1st Time Builder

db707

Hi folks, hoping you can help me out a bit, reading this forum for a few weeks now and have plucked up the courage to go for a self build rather than visit the dell website. Planning to use windows 7 and already have monitor/keyboard/mouse sorted. The PC is for general familly/media use as well as games, the configuration is attached (not sure how to get the image inbedded).

Basically the questions I have are:
Have I fogotten anything ?
Are there any obvious hardware conflicts ?
Any suggestions for different components or general advice much appreciated.

Thanks, DB.

ronkmonster

64 bit windows will be needed for the 6gb ram.
there is a bluray reader/dvd writer on komplett i think for 99 also
might as well get the free upgrade

db707

Thanks for the reply Rockmonster.
I just finished downloading Windows-7_64bit and will burn the image to a dvd in preperation. I am planning to buy all the components from komplett and I think I already got the E99 BluRay reader/DVD burner in the list.

leninbenjamin

heh, i ordered a similar spec a few weeks ago. the parts have arrived but i haven't had a chance to assemble it yet.

the only thing i can suggest is maybe look at the HAF cases over the Antec (thanks to Solitare for the original recommendation). just from reading on them (see above ), they seem a slightly quieter, cooler and some say make for easier installation. the down sides are there are no dust filters on them (but seems Coolermaster will be start selling them as an option soon) and the design isn't exactly easy on the eyes.

ronkmonster

ah yes. oops

your system is grand. what about your existing hardware. printers etc
might have some trouble getting drivers depending on age or vendor.
and i'm not entirely sure how bluray protection works. might need special monitor connection

Solitaire

leninbenjamin wrote:

the down sides are there are no dust filters on them (but seems Coolermaster will be start selling them as an option soon) and the design isn't exactly easy on the eyes.

Hey! Some people like the hardcore industrial look!

And AFAIK the Mini-HAF (922M) has filter slots on the intakes and even comes supplied with some lame (but standard nowadays it seems) filter foam. Only the big ol' HAF932 lacks filters.

The Mini-HAF is much better than the original; quieter fans, a switch for the red LEDs and even a "stray" PCI slot so you can stick in a wee slot cooler to help exhaust hot air Main reason I like it is because it's usually around €90 on HWVS - that beats the stuffing out of Antec! Quieter and cleverer than the 900 and much cheaper than the 900-2 or 1200. Win.

leninbenjamin

Solitaire wrote: »

Hey! Some people like the hardcore industrial look!

hey i like it actually, but we seem to be in the minority.

Solitaire wrote: »

And AFAIK the Mini-HAF (922M) has filter slots on the intakes and even comes supplied with some lame (but standard nowadays it seems) filter foam. Only the big ol' HAF932 lacks filters.

i wont say you're wrong, but all the reviews I've read on it says it doesn't ship with them.

The Mini-HAF is much better than the original; quieter fans, a switch for the red LEDs and even a "stray" PCI slot so you can stick in a wee slot cooler to help exhaust hot air Main reason I like it is because it's usually around €90 on HWVS - that beats the stuffing out of Antec! Quieter and cleverer than the 900 and much cheaper than the 900-2 or 1200. Win.

again, from the reviews, i think the reason it's quieter mainly stems from the fact it doesn't ship with the side fan like it's bigger brother?

I went for a 932 in the end, mainly because HWS wouldn't ship to me address in Dublin and didn't have the cooler I wanted in stock, whereas everywhere else hadn't the 922 in stock yet. The difference between the two seems marginal anyway. Only a tenner more anyway to get it.

And bigger is better

Solitaire

leninbenjamin wrote:

i wont say you're wrong, but all the reviews I've read on it says it doesn't ship with them.

Say I'm wrong I think I may have mixed that up with the Storm Scout and something else; seen lots of cases shipping with foam stuck in the filter slot lately, but maybe the HAF wasn't one of them At least it has filter slots on the back of the frontpanel; unlike a certain competing Antec design

again, from the reviews, i think the reason it's quieter mainly stems from the fact it doesn't ship with the side fan like it's bigger brother?

Not really; the fans were changed completely from the HAF932 which used a trio of 230mm fans. The 200mm fans on the Mini have the same cooling area (190mm rotor diameter) but I thought they were a slightly different design to boot - smaller hub and slightly lower speed for ultimate low-noise credentials (most high-airflow case designs are freaking noisy. Eh, Antec? )

Its the wee little things like the HDD cage array, the slot cooler mount, backplate installation void, non-toolless PCI covers (loads of people try to take credit for them and then the toolless bit breaks, or obstructs double-height graphics cards, a common and severe faux pas on performance PC cases), extra bottom 140mm intake option... the HAF922M really hits the target audience spot-on By no means perfect but the price:performance is just right for a high-end AM3/C2Q or low-end i7 build

db707

Thanks for the info so far. OK I looked at the cooler master HAF 932 and am not sure I like the 'look' of it either but to be honest that's not a priority for me and I do like the way it allows the cables to be kept neat and it looks like it is well made so i think I will go for it. So the latest configuration (I will source it all from Komplett) is:

Cooler Master Haf 932 - Full Tower - Atx

Aluminium Front


Article number: 369755
Stock status: in order, expected 9 pieces on 2009-06-10
119.00119.00
Corsair Powersupply 750W Black, ATX/EPS,

140mm Fan, 8xSATA, SLI


Article number: 340678
Stock status: 16 pieces on stock
109.00109.00
Akasa Cable Management Kit


Article number: 319548
Stock status: 8 pieces on stock
11.0411.04
Corsair Dominator DHX+ DDR3 1600MHz 6GB

Kit w/3x 2GB XMS3 modules, CL8-8-8-24, for Core i7


Article number: 406347
Stock status: 6 pieces on stock
150.00150.00
Intel Core™ i7 Quad Processor i7-920

4,8GT/sec, 8MB, Boxed


Article number: 391447
Stock status: 3 pieces on stock
269.00269.00
LG DVD±RW burner, GGC-H20L,

Blu-Ray& HD-DVD Reader, Retail


Article number: 347330
Stock status: 19 pieces on stock
99.0099.00
Sapphire Radeon HD 4850X2 1GB GDDR3

PCI-Express 2.0, 2xDVI, HDMI, HDCP, Full-Retail


Article number: 404841
Stock status: 6 pieces on stock
199.00199.00
Samsung SpinPoint F1 1TB SATA2

32MB 7200RPM


Article number: 343055
Stock status: 100+ pieces on stock
79.0079.00
Asus P6T Deluxe V2, X58, Socket-1366

DDR3, ATX, SLI&CrossFireX, Firewire, 2xGbLAN, 3xPCI-Ex(2.0)x16


Article number: 427377
Stock status: 1 pieces on stock
Unless there are any other suggestions I plan to go ahead with the order tomorrow (do I need to order any general cables etc. or is it likely I will get all the wires etc. with the components ?).

leninbenjamin

the one thing about ordering from komplett, AFAIK the 920s they have in stock are the older, C0 type.

if it's intended to do some serious gaming on it then you'll probably want to overclock it, as the individual core speed isn't fantastic for gaming. In that case it'd be better to get the D0 type which overclocks a bit better (available through OCUK and HWS, though you need to ask at HWS).

edit: having reread the thread and having seen the family use bit, you can safely ignore this, not worth the hassle.

Solitaire

Revised build, and yes if you can get the bulk of a full build from HWVS, you'd save a ton. Here's an almost default i7 gaming build:



CPU: Some peeps here have had success using the Additional Information box to go and beg for D0-stepping i7-920s from HWVS. Begging time!
Mobo: The MSI was a hair cheaper but for onboard analog audio the Asus' Realtek ALC1200 is the best for stereo sound short of a seperate sound card. Plus its pretty fly in general
RAM: Bit cheaper than Komplett eh? And those run rated speeds at just 1.5V. Not 1.65V like the competition :P With no cheap OCZ Platinum the G.Skill is the best alternative due to the extra headroom for messing with.
Graphics: HD4850X2 is a bit dead, and this card is the reason. Draws with it at lower resolutions even with just the one GPU and reduced heat, power and overall mess. But then you hit 1080p and the HD4850X2 starts to flounder while the HD4890OC is trading blows with the GTX285. Go figure :P
HDD: No-brainer... okay the Samsung GP revision is also there for consideration.
Optical: Noticed the Blu-Ray reader. Still got it cheaper on HWVS :P
Case: HAF922... the 932's little brother. Don't laugh, he's dead 'ard! If you don't like the looks there's plenty of other choices, I just like it because it wins at keeping hot-running i7 builds nice and frosty
PSU: Even with the HD4850X2 the 750W borders on overkill. 650W should do nicely unless you do something naughty and sling in a second graphics card or something

That's the basic list. If you want to overclock the i7-920 then keep an eye open for the Xigmatek HD-S1283 and its LGA1366 bracket. One of the best CPU coolers money can buy. Unfortunately HWVS have just run out and thus have no idea when they'll be back in stock Only the Dark Knight edition is still there and that adds a tenner just for the privelige of being black! :rolleyes:

magick

For the OP and Solitaire heres the vids of both HAF and HAF mini cases

video 1065 haf mini

http://www.3dgameman.com/content/view/15225/103/

video 1002 HAF full tower

http://www.3dgameman.com/content/view/13708/103/

leninbenjamin

Solitaire wrote: »

That's the basic list. If you want to overclock the i7-920 then keep an eye open for the Xigmatek HD-S1283 and its LGA1366 bracket. One of the best CPU coolers money can buy. Unfortunately HWVS have just run out and thus have no idea when they'll be back in stock Only the Dark Knight edition is still there and that adds a tenner just for the privelige of being black! :rolleyes:

don't wait around for the Xigmatech or anything else to come back in stock on HWS anyway, dates can get pushed back easily. the Noctua SE1366 was supposed to be in stock weeks ago and they are still waiting.

Solitaire

I know... at least when stock hits yellow-flag on HWVS there's a very, very good chance it'll turn up only a couple of days overdue. The issues I've had with some other e-tailers *cough*Dabs*cough* not getting in "orange" or "yellow"-flagged stock for months after its due still makes me think twice about trading with them again!

leninbenjamin

Solitaire wrote: »

I know... at least when stock hits yellow-flag on HWVS there's a very, very good chance it'll turn up only a couple of days overdue. The issues I've had with some other e-tailers *cough*Dabs*cough* not getting in "orange" or "yellow"-flagged stock for months after its due still makes me think twice about trading with them again!

usually yeah, but just saying if it's not in stock it's not in stock and there's always a fairly sizeable unknown. the Noctua for example has been yellow for the past two weeks at least, the expected date has been pushed back by about 7-10 days last time i looked at it.

normally 'Ze Germans' (sorry, couldn't resist) would be fairly reliable (Atelco, HWS's retailing sister and better known company in Germany are considered quite good), when its stock you're talking about them dealing with suppliers that could be all over the shop and therefore not as reliable. so just to be prepared.

db707

thanks for all the advice. HWVS is definetly better value (managed to throw in a nice set of speakers with the savings) but if I understood the discussion, it can be a bit of a risk with regards waiting time when stuff out is out of stock. So I did a build on HWVS but only picked items that are available now, I went for a fairly decent power supply just in case I need some more gaming power for the future . I will try and beg them for the D0-stepping i7-920, might as well, like I said I will purchase tomorrow, so any last minute advise is still appreciated. Thanks again.
Article Availebility Price per unit Quantity Price Sum: 1.178,97 €
Article No. HV20IB92DE entfernen Intel Core i7-920 Box 8192Kb, LGA1366
ready for dispatch 244,96 €
244,96 €
Article No. HV1130USDE entfernen ASUS P6T SE, Sockel 1366, ATX, DDR3
ready for dispatch 165,72 €
165,72 €
Article No. HV20G3G6DE entfernen 6GB-KIT G-Skill DDR3 PC1600, CL 9
ready for dispatch 86,58 €
86,58 €
Article No. HV207B2PDE entfernen Pioneer BDC-S02BK Blu-Ray ROM, SATA schwarz
ready for dispatch 87,06 €
87,06 €
Article No. HV13H7K1DE entfernen Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.B 1000GB, SATA II (HDT721010SLA360)
ready for dispatch 66,03 €
66,03 €
Article No. HV203FB6DE entfernen Coolermaster HAF Mini 922M ohne Netzteil
ready for dispatch 92,46 €
92,46 €
Article No. HVR850CTDE entfernen Corsair TX850W 850 Watt
ready for dispatch (only 1 article) 117,18 €
117,18 €
Article No. HV1023UCDE entfernen ASUS EAH4890/HTDI/1GD5/A, ATI HD 4890, PCI-Express
ready for dispatch 200,54 €
200,54 €
Article No. HV27LOZ3DE entfernen Logitech Z-2300
ready for dispatch 118,44 €
118,44 €


DB

Solitaire

Err... 850W?! WTF?!

OVERKILL WARNING



Even if you got two HD4890s you wouldn't need that much...

Oh, and that's a HD4890, not a HD4890OC. They're different models. OC (veteran ATI users recognise it as a HD4890XT, whereas the Asus is a HD4890Pro) is faster and cooler-running. Much closer to GTX285 levels. That said IIRC the Asus has this mad Turbo Mode thingy, but I'd prefer a high-binned chip cruising at 1GHz (only a small OC for them) than an already hot-running low-binned one overvolted through the roof just to hit 950MHz... :eek:

That Pioneer doesn't have any HD-DVD reader y'know. Not that those are common any more...

And be careful about buying speakers without testing them yourself or reading a professional sound review - they're highly variable and subjective pieces of kit.

db707

Well, I had read online that Corsair make good PSU's so I was kind of limiting the search to that brand. I would have gone for the 750W (in case I wanted to add a second Graphics card later) but it was not in stock so I just defaulted to next higher one which was the 850W (I work in the power industry so I can't go light on this compoent ). I don't mind spending the extra few euros if it means I can upgrade this build or even use again in a few years on the next one.

I would have liked the 4890 OC card (it is also cheaper) that you suggested but it is out of stock so again I looked for an alternative. I have looked online and as far as I can tell the Sapphire OC GPU does run a bit faster than the Asus out of the box. However I have also read that the max speed of the Sapphire OC GPU card is somewhere around 950Mhz whereas the Asus with voltage tweak can be turned up to 1000MHz and reamin very stable. TBH I am not really into the gaming stuff (more a flight sim guy) so I am not going to get upset about a few fps in Crysis.

Reputable Reviews of the speakers seem pretty positive, user feedback is mixed but mostly good, I am happy enough with the choice.

Anyway I appreciate all the feedback and I will let you know when the stuff arrives and I am sure I will be back on here asking for help with the actual build (how can you superglue a Mobo back together :eek:)

Thanks again. DB

db707

Hi again.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and support on here, all the components arrived from HWVS last week so Friday Night was 'build night'.
Since it was my first build I was a little shakey. By far the most difficult part for me was fitting the stock intel i7 cpu heat sink. I got some thermal paste on my hand and wanted to get the thing on the board/cpu as soon as possible......and managed to fit in a way that the power lead could not reach the plug on the board:o, this meant it had to come back off which was not a pleasent experience and involved much screwdriver action and sounds of aching plastic:eek:.....anyway in the end I got it off and back on again and to a point where it appeared very secure and could be powered up.

Fitting the mobo on the standoffs required a little more persuasion then I expected but I think I was just being overly gentle. Ram went in no problem as did GPU, HD and DVD. Was a little nervous I would be able to find/not foget all the connections but actually this was not a problem with a slow and steady approach. Case (HAF 922) hepled a lot. I would say 4 hours from unboxing components to finished machine.

Loaded Windows-7 RC which went OK, although I have spent all day yesterday fixing problems with drivers and periperals, lots of discussion on the internet is available with tips and by last night everything was running pretty well including some games which run great at 1920x1080.

Anyway, just wanted to give an update and say again thanks very much for all the help, I have a good computer for a great price and I learned a little about computers along the way.

DB

PogMoThoin

Meh, €1200 and using the crappy Intel stock cooler :eek: