Is this a good selection of parts for a less than $700 build?

[mathguy196]

I have these parts chosen for a budget build:


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

Mobo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130637

CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

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

PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182068

Video Card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-202-011

Disk Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=27-135-204

HDD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236345


My question is: will these parts all be compatible together, and did I make good selections? I don't plan on overclocking so I don't need a fan/heatsink for now. This will be a general purpose/gaming/Adobe software computer. I have a mouse, keyboard, and monitor already selected/in my possession.

[zburns]

Hi Mathguy,

Looked hard at your choices last nite, and, some this morning. There are some problems of a 'compatible nature'. I will go ahead and list them and then make comments, tomorrow.

1. Case is ok, no problems.

2. The MSI motherboard is designed to accept video cards in a PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot. Your video card is designed for PCI Express 3.0. This video card will work in the 2.0 slot, and play the 2.0 games. The video card will also play a 3.0 game in the 2.0 slot but not at 3.0 speed. So there is a conflict between the video card and the motherboard, and also 3.0 games. I do not recommend you do this.

3. The cpu and RAM all fit or 'all compatible' etc.. I would like to look at the AMD cpu specs in detail but that will have to be tomorrow.

4. As previously stated the video card is for 3.0 operation, as it should be, because all new games coming out are for 3.0.

5. The PSU is a Rosewill CAPSTONE-550 550W. It is a single rail power supply and I do not recommend it for a number of reasons which I will get into in detail later.

Here is the URL for the Rosewill PSU that shows there version of 'Specifications': http://www.rosewill.com/products/1804/productDetail.htm

For comparison purposes please go to the Antec site for their 550 watt power supply at this URL: http://www.antec.com/product.php?id=704511&fid=11

6. The video card reader seems fine; however, I would like to take a look at the reviews and comment further. It has very good specs and a remarkably low price.

7. WD Black Hard Drive is an excellent choice. I have had that drive or a similar one (WD Black) installed for five years with no problems of any kind.

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I will get back to you tomorrow regarding the motherboard and any choices from AMD on the 3.0 video game problem. If necessary I will call both MSI and AMD.

I will provide some comments on the differences between the Rosewill psu and the Antec 550 psu.

[zburns]

The MSI motherboard will only supply pcie 2.0 speeds. Your video card is a good choice with lots of stream processors 640; that is a respectable amount and will give reasonable performance but the card is designed for pcie 3.0 not 2.0. It will run in a pcie 2.0 slot but only at 2.0 speeds, NOT 3.0 speeds.

So you would be better off with a motherboard that will accept pcie 3.0 video cards. If you google motherboards for your AMD cpu with pcie 3.0 video cards you will find only one Asus mobo available.

Try this url for a page about AMD motherboard but only ONE motherboard from Asus exists: https://www.google.com/search?q=amd+motherboard+with+pci+express+3.0+x16&rlz=1C1PRFB_enUS475US494&oq=amd+motherboard+compatible+with+pcie+3.0&aqs=chrome.3.57j0l3j62l2.21893j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Once you are on this page, I suggest you try this url for commentary on the Asus mobo by Guru 3D, (an excellent reviewer): http://www.guru3d.com/news_story/asus_amd_sabertooth_motherboard_with_pci_express_3 .html

The short answer is that there is only one mobo for the cpu by AMD you want to use, and it is an expensive mobo. I do not understand why AMD has not 'arrived at pcie 3.0 capability for motherboards'; glad Asus has the only one, at least there is one.

So if you use the expensive Asus mobo, that should clear up the pcie 3.0 confusion. Trouble is that it is the first of the mobos for AMD using pcie 3.0. I am just not sure it is a good idea to do this with AMD and the pcie 3.0 video card.

Let me know your comments.
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Regards the Rosewill PSU. Check the url for the Rosewill spec sheet and compare it to the Antec data I gave you earlier. The Antec has 4 separate psu +12 volt outputs whereas, the Rosewill has only one (not sure they really tell you this). Each Antec winding has its own trip point if that output is shorted. See the OCP (overcurrent protection) spec on the Antec page, trip point 35 to 45 amps. Rosewill does not tell you but it has everything on one output which means the trip point is higher. The fact that the spec page is incomplete regards 'electrical specs' tells you something also.

It is best that you buy a good psu; Antec has a great reputation.
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Let me know any questions.
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Note: You can use the MSI mobo at pcie 2.0 speeds with the video card designed for pcie 3.0 but you are 'stuck' with pcie 2.0 speed until you change the motherboard up to a pcie 3.0 slot for video cards. Not a good idea.