Preliminary build (1.5k cap), would love some help

Gusterr

Gusterr

Member
So I decided I'm gonna go ahead with building my own computer. I'd like to base it off the i7-950 CPU but keep in mind I still know very little about computer parts. I don't really know what else makes up a good, long-lasting computer that can run games and the like.

Also, I'd really like to keep it under $1,500 USD after everything is said and done- that includes monitor, keyboard, software, mouse, + extra. But if I need to extend my cap a bit, I think it's possible.

CPU: i7-950 for $218 after tax

The following pieces were suggested by linkin, and like I said, I really have no idea what to think of them.

MOBO: GA-X58A-UD3R

RAM: XMS3 6GB

Regarding RAM: why not 8 GB? Most of the pre-builds in this price range I looked at last week had 8 or 12 GB RAM.

GPU: GeForce GTX 470

HDD: I'd really love 2TB total, however a friend told me it's better to buy two drives so I run some kind of dual-loading function which "drastically reduces load times" or something of the like. Is there any truth to this? And what kind of drive(s) should I get?

PSU: 750W

And as far as the case goes, I'm really not looking for anything beautiful, just functional. But I do like black... lots of black.

Some final thoughts: I'd like to go ahead and purchase everything some time in the next two weeks, before the 20th. I need to have everything assembled before I go back to school on the 2nd. So any deal-hunters out there (I believe it was BillOhio who found the CPU at Microcenter... thanks dude), go to town.

Also, I'm looking into student discounts on Windows 7. I can buy the Professional version for $65 off their website, but it doesn't seem to have any features I would use (as opposed to Home Ed.). Thoughts on this?

Again, huge thanks for your help guys. I'm really excited to build this, but even more excited to finally have a machine worth cozying up to on these long winter nights :cool:
 
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Gusterr said:
So I decided I'm gonna go ahead with building my own computer. I'd like to base it off the i7-950 CPU but keep in mind I still know very little about computer parts. I don't really know what else makes up a good, long-lasting computer that can run games and the like.

Also, I'd really like to keep it under $1,500 USD after everything is said and done- that includes monitor, keyboard, software, mouse, + extra. But if I need to extend my cap a bit, I think it's possible.

CPU: i7-950 for $218 after tax

The following pieces were suggested by linkin, and like I said, I really have no idea what to think of them.

MOBO: GA-X58A-UD3R

RAM: XMS3 6GB

Regarding RAM: why not 8 GB? Most of the pre-builds in this price range I looked at last week had 8 or 12 GB RAM.

GPU: GeForce GTX 470

HDD: I'd really love 2TB total, however a friend told me it's better to buy two drives so I run some kind of dual-loading function which "drastically reduces load times" or something of the like. Is there any truth to this? And what kind of drive(s) should I get?

PSU: 750W

And as far as the case goes, I'm really not looking for anything beautiful, just functional. But I do like black... lots of black.

Some final thoughts: I'd like to go ahead and purchase everything some time in the next two weeks, before the 20th. I need to have everything assembled before I go back to school on the 2nd. So any deal-hunters out there (I believe it was BillOhio who found the CPU at Microcenter... thanks dude), go to town.

Also, I'm looking into student discounts on Windows 7. I can buy the Professional version for $65 off their website, but it doesn't seem to have any features I would use (as opposed to Home Ed.). Thoughts on this?

Again, huge thanks for your help guys. I'm really excited to build this, but even more excited to finally have a machine worth cozying up to on these long winter nights :cool:
Click to expand...

HD 6870 is cheaper than the 470, uses less power, and runs cooler. That overclocked edition of the 470 will have the edge in performance, but not by much. You can always overclock the 6870, and it has double lifetime warranty(:D, it'll probs be voided with overclocking, though. But the card shouldn't really fail. If it's DOA (unlikely), then just RMA it)
The i7-950 is a very good deal at $219
The motherboard is excellent for the money.
Your friend means RAID, it works as you described, however I wouldn't recommend it for first time builder, you won't see much of a difference in gaming, and RAID setups are more difficult to construct and maintain than a single, high-performance, high capacity drive.
The PSU is high-quality, and will power all your components with room to spare.
Case - CM 690 II

Only real advantage professional offers over Home Premium is XP mode, a comparison of all the editions can be found here.

$65 for Windows 7 is a good deal anyway. How much is Home Premium?
RAM: 6GB would run better than 8GB because i7-950 has a triple-channel memory controller; i.e. the RAM performs best when installed in threes (e.g. 3x2GB). The next step up from 6GB would be 12GB in a LGA1366 system (i7-9**s), and currently few applications address 6GB, let alone 12GB.

Will you be overclocking?
 
fastdude said:
HD 6870 is cheaper than the 470, uses less power, and runs cooler. That overclocked edition of the 470 will have the edge in performance, but not by much. You can always overclock the 6870, and it has double lifetime warranty(:D, it'll probs be voided with overclocking, though. But the card shouldn't really fail. If it's DOA (unlikely), then just RMA it)
Click to expand...

Cool! I don't really plan on overclocking, but I don't really know.

The i7-950 is a very good deal at $219
The motherboard is excellent for the money.
Your friend means RAID, it works as you described, however I wouldn't recommend it for first time builder, you won't see much of a difference in gaming, and RAID setups are more difficult to construct and maintain than a single, high-performance, high capacity drive.
Click to expand...

Oh, alright. That being said, would you recommend I just get a 2 TD HDD or get a 1 TB HDD and another TB External HDD?

The PSU is high-quality, and will power all your components with room to spare.
Case - CM 690 II

Only real advantage professional offers over Home Premium is XP mode, a comparison of all the editions can be found here.

$65 for Windows 7 is a good deal anyway. How much is Home Premium?
Click to expand...

I don't know, I couldn't find it on the student site. I'm gonna go talk to our computer people on campus today.

RAM: 6GB would run better than 8GB because i7-950 has a triple-channel memory controller; i.e. the RAM performs best when installed in threes (e.g. 3x2GB). The next step up from 6GB would be 12GB in a LGA1366 system (i7-9**s), and currently few applications address 6GB, let alone 12GB.

Will you be overclocking?
Click to expand...

Oh, thanks for clearing that up. And no, at this point I'm not really planning on it, but I'm definitely not committing against anything.
 
Gusterr said:
Cool! I don't really plan on overclocking, but I don't really know.



Oh, alright. That being said, would you recommend I just get a 2 TD HDD or get a 1 TB HDD and another TB External HDD?



I don't know, I couldn't find it on the student site. I'm gonna go talk to our computer people on campus today.



Oh, thanks for clearing that up. And no, at this point I'm not really planning on it, but I'm definitely not committing against anything.
Click to expand...
np.
It's not that hard, though obviously if you don't want to do it, it's up to you

This HDD is probably your best bet for quick, reliable storage.
Is there crucial data that you need to back-up? If so, then get an external HDD.

Go for it with the windows thing:good:

I was just bringing it up because if you are, then you'll want an inexpensive third-party cooler, the one included in the box is all very well and good, but won't cut it for anything more than slight OCs. Plus third-party coolers tend to be alot quieter, too. Call me biased as a self-confessed OC addict, but there's so much untapped potential in CPUs these days.
 
Here's the budget so far:

From Microcenter
i7-950: $218 after tax

From Newegg
Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R +
Corsair XMS3 6GB +
Radeon HD 6870 +
XFX 750W +
Cooler Master Case +
Samsung 1TB HDD +
UPS 3-day shipping = $956 after tax

Grand total: $1,174 USD
 
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Gusterr said:
Here's the budget so far:

From Microcenter
i7-950: $218 after tax

From Newegg
Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R +
Corsair XMS3 6GB +
Radeon HD 6870 +
XFX 750W +
Cooler Master Case +
Samsung 1TB HDD +
UPS 3-day shipping = $956 after tax

Grand total: $1,174 USD
Click to expand...
Looks good.
Remember an optical drive to install windows with - Click me!
 
fastdude stole my 6870/CM690II/F3/Sony Optiarc suggestions. The build looks really good, especially for the price. Enjoy!
 
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fastdude said:
Looks good.
Remember an optical drive to install windows with - Click me!
Click to expand...

Oh right. See, that's the other thing. What other parts that I haven't listed are essential to get my rig running?

The drives, obviously. What drives do I need, and what ones would I want?

The monitor. What's a good size? I was recommended this but it seems pricey...

The keyboard/mouse. I have speakers already.
 
BillOhio said:
fastdude stole my 6870/CM690II/F3/Sony Optiarc suggestions.
Click to expand...

That's because he's.... a fast dude.

csimiamiyeah.gif


The build looks really good, especially for the price. Enjoy!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm closing in. Now all I've got to worry about it assembling it.
 
BillOhio said:
fastdude stole my 6870/CM690II/F3/Sony Optiarc suggestions. The build looks really good, especially for the price. Enjoy!
Click to expand...
Nah, it's just what I usually recommend for this sort of budget;)
Gusterr said:
Oh right. See, that's the other thing. What other parts that I haven't listed are essential to get my rig running?

The drives, obviously. What drives do I need, and what ones would I want?

The monitor. What's a good size? I was recommended this but it seems pricey...

The keyboard/mouse. I have speakers already.
Click to expand...
Only Drives you'll need are optical and Hard Drive, that's covered
Consider thismonitor, it's good value. The one recommended looks good for the price but might be stretching your budget a bit. Generally the bigger the better, though personally I like 21-23" monitors. Also, the larger the monitor, the more the costs spiral.
Kb/mouse - depending on how much you want to spend. Myself, I don't care for the fancy gaming stuff, a bog-standard comfortable kb/mouse is fine for me. Your choice though.
Logitech make some pretty good peripherals, check them out.

Gusterr said:
That's because he's.... a fast dude.

csimiamiyeah.gif



Thanks! I'm closing in. Now all I've got to worry about it assembling it.
Click to expand...

lol, defo:D

Eh, hardware installation isn't that tricky. There are plently of helpful youtube vids and online guides explaining the process. While the components themselves are intricately manufactured down to the nanometre level, they're as easy and as modular as a mechano set (albeit an expensive one)
 
fastdude said:
Nah, it's just what I usually recommend for this sort of budget;)

Only Drives you'll need are optical and Hard Drive, that's covered
Consider thismonitor, it's good value. The one recommended looks good for the price but might be stretching your budget a bit. Generally the bigger the better, though personally I like 21-23" monitors. Also, the larger the monitor, the more the costs spiral.
Kb/mouse - depending on how much you want to spend. Myself, I don't care for the fancy gaming stuff, a bog-standard comfortable kb/mouse is fine for me. Your choice though.
Logitech make some pretty good peripherals, check them out.

Eh, hardware installation isn't that tricky. There are plently of helpful youtube vids and online guides explaining the process. While the components themselves are intricately manufactured down to the nanometre level, they're as easy and as modular as a mechano set (albeit an expensive one)
Click to expand...

OK, awesome.

So I just got back from the Uni computer store. They were useless. No student deals. So I investigated into the M$'s official student deal a bit, and as far as I can tell, it's only a download and not a physical copy of the OS. Is there any way for me to use this deal without an actual install disc? Can I borrow someone else's? IDK what to do.

And of course, M$ makes it impossible to actually contact them for help, unless I want to pay fifty facking dollars.
 
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Gusterr said:
OK, awesome.

So I just got back from the Uni computer store. They were useless. No student deals. So I investigated into the M$'s official student deal a bit, and as far as I can tell, it's only a download and not a physical copy of the OS. Is there any way for me to use this deal without an actual install disc? Can I borrow someone else's? IDK what to do.

And of course, M$ makes it impossible to actually contact them for help, unless I want to pay fifty facking dollars.
Click to expand...

ugh, see your frustration dude.
The $65 Professional is probably your best bet if you can still get that. Otherwise it'll have to be This for $99.

Yes, there is. Going with the download route, you could download it, burn it to a DVD with another computer then insert in your new PC.

For either option you'll have to do this simple procedure to install Windows: in BIOS (press delete on startup) set boot priority to Optical > HDD
This'll prompt the system to look for bootable media in the optical drive before deferring to the HDD is none is found. Then just follow the prompts, and update your Graphics card drivers. Voila, perfect system
 
fastdude said:
ugh, see your frustration dude.
The $65 Professional is probably your best bet if you can still get that. Otherwise it'll have to be This for $99.

Yes, there is. Going with the download route, you could download it, burn it to a DVD with another computer then insert in your new PC.

For either option you'll have to do this simple procedure to install Windows: in BIOS (press delete on startup) set boot priority to Optical > HDD
This'll prompt the system to look for bootable media in the optical drive before deferring to the HDD is none is found. Then just follow the prompts, and update your Graphics card drivers. Voila, perfect system
Click to expand...

Ergh. Annoying. Thanks for the info.

Also, these are probably noob questions, but...

Do I need some kind of extra hardware (like a networking card or something) for my computer to connect to wireless networks?

Does the power supply come with the necessary cable(s) and wall adapter?

What about sound cards?
 
Gusterr said:
Ergh. Annoying. Thanks for the info.

Also, these are probably noob questions, but...

Do I need some kind of extra hardware (like a networking card or something) for my computer to connect to wireless networks?

Does the power supply come with the necessary cable(s) and wall adapter?

What about sound cards?
Click to expand...

1.) Yes, you'll need a wireless card. What router do you have?
2.) Yes, it will
3.) It depends whether you think onboard sound (your mobo has it) is "good enough". If you were to buy one, for your budget I'd get this. Sounds will be sharper and bass tones more throaty, it all depends on your opinion about the "good enough" sound argument.

Not noob questions.
 
fastdude said:
1.) Yes, you'll need a wireless card. What router do you have?
2.) Yes, it will
3.) It depends whether you think onboard sound (your mobo has it) is "good enough". If you were to buy one, for your budget I'd get this. Sounds will be sharper and bass tones more throaty, it all depends on your opinion about the "good enough" sound argument.

Not noob questions.
Click to expand...

1) Nevermind, I don't think I'll need to use wireless connections anyway. I just remembered this is a desktop. :P
2) Great
3) Oh, I'm sure the stock sound will be fine.
 
fastdude said:
Nah, it's just what I usually recommend for this sort of budget;)
Click to expand...

Yeah Yeah, just kidding. :) I just meant to say that that's what I would have said as well, if you hadn't already said it.

Oh, and on the sound card, I have the board you're getting and the sound seems fine. I'd imagine that in order to get your money's worth on the card you'd need to pair it up to some pretty good speakers as well.
 
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