Building CPU online, please provide feedback!

[gangstap]

I am building a computer on cyberpower because building it myself seems scary. I have been doing a lot of research but there is still a lot I need to learn. I plan on using a lot of Adobe software as well as playing wow, sc2(if it ever comesout) and some cs. the computer I put together is 1180 after S&H. Here's what it has. I went back and forth between the 5770 and the 5830 but couldn't justify spending the xtra 85$ on the marginal gains I've read about. Please provide your feedback and any advice or critique or possible modification before I order. Thanks!
# BUNDLE: None
# BLUETOOTH: None
# CD: LG 22X DVD±/±RW + CD-R/RW Dual Layer Drive (BLACK COLOR)
# CD2: None
# CAS: Apevia X-Dreamer 3 Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ Side-Panel Window & Temperature Display (Black Color with Black Ring & Blue LED Fan)
# CASUPGRADE: None
# CS_FAN: Default case fans
# CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-930 2.80 GHz 8M L3 Cache LGA1366
# FREEBIE_CU: Free 3 Games Bundle - STREET FIGTHER 4, RESIDENT EVIL & DARKVOID
# FAN: Asetek LCLC 120 Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Extreme Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA)
# FREEBIE_RM: None
# FA_HDD: None
# FLASHMEDIA: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)
# FLOPPY: None
# HDD: Single Hard Drive (1TB (1TBx1) SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
# HDD2: None
# IEEE_CARD: None
# KEYBOARD: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
# MOUSE: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
# MONITOR: None
# MONITOR2: None
# MODEM: None
# MULTIVIEW: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors
# MOTHERBOARD: * Asus P6T SE Intel X58 Chipset CrossFireX Mainboard Triple-Channel DDR3/1600 SATA RAID w/ eSATA
# MEMORY: 6GB (2GBx3) DDR3/1600MHz Triple Channel Memory Module (Corsair or Major Brand)
# NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
# OVERCLOCK: No Overclocking
# OS: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium [+104] (64-bit Edition)
# POWERSUPPLY: 700 Watts Power Supplies [+10] (XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply)
# PRINTER: None
# PRINTER_CABLE: None
# RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
# SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
# SPEAKERS: None
# SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
# TEMP: None
# TVRC: None
# USB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
# USBHD: None
# USBX: None
# VIDEO: ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB DDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [DirectX 11 Support] [+56] (Major Brand Powered by ATI)
# VIDEO2: None
# VIDEO3: None
# VC_PHYSX: None
# WNC: None
# XWNC1: Xterasys 802.11b/g/n Mini USB 2.0 Wireless Adapter [+24]

 

[saaiello]

All looks good but i would suggest getting a better video card get atleast a HD 5850 the 5770 is a pretty weak card for your system.

 

[gangstap]

Thanks. I agree, like i said i went back and forth between the 5770 and the 5830. The price difference is almost double for the 5850!

 

[saaiello]

the 5830 isnt much better then the 5770 I wouldn't even consider it go for the 5850

 

[gangstap]

Anything else about the build or maybe something I'm missing? I don't think I can afford the 5850.

 

[saint19]

Hi newcomer and welcome to the Tom's hardware forum.

What is your budget?

 

[roversjoost]

I think it depends on your monitor. If you have around a 22 inch (1080p) I think a 5770 should be fine for sc2. It says here http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gaming-graphics-card,2544-3.html it gives great performance up to 1920x1200. Check that guide and choose your GPU according to your resolution. Your CPU would be overkill for sc2 but i guess you need it for adobe (I have no expertise on that). If you got a bigger monitor with a higher resolution, you would probably benefit from a 5850. If the 5770 isnt't up to speed anymore in the future you could crossfire it to get around 5870 speed or just buy a more powerfull GPU.

 

[gangstap]

Hi newcomer and welcome to the Tom's hardware forum.

What is your budget?

I want to spend around $1200 on the CPU and no more than $200 on a monitor. I have considered downgrading the processor and upgrading the GPU but I have come to the realization that I can't do without the i7.

 

[lothdk]

If you have ever installed a video card in a PC, you should be able to build one too, it really is very simple even if it may seem intimidating first time.

I tried to look up that power supply, but I can not seem to find any complete specs on it, personally I would not trust a system like what you have listed to a 700W $36 PSU.

 

[gangstap]

I think it depends on your monitor. If you have around a 22 inch (1080p) I think a 5770 should be fine for sc2. It says here http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gaming-graphics-card,2544-3.html it gives great performance up to 1920x1200. Check that guide and choose your GPU according to your resolution. Your CPU would be overkill for sc2 but i guess you need it for adobe (I have no expertise on that). If you got a bigger monitor with a higher resolution, you would probably benefit from a 5850. If the 5770 isnt't up to speed anymore in the future you could crossfire it to get around 5870 speed or just buy a more powerfull GPU.

I think there is a lot of validity in what you said regarding the cpu overkill for what I'm doing. I'm really not doing a whole lot outside of playing a few video games I just want to make sure that I'm not buying a computer for a few years but rather a computer that will last a long time. Using my laptop as an example, I purchased it about 6 1/2 years ago and spent 2300$ on it. It still runs flawlessly the only reason I'm buying a desktop is because my software and drivers and everything is a little outdated. Plus I have a lot of stuff I'd like to transfer to a desktop so I can reformat my lappy like it was new.

 

[gangstap]

If you have ever installed a video card in a PC, you should be able to build one too, it really is very simple even if it may seem intimidating first time.

I tried to look up that power supply, but I can not seem to find any complete specs on it, personally I would not trust a system like what you have listed to a 700W $36 PSU.

Thanks for commenting on that. I'm nervous too and I haven't done the amount of research I probably should have on PSUs. The build on Cyberpower comes standard with a 600w psu. I spent 10$ more and got a 700w because I read something about some GPU's requiring more than 650w.

 

[saint19]

Ok, same recomendation that SAAIELLO, get a better GPU and make you sure that the RAM is CL7 or CL8.

 

[roversjoost]

I am still not to sure you 'need' an i7 920. How hard is the Adobe software on your cpu? If I read you right, you are the kind of user that buys a pc and then uses it untill it is obsolete. You are not very comfortable upgrading right?

If this is the case I think you should consider the i5 750. It is pretty comparable in gaming and everything else and is a lot cheaper if you factor in motherboard costs. You could then go one of two ways: save your money and buy a 5770 or go all out and go for the 5850.

If what you really want is a powerfull and balanced gaming machine that can do other tasks as well and will not be upgraded: get the i5 and the 5850.

If you want the option to drop in a better CPU and/or GPU('s): the I7 920 on LGA1366 gives you lot of options for the future and the 5770 will do for now.

Its up to you!

Good luck

 

[13thmonkey]

lose the liquid cooling, not needed unless you are overclocking, spend that money on gpu...

 

[gangstap]

lose the liquid cooling, not needed unless you are overclocking, spend that money on gpu...

It's free with the system I'm building :/

 

[intelx]

my advice, get i5 750 insted of the i7-920 doing that will save you 150 because mobos for p55 are also cheaper and very sold, pair that with 5850, and that will do much better than i7-920 with 5770.

if you get i7 920 with 5770 then your gpu will be slow for your cpu to keep up with, as for i5 750 with 5850 that is a very balanced system with much higher fps in all games.

 

[13thmonkey]

+1 intelx and others that suggest I5-750.

 

[gangstap]

my advice, get i5 750 insted of the i7-920 doing that will save you 150 because mobos for p55 are also cheaper and very sold, pair that with 5850, and that will do much better than i7-920 with 5770.

if you get i7 920 with 5770 then your gpu will be slow for your cpu to keep up with, as for i5 750 with 5850 that is a very balanced system with much higher fps in all games.

Ahhh, I feel like I'm missing out by not getting an i7 processor! Almost like its too cheap compared to the i5 NOT to get the "top of the line" processor. Maybe I should re-evaluate it though, you're right.

 

[13thmonkey]

its processor and mobo price remember, and its only top of the line today, it also foces you to 3x2G ram, you could get 2x2Gb and still have a very nice machine, and the option to go to an additional 2x2 later.

 

[gangstap]

its processor and mobo price remember, and its only top of the line today, it also foces you to 3x2G ram, you could get 2x2Gb and still have a very nice machine, and the option to go to an additional 2x2 later.

is 4GB of RAM enough? To upgrade RAM with the i5-750 P55 is like crazy expensive from 4GB to 8GB.

 

[saint19]

^With 4GB is enough for now.

 

[bogcotton]

Why not get the i7-860.

It's faster stock than the 920, and the motherboard cost is lower.

You don't sound like the kind of person who is going to buy a Madtown 6core beast and put it in your system, so if you want to save some funds for a more suitable graphics card, I would suggest an i7-860, and a decent but cost effective board. The Gigabyte p55a-ud3 is good, or the Asus p7p55d.

This should give you enough spare money for a 5850.

But can you wait?

Fermi should bring some new competition and lower prices all around.

OCZ are good for decently priced but good quality PSUs.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The case is not one I would use....and the PSU and other "no name" components would have me concerned...what CAS # on the RAM ? Whose / what model HD HD ?

As for the GFX, what resolution ? 5770 fine for DX10/9 @ 1920 x 1200 and DX11 to 1650 x 1050 ..... 58xx needed for DX11 @ 1920 x 1200 for 30+ fps.

 

[gangstap]

The case is not one I would use....and the PSU and other "no name" components would have me concerned...what CAS # on the RAM ? Whose / what model HD HD ?

As for the GFX, what resolution ? 5770 fine for DX10/9 @ 1920 x 1200 and DX11 to 1650 x 1050 ..... 58xx needed for DX11 @ 1920 x 1200 for 30+ fps.

Jack, I appreciate the constructive comments. What brand case would you recommend? I don't know what CAS # is. Don't know what you mean by HD HD. Don't know the resolution. As I have said before I'm not completely illiterate I have done a good deal of research but some of the details like this are still a little foreign to me.

Also, Bogcotton,

How long would the wait be? I'm not rich by any means but if fermi wont be released for at least a month and prices start to stablize after that, I'm willing to spend the xtra few dollars i guess? Thanks.

 

[lothdk]

The first two Fermi cards will be released on the 26 this month. It will be 2 high end models, when mainstream models will be released is anyones guess.