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MichaelinTn

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Feb 27, 2012
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10,510
I have already purchased my components , two items are already here , and I am awaiting the arrival of the rest my system.
That being said I would still like honest comments as to how well the community feels I did in selecting my system components. This is after all my first build. I relied on the opinions and advice of my co-workers who have already built their own computers.

I was shooting for a mid range gaming system in both price and performance.

I have everything except speakers keyboard and mouse, and my total out of pocket expense so far is $1238.00.

Approximate Purchase Date: Covered that in my intro, and thread title.

Budget Range: Money is already spent, so any mistakes I have made or research I have failed to do, I will simply have to deal with.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming is my #1 mission for this computer build.

Parts Not Required: (e.g.: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS) **Include Power Supply Make & Model If Re-using**

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: I purchased everything except for my memory and proccessor cooler from Amazon. (Super saver shipping) The memory and cooler I got from NewEgg.

Country: I am ill informed as the country of assembly, and now I fear that this might become my first and possibly most severe oversight.

Parts Preferences: I prefer Intel , Invidia, and I already have my new monitor. Samsung Sync Master SA300.

Overclocking: yes. this was one of the major factors in my descision making proccess when I purchased the Mother Board.

SLI or Crossfire: Not yet, but I will have that option

Monitor Resolution: 1920X1080

Additional Comments: Since I have already purchased my system I was hoping to use this as sort of a way to introduce myself to the community.


http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Enforcer-Interior-SGC-1000-KWN1/dp/B004WK3KKQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330361513&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Antec-Computer-Power-Supply-HCG-750/dp/B0046L1PC6/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361626&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Premium-64bit-System-Builder/dp/B004Q0PT3I/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361668&sr=1-1-catcorr

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-BX80623I52500K-Core-i5-2500K-Processor/dp/B004EBUXHQ/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361728&sr=1-1-catcorr

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-LGA-1155-Motherboards-P8Z68-V/dp/B005UDITPK/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361800&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Caviar-Internal-Desktop/dp/B0036Q7MV0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361847&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-AD-7280S-0B-Internal-Drive-Black/dp/B0057FRTPW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361884&sr=1-1

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185173

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231460

http://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Silver-Polysynthetic-Thermal-Compound/dp/B0002VFXFE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330362112&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-S23A300B-23-Inch-Class-Monitor/dp/B004QNHNPW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330362164&sr=8-1

I got the monitor at a really great price from a retailer due to what I am going to call a product misplacement. The tag on the shelf below the monitor had it listed as being a monitor of lesser value. When I started asking questions about the monitor the individual helping me (who happened to be an assistant manager) looked up the information on the product. She came back and admitted the mistake. She told me that I could have the monitor at the advertised price if I bought it right then. Sweet!!

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=palit+geforce+gtx+570+sonic+platinum&gs_sm=1&gs_upl=2938l2938l0l6047l1l1l0l0l0l0l125l125l0.1l1l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1112&bih=923&wrapid=tlif133036259046410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=9165796464033234863&sa=X&ei=5LhLT57VKIS2twfYqZDxAg&ved=0CD8Q8wIwAg#

This I feel was my best deal. I got it from a friend who wanted to upgrade his video card. I won't say how little I paid for this monster, but I got it for about a third of the cost that I was going to spend on another new card, and in comparison the GTX 570 is still the stronger graphics card.

I do have some concerns involving the set up of my new system. As I said before this is my first build. I am currently researching how to partition my hard drive, and set it up so that I am able to access it's full speed capabilities (6Mbs instead of 3Mbs). So any suggestions as to the best way to ensure proper set up and boot sequence would be most appreciated.

Thanks, and have a great day

Michael.
 
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I have already purchased my components , two items are already here , and I am awaiting the arrival of the rest my system.

In general I don't know why people post these sorts of things here. Not anything against you specifically, but most people end up having purchased pretty terrible components for their use and/or the money and we just make them feel like crap after they post here. You did pretty well so you won't be regretting what most others do.

I was shooting for a mid range gaming system in both price and performance.

I have everything except speakers keyboard and mouse, and my total out of pocket expense so far is $1238.00.
$1000 isn't really mid-range these days. You can get a lot of the higher-end components...

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator
That should be a pretty solid build. I don't know much about that particular brand of video card but a 570 should last you quite a while. You probably didn't need the extra thermal paste as your cooler probably comes with some but otherwise that should be a good build. Be sure to write down all your serial numbers in case something goes wrong or doesn't work.
 
I have already purchased my components , two items are already here , and I am awaiting the arrival of the rest my system.

In general I don't know why people post these sorts of things here. Not anything against you specifically, but most people end up having purchased pretty terrible components for their use and/or the money and we just make them feel like crap after they post here. You did pretty well so you won't be regretting what most others do.

I was shooting for a mid range gaming system in both price and performance.

I have everything except speakers keyboard and mouse, and my total out of pocket expense so far is $1238.00.
$1000 isn't really mid-range these days. You can get a lot of the higher-end components for just over $1k.


http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Enforcer-Interior-SGC-1000-KWN1/dp/B004WK3KKQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330361513&sr=8-1
Cases are pretty much your own personal preference. I have never seen this case before so I can't say whether or not it was a good/bad purchase.

http://www.amazon.com/Antec-Computer-Power-Supply-HCG-750/dp/B0046L1PC6/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361626&sr=1-1
These are pretty good PSUs. Don't know what you paid for it so I can't say if there were better power supply options for the price, but it'll get the job done above average.

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-BX80623I52500K-Core-i5-2500K-Processor/dp/B004EBUXHQ/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361728&sr=1-1-catcorr

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-LGA-1155-Motherboards-P8Z68-V/dp/B005UDITPK/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330361800&sr=1-1
Pretty common set up for i5 builds. Best performance/dollar.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185173
You could have gone for a similar cooler for less (Hyper 212+ or Hyper 212 EVO). I think I've heard of this cooler before, but honestly the i5 runs pretty cool compared to most chips so you shouldn't have many issues when OCing.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-S23A300B-23-Inch-Class-Monitor/dp/B004QNHNPW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330362164&sr=8-1

I got the monitor at a really great price from a retailer due to what I am going to call a product misplacement. The tag on the shelf below the monitor had it listed as being a monitor of lesser value. When I started asking questions about the monitor the individual helping me (who happened to be an assistant manager) looked up the information on the product. She came back and admitted the mistake. She told me that I could have the monitor at the advertised price if I bought it right then. Sweet!!
Would have considered a different monitor, but at a lower price it can't be beat. Samsung is just a bit pricey for what you get these days, but if you got a deal you probably paid the right $$ for the value.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=palit+geforce+gtx+570+sonic+platinum&gs_sm=1&gs_upl=2938l2938l0l6047l1l1l0l0l0l0l125l125l0.1l1l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1112&bih=923&wrapid=tlif133036259046410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=9165796464033234863&sa=X&ei=5LhLT57VKIS2twfYqZDxAg&ved=0CD8Q8wIwAg#

This I feel was my best deal. I got it from a friend who wanted to upgrade his video card. I won't say how little I paid for this monster, but I got it for about a third of the cost that I was going to spend on another new card, and in comparison the GTX 570 is still the stronger graphics card.
The 560Ti/570 will be enough to handle almost all games on max settings, so there isn't a problem with getting a steal from someone you know.

My 560Ti handles most games perfectly on High (not Ultra) with 8x AA/AAF settings. On Ultra my framerates will dip below 30-40, so there's minor stuttering in some parts.

I am currently researching how to partition my hard drive, and set it up so that I am able to access it's full speed capabilities (6Mbs instead of 3Mbs).
Not sure what you mean here. Are you talking about SATA III (SATA III = 6Gbps)? As long as you plug the HDD into the denoted SATA III ports you're good. Formatting/partitions have nothing to do with that.

SATA II (3Gbps) isn't saturated by current hard drives, so you won't see a difference in speeds even if you plugged the SATA III HDD into a SATA II port on the motherboard. If you had a SATA III SSD, then you would see a difference.

So any suggestions as to the best way to ensure proper set up and boot sequence would be most appreciated.
Just follow the Windows setup. Nothing special you need to do other than set the proper boot order for your DVD and HDD in the BIOS.
 
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MichaelinTn

Honorable
Feb 27, 2012
16
0
10,510



Yeah, the cooler does come with thermal paste, but when I was making my descision I noticed that most of the reviews I read talked about how the paste that comes with the cooler is usually in an applicator that makes a bit of a mess. So I just thought it would be cleaner , easier to apply , and I would be able to keep air bubbles down to a minimum if I spent a few dollars and got a quality paste in a small syringe.

 

MichaelinTn

Honorable
Feb 27, 2012
16
0
10,510



Thanks Boiler,

I did hear that if I don't go into the BIOS and assign my HHD to use the 6Mbs that it will default to 3. Is there any truth to this? If it is just plug and play that will be great.
As far as partitioning the hard drive my understanding is that if you assign a small section of your HHD to house your OS that the computer will boot faster, and if you should have a system crash the rest of your data (games, pics, music documents) will be safe from the risk of file corruption.

I was looking at a 560Ti, when I got the opportunity to purchase the Palit graphics card.

BTW.
Do you own that Lexus LFA? Those things are bad azz.

http://vimeo.com/8538419

 
I did hear that if I don't go into the BIOS and assign my HHD to use the 6Mbs that it will default to 3. Is there any truth to this? If it is just plug and play that will be great.
AFAIK you just plug it into the SATA III port and you're done. It could very well be dependent on the motherboard, and since you'll probably need to change a few BIOS settings it won't hurt to check while you're in there. Only one way to really find out!

As far as partitioning the hard drive my understanding is that if you assign a small section of your HHD to house your OS that the computer will boot faster, and if you should have a system crash the rest of your data (games, pics, music documents) will be safe from the risk of file corruption.
I've not heard that, and it doesn't entirely make sense. It's all on the same physical drive, so moving things between two partitions on the same drive should take longer (at least, that's the way it appears to me).

System crashes generally revolve around total drive failure, which would affect both partitions.

Using boot drives really only applies to SSDs from my experience.

I was looking at a 560Ti, when I got the opportunity to purchase the Palit graphics card.
It's a pretty solid card. Not sure how the 570 OCs compared to the 560Ti, but with that cooler you should be able to get something extra out of it.

BTW.
Do you own that Lexus LFA? Those things are bad azz.
I wish :na: I'm looking to buy a new car within a year or two, and I'm torn between the more practical Focus ST or the less practical Subaru BRZ/Scion FRS (aka the poor man's LFA)
 

MichaelinTn

Honorable
Feb 27, 2012
16
0
10,510
Thanks again Boiler,

I will do more research into the reasoning behind partitioning a hard drive to determine whether or not it will be worth the extra effort for my needs.

The 570 OC and 560Ti are very close in performance. The cooler I purchased may end up being more than a little overkill, but I would prefer to err on the side of caution. I made my Mother Board purchase based on the fact that I want to OC, and realizing that I haven't yet figured out how to do that manually. The ASUS P8Z68 that I purchased has a GUIF for over clocking that makes the task more user friendly and much safer for the system. I think that after I have had the machine a while, and when I am over the wow factor I will get due to the upgrade (Gteway, Intel 2.8Ghz, 1.5G memory, XP home, GeForce 7600) I might start tinkering around with trying to squeeze more speed out of the new computer.

That Subaru is very slick looking, and will probably run like a scalded dog. Boxer engines are incredibly efficient, and Subaru can squeeze massive HP out of that configuration.


Michael.
 
OCing the 'k' CPUs is pretty simple. You really just increase the multiplier (and Vcore, if necessary) to increase the overall CPU speed. Most 2500Ks hit near 4.3-4.5 without any voltage adjustments. I traded mine for the 2120 + cash since I needed the money, and the guy I traded with hit 4.4GHz with only 0.10 V over stock.

If you have a non-K CPU you can OC by adjusting the baseclock (BCLK in BIOS), but that affects the FSB speeds and screws with the RAM timings somewhat. This is why several years ago you needed good OCing RAM to OC the CPU.
 
I remember partitioning hard drives. It used to b e done when your HDD as bigger than the OS could see (for example, a 60GB drive partitioned into 2 30 GB drives in windows 95/98, which could only see 32GB of hard drive). Or if you had a dual boot system, where each OS would be a partition. Or for file organization options (all my photoshop files on E:\. all my Movies on F:\ etc.

If you aren't doing any of that, in a modern system there really no need to partition. the first item (hard drives bigger than some OS's could see, a decade or two ago) may be the origin of your 'faster boot' rumor, or possibly SSDs, which are faster, but a lot smaller.
 

MichaelinTn

Honorable
Feb 27, 2012
16
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10,510




Makes me even happier that I bought the i5 2500k.
 

MichaelinTn

Honorable
Feb 27, 2012
16
0
10,510



I'm not using a SSD, just the HDD I listed in my build. Thanks for the information Squirrel. The individual I got the info about partitioning is a bit long in the tooth even by my standards. I'm gonna be 44 on the first of March. Just another year. :pfff:

Thanks,
Michael.
 
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