Hardware Yep, getting a custom-built desktop

[the_randomizer]

So, after much research (comparing prices, benchmark tests, etc), I've pretty much narrowed down what I want in a custom-built desktop. As far as budget, what I'm looking for, what I expect and so are have also been determined after much consideration.

What I expect:
- Good performance for general purpose and gaming (PC games and emulators alike)
- Good thermal dissipation to keep components safe and last as long as possible
- Keeping the price within a reasonable amount, but not being a cheapskate either.

What my current budget is:
Anywhere from $1000 to $1300 should suffice

Where I will be buying the components:
Newegg.com, as I've had excellent experience with customer service and their no-frills replacement plan, not to mention fast delivery, and I mean fast.

Just to set the record straight, I'm an Intel guy and have been biased towards them for at least ten years; I've had bad experiences with AMD CPUs frying, malfunctioning and so on. Yes, they are cheaper, but they have been known to run slightly hotter than Intel CPUs on average, or so I've read. As for GPUs, same deal, nVidia over AMD and never once had an issue with their cards. Now that I got that outta the way, I'll list what I currently have in my wishlist. I also don't plan to do any overclocking at all since I've no real reason to.

CPU - Intel Core i5 3570 Ivy Bridge* 3.4 GHz (3.8 GHz Turbo Boost)
http://tinyurl.com/76u4pn2
$214.99

CPU Cooler - Cooler Master V8 RR-UV8-XBU1-GP 120 mm
http://tinyurl.com/9htlm6
$47.99

GPU - MSI GeForce GTX 660 2 GB GDDR5 built with Twin Frozr
http://tinyurl.com/cov6l9k
$229.99

RAM - CORSAIR Vengeance 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM PC3 12800
http://tinyurl.com/37ulatr
$52.99

HDD - Western Digital 1 TB HDD 7200 RPM Caviar Blue^
http://tinyurl.com/738mm6t
$84.99

LED/LCD - Asus VH238H 23" LED Full HD HDMI
http://tinyurl.com/3ohglwd
$159.99

PSU - Antec BP550 550 W
http://tinyurl.com/5hm28z
$64.99

ATX Tower - Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel
http://tinyurl.com/236jga
$99.99

Motherboard - ASUS P8Z77-V LK
http://tinyurl.com/7nr7q6q
$139.99

1* I've no plans to overclock, so I don't need the K version
^ Caviar blue is supposedly for moderate performance, but Western Digital makes good HDDs.

For the DVD multi-drive, keyboard, etc, I don't need anything fancy, but it should match the color of the ATX tower. Don't need ultra form factor as well since medium/mid is enough. Anything that you feel needs to be changed, by all means please give feedback; it's all greatly appreciated

I'm not really a super expert per se, but I at least would like to believe I know what I'm looking for. For the OS, I have a disc of Windows 7 64-bit Professional (or Home) at my parent's house, so I can get that there. Naturally when building a PC there are potentialities of getting DOA hardware or failure shortly after getting the component(s) in question, but this fact shouldn't stop me from getting these parts, wouldn't you agree?

I can assume that intensive programs like Dolphin, Skyrim, 3DS Max, etc wouldn't be an issue...?

Again, any changes you feel I should make, please let me know.

 

[trumpet-205]

Here is couple of my insight,

* No overclocking, how about H77 motherboard instead? Might save some money there. Any particular motherboard feature you are looking for?
* Or switch to Xeon E3-1230V2, which is server based of Ivy Bridge Core i7 at much cheaper price tag.

* Pick another cooler. That V8 cooler is loud. Even Hyper 212 will be much quieter and performs the same.

* You can go cheaper on the RAM. Unlike AMD, Intel setup does not benefit much from faster RAM. Any DDR3 that uses 1.5 V is good enough.

* Since you have a good budget, why not invest in SSD as well?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820249024

Uses Marvell controller (avoid SF controller unless it is Intel branded), 128 GB is enough for you to put OS + frequent program on it for very fast launch time.

* For DVD drive, anything other than Liteon, for Liteon drive is very loud.

 

[Originality]

For that price range you really should be getting a SSD too. A 128GB Samsung SSD only costs around £80 (too early in the morning to fish for the US price).

Other than that, the only part I would change is the cooler. For $50 you might as well get Gelid Tranquillo or Arctic Freezer i30.

As trumpet said, you don't need 1600Mhz RAM (unless you're overclocking), since 1333Mhz is the fastest the CPU can use. Edit: I stand corrected.

 

[trumpet-205]

As trumpet said, you don't need 1600Mhz RAM (unless you're overclocking), since 1333Mhz is the fastest the CPU can use.

Ivy bridge is certified to use 1600 MHz. However in standard DDR3 specification, anything over 1333 MHz is considered overclock.

To use 1600+ MHz on Ivy Bridge you must turn on XMP (extended memory profile) inside BIOS, otherwise it will default to 1333 MHz.

 

[the_randomizer]

Here is couple of my insight,

* No overclocking, how about H77 motherboard instead? Might save some money there. Any particular motherboard feature you are looking for?
* Or switch to Xeon E3-1230V2, which is server based of Ivy Bridge Core i7 at much cheaper price tag.

* Pick another cooler. That V8 cooler is loud. Even Hyper 212 will be much quieter and performs the same.

* You can go cheaper on the RAM. Unlike AMD, Intel setup does not benefit much from faster RAM. Any DDR3 that uses 1.5 V is good enough.

* Since you have a good budget, why not invest in SSD as well?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820249024

Uses Marvell controller (avoid SF controller unless it is Intel branded), 128 GB is enough for you to put OS + frequent program on it for very fast launch time.

* For DVD drive, anything other than Liteon, for Liteon drive is very loud.

Thanks, I'll definitely make those changes to my list! I didn't know Liteon was that bad, but now I know! As for features, not sure, but as long as it supports 8 GB RAM DDR3 SDRAM 1333, a PCIe x16 GPU, plenty of SATA connectors for HDDs/SSD or DVD ROM drives, I should be fine, but I don't want to buy a cheap one either.

For that price range you really should be getting a SSD too. A 128GB Samsung SSD only costs around £80 (too early in the morning to fish for the US price).

Other than that, the only part I would change is the cooler. For $50 you might as well get Gelid Tranquillo or Arctic Freezer i30.

As trumpet said, you don't need 1600Mhz RAM (unless you're overclocking), since 1333Mhz is the fastest the CPU can use.

SSD, eh? Never though about getting one, I know they're quite fast when reading/writing data, but my major concern is the whole-limited-no.-of-read/writes-before wearing-out fiasco. Is that much of a problem anymore? I've heard of people put their OS on the SSD since it helps reduce the boot time, but again, the limited no of read/writes is a concern, but I'll take a peek.

Ivy bridge is certified to use 1600 MHz. However in standard DDR3 specification, anything over 1333 MHz is considered overclock.

To use 1600+ MHz on Ivy Bridge you must turn on XMP (extended memory profile) inside BIOS, otherwise it will default to 1333 MHz.

I wasn't aware of that either, so I'll look for the 1333 MHz variant instead. Thanks!

The thing about the motherboard is I've seen a crap load of people bitching about the motherboard being DOA, malfunctioning prematurely or Ivy Bridge CPUs not working despite being labeled as compatible. Trivial concerns to be sure, I just don't want a dud.

 

[trumpet-205]

For SSD just put OS and some programs that you frequently use on it. Leave games, movies, what not on your Caviar Blue.

These days a good SSD (not cheapen ones like OCZ Agility) has enough life cycle for the life of the PC. Unless you use it to download torrent (frequent number of smaller writes) it is very unlikely for you to kill one. If you want to take another step further consider setting up a RAM Drive (reserve small portion of the RAM, computer will see the reserved portion like a HDD) too. Configure web browser caching to use RAM Drive to further reduce number of writes.

RAM is a volatile memory, and such has unlimited write cycle.

 

[the_randomizer]

For SSD just put OS and some programs that you frequently use on it. Leave games, movies, what not on your Caviar Blue.

These days a good SSD (not cheapen ones like OCZ Agility) has enough life cycle for the life of the PC. Unless you use it to download torrent (frequent number of smaller writes) it is very unlikely for you to kill one. If you want to take another step further consider setting up a RAM Drive (reserve small portion of the RAM, computer will see the reserve portion like a HDD) too. Configure web browser caching to use RAM Drive to further reduce number of writes.

RAM is a volatile memory, and such has unlimited write cycle.

Thanks for clearing that up, I wasn't too sure on how to properly set the SSD up, but things like the OS, Chrome and other programs I frequent should be fine, plus I found a good drive for $110, and with all the changes I've made, the total is still less than $1300 USD. Not bad, not bad at all. So far so good. I'll continue to experiment and read your guys' feedback. It helps a lot. What's a good brand for SSD?

The motherboard I'm still unsure; I don't want a super expensive one, at the same time I don't want to be stingy and end up getting a POS.

 

[Originality]

Intel, Crucial M4, Samsung 830 or 840. I prefer the Samsungs.
I have an OCZ Vertex 3. Vertex has the highest performance, but prices tend to be higher and they have a reportedly lower life cycle. Go for Samsung instead which has a reportedly higher life cycle.

 

[the_randomizer]

Intel, Crucial M4, Samsung 830 or 840. I prefer the Samsungs.
I have an OCZ Vertex 3. Vertex has the highest performance, but prices tend to be higher and they have a reportedly lower life cycle. Go for Samsung instead which has a reportedly higher life cycle.

Way ahead of ya. Any suggestions for a motherboard? I'm stuck between MSI, Asus and Gigabyte, but I see several reviews where people have them DOA, malfunction prematurely or damaged.

 

[Originality]

A percentage of all motherboards will be DoA due to manufacture error and simple entropy. However Asus, Msi, and Gigabyte (in that order) are the ones I'm always getting. I personally recommend the Asus Maximus V Gene but you don't need such a high end board.

 

[the_randomizer]

A percentage of all motherboards will be DoA due to manufacture error and simple entropy. However Asus, Msi, and Gigabyte (in that order) are the ones I'm always getting. I personally recommend the Asus Maximus V Gene but you don't need such a high end board.

Well, it's a gamble of sorts, but I'm sure that whatever I get will work just fine and won't have issues.

 

[Celice]

Way ahead of ya. Any suggestions for a motherboard? I'm stuck between MSI, Asus and Gigabyte, but I see several reviews where people have them DOA, malfunction prematurely or damaged.

Don't expect more money to mean a better board, especially if you aren't going to overclock. Purchase the mobo that meets your needs, not your wants, and you can save a nice bit of money. This includes: are you really going to need more than 8GB of RAM? are you going to be running more than one graphics card at once? do extra USB3.0 slots really matter that much? etc.

 

[the_randomizer]

Don't expect more money to mean a better board, especially if you aren't going to overclock. Purchase the mobo that meets your needs, not your wants, and you can save a nice bit of money. This includes: are you really going to need more than 8GB of RAM? are you going to be running more than one graphics card at once? do extra USB3.0 slots really matter that much? etc.

Right, that's true, more expensive =/= better. I need to balance is all.

Now, on to getting a good mid-ATX tower with sufficient airflow, especially for the PSU. I think the one I have on the list should be good for my need, but I could probably do better.

 

[Joe88]

* Pick another cooler. That V8 cooler is loud.

lol you cant even hear it, mine is quiet even on max

 

[the_randomizer]

lol you cant even hear it, mine is quiet even on max

I try to look for the ones with the best/most reviews as it gives me assurance on a certain product. I figure as long as it isn't cheaply made and keeps the CPU cool (and isn't the one that comes with the CPU), I'm fine either way. I'll pick either one.

And for motherboards, which one(s) would better suit my needs, since I'm not overclocking?

 

[the_randomizer]

Anything else you guys think I should change out (tower, CPU fan, etc)?

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

Anything else you guys think I should change out (tower, CPU fan, etc)?

You might give your PSU a slight bump, 550 watts is enough for that build but it is cutting it a bit close. If your a nut like me and add 2 more hard drives later on and some other random hardware you could end up with some instability. (I use the same brand in my builds.)

This is the kind of like what I have (I must have last years version of it... lol)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371053

A bit pricey but the PSU is the base of your computer, the force is strong in this one... lol

Edit: If you watch the video on that one that I linked, they sort of explain that PSU's work more efficiently at 50% load and you will save money on electricity if your using a PSU that is over what you require. Hard to explain as I am not an electrician... lol

 

[the_randomizer]

You might give your PSU a slight bump, 550 watts is enough for that build but it is cutting it a bit close. If your a nut like me and add 2 more hard drives later on and some other random hardware you could end up with some instability. (I use the same brand in my builds.)

This is the kind of like what I have (I must have last years version of it... lol)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371053

A bit pricey but the PSU is the base of your computer, the force is strong in this one... lol

850 W is nice, but that slightly exceeds my budget for the machine. Anything around 650 W perhaps? Not trying to sound ungrateful for your suggestions (please don't get me wrong), I might need the PSU to be slightly cheaper, preferably ~$100-$120 instead, if at all possible. I mean sure, I don't want to skimp on the PSU as undervoltage/overvoltage can screw things up big time, and yet, I can't afford a super high-end one either. Make sense?

Maybe one of these? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371044

Again, I'm grateful for all the feedback I've received thus far, but my budget really can't exceed $1300 (excluding shipping/taxes).

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

850 W is nice, but that slightly exceeds my budget for the machine. Anything around 650 W perhaps? Not trying to sound ungrateful for your suggestions (please don't get me wrong), I might need the PSU to be slightly cheaper, preferably ~$100-$120 instead, if at all possible. I mean sure, I don't want to skimp on the PSU as undervoltage/overvoltage can screw things up big time, and yet, I can't afford a super high-end one either. Make sense?

Maybe one of these? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371044

Again, I'm grateful for all the feedback I've received this far, but my budget really can't exceed $1300 (excluding shipping/taxes).

I just checked tiger and sometimes they are a bit cheaper, this time I was pretty shocked they are a LOT cheaper on PSU's (I am building a new machine myself right now lol) I have my mobo and CPU on order from them as they where 10$ cheaper on both parts for a savings of 20$ over Newegg.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...ies&cm_sp=Masthead-_-Computer Parts-_-Spot 13

Some of the 750 watt ones are pretty cheap but I am not sure about the brands.

 

[the_randomizer]

I just checked tiger and sometimes they are a bit cheaper, this time I was pretty shocked they are a LOT cheaper on PSU's (I am building a new machine myself right now lol) I have my mobo and CPU on order from them as they where 10$ cheaper on both parts for a savings of 20$ over Newegg.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/guidedSearch.asp?CatId=106&name=Power-Supplies&cm_sp=Masthead-_-Computer Parts-_-Spot 13

Some of the 750 watt ones are pretty cheap but I am not sure about the brands.

My only fear is getting the wrong voltage/wattage and end up getting my components fried, but something like 1000 W would be extreme overkill for my build. I don't know which brands are more reliable or what to look for in getting a PSU to be perfectly honest.

Edit: I stumbled upon a list of what a list of good brands/models
http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

How reliable that is I don't know. A lot of Corsair reviews I've seen people reported getting their components fried after the PSU exploding. Hoo-boy.