My First Build

[Civ313]

This is my first build and i was hoping you guys could check it out to let me know if it is good or not. under each one i will have a link to new for details on the part if you want to know more on them them. Also this computer will be mostly used for gaming but it will also be used for auto cad, music editing, and possibly Photoshop.

Case: Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

Motherboard: BIOSTAR TZ77B LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138352

Graphics Card: EVGA 02G-P4-2670-KR GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130782

Power Supply: hec XPOWER780 600W(780W Peak) ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI NVIDIA HYBRID-SLI Certified CrossFire Certified Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817339036

Ram: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840

Processor: Its between (matters if the i7 is in stock on the day i buy everything)
Intel Core i7-3770 Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I73770
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116502

Or

Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504&Tpk=I5%203570k

CPU Heatsink: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel 2011/1366/1155 and AMD FM1/AM3+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099


Also with some other stuff im buying (wireless adapter and cd drive) it totals to ether 1070 with he I5 or 1150 with the I7.

 

[Patflute]

Get the i5, instead of the i7

I would suggest this instead of the power supply you stated: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028
The power supply you stated has a lot of bad reviews with explosions etc. and is not at least bronze certified.

You might want to spend like $70 on a 60gb SSD for a boot drive and important programs.



You've followed the guide on how to ask for help here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261222-31-build-advice

 

[Civ313]

Get the i5, instead of the i7

I would suggest this instead of the power supply you stated: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028
The power supply you stated has a lot of bad reviews with explosions etc. and is not at least bronze certified.

You might want to spend like $70 on a 60gb SSD for a boot drive and important programs.



You've followed the guide on how to ask for help here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261222-31-build-advice

thanks for the help, the power supply you recommended will last?

 

[geofelt]

Almost a very good list.

1) Few games use more than 2 or 3 cores, making the extra hyperthreads on a 3770 largely useless.
The 3770 costs $100 more than a 3570K, and can't be overclocked. The 3570K is a better gamer, regardless of price.
Spending that $100 elsewhere would be better.

2) I can't imagine that any $35 600w psu can be any good. A cheap psu is the last place to economize. A bad one can not only not deliver it's advertised power, but it can fail and destroy other components too.
Stick with known quality brands like Seasonic, PC P&C, Corsair, XFX, and Antec.
Here is a good Seasonic unit. And, yes, it costs $90.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095
The Corsair 600w that patflute listed is also good.

3) I suggest an equivalent low profile ram kit. You will then have no issues with cpu cooler clearance:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544

4) Hard drive prices are still high. I suggest you defer that purchase, and buy a 120gb ssd. It will make everyting feel much quicker.

I suggest an Intel 330 series 120gb drive which has a rebate, netting to $120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167121
Another alternative is samsung 830 which will be $150.
120gb is enough to hold the os and 8-10 games.

Later, if you need more room, or have a need to store video files, then buy a hard drive for expansion.

5) As a first time builder, take the time now to download and read, cover to cover, the case and motherboard manuals.


------ good luck -----------

 

[Civ313]

Almost a very good list.

1) Few games use more than 2 or 3 cores, making the extra hyperthreads on a 3770 largely useless.
The 3770 costs $100 more than a 3570K, and can't be overclocked. The 3570K is a better gamer, regardless of price.
Spending that $100 elsewhere would be better.

2) I can't imagine that any $35 600w psu can be any good. A cheap psu is the last place to economize. A bad one can not only not deliver it's advertised power, but it can fail and destroy other components too.
Stick with known quality brands like Seasonic, PC P&C, Corsair, XFX, and Antec.
Here is a good Seasonic unit. And, yes, it costs $90.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095
The Corsair 600w that patflute listed is also good.

3) I suggest an equivalent low profile ram kit. You will then have no issues with cpu cooler clearance:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544

4) Hard drive prices are still high. I suggest you defer that purchase, and buy a 120gb ssd. It will make everyting feel much quicker.

I suggest an Intel 330 series 120gb drive which has a rebate, netting to $120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167121
Another alternative is samsung 830 which will be $150.
120gb is enough to hold the os and 8-10 games.

Later, if you need more room, or have a need to store video files, then buy a hard drive for expansion.

5) As a first time builder, take the time now to download and read, cover to cover, the case and motherboard manuals.


------ good luck -----------

OK thank you very much, i wont be building it completely blind as i will have an experienced friend help me but i will read the manuals over, i have to qustions first.

1. What is the difference between a SSD and a hard drive? plus my motherboard says it makes a hard drive into a SSD like state or something like that will that make it as powerful as a ssd to not need to switch?

2. What do you mean by low profile ram kit, and the timings are different between the one you choose and the one i have, what does the timing do?

 

[geofelt]

OK thank you very much, i wont be building it completely blind as i will have an experienced friend help me but i will read the manuals over, i have to qustions first.

1. What is the difference between a SSD and a hard drive? plus my motherboard says it makes a hard drive into a SSD like state or something like that will that make it as powerful as a ssd to not need to switch?

2. What do you mean by low profile ram kit, and the timings are different between the one you choose and the one i have, what does the timing do?

1. A SSD is a solid state device with no moving parts. It is 50x faster than a hard drive in random i/o. That is what the os does mostly. It is 2-3x faster in sequential i/o, can help with game level loads. The best ssd's are perhaps 10x more reliable than the best hard drives. The main drawgback is the $ per gb cost.

What your motherboard can do is take a small specialized SSD and use it to buffer or cache reads and writes to the underlying hard drive. It is better for performance than a simple hard drive, but not as effective as a pure ssd. Here is an Intel 313 20gb drive made for that purpose $110:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167118

2. Actually, the timings are the same, the last number 24 is omitted. It really is irrelevant, but the timings indicate how many ram cycles it takes to access data in several ways. Combined with the ram speed, it determines the ram performance.
It really does not matter though.

The current Intel cpu's have an excellent integrated ram controller. It is able to keep the cpu fed with data from any speed ram.
The difference in real application performance or FPS between the fastest and slowest ram is on the order of 1-3%.
Synthetic benchmark differences will be impressive, but are largely irrelevant in the real world.
Only if you are seeking record level overclocks should you consider faster ram or better latencies.

Read this Anandtech article on memory scaling:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4503/sandy-bridge-memory-scaling-choosing-the-best-ddr3/1

You actually would do as well with this slower ram, but the savings are not large:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231424

 

[Civ313]

1. A SSD is a solid state device with no moving parts. It is 50x faster than a hard drive in random i/o. That is what the os does mostly. It is 2-3x faster in sequential i/o, can help with game level loads. The best ssd's are perhaps 10x more reliable than the best hard drives. The main drawgback is the $ per gb cost.

What your motherboard can do is take a small specialized SSD and use it to buffer or cache reads and writes to the underlying hard drive. It is better for performance than a simple hard drive, but not as effective as a pure ssd. Here is an Intel 313 20gb drive made for that purpose $110:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167118

2. Actually, the timings are the same, the last number 24 is omitted. It really is irrelevant, but the timings indicate how many ram cycles it takes to access data in several ways. Combined with the ram speed, it determines the ram performance.
It really does not matter though.

The current Intel cpu's have an excellent integrated ram controller. It is able to keep the cpu fed with data from any speed ram.
The difference in real application performance or FPS between the fastest and slowest ram is on the order of 1-3%.
Synthetic benchmark differences will be impressive, but are largely irrelevant in the real world.
Only if you are seeking record level overclocks should you consider faster ram or better latencies.

Read this Anandtech article on memory scaling:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4503/sandy-bridge-memory-scaling-choosing-the-best-ddr3/1

You actually would do as well with this slower ram, but the savings are not large:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231424

ok thanks, but $100 for 20gb is really expensive. I found some 64gb for less then $100, and also im trying to limit my cost to $1100 so if i add the ssd it adds a lot, can i add later, like in 3-4 mouths later after the comp is built?

And is this a good ssd to add later http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=20-148-441

and does the motherboard thing only work with intel ssd's?

 

[geofelt]

ok thanks, but $100 for 20gb is really expensive. I found some 64gb for less then $100, and also im trying to limit my cost to $1100 so if i add the ssd it adds a lot, can i add later, like in 3-4 mouths later after the comp is built?

And is this a good ssd to add later http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=20-148-441

and does the motherboard thing only work with intel ssd's?

I agree, the motherboard cacheing is only useful for limited situations; I do not recommend it.
It will work with other ssd's, but the intel ssd is a more expensive mlc type ssd that is faster, and has more update cycles.

It is better to build using the SSD first, and add a hard drive later.
The os and apps are what makes the ssd shine. A hard drive is simply for bulk storage.
If you add a SSD later, you might have to reinstall windows and your apps if you can't get some cloning program to work properly.
Adding a hard drive later is easy.

If you save $100 with a 3570K, and $99 on the hard drive, you will have the $150 or so it takes for a Samsung 830 or Intel 520 or 330 series 128gb ssd. Samsung and Intel make their own nand chips, and have the means to test and remove problems that other vendors seem to be prone to.

If you are near a mcrocenter, they will sell you a 3570K for $190, and give you a $50 discount on several motherboards.

 

[Civ313]

I agree, the motherboard cacheing is only useful for limited situations; I do not recommend it.
It will work with other ssd's, but the intel ssd is a more expensive mlc type ssd that is faster, and has more update cycles.

It is better to build using the SSD first, and add a hard drive later.
The os and apps are what makes the ssd shine. A hard drive is simply for bulk storage.
If you add a SSD later, you might have to reinstall windows and your apps if you can't get some cloning program to work properly.
Adding a hard drive later is easy.

If you save $100 with a 3570K, and $99 on the hard drive, you will have the $150 or so it takes for a Samsung 830 or Intel 520 or 330 series 128gb ssd. Samsung and Intel make their own nand chips, and have the means to test and remove problems that other vendors seem to be prone to.

If you are near a mcrocenter, they will sell you a 3570K for $190, and give you a $50 discount on several motherboards.

Microcenter will sell it for $190. Really? like its $240 on newegg, so micro center is cheaper, so should i buy everything microcenter cause i heard newegg is the cheapest.

 

[geofelt]

Microcenter will sell it for $190. Really? like its $240 on newegg, so micro center is cheaper, so should i buy everything microcenter cause i heard newegg is the cheapest.

You have to be able to walk into the store; not online.
The sales tax is also harsh(8%?) but it still is a good deal, at least for the cpu and perhaps a motherboard.

Newegg is decent for prices. Comparable to most other quality online vendors.
But, their customer service, delivery and return policies are the best.

In the end, do some shopping around, buy from several sites if the savings are sufficient.

 

[Civ313]

You have to be able to walk into the store; not online.
The sales tax is also harsh(8%?) but it still is a good deal, at least for the cpu and perhaps a motherboard.

Newegg is decent for prices. Comparable to most other quality online vendors.
But, their customer service, delivery and return policies are the best.

In the end, do some shopping around, buy from several sites if the savings are sufficient.

Yeah well thank you very much, you've helped alot and i do live near a micro center so i will now be able to get a cheap i5, and maybe other cheaper stuff

 

[dreadllokz]

Asus MB
3570k
Corsair PSU
Antec 620 or H60

 

[Civ313]

I was wondering were i should buy all of this, i am getting the processor from micro center, but for everything else should i get them from new egg or tiger direct, because i was gonna use new egg but i have heard of some bad reviews of the site and its customer service

 

[geofelt]

I was wondering were i should buy all of this, i am getting the processor from micro center, but for everything else should i get them from new egg or tiger direct, because i was gonna use new egg but i have heard of some bad reviews of the site and its customer service

Newegg is my preferred supplier for a long time, and I have never had a problem with customer service. In fact, sometimes they do more than is fair.

Tiger, on the other hand I an not so sure of. They offer cheap psu's on their builds which seems kind of shoddy to me.
Just an opinion from one sample. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Civ313]

Newegg is my preferred supplier for a long time, and I have never had a problem with customer service. In fact, sometimes they do more than is fair.

Tiger, on the other hand I an not so sure of. They offer cheap psu's on their builds which seems kind of shoddy to me.
Just an opinion from one sample. Your mileage may vary.

ok ill just use newegg then, thanks

 

[Civ313]

Also my friend told me to get a 750w psu i was wondering if you think this is good quility

it s the: CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC High Performance Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021

is that a good psu?

 

[geofelt]

Also my friend told me to get a 750w psu i was wondering if you think this is good quility

it s the: CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC High Performance Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021

is that a good psu?

That is also a very good psu, but perhaps stronger than what you need. The GTX670 is built on a newer 28nm technology and does not need that much power.
A 500w psu is all the evga specs require.
http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=02G-P4-2670-KR&family=GeForce 600 Series Family&sw=

It is not wrong to overprovision a bit, since the psu will only use what is demanded of it.

You might also look at the superclocked version. It is only $10 more after rebate, is stronger, and has a superior cooler.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130787

 

[Civ313]

That is also a very good psu, but perhaps stronger than what you need. The GTX670 is built on a newer 28nm technology and does not need that much power.
A 500w psu is all the evga specs require.
http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=02G-P4-2670-KR&family=GeForce 600 Series Family&sw=

It is not wrong to overprovision a bit, since the psu will only use what is demanded of it.

You might also look at the superclocked version. It is only $10 more after rebate, is stronger, and has a superior cooler.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130787

ok then i may get the 650w, and thanks for showing the overclocked version but it expires today and i am ordering my stuff in 2 weeks. Also if i only got a 500w would i need more for the I5. PLus if i want to overclock dont i need more power to do so?

 

[geofelt]

ok then i may get the 650w, and thanks for showing the overclocked version but it expires today and i am ordering my stuff in 2 weeks. Also if i only got a 500w would i need more for the I5. PLus if i want to overclock dont i need more power to do so?

The cpu, normal peripherals etc.. do not take much power. It is the graphics card that does. The vendor recommendations are conservative anyway, to account for bad quality psu's.
Even overclocking does not use enough more to be worried about.

Since there is little difference in pricing, I think I would look for something in the 600w range.
The 600w corsair builder series has a promo for $49 which you could jump on.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028&cm_sp=Cat_Power_Supplies-_-Spotlight-_-17-139-028

I have used the 430w version with no issue. They say you can tell the quality of a psu by how heavy it is. The 430w corsair psu was HEAVY!

The GTX670 superclocked promo was only $10. I would consider paying the $20 difference anyway. The graphics card is THE most critical component for the gamer.
It might pay you to sign up for the newegg daily special e-mail.

 

[Civ313]

The cpu, normal peripherals etc.. do not take much power. It is the graphics card that does. The vendor recommendations are conservative anyway, to account for bad quality psu's.
Even overclocking does not use enough more to be worried about.

Since there is little difference in pricing, I think I would look for something in the 600w range.
The 600w corsair builder series has a promo for $49 which you could jump on.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028&cm_sp=Cat_Power_Supplies-_-Spotlight-_-17-139-028

I have used the 430w version with no issue. They say you can tell the quality of a psu by how heavy it is. The 430w corsair psu was HEAVY!

The GTX670 superclocked promo was only $10. I would consider paying the $20 difference anyway. The graphics card is THE most critical component for the gamer.
It might pay you to sign up for the newegg daily special e-mail.

ok so i will get the over clock gtx 670 then save money by getting a lower watt psu, probably the one you recommended, thanks