First build compatability check.

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Capybara

New Member
I would like to settle on parts soon so I can order ASAP.
It will be used almost exclusively for games. I plan on using crossfire down the road, but not on the first build.

These are the parts I have picked out. I want to make sure they are all compatible, since my knowledge is mostly from research, not experience.

Case: NZXT Apollo Black SECC Mid Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146025&Tpk=nzxt%20apollo%20black%20secc

GPU: Gigabyte GV-r577UD-1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125309

MoBo: MSI 890FXA-GD70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130274&cm_re=msi_gd70-_-13-130-274-_-Product

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727&cm_re=amd_phenom_II_X4_965-_-19-103-727-_-Product

RAM: Gskill 2X2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321&cm_re=g_skill_ddr3-_-20-231-321-_-Product

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533&cm_re=western_digital_caviar_black_WD1002FAEX-_-22-136-533-_-Product

Does everything seem compatible? Will it all fit in the case?
Besides monitor/mouse/keyboard, I think the only thing I'm missing is the PSU, I'm open to any <$100 suggestions here.
 
Great suggestions everybody! I will definitely take advantage of the combo deals, especially the mobo/cpu one. So I should go for drenlins heatsink in the previous post instead of the stock cpu heatsink?

I'm still open to any suggestions for a better case that will work with all these parts.

I also forgot that I'm missing a dvd drive and Windows 7. I'll go with the 64bit OEM 7 to save money, since I don't plan on switching motherboards any time soon. Concerning the drive, I don't know what to look for. All I know is that I need to burn cds and read games and software, don't need blu ray.
 
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Ok, so I've switched a couple parts to save money. Went with a SATA 3.0gb/s instead of the pricier 6.0gb/s I had picked out. It looks like the motherboard has a 3.0 port as well as several 6.0 ports (although it says something about RAID and I dont know what that is). I also picked a cheaper set of RAM sticks.

Final parts:

890fx/965 combo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.581384

Gigabyte Radeon 5770 1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125309

Gskill RAM 4gb (2X2)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231313

Hitachi 1TB 7200 RPM HDD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145368

Optical
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

650w PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371021

Win7 premium 64 bit OEM system builders
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

For the case, I went with this $60 cooler master, My only worry is space. I don't want to start building and realize the GPU won't fit. The dimensions are listed as 18.90" x 7.95" x 17.13", but I'm not experienced enough to know if this is enough.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119077
 
 
The 900 doesn't offer a whole lot of features...it has no cable management, and you have to mount your power supply upside-down. I agree with Nev; Consider the NZXT Tempest EVO instead. It's aesthetically similar, but bigger, and with tons more features. It's also $20 cheaper after shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146062

Other good ones in the price range:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147107
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147047
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216
Plus any of the Lian Li K56/K58/K62 cases. They're all the same basic design, but the higher numbered models have more features, and the "W" ones have a window.

If you want a cheaper case, around $60, the Cooler Master HAF 912 is awesome:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233
 
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The tempest EVO is just what I was looking for, thanks.

About the 6850, those seem to only use PCI 2.1 slots, all my MOBO has is 2.0
 
Won't matter. As long as it's PCIe, if it'll fit in the slot, it'll work. PCIe 2.0 and 2.1 have the same bandwidth, while PCIe 1.0 has half that of 2.0. (you don't see 1.0 anywhere but on the x1 slots anymore)
 
the parts have all been shipped and I just have one last question.
The pc will be in a part of my house where the wifi signal is relatively weak and probably not sufficient to play anything online. I wouldn't even know how to connect the pc to wifi in the first placed, but is there something I can buy to boost or repeat the signal from my new pc? like a second router without needing another modem?

I apologize for resurrecting this thread..
 
Capybara said:
the parts have all been shipped and I just have one last question.
The pc will be in a part of my house where the wifi signal is relatively weak and probably not sufficient to play anything online. I wouldn't even know how to connect the pc to wifi in the first placed, but is there something I can buy to boost or repeat the signal from my new pc? like a second router without needing another modem?

I apologize for resurrecting this thread..
Click to expand...

You could get a wireless access point to extend the range of the signal. Then for the computer itself you just get an internal PCI or PCI-e wireless card, or a usb wireless dongle.
 
Yeah, you can do that. A lot of routers have a repeater mode for exactly that purpose. I think most newer linksys ones do...
 
well everything is up and running without any problems.

If I were to use a router as a repeater would I need to add a wireless network adapter to the build, or will connecting the router to the ethernet port in the mobo panel work give the pc access?
 
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