My new computer:

[Midevele1]

So since i don't really have any other computers than this laptop for gaming and such, i've decided i'm going to build a desktop.
Check out the parts i'm ordering and tell me what you think, or any suggestions you may have:

Ram(2x4GB): 46.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820231314



Case: 129.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 11-133-191



Motherboard: 149.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813138354



Core: 319.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819116503



Power Supply: 24.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817339009



1 Terabyte Hard Drive: 134.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822136284



DVD driver: 39.99
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+24x+In ... Id=9402247



Sound Card: 50.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6829132013



Graphics card: 134.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814130625



Recap:

Ram(2x4GB): 46.99
Case: 129.99
Motherboard: 149.99
Core: 319.99
Power Supply: 24.99
1 Terabyte Hard Drive: 134.99
DVD driver: 39.99
Sound Card: 50.99
Graphics card: 134.99

Grand Total: 1032.91

Compared to a gaming computer:

iBuyPower - Gamer Supreme Desktop - 16GB Memory - 1TB Hard Drive: 1,199.99
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/iBuyPower+- ... Id=5471656



I think this counts as a win.

[Ace2910]

Hey, where's the video card? What are you going to use to play your games with?

[Ace2910]

You also forgot the sound card, dumbass.

[Midevele1]

Oops forgot to put these in, here i'll edit it.

[scope_ion]

MW3 keyboard?

[Midevele1]

MW3 keyboard?

Oh don't worry i'll be painting over the mw3 part. I was gonna get it because of the LED lights and the features but actually the cheaper the better.

[dtherrien]

That's also laptop ram.

[Midevele1]

That's also laptop ram.

Erm wrong one, i was looking at other rams and quickly posted that

[Maxloader]

You put in this RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820231314
But its only 1600 Mhz while your mainboard can easily handle 2600 Mhz DDR3 (DDR3 2600(OC)/2400(OC)/2133(OC)/1866(OC)/1600/1333/1066)

Always download the digital manual from the mainboard you are about to buy, and then choose ram that's officially supported by the board manufacturer to be 100% sure its compatible.
The above also applies for the CPU

[DreadsEye]

Actually, are you satisfied with the Intel I7? From what i've heard it's much money for a core that rarely gets a better performance than the I5 or the I3.

[Maxloader]

Actually, are you satisfied with the Intel I7? From what i've heard it's much money for a core that rarely gets a better performance than the I5 or the I3.

This is for a cpu slightly faster then the S version you want but i couldnt find a benchmark chart for the S:

[doghawk]

Save yourself $75-80 and get one of these cases:
$55 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811129042
$50 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811147153

Save another $51 by simply using the sound card built into the mobo.

Save another $70 ($90 with the gift card "rebate") by purchasing an i5 CPU rather than i7:
$250 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819116504
... or consider getting a Mobo-CPU combo (which should also guarantee compatibility). You might find a better deal by getting a combo.

Take all that money you've just saved and spend some of it on an SSD, which (if configured correctly) will give you some very nice performance improvements:
$130 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820148448

You should still have $90 left over. If you don't have a good mouse already, this is my favorite:
$58 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6826104318

These are just my opinions... take 'em or leave 'em.

[Maxloader]

Nice tips doghawk!

I would like to add that coolermaster also has some very nice cases!
I myself got the Coolermaster HAF 932 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811119160)
Its more expensive than the cases that doghawk mentions but its really quiet due to the big ass fans (1x 140mm rear fan, 1x 230mm top fan, and 1x 230mm side fan)

[Pestilencemage]

I would pass on the sound card too, onboard audio on that MoBo is good so unless you buy a rockin' sound card you dont need... Onboard may actualy surpass that one you have and you wont see the performance difference.

As to the case... I say doesnt matter much, the one you chose seems like a decent buy.

As to the core, it IS compatable with the selected MoBo, I dont know why these guys are thinking it wouldnt be... you just check the socket types. You can save on an i5 if you want, it wont be your bottleneck so your fine either way.

SSD... nice but unnessissary. read/write times are not much of a bottleneck either and you can improve that for FAR less money by getting a 10,000 RPM Boot drive (over the standard 7200rpm) if you really demand a boost, or if you can find one that will hit the SATA 6 slots on that MoBo.

If you can canabalize your old system, drop the optic drive and eat the HD too.

Make sure you have all the not-included covered IE: monitor, keyboard, mouse (I still recommend the RAT7) and Artic silver if the GPU doesnt come pre-applied (I HATE it when they come pre-applied).

Critisims:
Got a budget PSU there, NO POWER CORD FOR IT! make sure you have one. should do the job but you might consiter upgradeing later. Thermaltake Toughpower is good but you'll be looking up to $150 there.
Mobo wont support SLI either (PSU wont) so you'll not be takeing the easy upgrade route in the future there.
...thats about it, this rig should do ya solid for awhile.

[doghawk]

Pest makes a very important observation... take note if you have never installed a CPU on a motherboard!

The CPU gets extremely hot if not properly cooled... enough to fry the CPU and cost you a couple hundred dollars! Most CPUs come with a heat-sink to quickly cool the CPU, but it often needs a "thermal paste" to help conduct the heat from the CPU to the heat-sink. You can get a little bottle of Arctic Silver http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6835100007 for about $8 at Walmart, or order it with your new computer. You will have to properly clean and reapply the thermal paste every time you remove and reinstall the heatsink, so try to minimize the number of times you do so!

Believe me, I've learned the hard way that you cannot skip or sloppily perform this step in the CPU installation process. If you've never built a PC from scratch, find a good step-by-step guide online and take your time to do it right! It is so tempting to rush through the process so you can start enjoying your new setup, but if you take your time to do things right the first time, you'll be a lot happier in the end.

[Pestilencemage]

yeah, one tube of artic silver will last quite awhile. Don't use too much or too little though
I spend at least 5 minuits spreading a perfect layer over the cpu even if it comes with the paste on it already. I dont trust them to have it perfect.

[Maxloader]

I know about cooling paste, but most stock coolers or custom coolers for that matter come with a standard layer already applied to them.

[Midevele1]

Save yourself $75-80 and get one of these cases:
$55 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811129042
$50 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811147153

Save another $51 by simply using the sound card built into the mobo.

Save another $70 ($90 with the gift card "rebate") by purchasing an i5 CPU rather than i7:
$250 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819116504
... or consider getting a Mobo-CPU combo (which should also guarantee compatibility). You might find a better deal by getting a combo.

Take all that money you've just saved and spend some of it on an SSD, which (if configured correctly) will give you some very nice performance improvements:
$130 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820148448

You should still have $90 left over. If you don't have a good mouse already, this is my favorite:
$58 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6826104318

These are just my opinions... take 'em or leave 'em.

See the thing is, i don't need to save any money, and i picked the case because i liked it. I picked everything i chose for a reason, and money is not a problem.

[Midevele1]

I would pass on the sound card too, onboard audio on that MoBo is good so unless you buy a rockin' sound card you dont need... Onboard may actualy surpass that one you have and you wont see the performance difference.

As to the case... I say doesnt matter much, the one you chose seems like a decent buy.

As to the core, it IS compatable with the selected MoBo, I dont know why these guys are thinking it wouldnt be... you just check the socket types. You can save on an i5 if you want, it wont be your bottleneck so your fine either way.

SSD... nice but unnessissary. read/write times are not much of a bottleneck either and you can improve that for FAR less money by getting a 10,000 RPM Boot drive (over the standard 7200rpm) if you really demand a boost, or if you can find one that will hit the SATA 6 slots on that MoBo.

If you can canabalize your old system, drop the optic drive and eat the HD too.

Make sure you have all the not-included covered IE: monitor, keyboard, mouse (I still recommend the RAT7) and Artic silver if the GPU doesnt come pre-applied (I HATE it when they come pre-applied).

Critisims:
Got a budget PSU there, NO POWER CORD FOR IT! make sure you have one. should do the job but you might consiter upgradeing later. Thermaltake Toughpower is good but you'll be looking up to $150 there.
Mobo wont support SLI either (PSU wont) so you'll not be takeing the easy upgrade route in the future there.
...thats about it, this rig should do ya solid for awhile.

I have the monitor, keyboard, and mouse from other computers i had, and as for the keyboard i have that as well, the powerbox i'm also considering (made for the case), well you look at the deal for yourself and tell me what you think; http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDeal ... mbo.913226 Not cheap, but if itll do the job efficiently than it all works out.

[Pestilencemage]

its overkill on the wattage, but it IS top of the line. That thing will handle 2 of any cards you can throw at it, and probably charge up your prius at the same time. probably better off looking for 750-800 watt of the same brand. They are not oversized, they keep themselves well vented, and the modular cables are really nice. Those braided cables can be abit stiff and occasionaly difficult to initialy manipulate but once you get them all situated, they will STAY that way. You also keep any cables you wont need out of the case altogether rather then haveing a bundled mess up by the PSU.