Need Help with First HomeBuilt Gaming PC, Please HELP! ~€1400

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the Tom's Hardware community: where nearly two million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Know this thread is a firehose of info, but here's some more...

Before installing the mobo, compare the screw holes on the mobo to the standoffs installed in the case. The 500R comes with extras. Make sure there is one standoff for each hole in the mobo (I had to add one on the left side).

May want to try a couple of different paths for getting the 8-pin power cable up to the socket on the top of the mobo. I ended up going through the small cutout in the upper left corner of the case (with the setup in my sig). The Pro4 is set up a little differently so you may be able to come out one of the right side grommets. I wrapped the cable with some electrical tape to create a cushion since the cable was resting on the metal directly.

Definitely go for modular PSU. I didn't and was able to get all my cables crammed behind the mobo tray but it was more effort than it should have been. Lesson learned!

If you get the extreme4, it has two CPU_FAN headers. I plugged the Evo into one and the rear case fan (it is not controlled by the front panel controller) into the other. That way, they are both spun down as much as possible and when the heat goes up, they both spin up. Temps are great in this case. BUT, since your GPU vents heat into the case, you might consider connecting the rear fan to another header on the mobo (since you can control it separately) and making it a little more aggressive.
 

Ya, better warranty and those WD Black drives are about as good as it gets imo.
 
ok, so I'll go with the WD HDD ( http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1tb-western-digital-wd1002faex-caviar-black-sata-iii-6gb-s-7200rpm-64mb-cache-8ms )

For the PSU, I will probably go with antec one, just because it is half modular. 😀

And for the motherboard, The AsRock pro4 has only 1 slot for the card and that's the only difference between the pro4 and the extreme 4?

Just another thing i thought of, Will I need to register any of the items i buy within a few days so the warranty will be extended? for example if i don't register my product within 30 days of purchase i get 5 year warranty but if i don't register i only get 2 years

Thank you very much!
 

Is it bad if the cables touches the metal directly?
( I wrapped the cable with some electrical tape to create a cushion since the cable was resting on the metal directly. ) I don't know how to quote. sorry.

do you mean that I should connect the fan to the motherboard so I will be able to set my own speed of the fan from the computer instead of flicking the switches? sorry if what i said is completely wrong what you mean but I don't really understand what you mean about the fans. 🙁
( you might consider connecting the rear fan to another header on the mobo (since you can control it separately) and making it a little more aggressive )

Thanks for all that, now i have a better idea of what to do once i get the parts(i still can't order since they don't have coolermaster hyper 212 evo in store yet and i am not going to get 3 deliveries).
 
I've been looking at the motherboards, and found a way to compare them and make my life easier.
here are the 2 motherboards compared: http://www.asrock.com/mb/compare.asp?SelectedModel=Z77+Extreme4&SelectedModel=Z77+Pro4

I noticed that the extreme4 has:
Dr.Debug
smart swith
premium gold caps.

the pro4 doesn't have them above, will it make a big difference?

also the extreme4 has more PCIe slots and more usb ports.

I don't really mind about the usb ports, i doubt that i will use more than 1 at a time, so it's no big deal.

And will i be able to use the front usb ports in the case if i get the pro4 motherboard?

Thanks!
 

Ok, Thanks! I was just wondering what those things were (i am afraid that i will go cheap somewhere and other parts will be slowed down by one mistake).

Now just to wait for the Coolermaster hyper 212 evo to be in stock (hopefully it won't take a month). :)


Thank you! 😀
 
the people in scan.co.uk postponed the delivery.. it will have the CPU fans on the 21 at soonest. any other ideas for the cooler? Preferably in 2 orders.... i will be getting half the stuff from amazon and other half from scan.co.uk. All suggestions welcome! 😀

Please and thank you! 😀

Just checked, the delivery by Scan.co.uk to ireland is about £10... so instead of spending the £10 to get it delivered once it is in stock i could get a better CPU cooler now. so the coolermaster is £25, plus £10 that would need to be paid if i was goign to get the coolermaster at a later date is £35 i could use now....

So i am thinking of spending a maximum of £35 on a CPU cooler? Thanks! 😀
 
Hard to explain - you'll understand when you see it :)

There's a small cutout that the power cable can pass through but it's not rubberized/grommeted so there is a very minor friction point so I wrapped the cable (even tho it already has a shielding cuz I'm paranoid like that).

The front panel fan controller ONLY controls the two front and the one side fan. It doesn't have any other connectors available and they oddly used proprietary connectors so you can't just plug any old fan in.

Yes, the rear fan connects to the mobo and can be controlled in the bios or included Windows-based fan control software (comes on the CD in the mobo box).
 

ohh. I get it now. Thanks! i thought that you connected one fan to the case switch AND to the motherboard.

Thank you!

BTW, you wouldn't happen to know any other good CPU coolers? The coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo won't be in stock until 21 or later, and if it gets postponed like it just was, I'll never get a computer. 🙁

The price i am planning on spending on the CPU cooler is £35 (the price i would have to pay for coolermaster and delivery at a later stage, but if i can squeeze in one delivery the £10 on delivery can be added into the cooler now).
 
Ok, so this is what the build looks like:

CPU: Intel 3rd Generation Core i5-3570K £175

CPU Cooler: Coolermaster Hyper 212 Is this the Plus version?!?! £20

RAM: Corsair CML8GX3M2A1600C9 LP Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz CL9 DDR3 Memory Module Kit £43

Garphics Card: Asus 2GB GeForce GTX 670 DirectCU II £348

HDD: WD 1TB Caviar Black Performance Hard Drive 7200rpm 64MB Cache £94

Case: Corsair Carbide Series 500R Grey/Black Mid Tower £85

Optical Drive: SATA Lightscribe 22x DVDRW with BlacK Bezel - OEM £15

Keyboard: Razer BlackWidow Do you know what layout the keyboard will have? There is a difference in layout of all the symbols on keyboards in difference countries. £66

Mouse: Razer Deathadder Re-Spawn 3500DPI Gaming Mouse £38

Motherboard: AsRock Z77 Pro4 £92

PSU: Antec 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Modular Power Supply £72
Or maybe
Antec HGC-620M-GB 620W High Current Gamer Modular PSU £75


Total: ~£1123

few more things:
■ What is the difference between the PSU's? All i saw was longer warranty (5 years vs 3 years) on the £75 one.

■ What is the layout of the symbols on the keyboard?

■ Should i get a mouse mat? The one i have now kind of destroyed the rubber feet things on the bottom of the mouse i have, and i don't want my new mouse ending up the same. I have no special requirements for the mat, just so the mouse runs nicely along and is easy to point to stuff, i don't need special handrests but if there is one, it's no big deal i will still use it.


Just these few things and i am ready to order! Thanks! 😀
 
can you send me a post to the plus one? the evo is not in stock... i will most likely not go sli (95% sure). what 620m?

thanks!

Never mind, i know what 620m you mean. :) I'll get that PSU then.

For the motherboard i don't think i will get sli. And if that is the only feature i will miss out on i will get the pro4 since it is about £25 cheaper than extreme4.
 
just quick 2 things,

is this the cpu cooler i should get instead of the evo since the evo is out of stock? http://www.scan.co.uk/products/coolermaster-hyper-212-quiet-cpu-cooler-4-heat-pipes-120mm-fan-intel-s775-am2-am2plus-am3-754-939-94

and can ye suggest me a nice mouse mat aswell, i dont want the new mouse to be destroyed by the mouse mat i have. it doesn't have to be a super huge mat, but i don't want a tiny one. i am thinking of spending up to £20 on a mat.

Thanks!!

just thought of something, is it a common thing to damage parts while putting everything together? there is this scansure thing that will replace anything i damage during installation within 28 days of purchase, but it will cost an extra £30 or £40.... SO is it worth buying that thing, i am really careful and look after my things well, so i don't think i will need it but i want to ask ye anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom