New build with some old parts

[n0nspaz]

hello people

i haven't built a machine in many years, could use some advice. trying to save $ by using some existing hardware.

parts i have:
1 mid-tower ATX case, i think it's a Sonata II. it has an old Asus P4P800 inside and old PS which i am NOT going to use.
PNY Geforce 9400GT 512MB - not sure if this will cut it
3x 3GB corsair TR3X3G1600C8D 1600mhz 8-8-8-24

if it is not worth using any of these just lmk, i am flexible. just trying to keep costs down.

GOAL- reasonably fast general purpose home machine, photoshop, stream videos from, eventually some light gaming like simcity 4k

would like to use my Samsung 40" lcd tv as monitor if i can achieve a clear enough picture (this is new to me)

i need recommendations on:
mobo & cpu (my bias is for Asus & intel i7 but i am open)
power supply. i will have 4 hard drives and some outboard USB stuff

i would love to check out any links to proven system recommendations in my range.
thanks in advance.

 

[TheBigTroll]

the ram should be pretty good but it runs at a higher voltage than what intel systems nowadays uses. should still run but not the best on the warranty

9400gt wont cut it at all

please fill out the build template located at the top of the forum. gives us a idea what you want and the cost of the build

 

[n0nspaz]

UPDATED BUILD REQUEST:

Approximate Purchase Date: anytime now until end of Nov. 2012

Budget Range: $1000 After Rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: heavy internet research 100+ tabs in firefox, streaming movies to LCD tv, light video editing, light gaming (e.g. simcity 4)

Parts Not Required: Standard ATX mid-tower case i think it's an Antec Sonata II; 3x 3GB corsair TR3X3G1600C8D 1600mhz 8-8-8-24

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: by brand or type - here are my ideas, but i'm open-
1. a solid proven quiet, over spec'd power supply.
2. quiet aftermkt cpu fan,
3. quiet reasonably powerful gfx card
4. removable hard drive bay for 3.5" HD backups?
5. 128GB or so ssd OS & programs drive
6. quad core intel cpu?
7. wireless kb & mouse for the couch

everything quiet and low power "as affordably possible" since it will be in a small TV room and i intend to leave it on all the time


Overclocking: Yes, a basic config that i can copy from a website (recommends welcome)

SLI or Crossfire: Yes / No / Maybe no idea what this means

Monitor Resolution: samsung 40" lcd tv 1920x1080

Additional Comments: (e.g.: Need to have a window and lots of bling, I would like a quiet PC)

 

[TheBigTroll]

ok. here you go.

btw, firefox will crash regardless of how much ram you put into the rig when you have 100 tabs running. firefox crashes whenever ram usage exceeds 2gb for me

left the ram in case you want some new ram

left the os in case you need it

no need for a graphics card if you are just playing sims

left a dvd drive incase you need a new one

550w is enough for any modern single GPU card

 

[TheBigTroll]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ntyH

 

[n0nspaz]

big thanks !

internal hard drive dilemma-
i have been using WD Caviar Blacks for 4 years with great results all around. however i would like to save energy and noise with this pc. am willing to sacrifice a little performance but not to much. product recommend?

external HD/backup: also i know how important warranty and backups are, what basic backup solution do you recommend for ~2TB? i bought a USB dual bay once and then learned that USB is always on and you can't schedule it to shut off. i would prefer my backup drive(s) to 1. be located outside of the PC case, and 2. spin down automatically.

also, the reviews aren't great for the Samsung SSDs. Tom's Guide recommends
OCZ Vertex 4 VTX4-25SAT3-128G 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) $119 i have only just read about performance improvements by making this your C drive. i need some hand holding as to how best to use an SSD drive for OS & programs, and if 128GB is worth it vs 64GB (Adobe CS5 is my largest app suite). any advice appreciated.

last question is about the mobo. if i spend a bit more, what is the next more futureproof model up ?

thanks so much !

 

[TheBigTroll]

its not going to save you much power. just keep the drives

i would just do a backup once a week on something like a external drive

samsung ssds are generally more reliable than ocz. about the same if you ask me but the samsung is cheaper and performs only a tad under the ocz, hence the recommendation

nothing is futureproof. 1155 socket is at its end.



if you are looking for silence, id suggest this case over the one you have as of now
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=58474&vpn=FD-CA-DEF-MINI-BL&manufacture=Fractal%20Design

 

[n0nspaz]

thanks again!

i think i'm going to upgrade the PS to a gold series, go with the Samsung SSD and WD & seagate drives.

since the 1155 is near its end, is it worth it to get into an i7 ?

 

[n0nspaz]

will i need a graphics card for playing movies and games a bit more high end than Simcity, and which card do you like?
thanks.

 

[n0nspaz]

also can you recommend a cpu cooler that is smaller (doesn't cover memory) , with ball bearings, and just as quiet ?

 

[TheBigTroll]

gold power supplies are not needed unless you find one for real cheap or you are building a rig with components that need 1000w. a 550w bronze makes more sense in terms of cost

intel updates their socket every 2 years. and all the new processors are called i7s, i5s and i3s.

i5s perform the same as i7s in games. therefore not worth it

if you are aiming for pure silence, i changed the case and the cooler. the cooler is the most expensive change
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nvsC

 

[n0nspaz]

perfect! i am going with your recommendations. thanks again for your time.

 

[TheBigTroll]

no problem