[iammykyl]

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I'm not sure about it because it is an mATX board

mATX, being just that bit smaller, may be missing a couple of USB header, less PCI slots and more cramped, so a little harder to work on, but the features on the Mobo work just as well as a full ATX board.
This board is a better option than the ones you put up.

http://www.microcent...duct_id=0364086

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Also, for future reference, or if I want to spend a little more money, what is a recommended size ssd?

I recommend a min of 120GB for the OS and essential programs and a partition on the mechanical drive for less important programs like Nero, Word.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16820233206

[mclimbin]

OK, you can probably guess what my next response will be: could you explain why that board is better? It looks the same except the ram speeds are slower, only going to 1333 instead of 1600.

Sorry for all the questions. I like to understand the reasons behind all these things, but as you know I'm a noob, so I need lots of explanations. When you get tired of me, just say, "it's a better board, dude. Just buy it."

Thanks for the advice on the SSD.

[iammykyl]

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could you explain why that board is better? It looks the same except the ram speeds are slower

Have put the 3 boards up side by side, if you at each feature, acros the whole line, you can see the differences, each board has strengths and weaknesess.

Far right, AP-D3, good for older tech, has Serial 9-pin and Parallel 25-pin ports.
lacks support for NVIDIA Multi-GPU Support and AMD Multi-GPU Support. 2nd PCI-E only runs 4x
No USB header 3.0 on the Motherboard,
Only 3 Audio jacks.
No eSATA
Only HDMI port.
Overclocking Features NoCloud OC;
plus more


.
The middle, MA-D2H, better
No USB header 3.0 on the Motherboard,acks support for NVIDIA Multi-GPU Support and AMD Multi-GPU Support. 2nd PCI-E only runs 4x
Only 3 Audio jacks.
No eSATA
No Display Port
Overclocking Features No.Cloud OC;

Plus more.


Far left, MX-UD2H. Has all the features lacking in the other boards including Display Port and Cloud overclocking.
Has EMP support so will still run 1600 RAM.

[mclimbin]

I'm not sure how overclocking works, but I guess I'd have to OC the ram to get it to work at 1600? Does that mean I should buy 1333 Ram and then overclock it to 1600 later?

Maybe you could recommend an article somewhere that has some good info about overclocking?

I'd really rather leave the overclocking for some later fun. I'd like to have a nice stable system (perhaps running at 1600+ without OC), and then leave the option for overclocking later.

That said, how about this motherboard?

Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 Intel Z68
http://www.frys.com/...CH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
http://www.gigabyte....spx?pid=3976#sp

According to the gigabyte website, the pcie slots on the board will run at pcie3 with an nm processor. I'm thinking that would be a nice possible upgrade in the future when those processors come out.

This board is a little overpowered and little more expensive than I would like, but I am having a hard time finding a board that allows sli/crossfire and has pci3 slots at either MicroCenter or Fry's.

http://www.microcent...ml?N=4294966996
http://www.frys.com/...4%20Intell_1155

Or do you think it would be best for me to use that mATX board above and just run 1333 Ram?

Last question (sorry!) Is it best to avoid MSI boards? There are some at MC that might work for me.

Edit:
MSI Z68A-G45 (G3) LGA 1155 Z68 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.microcent...duct_id=0374835

[iammykyl]

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I'd really rather leave the overclocking for some later fun. I'd like to have a nice stable system (perhaps running at 1600+ without OC), and then leave the option for overclocking later.

I am no expert on over-clocking, especially RAM. The native top supported speed on any Desktop Mobo is DDR3 1333, Most Mobo manufacturers will show 1600and a very few a bit higher, will not have a * or be in brackets, this is almost guaranteed to run stable. Any other listed speeds, usually in brackets, up to the highest listed on each QVL, has been tested, will run at the Mobo native default speed but may not over-clock. But this is not always so. Some Mobo specs just give a list of speeds so you must always check the QVL.

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Maybe you could recommend an article somewhere that has some good info about overclocking?

The subject is huge, you could start below. Most boards come with tweaking tools, safest to use them to start with.
http://www.techradar...our-ram-1030286
http://www.techradar...02522?artc_pg=1

[mclimbin]

Shopping day tomorrow. Any suggestions on that MSI board, or any of the others? I am still not sure which one I will buy.

Edit: Also, do you think that ram would work with the msi board? It is not on the qvc, and in fact the qvc list is quite short for the msi board:

http://us.msi.com/fi...t/TR10_2458.pdf

[iammykyl]

Of the recent Motherboards we have looked at. First choice would be the GA-Z68X http://www.gigabyte....spx?pid=3850#ov

Second choice would be the MSI, http://www.msi.com/p...ml#/?div=Detail Use the RAM already selected, it will work. You need to check the box contents when buying as I do not htink SATA cables are provided, you will need two.

http://www.microcent...601e153456bface

Let us know what you decide.

[mclimbin]

Hi again,

I bought all the parts and am happy to say they went together smoothly. No problems at least so far. The only problem I had while building was when I was installing two 120mm fans in the front of the case. I wasn't sure which direction to put them in. I knew that they were intake fans, so I blew on one and when the fan moved the correct direction, I figured that would be the direction I should install them. I looked online and found the best advice: install them and start up the system and then if it's not right, power down and change them. Turned out that's what I had to do, but it was no big deal.

I spent a little more money than I had planned, though that is not really surprising. Once I got into the shop there was so much tempting stuff. I might have been a (not altogether unwilling) victim of the old bait-and-switch. When I got there they didn't have any iCore 5 2500K processors in stock, but "if you buy the 7, you can get $50 off the Asus p8/z68v-gen3 motherboard!" So, I ended up spending about $100 more than I had planned, but I'm really happy with my system.

One thing that was really great about this experience was that after all the research that you helped me to do, I was really familiar with all the parts and the strengths and weaknesses of each. It made the buying process easier and I was sure that I was buying the correct parts. And because they were all the correct parts, the building experience was fun. There's nothing like the feeling when you get the main parts on the mobo and turn it on for a test post and it actually posts!

Thanks for all your help.

Here is what I ended up with:
CPU:Ci7 2600k
MB: Asus p8/z68-v/Gen3
PSU: OCZTech 750w
Case: Antec 300 (illusion was not available there)
GPU: Zotac GTX 560 TI
Ram: Patriot 8 gb 1600
Samsung 22x sata DVDRW
Arc Silver TIM
2 120 mm fans
Anti-static wrist strap
Windows 7 home premium
2 year service plan for the motherboard ($20--I know, I'm a sucker).

2 games came with the GPU: Assassin: Brotherhood and Batman: Arkham City

Grand total: almost exactly $1100, not counting the rebates totaling $70.

One thing: I'm happy I got the DVD burner as I was expecting my old DVD burners to work--I just wanted one cause the old ones were getting sticky (difficulty opening). Didn't occur to me that they would not work on the new MB because they are not sata!

Thanks again for all your help and answering all my noob questions.

[mclimbin]

Here is the speccy data. Is the motherboard a little warm?

Attached thumbnail(s)

• 

[iammykyl]

Check that you have the CPU fan plugged into the CPU fan header on the Mobo and not the sys fan1 header.
If you used a different TIM when installing the CPU heat-sink, did you make sure it was thoroughly cleaned? and did you apply the TIM as instructed?
I don't think Speccy is reading the Mobo information correctly.

As part of the Mobo installation disc, there should have been some hardware monitoring tools, same for the GPU.
Can you look for them, take some readings and post the results.

[mclimbin]

Could you tell me what info I'm looking for with respect to the motherboard? The bios might have that info.

I'll check the header. I applied the TIM correctly, though there is always room for error, unfortunately.

The motherboard is a few degrees cooler today than when I took that shot, just fyi.

Thanks.

[mclimbin]

I took the heatsink and fan off the cpu and cleaned and re-applied the TIM. I realized that I had not cleaned the surface of the heatsink last time. I had high hopes then as I restarted the computer but I got a message saying the cpu was overheated. I went into the bios to look to see the temp and it was at about 160 F. It dropped after a moment to 140 but seemed to be staying there. I thought that was too hot so I shut down the machine.

The pictures below were shots I took before I cleaned and replaced the tim.

I'll post the picture with the new tim soon.

Is it dangerous to run the computer when it is so hot? I'm assuming yes.

Thanks for your continuing help.

[iammykyl]

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Is it dangerous to run the computer when it is so hot? I'm assuming yes.

Over 60C is not good. The CPU has thermal protection and SHOULD throttle back or shut down if the temps get to hot.

Those temps in Post #27 were good, so as I suspected Speccy was giving inaccurate information.Before posting your next temp pictures, make sure the CPU fan cable is securely plugged into the CPU fan header.

Please don"t make any other alterations until I have had a look.

Some info about TIM, thanks to Digerati

http://www.geekstogo...rface-material/

[mclimbin]

Ummm, well, I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that the reason the second set of readings were so high was because I had re-seated the processor badly. After looking around online I figured that was why the temps were so high, so I checked and the little pins in the back were not poking all the way through the motherboard. If you know what I mean.

I took it apart, cleaned the surfaces, applied more TIM, and made sure that the heatsink was seated properly. The temps are back to normal. Here are the latest readings. It seems you were right about speccy, at least according to the info from the Asus utility.

[iammykyl]

I am the one should be embarrassed, (and surprised I did not get a swift boot from another member) as I failed to ask you to check the CPU seating.

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Thanks again for all your help and answering all my noob questions.

Your welcome, and answering the so called noob questions often gets information I did't know.

Thank you for posting specs and results, much appreciated as it helps all to learn.

You know where we are if you need any more help.