Joseph2034

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Oct 21, 2009
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18,510
First of all, sorry for being a noob. Never posted here before but I have found this forum very helpfull in selecting the parts for my first PC buildup. I am almost ready to order parts for my fist build. I am interested in a box that can "Do it all" and will be future upgradeable. I will be using this for WOW mostly but would like to get into some more high end games in the future (COD4 and such. I have not been able to explore these yet due to current system limitations). I would also like to know if I can use this setup for home theater/blueray playback on my 62" Samsung 1080p LCD projection TV. Upgrading from Dell Dimension 3000 (P4 3.0ghz w/on board graphics)Looking to purchase within 2 weeks.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers,

I have decided to wait on the CPU cooler but I will go ahead and put Arctic silver on the stock cooler for now. Would like to OC in the future. I am also planning on one video card for now and multiple GPU in the future

Please check my specs below from Newegg and let me know if I have missed anything or if there are better/cheaper parts that would not compromise performance. I would like to bring the price tag down a bit but not at the cost of performance/reliability/future expansion. Any advise would be appreciated.


GFX card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127430
MSI N260GTX-T2D896-OCv4 GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814127430
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate14-127-430
$174.99

Thermal paste -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100012
Arctic Silver CMQ-22G The high-density, ceramic-based thermal compound - Retail
Item #: N82E16835100012
$8.39

Memory - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM - Retail
Item #: N82E16820231303
$94.99

Optical drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136174
LG Black Blu-ray Reader & 16x DVD Burner - Bulk SATA Model UH08LS10K LightScribe Support - OEM
Item #: N82E16827136174
$99.99

PSU-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.265993
Antec TruePower New TP-750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.3 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16817371025
Case -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.265993
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811129021
-$85.00 Instant
-$20.00 Combo
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate17-371-025

Combo price $194.94


CPU -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273135
Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I7860 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115214
MOBO -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273135
MSI P55-GD80 LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813130238
-$25.00 Combo

Combo price $474.98


OS -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.277621.22-152-100
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116762
Hard drive -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.277621.22-152-100
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822152100
-$5.00 Instant
-$30.00 Combo

Combo price $224.98


Subtotal: $1,273.26

Shipping: $5.99



 

Joseph2034

Distinguished
Oct 21, 2009
12
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18,510
I am planning to OC in the future. This is my first build and I have not overclocked before, don't want to screw it up. I am really hoping most of this is plug and play without too much troubleshooting to get it fired up and runnig stable. Once I have a proven stable runnig system, I will start getting into OC tweaks. I have been struggling with the MOBO and GPU most of all. The thing that got my attention with the MSI board is that there are no negative reviews on newegg. Also that it has 1 more sata port and a rear panel eSata port, I don't know if that is a good reason to go one way or the other. On the GPU, I don't know enough about Nvidia vs ATI. The ATI card looks nice, my only concern with the ATI card is will it fit and not block any things I need like RAM slots, Future CPU cooler, HDDs etc.
 
You shouldn't put too much stock in newegg reviews. Most of the people are too quick to blame a piece of hardware and RMA it without really knowing if it's the problem or not.

Usually the only issue you run into is, the fan on the video card can cover up a neighboring PCI slot. You shouldn't have any issue with your cooler or RAM slots.

+1 to the 4890 over the gtx 260. The 4890 is a much better card, and ATI is way better priced than Nvidia.
 

Joseph2034

Distinguished
Oct 21, 2009
12
0
18,510
Thanks for the feedback. With the noted adjustments, the build now looks like this (got a couple more questions below):

Optical drive: SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223B - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151187
$28.99 - (I decide to wait a while for blue ray to bring costs down)

Case: NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146047
$ 99.99 -$20.00 Mail in rebate = $79.99

GPU: HIS H489FN1GH Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161299
$179.99 - $10.00 Mail in Rebate = $169.99
This is the one you suggested, but you have this one: Sapphire 4890 Vapor-X OC'd
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102841 on your big list of recommended parts $174.99 after $20 Mail in rebate. Which one is best for this build?

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ... - Retail (Decided to go with this PSU from your big list of recommended parts and checking wattage calculator from your guide to choosing parts) Will this one be OK for this build + additional GPU, HDD and blue ray in the future? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
$99.99 - $10 MIR = $89.99

Thermal Paste: Arctic Silver CMQ-22G The high-density, ceramic-based thermal compound - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100012
$8.34

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM - Retail
Item #: N82E16820231303
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303
$94.99

MOBO: ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273249
CPU: http: Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I7860 - Retail
//www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273249
$434.98 (Combo price)

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.277621.22-152-100
HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.277621.22-152-100
$224.98 (Combo price)


Total: $1,172.30

Shipping: $27.99


What do you think now? Good to go?

 

Joseph2034

Distinguished
Oct 21, 2009
12
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18,510
Ok. I have changed to the Samsung F3 500GB + 64-bit Windows 7 Professional combo $184.98
Changed PSU to 750TX (same price)
Changed GPU to Sapphire 4890 Vapor-X OC'd +$5

Should I be ordering and extra cables, connectors or other misc. parts that might be needed for the assembly? (I have a ton of zip ties already)
 

Joseph2034

Distinguished
Oct 21, 2009
12
0
18,510
Once again, thank you all for the good advice. All the parts went together easily, until I got to the case fans. This NZXT case has 6 case fans, each with 3-wire mobo plugs and molex connectors. The MOBO has 4 places to plug fans in. CPU, Chassis_1, Chassis_2, and Pwr. CPU and Chassis_1 locations are 4-pin and Chassis_2 and Pwr are 3 pin. It took me quite some time to figure this on out. CPU fan is connected to CPU (Obviously), Front intake fans (2) are both connected to Chassis_2 (this is done by connecting one fan to the 3-pin mobo header and the other fan is connected to the 1st fans molex plug) Top fans (2) are connected to PWR (3-pin) mobo header and rear and side fans are connected to chassis_1 4-pin header (using only 3 pins). The mobo manual says each header can support up to 24W and the fans show a range of zero point something (I don't remember) up to 2W each. I ran into some stability issues trying to overclock through BIOS but have set everthing back to default settings (Chose X.M.P. setting for the DRAM) and it seems to be stable now. I am getting 50+ FPS on WOW with full details now as compared to my old Dell (9-10 FPS on low details). Now I need some tips to OC this thing without causing stability problems or overheating anything (Stock Cooler on i7-860, but 6 case fans :pt1cable: ). What I have noticed is that with the XMP profile selected, the RAM timing is set as advertised from G.Skill and the speed is also correct @1600. If the XMP profile is not selected, the speed drops to 1333 and the timings are set to "Auto". With the XMP setting selected, any increase in base clock seems to de-stabilize the system. With the Default mem settings, the ASUS OC tool gets the Bclock up to 156 and multiplier up to 22 for 3.6something Ghz but this causes the mem to be at 1333 or less. Any ideas?
 
That would make sense. All these settings should be done manually, not with the ASUS tool. In fact, for best results, remove all of the utilities from Asus.

Turning off turbo mode and locking down the settings in the BIOS will help.
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3640&p=2

Use CPU-Z and Real Temp

CPU-Z Vital for overclocking, but also for detecting RAM settings.
Real Temp Just measures CPU core temps. Does it well.
HWMonitor Tracks many temps and a few other useful things.