Never built a computer before, feedback welcome

[TommySticks]

First, I'll tell you my situation... I'm a bit of a gamer, mostly Xbox... but I just recently realized how much cash I've been burnin on new/replacement systems (from the RROD and whatever other faults come with 360) and how much I really like old games that the 360 can't play because it's not backward compatible. So I decided I want to build a sweet gaming computer that I won't have to upgrade for at least a couple of years.

Problem is, I've never built one and for the most part I have no idea what I'm doing. I've done some research, but I still feel pretty lost when it comes to reading specs. I really don't know where any sort of bottleneck might occur, so I hope someone can help me out with that.

Here's what I've thrown together from Newegg:

Mobo:
ASUS MAXIMUS IV EXTREME (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Extended ATX Intel Motherboard

CPU:
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000 BX80623I72600K

Graphics:
EVGA SuperClocked 012-P3-1573-AR GeForce GTX 570 HD w/Display-Port (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

RAM:
GeIL EVO Leggara Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model GEL316GB2133C11DC

The performance I was aiming for was Battlefield 3 on ultra settings. The page I found here:

https://www.techspot.com/review/458-battlefield-3-performance/page4.html

...says that the graphics card is about mid level and can run it decently. I'm fine with going up to about $1500 to cover those 4 items, and then I'd just pick out a power supply and the rest of the accessories. And I read a 64 bit OS will really help out with performance.

The last thing I would like to know about is dual graphics cards, I'm pretty sure that mobo is SLI (hope I'm referring to it correctly) and can accept two cards if I wanted to. I read somewhere that two mid-lowerish end graphics cards would be way better than the one I currently have picked out.

I PM'd a user on here on this subject already, but decided to put this in a thread to see if anyone has any more input.

 

[MrBlkfx1]

So it seems you are willing to spend $1500 for just the MOBO/CPU/GPU/RAM. How much will you be spending for the rest of the build?

I'm fine with going up to about $1500 to cover those 4 items, and then I'd just pick out a power supply and the rest of the accessories

You will not want to lowball on the PSU. It is one of the most important components in the system.

You are spending way too much for the RAM. You do not need 16GB for a gaming RIG. But if you really want it I would recommend these.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231497

Or their 8GB variant.

Give me a budget for the whole build and I will put something together for you.

The last thing I would like to know about is dual graphics cards, I'm pretty sure that mobo is SLI (hope I'm referring to it correctly) and can accept two cards if I wanted to. I read somewhere that two mid-lowerish end graphics cards would be way better than the one I currently have picked out

It all depends on what two cards you have in mind. Generally, SLI setups are not preferred over 1 single higher-end GPU. A couple reasons would be noise,heat, and performance. Some games are not optimized to scale properly with SLI setups as well.

 

[TommySticks]

How much will you be spending for the rest of the build? You will not want to lowball on the PSU. It is one of the most important components in the system.

I'm guessing PSU is power supply unit? The guy I messaged on this topic said the same thing. From what I can tell, a 1,000 W powersupply would suffice... right? I haven't researched those at all... as I just recently started looking into building a comp.

The price of that and whatever else I might need I don't have a limit on. Well really, I'm pretty flexible when it comes to the price of any of this stuff. I just figured $1500 would be a good limit to try to stay under for those parts. I've spent well over that on Xbox garbage. I read a few different articles that people have posted saying they've built an entire gaming computer for about $1000 that runs decently - about the lower to mid range of decency. I'm aiming for the mid to higher range of decency (at least from what I've researched).

You are spending way too much for the RAM. You do not need 16GB for a gaming RIG.

Thanks, I really didn't know what I was looking for when it came to RAM. I didn't understand exactly what I was reading, but I chose those because of their speed. It wasn't top of the line and wasn't bottom of the line... that's about all I know about them. The link you provided says those are DDR3 1600, will that not run slower than the DDR3 2133 that I have picked out? Or will it not make a difference when it comes to gaming?

It all depends on what two cards you have in mind.

If I was going to run SLI, it would be two of those cards that I have already picked out. I didn't even think about the heat problem with graphics cards.

Sorry if I don't refer to some of this **** correctly, still learning.

 

[MrBlkfx1]

I'm guessing PSU is power supply unit? The guy I messaged on this topic said the same thing. From what I can tell, a 1,000 W powersupply would suffice... right? I haven't researched those at all... as I just recently started looking into building a comp.

The price of that and whatever else I might need I don't have a limit on. Well really, I'm pretty flexible when it comes to the price of any of this stuff. I just figured $1500 would be a good limit to try to stay under for those parts. I've spent well over that on Xbox garbage. I read a few different articles that people have posted saying they've built an entire gaming computer for about $1000 that runs decently - about the lower to mid range of decency. I'm aiming for the mid to higher range of decency (at least from what I've researched).

$1500 is a good start for the build. 1,000 W is a bit over kill. Especially if you just ran the 1 GPU. For the caliber of gaming you want to do. I would recommend the following items.

MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157295
CPU: Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130785
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

Thanks, I really didn't know what I was looking for when it came to RAM. I didn't understand exactly what I was reading, but I chose those because of their speed. It wasn't top of the line and wasn't bottom of the line... that's about all I know about them. The link you provided says those are DDR3 1600, will that not run slower than the DDR3 2133 that I have picked out? Or will it not make a difference when it comes to gaming?

You will not see the difference between the two speeds. Just one is more expensive then the other. The set of RAM I suggested will work perfectly fine for your build.

If I was going to run SLI, it would be two of those cards that I have already picked out. I didn't even think about the heat problem with graphics cards.

2 GTX 570's would give you quite a bit of performance. But It would also cost quite a bit. I would recommend just going with a single card solution. I attached a great one to this post above.

- A couple more things,

• Are you buying all new peripherals as well? OR will you be reusing things like Monitor,Mouse,Keyboard,Optical Drives?
• Were you interested in getting a SSD? or a regular HDD?
• Will you be overclocking at all?

 

[slh28]

MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157295
CPU: Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130785
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

These are much better picks than your original choices, it's a better balance since gaming performance generally comes down to GPU, not CPU power or RAM speed.

However I'm not sure if that GTX 670 is worth $60 over this Gigabyte one.

Since you have a nice budget I'd recommend a 256GB SSD (e.g. Samsung 830) and a decent monitor.

 

[MrBlkfx1]

However I'm not sure if that GTX 670 is worth $60 over this Gigabyte one.

Definitely, I should have looked at all the models and prices.

 

[LNCPapa]

Dont' forget that the GTX 660Ti is right around the corner - and at almost the same price as that 570. A pair of those looks like it would be monstrous. That mobo also seems like overkill - it's a great mobo but I'd be putting that in a machine where everything is top notch.

 

[MrBlkfx1]

Dont' forget that the GTX 660Ti is right around the corner - and at almost the same price as that 570. A pair of those looks like it would be monstrous.

**Edit :: I just noticed you answered my question lol. That is also something to consider. Two GTX 660TI's would be nice.

 

[TommySticks]

That mobo also seems like overkill

Was that in reference to the one I had picked out? Or the one Blkfx1 picked out?

• Are you buying all new peripherals as well? OR will you be reusing things like Monitor,Mouse,Keyboard,Optical Drives?
• Were you interested in getting a SSD? or a regular HDD?
• Will you be overclocking at all?

All of my stuff is going to be new. I have a desktop, but I don't use it for gaming. So the monitor and all that is definately gonna be new.
From what I read on those SSDs, they seem like the way to go, at least for the OS - and then a regular HDD for everything else. One thing also said that I could install a couple of my favorite games on the SSD for better performance. Does that sound legit to you?
I haven't read anything about overclocking, I'm aware of it and understand the idea, but I would have to read a lot more about it before attempting it. I wanna stay away from it if it's not neccessary.

However I'm not sure if that GTX 670 is worth $60 over this Gigabyte one.

I would recommend the following items.

MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157295
CPU: Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130785
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

I really really appreciate your guys' input. I haven't had a chance to check out those links yet and it's very late. I just wanted to get a quick response to you guys for your help. I'll check those out as soon as I wake up.

 

[Dawn1113]

Looks like your building yourself one monster rig. That'll keep you gaming for a good number of years. I'd agree with slh28 on the SSD -- a must, in my opinion -- and the monitor.


As to the Asus Maximus IV Extreme, well, that surely is one heck of a motherboard. And the motherboards in that series actually look sexy. If money is not a problem, then, yes, I can maybe picture myself buying one of those. I hear they OC very well -- not that I know anything about that.

Nonetheless, Blkfx1's motherboard recommendation looks pretty good, as well, and you can use the money you save from the mobo for your GPUs. This is the route I'd take, personally.

From the looks of it, you're going to end up with an awesome rig, either way.

Good luck and have fun!

PS: Do not scrimp on the PSU -- get the best you can buy.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Thumbs up for all the suggestions, there is nothing more I could add.

 

[TommySticks]

Thanks a lot, you guys are awesome.

Dont' forget that the GTX 660Ti is right around the corner...

I looked that up and only found speculated specs. The comments some people left about it said the only thing it has on the GTX 670 is maybe a lower price - for a slightly worse performance. Do you think that's accurate?

Blkfx1, I work with a guy who knows a little bit more about this crap than I do... he said he'd be willing to sell me 2 Asus GTX 570s for the price of one (he said about $280)...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121412

...because he's looking to upgrade himself. It sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me, and you said they'd probably be pretty kick ***, so I guess right now it's between those 2 cards or one of the ones you and slh28 posted. What's your opinion?

As to the Asus Maximus IV Extreme, well, that surely is one heck of a motherboard.

That mobo also seems like overkill - it's a great mobo...

I don't mind spending money for good quality, but I hate wasting money if it won't help any. So if it won't make that big of a difference (and you guys are saying that MOBO is over the top) I'll go with the one Blkfx1 linked.

So here's my new build:

Mobo:
ASRock Z77 Extreme6 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
$180
CPU:
Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
$230
RAM:
G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBZL
$90 (I went with 16GB because it is so cheap)
GPU:
ASUS ENGTX570/2DI/1280MD5 GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card x 2
$280
or
GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
$400
Total: $780 - $900 (depending on GPU) That is way under my $1500 mark. Anywhere I could upgrade that would make sense?

 

[slh28]

As with anything else in life, 2 for 1 is always good
What resolution are you intending to play at? If it's 1920x1080 or less then the 2x 570's are easily better and cheaper but if it's 2560x1600 or you're planning multi-monitor gaming then the 1.25GB VRAM on those 570's will cripple them.

With the remaining funds you'll need to get an SSD, HDD for storage, case, PSU (recommended 750W+ if you're going with 2 GPUs), monitor and KB/mouse. Don't worry, you can easily get to $1500

 

[LNCPapa]

I was about to start typing then I noticed slh28 quoted my mind.

 

[MrBlkfx1]

I don't mind spending money for good quality, but I hate wasting money if it won't help any. So if it won't make that big of a difference (and you guys are saying that MOBO is over the top) I'll go with the one Blkfx1 linked.

It's not necessarily over the top. But I think the board wouldn't be best in your case. I use the board right now in my current build. Its more for overclockers then gamers.

Blkfx1, I work with a guy who knows a little bit more about this crap than I do... he said he'd be willing to sell me 2 Asus GTX 570s for the price of one (he said about $280)...

If you can get two for that cheap. I would definitely go for it. But in the event that somehow doesn't follow through. The 670 will be a great choice. The revised build looks great. Now to pick out the rest of it.

 

[TommySticks]

What resolution are you intending to play at?

Oh man... now I'm really gonna sound like a chump. I have no idea what resolution I want to play at. I'm used to Xbox at 1080i... is 1920 x 1080 good? I don't even know what you mean by multi screen gaming... sounds kinda sweet though.

So to continue sounding like a chump... I was sorta plannin on stopping by a Best Buy or some other electronics store to check out Monitors, keyboards, and mice - since I don't know what exactly I'm lookin for.

As far as the PSU goes, I think I'll go with at least a 750W regardless of the rest of the build. Everyone says it's a pretty key component and I don't want that to hinder my experience.

Since you have a nice budget I'd recommend a 256GB SSD (e.g. Samsung 830)

That is the SSD that you recommended, slh28, do I really need that much memory on the SSD if I'm going to get an HDD too? From what I read (regarding gaming builds), most people use it just for the OS and a couple of their favorite games. What would you use it for? It says they are faster, quieter, and more reliable than regular HDDs... would I be best off just getting a couple SSDs? Or one really big one?

I really don't want to use this computer for anything else - solely gaming. I want to keep the software and unneccessary garbage to a minimum. I have another desktop that I'll break out if I need to use it for anything other than gaming.

I can't thank you guys enough for all of your input.

 

[slh28]

Oh man... now I'm really gonna sound like a chump. I have no idea what resolution I want to play at. I'm used to Xbox at 1080i... is 1920 x 1080 good? I don't even know what you mean by multi screen gaming... sounds kinda sweet though.

Most PC monitors (and pretty much all TVs) are 1920x1080 or 1920x1200, so at this resolution the 2x GTX 570's are a great deal. Google "Eyefinity" or "Nvidia Surround" to see what multi monitor gaming looks like.

So to continue sounding like a chump... I was sorta plannin on stopping by a Best Buy or some other electronics store to check out Monitors, keyboards, and mice - since I don't know what exactly I'm lookin for.

Mechanical keyboards are either tactile/non-tactile and either clicky/silent. Here's a quick guide, it would actually be a good idea to go to a store and try them out. My keyboard has MX Blues, I love the tactile feel of the keys and the clicky sounds and is the best for typing, although if you play games which require rapid key bashing MX Reds might be better.

That is the SSD that you recommended, slh28, do I really need that much memory on the SSD if I'm going to get an HDD too? From what I read (regarding gaming builds), most people use it just for the OS and a couple of their favorite games. What would you use it for? It says they are faster, quieter, and more reliable than regular HDDs... would I be best off just getting a couple SSDs? Or one really big one?

You'll find a 128GB SSD fills up very quickly... especially as game file sizes are getting bigger and bigger. A 256GB is probably the optimum performance/price point, they are usually slightly quicker than 128GB ones (and the same speed as 512GB ones). You don't need an SSD to store your music, pictures, etc. so just get a normal hard drive for storage.

 

[TommySticks]

I had no idea there were that many different types of keyboards.

Thanks everyone for your help, I feel a lot better about this stuff now and can't wait to build this sucker.