First build. Not sure if i'm going over the top.

The bearded clam

Hi,

I'm practically a noob when it comes to the technical side of computing so feel free to tell me where i'm going wrong. If there's anything that seems a bit over the top i'd like to know because i could do with knocking the price down a bit.

My main concern when building this pc is whether it will work well for audio recording and editing.

Here's a link to pcpartpicker:
http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/H9Ix

That's what i've picked so far...i was hoping some of you might be able to give some advice in relation to the motherboard, cpu and the ssd.

As you can see i have the 120gb ssd and a 1tb hdd. I was thinking i'd use the ssd to handle the software i'll be using etc. and i have the 1tb hdd for storing files and songs for mixing.

I also have to get the sound card from amazon because it's not listed on pcpartpicker. This is it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003RRY3WO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Is the ssd too much if i'm just dedicating it to a few programs? 16gb ram might be a bit much too?

Any help will be much appreciated.

KD11

Someone more knowledgable than me will probably be along in awhile, but ill throw my two cents in anyway. You won't need the 3770k, the i5 3570k will be more than enough. Are you overclocking it? Personally I'd increase the psu to around 550w, but 450 should be enough for that build. You could also drop the ram to 8gb if you want to save money, you won't have much use for 16gb but its cheap enough anyway so its up to you if you want to keep it.
Definetly keep the 120 ssd. Iv a 64gb which I use just for the os and that's almost full. If you want to save money initially get a 64gb now for the os then get a much bigger one in the future when their cheaper.
I don't know anything about soundcards so can't really help you there.
Also, will you be doing any gaming? If not you could drop the gfx card altogether to save money and use the mobo integrated gfx card, it's an option anyway.

The bearded clam

Thanks KD11,

I took your advice on the psu...well i met it half way. Bumped it up to 500w. I found a much better deal overall on hardwareversand.de

I don't know how to show the setup from that page though so i can't show it right now. Anyway, i was struggling to keep the price down on pcpartpicker...considering the fact that i had to pay for delivery on each part, having to buy a monitor and the soundcard separate and after all of that having to pay someone to build it for me. From what i could gather that was all going to bring me up past 1500, maybe even closer to 1600.

My final price is 1416 euro, including the monitor, the sound card, the build, 50 for a stress test and delivery. I was aiming for 1400 max so that's not bad at all. (Oh and i managed to have enough left in the budget for some decent 5.1 surround sound speakers too!)

Do you think i should bother with the stress test?

(edit) Hadn't really decided on gaming yet...but i was just looking through the graphics cards and i can switch the gigabyte geforce 2gb card out for a gigabyte radeon hd 2gb card and save 25 euros. Is there much of a difference between them?

KD11

I highly recommend you build it yourself. It really is like Lego for grown ups. I built mine a couple weeks ago and iv been itching to build another one.
You should price scan.co.uk aswell, mine worked out cheaper there than hwvs. Plus you can pay something like 25euro for scansure which means if you damage anything during the build theyll replace it. Some think its a rip off but if your buying the whole thing of them it's worth it.

The bearded clam

Ha, if i had any idea what i was doing i'd try to build it myself but to be honest i think i'd end up screwing it up. (i've built a few wardrobes in my time, somehow there always seems to be a load of parts left over. I don't fancy that happening to my computer!)

I'm looking on their site at the moment, can't seem to find the custom build page...maybe i'm not looking in the right place.

I did find some that you can configure but a few of the components are locked into the build.

KD11

The bearded clam wrote: »

Ha, if i had any idea what i was doing i'd try to build it myself but to be honest i think i'd end up screwing it up. (i've built a few wardrobes in my time, somehow there always seems to be a load of parts left over. I don't fancy that happening to my computer!)

I'm looking on their site at the moment, can't seem to find the custom build page...maybe i'm not looking in the right place.

I did find some that you can configure but a few of the components are locked into the build.

I don't think they have a custom build page, they're more for just ordering parts and you build it. if you don't want to build then yeah I'd stick with hwvs. As far as i know they won't install the CPU cooler, because it could cause damage during transport. You'll have to install that yourself. Also if your buying windows it'll be German version, same with the keyboard.

The bearded clam

KD11 wrote: »

Also if your buying windows it'll be German version, same with the keyboard.

Ooh, good call. I was putting windows through on the order, i'll have to cancel that and buy it on amazon or something. I'm getting the keyboard and mouse in a local store so that's no problem.

Is there much that can go wrong if i'm installing the cooler?

Sarz91

The bearded clam wrote: »

Is there much that can go wrong if i'm installing the cooler?

Are you still going for the Antec Kuhler H20 620? If so this might be of some use to you here

KD11

The bearded clam wrote: »

Ooh, good call. I was putting windows through on the order, i'll have to cancel that and buy it on amazon or something. I'm getting the keyboard and mouse in a local store so that's no problem.

The German will still work, you just have to download the english version windows 7 and then use the key that comes with the German version.

Coolers are easier to install before the mobo is installed. I'm not sure about this cooler but I'd assume it wouldn't be too much trouble to install it after? It's probably the trickiest part of the whole build and even that's pretty easy.

The bearded clam

Sarz91 wrote: »

Are you still going for the Antec Kuhler H20 620?

Well i actually picked the corsair hydro h40 cooler...but i'm looking at a video and the installation looks like the motherboard needs to be removed. I don't want to risk messing up anything so i think i'll look for a good cooler that allows for an easy installation.

The bearded clam

Item|Price
Corsair Hydro Series H40 (Sockel 775/1155/1156/1366/AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3 +/FM1)|€
Kingston SSDNow V+ 200 120GB, SATA 6Gb/s, Bundle-Kit|€
Seagate Barracuda 7200 1000GB, SATA 6Gb/s|€
OEM Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit inkl. Vorinstallation|€
ASUS Xonar Essence STX, PCIe x1|€
LogiLink Wireless LAN 300 Mbps PCI Karte 802.11n 2T2R|€
12GB-Kit Kingston HyperX XMP PC3-12800U CL9-9-9-27|€
Windows Aktivierung inklusive aktueller Updates für Ihr gewähltes Betriebssystem|€
Intel Core i7-3770 Box, LGA1155|€
ASUS P8Z77-V LX, Sockel 1155, ATX, DDR3|€
Rechner - Zusammenbau|€
LG Flatron E2342T|€
PowerColor Radeon HD 6570, 2GB DDR3|€
ASUS DRW-24B5ST Retail|€
Belastungstest für PC & Notebook inkl. Testprotokoll|€
be quiet! SYSTEM POWER 7 500W|€
Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506|€
Zalman Z9 USB 3.0 Midi-Tower - schwarz, ohne Netzteil|€
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€1405.48

I used the basket to post script but the individual prices are not showing...i don't know why. it all comes to 1405.48! Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions now that my selections are visible i'd appreciate the input.

KD11, you'll probably notice that i held onto the i7 3770 even though you said i won't need it. (i'm just think if this goes well and i happen to make enough money it'll come in handy later on...)

Tij da feen

Answer these questions so we know exactly what you're looking for. Also include what software you'll be using if possible,

The bearded clam

1. What is your budget? up to 1400 euro

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? Recording and editing audio

3. Do you need a copy of Windows? yes (7 if it's compatible with firewire)

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? no, i'm switching from a pretty bad laprop.

5. Do you need a monitor? yes

5a. If yes, what size do you need. i'd prefer between 22" and 24"

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? Speakers, wireless card. (i can get the keyboard and mouse myself)

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? not sure, would i need to?

8. How can you pay? bank transfer, laser or visa.

9. When are you purchasing? between 1 and 3 weeks

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? kildare

I'll be using cubase 6 or 7. haven't got it yet. also the mixer i'm using requires firewire connectivity.

(i had put this info up in another post.)

KD11

The bearded clam wrote: »

Item|Price
Corsair Hydro Series H40 (Sockel 775/1155/1156/1366/AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3 +/FM1)|€
Kingston SSDNow V+ 200 120GB, SATA 6Gb/s, Bundle-Kit|€
Seagate Barracuda 7200 1000GB, SATA 6Gb/s|€
OEM Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit inkl. Vorinstallation|€
ASUS Xonar Essence STX, PCIe x1|€
LogiLink Wireless LAN 300 Mbps PCI Karte 802.11n 2T2R|€
12GB-Kit Kingston HyperX XMP PC3-12800U CL9-9-9-27|€
Windows Aktivierung inklusive aktueller Updates für Ihr gewähltes Betriebssystem|€
Intel Core i7-3770 Box, LGA1155|€
ASUS P8Z77-V LX, Sockel 1155, ATX, DDR3|€
Rechner - Zusammenbau|€
LG Flatron E2342T|€
PowerColor Radeon HD 6570, 2GB DDR3|€
ASUS DRW-24B5ST Retail|€
Belastungstest für PC & Notebook inkl. Testprotokoll|€
be quiet! SYSTEM POWER 7 500W|€
Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506|€
Zalman Z9 USB 3.0 Midi-Tower - schwarz, ohne Netzteil|€
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€1405.48

I used the basket to post script but the individual prices are not showing...i don't know why. it all comes to 1405.48! Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions now that my selections are visible i'd appreciate the input.

KD11, you'll probably notice that i held onto the i7 3770 even though you said i won't need it. (i'm just think if this goes well and i happen to make enough money it'll come in handy later on...)

No problem, I had the 3770 included in mine aswell till I read up on what was the difference. hyper threading is basically the only big difference between them which I would never use so I dropped down to the i5
The i7 3770 you have can't be overclocked though. The 3770k means its unlocked which can be overclocked. If you want to keep that one then you Won't need the z77 board. One of the other lads here might be able to suggest something like an asrock mobo.

The bearded clam

KD11 wrote: »

I had the 3770 included in mine aswell till I read up on what was the difference. hyper threading is basically the only big difference between them which I would never use so I dropped down to the i5. The i7 3770 you have can't be overclocked though.

So do you reckon i'd be better off saving the 60 euro difference and just get a heatsink later on, or do you think the liquid cooler would be enough?

KD11

The bearded clam wrote: »

So do you reckon i'd be better off saving the 60 euro difference and just get a heatsink later on, or do you think the liquid cooler would be enough?

If you're not going to overclock the processor you could get the i7 3770 or i5 3570 and use the stock cooler that comes with it. As far as I know hwvs will install the stock cooler but they won't install the aftermarket ones. If you think you might be overclocking in the future then you need the i7 3770k or i5 3570k and you will need a better cooler which you will have to install yourself. You should overclock it though. I havnt done it yet myself but I will next year sometime. It is simple to do and perfectly safe. So if you want to save money now, get a (k) processor and stock fan and install a cooler later if you like.

Tij da feen

Item|Price
Intel Core i7-3770K Box, LGA1155|€289.42
ASRock Z77 Pro3, Sockel 1155, ATX|€82.94
Samsung SH-224BB bare schwarz|€16.99
16GB-Kit Patriot Viper3 BLACK MAMBA, 1600MHZ, CL 10-10-10-27|€83.90
Crucial M4 128GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5")|€99.63
WD Caviar Blue 1TB 6Gb's|€58.51
FRACTAL DESIGN Define R4 Black Pearl|€93.50
be quiet! STRAIGHT POWER BQT E9-400W 80+Gold|€64.65
ASUS Xonar Essence STX, PCIe x1|€163.94
MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SB-Version Englisch|€81.49
LG Flatron IPS234V|€144.56
Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506|€83.92
TP-Link TL-WN861N, 300Mbps, Mini Pci|€13.38
Corsair Hydro Series H40 (Sockel 775/1155/1156/1366/AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3 +/FM1)|€46.99
2 x Scythe GentleTyphoon 120 mm Lüfter 800 rpm|€23.98
Rechner - Zusammenbau|€20.00
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€1386.79

This is taking sound into consideration. The fans should be used to replace the fan on the H40 and the case fans and they should keep everything very quiet. The case also has sound reducing lining in the case. If you're not overclocking then you can drop the i7 down to a non-k version and the motherboard down to a B75/H77 chipset but I would recommend overclocing as it's very easy to do and can get a good performance boost from doing it.

EDIT: Wrong Wireless Card in there. Use this instead.

Serephucus

^ That's the build you should go for.

The bearded clam

Thanks Tij!

I was lookin for a push in the right direction. Just one thing, i'm hoping at least one of the motherboards available might have built in firewire...i have a feeling this might turn out to be a silly request seeing as firewire has fallen out of fashion lately.

Serephucus

The Z77 Extreme6 has Firewire built-in, but it's not cheap.

It's an extra €65, you'd be better with a Firewire card of some sort.

The bearded clam

Serephucus wrote: »

The Z77 Extreme6 has Firewire built-in, but it's not cheap.

It's an extra €65, you'd be better with a Firewire card of some sort.

Cheers man, i was looking for one with firewire for a good while. I'll probably just go ahead and get that because the card i was looking at costs around 50, by the time i manage to get someone to install it i could end up spending more.

There's just one thing, the firewire card i was going to get is supposedly good for overcoming problems a lot of people were having with windows 7 and standard pci firewire cards. It's a texas instruments card...so what i need to know is, is there a standard driver for all firewire ports that come with the motherboards or is there anywhere you can direct me to research it a little more.

The bearded clam

Tij da feen wrote: »

Item|Price
Intel Core i7-3770K Box, LGA1155|€289.42
ASRock Z77 Pro3, Sockel 1155, ATX|€82.94
Samsung SH-224BB bare schwarz|€16.99
16GB-Kit Patriot Viper3 BLACK MAMBA, 1600MHZ, CL 10-10-10-27|€83.90
Crucial M4 128GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5")|€99.63
WD Caviar Blue 1TB 6Gb's|€58.51
FRACTAL DESIGN Define R4 Black Pearl|€93.50
be quiet! STRAIGHT POWER BQT E9-400W 80+Gold|€64.65
ASUS Xonar Essence STX, PCIe x1|€163.94
MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SB-Version Englisch|€81.49
LG Flatron IPS234V|€144.56
Logitech Surround Sound Speakers Z506|€83.92
TP-Link TL-WN861N, 300Mbps, Mini Pci|€13.38
Corsair Hydro Series H40 (Sockel 775/1155/1156/1366/AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3 +/FM1)|€46.99
2 x Scythe GentleTyphoon 120 mm Lüfter 800 rpm|€23.98
Rechner - Zusammenbau|€20.00
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€1386.79
This is taking sound into consideration. The fans should be used to replace the fan on the H40 and the case fans and they should keep everything very quiet. The case also has sound reducing lining in the case. If you're not overclocking then you can drop the i7 down to a non-k version and the motherboard down to a B75/H77 chipset but I would recommend overclocing as it's very easy to do and can get a good performance boost from doing it.

EDIT: Wrong Wireless Card in there. Use this instead.

Tij, that was really sound of you to give me the heads up. I could have gone and bought a less than ideal rig and then run into problems later on.

I added in the as rocks z77 extreme6 motherboard because it has a firewire port. It's an extra 65 as Serephucus pointed out but it's essential that i have firewire connectivity. Any advice before i go ahead with it? Thanks again Tij!

Sarz91

The bearded clam wrote: »

Tij, that was really sound of you to give me the heads up. I could have gone and bought a less than ideal rig and then run into problems later on.

I added in the as rocks z77 extreme6 motherboard because it has a firewire port. It's an extra 65 as Serephucus pointed out but it's essential that i have firewire connectivity. Any advice before i go ahead with it? Thanks again Tij!

Is the H40 essential? You'd get better cooling on air and it's prob be cheaper too. Sorry if this has been asked before I just skimmed through.

The bearded clam

Sarz91 wrote: »

Is the H40 essential? You'd get better cooling on air and it's prob be cheaper too. Sorry if this has been asked before I just skimmed through.

I'm not sure to be honest...i might try overclocking, the software for the motherboard i picked has a straightforward overclock feature. I'm completely new to this...but i was researching the tests done on the as rock z77 extreme 6 and the cpu temperature gets pretty high when running normally but it almost goes off the scale when it's overclocked.

Here's a link: http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4663/asrock_z77_extreme6_intel_z77_with_ivy_bridge_motherboard_review/index11.html

I'm not sure but from what i can make out i'd probably need a more powerful cooling system.

The bearded clam

another thing i need to do is keep noise to a minimum as i'll mainly be using the computer for audio recording and editing.