First time computer build, any advice?
Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 3:18 am
Hello everyone! This is my first time posting on here, but I figured I’m getting closer to my first build ever, and I would ask for your help/advice. Feel free to let me know what you think, all feedback is appreciated.
I have taken a look at the system guide they have on this site and honestly I am leaning towards that system (the $1500 one), especially because what I want is probably over-kill. In any case I figured I’d post it here and get some advice from the community here since a lot of you know/have experience with building systems.
This is going to be my first system build I have ever done, and I have been doing research for about a year now on how to build a system, so I feel confident there. The true test will come once I apply what I learned.
I have slowly begun to move away from my PS3, and gaming more on my PC. I would love to play Skyrim on max settings as well as Guild Wars 2 (mainly the two I play currently), and hopefully move on to some first person shooters, which is what I mostly did on the console. I do a lot of movie watching, web browsing, tons of projects with word and power-point. I do photography as a hobby and edit my RAW images in Lightroom 3 and photoshop (just a hobby, nothing serious).
I have a budget close to $2100, and that includes shipping, but judging on what you say here I may end up saving money which is a bonus. As far as where I’m ordering my items from, probably Newegg and/or Amazon, though Amazon would probably be better for me in terms of shipping. Because I live in Alaska, Neweggs shipping is high compared to free shipping from Amazon. Do any of you have recommendations as far as which is better to order from?
I plan on making my purchase soon, maybe within the next couple of weeks to a month. Only reason for holding off a little is because I’m currently in college, and been busy with lots of projects and mid-terms.
Case: Corsair 650D http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139006
• I like the way it looks, and it seems like it will be easy to build in it, especially for a first timer like me. My only concern is will it have enough airflow to keep the system cool, reason I ask is because in the winter when I need to have all windows closed, in a small room, my temp with all my electronics on can get up to 80 deg F after a few hours(at least heater never has to come on LOL). Living in Alaska I don’t have a way to cool my room down much unless I want my room to freeze.
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe LGA 1155 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131818
• Has a ton of features, I read Bluetooth and built in WiFi though I don’t need it to be. Other than that I like the amount of USB ports it has, for a lot of peripherals. Let me know if it is probably more than I need. Plus watching JJ on Neweggs youtube channel, sold me on Asus lol.
CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116501
• Here is where I’m not sure. From what I read I could go with the i5-3570k and be fine? Regardless I would like it to be an unlocked processor, I would like to learn and get into overclocking.
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181017
• Seems like air cooling and these closed loop water cooling systems do a very similar job in terms of temperatures from what I have seen. The only reason I would go with an H80 or H100 is to keep the inside looking more “clean” instead a big bulky air fan. As far as doing the H100 over the others, we have it in stock at my local Best Buy, and I can get it for a bit cheaper (I work there part-time)
Power Supply: Corsair Pro Series Gold AX750W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139016
Or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139012
• I know there are calculators but the ones I saw don’t have the current processors. The new generation of video cards don’t seem to require as much power anymore, and at least for now I don’t see myself going with any kind of SLI configuration. Guessing I could probably save some money and go with a Corsair HX650W?
Video card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125423
• Seems like a good price point compared to everything else for a 670, plus looks to have good cooling. Guessing will run almost every game in the market at high/max settings in 1080p which is what I want.
Memory: Corsair Vengeance (either 8GB, 12GB, or 16GB) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233280
• Don’t know here, would I benefit at all by going higher than 8GB? As far as to which memory in particular I don’t know yet, I was leaning toward the link I posted.
SSD/HDD: Samsung 830 Series 256GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147164
HDD 1TB, 2TB or 3TB (Haven’t decided yet) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236339
Drive: A blu-ray, I’ll have to look at reviews. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106374
OS: Wither Windows 7 or 8 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986
Sound: Maybe one of the Xonar Asus cards like the one in the system guide.
Everything else, headsets, mouse, keyboards and monitor I already have.
I have taken a look at the system guide they have on this site and honestly I am leaning towards that system (the $1500 one), especially because what I want is probably over-kill. In any case I figured I’d post it here and get some advice from the community here since a lot of you know/have experience with building systems.
This is going to be my first system build I have ever done, and I have been doing research for about a year now on how to build a system, so I feel confident there. The true test will come once I apply what I learned.
I have slowly begun to move away from my PS3, and gaming more on my PC. I would love to play Skyrim on max settings as well as Guild Wars 2 (mainly the two I play currently), and hopefully move on to some first person shooters, which is what I mostly did on the console. I do a lot of movie watching, web browsing, tons of projects with word and power-point. I do photography as a hobby and edit my RAW images in Lightroom 3 and photoshop (just a hobby, nothing serious).
I have a budget close to $2100, and that includes shipping, but judging on what you say here I may end up saving money which is a bonus. As far as where I’m ordering my items from, probably Newegg and/or Amazon, though Amazon would probably be better for me in terms of shipping. Because I live in Alaska, Neweggs shipping is high compared to free shipping from Amazon. Do any of you have recommendations as far as which is better to order from?
I plan on making my purchase soon, maybe within the next couple of weeks to a month. Only reason for holding off a little is because I’m currently in college, and been busy with lots of projects and mid-terms.
Case: Corsair 650D http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139006
• I like the way it looks, and it seems like it will be easy to build in it, especially for a first timer like me. My only concern is will it have enough airflow to keep the system cool, reason I ask is because in the winter when I need to have all windows closed, in a small room, my temp with all my electronics on can get up to 80 deg F after a few hours(at least heater never has to come on LOL). Living in Alaska I don’t have a way to cool my room down much unless I want my room to freeze.
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe LGA 1155 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131818
• Has a ton of features, I read Bluetooth and built in WiFi though I don’t need it to be. Other than that I like the amount of USB ports it has, for a lot of peripherals. Let me know if it is probably more than I need. Plus watching JJ on Neweggs youtube channel, sold me on Asus lol.
CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116501
• Here is where I’m not sure. From what I read I could go with the i5-3570k and be fine? Regardless I would like it to be an unlocked processor, I would like to learn and get into overclocking.
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181017
• Seems like air cooling and these closed loop water cooling systems do a very similar job in terms of temperatures from what I have seen. The only reason I would go with an H80 or H100 is to keep the inside looking more “clean” instead a big bulky air fan. As far as doing the H100 over the others, we have it in stock at my local Best Buy, and I can get it for a bit cheaper (I work there part-time)
Power Supply: Corsair Pro Series Gold AX750W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139016
Or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139012
• I know there are calculators but the ones I saw don’t have the current processors. The new generation of video cards don’t seem to require as much power anymore, and at least for now I don’t see myself going with any kind of SLI configuration. Guessing I could probably save some money and go with a Corsair HX650W?
Video card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125423
• Seems like a good price point compared to everything else for a 670, plus looks to have good cooling. Guessing will run almost every game in the market at high/max settings in 1080p which is what I want.
Memory: Corsair Vengeance (either 8GB, 12GB, or 16GB) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233280
• Don’t know here, would I benefit at all by going higher than 8GB? As far as to which memory in particular I don’t know yet, I was leaning toward the link I posted.
SSD/HDD: Samsung 830 Series 256GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147164
HDD 1TB, 2TB or 3TB (Haven’t decided yet) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236339
Drive: A blu-ray, I’ll have to look at reviews. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106374
OS: Wither Windows 7 or 8 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986
Sound: Maybe one of the Xonar Asus cards like the one in the system guide.
Everything else, headsets, mouse, keyboards and monitor I already have.