[K_Lorber]

I'm fairly well versed with computers and have replaced drives, installed memory and such before. However, I am just now entering the territory of building a computer from scratch. After an hour or two of reading some guides I've put together some components that I like the looks of and I feel that they should work.

I'll post them below and see what people have to say. If something won't work - try to suggest a replacement for me that is comparable both in performance, quality and price. I run a lot of fairly heavy duty programs some are weather radar programs and some are games - and some require some pretty heavy duty graphics and processor power. Lots of RAM is always good. Don't need an excess though.

Motherboard:
Intel DP55WG ATX (LGA 1156)

CPU (Processor):
Intel i7-860 (Also LGA 1156 obviously)

Case:
ThermalTake Soprano Mid-Tower

Power Supply Unit:
Corsair 650W ATX CPU PSU

Graphics Card/Video Card:
PNY - Nvidia GeForce XLR8 GTS (1GB)

RAM:
(open for suggestions)
Looking for 4GB+ (preferrably 6GB)
saw Memory Master RAM PC3-10666 DDR3

Hard Drive:
Again, open for suggestions. I would never need a TB but there is a fairly good priced one online.
Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB Internal

Then a simple external card reader for SD cards etc.

Compatible yes or no? And if not - recommend suitable replacement?

New at this so bear with the probably noobish questions.

Thanks!

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Everything is compatible.

As for the memory, I'd go with 8gb (2 4gb kits). HERE

Hard Drive 1TB Caviar Black. HERE For $100 I'd say go ahead and get the 1TB.

However, would you be interested in going with a motherboard that offered USB 3.0 and SATA 6gb/s vs. USB 2.0 and SATA 3gb/s? If so, take a look at this board from Gigabyte HERE Has 2 SATA ports for 6gb/s, 6 for 3gb/s. And 2 Rear USB 3.0 ports, 8 USB 2.0, and 4 onboard headers (used for your front panel USB ports). Then go with a SATA 6gb/s hard drive like this... Caviar Black 1TB 6gb/s... All for just $20 more. I believe the rest of the features match up nicely as well.

Everything looks good. You know more than you think.

[Ferrari]

Everything is compatible.

As for the memory, I'd go with 8gb (2 4gb kits). HERE

Hard Drive 1TB Caviar Black. HERE For $100 I'd say go ahead and get the 1TB.

However, would you be interested in going with a motherboard that offered USB 3.0 and SATA 6gb/s vs. USB 2.0 and SATA 3gb/s? If so, take a look at this board from Gigabyte HERE Has 2 SATA ports for 6gb/s, 6 for 3gb/s. And 2 Rear USB 3.0 ports, 8 USB 2.0, and 4 onboard headers (used for your front panel USB ports). Then go with a SATA 6gb/s hard drive like this... Caviar Black 1TB 6gb/s... All for just $20 more. I believe the rest of the features match up nicely as well.

Everything looks good. You know more than you think.

[K_Lorber]

Awesome! Given the specs I provided does it look like this will be a very healthy and durable machine? I'm not a hardcore gamer but I do have one or two games that are graphics heavy along with some non-game programs that are pretty intensive...sometimes running a lot at the same time.

Just want to make sure I'm not going to build this thing and have it die on me in a year or two.

Thanks again!!! Good to know I'm at least going in the right direction!

[K_Lorber]

Debating between the i5-750 and the i7-860. Do you guys think the i5 will get the job done and not be a huge difference between the i7? I found a bundle with the DP55WG motherboard and i5-750 for a pretty good price, that would cut about 90 dollars off my price tag to spend elsewhere. Should I stick with the higher level processor or come down a notch?

[K_Lorber]

Also, what type of fan would you suggest. Certainly don't want to get to the finished product and ruin components because I didn't cool them well enough. If I'm not mistaken a fan comes with the case I'm looking at but I could be wrong.

[Ferrari]

This will be a very nice build. If you really want to maximize your FPS in gameplay and other graphics intense applications I would go with a Nvidia GTX 260.

Just want to make sure I'm not going to build this thing and have it die on me in a year or two.

It should last a lot longer than that.

Do you guys think the i5 will get the job done and not be a huge difference between the i7?

From everything you have said it seems that you need a lot of processing power. I would definitely go with the i7 860 then, because the i5 is a quad core but it is NOT hyperthreading, so you only have 4 physical/logical threads. The i7 however, is a quad core with HT, so you have 4 physical cores and a total of 8 logical threads. Not to mention the QPI (Quick Path Interconnect) and cache is higher on the i7.

Also, what type of fan would you suggest. Certainly don't want to get to the finished product and ruin components because I didn't cool them well enough. If I'm not mistaken a fan comes with the case I'm looking at but I could be wrong.

If these are the cases you are looking at HERE then they come with a front intake fan and a rear exhaust fan. The ones with Windows appear to come with a side fan as well. So 2 or 3 fans. Plus your graphics card will have it's own fan and so will the cpu heatsink and fan combo. That should be adequate, much better than any other OEM machine would provide. i.e. Dell, HP, Gateway.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

[Troy]

Personally I would go one up on the case, something like the Antec 300 or 900/902 to move a lot of air and keep the system cool. The parts you have listed are reasonably high-end - especially the graphics will generate quite a bit of heat - and is a good reason to look up some better cases as far as airflow is concerned.

Cheers, good luck!

P.S. Did you check out my guide as well?

[K_Lorber]

Ferrari - You da best man! I did read somewhere that it might be better to buy locally in the event of returns. I certainly like the looks of Newegg but part of me wants to head up to my local Microcenter for Best Buy (if it came to that lol). Newegg certainly has better prices on most of what I'm getting.

With regards to your graphics card fan comment - would that be included or would I have to purchase that separate from the card itself?

Thanks again!

[K_Lorber]

Personally I would go one up on the case, something like the Antec 300 or 900/902 to move a lot of air and keep the system cool. The parts you have listed are reasonably high-end - especially the graphics will generate quite a bit of heat - and is a good reason to look up some better cases as far as airflow is concerned.

Cheers, good luck!

P.S. Did you check out my guide as well?

Actually that's one of the first places I checked. I read and took notes even . One of the first results on Google when I keyed in my search last night. I want to get started on this soon too!

[DaffyKantReed]

Disregarding CPU, PSU, and video card fans, I suggest two cases fans; one input and one exhaust.

http://www.sidewinde...m/pa12ulqu.html

Very quiet and will move quite a bit of air. If the exhaust fan is rated for slightly higher CFM airflow, then that's even better, as it will suck air from the case and have dust collect on the filters, where it belongs.

[Ferrari]

With regards to your graphics card fan comment - would that be included or would I have to purchase that separate from the card itself?

The graphics card fan comes with the card.

Troy has a good point, something like a Antec 900 would provide even better cooling. Also remember that cable management helps some too. So be sure to have your cables nice and tidy inside the case.

[Troy]

Gosh it's like a party in here.

[K_Lorber]

I guess the place where I am now is as follows -

I want a very respectable machine (not top line) and something that won't break the bank (college student here haha). Now my dad said if I follow through with this he'd cover costs but I don't think he's expecting over a 1500 dollar price tag.

The machines I have right now are an old HP a1514n and then my more recent Asus Gaming Laptop from Best buy (GVT50 I believe - it's not in front of me right now).

I guess what I want is a great machine (again it doesn't have to be the best in the neighborhood or anything). With a price tag that won't make me faint (or my dad for that matter). So I'm looking for configurations that will get the job done without a huge decrease in performance. Keep in mind that whatever I build is probably going to be a huge step up from what I have now.

[K_Lorber]

Looking at the Antec Three Hundred Case or the Antec Sonata Elite. I see the first one online for 59.99 and the second one for 99.99.

I like the looks of this -

http://www.bestbuy.c...p;skuId=9254656

Re: the Graphics Card

I think I'd be okay with one graphics card as I have been on my previous computers. So considering that I probably won't add another graphics card I guess my power supply is also fine.

Edited by K_Lorber, 21 April 2010 - 07:02 AM.

[Troy]

Definitely the Three Hundred in my opinion - just make sure you have at least one case fan on the front. Check if it comes with one already, if not then order a separate case fan to go with it.