Building a Desktop for the first time...

[UnoriginalChris]

Hello! I realize you guys get billions upon billions of these kinda topics, so I'll try to keep it short...

I don't know much about building systems, so I got a friend to build this for me:
http://pcpartpicker.com/ca/p/28RZ

He did this a few months back, and now that I've pretty much saved up enough to start buying parts, I figured I'd come to you guys and get a second(or more) opinion!

Anyway, I want to be able to do a lot of video editing(HD videos) and play and record games(like Skyrim, Minecraft, etc) with ease.

I'd only like to spend ~$1400-$1500 Canadian, so if you guys want to change some parts in the build I posted, please keep that in mind! Monitors, speakers, etc I'll worry about later.

Also, is there anything I should know about building a desktop for the first time? I hear it's pretty easy, but I just want to make sure I can make use of everything in that build to begin with. I'm a bit worried for two hard-drives and video cards, I will be able to have all that in the computer right? Just making sure!

Thank you!

 

[azeem40]

The most important rule is to always ground yourself, either through an anti-static wrist strap or by touching the exposed metal part of your case to discharge any static electricity. Don't try to force-in the CPU. It should effortlessly sink in there, a process called zero-insertion force. Always consult your Motherboard manual to see specific locations. ALWAYS use the contacts to sit the Motherboard in the case.

Your build: Looks good!

 

[wolfeking]

one thing, you don't need a 2600k. You system seems to be for gaming (CF cards), so a 2500k will be way more than you need. The HT wont be worth the money in games.

 

[UnoriginalChris]

one thing, you don't need a 2600k. You system seems to be for gaming (CF cards), so a 2500k will be way more than you need. The HT wont be worth the money in games.

Hmm, see, I didn't even realize this. Being a gaming computer and all, is there anything that would limited? This kind of thing really isn't really my forté, but I know there is a difference between gaming computers and other computers, that being multitasking, right? So would having(for example), Skype, Msn, some low intensity game, and Google Chrome open all at the same time on this desktop be a problem? It is just an example so I don't need that exact situation explained, but I hope you know what I mean...

EDIT: Also, looking it up, 2500k is a i5 right? Would it not make more sense to have an i7 for the HD video? Also what does HT stand for?

 

[linkin]

HT = Hyperthreading. Adds performance in programs that support (no games really). As for i5 vs i7, the 2500K and 2600K are the exact same chip, one is clocked a little higher and has an extra feature turned on. Other than that, they are identical. The 2500K also still has integrated video. If you want to multitask, you will want 8GB of RAM so you can leave things in the system tray and such without using too much memory while gaming.

 

[wolfeking]

you will need more memory to multitask as said.

What HT does is puts 2 threads through 1 core. It only really adds maybe 20% performance over a quad core. It will not help multitask or game. The 2500k is all you need.

 

[jonnyp11]

also you could instead of getting 2 6950's, wait till the 9th (or at least in the
US it is) when the 7970 comes out, which for 550 it beats the gtx580 which is the current single gpu king, it costs 50 more than it and averages like 20% more performance, plus it leaves you open to adding a second one later on instead of replacing the 2 6950's. but if you do do that you might want to up the power supply to 800 watts, i think it was a little power hungry, but for the performance it is reasonable.

unless you need 2tb's i would just get one, and then a ssd for the os and one or 2 games you play the most.

and i would get a nice cooler and stick that baby at 4.5ghz+

 

[UnoriginalChris]

Alright, so I guess It'll be better worth it to just get the i5 then. Thanks for that!

If you want to multitask, you will want 8GB of RAM so you can leave things in the system tray and such without using too much memory while gaming.

The build I posted already has 8GB though, right? Or do you mean two 8GB of RAM?

also you could instead of getting 2 6950's, wait till the 9th (or at least in the
US it is) when the 7970 comes out, which for 550 it beats the gtx580 which is the current single gpu king, it costs 50 more than it and averages like 20% more performance, plus it leaves you open to adding a second one later on instead of replacing the 2 6950's. but if you do do that you might want to up the power supply to 800 watts, i think it was a little power hungry, but for the performance it is reasonable.

So what you're saying is one 7970 would be better than two 6950's? If so I might as well wait for that, but I want to make sure first. Upgrading to 800 watts probably wouldn't be that big of a deal for me.

unless you need 2tb's i would just get one, and then a ssd for the os and one or 2 games you play the most.

That's true... I could always get the second one if I start to run out of space as well I suppose.

and i would get a nice cooler and stick that baby at 4.5ghz+

Yea I was actually looking at that last night and realized it would probably be a good idea to get one of those... What would you(or anyone else) suggest? I remember seeing Arctic Cooler 5 in one of the pinned how-to topics here, but the post was from 2005 so I don't know how outdated it is.

Also, I noticed the motherboard I was going to get is now out of stock.
(http://pcpartpicker.com/ca/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz68ad3b3) Is there any substitutes you guys would recommend? Or are desktops built from the motherboard up and am I now screwed from getting this system?