Building a PC

Shaun Sullivan · 07-28-2007, 07:45 PM

Just for the fun of it, I am going to build a PC from scratch. If there are any experts here I'd appreciate any feedback.

Here are the details

Peregrine · 07-28-2007, 07:49 PM

Building a PC is always fun, but a bit stressful. I've built all the PCs I've owned for a long time. It looks like you have a pretty good setup, that's the same case I have and I really like it.

sabotai · 07-28-2007, 08:07 PM

The last few PCs I had, I basically got a barebones system (mobo, PC, case, power supply), and then put the rest together. But I just did this (built it all) and yeah, stressful is the right word for it. The feeling you get when you put it all together and hook it up only to have it do nothing when you hit the power button is really sickening. But, then you get it working and all is good.

Advise would be the simple stuff. Make sure all connections are in tight (I think I had a loose connection somewhere and after unplugging everything and replugging it in, it worked), but don't screw the motherboard in too tight. If you tighten the screws too hard, you could crack the motherboard.

Dutch · 07-29-2007, 02:36 AM

A couple of points.

If you are unsure of the repuation of EVGA for mobo's (like me) I'd strongly consider going with ASUS. They are still a very reputable mobo manufacturer (and I think EVGA is a 3rd party tweaker/redistributor?)

The motherboad you chose is SLI ready and you have a pretty big video card. 520w power supply should be okay, but if you eventually use the SLI support and double up the video cards, that could really be pushing it. I'd suggest a 600w power supply at least, maybe 700w.

I'm jeolous. I'm building a new one when the quad core price drops and I can't justify that big ass video card. My wife was shocked when I dropped four hundred on an ATI Radeo 9800 Pro when it first came out.

(that card is still sitting in my machine, btw, so maybe it was worth it.)

Anyway, Good luck!

Shaun Sullivan · 07-29-2007, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch

A couple of points.

If you are unsure of the repuation of EVGA for mobo's (like me) I'd strongly consider going with ASUS. They are still a very reputable mobo manufacturer (and I think EVGA is a 3rd party tweaker/redistributor?)

The motherboad you chose is SLI ready and you have a pretty big video card. 520w power supply should be okay, but if you eventually use the SLI support and double up the video cards, that could really be pushing it. I'd suggest a 600w power supply at least, maybe 700w.

I'm jeolous. I'm building a new one when the quad core price drops and I can't justify that big ass video card. My wife was shocked when I dropped four hundred on an ATI Radeo 9800 Pro when it first came out.

(that card is still sitting in my machine, btw, so maybe it was worth it.)

Anyway, Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback. I should get a better power supply, because as you suggested, I'm sure I'll go SLI at some point.

On the MB, I need a break from ASUS. I currently have an ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe with 2gb ram, core 2 duo and 2 GeForce 7900's and its given me nothing but trouble. Actually had to down-clock the DDR2 ram to 667 just to get it stable. Also had to go from 4gb to 2gb because it was totally flaky with 4gb, so I have 2 1gb DDR2 sticks sitting in my drawer!

Hopefully I'll have a better experience with EVGA. I hear you though, certainly not as big of a name as ASUS.

Thanks.

the_meanstrosity · 07-29-2007, 08:16 AM

EVGA is a great company so don't worry about that and their support service is rated by many as very good. It definitely has a better reputation than Asus' support at this time.

I'm not a huge fan of SLI or Crossfire. Unless you want to be on the bleeding edge, it's normally cheaper and better video quality to get the upgraded video card rather than running two lesser video cards. The other downside to SLI and Crossfire is double the energy and double the heat from running two video cards.

On the video card, I would save your money and shoot for the 8800 GTS (320 MB for lower resolutions and 640 MB for 1680x1050 or above resolutions). Reportedly Nvidia is releasing their next line of video cards in late 2007 or early 2008 that will be double the performance of the current video cards. The 8800 GTX line is way overpriced at this time simply because it's the current king of the hill. I would go with a EVGA or XFX brand video card since they seem to be the two most reliable companies currently.

The Corsair power supply is great and 520W will easily power the GTS card. I would debate going with a higher power supply if you plan on upgrading within the next year on the video card.

Wait for the Intel Q6600. It's in high demand right now and thus supply is low and prices are higher than they should be. Within a month it should be down under $288 easily.

I have the Raptor myself and I do love it, but I think you'll be fine with a Seagate 400 GB SATA drive if you're interested. The seek and load times are a little quicker on the Raptor, but it's not worth the increase at the Newegg price. Best Buy had a sale on the Raptor X last week for something like $170 I think. It may still be on sale so I'd check the website.

Do you need 750 GB of storage? If so then the Seagate 750 GB drive is great otherwise you can get the 400 GB and 500 GB Seagates for under $100 at places like Frys.com, etc.

Keep an eye on RAM deals. I've seen lower priced and better RAM than Kingston. I'll see if I can scrape some names and numbers for ya.

DVD Rom...I would stay away from Lite-On. Samsung and Pioneer are both really good with Pioneer getting the edge. I'll get you more information later this morning.

The Scythe is a good cpu cooler, but you might want to check out the Tuniq Tower or Enzotech Ultra-X for a similar price.'

The EVGA motherboard looks good though I wouldn't go 680i unless you're dead set on SLI. I have the Abit QuadGT AB9 which is a great motherboard. The only downside with the AB9 is that you must flash the bios before installing. The original bios is awful. My friend and I both have AB9's and they've been great...though we did have to RMA his first one back due to a bad board. It happens. I've RMA'ed a number of motherboards to Asus, Epox, Abit, etc in my lifetime.

I'm going to grab some breakfast, but I'll try to post some alternative product links for you later this morning.

Peregrine · 07-29-2007, 08:41 AM

I have to agree that you might need a bigger power supply, power is one of those things you can't afford to underestimate. Also, keep in mind that the case you selected (which I have) puts the power supply at the bottom of the case, not the top. Overall I like this, but it can create some situations where certain PSes don't fit in the space available. I have a Silverstone Zeus 650W PS and it worked fine with this configuration.

07-29-2007, 08:41 AM	#7
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	I have to agree that you might need a bigger power supply, power is one of those things you can't afford to underestimate. Also, keep in mind that the case you selected (which I have) puts the power supply at the bottom of the case, not the top. Overall I like this, but it can create some situations where certain PSes don't fit in the space available. I have a Silverstone Zeus 650W PS and it worked fine with this configuration. Last edited by Peregrine : 07-29-2007 at 08:41 AM.

07-28-2007, 07:49 PM	#2
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	Building a PC is always fun, but a bit stressful. I've built all the PCs I've owned for a long time. It looks like you have a pretty good setup, that's the same case I have and I really like it.

07-28-2007, 08:07 PM	#3
sabotai General Manager Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The Satellite of Love	The last few PCs I had, I basically got a barebones system (mobo, PC, case, power supply), and then put the rest together. But I just did this (built it all) and yeah, stressful is the right word for it. The feeling you get when you put it all together and hook it up only to have it do nothing when you hit the power button is really sickening. But, then you get it working and all is good. Advise would be the simple stuff. Make sure all connections are in tight (I think I had a loose connection somewhere and after unplugging everything and replugging it in, it worked), but don't screw the motherboard in too tight. If you tighten the screws too hard, you could crack the motherboard.

07-29-2007, 02:36 AM	#4
Dutch "Dutch" Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Tampa, FL	A couple of points. If you are unsure of the repuation of EVGA for mobo's (like me) I'd strongly consider going with ASUS. They are still a very reputable mobo manufacturer (and I think EVGA is a 3rd party tweaker/redistributor?) The motherboad you chose is SLI ready and you have a pretty big video card. 520w power supply should be okay, but if you eventually use the SLI support and double up the video cards, that could really be pushing it. I'd suggest a 600w power supply at least, maybe 700w. I'm jeolous. I'm building a new one when the quad core price drops and I can't justify that big ass video card. My wife was shocked when I dropped four hundred on an ATI Radeo 9800 Pro when it first came out. (that card is still sitting in my machine, btw, so maybe it was worth it.) Anyway, Good luck!

07-29-2007, 08:16 AM	#6
the_meanstrosity College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2002	EVGA is a great company so don't worry about that and their support service is rated by many as very good. It definitely has a better reputation than Asus' support at this time. I'm not a huge fan of SLI or Crossfire. Unless you want to be on the bleeding edge, it's normally cheaper and better video quality to get the upgraded video card rather than running two lesser video cards. The other downside to SLI and Crossfire is double the energy and double the heat from running two video cards. On the video card, I would save your money and shoot for the 8800 GTS (320 MB for lower resolutions and 640 MB for 1680x1050 or above resolutions). Reportedly Nvidia is releasing their next line of video cards in late 2007 or early 2008 that will be double the performance of the current video cards. The 8800 GTX line is way overpriced at this time simply because it's the current king of the hill. I would go with a EVGA or XFX brand video card since they seem to be the two most reliable companies currently. The Corsair power supply is great and 520W will easily power the GTS card. I would debate going with a higher power supply if you plan on upgrading within the next year on the video card. Wait for the Intel Q6600. It's in high demand right now and thus supply is low and prices are higher than they should be. Within a month it should be down under $288 easily. I have the Raptor myself and I do love it, but I think you'll be fine with a Seagate 400 GB SATA drive if you're interested. The seek and load times are a little quicker on the Raptor, but it's not worth the increase at the Newegg price. Best Buy had a sale on the Raptor X last week for something like $170 I think. It may still be on sale so I'd check the website. Do you need 750 GB of storage? If so then the Seagate 750 GB drive is great otherwise you can get the 400 GB and 500 GB Seagates for under $100 at places like Frys.com, etc. Keep an eye on RAM deals. I've seen lower priced and better RAM than Kingston. I'll see if I can scrape some names and numbers for ya. DVD Rom...I would stay away from Lite-On. Samsung and Pioneer are both really good with Pioneer getting the edge. I'll get you more information later this morning. The Scythe is a good cpu cooler, but you might want to check out the Tuniq Tower or Enzotech Ultra-X for a similar price.' The EVGA motherboard looks good though I wouldn't go 680i unless you're dead set on SLI. I have the Abit QuadGT AB9 which is a great motherboard. The only downside with the AB9 is that you must flash the bios before installing. The original bios is awful. My friend and I both have AB9's and they've been great...though we did have to RMA his first one back due to a bad board. It happens. I've RMA'ed a number of motherboards to Asus, Epox, Abit, etc in my lifetime. I'm going to grab some breakfast, but I'll try to post some alternative product links for you later this morning.

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