumsung.this one is a better HDD but it's 10 bucks more-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152245

If I end up getting a Z68 should I spend the extra cash to get 2x8GB ram?

And didn't Seagate buy Samsung's hard drive division?

 

[solinvictus01]

The difference between 1333mhz ram and 1600mhz ram isn't really that noticeable, is it? I will be overclocking my CPU probably to around 4.0-4.3ghz

How does this kit look? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231486

About the wrist strap, if I don't get one, how often should I touch the PSU when building? My feet will be on a wooden floor

Don't worry about static. I also built mine computer on a wooden floor. Just touch it every time you are about to plug something to your computer. That's my rule at least.

 

[hellfire24]

If I end up getting a Z68 should I spend the extra cash to get 2x8GB ram?

And didn't Seagate buy Samsung's hard drive division?

you can not use a LGA2011 cpu with a z68 mobo.you need x79 and x79 needs quad channel ram kit.
yeah but i don't know why samsung hard drives are much better then seagate drives in most of the case.

 

[g-unit1111]

Glad to see you're still on. You've always been extremely helpful when I've needed it.

I do think I need a mouse pad, mat, or something flat to set my mouse on that doesn't take up a ton of space. My desk is extremely old and worn, It's really rough and has chips in it. But it's all I got. If not to increase movement, I'd at least like to get one to prevent the bottom of my mouse getting all scratched up.

Yeah I remember your thread.

If you need a mouse mat that's fine - I just wouldn't spend more than say $10 on it.

The case you suggested for me is a mid tower. Will a mid tower be fine even though I may add another GPU in the future?

Yes - the Carbide is Corsair quality and I have the Graphite 600T and it has plenty of room for the biggest video cards - it fit my 7870 with no problems.

PSU looks nice and it's cheaper than the one I had. It's not silver certified but I still think I will consider it. I'm going to read more reviews on it when I have time and decide on it.

It is silver certified - I just bought that same PSU and it's great. It's very solidly constructed, made by Seasonic, and has every type of connector you could ever possibly need.

Someone told me earlier that I should try to get two sticks of 8 GB of RAM. You suggested a 4x4. What are your thoughts on this? Will 2x8GB show a performance increase?

Depends on which build you're going with. If you're going for X79 - you will need 4 x 4. If you're going for Sandy or Ivy, you need 2 x 4, 2 x 8 will be overkill unless you use your system for other purposes besides gaming, and even then 2 x 8 doesn't necessarily mix well with Sandy Bridge. Supposedly Ivy will correct this.

HD: I was seriously considering that, but I've read that Seagate is one of the most unreliable major manufacturers of large capacity hard drives. Do you have good experiences with them? I'm new as I said, so I've been kind of basing my company reliability judgement on reviews and other research I find on the companies.

I've never had any problems with Seagate or WD, the most unreliable manufacturer I've had problems with is Hitachi, I'll never buy their HDs again.

OS: Why Windows 7 Pro? What instances would I benefit using that over home premium? I really don't know. The only feature I think I may use is Windows XP Mode, but I have no immediate use for it. In the future, couldn't I just use a virtual machine if I needed to do something in XP?

Windows 7 Pro does away with Home Premium's RAM limitations (max 16GB) and on an X79 build you don't want to forfeit use of any extra RAM you may purchase down the road.

yeah but i don't know why samsung hard drives are much better then seagate drives in most of the case.

Yeah it's kind of funny that way - but what's funny is that Seagate still sells Samsung branded HDs (ex: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181) that are still far better than any Barracuda drive. :lol:

 

[hellfire24]

Yes - the Carbide is Corsair quality and I have the Graphite 600T and it has plenty of room for the biggest video cards - it fit my 7870 with no problems.

got your 7870?great

 

[g-unit1111]

got your 7870?great

Yup - I was playing Skyrim quite a bit on Monday and this card is amazing - I was playing Skyrim on ultra high settings at 50FPS on full 1080p resolution and it didn't skip a frame. It looks way better than my friends' PS3 versions. I'm going to stress test it this weekend with some benchmarks and see what kind of scores I get on 3Dmark and BF3 among other things. I'll post the results as I get 'em.

 

[hellfire24]

Yup - I was playing Skyrim quite a bit on Monday and this card is amazing - I was playing Skyrim on ultra high settings at 50FPS on full 1080p resolution and it didn't skip a frame. It looks way better than my friends' PS3 versions. I'm going to stress test it this weekend with some benchmarks and see what kind of scores I get on 3Dmark and BF3 among other things. I'll post the results as I get 'em.

great! have a good time

 

[rdzona]

Mouse Pad: RAZER Goliathus Gaming Mouse Mat - Fragged Speed Edition - Omega S


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6826999067

Ethernet Cable: Link Depot C6M-50-WHB 50 ft. Cat 6 White Network Cable


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812189038



Anti-Static Wrist Strap: Rosewill RTK-002 Anti-Static Wrist Strap (I was told I don't need one of these, but it's so cheap and it'd make me feel way more comfortable when building)


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6899261005



Surge Protector: CyberPower 850 6 Feet 8 Outlets 2400 Joules Home/Office Surge Protection


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812120401

Do not include any of these in your budget - they are completely useless and you're just throwing money away. The only time you'd include a surge bar in your budget is if you're buying a battery powered APC unit. Otherwise you don't need any of this stuff. Anti static wrist straps are not needed, and mouse pads have been useless since the switch to laser tracking.

Recommend a webcam by chance? I plan on purchasing one eventually, but not when I build.

Yes - don't include useless accessories or things like web cams in your build. Concentrate on what's in your case, not outside of it.

I'd suggest this as an alternate build if you want something a bit more future proof:

Case: Corsair Carbide 500R - $139.99 ($15.00 MIR)
PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer MKII 950 - $149.99 ($20.00 MIR)
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth X79 - $329.99
CPU: 3.6GHz Intel Core i7-3820 - $309.99
Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo - $34.99
Accessory: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo Socket 2011 Installation Bracket - $4.99
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaw X 1600Mhz 1.5V 16GB (4 x 4GB) - $119.99
SSD: 128GB Crucial M4 - $164.99
HD: 2TB Seagate Barracuda Green - $119.99
Optical: LG BD-R Burner - $79.99
Video Card: EVGA Geforce GTX 680 - $499.99
OS: Windows 7 Pro - $139.99
Monitor: ASUS VH236H Black 23" Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor w/ Speakers - $169.99
Mouse: Logitech G500 - $54.99
Keyboard: Logitech G110 - $64.99

Total: $2,344.98 - $35.00 MIR = $2,309.98

I didn't include speakers - you can always get those later, this is based around X79 which run the GTX 680 out of the box with no upgrade to Ivy required.

That LGA2011 build is solid!! I like! Good suggestions by g-unit.

 

[devBunny]

x79 requires quad channel ram.4x4 sticks run in quad channel configuration.

It may be quad channel but it'll work with 1, 2 or 4 sticks. Mine (i7-3930 in an Asus P9X79 Pro) was happy with both 2 and 4 sticks. Speed differences were minimal for me (but my testing was limited only to the number-crunching that I do). I didn't try it with just 1 stick but the motherboard documentation says what slot to use if that's all you want.

However, given that your main requirement is gaming, I wouldn't recommend LGA2011 and X79. You don't need the 6 cores that an i7-3930 will give you and you won't get them anyway with an i7-3820 as it only has 4. I got a 3930 because I need 6 cores (actually, I could easily use another 60 but that's another story, lol) but if I were you I'd hold off for a while longer and get Ivy Bridge for its improved single-core and 4-core performance.

Don't worry about static. I also built mine computer on a wooden floor. Just touch it every time you are about to plug something to your computer. That's my rule at least.

Same here, except that I have carpets. But do tie your hair back if it's long. Hair may carry static even if your skin is earthed. Likewise, don't wear your favourite angora sweater. ;o)

 

[Why_Me]

x79 requires quad channel ram.4x4 sticks run in quad channel configuration.

It may be quad channel but it'll work with 1, 2 or 4 sticks. Mine (i7-3930 in an Asus P9X79 Pro) was happy with both 2 and 4 sticks. Speed differences were minimal for me (but my testing was limited only to the number-crunching that I do). I didn't try it with just 1 stick but the motherboard documentation says what slot to use if that's all you want.

However, given that your main requirement is gaming, I wouldn't recommend LGA2011 and X79. You don't need the 6 cores that an i7-3930 will give you and you won't get them anyway with an i7-3820 as it only has 4. I got a 3930 because I need 6 cores (actually, I could easily use another 60 but that's another story, lol) but if I were you I'd hold off for a while longer and get Ivy Bridge for its improved single-core and 4-core performance.

Don't worry about static. I also built mine computer on a wooden floor. Just touch it every time you are about to plug something to your computer. That's my rule at least.

Same here, except that I have carpets. But do tie your hair back if it's long. Hair may carry static even if your skin is earthed. Likewise, don't wear your favourite angora sweater. ;o)

+1 A socket LGA 2011 build for gaming makes as much sense as using a Ford Fiesta in a tractor pull.

 

[hellfire24]

+1 A socket LGA 2011 build for gaming makes as much sense as using a Ford Fiesta in a tractor pull.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[g-unit1111]

x79 requires quad channel ram.4x4 sticks run in quad channel configuration.

It may be quad channel but it'll work with 1, 2 or 4 sticks. Mine (i7-3930 in an Asus P9X79 Pro) was happy with both 2 and 4 sticks. Speed differences were minimal for me (but my testing was limited only to the number-crunching that I do). I didn't try it with just 1 stick but the motherboard documentation says what slot to use if that's all you want.

However, given that your main requirement is gaming, I wouldn't recommend LGA2011 and X79. You don't need the 6 cores that an i7-3930 will give you and you won't get them anyway with an i7-3820 as it only has 4. I got a 3930 because I need 6 cores (actually, I could easily use another 60 but that's another story, lol) but if I were you I'd hold off for a while longer and get Ivy Bridge for its improved single-core and 4-core performance.

Don't worry about static. I also built mine computer on a wooden floor. Just touch it every time you are about to plug something to your computer. That's my rule at least.

Same here, except that I have carpets. But do tie your hair back if it's long. Hair may carry static even if your skin is earthed. Likewise, don't wear your favourite angora sweater. ;o)

Actually you don't even need that - just build your build on a clean surface - make sure the PSU isn't powered on, and don't wear anything that conducts static electricity.

 

[it is james]

Here's my build as of now. I'm ordering tonight I guess I'll have to go with a 7970, I can only order my computer on Saturdays when I have access to my grandparents debit card (yes I'm paying for this myself, but my money is in their bank account.)

Anyway, here is what I have right now.


Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160
 

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072
 

CPU Cooling: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099
 

GPU:
GIGABYTE GV-R797D5-3GD-B Radeon HD 7970 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125408
 

MOBO: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271
 

Hard Drive: SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 HD204UI 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152245
 

SSD: Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148448
 
RAM:G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBXL

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231429
 

PC Power and Cooling Silencer Mk II 950W High Performance 80PLUS Silver SLI CrossFire ready Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=17-703-028&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo
 

Optical Drive: LG Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 12X DVD-RAM 10X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA 12X Super Multi Blue with 3D Playback & M-DISC Support WH12LS39 LightScribe Support - OEM (Still would appreciate suggestion for Blu-ray playing software)
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136241
 

Monitor: ASUS VS248H-P Black 24" 2ms HDMI LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 ASCR 50,000,000:1
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236153
  
Keyboard: Microsoft Sidewinder X4
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236153
 

Mouse: Logitech G500 10 Buttons Dual-mode Scroll Wheel USB Wired Laser 5700 dpi Gaming Mouse

OS: Windows 7


Last minute changes very welcome

 

[it is james]

As soon as I get verification that everything looks good, everything's compatible, I'm going to order. Thanks again all for help so far.

 

[it is james]

dude.... DO NOT buy an X79 based plataform, its not worth it, you are going to end up paying a LOT more for no performance gain. wait until april 29th and buy and Asrock Z77 Extreme 4 motherboard with a i5 3750k and leave the rest.

I would but I've played the waiting game for too long... I was originally supposed to buy this in January. Then the 7970 came out, and I waited a long time to try and find one of those in stock. Then I had an accident and had to lend some money to pay for a hospital bill. Now, I've spent the past couple weeks trying to find a GTX 680 in stock. If I were to wait for that mobo and ivy bridge, I'd be doing the same thing. This will go on forever.

If everything is good here and there isn't any changes I can make tonight, I'm going to order.

 

[azeem40]

Do this: Get a Z77 Motherboard and an i5-2500k, and whenever you think you need to upgrade to a 3570k, do so.