Getting prepared for 1st build, need advice.

[DaddyAce]

Tinkles, check out this site for suggestions on balanced gaming builds:  http://www.logicalincrements.com/

[guncrasher]

you have both windows 8 and windows 7?


semp

[Tinkles]

you have both windows 8 and windows 7?


semp

  Just noticed my typo.  It's windows 7 home premium edition (32/64) not windows 8

I was just saying some of the recommended things I couldn't get because of the baggage (listed at previous post), the 'baggage' -as I call it- would be something I don't need or already have a better equivalent.

[usvi]

I have the same CPU, MOBO. The system has been flawless so far with WIN 7 64bit Home Premium.

I used this RAM...http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HZG4ZO/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am running this GPU...http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Mini-Displayport-PCI-Express-Graphic-GV-R787OC-2GD/dp/B007PJVB3Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388206708&sr=8-1&keywords=gigabyte+hd+7870

This is the PS...http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00608MP5E/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this CPU Cooler...http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005O65JXI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The GPU is the first AMD card I've ever used and it performs very well. The power supply is a bit of an overkill but I wanted to be sure it would handle future upgrades.

[MADe]

Case, CoolerMaster HAF 932, Full tower ATX case. Plenty room for large vid cards, multiple fans with room for water cooling in the future. Its an all metal case. Bit pricey but its been around awhile. Should be able to get a good price. I own 2. Will use them till ATX form factor is no more. Newegg had them for $139. Search around.

I would suggest an Nvidia based GPU card. I know peeps that had trouble with ATI/AMD Radeons?????????????????????

If you are not over clocking, the stock cpu fan will be fine. Later you can consider an aftermarket cooler if necessary.

Consider a larger PSU, 750W minimum. Maybe 850W, a good PSU will last many builds into future. I have read where they operate best at 80% of capacity, leaves a little overhead I guess.

Drop the Blu ray, add it later. Unless your gonna use a semi large screen HDTV to view movies. Apply dollars another way.

Remember, its about the vid card, the ram and a cpu that can push it. Then select the mobo. If you gonna use a spin drive, get one that has some rpms. The Western Digital Raptors spin 10,000 rpm, better performance.

Also be aware of software drivers, ie: chipset drivers, the bios of mobo, If you buy a slightly older mobo, you might need to get the latest bios for it, same with the mobos drivers. They will give you a disc with the stuff for it, but these things are always updated. You might as well start off with the most current drivers for mobo. ie; you would want to update the bios before you install the OS. read up. Same thing with the OS, get all the MS updates in before you start installing the software you want to use, as in the games, AH.

Theres a lot of crap to involve yourself with, but getting your ducks in a row will save you headaches and troubleshooting.............

[guncrasher]

think you are confusing dual channel and triple channel with ddr3


semp

[MADe]

think you are confusing dual channel and triple channel with ddr3


semp

Your right, I just googled up that mobo and saw the boards layout. I edited my bad advice out.

[cattb]

Micro Center usually has CPU and mother board package deals. You would have to go to the store for pickup to get the deals.
I personally like the cooler master evo cooler myself, have one on each puter.

[Bizman]

MADe, good advice other than that one:

Consider a larger PSU, 750W minimum. Maybe 850W, a good PSU will last many builds into future.

Modern components use less power than those from about five years ago, and the trend seems to continue. There's more exact explanations, but if you just think about the law of conservation of energy you'll get a clue. If your system only uses 400W but your PSU produces 800W with 80% efficiency, what will become of the excess 250W? Correct: heat. Plus a bunch of anomalies, since the PSU isn't really designed to produce heat.

[MADe]

http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1061
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/g_skill_ddr3_pc3_12800_triple_channel_memory_review,11.html
http://www.overclock.net/t/681697/the-truth-about-i7-1366-memory-both-dual-channel-vs-tri-channel
http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Haswell-Core-i3-vs-i5-vs-i7-Which-is-right-for-you-475/

Heres a couple of reads. This will expose you to some of the nomenclature, prompt you to ask your own questions about stuff. Then you can Google up more stuff to stupefy and dumbfound yourself. he he

Take it all with a grain of salt. Do not let the fact that you do not understand what is being said, I sure as hell didn't, in beginning. As you read more things will begin to gel and you will develop a basic understanding so you can get what you want. Will not make you a computer engineer, just allow you to make more informed choices.

Also get a 3.5 floppy, will make bios update easy. Allow to save a copy of bios settings to a floppy, outside of bios saving. There cheap as hell.

[MADe]

MADe, good advice other than that one:
Modern components use less power than those from about five years ago, and the trend seems to continue. There's more exact explanations, but if you just think about the law of conservation of energy you'll get a clue. If your system only uses 400W but your PSU produces 800W with 80% efficiency, what will become of the excess 250W? Correct: heat. Plus a bunch of anomalies, since the PSU isn't really designed to produce heat.

Understood, but in future as he learns/upgrades, he might want to add a 2nd vid card, or OC the equipment and add water cooling. I know there has been discussions about PSU size in the forums in past, good discussions, but I will always fall to the stronger side when it comes to power. I use a 900W PSU in this machine, it has not been an issue for moi. I have so many fans running its sick. 2 for cpu air cooler, fans for 2 vid cards, the case has 4 or 5 fans. I had to jack up the volts for the cpu and ram to get the 4GHz OC I use. Having a "little" extra wattage cannot hurt.

I'm not a puter pro by any means, but my machine works great. It was reasonably priced. I started at the same level as Tinkles, ignorant. So I just try to explain my approach. Cannot argue with success. he he
He said he wanted to learn, so I try not to just dictate to him. Not that anybody else is either.
 

[MrRiplEy[H]]

MADe, good advice other than that one:
Modern components use less power than those from about five years ago, and the trend seems to continue. There's more exact explanations, but if you just think about the law of conservation of energy you'll get a clue. If your system only uses 400W but your PSU produces 800W with 80% efficiency, what will become of the excess 250W? Correct: heat. Plus a bunch of anomalies, since the PSU isn't really designed to produce heat.

This is not correct. The switching PSUs of today adjust their power production according to power draw which is the only reason they can operate at 80%+ efficiency. If PSUs would operate like you say they do, PSUs would have an abysmally low efficiency on anything but 100% load.

The switching operation is also the reason why many PSUs will produce 'dirty' electricity if they are driven at very low loads.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1061
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/g_skill_ddr3_pc3_12800_triple_channel_memory_review,11.html
http://www.overclock.net/t/681697/the-truth-about-i7-1366-memory-both-dual-channel-vs-tri-channel
http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Haswell-Core-i3-vs-i5-vs-i7-Which-is-right-for-you-475/

Heres a couple of reads. This will expose you to some of the nomenclature, prompt you to ask your own questions about stuff. Then you can Google up more stuff to stupefy and dumbfound yourself. he he

Take it all with a grain of salt. Do not let the fact that you do not understand what is being said, I sure as hell didn't, in beginning. As you read more things will begin to gel and you will develop a basic understanding so you can get what you want. Will not make you a computer engineer, just allow you to make more informed choices.

Also get a 3.5 floppy, will make bios update easy. Allow to save a copy of bios settings to a floppy, outside of bios saving. There cheap as hell.

AFAIK floppy usage need has disappeared completely. Most modern motherboards allow you to use a cd or USB stick to flash the bios - or you can do it directly through windows. Also, you should never update your BIOS unless you have a real problem which you know the BIOS update will solve (such as not supporting your new CPU). But that situation should never come with a new motherboard or you chose a wrong one to begin with.

[MADe]

AFAIK floppy usage need has disappeared completely. Most modern motherboards allow you to use a cd or USB stick to flash the bios - or you can do it directly through windows. Also, you should never update your BIOS unless you have a real problem which you know the BIOS update will solve (such as not supporting your new CPU). But that situation should never come with a new motherboard or you chose a wrong one to begin with.

I understand about the floppy, but it is easier for a novice. I'm a novice and it helped moi. Less than $10.................
My EX58 needed to be flashed out of the box, new bios do add better things. My P-45 mobo needed to be flashed out of the box. Both mobos were not state of the art when purchased.
I know you know more than me, but Tinkles wants to learn basics. I just give him something to run with. Both my mobos, flashed manually, defaulted to the floppy, since I had 1 installed. I would only suggest upgrading bios before OS is installed myself. He is gonna buy something slightly behind the times. Keeping it simple.
The self taught relating experiences to one who wants to self teach.
 

[BaldEagl]

I think I had to flash the BIOS on my motherboard (older Nvidia 780i) four or five times as Nvidia worked out some issues.  It's been a great board once they got it right.  I also used a floppy but would probably use a flash drive now.  Floppys are obsolete.