Final look at build

[Brandonp2121]

I'm ready to start ordering parts for my build, and I just wanted a final check to make sure everything would work. You know the whole "Measure twice, cut once deal" haha. Here is what I have:

Case: Antec 300 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower
Video Card: XFX CORE Edition FX-777A-ZNF4 Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
PSU: Antec NEO ECO 400C 400W Continuous Power ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
RAM: Ripjaw Series 2x4 DDR3 1600
Motherboard: ASRock H77M LGA 1155 Intel H77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 Ivy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.5GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2500 BX80637I53450

I was curious about a Windows 7 OS, should I get the retail version, or the OEM version?

 

[mocchan]

This is definitely a very decent budget build, however, what is your budget? There's a few things I would personally change.

Also - Windows 7 OEM is the way to go. The retail package comes with BOTH 32 Bit and 64 Bit versions whereas the OEM only comes with EITHER the 32bit OR 64bit.

 

[Brandonp2121]

Everything total (including OS) total around $650, and I'd like to keep it there. Out of curiosity, what would you change though? This build was originally intended to run SWTOR at high/max settings at good fps, and browse the internet.

 

[mocchan]

I would personally swap out the HD7770 for the HD7850. The HD7770 isn't a bad card, however, it lacks a certain 'oomfph!' that I prefer to have in my cards :lol:

For your needs in SWTOR, I wouldn't worry It will do just fine. I apologise for any concerns I may have brought up.

 

[Brandonp2121]

Hahah, its alright. This is my first computer building process, so I'm a little nervous xD

 

[mocchan]

Oh I see! I totally understand how you feel, haha.

Good luck building and have fun!

 

[Brandonp2121]

Thank you! Does everything up there appear to be compatible with each other and such?

 

[mocchan]

Everything looks ready to go except one thing - the RAM. The RAM is supported by the motherboard, and the frequency is supported by the CPU. However, can you make sure the voltage of the RAM is 1.5v? If it's 1.65v it will automatically void the CPU warranty.

If the RAM is 1.5v, you are ready to go and start ordering!

 

[Brandonp2121]

Yup! The RAM is 1.5V. Would you say this is a fairly decent gaming computer? Hahaha, sorry for all these questions!

 

[mocchan]

Alright you're all set and ready to go!

Yes, this is a VERY modest gaming rig. You may need more CPU horsepower due to the nature of MMORPG's, so you did a very nice job selecting the CPU.

If there are any more questions/concerns, feel free to ask them

 

[Brandonp2121]

Thank you! It has taken me forever to find all these things. Everyone here has been quite helpful! One last question, how would you rate this future-proof wise?

 

[mocchan]

This rig is pretty decent 'future-proof' wise. You could easily swap out the i5 for an i7 in the future if you wished. The one thing I would say is holding you back is your PSU. It's a very reliable PSU however, you may have a very limited upgrade path due to its wattage.

If you would like a truly 'upgrade ready' PC, you may want to consider a 500w PSU

 

[Brandonp2121]

Alrighty, I'll consider it. I lied, one more question, hahaha. The thing that scares me the most about building a computer is the cable routing, and finding where they all plug in into the motherboard. Any advice, or would that all be in the motherboard manual?

 

[mocchan]

Inside your motherboard manual, you may want to look up "Front Panel Headers" as they're all different for each motherboard.

As for cable management, here's a picture of my rig to give you an idea. Granted each case will be different in terms of cable management, but this will give you an idea of how to do it.

Front - you want the front of your case to look very clean to allow enough airflow.

Just make sure the cables are nice and tidy in the back so you can close the side panel

Feel free for any more questions! :lol: I don't mind at all

 

[Brandonp2121]

I assume the manual would tell me where fans and hard drives and optical drives are supposed to be plugged in, correct?

 

[mocchan]

Oh yes, definitely.

Your case will come with a manual to tell you where to put each individual thing as well.

 

[Brandonp2121]

What are the PCIe ports that the newegg guy keeps referring to when talking about the video card?

 

[Brandonp2121]

Hahah, oh. That would make sense. I see that this is designed to be not very hard. Would I be okay if I just kept referring to the manuals that came with everything?

 

[mocchan]

PCI-E slots are where you put in your video card

 

[mocchan]

Haha, yes, building a PC isn't as hard as most people would think. I think someone called them 'Legos for Adults' on here...can't remember who.

But yes, it will be fine if you referred to the manuals that came with your components to look at how to install things. Your motherboard should come with some instructions on how to install your CPU. And if you need more assurance, you can always come here for instructions! There's also a great guide on the "CPU" section of this forum on how to use the Stock Intel heatsink.

 

[Brandonp2121]

I was planning on using the hard drive from the computer I'm using right now, would that cause any problems if I transferred it? Should I completely wipe it before I move it?

 

[mocchan]

Yes, I would recommend a complete wipe of a HDD if you plan to transfer it to your new rig. However, make sure it is a Sata drive, not IDE

 

[Brandonp2121]

And how would I figure out if it is SATA or IDE?

 

[mocchan]

Do the cable coming out or your HDD look like this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812105910

Or like this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270093

 

[Brandonp2121]

I believe my hard drive is SATA. I looked up specs on my computer.