Help-A-Noob with his first build

[Baelzar]

I'm not afraid of opening a system up, changing cards around and installing drives, but I've never built one from scratch and I've never overclocked. I plan on doing both here.

1. My PC will be used primarily for gaming; Warhammer Online and such.
2. $1000-$1200 budget, core items only, including monitor
3. USA
4. No brand preferences; just trying to hit the "sweet spot"
5. I do not have any parts whatsoever
6. I've lurked for about 2 weeks, and paid special attention to the stickied thread mentioning the "Mid-Range" part suggestions...
7. If the experts here think it's worth the effort for my price range, I'd love to overclock. I might need a few pointers.
8. I plan to build in the next 2 weeks.

I have not kept up on the current hardware. I'm trusting the sticky and your input. That said, here's a sample:

CPU:
Core 2 Duo E7200 ($117.99)
Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-EP43-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard ($86.99)
RAM:
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 ($67.99)
GPU:
Will a single ATI 4850 do it? ($144.99 w/rebate)
Case + Power Supply:
Antec Sonata III w/ 500w EarthWatts PSU included ($129.00)
Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB ($74.99)
DVD
Samsung ($26.99)
CPU Cooler:
XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm if it'll fit the Antec case
OS:
XP Pro, dammit. I was forced to Vista on my laptop, and I hate it.
Monitor:
LG L227WT, 1680x1050 (16:10) ($279.88)

So we're at ~$1000.00 with OS.

I'm starting from scratch in a new city; no tools or stuff like screws, mounting whatsits, hootis, frammazamma....none of that.

Just imagine you're going back in time to advise your earlier self before your very first build. What would you tell yourself that you REALLY WISH someone had told you?

Thanks in advance, Anand...ers?

 

[DSF]

First, skip the DDR2-1000 and go with slightly less expensive DDR2-800. It's all you need, even for overclocking with an E7200. I would research how well the EP43 overclocks, as I don't know off hand. I'm not saying that it's bad, just that I don't know.

Looks like you're all set.

Build the PC when you're not tired and you have plenty of time. Find a workspace where you can be in a comfortable position, rather than hunched over. Your first build will probably take a while, especially if you do things like cable management properly. If you're getting frustrated or cramped up, take a break for a few minutes. Don't forget to discharge any static you're carrying any time you've been moving around.

I would recommend assembling the motherboard, CPU, cooler and RAM outside the case. Rest them on one of the boxes and plug everything in, then try powering on. This way if you put everything into the case and don't get a POST, you'll know the problem is not with one of the core components.

Speaking of putting things in the case, make sure you have standoffs in the right places. Remove any standoffs that don't match up with mounting holes in the motherboard. Remember to remove the I/O shield that came with your case and install the one for your motherboard. Once they're all set, lower the motherboard into the case and tighten the screws in a star pattern, but don't tighten them all the way. Then pop the video card in and line everything up with the slots in the back of the case. Since the motherboard isn't yet 100% tight, you have some wiggle room to get a flush fit with the expansion slots. Once the video card is sitting pretty, tighten the motherboard down. Plug up the power cords and drives and you're good to go.

When you insert the drives into the case is up to you. A lot of people like to do that before putting the motherboard in, and usually I agree. The one time I didn't was when using the suspension mounts in my Antec Solo.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: Baelzar
I'm not afraid of opening a system up, changing cards around and installing drives, but I've never built one from scratch and I've never overclocked. I plan on doing both here.

1. My PC will be used primarily for gaming; Warhammer Online and such.
2. $1000-$1200 budget, core items only, including monitor
3. USA
4. No brand preferences; just trying to hit the "sweet spot"
5. I do not have any parts whatsoever
6. I've lurked for about 2 weeks, and paid special attention to the stickied thread mentioning the "Mid-Range" part suggestions...
7. If the experts here think it's worth the effort for my price range, I'd love to overclock. I might need a few pointers.
8. I plan to build in the next 2 weeks.

I have not kept up on the current hardware. I'm trusting the sticky and your input. That said, here's a sample:

CPU:
Core 2 Duo E7200 ($117.99)
Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-EP43-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard ($86.99)
RAM:
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 ($67.99)
GPU:
Will a single ATI 4850 do it? ($144.99 w/rebate)
Case + Power Supply:
Antec Sonata III w/ 500w EarthWatts PSU included ($129.00)
Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB ($74.99)
DVD
Samsung ($26.99)
CPU Cooler:
XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm if it'll fit the Antec case
OS:
XP Pro, dammit. I was forced to Vista on my laptop, and I hate it.
Monitor:
LG L227WT, 1680x1050 (16:10) ($279.88)

So we're at ~$1000.00 with OS.

I'm starting from scratch in a new city; no tools or stuff like screws, mounting whatsits, hootis, frammazamma....none of that.

Just imagine you're going back in time to advise your earlier self before your very first build. What would you tell yourself that you REALLY WISH someone had told you?

Thanks in advance, Anand...ers?

Looks like a fairly good build. Why not use Vista x64 to get at all of your RAM, and turn the scheme back to Windows Classic?
DDR2-800 would be a better buy, it'll have headroom for a mild overclock.
4850 is fine for 1680*1050; that's what I use mine at.

 

[Goldfish4209]

I agree with the previous posts. However, I would go with a P45. From what I know, P43s are binned versions of the P45s, and logically should be worse at OCing.

Personally, I'd put money into a better PSU. The earthwatts isn't really shoddy, but I'd still get a solid PSU. I'd go with the seasonic SS 380 watt or 430 watt. (anybody have better suggestions?)

Have fun and good luck.

 

[DSF]

The Earthwatts should be fine. Not sure whether the Sonatas are being built with the Delta-made versions now, but the original Seasonic-built Earthwatts units were very good PSUs.

 

[Baelzar]

Originally posted by: Roguestar
Looks like a fairly good build. Why not use Vista x64 to get at all of your RAM, and turn the scheme back to Windows Classic?

Does Vista x64 have any compatibility issues with games or software?

Also, is there any of these threads that keeps track of the current hot hardware sales/rebates?

I appreciate all the replies.

 

[Roguestar]

I've used Vista Ultimate for a year and a half and I've not found any games or programs in standard use that have not worked. There is a lot of scaremongering about compatibility and drivers but I have not had any trouble at all; quite a few other forum members use Vista x64 and don't have hassle with it.

If you're looking for hot deals on hardware etc... go click on "Hot Deals" in the subforum list .

 

[Baelzar]

Uh oh!

If I decide to splurge for that Benq monitor on sale over in the Hot Deals forum (
FP241VW for $449) that goes 1920x1200(WUXGA), should I upgrade my video card?

I know it wouldn't be necessary, but would it be worth the extra money for the 4870, or is the monitor a waste for this system, period?

Also, anyone know where to get a cheap set of tools right now?

 

[Denithor]

4850 should handle most games at 19x12, you might just have to turn down some details if things get slow/jerky. If budget will allow go for a 4870 1GB, that's the best value available right now.

Vista Home Premium 64-bit. There's a guy in the PC gaming forum with like >400 games installed & working perfectly on Vista64. Methinks your problems with Vista on the laptop are probably due to insufficient memory or something like that...?

Tools? Who needs tools? Just a simple phillips screwdriver is about all you'll need.

Oh yeah, and a bright flashlight is sometimes helpful.

That's going to be a nice rig once you're done with it!

 

[disports]

Oh and the Gigabyte EP45-DS3L is $89.99 After Rebate, only $3 more than the motherboard you picked you

 

[OLDQUAKER]

I really like the power supply with the modular cables, i used corsair, it made hooking up all the connections really easy. in case your interested. They are just slightly more expensive and i think probably easier for cable managemnet also.

 

[akugami]

http://www.mechbgon.com/

Go to that site, read the PC building guide before building.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: Baelzar
Uh oh!

If I decide to splurge for that Benq monitor on sale over in the Hot Deals forum (
FP241VW for $449) that goes 1920x1200(WUXGA), should I upgrade my video card?

I know it wouldn't be necessary, but would it be worth the extra money for the 4870, or is the monitor a waste for this system, period?

Also, anyone know where to get a cheap set of tools right now?

You can also turn scaling off, and run demanding games at a lower resolution, but still with full quality. With scaling off the image is letterboxed in the display, so there's no interpolation between pixels. I run a few games at 1600*1200(approx. 20" 4:3 monitor equiv) and find it a more than satisfactory solution to performance issues.

Dollar Store's a good place for a couple of cheap tools. I'm generally against buying Chinese tools, but computer assembly is so undemanding that they hold up well enough for that purpose. I do most of my work with a Swiss Army knife.

 

[Juked07]

I know a lot less than the posters above me, so I won't give build advice since they already did, but I think you can get a few of your items cheaper than what you listed. The Sonata III is often on sale for $100 shipped (occasionally less), and I've seen the E7200 for $100 as well. You might choose a cheaper monitor too if you want, but of course it's all up to you.

 

[Baelzar]

Just like a damned noob, I tell you one budget then go and blow it. New ideas highlighted below the old ideas.

CPU:
Core 2 Duo E7200 ($117.99)
Core 2 Duo E8400 ($169.99)

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-EP43-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard ($86.99)
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard ($89.99 amr)

RAM:
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 ($67.99)

GPU:
Will a single ATI 4850 do it? ($144.99 w/rebate)
Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4870 512MB DDR5 2DVI/HDCP PCI-Express Video Card ($232.98 amr)

Case + Power Supply:
Antec Sonata III w/ 500w EarthWatts PSU included ($129.00)
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case ($74.99)
PC Power & Cooling S61EPS 610W Power Supply ($79.99)

Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB ($74.99)

DVD
Samsung ($26.99)

CPU Cooler:
XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm if it'll fit the Antec case ($36.99)

OS:
Vista Home Premium 64-bit ($136.33)

Monitor:
LG L227WT, 1680x1050 (16:10) ($279.88)
Benq FP241VW - 24" WUXGA LCD ($459.00)

It was the Benq deal that made me hyper-inflate the budget; what a beautiful monitor.

Please point out holes or flaws...must I get Vista Ultimate 64 over Home Premium? Do I need better or more memory now? What about the case/ps combo vs. the separate?

I'm itching to pull the trigger on this, my first build. I plan on overclocking at some point, perhaps not right away.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Juked07]

Home Premium is fine. 4GB memory is fine (DDR2 800 will be just as good, but it's a pretty small price difference so it's no big deal). If moving from 22" to 24" is worth $180 to you, then go for it... I still think you're spending more on case/psu than you need to, but of course it's your choice.

Note that the 4870 is a LONG card, so make sure it will fit (I would try to find someone who has the specific case you're getting andD the 4870 to be sure).

 

[disports]

There's nothing wrong with the 22"! price is great for it.

 

[DSF]

My E4500 is still rocking whatever I throw at it with a casual overclock. Personally, I'd stick with the E7200 and DDR2-800, and I don't think you'll be disappointed. Nothing wrong with the E8400 though. I just don't think you'll see any meaningful difference between an E8400 at 3.8GHz and an E7200 at 3.2-3.4 Ghz. With a screen that large there's going to be more stress on the GPU anyway.

I'm also not a huge fan of the PCP&C supplies. I think you can get equal build quality and a quieter supply for slightly less money with someone like Corsair or Seasonic. PCP&C still uses 80mm fans for whatever reason, which by nature are louder when pushing the same amount of air as the 120mm fans used by many manufacturers now.

My preference would be a 22" monitor, but that's partly due to the way my desk is set up. I think a 24" screen might be wider than I want to view at that distance. That's not to say that you shouldn't get it, just my personal opinion.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: Goldfish4209
I agree with the previous posts. However, I would go with a P45. From what I know, P43s are binned versions of the P45s, and logically should be worse at OCing.

Personally, I'd put money into a better PSU. The earthwatts isn't really shoddy, but I'd still get a solid PSU. I'd go with the seasonic SS 380 watt or 430 watt. (anybody have better suggestions?)

Have fun and good luck.

i have a p43 board and it oc's fine.

the sonata 3 is a good case but if you search around, it can be had for much cheaper.

 

[Baelzar]

Allrighty, I've taken your advice to heart. I don't need that big Benq monitor; the 22" will be a treat anyway.

I present: FRANKENPUTER

CPU:
Core 2 Duo E7200 ($117.99)
Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-EP43-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard ($86.99)
RAM:
mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) ($46.99 AMR)
GPU:
ASUS Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 ($144.99 AMR)
Case + Power Supply:
Antec Sonata III w/ 500w EarthWatts PSU ($129.00 - Where is this lower, shipped?)
Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB ($74.99)
DVD
Samsung ($26.99)
CPU Cooler:
XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm if it'll fit the Antec case
OS:
Vista Home Premium 64-bit ($136.33)
Monitor:
LG L227WT, 1680x1050 (16:10) ($279.88)
Misc:
Scythe SY1225SL12SH 120mm "Slipstream" Case Fan ($8.99)

So I know newegg.com is the standard, but how does their non-free shipping work when you order multiple items? Does it just stack, or do they combine at all?

Thanks for all the input and advice.

I'm sure I'll be back to ask for more when I can't get it put together. Ha!

 

[disports]

Just to let you know that if you don't want to wait for rebate on ram, the G.Skill 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) DDR2-800 is now $49.99.

 

[Baelzar]

Is your avatar laughing at me as I run to check this stuff out every time one of you tells me about a new deal?

Regarding NewEgg shipping; does it simply stack if you order multiple items, or do they combine shipping somehow?

 

[Syran]

Normally Newegg will both combine and stack shipping based on their ability to package things. Some things like cases will really just add to the cost, whereas the cpu, memory, hdd, etc will get combined normally.

There are some wierd instances where that somehow doesn't work out, normally when buying in bulk quantity.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: DSF
First, skip the DDR2-1000 and go with slightly less expensive DDR2-800. It's all you need, even for overclocking with an E7200. I would research how well the EP43 overclocks, as I don't know off hand. I'm not saying that it's bad, just that I don't know.

P43 chipsets supposedly only overclock to around 400FSB. So with that limit in place, DDR2-800 would be perfectly fine.

 

[Baelzar]

Noob no more!
Frankenputer Slideshow

Thanks for all the help, gang. Oh, and I hate snap locks. I thought I was going to break the mobo in half trying to snap that cooler into place.

It works like a dream. Now, where do I start with the overclocking and BIOS tweaking?