Building a Computer, Recommendations?

[Pusianka]

is this future?

[NeoSuperior]

is this future?

Nooooope, It's just Chuck Testa!

[Cronky]

So what you're saying Knooger is that I'd be better off with a i5-2400 CPU with a SSD, rather than a i5-2500k with the ability to overclock?

So far what I'm looking at is:

Motherboard - Biostar TZ77XE4
CPU - Intel i5-2500k

Haven't looked up RAM yet, but will be getting 8GBs minimum

I'm also looking up Power Supplies as it seems my old one may not be compatible with the newer Motherboards that require a 8pin CPU connector. On the topic of Power Supplies though, is Modular worth it in the long run? I've heard good and bad stories, but I'd assume it would only be helpful for cable management.

@Meister
You did good with your post! I laughed probably a little too much. :P

[frvge]

I'd go with an SSD with a slightly slower CPU over a normal HDD with a faster CPU. SSDs are nice!

[Cronky]

Are you (and Knooger) saying that simply with price in mind, or are you saying that because there is some benefit I'm not getting?

My initial price I put on this build is 500 dollars. I will be upgrading eventually, but I just want to get the major stuff out the way first. So I will eventually invest in a SSD regardless of CPU.

Does that change your opinion about which one I should go for? Or is there, again, something I'm not getting.

[knooger]

Difference between modular and non modular PSU is this with modular you can unplug useless cables - rest is the same. Get modular because it's big + to have unpluggable cables.

Let me check prices on newegg and suggest you something ;)

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 - $220
Motherboard: Hmm, this biostar looks very solid and has USB3.0 Front panel but I doubt you want to use GPU installed in your Processor ( Intel HD 3000 ) - what about ASRock P67 PRO3 (B3) it's for $100 but lacks of USB3 Front panel (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157230)
RAM:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104173 $53 Kingston HyperX 2x4GB
SSD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148442 Crucial M4 128GB $125 - very popular and good SSD drive.
PSU: Seasonic 560W Modular $125 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151098 or  XFX 650W $94 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207014 A lot people suggest this XFX Power Supply on forums - it's solid one for fair price with 5 years warranty! on the other hand Seasonic is the best manufacturer of PSUs. I would get XFX since it's a lot cheaper and it get good rates in reviews.

And no money for case :( It's getting over 500$ so, imo go for i5 2400 $190 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspxItem=N82E16819115074) and I would not buy smaller SSD than 128GB.

And this is speed of SSD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIrjwx6umdg Programs installed on SSD gonna react way faster.

Prices of intel CPUs are killing me...

...seriously.

[Cronky]

Thanks for all the prices Knooger! It seems like I've been on newegg all day simply clicking through things that sound veeery similar. Good to have specific things to keep an eye on.

I linked the Biostar Motherboard mainly because it wasn't muuuch more, but had the added functionality of the Front panel USB3.0 and PCIe3.0 possibilities (Trying to future proof my new potential system as much as possible). I also assumed I would use my older nvidia 8800GTX video card with any motherboard I was planning on buying, till I had the money to buy a newer video card.

On that though, I never did get an answer on what the current "biggest leap" in Video Cards has been. I don't mean the newest, mind you, but simply the most current card that had the biggest technological jump since the 8800 series. Anyone got any guesses?

[knooger]

8800 is older card, but if you run all your games with decent details you can wait for something new coming from nvidia.

Read this about differences between PCI-E 2 and 3

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?280366-Difference-between-PCI-e-2.0-and-3.0

http://www.techpowerup.com/157253/PCI-Express-3.0-Has-Zero-Performance-Incentive-for-Radeon-HD-7970-Tests.html

So, if you will not have SLI/Crossfire and play at very very high resoultion you should not mind about it. Atleast it looks like it. New radeons are nice (7950 +), Nvidia GTX560 is nice but I hate Nvidia lately for their SHITTY drivers.

[Cronky]

So you think it wouldn't really be worth it in the end to have PCI-E 3 ability? I mean, MAYBE I'll one day SLI/Crossfire going on, I know I don't plan on it, but maybe.

Though mostly this is just me thinking veeeeery cautiously about my investment. This is since I don't plan on buying a new computer anytime soon after this. If something like my Video Card dies later down the line though then I don't want to be left out in the dust. My ancient computer from before the one I recently broke had that problem mainly because I was working with only PCI slots, and all the video cards of worth had transitioned over to AGP(?)/PCI-E.

What is your thoughts on color rating with Power Supplies? I see bronze, silver, gold, and platinum, but is there truly a difference between those? Or is it just a rating they get?

[frvge]

PCI-e2 should be good enough.

[knooger]

yea, PCI-E 2.0 will be ok - you will not see difference and new cards will work with it too.

"Color ratings" is efficiency Bronze is 80%+ etc.

[DreadStunLock]

@Dreadstunlock
OMG, so you have bought this second graphic card or third already?

Say what? No no no no no, sily polish man.

I still haz:

Antec 1200PSU (Fan on)
6990 4GB GPU (Fan off)
AMD 955 3.2ghz Quad (Fan off)

And that's it :3

[nubishdubishbone]

I don't know if you're an nVidia guy or AMD but EGVA has great boards, i recommend the p96(?) for ivy bridge, they are quad, hyperthreaded, and are fast as hell.

they also offer Quad SLI (not true quad but when using a dual GPU single card it will be quad, as long as it's X16,/x16/x8).

[Cronky]

UPDATE!!!

I bought 90% of my computer today. I didn't follow the exact things that were pointed out before, but here is what's on it's way:

CPU:Intel i5 3570k
RAM:G.SKILL Ripjaw series 16GB (4gb x 4)
PSU:OCZ ZX Series 850W Fully-Modular 80PLUS Gold
Case:Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower w/ Upgraded USB 3.0

Yet to be bought:

Motherboard:BIOSTAR TZ77XE4 (Out of stock currently)

Combine that with the 1TB Hard drive I already own, the 1080p monitor, Razer Mouse/Keyboard/Headset and the Nvidia 8800GTX and I've got a fully functioning computer... potentially.

I know the PCI-E 3.0 stuff was very "Meh" to most, but like I said, I want to future-proof my new compy as much as possible. The upgrade to the 3570k was to take in Ivy Bridge, and thus get the added functionality. In the end its going to cost me around 750 dollars, but I came in to a little extra money for this and I also was faaaar too impatient to wait for deals. (If something is DOA then I'd have to figure that out pretty quick. Thus having  to buy everything at once. At least according to my logic)

ANYWAY. There it is! Bam. :P

[RaDRoacH]

hm? 16GB of ram?