Wanting to Build a new desktop

CrazyMike

New Member
Hey guys,

I'm new to all this computer building experience. My last computer that i built (4 or 5 Yrs ago) is still working great. Call me crazy but i have gotten a little bored with my current computer and thinking on selling it to a friend of mine. Before i do this i would like to build a newer computer, more advance computer.

what i am running now is in my signiture. Now being an novice at building, i don't really know where to start. My eye is caught on the new AMD Bulldozer FX-8170 processor, but till out and tested, not sure. Other than that i have no clue what to choose.

How does one pick a motherboard? so many to choose from, what are the differences and benefits of one or the other? As for memory, i have nothing but good luck with Kingston, so i will prob keep with that brand. Processor like i said will yet to be determined until testing and price. Video card i am also lost on. I would love to run 3 monitors and have no problem running games at high resolutions without the problem of burning out or high temperatures. No idea which to choose from.

Like i said, i am a novice and lost at what to choose for parts. A lot of you are thinking, what are you going to do with this computer? I do a lot of things. Yes i game, playing games such as COD and Crysis. I also do a lot of multitasking such as playing music, browse the internet, video edit, and a lot of document processing. Most times, i do many of this all at the same time.

So any opinions you have i am gladly putting my eyes to. Any questions and i'll try and answer them.
 

jonnyp11

New Member
well to say what to get would need a budget, and i'd say wait for the next almost 2 months untill bulldozer is out and then we can say go sandy or bull
 

linkin

VIP Member
Well firstly, you need a budget, You've already stated intended use which is good. Probably worth the wait for Bulldozer, in the mean time, you can literally spend days/months/weeks researching new motherboards/graphics cards/hard drives/sound cards/cases/etc while you wait for parts to release, and save up some money!

I assume you'll be using newegg.ca as well?
 

claptonman

New Member
Here's a quick build. Still don't know your budget, but if you want to upgrade anything/downgrade, we can do that too.

MoBo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128519

RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231445

HDD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Video card (Wit eyefinity so you can run 3 monitors:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102948

Total is around $520. All that's left is the CPU, which could be up to $320, if you want the bulldozer 8-core, the case, and then monitors, keyboard, etc.
 

CrazyMike

New Member
hey guys,

Um for my budget, i got about $5000 to spend. Don't plan on using the full 5 but, ya. As for where i purchase my stuff, i am not too sure, there are a couple of local stores here (canada) that are pretty decent price and helpful. I will deffinately check out newegg.ca though.

As for time, i don't intend to build till fall, the bulldozer should be out by then, but in the mean time i wanted to get everything else picked out and possibly order it.
 

claptonman

New Member
Wow, $5000. You really only need about $1500 at most. Here's another build:

MoBo:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128519

PSU:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

RAM:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231445

GPU:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127554

HDD:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

SSD:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148447

Total: About $849 CAD

Paired with the 8-core bulldozer, that will destroy anything you throw at it. I didn't include case again because I think you would want to pick out the style you want. Go for a full tower
 

CrazyMike

New Member
Wow, $5000. You really only need about $1500 at most. Here's another build:

MoBo:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128519

PSU:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

RAM:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231445

GPU:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127554

HDD:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

SSD:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148447

Total: About $849 CAD

Paired with the 8-core bulldozer, that will destroy anything you throw at it. I didn't include case again because I think you would want to pick out the style you want. Go for a full tower

Like i said, don't plan to use the full 5. I just have it sitting here to do with what i please. And the option of building a pc came to mind, so that will be first. A trip to Costa Rica is second lol.

Thanks for your help, ill review your builds and see what i like. Keep them coming if you can, gives me plenty of options.
 

CrazyMike

New Member
Actually a few other questions:

Following build is aimed at $2k:

Mobo: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813154018

Total: $2057.9

I hear people talking highly on the AMD mother boards. I personally know nothing about motherboads. What makes this one so good?

Following build is aimed at $2k:

RAM: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231353


Total: $2057.9

I have never heard of this brand of RAM (after your done rolling on the ground laughing, hear me out). How reliable is this RAM? What is the difference between this RAM and Kingston Hyperx?

Following build is aimed at $2k:

GPU: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121467

Total: $2057.9

I like your choice in GPU. I was just curious about this one though. I have been reading about this whole 3 monitor thing. After watching interviews with people after they have tried this, they said it was phenominal. Does this card do this? I ask cause i only see 2 ports. unless the 1 HDMI is a different output vs the DVI ports, giving you 3 outputs. Very nice card though. keep this one in mind.

Following build is aimed at $2k:

Sound card: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102033

Total: $2057.9

This might be a really stupid question, but this sound card seems a little cheap (in the sense that it doesn't look to support 5.1 digital surround sound). I like to get trapped in my movies and games and with superb sound this does the job. Maybe i am wrong, but i also like the optical out. Do any cards support this?


Alright, Hardrives. Well i don't know exactly how a SSD benefits more than an HDD. So if you can tell me that, that would be awesome. As for which hard drive is better then the other. I have always been taught that you look at the RPMS (want 7200RPM) and the seek time (want it low as possible). Other than those two rules, i don't really know how to shop for hard drives.

Following build is aimed at $2k:

Case: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139005

Total: $2057.9

I actually kind of like this case. Nice clean looking. very nice choice. Bookmarking this one deffinately.


Ok, so other than these questions, I am really nervous about liquid cooling. I know i shouldn't have to liquid cool unless i tend to overclock my CPU or GPU. In which might happen in the future, you just never know. What i am nervous about is water vs expensive electrical components. Is liquid cooling (if done right with decent products) deemed reliable? This is just something that i need to keep in mind.

Very nice choice in build dude. Other than just a few small changes and questions, i really like it. That newegg.ca is a pretty cool site, with some decent prices. Think i might order from them.
 

jonnyp11

New Member
motherboar: it's intel so it'll be faster thanks to its cpu

ram: g.skill is one of the best, they offer value and top of the line models

gpu: idk

sound card: not sure but i know it's one of the best ones out there and almost positive it has 7.1

hdds: that hdd seems overpriced to me, but a ssd is like a flash drive essintially, all virtual memory, so it is way faster, will take a 1.5 min boot into a 30 second boot, but they have a downside to the power, eventually after thousands of reads and writes onto it it will bbegin to die, so web browsers and pointless programs are discouraged on them, but os's and a games you like and such are fine.

case, not my fav at that price, but is nice, i like the cooler master haf's and some of the others.
 

CrazyMike

New Member
motherboar: it's intel so it'll be faster thanks to its cpu

ram: g.skill is one of the best, they offer value and top of the line models

gpu: idk

sound card: not sure but i know it's one of the best ones out there and almost positive it has 7.1

hdds: that hdd seems overpriced to me, but a ssd is like a flash drive essintially, all virtual memory, so it is way faster, will take a 1.5 min boot into a 30 second boot, but they have a downside to the power, eventually after thousands of reads and writes onto it it will bbegin to die, so web browsers and pointless programs are discouraged on them, but os's and a games you like and such are fine.

case, not my fav at that price, but is nice, i like the cooler master haf's and some of the others.

Thanks for your info.
I have been wondering about going to an AMD processor (Specifically the Bulldozer, whenever it decides to show). so i am not wondering if i should keep an eye out for an AMD motherboard then, yes?

If you say that this sound card is pretty good then, i guess it's something that ill look into.

Didn't know about this RAM, ill have to try it on this build. Hopefully doesn't burn out on me.

Seeing as i do a lot of browsing, maybe i should stay away from SSD then. Ill stick to the HDD. Is there a perfered brand out there? I often see Samsung (what i am using right now). This seems to be ok and reliable. What do you guys think?

As for the case, i am looking for one that is rigid (non flimsy) that's decent looking and has very good air flow. I have been looking at the Cool Master cases but damn they are ugly lol.. Or so the ones i have seen are. Totally not my style, all that grate look. A case will take me time and education in picking out.

Thanks for all your opinons, if you have more let me know. Education is golden when building the ultimate rig.
 

linkin

VIP Member
If you can afford it and want to experiment, you can buy an AMD motherboard to use later. I'd also recommend a CPU as well to get yourself familiar with how the BIOS/overclocking works on an AMD system.

CPU: 955 Black Edition

Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Professional 990FX or Asus Crosshair V 990FX
 

CrazyMike

New Member
If you can afford it and want to experiment, you can buy an AMD motherboard to use later. I'd also recommend a CPU as well to get yourself familiar with how the BIOS/overclocking works on an AMD system.

CPU: 955 Black Edition

Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Professional 990FX or Asus Crosshair V 990FX

Will price this out and possibly try. Thanks for the advice.
 

jonnyp11

New Member
bulldozer, although i hate to say, has little chance of beating current intels, and in january intel is supposed to reles a new i series called ivy bridge, and the sandy bridge-e's which will bring the second gen of intel 6 cores threaded as 12.

just check the reviews if you have doubts, that's why newegg rocks, other than normal prices and constant specials.

we were saying to get both, a ssd is only meant for the os and a few rograms and games you use the most, everything else and browsers go on the hdd which will be used more for storage.

for the case, it's just personal prefference, the cheapest it like, and own :D, is the apex vortex 3620, most like the cooler master haf series, thaey are nice, there are a lot of nicer cases out here, just depends on your style (or more importantly, budget).
 

linkin

VIP Member
bulldozer, although I hate to say, has little chance of beating current Intel's, and in January, Intel is supposed to release a new i series called ivy bridge, and the sandy bridge-e's which will bring the second gen of Intel 6 cores threaded as 12.

just check the reviews if you have doubts, that's why newegg rocks, other than normal prices and constant specials.

we were saying to get both, an SSD is only meant for the os and a few Programs and games you use the most, everything else and browsers go on the HDD, which will be used more for storage.

For the case, it's just personal preference, the cheapest it like, and own :D, is the apex vortex 3620, most like the cooler master haf series, they are nice, there are a lot of nicer cases out here, just depends on your style (or more importantly, budget).

You have no idea what you are talking about with regards to performance of Bulldozer, and neither does anyone else. It's ignorant to say otherwise. There are still no reliable numbers, everyone is under NDA.

Newegg reviews are often written by idiots. People who didn't read the specs of a video card and rate it one star because it doesn't fit in their mATX case.

SSD's should be used for EVERYTHING except games and storage, until they are available cheaply in large capacities. I run windows, browsers, office, drivers and so on my SSD. My HDD is simply for games, downloads, installation files and storage.

With cases, you can recommend whatever you want but in the end it's up to what the person likes and what's in their price range, like you said.

Lastly, everything bolded in the quote is where I fixed your spelling/punctuation/grammar. Please take note. It's not hard to improve. I'm not perfect with it either.
 

jonnyp11

New Member
Yeah, I know my grammer stinks, i just don't like to do that stuff unless i have to. It saves me time and I'm just a lazy S.O.B. And with regards to your comment on bulldozer, i know it could be great, but with how long it's been since AMD was in the game sriously, it would be hard for them to come back with one line of processors, although their architecture does seem to be a smart move, and if they had called the 8150P a quad core, which you could really, then its performance would be considered amazing, most lilkely that is, but as you stated, we don't know and won't untill it is either released or officially benched or something, but i am rooting for AMD. Happy, I used propper grammar in this post :).
 

CrazyMike

New Member
You have no idea what you are talking about with regards to performance of Bulldozer, and neither does anyone else. It's ignorant to say otherwise. There are still no reliable numbers, everyone is under NDA.

Newegg reviews are often written by idiots. People who didn't read the specs of a video card and rate it one star because it doesn't fit in their mATX case.

SSD's should be used for EVERYTHING except games and storage, until they are available cheaply in large capacities. I run windows, browsers, office, drivers and so on my SSD. My HDD is simply for games, downloads, installation files and storage.

With cases, you can recommend whatever you want but in the end it's up to what the person likes and what's in their price range, like you said.

Lastly, everything bolded in the quote is where I fixed your spelling/punctuation/grammar. Please take note. It's not hard to improve. I'm not perfect with it either.


Ok then. So how does one know who to trust on this forum? Such as giving the right information? A person can only research so much, customer personal experience is also needed.

Now i am completely lost in what to do with what hard drive.

I do agree with the processor comment, there are no benchmark tests, most are all speculation. IF the bulldozer processor lives up to the hype, being a true 8 core and all, then i think that it should be pretty good. IF it's true about Intel coming out with one better then this Bulldozer, it really doesn't matter to me. lol. I just would be happy with the Bull if it was at a good price with performance (right now intel chips are twice the amount of AMD so i assume it will be at a good price).

So please, if you are just trying to bullshit me, please don't waste my time. Because every opinion that is given to me I have to research and find information on that product, and if your load of shit, then i just wasted time. So IF you actually do know what your talking about, i would like opinions and education on products to make a decent high performance PC.

Thank you guys for everything, you save me time by helping me out.
 
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jonnyp11

New Member
Generaly my advice is fine, i may be off about some random thing that isn't a large factor and these guys are ocd about that, but the overall advice is good and when i put together a system for someone online, it is generally fine, maybe 1 or 2 things need changes, and the difference from what i put and their change isn't much.
 

linkin

VIP Member
Ok then. So how does one know who to trust on this forum? Such as giving the right information? A person can only research so much, customer personal experience is also needed.

Now i am completely lost in what to do with what hard drive.

I do agree with the processor comment, there are no benchmark tests, most are all speculation. IF the bulldozer processor lives up to the hype, being a true 8 core and all, then i think that it should be pretty good. IF it's true about Intel coming out with one better then this Bulldozer, it really doesn't matter to me. lol. I just would be happy with the Bull if it was at a good price with performance (right now intel chips are twice the amount of AMD so i assume it will be at a good price).

So please, if you are just trying to bullshit me, please don't waste my time. Because every opinion that is given to me I have to research and find information on that product, and if your load of shit, then i just wasted time. So IF you actually do know what your talking about, i would like opinions and education on products to make a decent high performance PC.

Thank you guys for everything, you save me time by helping me out.

None of what I posted was pointed at you.

As for your questions:

the 980x is stupidly expensive for what it is. You get good performance but you pay the premium for a high end Intel CPU.

An SSD benefits your system because it has a near zero seek time and good random read/write performance. Hard drives are slow in this regard, because they have to move the access head into position and find the right spot on the platter where the data is stored. An SSD has no moving parts so everything takes a lot less time because finding files is near instant. SSD's are good for operating systems, web browsers and office applications. Because of their limited storage space, they are not good for games/data/storage drives until they come in large (a few hundred Gb's or a Tb) sizes for cheap. A good 60GB SSD is ~$120. A 1TB HDD can be had for $60.

G.Skill, Mushkin, Corsair, and so on are all trusted and proven RAM brands. They all carry lifetime warranty, like any good manufacturer.

All in one liquid cooling kits are near zero maintenance. They do not leak (unless you get a faulty one, highly unlikely), they do not need refilling and they don't need to be built. The only thing you really need to worry about is getting the right fans and cleaning the radiator of dust every now and then. As for setting it up and running it, the pump should always run 100%, make sure to take note what fan header it's plugged into, and set that header to full speed in the BIOS. Alternatively you can run it from a molex connector. The H50/H60/H70 coolers come with a 3 pin for the pump. The H80 and H100 come with a molex, and have an integrated fan controller where you plug the fans into, and it controls the fan speed based on coolant temp, not CPU temp. Quite ingenious really.

Hope that helps.
 
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