Dell XPS 8900

[noonin]

I know most people here on TH recommend building your own system. I have added RAM, a SSD, HDDs, optical drives and various PCI cards to the three Dell desktops I've had in the past, and was at the point a few years ago where I felt pretty confident I could physically build my own and get it running without too much hassle as long as everything worked as planned. What gives me pause is missing some little detail in setup, or supporting the software (namely Windows) for the first couple years. My Dell purchases have been through Small Business with ProSupport warranties because if I have a problem, I like being able to call someone in N. America I can understand. The other part of building my own I am worried about is getting a Retail copy of Windows 7 Pro...not really interested in Windows 10.

I am interested in purchasing a new XPS 8900 from Dell Small Business (don't want Windows 10 as I mentioned) to replace my Latitude 6530 as my main computer at home. I don't buy computers often, and when I do, I tend to over buy the hardware and hang on to it a while (my first Dell was a Dimension 4100 from 2001 was used until four years ago). Besides the obvious Internet uses, I do some photo editing, and video converting, and my 11 yr old plays Minecraft, Universal Sandbox, Kerbal Space, and wants to play ARK: Survival Evolved (but our lowly Latitude's GPU won't cut it). Who knows what games he'll be into in the future ;-).

Reviews of the XPS in mainstream places are generally good, but as always with Dells, there are more than enough people complaining about DOA boxes or MoBo failures, which gives me pause. I'm on the fence...for starters, if I build it, can I get a legit Windows 7 Pro OS disc?

 

[Barty1884]

You should absolutely build your own system, if you can. Considering you've been comfortable adding PCI cards, SSDs, HDDs, RAM etc - clearly you can.

To answer your question on Windows 7 Pro, retail........in theory you can still buy it. In practice though, it's difficult from any 'official' channel. Curious what your logic is for the Retail version though? You can still buy legit "System Builder" packs of Windows 7 Pro. The only real difference is you can move your OS to a new motherboard if you buy retail. From your description though, you run setups for a long time........... If you stick to your own trend and use a new build for 5+ years, what are the chances you'd want to still use an unsupported OS by the time you're done with this one? (Windows 7 extended support runs to 2020 if memory serves).

"System Builder" packs still exist with official MS retailers/etailers. That would set you back $140US:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416804&cm_re=windows_7-_-32-416-804-_-Product

Compare that to the retail price of Windows 10 Pro at $200US, I can only imagine what a legit retail pack of Windows 7 Pro would cost (assuming you could find one, and the fact MS stopped selling Windows 7 retail in late 2013).

 

[noonin]

You should absolutely build your own system, if you can. Considering you've been comfortable adding PCI cards, SSDs, HDDs, RAM etc - clearly you can.

To answer your question on Windows 7 Pro, retail........in theory you can still buy it. In practice though, it's difficult from any 'official' channel. Curious what your logic is for the Retail version though? You can still buy legit "System Builder" packs of Windows 7 Pro. The only real difference is you can move your OS to a new motherboard if you buy retail. From your description though, you run setups for a long time........... If you stick to your own trend and use a new build for 5+ years, what are the chances you'd want to still use an unsupported OS by the time you're done with this one? (Windows 7 extended support runs to 2020 if memory serves).

"System Builder" packs still exist with official MS retailers/etailers. That would set you back $140US:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416804&cm_re=windows_7-_-32-416-804-_-Product

Compare that to the retail price of Windows 10 Pro at $200US, I can only imagine what a legit retail pack of Windows 7 Pro would cost (assuming you could find one, and the fact MS stopped selling Windows 7 retail in late 2013).

I saw that, but I assume I could never get help from Microsoft? i admit, I never have, but have gotten help from Dell on Windows once in a while. What happens if I were to need to replace the MoBo or C drive if they went out or I wanted to upgrade?

 

[Barty1884]

Not strictly true. You can still get basic support from MS via System Builder packs..........and you can normally go through a bunch of stuff via live chat or over the phone before they ever even ask/figure out you have an OEM version. I wouldn't use that as the basis of any decision, especially on Windows 7 (chances of there being any significant problem so late in it's lifecycle are pretty slim).

As far as replacing the C drive, RAM, GPU etc there's no problem.....even the CPU can be replaced.
Essentially the only significant problem, is if you decide to upgrade your motherboard. If it dies, 9 times out of 10 you can call/live chat etc and explain and they will authorize it on a new motherboard. If you just want to replace the......... technically you can't, and you'd need to buy a new OS. In reality though, you can always ask the question (you could outright lie too, claiming it died, if you were so inclined) and there's a chance of success.


As a secondary FYI, not that I'm advocating you go pre-built, but if you do, there is such a thing as "Downgrade Rights" in the MS user agreement. https://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/downgrade_rights.aspx#fbid=odwqy83WkIg

Essentially, if you buy an "off the shelf" rig, you can call up MS and explain you're using your downgrade rights, install the corresponding media (which is all available to download from MS themselves) and activate it.

In short, don't limit your pre-built options to those that come with Windows 7 out of the box. You can buy a W10 machine and downgrade.......if you want to go that route.

I'd still recommend you build your own though, and use a W7 OEM licence.

 

[noonin]

Not strictly true. You can still get basic support from MS via System Builder packs..........and you can normally go through a bunch of stuff via live chat or over the phone before they ever even ask/figure out you have an OEM version. I wouldn't use that as the basis of any decision, especially on Windows 7 (chances of there being any significant problem so late in it's lifecycle are pretty slim).

As far as replacing the C drive, RAM, GPU etc there's no problem.....even the CPU can be replaced.
Essentially the only significant problem, is if you decide to upgrade your motherboard. If it dies, 9 times out of 10 you can call/live chat etc and explain and they will authorize it on a new motherboard. If you just want to replace the......... technically you can't, and you'd need to buy a new OS. In reality though, you can always ask the question (you could outright lie too, claiming it died, if you were so inclined) and there's a chance of success.


As a secondary FYI, not that I'm advocating you go pre-built, but if you do, there is such a thing as "Downgrade Rights" in the MS user agreement. https://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/downgrade_rights.aspx#fbid=odwqy83WkIg

Essentially, if you buy an "off the shelf" rig, you can call up MS and explain you're using your downgrade rights, install the corresponding media (which is all available to download from MS themselves) and activate it.

In short, don't limit your pre-built options to those that come with Windows 7 out of the box. You can buy a W10 machine and downgrade.......if you want to go that route.

I'd still recommend you build your own though, and use a W7 OEM licence.

What do you, and anyone else reading this, think about Digital Storm?
Here is a config I put together for fun...

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm VANQUISH 5
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 6700 3.4GHz (Codename Skylake) (Quad Core) (Not Overclockable)
Motherboard: ASUS/GIGABYTE (Intel Z170 Chipset)
System Memory: 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series
Power Supply: 750W EVGA/Corsair
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (256GB Samsung 850 PRO)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (2TB Western Digital - Enterprise Edition)
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Graphics Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB
Extreme Cooling: High Performance Cooler with Large Fan and Copper Pipes
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit Edition)

Support says "Life-time U.S. based technical support and customer service by our own in-house technicians", which is only as good as their techs ;-).

Price: $1643.00

Or, i5 version...

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm VANQUISH 5
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i5 6500 3.2GHz (Codename Skylake) (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS/GIGABYTE (Intel H110 Chipset)
System Memory: 8GB DDR4 2133MHz
Power Supply: 600W EVGA/Corsair
Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (256GB Samsung 850 PRO)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (2TB Western Digital - Enterprise Edition)
Graphics Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 2GB
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: High Performance Cooler with Large Fan and Copper Pipes
Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Remote Controlled LED Lighting System (Multiple color options and lighting effects)
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit Edition)

Price: $1263.00

 

[Barty1884]

You'd be paying somewhere in the $500 region for the convenience in that build - substantially more than I'd suggest would be reasonable. $100, sure. $150, maybe. Beyond that, absolutely not. You'd be wasting money there to be honest.

Here's a lot of the components (sounds like the case is "unique", so I used just a basic case for comparison):
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/tDKCf7 Works out to be around $1,100 - and I'm sure Digital Storm don't pay full retail prices....

A few points to note:
1. The 6700 can't be overclocked, so only requires the H170 chipset motherboard (although ram speeds would be limited to 2133MHz by the chipset)

2. Anywhere that won't specify the exact model of motherboard or PSU should be avoided in my opinion.
Motherboards aren't such a huge issue, especially from a reputable manufacturer - but PSUs are something totally different. EVGA PSUs range from "ok" to "great", Corsair's however range more from "junk" to "pretty good", with the odd "great" PSU too.


I'd 100% advocate putting together your own rig if you are prepared to drop $1,500+, for example, I'll put together a build you could have for that pricerange, and it'll smoke that setup in all scenarios...

 

[Barty1884]

OCable CPU + Motherboard, liquid cooling, r9 390X (8GB VRAM)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($132.75 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($85.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($65.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 390X 8GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($139.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1437.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:43 EST-0500

If you'd prefer a nVidia GPU it would cost a little more:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($132.75 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($85.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($65.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($619.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($139.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1717.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:44 EST-0500

Of course, if this is simply a gaming rig - you could actually go with the i5-6600k and either the R9 390X or 980TI for $1,300 or $1,585

390X

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($244.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($132.75 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($85.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($71.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 390X 8GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($139.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1305.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:46 EST-0500

or

980TI

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($244.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($132.75 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($85.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($71.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($619.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($139.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1585.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:44 EST-0500

 

[noonin]

OCable CPU + Motherboard, liquid cooling, r9 390X (8GB VRAM)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($132.75 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($85.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($65.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 390X 8GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($139.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1437.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:43 EST-0500

If you'd prefer a nVidia GPU it would cost a little more:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($132.75 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($85.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($65.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($619.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($139.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1717.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:44 EST-0500

Of course, if this is simply a gaming rig - you could actually go with the i5-6600k and either the R9 390X or 980TI for $1,300 or $1,585

390X

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($244.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($132.75 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($85.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($71.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 390X 8GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($139.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1305.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:46 EST-0500

or

980TI

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($244.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($132.75 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($85.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($71.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($619.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($139.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1585.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-11 16:44 EST-0500

Thanks for taking the time to build something out for comparison. Some of the horsepower of the i7 is for video conversion, but not worried about taking video games, yet. Does a i7K need liquid cooling if it's not overclocked? Also, may not go higher end GPU yet. Trying to get something we can add to in a couple years if my son't video game interest grows, and know then better what GPU to upgrade to. Just want the flexibility to do it in the future, and save a few dollars now. I like the case choice. I hate cases that look like a space ship.

 

[Barty1884]

The i7-6700K doesn't need liquid cooling if you're not overclocking. But, if you're not Ocing (and have no intention to ever do so), then you could always go with a "non-K" version, the 6700. That being said, at stock speeds the 6700K is 4GHz (turbo'ing to 4.2) vs the 6700 at 3.4 (turbo to 4). If the price was pretty close, which I believe it is in most markets, then the 6700K would be a good option - but it does not come with a boxed stock cooler (the non-K does), so you'd need to grab some form of aftermarket cooling.

As far as the GPU, waiting to see if it's necessary in future is a good idea. You could start out with something like a GTX 950, a decent mid-range GPU which would have no problems running any game (some on lower settings, of course), opposed to the iGPU. It's fairly cheap, but would serve him well in the short-term.

I like the case too. I like simple, nothing too flashy.

 

[noonin]

The i7-6700K doesn't need liquid cooling if you're not overclocking. But, if you're not Ocing (and have no intention to ever do so), then you could always go with a "non-K" version, the 6700. That being said, at stock speeds the 6700K is 4GHz (turbo'ing to 4.2) vs the 6700 at 3.4 (turbo to 4). If the price was pretty close, which I believe it is in most markets, then the 6700K would be a good option - but it does not come with a boxed stock cooler (the non-K does), so you'd need to grab some form of aftermarket cooling.

As far as the GPU, waiting to see if it's necessary in future is a good idea. You could start out with something like a GTX 950, a decent mid-range GPU which would have no problems running any game (some on lower settings, of course), opposed to the iGPU. It's fairly cheap, but would serve him well in the short-term.

I like the case too. I like simple, nothing too flashy.

Sounds reasonable...for fun, I looked at MoBos on Microcenter, and just grabbed a mid priced Gigabyte Z170 and read some of the reviews. I have to say, I really need to watch and read more before I decide to go through this, as I've forgotten SO may little details about what to think about beyond "Snap RAM stick into Ram slot and lock down", all the little details that can probably make or break a system.

 

[Barty1884]

Honestly, it's not particularly difficult. Every component comes with a manual walking you through it - and we're always here to help too.

CPU & cooler onto the motherboard and motherboard into the case, and that's the hard part over really - especially in a case with room (it's more tricky in tiny cases).

Just take your time, read your manuals & you'll be fine. Ensure you 'ground' yourself and don't build on carpet. Beyond that, it's pretty plain sailing.

Give yourself maybe 6 hours to put it together & get it to POST for your first time. There is a thread on here regarding "how to" build.

 

[noonin]

Honestly, it's not particularly difficult. Every component comes with a manual walking you through it - and we're always here to help too.

CPU & cooler onto the motherboard and motherboard into the case, and that's the hard part over really - especially in a case with room (it's more tricky in tiny cases).

Just take your time, read your manuals & you'll be fine. Ensure you 'ground' yourself and don't build on carpet. Beyond that, it's pretty plain sailing.

Give yourself maybe 6 hours to put it together & get it to POST for your first time. There is a thread on here regarding "how to" build.

Thanks for all your encouragement, Barty . Is buying a "package" MoBo with a pre-mounted CPU a bad idea? I re-mounted a P4 on an old Micron Millennium and it tanked. With this being our family's computer, not a secondary box just for gaming entertainment, I don't know if I want to take a chance with such critical parts of the computer.

 

[Barty1884]

Pre-mounted is not a bad idea at all - just ensure you're not taking a bundle with lesser parts.

Most reputable places (brick & mortar at least) will mount any CPU on a board you select (that fit the socket, of course)..........but it's really not very difficult, just a steady hand, the ability to keep it relatively flat & noting the direction of any arrows.

 

[noonin]

Pre-mounted is not a bad idea at all - just ensure you're not taking a bundle with lesser parts.

Most reputable places (brick & mortar at least) will mount any CPU on a board you select (that fit the socket, of course)..........but it's really not very difficult, just a steady hand, the ability to keep it relatively flat & noting the direction of any arrows.

Are most boards available as a "CPU bundle" package, or usually just select ones?

Thought I had done everything right when I mounted my old P4 CPU, making sure old thermal paste was completely cleaned off, put "right" amount of new paste on, double checked pins, but it didn't run long after that. Suddenly all I got was an orange light and no post whatsoever. Since it was an old, pretty slow computer, I didn't bother troubleshooting it and recycled it, so maybe there was something else going on, but assumed I screwed up something in the mounting.

 

[Barty1884]

If marketed as a "bundle" then normally you get what the store are offering (some being better quality than others).
Usually though, provided you buy the CPU and motherboard from the same place, they will "assemble" for you - although I can only confirm this for brick & mortar type stores, I don't think the same is likely to be true online.

All you really have to worry about is remembering to remove the CPU socket cover on the motherboard, keeping the CPU 'flat' and not damaging pins. Thermal paste & securing the cooler are fairly straightforward. Aftermarket coolers can be slightly more tricky than stock, but nothing the rational mind & a bit of patience can't solve.


In a real simple sense though, get all your components together and unbox as you go -
1. install the CPU/backplate/Cooler to the motherboard (with the motherboard resting on the box - not the anti-static bag).
2. Install the standoffs in the case, if they're not preinstalled.
3. You can install the RAM at the same time if you wish, or after the board is mounted in the case
4 or 5. Mount the motherboard in the case*
4 or 5. Install the PSU (you don't have to connect to the board at this point)*
6. Attach case cables to the appropriate headers on the board (USB, audio, power, reset, HDD light etc)
7. Attach power connectors to motherboard
8. Install GPU and attach it's power connectors
9. Install HDD(s) / SSD(s) and connect to SATA ports in the order you want them displayed (SATA ports start numbering at #0) and then attach power cables to the HDD/SSD.

How to do everything and what each relevant cable/connector is found in the manual.........the motherboard manual is the most important, most other cables are pretty self explanatory, they're attached to something (like the case USB) or are labled (like the power/ hdd light / reset buttons - the mobo manual will show you how to attach these)

*Some cases will require you to install the motherboard or PSU first. Most have no specific order required.