I like to start a fun project to build a new computer for the first time. I have built one before way back in high school, but the main concern is compatibility with our new technology. I've done intensive research in my spare time, bothered a few people for tips, and constructed a list of all the materials I need for an affordable and powerful machine. This is where I need your help to see if I'm in the right direction, and if you have anything you can recommend to me.
CPU: Intel Core i5-2500 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core
Newegg: $210 | Amazon: $209
This is the most important to me that determines whether upgrading my computer will be worth my time and investment. I have a decent but outdated Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz that benchmarks around 4293. Sandy Bridge is the 2nd Gen from what I researched and benchmark runs for 6599. I do not know if this much difference will be noticeable to me or not. I'm not into OC and I don't like risking my equipment. This is why I'm getting the Turbo Boost add-on where it kicks in if it's needed like a temporary but safe OC. It will come with a heatsink and thermal paste, but if it looks like it's getting way too hot, then I'll have to find a replacement for that.
Case: Rosewill CHALLENGER-U3 Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Newegg: $60 | Amazon: $65
I'm looking for a decent sized and quiet case with adequate amount of fans to keep everything cool. This seems to fit what I'm looking for and it's a decent price too. It says it's a mid tower, and I'm fine with that size since I own one that's mid tower too.
Power Supply: CORSAIR Builder Series CX500 V2 500W
Already Own
I already purchased this power supply since my old one was a mere 300w. This power supply is so quiet and it's definitely one of my recommendations to get power supplies from CORSAIR. Recommended by Bells~
Motherboard: Intel BOXDH67BLB3 LGA 1155 Intel H67 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX
Newegg: $90
I would need an Intel motherboard to go with my CPU. Because of my budget, I'll need to look for a LGA 1155 socket. $90 is about the price range I like to pay for, but I'm hoping I'm getting the right motherboard for all my equipment.
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) FPB 1GB GDDR5
Already Own
A very decent video card that does extremely well for TERA. I think it was around $100 once I get my rebate delivered to me. This was recommended by Bells again since he has this card that works well for TERA gameplay, and it hasn't disappoint me so far.
RAM: G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
Newegg: $43
I usually go with Kingston products for RAM, but Retake recommended this to me. It looks quite promising according to newegg customer reviews.
CD Drive: LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X
Newegg: $18
I honestly don't need this other than installing Windows. Unless there's an easy way to install Windows 7 from a flash drive, do let me know if that's easier or not. I don't burn CDs at all, and I download drivers online. Just how often do you guys use your CD drives?
Hard Drive: Still Researching
I really picked a bad time for hard drives since they have skyrocketed. I'm still looking for a decent hard drive. Somewhere around $50-70 range, 500gb space, SATA 6Gb/s.
Here's a couple of questions I like to know if you could answer please:
- I mentioned that my Lynnfield CPU benchmarks around 4293 and the new Sandy Bridge I plan to get is 6599. Is the 2306 upgrade a big difference where I will notice huge improvements for multitasking heavy applications? I believe this answer will determine whether I want to go through this computer upgrade or not.
- Most important is to know if the motherboard will be compatible with all the things I plan on getting.
- Rather getting a CD drive that I doubt I'll ever use, how easy is it to install Windows 7 on a flash drive? Especially on a brand new computer.
- And am I missing anything else to build a computer? I do have keyboard, mouse, and monitor so I've gotten that taken care of.
- Are there any online stores that sells for a better price other than Newegg?
I like to start a fun project to build a new computer for the first time. I have built one before way back in high school, but the main concern is compatibility with our new technology. I've done intensive research in my spare time, bothered a few people for tips, and constructed a list of all the materials I need for an affordable and powerful machine. This is where I need your help to see if I'm in the right direction, and if you have anything you can recommend to me.
List Revised on 3/18/12
CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) : $220 - $10 = $210
Since 2500 and 2500k version will cost roughly the same on the market now, I might as well get the one with OC compatibility just in case.
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus : $25
This is heavily recommended for 2500k processor to keep it cool and quiet.
Case: COOLER MASTER Elite 430 : $50 - $10 = $40
I like a decent size case with proper cooling. I've decided to get a budget price case since I'm getting something that's going to cost more than I had planned. The case will support Micro ATX / ATX motherboard types.
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 : $122
I decided to switch to a nicer motherboard since I'm getting a CPU with OC features. The H67 motherboard I was planning to get does not support OC. I hope I picked the right motherboard, but if you find something with the same price range that can perform better, please let me know. This is ATX, so it should fit fine with my case. Someone has reported that they can go up to 4.6 GHz on the 2500k processor with no issues.
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 : $47
Well since this new motherboard can use almost any RAM, I don't mind bumping it up from 1333 to 1600. I was going to get something higher, but I'm positive I'll be content with this. I heard that you have to configure or else you'll get 1600 by default. I don't want to bother with it more and stick with this kind of memory.
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 series - 500gb
I really thought about this guys, but I've decided to continue using a normal HDD. But you did spark my interest in getting a SSD though, and I like to look into it later once I have my first machine built. I'll probably go down the path of using SSD for OS, and HDD for data storage. Right now, my budget is getting tight with a few new upgrades I'm doing. Now the reason I'm getting this Seagate HDD is because it runs quiet and temperature is always a bit warm.
Other Notices:
I decided not to get a CD Drive since I can install Windows 7 from a flash drive. Also, I already have both the 500w power supply and the Geforce GTX 550Ti GPU with me.
24 comments:
Nice items there. I like to browse TigerDirect as well when shopping for PC parts.
For the Hard Drive I would really look into Solid State Drives(SSD) because you can eliminate any moving parts therefore less chance of it breaking and it is much quieter too. They aren't as big as other hard drives yet but I really feel they will be the only type soon enough. 10k speed for the hard drive is ideal too.
I just upgraded to Windows 7 recently and used a flash drive. If you have the disc you just need to make an ISO image of it and just copy it onto flash drive. After you build the PC completely just insert the flash drive, boot the PC and you just need to choose to boot from flash drive (D: or E:) and it will start up just like using the CD.
I'm not ready for SSD yet, especially I'm not that particular with HD speeds all that much since SATA 6Gb/s & 16Mb cache HDs does well to me. Because of the Thailand flood, it's making it difficult for me to get one for an affordable price. I'm not paying $100 that's for sure, it's ridiculous.
So it's that easy to boot Windows 7 from flash drive? I do have the .iso file already so that pretty much eliminates me getting a CD drive after all. Thanks for the confirmation.
Ok Lets Start by Parts
Processor:
I Would recommend you choose a Core i5-2500K instead of the 2500, cause the 2500k is unlocked for overclock and the 2500 is locked so ull need to use the stock speed but beside than that thats a pretty awesome Processor i have the same one i can run games like BF3 on High/Ultra Settings so yeah thats enough
Case: i dont really know this one that u plan to buy so i cant say for sure but im very satisfated with the one i own the Cooler Master CM 690 II, so just telling you in case you want to check another one.
the rest i think thats pretty much fine
Just think that you should buy another Processor Coller since anything is better than the intel one, im not going to say that i had problems with the intel one but it was kinda hot in my oppinion so i decided to change.
And after i installed the Coller Master Hyper 212 Plus if im not wrong the temperature decreased in about 10ºC/50ºF
Oh yeah and if you have a bit more money to Spare i totally recommend you to buy a SSD Hard Drive. the difference in the Speed is just Absurd
About the Questions:
- I mentioned that my Lynnfield CPU benchmarks around 4293 and the new Sandy Bridge I plan to get is 6599. Is the 2306 upgrade a big difference where I will notice huge improvements for multitasking heavy applications? I believe this answer will determine whether I want to go through this computer upgrade or not.
i guess that is more related to your RAM because i only have 4GB and is kinda hard multitask when im on BF3 but ive seems people with 8GB or 16GB RAM multastink just fine with almost the same specs as me beside the memory
- Most important is to know if the motherboard will be compatible with all the things I plan on getting.
The Mobo has a Chipset 1155 so yeah it will be compatible with the processor and most likely the memories
- Rather getting a CD drive that I doubt I'll ever use, how easy is it to install Windows 7 on a flash drive? Especially on a brand new computer.
Sorry i will be not able to answer this question since ive never tried that xD
- And am I missing anything else to build a computer? I do have keyboard, mouse, and monitor so I've gotten that taken care of.
Already Mentioned Above
- Are there any online stores that sells for a better price other than Newegg?
Since im not from US i only know Amazon so im not sure haha ;(
First of all, thanks for your very depth input, Q. (lol)
CPU: I'm just very uncomfortable about OC at the moment cause I've never done it before. I figured the 2500 has that turbo boost feature that is kind of like an auto OC that is safe. I checked the prices and the 2500k is only $10 more than the 2500. I guess I might as well get that cause it's one of those "you never know" moments.
So since you have the 2500k, how far have you OC that still runs at a safe range and temperature?
Case: That case looks really nice, and the reviews look excellent. I'll look into this more. I might actually get that instead. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216&Tpk=Cooler%20Master%20CM%20690%20II
Processor Cooler: Is this the one you got? http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0. A 10ºC/50ºF decrease is a huge difference, so yes I might have to get this then.
Hard Drive: So you also recommend SSD. I suppose I want to have this upgrade a success where I won't have to mess with upgrading again for a very very long time. That price is what holding me back and receive very low memory. I think on my daily usage, a 120gb would hold fine to me. I do have an external HDD to keep all my important stuff.
Hi there.
In my opinion, if you're not rushing for the need of one (since you have a Lynnfield, I assume not...) then I would suggest holding on until Ivy Bridge comes out next month from Intel.
Why? Better power consumption over the same performance (roughly 20% less). Plus, the new motherboards its launching with with incorporate native USB3.0 (current boards all use 3rd party).
I believe you'll be future-proofed for at least 2-3 years with an Ivy Bridge rig.
As for Windows install, it's extremely easy now to install from a flash stick. In fact, Microsoft officially supports it via a tool called "Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool". Installing from USB is even faster too since the transfer speeds are higher. I personally still will get a DVD-drive though... you never know sometimes :P.
Finally for HDD's... due the Thai floods, the current price level will probably stick around for at least half a year more... so no helping on that.
CPU : just like you ive never tried that , i just got for just like you said the "you never know" moments but mine is a I5-2500k 3.3GHz im pretty sure i could OC for 4GHz and still be "safe" hahaha
Case: yeah that case is really awesome i changed from a Low Tower so when i got that case i was really impressed with the size hahaahah but one of the things that i love about this case is that the compartment for Hard Drives and CD/DVD Slots theres are no screws is all straps so it is way more easier to deal
Review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGvBjEmXJnI
Processor Cooler: yeah this one. my processor used to be at 42~45ºC/107~113ºF on Idle with the intel one. Now its arround 34~37ºC/93~99ºF with this Hyper 212
HardDrive: yeah 120gb would fine just to place the Programs that you use the most the rest can still be used in a normal HDD
here a little video that a friend of mine recorded with his notebook who has a SSD Hard Drive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8ZqXohaRMgM
I like to have this setup around mid-April. I've never heard of the new Ivy Bridge, but I have checked out modern motherboards and CPUs and I O_O at the prices. I'm looking towards a decent budget price since I plan to sell my desktop at around $450 and use that funds to spend a little bit more for a nice setup that will last me hopefully 5+ years. Lynnfield does decent, but it's so outdated where I want to bump up a bit more that will satisfy my needs.
HDDs won't go down anytime soon? Yep, I knew I picked a wrong time for HDDs. As for SSD, I'm kind of leaning towards it. This is a HUGE maybe lol.
As for CD Drives, I don't think I ever used it except for installing Windows 7 haha. But hey, if I ever need one for some odd reason, I can just borrow it from a friend lol.
You know what's funny, Newegg has a $10 gift card for purchasing the 2500k that makes it the same price as the 2500. No brainer there now.
My only complaint of the case is that it doesn't have usb/audio ports on the front of the case. But, I found another cooler master case with an outstanding price. At least I'm looking at Cooler Master that has a good reputation for computer case. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119227
As for that SSD boot. That is sick haha.
I see you have exactly the same plans as I do.
I realized how limited and unsuited my PC was when I played Tera. I do plan on making my own for the first time as well, when I get paid at the end of the month.
Not sure how much I'm gonna spend, but it's gonna be expensive for sure.
I dunno if I could buy anything but the power parts with $ prices and then buy the power parts in a European store.. this'd be much cheaper.
Anyway, as other people recommended to you, I'd definitely suggest to go for a SDD. It doesn't need to be a big one : 128Gb should do just fine. Just use it for the programs you use most.
People usually go for a small SDD together with a large HDD (~2TB or so).
Some colleagues at work told me that the speed difference is just ridiculously huge (well it has to be, looking at the price). Although, make sure you do some proper research on those, because some SDDs are less good than others, even though they got the same capacity.
Ah, alright then.
Well, given the current situation, getting a sandy bridge now will be still very good down the line in 2-3 years. The i2500 is a solid piece of hardware.
I should have mentioned that I'm on a tight budget, but at the same time I want this upgrade to show some improvements (or more) at a good affordable price.
Thanks to my new power supply and video card that I replaced my old computer with, I can get about 40-50 frames on 1680x1080 resolution on max preset. But when I look at my cpu and ram in the next 5 hours, it's reaching about the 80% mark constantly.
And you recommend me getting a SSD as well. I guess I won't be disappointed, except my bank account that is, haha. I'm going to post later today on what SSDs I found and see what you all think about it, cause I'm not sure what I should be looking for.
New revised list has been posted on the bottom of the post. Looking for further reviews on this new build.
You got a sweet little build going on there. My only gripe with it would be the case. I would've saved a few more dollars and gone with the haf 912 from Cooler Master instead of the 430. But a budget is a budget and if you do a proper cable management it should be okay either way.
What bugs me the most is that I tried to make a similar configuration on a local website here in Romania and I only put in the parts I would need for the moment: motherboard, cpu and cooler. I ended up choosing the MSI Z68A-G45 (B3) because it's a bit cheaper (here at least), chose the same cpu and cooler and my total came up to $500 compared to your $444 total where you also have a case and an 8gb ram kit. Taxes are a pain here in Europe.
My god those taxes really do add up when those numbers are high. I'm going to tally up how much all of my equipment cost sometime next week. I think it's going to be around $800 (excluding rebates).
As for the case, I actually have plenty of room and I was able to hide most of my cables with ease. So yeah, if I were to get a larger case, it wouldn't be necessary for me. Now the only issue I have with this case is that it only provides one fan on the front of the case. I think I'll order two more fans and I should be completely finish with my build.
I got a little bit greedy and got myself a Corsair 400R in december. It's an excellent case, comes with 3 120mm fans and has radiator support in case I ever want to go into water cooling. And the cable management is superb. No hassle whatsoever. Take a look if you like. :)
http://youtu.be/OCmnKpWB7ek
Also for the fans I agree 2 more should be enough, especially with the graphics card you're using. I would put one in the back of course as exhaust, and the other on the side as an intake so you get additional cooling for your gpu and motherboard. The rest of the air can get naturally exhausted through the top without the need for top fans. And hey if the cpu gets hotter than expected you can always do a push-pull configuration on the Hyper 212.
That case does look good and it even comes with enough fans where you won't need to buy any additional ones like I have to do. But, that's what I paid for and buying 2 more fans will still cost cheaper than the Corsair 400R.
I had the exact thought of having one more intake and outtake on the back of the case. The Hyper 212 is doing good on its own, but that air is still trapped inside the computer which I need to do something about that very soon.
I experimented by opening the case and I watched my temperature drop 5 degrees in one minute.
I need everyone's opinion about hybrid SSD-HDD drives, as I would suggest that stuff if you're only going for some fast boot-ups while having a huge storage. IMO, I think it's a nice idea, though you have to be prepared for the cost.
As for motherboard, ASRock is a good budget motherboard brand. But for extremists, they would go for even major brands like ASUS and GIGABYTE. I don't think original Intel boards are any good except for general usage which doesn't really make difference.
Optical disc drives can be ignored as you can always borrow optical disc drive from friends, especially since there's such drives that comes with USB, which is more convenient without opening the case for installing the drive. =P
Those mid-high-end stuffs up there makes me drool. lol
IMO hybrid ssd-hdd drives are better suited for laptops since lots of them have only one hdd slot.If you bought an ssd for a laptop you would spend a lot of cash to get the same storage space as you did on a regular 2.5'' hdd.
For a pc you can have the luxury of a single 60/80/120GB ssd for the boot drive and a 500GB or more hdd, especially if you previously bought an hdd (let's face it we're still waiting for the market to drop after the flood so we can get high storage at a low cost) and are now just thinking about a small upgrade.
Fry the squid ! *drool drool* :D
Here's a link to a Cooler Master 120mm fan.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103060
It's a decent fan imo, not too pricy not too cheap. Once you slap it on the back of the case you won't need to worry about the air being trapped. As for the noise the reviews say it's quieter than a corsair H100 fan even in full blast. So either one or two is more than enough and you shouldn't worry about temps anymore. Anyway the TjMax on the core i5 2500k is 72.3C or something so as long as you're not hitting it, and I doubt you will if you're not into extreme overclocking, you'll be okay.
Makes sense. Guess this is also one of the advantages of having a desktop PC compared to laptop, eh?
NUUUU!! Don't fry me! D'x
I tested my boot up time with my Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 HDD and it takes about 1 minute from starting up the machine to loading my whole desktop. I can live with that and other decent performances for awhile I guess.
I have researched about the difference between asynchronous vs synchronous and that synchronous is highly recommended for better performance and longer lifespan.
I have my eyes on this SSD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220624
Or if I want to get asynchronous for whatever reasons: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220603
SSDs' are a touchy subject. There's lots of manufacturers to choose from, unlike harddisks wich are now limited to four major brands, Western Digital, Hitachi, Seagate and Samsung (although I don't really know people with a Samsung drive). Before selecting one, be it synchronous or asynchronous, make sure to check the return rates. At the moment Intel has the smallest return rate of all the manufacturers. I know they're a bit pricy, as with all Intel products, but they're worth it. The performance makes it worth the extra dollars. When I have the money for an ssd, I'll probably buy a 120GB Intel 500 series, since it's the best out at the moment.
Whatever your choice of manufacturer just make sure to spend time researching performance, return rate and lifetime.
Oh and decide between the Marvell and Sandforce controller. According to this article the Marvell controller is winning more than Charlie Sheen.
http://thessdreview.com/our-reviews/plextor-m3-256gb-sata-6gbs-review-another-win-for-the-marvell-9174-controller/
But I guess it depends on the time of release. This one is really new to the market.
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