My Planned Build

[mathguy196]

Hi- I am a first-time custom PC builder and I have chosen a list of parts to get (below). Before I go ahead and buy $900 worth of hardware, I want to make sure I have picked parts that are all compatible with each other and that will work well. I would be really happy if someone could make sure everything I picked is compatible. Also, if you have any suggestions for changes to my list, that would be appreciated as well.

Also, I am putting 2 power supply links because I don't know which one to choose.

Budget: $900

Case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

Processor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

Hard drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181

Video Card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130625

RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145345

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271

Power Supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371016
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182044

Fan:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118003

Optical Drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

I plan on getting a cheap monitor, mouse and keyboard for now and upgrade them later. Also, the school I am going to next year will provide a free Windows 7 install, so I don't need to buy an OS.



Thanks so much!

[mathguy196]

Also, this computer will be used for partly gaming, partly After Effects/Photoshop/etc., and partly schoolwork (MS office, mathematica, etc.).

[zburns]

Sorry to be this late in responding to your post.

I assume you plan to do this build right now and install a temporary non-W7 OS until you go to school ! You have chosen components well for a low cost build with (perhaps) the exception of the video card (could be more powerful). The Zalman fan seems to have a good number of 'Newegg 5 egg reviews' in its favor. But you might want to take a look at the Hyper 212 as an alternative.

As far as the power supply is concerned that is a no-brainer. Absolutely get the Antec you specified!!

When you refer to a cheap monitor, how do you define 'cheap'. I have a 24 inch Samsung; I cannot imagine using less than a 22 inch. The only way to buy a 'cheap monitor' is to buy a small one 20" or under -- please do not consider this route on the monitor.
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Again my comments predicated on the assumption you are going to do the build right now and load it with a temporary OS, then install Win 7 later. In general, given the low cost I think you have chosen well!!

[mathguy196]

I will probably install Linux or something when I build it (I haven't looked into that yet), until I go to school. I have been compiling my list of components for about 3 months, which I think has paid off.

I will choose the Antec power supply, thanks for the advice. I really don't know how to choose power supplies, so that really helped.

With the monitor, I DO plan on getting a nice one (something like yours) but I am waiting for some more funds before I get it. Same with the mouse and keyboard. I am thinking about raiding the nearest Best Buy store for a discounted monitor for now.

Do you have any suggestions for choosing a better video card? Would there be a better card I could get that is about the same price, or do I need to spend more? What I inferred from your reply is that my current choice is underpowered compared to the other components. Is that true?

Thanks for the reply, it really helped!


EDIT: Oh, and I forgot- I have 2 motherboards I am trying to choose between but I forgot to put both links in the original post. Choosing a motherboard is my other weakness next to choosing power supplies :rolleyes:
Here are the 2 motherboards I have narrowed down to:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128543

My gut tells me that the ASRock is better, but I am not sure.

[zburns]

Actually you did include the ASRock in your first build list. I have looked at the Gigabyte mobo several times but I want to do it again in the morning and then I will comment on the comparison of the two mobos.

[mathguy196]

Thanks, I will be sure to check tomorrow morning for your awesome comments (you are so helpful!). Also, I was roaming around on the forums, and saw a comment you had about Ivy bridge and Sandy bridge. I was wondering, since the PCIE3.0 has 2x the bandwidth of PCIE2.0, if it was worth switching my i5 Sandy bridge for an i5 Ivy bridge.

Also, my i5 is a 2500"K". Does that mean that I pay more money for the ability to overclock?

By the way, this is an awesome forum.

[zburns]

I was wondering, since the PCIE3.0 has 2x the bandwidth of PCIE2.0, if it was worth switching my i5 Sandy bridge for an i5 Ivy bridge.

The following is an incomplete answer. Take a look at this review of Ivy Bridge: http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cpu/37989-intel-core-i7-3770k-22nm-ivy-bridge/ Go to the last page and see the percentage improvement of IVY Bridge over Sandy Bridge -- but do not necessarily 'believe' it. As far as I am concerned there is a lot of confusion on Ivy Bridge right now. Ivy Bridge has 37 % more transistors than Sandy Bridge -- so one would expect a significant improvement in efficiency. But when you read the last page of this review -- that is not the idea one comes away with!

I have seen plenty of internet comments to the effect that Ivy Bridge is 20 % more efficient than Sandy Bridge even tho I/B has 37% more transistors. Plenty of the initial reviewers of IVY Bridge vs Sandy Bridge ran the frequency of the test up to equal (or close to it) the 'overclocked' frequency of Sandy Bridge -- result being a 'negative comment' regards too much heat. The reviewer did not take into account the fact that the executions per second of Ivy Bridge was greater than Sandy Bridge, at the same frequencies; point is you cannot or should not run Ivy Bridge at that frequency that causes the excess heat build up.

The new Intel cpu architecture coming next year is Haswell with spacing of 14 nanometers which means a lot more transistors than Ivy Bridge. PCIE 3.0 is linked to the much greater efficiency of the Ivy Bridge cpu and the upcoming Haswell cpu architecture.

You are on a tight budget and you would probably be better off staying with Sandy Bridge and the build you presently have thought out. However, I would like some more time to sort thru the confusion I see in the above comments, and give you a more 'definitive' statement or conclusion. Hopefully, tomorrow I can give you some firm or logical advice based on articles that we all can trust.
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Your quote:
Also, my i5 is a 2500"K". Does that mean that I pay more money for the ability to overclock?

Without a K after 2500, your cpu would have Turbo Boost to a max freq chosen by Intel. The suffix K means you have control of 'overclocking' via an unlocked multiplier within the cpu. If there is a difference in your cost of i5-2500 and i5-2500k, then that difference would be the 'extra' cost of the cpu with the suffix 'k'.

[mathguy196]

Ok, so I will stick with the Sandy Bridge. I could go $10 cheaper on Newegg for a K-less i5, but I may just overclock it in the future, so I am sticking with the K.

The only things left that I'm not absolutely sure about are the video card and motherboard.

[zburns]

This post is only about the video card. Here is a link to a 'My Super PC Forum' recent posts by Ricky Tick on your choice (I expect you have seen it): http://forums.mysuperpc.com/showthread.php?4687-Looking-to-upgrade-my-video-card-and-need-help&p=21458#post21458

Here is a link to a google page for 'good performing video cards in the $ 250 range': http://www.google.com/search?q=good+performing+video+card+in+%24+250+ran ge&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb

If you feel like you can spend more dollars, take a look at what you can get for about $ 100 more. If you feel your present selection will handle the games you want to play, stick with it.

Comments on the mobo later today.

[mathguy196]

I was looking around for video cards and I think I have found the right one for me:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130759

It's an eVGA GTX 480 that was $300 on Newegg, but is on sale for only $220 until next week. It's 1.5 GB and it has really great reviews. What do you think?

[zburns]

Hey mathguy,

Sorry to be so late getting back to you. On the motherboard, they are both about the same. The AsRock seems to have 2 PCIe x 16 slots for PCIe 3.0 while Gigabyte has one x16 slot for 3.0 and another x16 slot for 2.0. But you are not running 3.0 if you use Sandy Bridge, so either motherboard will work. There is still a 'but'. I think AsRock has 2 PCIe x 16 slots that run at x16 speed. I think the Gigabyte board has one slot that runs at x16 but the second x16 slot runs only at x4 speed because this slot is shared with other slots -- I found all this info by going to the AsRock home page for mobos, and the same with Gigabyte.

Point is the AsRock seems to give you 2 slots that will run at x16 speed. As long as you have only one video card installed, this is a mute argument because you will only use one x 16 slot.

Your second video card choice may have a problem with the length of 10+ inches. I am not sure it will fit into your 'mid tower' Antec case. I will check this dimension early am tomorrow and do an edit to this post or a new post. I have a Antec Sonata case and it is the same dimension length wise of your Antec Nine Hundred, and, if my memory serves me correctly, the card is to long for a mid tower case.
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Regarding which video card you should get. Both cards have good reviews on Newegg. You could look thru the reviews and see if the lesser cost one will run the games you plan to use. The reviews should point this out -- there are a lot of reviews so you might get some good 'direction' looking thru them all!!

One possibility is to go ahead the lesser expensive card and then add a second identical card in SLI configuration when you can afford it. If you decided to do it this way, you would have to be certain from time to time that EVGA was still 'manufacturing' the card.
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If the above is confusing, ask questions!!

[zburns]

Problems with the second video card choice. It is 10.5 inches long. I have a Antec Sonata III case. Your Antec Nine Hundred has the same dimensions except for the height -- about 2 inches higher. Depth of the two cases is the same which probably means that the internal 'frame' of the two cases is the same.

(1) In the area where the video card goes, the rear of the cabinet is the 'exit point' for the video card terminals (video plugs).

(2) The opposite end of the card (length) comes to within about 'one inch' of the frame that holds the hard drives in the lower front bottom half of the case.

(3) This same frame goes all the way to the top of the case and holds the hard drives and anything else associated with a case front 'opening' such as a DVD drive.

(4) From where the 'rear business end' of the video card jams up against the inside rear of the case, there is 11" from the inside rear to the 'L' shaped edge of the frame for the drives.

(5) The video card is apx 10.25 inches from the rear and 3/4" from this front frame and there will be apx 1" of clearance from the rear of the video card to the side to side portions of the metal frame for the drives.

(6) This one inch clear area side to side coupled with the 'openings' within the hard drive frame will allow air circulation but the other drive is about 8.5 inches and therefore would allow about 3" gap between the card rear and the hard drive frame.
Air circulation refers to the air movement in the gap between the rear of the video card and the hard (DVD) drive frame.

(7) This 10.5" video card runs hot according to the Newegg reviews but the criticism is not 'overly damaging' meaning the reviewers accept the heat, because of the card performance, etc..

(8) But their reviews are generally only weeks old after the purchase and installation of the card. How will they feel about the heat several months to six months down the road, etc..

(9) The card is offered at a good price so that is the reason for the 'sales volumn', etc..

Summary, you buying for a first build and you want to be 100 % pleased with the end results. Based on the Newegg reviews, I recommend you stick with the original choice or look for another card with the shorter dimension and good reviews.

[mathguy196]

I did notice the heat issue in the reviews...I think that a 9" card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130604) would fit in the case; do you think so? And the reviews generally say that heat isn't a problem for this card.

[zburns]

That card, EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR, is a much better choice given the increase in cuda cores. Here is the only review I could find and the 'reviewer is reputable' : http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=683&Itemid=72

It is not unusual to find only a few numbers of reviewers on video cards. Good reviews take a long time to do, etc., etc.. This review by Benchmark Reviews is 17 pages long which is obviously a good effort on the reviewers part! In the review, there is a statement to the effect that implies close to 100 % of the heat is vented to the outside.
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To answer your question, the 9" dimension is fine -- it was the heat coupled with the length that bugged me! -- an out of date design on the 10.5 inch card.

EDIT: From the last page of the Benchmark Review, here is the 'heat vented' statement:
Article quote: The reference design allows nearly all of the heated air to externally exhaust outside of the computer case, which could be critically important to overclockers wanting the best possible environment for their computer hardware.

Seems to be a good choice!!

[mathguy196]

Last question, I swear! There is a Newegg sale and this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817116015) power supply is $60 with the rebate. The only thing I could find wrong is that it has one 12V rail and the cables are stiff. I don't plan on running SLI, so I would only need one 12V rail, right?

[zburns]

Do not worry about the questions. I have mixed comments or opinions on this PSU and I will have to write it up early this evening. But here is a review from a trusted reviewer on this PSU. If you do not want to read all of it, at least read the conclusion and the page or two pages preceding the conclusion. It looks good and is designed, and, maybe manufactured by Seasonic. Again, more comments later today.

SORRY: Here is the link to the review: http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1512/pg1/nzxt-hale82-n-series-750w-power-supply-introduction.html
--------------------------------
Mathguy -- be careful as you move thru this stuff. You can get confused easily. There are two versions of this power supply. The above link is 'for a different version or a low end version', cat# hale82-n-series-750w, of the hale 750 watt psu. The HardwareHeaven reviewer is not complimentary of this version. Just look at the 'Conclusion' of the above review and see what the reviewer says!!
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Mathguy: This next link is the one I should have given you. It is the link for the better version of the psu, however, it is a review that also includes a case with a decent psu review at the end of the review. The Cat # for this psu (the better one) is 'Hale82-750w'

This psu link starts on page 6 of the 'total review that includes the case'. EDIT: Added about 10:15 pmEST The following link gives you two pages on the psu, then one page on installing the cpu in the case, then two more pages on the psu -- it is confusing but it is a review of a 'NZXT CASE, two coolers, and the 750 watt psu' and the reviewer 'jumbles' them all together.

Here is the link: http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1382/pg6/nzxt-switch-810-case-review-hale82-750w-power-supply.html The HardwareHeaven reviewer is very complimentary of the PSU.

[zburns]

Mathguy,

I am starting a new post because the one above can get very confusing very fast. The Hardware Heaven review on the 'Hale82-750w' is good, but there is a lot more to say about the PSU situation.

First when you changed to the video card with the larger number of processors, the psu requirement also changed. The Evga video card part # is: EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR The link to the EVGA page is: http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=01G-P3-1561-AR&family=GeForce%20500%20Series%20Family&sw=

From the EVGA page, here is the PSU requirement: Requirements

Minimum of a 500 power supply.
(Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 30 Amps.)
Two available 6-pin PCI-E power dongles

This psu minimum requirement seems to say your original 550 watt Antec pick is ok; however, it has 3 +12 volt rails ranging from apx 22 amps to 24 or 25 amps so this Antec supply may or may not work depending on the meaning of the EVGA psu requirement. EVGA could require a single +12 volt rail with a minimum of 30 amp capacity or they could allow for two +12 volt rails totaling 30 amps. The Antec supply has three rails with each rail about 5 or 6 amps below 30 amps.

I assume the EVGA spec requires one +12 volt rail with a min of 30 amps but I will check with them first thing in the morning. If that is the case, the Antec EA 650 Platinum has 4 +12 volt rails, each with 30 amps capacity.
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All of this stuff I am talking about is not complicated although it may seem this way to you right now. Back in the morning!

[zburns]

Mathguy:

There are basically two 'design types' for computer power supplies. Multiple rail designs such as made by Antec and single rail designs made by others including the model you are looking at.
Both the Antec EA 550 and the EA 650 have 4 separate 30 amp rails, each with 26A-35A OCP (Over Current Protection Set Points).

The other model has one rail and one OCP but they do not tell you what the OCP 'range' is. If you use the same % of overcurrent to load current as Antec uses then the another brand could range from 71 amps to 93 amps.

Using four multiple rails, you can hook up each one of four major components -- motherboard, cpu, video card, ram and other low current items such as HDD and DVD -- to individual rails, thereby, causing the OCP (over current protection set points) to be at dramatically lower values, and, most important, the shorting out of one component will have virtually no impact on the other components.

If any one of these components has a short circuit, the 'overcurrent' will flow thru only one specific component and will be limited to a lower value. There will be less effect on the components on the other rails. In a single rail design, all computer components get their power from one rail. If one component shorts out then this 'shorted component' shorts out all the other component momentarily, and can create 'transient' voltages across the other components -- perhaps no negatives but there is no way to really know.

If the OCP is a high value because only one rail is being used, then all components get the 'electrical consequences' of the 'much higher surge current' (caused by only one component) at whatever the value is -- somewhere in the 70 to 80 amp range.
For this reason I do not recommend the use of a single rail design.

Here are the links to the two Antec Models that have multiple +12 volt rails: Antec EA 550 watt -- http://www.antec.com/product.php?id=704511&fid=11 and Antec EA 650 watt -- http://www.antec.com/product.php?id=704513&fid=11
Note that Antec provides OCP, which means 'Over Current Protection' trip points which is the overcurrent value that will cause the psu to shut down.

For single rail models, google the particular model and look for 'Specifications'. Clicking on Specifications for a single rail model should pull up every important specification.
----------------

EVGA told me this morning that the 30 Amp requirement can be spread over multiple +12 volt rails. Also, if you decide to overclock, there will be minimum impact on the video card from a power point of view, meaning that the 30 amp +12 volt rail requirement will not be affected by much.
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Your original Antec PSU choice was the EA 550. It may work fine but there is only $ 10 difference to get to the EA 650 and I would suggest you go to the EA 650. The more powerful video card will 'push' the power supply; therefore, go larger!

As usual, please ask any questions.

[mathguy196]

I will be going with the EA 650. The links you put don't work for me, but I found it on Newegg pretty easily. Thanks!

This seems like it will never end! Newegg has now put this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293) motherboard on sale which is similar to my original pick. I think this new one I found is better because it has more USB3.0 plugs on the rear and SATA 6gb/s connectors. Your opinion?

Also, when I finally get this built I will be posting pictures and specs and giving you a glowing review for your incredible helpfulness.

[zburns]

In for a penny, in for a pound:

The later motherboard, AsRock Z77 Extreme4-M, is fine as far as I can see!! You have gone this far, why not switch the cpu from Sandy Bridge i5-2500k to the Ivy Bridge i5-3570k (which I think is sort of one to one comparable to SB i5-2500k). This gives you Intel Graphics 4000 with the cpu. The AsRock mobo supports Intel graphics 2000/4000 (I assume 2000/4000 means either/or!). Forget the EVGA video card for an initial trial period; get to know the Intel graphics and how they look. Try the Intel graphics on games to see if there is any degree of 'acceptability in the games respect'. Later after you know what you like/dislike about the Intel graphics reference 'gaming', then make a decision on getting the EVGA card.

I think it is a plus to switch to the Ivy Bridge -- it is Intel's latest cpu technology. If you match clock frequencies for both cpus, then Ivy Bridge is faster because it contains about, at least, 30% more transistors than Sandy Bridge. To myself, this recommendation is a straight forward logical step. If anyone else sees a problem that I have overlooked I wish they would comment. To Mathguy, I am not trying to talk you into this; I am only stating it is a 'logical move with benefits' provided my statement above is correct 100 %.

(Early reviews on Ivy Bridge compared to Sandy Bridge, both at the same cpu frequency, claimed there was a huge problem with 'heat' on the Ivy Bridge cpu -- what all reviewers missed was that Ivy Bridge contains about 30% more transistors which means it can match Sandy Bridge 'execution for execution but at a lower cpu frequency on Ivy Bridge than the frequency on Sandy Bridge -- doing a comparison on these terms should show 'excess heat to not be a problem').

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Important Links: http://ark.intel.com/products/52210 (this is intel spec on i5-2500k)

http://ark.intel.com/products/65520/Intel-Core-i5-3570K-Processor-%286M-Cache-up-to-3_80-GHz%29 (i5-3570k spec) (both links should work fine. Both are the '100% the full URL for each cpu")

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z77%20Extreme4-M/?cat=Specifications (again, a 100% full URL -- URL stands for Universal Resource Locator. It is the address of a web page.)


Note: The AsRock Specification page is very detailed and quite long; it is impressive. Assuming you would want to proceed on my suggestions above, we both should independently confirm with AsRock that the mobo fully supports the Intel 4000 'on chip' graphics.

As usual, please do not hesitate to ask any question! Note: the url links above were full written out 100 % initially; now I see that two of them have been compressed a little. Let me know if they do not work; I will get you a 'work around'.

[mathguy196]

Haha I know what a URL is...doesn't it stand for uniform resource locator? I am very strong with software but not as much with hardware (e.g. I am learning HTML and python right now). Ether the forums or the browser automatically shortens the URL so that it doesn't take up so much space in the forum post.

I don't want to spend any more on the processor than I already am, so getting an Ivy i5 with 4000 graphics wouldn't be an option (it's more expensive). However, I found an i5 that seems to be the Ivy Bridge equivalent to my current Sandy Bridge choice:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116505
The only thing is that the Ivy bridge has 2500 graphics instead of 3000, but I can live with that.
What I will do is order everything but the video card and see how the processor handles things without the video card, and then go ahead and buy it.

[zburns]

The 2500 graphics is not going to come close to the video card according to reviews. I was simply suggesting that the 4000 graphics might come closer to where you would accept it for a period of time. At a later date you would make a decision to buy or not buy the video card. I did not consider a price differential between the Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge, just did not occur to me!


However, I found an i5 that seems to be the Ivy Bridge equivalent to my current Sandy Bridge choice, NOT SO! The Ivy Bridge i5 3550 is locked (no 'k'), you can only use turboboost. The i5-3570k is unlocked and it is the only one that compares to Sandy Bridge i5-2500k. IR:Also, the Ivy Bridge i5-3750 is 100 Mhz faster than the Sandy Bridge i5-2500k in normal (non-turbo or OC configurations) operation. If you want to have control of your overclocking, you have to have a k processor, otherwise, you are limited to the turboboost increase!

The i5-3750k is $240, the i5-3550 $ 200, the Sandy Bridge i5 2500k is $ 220. All Newegg prices. The video card is $ 250.

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Here is a link to a google page that centers around Intel 4000 graphics: http://www.google.com/search?q=intel+4000+graphics+reviews&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb
( There are 10 reviews on this page that have Intel 4000 in the 'google page title' -- look at them all for the negative comments comparing Intel 4000 to a gpu card -- what the reviewer does tell you is 'His Opinion' but he does not take into account what you the potential new user with a tight budget 'is willing to accept'.

In a unintentional way, the negative reviews for Intel 4000 graphics can be a 'back door' advertisement to entice new purchasers to buy gpu cards in lieu of tolerating Intel 4000 graphics in a 'tight budget situation'.


This link is a review (see page 3, Verdict) on the i5-3750k (nothing on intel 4000 graphics): http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/pc-components/processors/intel-core-i5-3570k-1077183/review/page:3#articleContent

[mathguy196]

In my continuing effort to save money, I had chosen to get the non-overclocking i5, but I forgot to mention it to you.

I was looking at the specs (http://ark.intel.com/products/65516/Intel-Core-i5-3550-Processor-(6M-Cache-up-to-3_70-GHz)) for the Ivy Bridge and specs (http://ark.intel.com/products/52209/Intel-Core-i5-2500-Processor-(6M-Cache-up-to-3_70-GHz)) for Sandy bridge and they do look quite similar apart from the graphics. Also, I noticed that the i5 2500 memory types are 1066 and 1333, and my RAM is at 1600 speed, so I would have to manually go into the BIOS and set the RAM speed if I got the 2500. The Ivy bridge does support 1600 RAM though, so that would save me a bit of trouble.

[zburns]

The Ivy bridge does support 1600 RAM though, so that would save me a bit of trouble.

That is odd. I will try to find out the reason why the spec is written that way. Most times, RAM spec for 1600 also includes 1333 and 1066. Anyway you can easily and quickly find plenty of RAM that says all three freqs. I looked up the Corsair page on Vengence and it stated, the stick was tested at 1600 but not the other two. It is assumed that if it runs at 1600 in a test that it runs in the other two, but without testing, they cannot say it (I guess).

Get all other components 'settled down as to exactly what you will purchase' -- then look at RAM. If you have cut out overclocking and will only use Turboboost, then your RAM requirements are less 'strenuous' from a spec viewpoint.
-------------------

I want to be clear on my comments on Ivy Bridge and Intel 4000 graphics. You are a college student, first build, tight budget. When you complete this build you are going to be both proud and excited. Having 'magnificent high speed graphics' is not necessarily your goal for the next several years; you may be so busy with school that a difference in 'graphics execution and perfection' is not a big deal for you. If you get Ivy Bridge, you get Intel 4000 and maybe you 'escape' the more expensive gpu.

If you do not overclock, you automatically make an internal statement that 'a very perfect graphics performance' is not that important to you.

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A related topic: You are really being thorough, by nitpicking details, in everything you consider, and I mean that as a compliment. Detail 'that does not fit' for whatever the reason, you are bringing it up in your posts, and that is a good quality to have when going thru college (and later a career).

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Right now you have a lot of 'balls in the air'. You need a final list (I am not trying to rush you) and then you need to leave it alone for a few days so that you consider the 'final build list in totality' -- I hope we agree on this point. You have covered a lot of ground; you need to give it a several day rest when you complete the final list.

[mathguy196]

Updated components list:

Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021): Antec 900

Processor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116505): i5 3550

Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181): Samsung 500GB

RAM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145345): Corsair Vengeance 8GB (4GBx2)

Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293): ASRock Z77 Extreme4


Power Supply (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371044): Antec EA-650


CPU Fan (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=35-103-065): Cooler Master Hyper 212


Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130604): EVGA GTX 560 Ti


Optical Drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204): Asus DVD Burner


Monitor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009256): Acer 20" 1600x900


Free OS until I go to school, and I will go to Best Buy or somewhere to get a keyboard and mouse.

Total: $1063

[zburns]

The above list looks fine assuming you are aware that you will get Intel graphics 2500 and not 4000. The reviews do not even have 4000 'getting close to a gpu card', but that is debatable ( or in the eye of the beholder), so certainly, intel 2500 graphics will be 'less so' in capability. The end result being that you, probably, will have to use the Evga gpu card, Evga cat # 01G-P3-1563-AR . But the list is okay assuming these limitations I mentioned in the first sentence.

[mathguy196]

In my humble opinion, integrated graphics will never become capable of surpassing separate GPUs because they are built into the CPU, but that's debatable. I am aware of the fact that I am getting 2500 graphics instead of 4000, but that is not a problem seeing as I am getting a GTX 560.

Well, I am going to go ahead and buy these parts now! Woohoo!


Edit: This was bad timing...the RAM I chose literally went out of stock a few hours ago. ARGH!

This (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233144) RAM seems to be exactly the same except for color. This color actually is probably a bit better because it matches my motherboard color! I will go ahead and replace with that.

[zburns]

Catalog numbers on Newegg are the same except the Black sticks have the letter 'B' at the end of the cat number; stands for black, surely!! You should be fine!!

Static control during the build never came up. Do you have a static wrist strap; if not be sure an order one.