Looking to Build a PC - Details Inside!

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 05:22 AM

Okay, so as you can tell I'm COMPLETELY new on this forum, and also completely new to computers. I've gamed on computers for years now, and have always been fascinated by building a personal computer. Over the previous few months, I've looked into various computer parts and overclocking. I've been on Youtube many times searching & watching videos of people building computers step by step, and I think I've got the hang of it.

I've finally decided to ask my parents if they would give me the funds to build my own computer, and fortunately they both agreed. What I'm looking for in a computer... I'm not too sure, but I want one that's build for gaming and videos, which would probably mean insane graphics.

I know that in order to efficiently overclock, you need a great combination of 3 things: motherboard, processor, and memory. (How much faster will my hardware die out if I overclock? I've heard that overclocking shortens the life span of a piece of hard ware by a lot.)

My budget is around $800, although lesser would be awesome. (I would've had around $1000 to spend on a computer, but I spent a small portion of that on some gaming peripherals such as mouse/keyboard/mousepad/headset/webcam.) I plan on using this computer for the next 3-4 years, so please keep overclocking potential in mind when picking out my parts.

I know I probably sound like a lazy bum, but I'm honestly not sure what parts to order, what's good for this/that, what's compatible with what, and which parts would give me the biggest bang for my buck. (I'm still quite new to all this computer stuff.)

Code:

What it looks like so far:

Intel Build:

LCD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009125
HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136319
PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005
RAM - 
GPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.163933
MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128358
CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115041
Heatsink - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233023
Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119077
DVD - 
Card Reader - 
TC - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007

AMD Build:

LCD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009125
HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136319
PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005
RAM - 
GPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.163933
MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131368
CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103471
Heatsink - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233023
Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119077
DVD -
Card Reader -
TC - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007

Rapid · Mar 5, 2009, 05:29 AM

Theres me getting excited about you building and actual CPU! Not just the actual pc base unit.

I think one of the first questions to ask you would be. What exactly are you going to use this pc for?
You mentioned gaming, is it soley a gaming pc? Or will you have any other specific needs which might need some sort of specific hardware??

ShadowFold · Mar 5, 2009, 05:33 AM

Keeping hardware at safe voltage(below 1.5v for CPU's) will not shorten it's life span.
Assuming you don't have a monitor..
CPU + Motherboard Phenom II 720BE + MSI 790GX http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.165035
4gb Corsair XMS2 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145184
HIS HD 4870 512mb - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.162207
19" Widescreen monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824254005
LG DVD Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136152
Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147075
250gb Hard drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148262
Corsair 550w PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139004

I have the motherboard, RAM, case HDD and DVD drive listed above, they are all stellar products and I recommend them

Also, don't skimp on cooling!! I have this heatsink and it's a beast
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...%20HDT-S1284EE
Here is some really good thermal compound that I use
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0&Tpk=Xigmatek

If you do have a monitor upgrade to this stuff
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.165080

And don't be intimidated by building one. I'm 16 right now and I can do this stuff with a blindfold on.

D007 · Mar 5, 2009, 05:37 AM

Although I can't quite give detailed information right now about which parts to buy because i need sleep lol..
I will say overclocking will not decrease the life badly at all if you keep the cpu cool.
water cooling is best..
air cooling or thermo cooling is also optional.
even more extreme measures, like oil submersion.

You mention maybe 5 years of using it..
degradation due to overclocking won't be an issue as long as you cool it properly..
I've been using an e6400 conroe at 1.6volts, which is well over safe specs for 2 years lol..
it runs like a charm still.
keep it cool.

and use good thermal paste..
arctic silver 5 is among the best.
apply it properly.

some would say an X from corner to corner in a fine line and a dot in the middle..
don't mess up the paste to much, leaving bubbles or imperfections, between the cpu and the heatsink.

MKmods · Mar 5, 2009, 05:43 AM

you are gonna get 1000s of different opinions here...

Since its your first build make it as simple as possible (no multiple video cards or HDs or water cooling and dont worry so much about OCing at first, just get good stuff)

Start by picking a case you like, look for one that has good cooling from the beginning so you wont overheat the comp you build. (Lian Li is a good start)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112184

Than get a "VERY GOOD" Power supply (Corsair, Seagate, Silverstone etc)

Now its time to start the war over Intel/AMD Pick one...

When it comes time to get a Video Card it will depend on what monitor you have and plan to use.

$800 wont go too far building a gaming comp so try to get some good quality used parts.

ShadowFold · Mar 5, 2009, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKmods

$800 wont go too far building a gaming comp so try to get some good quality used parts.

Now I don't know about that, I just put together one with a PII x3 and a 4870.. I have a dual core and two 4830's and it's pretty awesome for gaming. Building a top of the line Crysis crunching, record breaking machine, now that's more than 800$ but a basic gaming machine only really costs 500$-600$.

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 05:59 AM

Okay, ShadowFold, I just looked at your build and I must say, it looks quite promising. Even with the cooling and thermal compound, AND an extra hard drive, it comes out to $800.89! How do you think it would OC? As you said, if I kept the voltage under 1.5 would it break 3.5ghz with the air cooling you listed?

So, in response to your original build, I do need a lot more hard drive space, and hopefully a larger monitor. Also, how about an extra fan just to be safe? I know that my budget might be limiting, but in all honesty, I have over $800 to spend, my parents are willing to invest more than that, but I simply don't want to spend so much.

PS - I'm sorry I didn't reply to everyone's post. I wrote up quite a lengthy response but some double posting error I ran into erased it, and I'm quite lazy to rewrite it.

MKmods · Mar 5, 2009, 05:59 AM

Remember this is his first build..And he dosent have your connections or experience.

Dont forget he is probably gonna need a monitor (for gaming, look at a 20 or 22" one)

And rather than thinking of OCing to 3.5 why not get a 3.2Ghz CPU at stock? (Like an AMD X2 6400 or an E8400 if Intel)

Remember keep it simple...

and while I like Rosewill for ME (I mod the shit out of them) he dosent have the skills,time or tools to mess with airflow. Better to get a better case to begin with.

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 06:05 AM

I'm quite lost and confused right now. You all know so much and I'm sitting here trying to keep up with you guys!

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rapid

Theres me getting excited about you building and actual CPU! Not just the actual pc base unit.

I think one of the first questions to ask you would be. What exactly are you going to use this pc for?
You mentioned gaming, is it soley a gaming pc? Or will you have any other specific needs which might need some sort of specific hardware??

Oh crap! I should've wrote PC instead of CPU, sorry I'll see if I can fix it. (Probably not though, knowing this kind of forum layout.)

And I do plan on storing a lot of videos on it, and recording a lot of gaming footage with FRAPS, so I need 500+ GB worth of storage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowFold

Also, don't skimp on cooling!! I have this heatsink and it's a beast
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...%20HDT-S1284EE
Here is some really good thermal compound that I use
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0&Tpk=Xigmatek

If you do have a monitor upgrade to this stuff
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.165080

And don't be intimidated by building one. I'm 16 right now and I can do this stuff with a blindfold on.

Well, I REALLY appreciate all the detail you put into your post. Indeed I have a monitor, but I plan on occasionally running both computers at once, so I'd like to keep my current computer in one piece! (My mom might use my current computer, it's an HP Pavilion a1540n, quite good for something I bought two years ago!) I'll start adding up the costs and of the rig you put together, then looking at some reviews on the internet on the various parts and pieces.) Oh, and will your rig be good for overclocking?

Quote:

Originally Posted by D007

Although I can't quite give detailed information right now about which parts to buy because i need sleep lol..
I will say overclocking will not decrease the life badly at all if you keep the cpu cool.
water cooling is best..
air cooling or thermo cooling is also optional.
even more extreme measures, like oil submersion.

You mention maybe 5 years of using it..
degradation due to overclocking won't be an issue as long as you cool it properly..
I've been using an e6400 conroe at 1.6volts, which is well over safe specs for 2 years lol..
it runs like a charm still.
keep it cool.

and use good thermal paste..
arctic silver 5 is among the best.
apply it properly.

some would say an X from corner to corner in a fine line and a dot in the middle..
don't mess up the paste to much, leaving bubbles or imperfections, between the cpu and the heatsink.

Artic Silver 5 is indeed a good thermal paste. How do I know? Some guy on Youtube said so! If you have the time, please find a build for me, I'd love to know what you would throw together for a budget wise gaming rig.

Okay, so from all 3 posts, I have this to say:

I'm looking for more space in the hard drive, and aside from gaming/videos and the occasional Photoshopping, I won't need it for anything else. (Well, of course I'll go on MSN/AIM and browse the web.)

And thank everybody for letting me know that proper cooling won't damage the hard ware too much, this was one of my main worries.

MKmods · Mar 5, 2009, 06:09 AM

take your time and dont be in a hurry. Wait till others start to chime in and give their opinions...
(LOL, there is gonna be a lot to decipher)

PS: where are you? US, EU, China..

Shadow is right on the 720, its an excellent OCer (if you go AMD)

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 06:11 AM

I'm actually in the USA, New York. Turning 16 in about a month!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKmods

you are gonna get 1000s of different opinions here...

Since its your first build make it as simple as possible (no multiple video cards or HDs or water cooling and dont worry so much about OCing at first, just get good stuff)

Start by picking a case you like, look for one that has good cooling from the beginning so you wont overheat the comp you build. (Lian Li is a good start)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112184

Than get a "VERY GOOD" Power supply (Corsair, Seagate, Silverstone etc)

Now its time to start the war over Intel/AMD Pick one...

When it comes time to get a Video Card it will depend on what monitor you have and plan to use.

$800 wont go too far building a gaming comp so try to get some good quality used parts.

Oh, I can care less whether it's Intel or AMD, I just want a rig that will give me the most for my money.

MKmods · Mar 5, 2009, 06:14 AM

well I like AMD, but there are a lot that like Intel. Shadows build is AMD also. I think right now you get more for the money with AMD/ ATI.

And you could save a bit of $$ by buying one of Shadows 4830s (very good cards)

Also are you gonna use XP, Vista 32 or 64bit? If you use the 64bit than get 4 gigs if not you only need 2 gigs of memory.

Wile E · Mar 5, 2009, 06:16 AM

If 5years is how long it must last, I suggest going with a quad core, not a tri-core. I would also suggest grabbing an Intel quad over an AMD, as the Intel's are a hair faster, and OC a touch better if you grab a 45nm version. Not by much, but every little bit counts if it has to last 5 years.

$800 is a tough budget to work with if you have to buy a case and a monitor, but it can be done.

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKmods

well I like AMD, but there are a lot that like Intel. Shadows build is AMD also. I think right now you get more for the money with AMD/ ATI.

And you could save a bit of $$ by buying one of Shadows 4830s (very good cards)

Also are you gonna use XP, Vista 32 or 64bit? If you use the 64bit than get 4 gigs if not you only need 2 gigs of memory.

I'm probably going to stick with XP, if not then I'll run with a 32bit. (I'm eagerly awaiting Windows 7, once it's officially released I'm using KillDisk to wipe my drive!) As for Shadow's card, I'm not too sure; but I promise I will heavily consider it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wile E

If 5years is how long it must last, I suggest going with a quad core, not a tri-core. I would also suggest grabbing an Intel quad over an AMD, as the Intel's are a hair faster, and OC a touch better if you grab a 45nm version. Not by much, but every little bit counts if it has to last 5 years.

$800 is a tough budget to work with if you have to buy a case and a monitor, but it can be done.

It doesn't necessarily have to last 5 years, because I might be upgrading the parts every now and then. (This is why I want a custom built, so I can easily upgrade the parts, and get some experience along the way. This way I don't have to keep buying prebuilt systems from ripoff stores like Best Buy.)

As for the $800 budget, I COULD squeeze in a little more, but I know I sure as hell won't be playing any insane games like Cod4 or Crysis.)

MKmods · Mar 5, 2009, 06:23 AM

COD4 is a mid level game, Crysis even kills $3K comps..

Shadows card with a 20" LCD would play COD4 on high settings.

Maybe take a look at the AM3 Mobos (more future proof for AMD) with Shadows 720 or a 940 CPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128378
One nice thing about the Gigabyte mobos is their onboard sound is VERY good 9that will save you a bit by not buying a sound card)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231178

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKmods

COD4 is a mid level game, Crysis even kills $3K comps..

Shadows card with a 20" LCD would play COD4 on high settings.

Maybe take a look at the AM3 Mobos (more future proof for AMD) with Shadows 720 or a 940 CPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128378
One nice thing about the Gigabyte mobos is their onboard sound is VERY good 9that will save you a bit by not buying a sound card)

See how amateur I am? I don't even know what a high level game is, probably because I don't play them that much. I just want one that will allow me to run low-mid level games, and futureproof the computer too!

My cousin's girlfriend's brother owns a company that sells computer parts even cheaper than Newegg, I think he said that either the company sells Newegg it's parts, or the company buys from Newegg in bulk and sells it for cheaper. (He built his quad core comp with a 23/24 wide screen, all for around $800.)

Right now, I've been told that Shadow's suggestion, the 4870 HD would be great for OCing IF I go AMD. But someone, I can't really check right now, said that Intel's quad core are better for OCing.

-Lost-

MKmods · Mar 5, 2009, 06:29 AM

One of the good things about TPU is there are MANY good people here that can help you a lot.

If you got the DDR3 mobo and memory, and Shadows card and the PS and 720 CPU he recommended with a 20" LCD that would be a very nice gaming comp.

One other good thing is as you gained more experience you could pick up another 4830 and run them in Crossfire for even crazier graphics.

Forget about OCing for right now..just focus on a simple but efficient build till you gain experience.
(there is absolutely no reason to OC a 4870, its a killer card the way it is, just like the 4850 and 4830s)

Wile E · Mar 5, 2009, 06:37 AM

Well, if incremental upgrades are the plan, it's hard to say what the right way to go is. Both AMD and Intel have screwed consumers with socket changes.

Intel is probably going to transition to a new socket in the next year or so, so if upgrading the cpu is a consideration, AMD may be the better bet, But then again, by the time you are ready to swap cpus, you may need or want to swap mobos anyway.

Tough call really.

Shadowfold has a nice build going there, but I would rather have an AM3 board and DDR3 at this point, just to keep future options more open.

Downgrade the video card to a 4830 to get the extra money to upgrade to AM3 and DDR3.

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 06:41 AM

What exactly is crossfire***

MKmods · Mar 5, 2009, 06:43 AM

Crosshair is an Asus motherboard.. Crossfire is using 2 or more ATI video cards to improve graphics.
http://game.amd.com/us-en/crossfirex_about.aspx

When using Nvidia based cards its called SLI.

dont worry so much about that right now, just focus on the basics.

Wile E · Mar 5, 2009, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bokteelo

What exactly is crosshair!! T_T

It's a Mobo model.

At any rate, can you get your PC parts from the cheaper place? If so, an Intel quad build is the way to go.

Bokteelo · Mar 5, 2009, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wile E

It's a Mobo model.

At any rate, can you get your PC parts from the cheaper place? If so, an Intel quad build is the way to go.

I'm not sure, but my cousin did get all his parts from his future brother-in-law's company, and it wasn't because of a discount either.

If I bump my budget up to $1000, how much more promising would my gaming rig look?

Wile E · Mar 5, 2009, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bokteelo

I'm not sure, but my cousin did get all his parts from his future brother-in-law's company, and it wasn't because of a discount either.

If I bump my budget up to $1000, how much more promising would my gaming rig look?

Much more promising. lol.

DaveK · Mar 5, 2009, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowFold

And don't be intimidated by building one. I'm 16 right now and I can do this stuff with a blindfold on.

Yup, I just turned 17 when I built my first rig, I should have done it like 2 years ago. It's actually not that hard though there can be complications, usually software crap. A lot of people are afraid of building their own computers in fear of something blowing up or not going right, but just follow some simple tips and take it slow, you'll get it. I built my rig on a measly €340 budget (about $430), it helps to use parts from your old computer like DVD Drive, hard-drive, monitor, keyboard/mouse and so on. It also helps if you buy some parts used to get them a bit cheaper.

Ask around and see if you can get some parts free, my mam used to work in an office and they got rid of their old PCs, my mam got one and it had an 80GB hard-drive in it which I'm using now.

Anything else you will be doing with the PC besides gaming? Video or photo editing? 3D modeling? Will you be doing any DVD ripping or playing BluRay or HD-DVD movies? Do you listen to much music?

It helps to know what you do, so if you played games but have a lot of movies and music you would probably want a large hard-drive, but if you just gamed and had some music you wouldn't need one as big and could go cheaper and spend the extra money on something else.

Mar 5, 2009, 05:22 AM	#1
Bokteelo Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 422 (0.27/day) Thanks: 45 Thanked 37 Times in 20 Posts	Looking to Build a PC - Details Inside! Okay, so as you can tell I'm COMPLETELY new on this forum, and also completely new to computers. I've gamed on computers for years now, and have always been fascinated by building a personal computer. Over the previous few months, I've looked into various computer parts and overclocking. I've been on Youtube many times searching & watching videos of people building computers step by step, and I think I've got the hang of it. I've finally decided to ask my parents if they would give me the funds to build my own computer, and fortunately they both agreed. What I'm looking for in a computer... I'm not too sure, but I want one that's build for gaming and videos, which would probably mean insane graphics. I know that in order to efficiently overclock, you need a great combination of 3 things: motherboard, processor, and memory. (How much faster will my hardware die out if I overclock? I've heard that overclocking shortens the life span of a piece of hard ware by a lot.) My budget is around $800, although lesser would be awesome. (I would've had around $1000 to spend on a computer, but I spent a small portion of that on some gaming peripherals such as mouse/keyboard/mousepad/headset/webcam.) I plan on using this computer for the next 3-4 years, so please keep overclocking potential in mind when picking out my parts. I know I probably sound like a lazy bum, but I'm honestly not sure what parts to order, what's good for this/that, what's compatible with what, and which parts would give me the biggest bang for my buck. (I'm still quite new to all this computer stuff.) Code: What it looks like so far: Intel Build: LCD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009125 HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136319 PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005 RAM - GPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.163933 MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128358 CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115041 Heatsink - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233023 Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119077 DVD - Card Reader - TC - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007 AMD Build: LCD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824009125 HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136319 PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005 RAM - GPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.163933 MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131368 CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103471 Heatsink - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233023 Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119077 DVD - Card Reader - TC - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007 Last edited by Bokteelo; Mar 7, 2009 at 07:31 PM.

Mar 5, 2009, 05:29 AM	#2
Rapid Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 25 (0.01/day) Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts System Specs	Theres me getting excited about you building and actual CPU! Not just the actual pc base unit. I think one of the first questions to ask you would be. What exactly are you going to use this pc for? You mentioned gaming, is it soley a gaming pc? Or will you have any other specific needs which might need some sort of specific hardware?? __________________ "I'll be happy to make these unnecessary changes to this irrelevant document"

Processor:	Intel e6550 Oc'd to 3.17Ghz
Motherboard:	Gigabyte GA-N650SLI-DS4L
Cooling:	Akasa Evo Blue AK-922
Memory:	GeIL 2GB (2x1GB) PC2-6400C4 800MHz Black Dragon
Video Card:	Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950XT 256mb
Hard Disk:	2 x Maxtor 250GB 16mb Cache (RAID 0)
CRT/LCD Model:	2 x Iiyama Prolite 17inch LCD
Case:	Thermaltake Armour
Sound Card:	Creative Audigy
PSU:	Hiper Type R- 580W
Software:	Windows XP

Mar 5, 2009, 05:33 AM	#3
ShadowFold Eligible for custom title Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 12,855 (6.50/day) Thanks: 1,381 Thanked 1,681 Times in 1,498 Posts System Specs	Keeping hardware at safe voltage(below 1.5v for CPU's) will not shorten it's life span. Assuming you don't have a monitor.. CPU + Motherboard Phenom II 720BE + MSI 790GX http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.165035 4gb Corsair XMS2 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145184 HIS HD 4870 512mb - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.162207 19" Widescreen monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824254005 LG DVD Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136152 Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147075 250gb Hard drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148262 Corsair 550w PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139004 I have the motherboard, RAM, case HDD and DVD drive listed above, they are all stellar products and I recommend them Also, don't skimp on cooling!! I have this heatsink and it's a beast http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...%20HDT-S1284EE Here is some really good thermal compound that I use http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0&Tpk=Xigmatek If you do have a monitor upgrade to this stuff http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.165080 And don't be intimidated by building one. I'm 16 right now and I can do this stuff with a blindfold on. Last edited by ShadowFold; Mar 5, 2009 at 05:39 AM.

System Name:	The ShadowFold Draconis (Ordering soon)
Processor:	AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8ghz
Motherboard:	ASUS M4A87TD EVO AM3 AMD 870
Cooling:	Stock
Memory:	Kingston ValueRAM 4GB DDR3-1333
Video Card:	XFX ATi Radeon HD 5850 1gb
Hard Disk:	Western Digital 640gb
Optical Drive:	LG DVD Burner SATA
CRT/LCD Model:	Acer 21.5" 5ms Full HD 1920x1080P
Case:	Antec Nine-Hundred
Sound Card:	Onboard + Creative "Fatal1ty" Headset
PSU:	Antec Earthwatts 650w
Software:	Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Benchmarks:	-❶-❸-❸-❼-

Mar 5, 2009, 05:37 AM	#4
D007 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Pompano beach, Florida Posts: 2,466 (1.09/day) Thanks: 456 Thanked 331 Times in 264 Posts System Specs	Although I can't quite give detailed information right now about which parts to buy because i need sleep lol.. I will say overclocking will not decrease the life badly at all if you keep the cpu cool. water cooling is best.. air cooling or thermo cooling is also optional. even more extreme measures, like oil submersion. You mention maybe 5 years of using it.. degradation due to overclocking won't be an issue as long as you cool it properly.. I've been using an e6400 conroe at 1.6volts, which is well over safe specs for 2 years lol.. it runs like a charm still. keep it cool. and use good thermal paste.. arctic silver 5 is among the best. apply it properly. some would say an X from corner to corner in a fine line and a dot in the middle.. don't mess up the paste to much, leaving bubbles or imperfections, between the cpu and the heatsink. __________________ There is nothing more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. "Martin Luther King"

System Name:	UNLEASHED
Processor:	Core i7 960 Bloomfield @ 4ghz
Motherboard:	Gigabyte X58A-UD3R
Cooling:	Scythe Mugen 2
Memory:	Corsair XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 RAM
Video Card:	2x MSI 680 GTX in SLI
Hard Disk:	256 GB Ocz V4 SSD "Thank you Kreij!"
Optical Drive:	SAMSUNG SH-S183L LS SATA
CRT/LCD Model:	50" Samsung, 1080p
Case:	Thermaltake Ovarseer "Blue LED"
PSU:	CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX850M
Software:	Microsoft Windows 7 x64

Mar 5, 2009, 05:43 AM	#5
MKmods Case Mod Guru Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 4,711 (2.46/day) Thanks: 2,879 Thanked 1,766 Times in 1,364 Posts System Specs	you are gonna get 1000s of different opinions here... Since its your first build make it as simple as possible (no multiple video cards or HDs or water cooling and dont worry so much about OCing at first, just get good stuff) Start by picking a case you like, look for one that has good cooling from the beginning so you wont overheat the comp you build. (Lian Li is a good start) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112184 Than get a "VERY GOOD" Power supply (Corsair, Seagate, Silverstone etc) Now its time to start the war over Intel/AMD Pick one... When it comes time to get a Video Card it will depend on what monitor you have and plan to use. $800 wont go too far building a gaming comp so try to get some good quality used parts. __________________ Buy tin snips FIRST!

System Name:	Crossflow III
Processor:	AMD 965 (4.04Ghz)
Motherboard:	Asus Crosshair III
Cooling:	Air
Memory:	4 gigs Mushkin 7-7-7-20@1T
Video Card:	single 9800GT
Hard Disk:	Raptor 150's in Raid0
Optical Drive:	Plextor
CRT/LCD Model:	LG Flatron 24"
Case:	Custom
Sound Card:	AuzenTech X-Raider W/OP637
PSU:	Custom modded Corsair 750HX
Software:	Win 7 64/Solaris Utility
Benchmarks:	3DMark06--21963 so far

Mar 5, 2009, 05:59 AM	#7
Bokteelo Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 422 (0.27/day) Thanks: 45 Thanked 37 Times in 20 Posts	Okay, ShadowFold, I just looked at your build and I must say, it looks quite promising. Even with the cooling and thermal compound, AND an extra hard drive, it comes out to $800.89! How do you think it would OC? As you said, if I kept the voltage under 1.5 would it break 3.5ghz with the air cooling you listed? So, in response to your original build, I do need a lot more hard drive space, and hopefully a larger monitor. Also, how about an extra fan just to be safe? I know that my budget might be limiting, but in all honesty, I have over $800 to spend, my parents are willing to invest more than that, but I simply don't want to spend so much. PS - I'm sorry I didn't reply to everyone's post. I wrote up quite a lengthy response but some double posting error I ran into erased it, and I'm quite lazy to rewrite it. Last edited by Bokteelo; Mar 5, 2009 at 06:09 AM.

Mar 5, 2009, 06:05 AM	#9
Bokteelo Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 422 (0.27/day) Thanks: 45 Thanked 37 Times in 20 Posts	I'm quite lost and confused right now. You all know so much and I'm sitting here trying to keep up with you guys!

Mar 5, 2009, 06:09 AM	#11
MKmods Case Mod Guru Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 4,711 (2.46/day) Thanks: 2,879 Thanked 1,766 Times in 1,364 Posts System Specs	take your time and dont be in a hurry. Wait till others start to chime in and give their opinions... (LOL, there is gonna be a lot to decipher) PS: where are you? US, EU, China.. Shadow is right on the 720, its an excellent OCer (if you go AMD) __________________ Buy tin snips FIRST!

Mar 5, 2009, 06:14 AM	#13
MKmods Case Mod Guru Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 4,711 (2.46/day) Thanks: 2,879 Thanked 1,766 Times in 1,364 Posts System Specs	well I like AMD, but there are a lot that like Intel. Shadows build is AMD also. I think right now you get more for the money with AMD/ ATI. And you could save a bit of $$ by buying one of Shadows 4830s (very good cards) Also are you gonna use XP, Vista 32 or 64bit? If you use the 64bit than get 4 gigs if not you only need 2 gigs of memory. __________________ Buy tin snips FIRST!

Mar 5, 2009, 06:16 AM	#14
Wile E Power User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Western PA (Pittsburgh suburbs) Posts: 18,129 (7.47/day) Thanks: 450 Thanked 3,826 Times in 3,124 Posts System Specs	If 5years is how long it must last, I suggest going with a quad core, not a tri-core. I would also suggest grabbing an Intel quad over an AMD, as the Intel's are a hair faster, and OC a touch better if you grab a 45nm version. Not by much, but every little bit counts if it has to last 5 years. $800 is a tough budget to work with if you have to buy a case and a monitor, but it can be done. __________________ Visit Ashentech “What the hell did you expect? Leave Vista under the pillow and the OS fairy would make it Win7?” -El Fiendo “And Bring Mailman back god damnit, he is the Eric Cartman of TPU” -MRCL

System Name:	The ClusterF**k
Processor:	980X @ 4212Mhz 24/7
Motherboard:	Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5 BIOS F12
Cooling:	MCR-320, DDC-1 pump w/Bitspower res top (1/2" fittings), Koolance CPU-360
Memory:	3x2GB Mushkin Redlines 1600Mhz 6-8-6-24
Video Card:	Evga GTX 580
Hard Disk:	Seagate 7200.10 320GB x2 RAID0; 2 x Samsung F2 1.5TB; 1 x F1 1TB; 1 x F4 2TB
Optical Drive:	LG WH10LS30K 10X Blu-ray Burner
CRT/LCD Model:	HP LP2475w 24" 1920x1200 IPS
Case:	Technofront Bench Station
Sound Card:	Auzentech X-Fi Forte into Onkyo SR606 and Polk TSi200's + RM6750
PSU:	ENERMAX Galaxy EVO EGX1250EWT 1250W
Software:	Win7 Ultimate N x64

Mar 5, 2009, 06:23 AM	#16
MKmods Case Mod Guru Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 4,711 (2.46/day) Thanks: 2,879 Thanked 1,766 Times in 1,364 Posts System Specs	COD4 is a mid level game, Crysis even kills $3K comps.. Shadows card with a 20" LCD would play COD4 on high settings. Maybe take a look at the AM3 Mobos (more future proof for AMD) with Shadows 720 or a 940 CPU. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128378 One nice thing about the Gigabyte mobos is their onboard sound is VERY good 9that will save you a bit by not buying a sound card) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231178 __________________ Buy tin snips FIRST!

Mar 5, 2009, 06:29 AM	#18
MKmods Case Mod Guru Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 4,711 (2.46/day) Thanks: 2,879 Thanked 1,766 Times in 1,364 Posts System Specs	One of the good things about TPU is there are MANY good people here that can help you a lot. If you got the DDR3 mobo and memory, and Shadows card and the PS and 720 CPU he recommended with a 20" LCD that would be a very nice gaming comp. One other good thing is as you gained more experience you could pick up another 4830 and run them in Crossfire for even crazier graphics. Forget about OCing for right now..just focus on a simple but efficient build till you gain experience. (there is absolutely no reason to OC a 4870, its a killer card the way it is, just like the 4850 and 4830s) __________________ Buy tin snips FIRST! Last edited by MKmods; Mar 5, 2009 at 06:42 AM.

Mar 5, 2009, 06:37 AM	#19
Wile E Power User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Western PA (Pittsburgh suburbs) Posts: 18,129 (7.47/day) Thanks: 450 Thanked 3,826 Times in 3,124 Posts System Specs	Well, if incremental upgrades are the plan, it's hard to say what the right way to go is. Both AMD and Intel have screwed consumers with socket changes. Intel is probably going to transition to a new socket in the next year or so, so if upgrading the cpu is a consideration, AMD may be the better bet, But then again, by the time you are ready to swap cpus, you may need or want to swap mobos anyway. Tough call really. Shadowfold has a nice build going there, but I would rather have an AM3 board and DDR3 at this point, just to keep future options more open. Downgrade the video card to a 4830 to get the extra money to upgrade to AM3 and DDR3. __________________ Visit Ashentech “What the hell did you expect? Leave Vista under the pillow and the OS fairy would make it Win7?” -El Fiendo “And Bring Mailman back god damnit, he is the Eric Cartman of TPU” -MRCL

Mar 5, 2009, 06:41 AM	#20
Bokteelo Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 422 (0.27/day) Thanks: 45 Thanked 37 Times in 20 Posts	What exactly is crossfire***

Mar 5, 2009, 06:43 AM	#21
MKmods Case Mod Guru Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 4,711 (2.46/day) Thanks: 2,879 Thanked 1,766 Times in 1,364 Posts System Specs	Crosshair is an Asus motherboard.. Crossfire is using 2 or more ATI video cards to improve graphics. http://game.amd.com/us-en/crossfirex_about.aspx When using Nvidia based cards its called SLI. dont worry so much about that right now, just focus on the basics. __________________ Buy tin snips FIRST!

System Name:	Project One (Rev.B)
Processor:	Intel Core i3-2100 @ 3.1GHz
Motherboard:	Asus P8P67 LE
Cooling:	Stock
Memory:	4GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 @ 1600MHz
Video Card:	1GB Sapphire Radeon HD4650 Ultimate Edition
Hard Disk:	1TB Samsung SpinPoint F1, 500GB Seagate, 250GB Hitatchi
CRT/LCD Model:	22" Samsung T220HD & 19" Acer X193W
Case:	Antec Nine Hundred
Sound Card:	Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum
PSU:	Corsair HX650W
Software:	Windows 7 Ultimate x64

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