Hey folks, getting ready to purchase new pc parts and build my first computer myself. Feeling pretty confident, and I think I'm building a power-house, but I'd love for input from the more knowledgeable people on here.

Here's the plan so far:

CASE: Coolermaster HAF 312
( 69.99$) -- http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233

PSU: Coolermaster Silent Pro Gold 800W
( 179.99$) -- [URL="http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171057&Tpk=Coolermaster Silent Pro Gold 800W"]http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171057&Tpk=Coolermaster Silent Pro Gold 800W[/URL]

MOBO: ASUS P8Z68-V Pro Gen 3 (LGA 1155)
( 219.99$) -- http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131790

CPU: i7-2700K
( 339.99$) --> 1155 (SOCKET) --> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115095

GPU: Nvidia GTX 680
( 499.99$) -- http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130768

RAM: Kingston HyperX 8GB (4x2gb) DDR 1600
( 59.99$) -- http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104231

HDD: Western Digital 500gb
( 99.99$) -- http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769

DVD-ROM: ASUS 24X
(Dvd Burner) ( 20.99$) -- http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204


Anything suggestions? As far as I can tell everything is compatible? See any issues?

I'm not liking your choice of power supply, I'm sure it's a quality PSU but I just think there are better options for less. 800w for possible SLI in future? I'm guessing you picked it because it's GOLD certified although you wouldn't be making the most efficient use of it anyway since this system would draw closer to 500w which is probably outside it's peak efficiency range. I would pick based more based on quality than which 80+ certification it claims to meet. And I see plenty of Corsair, Seasonic, and Antec's for less than $179+tax+shipping on Newegg.ca.

If you really don't think you will ever go SLI then I would buy a quality 650w unit and spend the savings on a 64gb SSD.

Nice choices tho, I'm planning to switch out my GTX580 for a GTX680 as soon as some non-reference cards become available.

First off, I refuse, absolutely refuse to allow you to build such a powerful machine without an SSD in it.

Something like this would be fine for you: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148442

But seriously, even if you have to bump something else down a level, get an SSD. You will be doing yourself a disservice by not doing so. They are that good.

Otherwise, here's my notes:

1. The 2600K has HIGHLY similar performance, and for $17 (the 2600K has free shipping) difference, I don't think it's worth getting the 2700K.
2. Don't get a WD Blue hard drive. They're slower, have much shorter warranties, and aren't as reliable. Get a WD Black.
3. That PSU is overkill. Also, I highly recommend SeaSonic over that.

My recommendations, depending on whether you really care about the efficiency rating or not, are:
80GOLD efficiency: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151088
80BRONZE efficiency: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095

Both are modular, have great ratings, and are rock solid. You do NOT need anything more than 600-650W to power that system. You will even have room to grow.

4. You listed your RAM as 4x2GB, it's actually 2x4GB. That's fine, in fact it's preferred. Just an FYI.

Nice call on the 2600K, matty. I'm going to look into that one. Good chance I'll go for it.

And oops on the RAM, that was actually a remnant from when I was gunning for the i7-3820. Interesting board but that fact that it lacks a heatsink means I have to by a cooling system. No thanks for now. Not for my first PC I build myself.

On power supplies:

To be honest, I've been using that same 800W in my current machine. Bought it because I wanted to be set for a long time. I'm giving this PC away to the girlfriend, which is why I'm building a new one. While I've been reading on these things and trying to figure things out, I'm actually having trouble wrapping by head around the efficiency rating. Because I couldn't really understand these things fully, I decided to go long-term overkill. Honestly, if I can shave some of the cost by getting something less powerful/overkill but equally durable, I'm all for it. I have no intentions of going SLI, mainly because they usually stop making the video cards before I even consider dishing out 400$+ on a second card. I prefer to get 1 strong video card alongside a new pc, and work from there. Modular psu is a big deal for me, though.

Honestly, my main points for PSU's are: A)Sufficient power to run the machine without issue, and B) durability. 2 of my previous computers needed to be replaced because the PSU burn out and took the mobo and other parts with it.


On the HDD/SSD:

I'm actually not really up to date on this one. Due to the high price to low space ratio and because I've heard they break faster, I haven't really bothered to look into them. What's the benefit of SSD? I realise they are quick, MUCH quicker, even, but what am I going to use it for? Do I use it for my OS? I'm looking for input before I can make a decision on this one.

Price is very much a big deal for HHDs too. I'm not used to paying such a high price, especially not for 500gb. That's the reason I was going for a 100$ HDD over a 179$ HDD.

I'm already about 200$ above budget, so I'm trying limit the damage and shave some costs, while keeping the key components powerful.

Yeah most people look for a SSD with a enough room for a Windows install and some room to grow. I wouldnt worry about lifespan, I think most of those issues have been addressed in modern SSD's with wear-leveling algorithms. Accessing your filesystem is a huge bottleneck compared to the speed of the other components in your system. I would go so far to say- for general computing (websurf, office usage) I would rather use an older dual core + SSD than an i7 + 5400rpm drive.

Jep, Whats the primary purpose of your computer? For General usage + Gaming, you could drop down to an i5-2500K or i5-2550K to save some money. HT is really only useful for photo editing, video editing, 3D modelling, ect.

General, Gaming(+), and Graphic Design (Adobe, 3dsmax, Premiere)

While I wont generally use 3dsmax and premiere a lot, I will make some use of them based on contracts. They aren't my specialty though, and don't make up the bulk of my job-related usage.

Really, I was gunning for very high mobo+cpu combo for long term. I wasn't planning on such a powerful GPU until I realised I could get one of the best without bursting my budget by that much. Now though, its really hard to drop below that though.

How will the SSD benefit me most?

- Will it increase boot time?
- Will it improve performance in video games?
- Will it improve performance in software such as photoshop?
- Will SSD serve for VRAM?

The main reason I am asking this is, will I see an immediate benefit outside of boot time? Is an SSD something I can do without for a few months until I got a 200$ lying around. I can then do a nice fresh format, slap the SSD in, install windows onto it, and work from there?

Right now, I need to meet a certain budget limit. And I would rather have core parts such as the motherboard, processor and graphics card as powerful as they can be. Things like HDD, SSD, RAM, etc. can all be expended upon a few months in after the PC's been build.

The ones I linked to are more than enough for you. SeaSonic is one of highest rated brands out there, and those models are particularly good. Efficiency rating is just how efficient it is at power levels (aka, how much current it draws from the wall in AC versus how much it puts out in DC). Higher efficiency means less wasted power. It's not a huge deal unless you're a real eco nut.



An SSD is more important than half the parts in there really. I'd actually consider a slower video card in comparison to an SSD, if you needed to.

It will improve boot time, it will improve multitasking. Gaming itself won't be affected except for boot time. Premiere however, will love the CRAP out of it. Adobe software in general is so bloated that SSDs make them fly.




I'd hold off on the HDD if you needed to, and just get the SSD. HDD prices are extreme right now, but those WD Blue drives are just so bad.



I'd consider dropping the video card. Radeon's latest set have some more midrange options that work well.

- Will it increase boot time?
Err you mean decrease but Yes better bootime.

- Will it improve performance in video games?
It will help load times and in RARE instances where games stream alot of map or texture data in realtime (ie, RAGE) it will help a little. But almost no change in gameplay or FPS.

- Will it improve performance in software such as photoshop?
If your storing the images your manipulating on the SSD then loading them or reverting to saved copies would be faster. But I doubt it would help at all with the processor intensive stuff like applying filters.

- Will SSD serve for VRAM?
Well you shouldnt be relying on this, since you will have 8gb but when Windows does deem it necessary to utilize the paging file your read/writes will be much faster.

I really can't say if it's worth it to you or not. But I find most people find multitasking much more bearable when running off a SSD.

I'm considering:


http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148441

and

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136794

Both together would set me back only about 120$... if I save almost 80$ by getting the 620W PSU, I'm almost back to cost.

Would 64gb be enough for the OS drive?

I can't live with just the SSD. 128gb space is just not enough for me. I've got about 1tb right now with only about 500gb to spare give or take. And not much of my files are bloat, I'm extremely clean/organized.

64GB is enough for an OS, yes, but you'll have a tough time cramming anything else on there, like Adobe. I have a 128GB drive, and I have Win7, Adobe Production Premium suite, Firefox, and a couple massive slow games on it. It really helps them out.

If you are extremely clean and organized then a 64gb OS SSD shouldnt be a problem. Only install Windows + Apps to it. Remember to install Steam/Origin/Games to your harddrive.

Damn CM is much quicker than me with typing and organizing his thoughts. I keep getting Ninja'd.

Heheh, thanks big time, guys, for helping me. I need to assess my options and make a decision.

I'm not 100% convinced on the SSD. I want one, and I will almost certainly get one in the near future, but I just need to decide if its a must for me right now or if I can put something like this in a few months down the road. I prefer to hit hard on the core components early, and buy a big video card rather than buy a lesser one for 250$-300$ and have to upgrade to a faster down the road. That's a lot more money than waiting a few months to save up 200$ for an SSD. I can then restart with a clean format.

That being said, I need to make the right changes, decide on a PSU, and see what prices I can net.

I'm so used to a high power PSU that it feels a little wierd going to a 620 watt one though. I keep worrying I wont have enough power. But if you guys are certain, I'll trust you.

Well I guess it's a matter of preference. Frankly I wouldn't ever consider upgrading a good $300 card anyway, since it'll play any game today with max settings anyway.

The SSD is just such a huge improvement to the overall feel of the computer, that's why I'm pushing you towards it. It's much more important than your average hard drive.

Edit: I swear to god if that PSU ends up not being enough for your system, I will pay you to buy a new one. Seriously. Your PC will likely never go over 450W under maximum load. These parts are much more efficient than they appear.

For comparison, my Core 2 Duo E8500 overclocked to 3.8ghz, with 6GB RAM, 3 HDDs, 1 SSD, a DVD-ROM, a Radeon 4870 (well known for being horribly power hungry), and tons of usb **** attached, only hits ~360W total when under full maximum load to everything.

haha, well I wouldn't hold you to that anyway, pal. The help you guys are giving me already is priceless.

I'm actually looking things up right now. If I went for the i7-2600K, BRONZE-rated 620W psu, 64gb SSD and the WD caviar black 750gb HDD thats going for 139.99$ on discount right now, I'd actually clock out at around 1700$ tax/ship included. That's not too darn bad. I'm incredibly tempted. Do think I can swing an extra 80$ for the 128gb though.

Not quite ready to order though, GTX680's not in stock. Decisions, decisions.

And worse comes to worse, if I had issues with the PSU, I could always take the 800W one I have in my current PC and swap it. The girlfriend wont notice the difference. But as you say, I doubt it'll come to that.

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-680/specifications

Nvidia recommends a 550w minimum PSU for the GTX680, and their recommendations are usually exaggerated.

Also go check out a few reviews of the GTX680, some of them show total system power consumption:

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/nvidia_gtx680/14.htm
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-680-2GB-Graphics-Card-Review-Kepler-Motion/Power-Consumpti

Hmm, 1711.98$ tax inc for all the above, i7-2600k, 620W psu, 750gb HDD and the 128gb SSD.

I think I might just break and go for that.

This is gonna sound completely noobish, but where does the SSD even go inside the case? :OP

Actually, I have another question...

I've never really overclocked before, beyond that in-driver overclock with Radeons. I've been reading that the i7-2600k and the motherboard I chose are both really easy to overclock.

Do I need a cooling system to overclock (without going insane with the numbers)?



Edit: Oh and just one last thing, this being my first time building my own computer... All these components come with the required cables to install them right? Do I have any cables or tools to purchase?

I've changed power-supplies and individual parts in the past, but I've never built a PC from scratch.

You will not need to spend a dime to do a small level of overclocking on the CPU.

The case has a 2.5" location to put the SSD. They're exactly the same size as a laptop hard drive.

You will need 3 SATA cables, your motherboard only comes with 2. So make sure to get another one if you don't have one laying around (they're all identical so it doesn't matter how old it is).

You should not need anything more than a Philips screwdriver and maybe a flathead screwdriver.

I would guess the stock cooler is only good enough for ~ 4ghz. I've heard of people running up to 4.3ghz on the stock cooler, maybe they were lucky tho. For 4.0-4.5ghz any decent aftermarket cooler like Hyper 212+ should be fine. And after 4.5ghz you would have to start adding a lot of voltage, so you should be looking at highend air or liquid coolers.




The case should come with everything required to connect 'it' to the motherboard (Power button, Front Panel USB, Audio, ect). Most of the time the case includes motherboard standoff's, tho I have seen them come with the motherboard as well. The motherboard will come all the SATA cables you might need and it's I/O backplate. All the rest of the connections I can think of are powersupply related. The only tool you typically need will be a phillips-head screw driver.

It's all cool buy it.

I have that exact motherboard. I'm very happy with it. I also used a 128gb SSD, and was amazed at the performance increase. Worth more than any video card.

Man this weeks Q&A With My New Rig is kinda confusing because of how it's mistitled.

I second(third? fourth? fifth?) the SSD suggestion. It is an absolute game-changer.

Also since we're talking hardware, is there anything I should know about the HD78xx series that just came out? I have an HD4870, looking to upgrade, but wondering if I should go an Nvidia route?

The GTX 680 that just came out beats the highest end Radeon that just came out (the 7970 or whatever). nVidia hasn't released any midrange (or otherwise) yet, so I have no idea what the midrange will look like.

If you can wait a month or two, Nvidia should be unveiling the rest of it's lineup. That might shake up prices a little.

Ordered the system, except for the video card, which is out of stock right now.

I've decided to go with the high end video card, and once I get my spring bonus next month, I'll get the SSD. Much cheaper to add SSD later than skimp on the video card now. Got a price watch up on 128gb SSD.

Besides, SSD is not going to help with gaming performance, and right now that's the biggest focus for this PC. It can hold off a few months. But don't you worry, I'll get my SSD on soon enough.

Now to wait for my video card.

I'm looking forward to building this beast. Any pro tips for a first time builder?

Well, with LGA format of processors, you don't have to worry so much about pins bending or anything. Putting a PC together is real easy and time has only made it easier. Just remember to touch the case occasionally to discharge any static you have:D. Honestly, I'm kinda surprised you haven't built a PC before. I thought that was a requirement around here...

I got away with it because I was around from the beginning. heheh

Thanks for the tips, when I mess around inside my case i usually wear one of those anti-static/grounding bracelets. Looks uber gay but it seems to do the trick.

The UEFI BIOS can be interesting if you have never used UEFI before. While it's likely everything will autodetect fine, for things like overclocking you will have to go into 'Advanced' mode. When you get into overclocking it's likely some of the fields will be textboxes and I think you need to hit 'enter' key after you enter a value in those. I remember a few times entering numbers and then going to Save/Exit without hitting enter and then being confused why the old values were still being used.

Sweet, snatched a Zoltac GTX 680 off newegg.ca.

Nice, that didnt take long. Hope you didnt pay a premium due to low supply / high demand.

Be patient. Take your time & look around at things. Once everything is ready, neaten up your cables (e.g. zip-ties). At least skim through your manual(s)--there's often something that you'll learn that you didn't know. Try not to cut yourself (this is less of an issue now that most case manufacturers are using decent metal) but it's still possible if you don't follow my first suggestion.

Not at all. 499.99$ + tax and shipping for a fat to total of 537.99$

That's one thing I love about newegg. They just charge the canadian federal tax (5%), instead of the quebec one (5% + 9.5%). Saves me a lot of money.

Only downside is the video card shipped out through Purolator Ground from california instead of New York, so I wont be seeing that part until late next week.

And Mentat, the girlfriend's actually on a trip this weekend, so I'll have the whole weekend to brew myself some coffee, set myself up on my workbench and build the thing carefully.

Zip-ties are the devil. Use velcro ties. Your hands will thank you the next time you need to move those cables.

I'm with CM on this one. Also, you don't have to keep buying more each time you change something around in your PC. I used zip-ties until someone clued me in on velcro and I will never go back.

First time I hear of velcro ties, located some at my local Canadian Tires, going to get some after work! Thanks on that one!

I hope they don't have a tendency to pop open though, like other velcros under pressure, that could get annoying.

I had a bad experience with velcro once--I don't like to talk about it--things haven't been the same since.

If you're putting enough pressure wrapping cables to make them pop, you're doing something horribly, horribly wrong.

Don't worry, I didn't ever think of velcro for cord management until recently either.

They make zip ties that can be undone. Much better than the original.