Help with a brand new build?!

00sully

Hi guys, little help wouldn't go astray. This will be my first build. budget ~€1000 and the pc will mainly be used for

- software development (IIS web server/SQL Server)
- Media Streaming / Encoding / Browsing
- There will be very little gaming if any on this.

I have so far: ~€650 so far (not inc VAT)

Proc: Intel Core i7 Quad 860 2.80 8MB
Ram: Corsair XMS3 - Memory - 8 GB : 2 x 4 GB - DIMM PC3-10666
(not sure the mobo supports this ram tho?: PC3-10600, PC3-19200, PC3-6400, PC3-8500)
HD: Samsung 1TB F3 7200rpm SATA 3Gb/s 32MB
Mobo: Gigabyte P55 S1156 DDR3 ATX
Case: Antec Three Hundred Case Black
Drive: LG Electronics 22x DVDRW Black OEM

Now I need a graphics card and there is such a plethora of these available I don't know where to start! I have 2 monitors already, one is VGA the other DVI so I will need both of these on the card. I would also like display port/HDMI for future displays. I suppose I don't care about crossfire/SLI configs since I won't be gaming right?

I'd also like a nice compact case (altho I think I chose a full ATX mobo so maybe not possible) and I'd like it to be slick (sad yes I know) maybe carbon fibre like or some such *edit* the Antec one above should be fine

Guess a PSU too - haven't a clue here.

Do I need to get seperate cooling? I won't be overclocking (well not initially) but would like the option! Any/All help appreciated and feel free to recommend change in existing parts!

marco_polo

00sully wrote: »

Hi guys, little help wouldn't go astray. This will be my first build. budget ~€1000 and the pc will mainly be used for

- software development (IIS web server/SQL Server)
- Media Streaming / Encoding / Browsing
- There will be very little gaming if any on this.

I have so far: ~€650 so far (not inc VAT)

Proc: Intel Core i7 Quad 860 2.80 8MB
Ram: Corsair XMS3 - Memory - 8 GB : 2 x 4 GB - DIMM PC3-10666
(not sure the mobo supports this ram tho?: PC3-10600, PC3-19200, PC3-6400, PC3-8500)
HD: Samsung 1TB F3 7200rpm SATA 3Gb/s 32MB
Mobo: Gigabyte P55 S1156 DDR3 ATX
Case: Antec Three Hundred Case Black
Drive: LG Electronics 22x DVDRW Black OEM

Now I need a graphics card and there is such a plethora of these available I don't know where to start! I have 2 monitors already, one is VGA the other DVI so I will need both of these on the card. I would also like display port/HDMI for future displays. I suppose I don't care about crossfire/SLI configs since I won't be gaming right?

I'd also like a nice compact case (altho I think I chose a full ATX mobo so maybe not possible) and I'd like it to be slick (sad yes I know) maybe carbon fibre like or some such *edit* the Antec one above should be fine

Guess a PSU too - haven't a clue here.

Do I need to get seperate cooling? I won't be overclocking (well not initially) but would like the option! Any/All help appreciated and feel free to recommend change in existing parts!

Don't really need a powerful graphics card so wouldn't spend much here something like an ATI HD 5450 would be a nice choice and generally come with VGA / HDMI and DVI slots (ports may vary depending on manufacturer so just double check before purchase to be sure ).

PSU wise I would get something like a modular Corsair HX520W, will be nice and tidy in a smallish case like the 300. If the budget is getting tight maybe would look at the TX450W instead. If you have any spare change left I would get an SSD for the OS (and maybe you could also squeeze your IDE(s) of choice on there too). Good cheap coolers to consider would be the Scythe Mugen 2 (rev.B) (40is)or the Cooler Master Hyper 212 (30ish), you could always go with the stock cooler for now and get this later on.

If you look for your exact motherboard in the link below you should find the memory support list, but it should work even if it is not on the list as manufacturers tend to test a very limited number of combinations (maybe do a search for the Ram MB combination to see if others have problems). The fact it is may not be on the list only means that it has not been tested by Gigabyte with that particular board, not that it is nescesarily incompatible. PC3-10600 means the same as PC3-10666 BTW.

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/list.aspx?s=42&jid=1&p=2&v=11

00sully

cheers I did go overkill on the gfx card cuz I couldn't find one with the right port combination in stock and I still wanted a small bit of oomph! went with the following in the end since
15339898

Corsair VX550W - Power supply
ASUS P7P55D-E P55 Socket-1156
Processor - 1 x Intel Core i7 860 / 2.8 GHz -
Antec Three Hundred
Corsair XMS3 - Memory - 8 GB : 4 x 2 GB - DIMM
Akasa X4 AK-968 - Processor cooler
Sony Optiarc AD-5260S - Disk drive - DVD±RW (±R
Samsung SpinPoint F3 Desktop Class HD502HJ 500gb
Sapphire RADEON HD 5770 - Graphics adapter 512mb

the 5770 has 2 dvi ports to go with my current setup but also HDMI so I can hook it to a tv. also displayport should I ever go down that route. This build should last a few years hopefully

I can always get an SSD again and install the OS on it I guess. The motherboard above is overkill but again I'm thinking a little into the future hence USB 3 and ESata.

DECEiFER

Hey 00sully,

I was faced with a similar dilemma to you at around March this year. I was torn between the i7 860 or i7 920. I opted for the latter because of the LGA-1366 motherboard type. You say you want to future-proof your PC. With all these emerging technologies, I don't think it's entirely possible, but you can go with the odds. I did just that and don't regret it. You'd probably go with 6GB of RAM, but it would run in triple-channel mode as opposed to dual-channel. You could go for 12GB, but that would certainly bring you over-budget.

However, if you do go the LGA-1366 route, I'd have to suggest a PSU of no less than 700W for the job. Of course, you can always ask for more help on choosing suitable parts if you do decide to explore this route at the very least.

I'm an ATI user, but I wish I wasn't. Apart from the fact that their drivers have been a let-down on far too many occasions, even up to now, they just don't have the same quality as their Nvidia competitors. I'm going to be picking up a GeForce 470 Fermi soon. Three reasons for this, 1. I want an upgrade; 2. I want more consistent performance from the drivers; 3. If you use Adobe Premiere CS5, you get hardware support for CUDA encoding via the Mercury Playback Engine, which will speed up the process tremendously. In other words, Nvidia may not seem to offer more bang for your buck, but they are the better investment in my opinion.

Monotype

DECEiFER wrote: »

I opted for the latter because of the LGA-1366 motherboard type. You say you want to future-proof your PC. With all these emerging technologies, I don't think it's entirely possible, but you can go with the odds.

I wouldn't really go with this socket for the sole reason of upgradability, as it's due to be succeeded this time next year -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_2011

DECEiFER

Monotype wrote: »

I wouldn't really go with this socket for the sole reason of upgradability, as it's due to be succeeded this time next year -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_2011

Excellent. I hadn't realized that, I was still in thinking that Intel would continue to use LGA-1366 for quite some time.

Still, given that LGA-2011 is not an option at present, I have not regretted my choice to get an LGA-1366. I only have 6GB of RAM at present (again, triple-channel), but I could go for 12GB or 24GB in the near-future, with the latter being unbeatable by just about any application; even Adobe After Effects CS4/5 whilst utilizing 1080p encoded footage in the workflow (which is a memory killer). And, the i7 920 was cheaper than the 860. The only extra cost was for the ASUS P6T motherboard and my 850W OCZ GameZStream PSU, though if you want to go with a SATA III/USB 3 setup, a P6T won't do you, but it does have eSata and Firewire.

I still recommend LGA-1366.

Monotype

DECEiFER wrote: »

Excellent. I hadn't realized that, I was still in thinking that Intel would continue to use LGA-1366 for quite some time.

Unfortunately, intel never seem to keep their sockets for very long and even force upgrades on the same sockets (like all the variations of 775). I wonder if this is poor planning or intentional. I much prefer AMD's line of planning with a lot of AM2 motherboards still compatible with AM3 (even though it wasn't perfect with limitations of power requirements and so on).

I could go for 12GB or 24GB in the near-future, with the latter being unbeatable by just about any application

Yes, the memory expandability is a huge advantage. I was wondering though - What do you need such a powerful PSU for?

700W is a bit overkill in the lines of future proofing, unless there'll be expansion into multiple graphics cards (and even two 5770s wouldn't need that much) or you want to keep a low load on the PSU as much as possible (efficiency can be highest around middle load and much quieter)?

PS - I'm not trying to rip your posts to shreds, I'm just trying to quantify the value of such choices.

DECEiFER

Monotype wrote: »

Yes, the memory expandability is a huge advantage. I was wondering though - What do you need such a powerful PSU for?

700W is a bit overkill in the lines of future proofing, unless there'll be expansion into multiple graphics cards (and even two 5770s wouldn't need that much) or you want to keep a low load on the PSU as much as possible (efficiency can be highest around middle load and much quieter)?

PS - I'm not trying to rip your posts to shreds, I'm just trying to quantify the value of such choices.

No, you're grand. I previously had a Corsair TX650. While that was doing just fine, I wanted to sell my old Core2Duo unit and getting it sold with a PSU was a plus for incitement. I felt that getting a higher wattage PSU was the logical way to go from there. I know I probably won't get near the threshold...yet, but I don't want to buy a new PSU every year. So given budget constraints, I went for a high-enough wattage PSU at a reasonable price to hold good for a few years or more. I did so without compromising efficiency, I wasn't going to buy some generic brand that would cause some sort of small explosion. I mulled over a few PSU choices for about a month and finally went with OCZ. Heh, if it fails it fails. I will just replace it. But at least it's not a total piece-of-crap that will most-likely ruin my entire unit.

Also, the Fermi range of GPU's from Nvidia are also power-hogs. Even a single GPU would tax my current PSU, nevermind if I decide to go SLI down the line.

Added to that, if you want to overclock, especially an i7 at any decent rate, you need the PSU to help you out.

Another reason for my choice was because I use 4-5 Hard Disks at a time (4 at present - 2 of which are WD Caviar Blacks). I also have 2 PCI Sound Cards on top of the on-board Realtek controller where one (a Sound Blaster Audigy) has an I/O module connected, which requires a floppy-type of power connector to go on the card inside and a 5.25" drive-bay breakout box extension to my second card (a Yamaha DSP Factory) to allow multiple 6.25" mic and line jack cables to be connected via the front of the unit. It all adds up.


*edit*

Here is an updated list of my specs that I have posted elsewhere, just so you know what I'm talking about. Though, since buying the PSU, I have cut down on the Hard Disks by one and removed a few other useless things that were only there for the heck of it. This list is only what I have running at the moment, fully up-to-date.

The Specifications:

CPU: Intel Core i7 920 @ 2.67GHz (D0 Stepping)
Motherboard: ASUS P6T
Memory: Corsair TR3X6G1600C9 6GB DDR3-1600MHz CL9 (3 x 2GB modules running in Triple-Channel mode)
Graphics Card: PowerColor ATI HD 4890 Plus 1GB GDDR5
Hard Drive 1: Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB SATA III (64MB Cache)
Hard Drive 2: Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB SATA III (64MB Cache)
Hard Drive 3: Samsung SpinPoint F1 1TB SATA II (32MB Cache)
Hard Drive 4: Western Digital Caviar 500GB IDE/PATA (16MB Cache)
Sound Card 1: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro PCI (with an External I/O Module)
Sound Card 2: Yamaha DSP-Factory DS2416 Studio PCI (with the 5.25" AX-44 Breakout Box)
Speakers: Creative I-Trigue 3300 2.1
Audio Monitors: M-Audio Studiophile AV 40
Headset: Creative HS-600
Mouse: Logitech G5 USB Laser
Keyboard: Logitech Y-BH52 PS/2 Media
VDU: LG Flatron L1917S 19" LCD Monitor
Optical Drive: LG Super Multi DVD±RW SATA I Burner
Chassis: Cooler Master HAF 922
PSU: OCZ GameXStream 850W

Operating System 1: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional x64
Operating System 2: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional x86


I hope I haven't gone too far off topic. What the hell, it's all pertinent!