1st Custom System, Advice needed.

[Grownman]

Price: $1800 USD

Hello Techpowerup members,

I am planning on building my first custom pc when Januaray 09 rolls around. I am currently a Senior in HS as I will be going to JC then transfering for those who say get a laptop. Below is my build list. Any type of help or comments would be appreciated.

I live in the Bay Area in CA. I can purchase from frys, central computers, newegg, bestbuy. I'd like to avoid newegg although it usually has the best prices the reason is the advice my Dad told me. "You get a CPU or DIM that is D.O.A you will need to RMA etc creating a lot of hassel while if you purchase from a store locally you can just bring it in for a exchange etc.

Because this is my first pc build I don't want to mess anything up etc. I asked Fry's and they charge $120 to build your pc together and $50 if you want them to install the OEM. While I dunno if they will do a decent job of wire management I would personally like to build it myself therefore if i mess up ill just take it to them lol.
Advice?
____________________________________________________________________________
CPU: Q9550 $315 (Central Computer Systems)
HS: Ultra 120 $50 (Central Computer Systems)
Paste: Arctic Silver $6 Anywhere...
DD: Asus CD-DVD $20 Ordinary DD will work.
Case: Antec 1200 $160 (Newegg) Free Shipping =D
Ram: Corsair Dominator 4gb 1066 $55 (Tiger Direct) Would like Local Store
HD: Seagate 7200.11 500gb 32mb $50 (Central Computer Systems)
PSU: Corsair 1000W modular $240 (" " ") or (Newegg) Same $
GPU: GTX 295 $500 (When it comes out)
Mobo: EVGA 780i $200 (CCS) or (Newegg)

TOTAL: $1596 Add another 200 for tax+shipping BS...
____________________________________________________________________________

Cleaner Build List

Current
- Samsung T240HD 1920X1200
- Logitech G5 (Blue)
- Logitech Z-2300

Questions
1: Why is the 9450 &9550 same price on newegg?
2: Will there be any bottleneck?
3: Is there a need for the ftw 780i? (Again Im new to OC, have not done it before...
4: Any downsides on the Antec 1200?

*I have a external CD-DVD/CD-DVDRW drive via. USB

Thanks,
Jeff

Edit reason: Put in Cleaner Look Build Image.

 

[mlee49]

Your parts build is amazing, it will certainly be a killer system. If your interested perhaps putting together a i7/x58 build would be slightly more, but more efficient.

Answers to your ?'s:
1. Pricing game on processors is crazy. Prolly cause egg makes like $70 for each chip they sell, but the 9450 is out of stock atm.
2. The only bottle neck I see is your HDD space, maybe get a full Tetrabye drive
3. Careful with the 780i boards, do some research before you buy.
4. the 1200 is one of the best cases in my opinion. Big, badass, and ready to rumble!

Sounds like you'll have a killer computer if you stick with these specs!

 

[Grownman]

Your parts build is amazing, it will certainly be a killer system. If your interested perhaps putting together a i7/x58 build would be slightly more, but more efficient.

Answers to your ?'s:
1. Pricing game on processors is crazy. Prolly cause egg makes like $70 for each chip they sell, but the 9450 is out of stock atm.
2. The only bottle neck I see is your HDD space, maybe get a full Tetrabye drive
3. Careful with the 780i boards, do some research before you buy.
4. the 1200 is one of the best cases in my opinion. Big, badass, and ready to rumble!

Sounds like you'll have a killer computer if you stick with these specs!

Thanks for the advice!
1: Well I was thinking of getting two of those 32mb cache drives and putting them in a raid 0 config. I also still have a OLD 40gb IDE hd with windows xp on it.
2: Yeah, I was also looking at the 780i southbridge i believe? It blows air right onto the gpu =/ Any tips on other mobos?
* Does the ultra 120 fit in the antec 1200?
3: Yes I am interested in an i7 build but ddr3 and x58 are quite expensive =/

 

[mlee49]

1: Well I was thinking of getting two of those 32mb cache drives and putting them in a raid 0 config. I also still have a OLD 40gb IDE hd with windows xp on it.
2: Yeah, I was also looking at the 780i southbridge i believe? It blows air right onto the gpu =/ Any tips on other mobos?
* Does the ultra 120 fit in the antec 1200?
3: Yes I am interested in an i7 build but ddr3 and x58 are quite expensive =/

Go raid 0 with dual 500's

I'm out of the loop on the Nvidia boards, but I've heard mixed reviews on the 780i chipset as a whole.

The True should fit the 1200 fine, proally want to check the specs to be certain.

You could put together a nice i7 build for close to the same. Maybe $200-300 more but you would have a noticeable advantage in benchmarks and gaming.

 

[kysg]

wait a minute hold up a sec.

okay where does the 1000w psu come into play??? I mean actually I'm not gonna say anything.

Another thing yea hd needs some reworking unless you plan on backing up a lot of stuff which I suggest you do you may want a 1TB drive...bottom line.

1TB drive and 2 ssds to raid off of.

the case you have way more then that damn 1200 man c'mon
theres a good reason why you get to choose from 20 different manufactuers for cases on newegg.

Ram: Corsair Dominator 4gb 1066 $55 (Tiger Direct) Would like Local Store
this will never happen, a local store for this RAM not happening maybe in the year 2012

and you do have the option of i7 but you'd have to spring for ddr3 which will cost ya a pretty penny.

 

[Grownman]

wait a minute hold up a sec.

okay where does the 1000w psu come into play??? I mean actually I'm not gonna say anything.

Another thing yea hd needs some reworking unless you plan on backing up a lot of stuff which I suggest you do you may want a 1TB drive...bottom line.

1TB drive and 2 ssds to raid off of.

the case you have way more then that damn 1200 man c'mon
theres a good reason why you get to choose from 20 different manufactuers for cases on newegg.

Ram: Corsair Dominator 4gb 1066 $55 (Tiger Direct) Would like Local Store
this will never happen, a local store for this RAM not happening maybe in the year 2012

Will be sling the GTX 295 prob by March etc...
please remember only spending 1800.
I don't really find a 1tb drive really necessary.. I dont rip dvd's onto my pc or do alot of movie editing just mostly gaming. I would think 500gb seagate 7200.11. 32mb cache would be plenty? Not a fan of the 10k hd as they are very loud from what i hear.

 

[kysg]

Will be sli the GTX 295 prob by March etc...
please remember only spending 1800.
I dont really find a 1tb drive really necessary.. I dont rip dvd's onto my pc or do alot of movie editing just mostly gaming. I would think 500gb seagate 7200.11. 32mb cache would be plenty? No a fan of the 10k hd as they are very loud from what i hear.

depends on how many games you plan on loading...that is why suggested the possibility of 1TB drive.

but your going for the cheap seagate so I'm gonna worry. better move would have been ES2 but those cost 80 dollars. well with 1800 there are better ways to spend.

but I think the PSU may need to be relooked at I don't 1000w for that unless you plan to SLI but then you could kiss your budget goodbye on that one.

also you could look into a different case as well.

 

[Grownman]

depends on how many games you plan on loading...that is why suggested the possibility of 1TB drive.

but your going for the cheap seagate so I'm gonna worry. better move would have been ES2 but those cost 80 dollars. well with 1800 there are better ways to spend.

but I think the PSU may need to be relooked at I don't 1000w for that unless you plan to SLI but then you could kiss your budget goodbye on that one.

also you could look into a different case as well.

- I use a 150gb hd on my laptop and I dont even use it completely. I don't torrent or w/e you guys call it and dl gbs of pirated software.

- ES2 is?

- As i said in the last response, I will be planning on SLIing the new GTX 295's later probably in March etc.
- What case would you recommend?

 

[kysg]

ES2 is server grade hdd. - don't worry about if you never heard about em.

hmmmm not too many cases left all there is a coolermaster stacker
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119158
but shipping may end up the same.

unless you drop to midatx but I dont see that happening because you'll need airflow, heck you may have replace the stock fans with higher grade ones at that.

 

[JrRacinFan]

If your mainly only gaming why a quad? I say pull down (for now) to an e8500 and until the GTX295 comes out get a quad at the same time (cheaper by then), SLI a couple 9800GTX's. Also, that way you can get the 1TB drive.

 

[kysg]

If your mainly only gaming why a quad? I say pull down (for now) to an e8500 and until the GTX295 comes out get a quad at the same time (cheaper by then), SLI a couple 9800GTX's. Also, that way you can get the 1TB drive.

probably doesn't want to upgrade. Wants to make one clean move. but the depends on the OP

 

[JrRacinFan]

probably doesn't want to upgrade. Wants to make one clean move. but the depends on the OP

Well it's either that or do a full i7 build.

 

[Grownman]

ES2 is server grade hdd. - don't worry about if you never heard about em.

hmmmm not too many cases left all there is a coolermaster stacker
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119158
but shipping may end up the same.

unless you drop to midatx but I dont see that happening because you'll need airflow, heck you may have replace the stock fans with higher grade ones at that.

From what i hear the tri tip antec fans are decent, while we have the heat up at 68 during the winter such as now, I always have my window open 24/7 in my room as i like it cold therefore i find no need to replace the fans. During the summer AC on at 68.

If your mainly only gaming why a quad? I say pull down (for now) to an e8500 and until the GTX295 comes out get a quad at the same time (cheaper by then), SLI a couple 9800GTX's. Also, that way you can get the 1TB drive.

Well JrRacin, the problem is everyone in my family uses a laptop. While I will be ordering parts when January rolls around, I know people recommend getting a duo core instead etc. I find having a quad core is better as when you have projects that reqire video editing and things of that nature its a b1tch to render etc.
The problem is waiting for the GTX 295 to come out as it comes out later in Jan. By then I will have everything assembled but no GPU because... the last desktop our family had was a emachines t1840 (onboard video) + the windows 98 in my closet LOL =] Classic
I am trying to borrow some old cards my friends don't use meanwhile. (will probably be an AGP... yes a disgrace to a decent system =/)

 

[Grownman]

probably doesn't want to upgrade. Wants to make one clean move. but the depends on the OP

I would say somewhere around there.

Would love i7 but rev 1 =/

Yes I am one picky person eh?

 

[JrRacinFan]

Wont be able to fit an AGP on that board. Maybe a cheap lil 8600GT for now to save part of your budget for GTX295

@video editing
Good choice with a quad then.

 

[Grownman]

Wont be able to fit an AGP on that board. Maybe a cheap lil 8600GT for now to save part of your budget for GTX295

@video editing
Good choice with a quad then.

LOL!!!! technology these days... dang =/ Well yes i could get a 8600GT and later get a gtx 295 but im kinda lost on why? Seeing as I will be building it in January, the 295 will be released sometime during Jan i believe?

 

[JrRacinFan]

Well when are you planning it all? I think release is at the end of Jan.

EDIT:

January 8th

Source

 

[Grownman]

I will be ordering parts coming I would say in the first week of January. So i'd guess it would just sit in my room lonely without of video card? idk =[

 

[JrRacinFan]

Well your not too far off. See my previous post. Jan 8th.

 

[Grownman]

Yeah, I read articles on it being at CES vegas but didn't know that when they bring it there it will be out etc. Again, my first build and such hehe
Anything you would suggest on the build list though?
* will pobably put two seagate 500gb 32mb cache drives in raid 0 or something. At the moment for myself 500gb is PLENTY.
*I reformat every 3 months also, like to keep my load times quick and don't like junk on my pc =]

 

[JrRacinFan]

Ok, if you do like formatting and installing quartlery then no. I wouldn't do raid 0. Regarding the build list, if you need a lil bit of extra cash to put towards the tower:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236051

All looks mighty keen. Oh and one other thing...

If you're going to be overclocking. DOn't try to push your motherboard past 450fsb. You will thank me later.

 

[Grownman]

Ok, if you do like formatting and installing quartlery then no. I wouldn't do raid 0. Regarding the build list, if you need a lil bit of extra cash to put towards the tower:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236051

All looks mighty keen. Oh and one other thing...

If you're going to be overclocking. DOn't try to push your motherboard past 450fsb. You will thank me later.

O, I already have a samsung t240hd =P im looking at it right now via VGA connection from my geforce go 7400 on my laptop... Piece of S!($....

Yeah, about overclocking... I'lll def need help with that bit.. I know nothing about how the voltages work etc but just to not push the cpu past 1.5ish as it will begin to burn up etc basic things i know but as of how to overclock nope =/
Does the board just crash over and over or something lol?

 

[pabloc74]

q9550
p45 motherboard, 780i sucks, better 680 or 790
gtx260
t260
corsair power supply, forget antec, only 1 cooler and make a lot of sound and heat, very heat, i explode a quattro 850 with sli of 8800gtx

 

[JrRacinFan]

780i sucks, better 680 or 790

This is why said don't push past 450fsb. Data corruption from the RAM.

 

[Grownman]

q9550
p45 motherboard, 780i sucks, better 680 or 790
gtx260
t260
corsair power supply, forget antec, only 1 cooler and make a lot of sound and heat, very heat, i explode a quattro 850 with sli of 8800gtx

won't beable to sli and also 680 would be a downgrade >< 790i i feel no need for ddr3 as ddr2 is good enought atm.
although i could go with ddr3 if 780i is that bad..
Yes Corsair is much better than antec.. I hear bad reviews on antec as corsair is much better.