New computer build setup


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I'm looking to build a new computer, and this will actually be the first time I've done this. I've selected a Corsair Graphite 600T case, and plan on using an ATX board. I plan on using the computer for gaming and general use. I was looking at processors and trying to decide on Intel or AMD. I was considering this AMD processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113331. Are there other processors to consider? If I get that AMD processor (or another one), I'm not sure what type of ATX board to get. Basically, I'm looking for advice on what to get for a processor, board, graphics card, and anything else I'll need.

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As I'm unaware of your budget, I'll price my findings low
 
 
The Case is ok for most motherboards, it supports E-ATX so you're fine there
 
The Processor was listed as out of stock, but I guess you've sourced one otherwise you would have selected something else, (I prefer AMD myself too)
 
I've found this Motherboard (Again Prefer Asus, I personally have never had a problem with them)
 
If you only do light to moderate gaming, some NVidia 6XX TI's aren't terrible, unless you want a powerhouse card, then I'll leave that to someone more qualified,

What sort of monitor will you be using?

 
This isn't a bad PSU There are better, but then again, there are worse...
 
This is where things get a little pricey, 16GB RAM You don't have to have 16, but that's your choice...
 
I have this hard drive for my C: Drive Again, better options available

 

I would recommend getting some 7200 rpm drives to supplement it, that way you can have only your operating system on C drive, (and save your documents on D and so on)

(I'm currently using 3, for that exact reason)

 

There's more but this would at least give you something to look at, price wise or otherwise...

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Having not built a computer before, I don't have a budget in mind. I don't think I need to go high end on every component, but at the same time I also don't want the system to be out of date/too slow by the time all components arrive and the system is assembled.

I would have to say that I wouldn't want to spend more than $1,200. If there is a particular component that I should seriously consider and that component would put me over budget, I would be willing to go over.

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Having now been to a local computer store and having the opportunity to look at and price everything, here is what I have come up with.

 

Case: Corsair Graphite 600T

Processor: AMD FX-8320 (or the AMD A10-6800 from my first post)

Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX (if I go with the AMD 8320, my understanding I'll need the Asus M5A99FX board)

GPU: Asus Radeon R9-280X

RAM: Crucial 8GB D3 1600 DIMM

Harddrive: Samsung 250GB 840 Evo SSD

PSU: Corsair 750W

 

Extras:

DVD RW

Dual-band PCI wireless adapter

Coolmaster Hyper T4 CPU cooler (for future overclocking)

 

Overall cost is about $1,100.

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^ I would use a Crucial SSD instead.

 

I would add a second 7200 rpm hard drive for data storage/back-up, for if the SSD goes belly-up.

 

If possible, I would add another fan to cool the inside case.

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i'm not partial to amd cpus myself but overall that looks like a good build and you should be happy with it

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The case comes with three fans installed - two overhead 200mm fans and one rear 120mm fan. The side panel has a viewing window that can be replaced with a mesh insert. Would the pre-installed fans not be enough to keep the case cool? I've only experienced one hard drive failure, and that was in a laptop. Wouldn't the SSD drive be more reliable, or is there an equal chance of failure regardless of whether I go with a standard hard drive or an SSD?

 

As for the video card, it doesn't look like it comes with any extra software. To really see how all of this comes together, I'd to have purchase a new game (unless gaming software from XP would likely run on Windows 8.1)

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The case comes with three fans installed - two overhead 200mm fans and one rear 120mm fan. The side panel has a viewing window that can be replaced with a mesh insert. Would the pre-installed fans not be enough to keep the case cool? I've only experienced one hard drive failure, and that was in a laptop. Wouldn't the SSD drive be more reliable, or is there an equal chance of failure regardless of whether I go with a standard hard drive or an SSD?

 

As for the video card, it doesn't look like it comes with any extra software. To really see how all of this comes together, I'd to have purchase a new game (unless gaming software from XP would likely run on Windows 8.1)

It's typically good to have a second regular hard drive for storage because of cost. My Steam folder, for example, is almost a 1TB. I use a Samsung 840 Pro 120GB drive for OS and some programs, but put everything else on the spinning drive.

That's plenty of fans.

I used to be a big AMD fan, but with the Core-i series, I've moved back to Intel. I've got a Core i5 3560 (I think, lol) and it runs great. Running an AMD 7870 and can run any games I've tried at 1920x1080 on Ultra.

Overall it looks like a decent build, though.

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In looking at reviews, it seems that a lot of people are indicating that the Asus Radeon R9-280X has known issues with artifacting. Some of the reviews mentioning this issue are fairly recent. Other reviews indicate that there could potentially be a problem with the card not fitting on a mid-atx board. I wouldn't want to have a video card that would have artifacting in games, and now am wondering if there is another video card I should get.

 

I also just realized I left out a sound card from the build configuration. I was hoping to reuse the speakers from my current system.

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Do you live near a Microcenter? If so, you'll be able to get a discounted CPU and motherboard.

You'll be able to use your speaker with the motherboard sound card, unless they require advanced ports.

Most Windows XP games will run on Windows 8.1 Update 1, if they don't, you can run them in Windows XP compatibility mode. (right click on core game exe, click properties, click the compatibility tab, and under compatibility mode, check 'Run this program in compatibility mode for', and in the dropdown, select Windows XP (Service Pack 3))

You pretty much need a front fan for the drives and a top, back, or bottom fan for the components on the motherboard. Make sure your card has a fan. You don't need to worry about the power supply, as long as the fan is not blocked. If your case comes with a bottom power supply fan mesh, direct your power supply fan to that, since your computer could do without the extra heat.

 

Anyway, here's the build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($339.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($143.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($88.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($309.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case  ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: FSP Group AURUM 92+ 450W 80+ Platinum Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($111.50 @ Newegg)
Total: $1356.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

 

Sorry that the price is a bit above the $1,200 budget. But I can justify it:

The 4790K is probably the best CPU on the market that is reasonably priced. It has great overclocking potential, and beats all AMD CPUs available today.

The memory is 1866, so it is slightly faster than 1600 and is better fit for gaming. It has a CAS of 9, so there is less delay.

The 850 Pro is faster than the 840 Evo, but if you want to save a bit of money, you can sacrifice a bit of performance by replacing the 850 Pro with the 840 Evo.

The video card I got is slightly faster than the 280X.

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I actually live near a Microcenter and recently went there to go through a potential build in order to get pricing information. I see that the power supply above is a 450W vs a 750W. I'm not seeing an exact match for the motherboard at Microcenter or Newegg, especially Newegg after I filter the list to manufacturer, CPU Socket Type, CPU Type, and Form Factor.

 

Having seen the size of a full tower, I definately don't need that big of a case. Planning to get the Corsair Graphite 600T.

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The case comes with three fans installed - two overhead 200mm fans and one rear 120mm fan.

 

Wouldn't the SSD drive be more reliable, or is there an equal chance of failure regardless of whether I go with a standard hard drive or an SSD?

OK on the fans then.

 

An SSD can fail at any time.

 

It's fine to use an SSD, but you should also have a 2nd hard drive to back up and store your documents, pictures, music, videos, so when the SSD does fail, you won't lose everything.

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I actually live near a Microcenter and recently went there to go through a potential build in order to get pricing information. I see that the power supply above is a 450W vs a 750W. I'm not seeing an exact match for the motherboard at Microcenter or Newegg, especially Newegg after I filter the list to manufacturer, CPU Socket Type, CPU Type, and Form Factor.

 

Having seen the size of a full tower, I definately don't need that big of a case. Planning to get the Corsair Graphite 600T.

I've updated the build to change the case to the 600T and the power supply to a 750W, and I have updated the pricing to use Microcenter's prices.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($279.99 @ Micro Center)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.99 @ Newegg)

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($143.49 @ Amazon)

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($88.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($309.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Corsair 600T White Graphite ATX Mid Tower Case  ($149.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: Corsair Builder 750W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ NCIX US)

Total: $1305.40

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

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I've updated the build to change the case to the 600T and the power supply to a 750W, and I have updated the pricing to use Microcenter's prices.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($279.99 @ Micro Center)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.99 @ Newegg)

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($143.49 @ Amazon)

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($88.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($309.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Corsair 600T White Graphite ATX Mid Tower Case  ($149.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: Corsair Builder 750W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ NCIX US)

Total: $1305.40

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

What does the Asus Z97-A have as far as network support? I've got a dual-band router and was interested in trying to get my devices onto the 5GHz band.

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What does the Asus Z97-A have as far as network support? I've got a dual-band router and was interested in trying to get my devices onto the 5GHz band.

I think it just has 1Gb/s LAN. Here's a build adding a additional wireless card.

Also, there is a new deal with the graphics card. You get a free copy of Watch Dogs.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($279.99 @ Micro Center)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.99 @ Newegg)

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($143.49 @ Newegg)

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($88.98 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($309.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Corsair 600T White Graphite ATX Mid Tower Case  ($149.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: Corsair Builder 750W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ NCIX US)

Wireless Network Adapter: TRENDnet TEW-805UB 802.11a/b/g/n/ac USB 3.0 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($24.10 @ B&H)

Total: $1346.49

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-22 06:38 EDT-0400

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I think it just has 1Gb/s LAN. Here's a build adding a additional wireless card.

Also, there is a new deal with the graphics card. You get a free copy of Watch Dogs.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($279.99 @ Micro Center)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.99 @ Newegg)

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($143.49 @ Newegg)

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($88.98 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($309.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Corsair 600T White Graphite ATX Mid Tower Case  ($149.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: Corsair Builder 750W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ NCIX US)

Wireless Network Adapter: TRENDnet TEW-805UB 802.11a/b/g/n/ac USB 3.0 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($24.10 @ B&H)

Total: $1346.49

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-22 06:38 EDT-0400

mastercoms:  thanks for the build with the links to the products. I had configured a build from Microcenter, but the links you provided save time in that I can see the various pricing for each item and get it from the lowest cost provider.

 

Regarding the wireless network adapter, I was wondering how well a USB will work. The wireless network adapter I was looking at was: http://www.microcenter.com/product/408941/N600_Dual_Band_Wireless-N_PCIe_Adapter

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Nothing wrong with USB wireless adapters. I'm using 3 of them,  on 3 desktops.  2 TP-link WN822n's, (in the bedrooms, and on the new build a Belkin for now (in the lounge). 

 

Theyre fine. All support wireless N, and all are currently networked, to a wireless Canon printer (which is also in a bedroom). The modem is in the lounge

 

Altho depending on where the PC is, an extension cable may help, with reception

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Is there going to be a need for more than 8GB of RAM? I see that the Asus Z97 supports a maximum of 8GB RAM.

are you talking about the one mastercoms posted? if so I see that it supports up to 32gb ram

 

i don't think there are any mobos that support just 8gb any more

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Is there going to be a need for more than 8GB of RAM? I see that the Asus Z97 supports a maximum of 8GB RAM.

It supports a maximum of 8GB RAM per slot, up to 32GB total. And no, 8GB is just fine, since the consoles have that much, so it is a standard, but I would be looking into 16GB RAM in the future.

Not sure now where I got the 8GB from confused.gif. I'd like to verify if this board from Microcenter http://www.microcenter.com/product/433200/Z97_LGA_1150_ATX_Intel_Motherboard is the same as the one posted by mastercoms. From what I can tell, it looks like it's the same.

The motherboard I posted is Z97-A, but the Microcenter motherboard is just Z97, but there shouldn't be that much of a difference.

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