First Build - Sub $950 - Components Compatability

[tink21]

Hey Everyone, this is my first post. I am looking to finally stray away from mac and go for a new custom pc build. I have never built a pc personally, but knowing how much cheaper it is and how much more tailored my pc can be to my needs, I think it is the best choice for me.

My main use of this pc will be audio recording and editing, specifically in programs like FL Studio and Ableton, CAD work on programs like Solidworks and Pro Engineer, some light gaming (I have no intention of playing games on high or ultra settings, I just want them to be able to run reasonably well if possible), and of course general internet browsing, video streaming, the normal stuff. Also I do not intend to overclock this pc, as I have no clue how to do that, and based on what I want to use the computer for, I don't see it as vital.

What I have so far is as follows. With the OS it comes to just about $930. I'm really hoping to keep it just around this price point, as I'm still a college student and paying out of pocket for a pc is expensive.

Let me know if there are any egregious component incompatibilities or anything like that, or whether certain components should be swapped out for others. Thanks for any help you guys can offer me, I really appreciate it.



Edit: To see the full size image, click it then hit the magnifying glass on the following page.

 

[seacucumber3000]

Go for the i5-3570k for the processor. Other than that, consult others. Hope it helps!

 

[ScrewySqrl]

overall, it looks like a good build. $99.99 however is way to much for a HD 6750. for that price, you're looking at an HD 7770 ($99-109). HD 6750 is a $40-50 card. you also have no need for a -K series i5 at all, the 3470 will be just fine for your needs.

 

[tink21]

I'm going for the 3470 only because its 30-50 dollars less depending where I buy it, and I wasn't sure the speed boost would be majorly noticeable. Do you think it's really worth it?

Also, from looking on newegg and amazon, I can't find a single HD 7770 for less than like 120. How about the HD 7750? I can get one of those for about 100-105.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

7750 should be fine.

here is a $99.99 7770 though

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125416

 

[g-unit1111]

For $900 you can do way better. That video card won't get you very far even if you only want to play basic games.

I'd suggest this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($87.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($251.97 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($77.64 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $929.09
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-07 23:29 EST-0500)

If you want to add an SSD to the mix I can adjust accordingly.

 

[seacucumber3000]

Since you said that you're going to be doing audio recording and editing, get a soundcard.

 

[jonjonjon]

dont buy a sound card. see if the on board audio is good enough. you can always add a sound card later. get a ssd it makes all the difference. added a3770 so you can use hyperthreading. the 660 will let you use CUDA.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($289.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B75MA-P45 Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($66.24 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Intel 330 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($94.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($204.48 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($18.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $934.61
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-08 17:36 EST-0500)