Building a desktop - Thoughts?

[SaviorSelf]

Was hoping to put this together in December, looking for any thoughts on why/why not to choose what I picked out. Never built one before so if some of the things won't work together, point that out too! I chose this graphics card because if I understand anything, that has HDMI out and could plug into my TV and transmit video/audio correct? Mainly just followed the choice categories on ibuypower. Was also looking for something to keep the noise down on it as well, the quieter the better.

Case:
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

Mobo:
Newegg.com - EVGA 121-BL-E756-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 Micro ATX SLI Micro Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

Processor:
Newegg.com - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

PSU:
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Silent Pro 600 RS-600-AMBA-D3 600W ATX12V V2.3 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

Graphics Card:
Newegg.com - HIS H489FN1GH Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

RAM:
Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C9 - Desktop Memory

Processor Fan(?):
Newegg.com - Thermaltake V1 Max-Performance CPU Cooler with Massive 110mm Blue LED Full-Range Variable Speed Fan CL-P0401 - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

Fan Controls: (This is just shiny and I like how it looks :D)
Newegg.com - NZXT SEN-001LX Sentry LX Aluminum dual bay fan controller - Controller Panels

CD Drive: (Unsure about this)
Newegg.com - PLEXTOR Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD/CD Writer LightScribe Support - CD / DVD Burners

[Cephius]

Looks fine, the only thing that would concern me is that it's a full tower and the power supply mounts at the bottom of the case, the wires may be too short to run to the hard drives and still maintain good cable management. Speaking of cable management, the Fan controller is a waste of money and adds unneeded clutter, I'd leave it out unless you really want the cool factor.

And yes, that card will allow you to output audio and video to your TV.

[SephYuyX]

Unless you plan on OCn, stock CPU fan is good enough.
And since youre using a full tower, might as well buy a non micro MB.

You forgot HDDs btw.

[hagun]

Is that motherboard compatible with your processor?

Edit: Nvm, should be fine.

[SaviorSelf]

Oh right, I knew I was forgetting to copy something from the shopping cart. Not sure what the exact link was, but it was a 1TB hard drive. How would this run Aion? I know there are better cards out there, but I didn't want to go to crazy on this computer and the HDMI out feature was a big plus for that card, on top of the good reviews.

Pretty sure I had an operating system disc for 32-bit Windows Vista, that should work too right?

For Trixi, whats a non micro MB?

[SephYuyX]

Micro ATX Motherboards are more square, while ATX boards are more rectangle. Mainly for future upgrade use; your MB only has 4 expansion slots, while an ATX would have 6~8, plus more USB/SATA/IDE/etc connections available for use. They usually have better cooling due to the parts being a bit more spread out, built in heatsinks, and other built in stuff. For example http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128362

I also wouldnt recommend a 1TB HDD, Buy 2 500GBs if you really need that much.
Get a smaller better performing HD (SSD if you want to spend the $) just for the OS, and other installs, and use the bigger drives for storage.

[SaviorSelf]

Could you suggest another motherboard perhaps? I'm not to savvy, but whats wrong with a single TB HDD?

Edit: Touche.

[SephYuyX]

Not recommending that specific MB, just a random draw to illustrate, though I do love me some Gigabyte.

Single large drive to run everything = slow.
1 smaller drive to run the OS + game/software installations + mutipule medium drives to store your pictures/music/etc = good

You have to ask yourself, are you going to actually use a 1TB drive? Put pics on 1 500GB, movies on another, etc. a 1TB drive with the same stats as a 500GB drive will usually run a bit slower and hotter.

If you actually need 1TB room of data, and cant split it across multipule drives, than you can do RAID.

[SaviorSelf]

So I could put movies/pictures/etc on one of the HDD's, then the operating system on another with any programs I install? That will improve the speed/performance of loading times for each hard drive, and also run cooler?

For Ceph, would you suggest another PSU if the wire length might be too short? Or is there an extension cable or a way to replace the short wire it comes with?

[SephYuyX]

Yes.

The PSU should be fine, I only use Full Towers like the one you picked out, and theyre usually in theupper left, while im connecting HDDs in the lower right. So same situation as you, just reversed.

[Crowort]

Pretty sure I had an operating system disc for 32-bit Windows Vista, that should work too right?

You'll need a 64bit install to use all the memory you have, 32 bit can only address 3.5gigish. I believe this includes your video card memory too, so you'd only have 2.5 out of your 6 gigs if you used a 32 bit install.

[Gredival]

I use the same tower and CPU. This tower lets you mount the PSU on top left or bottom left (you will need to remove the extra fan on the top of the case if you want to mount the PSU on top) but you should have no trouble routing cables with this case.

If you want a full mobo recommendation this is the one I used and I've had no problems with it

Newegg.com - ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

[Calina]

Go with OCZ for ram slightly cheaper and better Cas Latency/timmings these are what i use in my i7 rig

Newegg.com - OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - Desktop Memory

[Weeks]

Perhaps I'm alone on this, but it strikes me as a little nutty to spend $200 going over the current i5 750/4870/4GB price/performance sweet spot, and then to skimp on the hard drive where you can make serious performance gains. Yes, SSDs will be cheaper next year, as will every other component in your computer.

[SaviorSelf]

Perhaps I'm alone on this, but it strikes me as a little nutty to spend $200 going over the current i5 750/4870/4GB price/performance sweet spot, and then to skimp on the hard drive where you can make serious performance gains. Yes, SSDs will be cheaper next year, as will every other component in your computer.

How so? By all means I'm pretty clueless, indulge me.

[Weeks]

Newegg.com - Intel X25-M SSDSA2MH080G2R5 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Solid State Disks

I got this from Amazon for $240. Newegg had it back at $240 two days ago as their shell-shocker and it promptly sold out. It looks like the only places that have it in stock today have the price marked up, but the markups have been slowly going away and by the time you've got this system built you'll be able to get one at retail price.

I bought one for all my programs, with a 1.5TB hard drive for media storage. Maybe you're a more patient man than I and all that matters to you is the resolution you can game at, but it's more important to me that my computer instantly responds to whatever I'm doing with it so this is where I spent my money.

[Calina]

Perhaps I'm alone on this, but it strikes me as a little nutty to spend $200 going over the current i5 750/4870/4GB price/performance sweet spot, and then to skimp on the hard drive where you can make serious performance gains. Yes, SSDs will be cheaper next year, as will every other component in your computer.

SSD are great if you wanna spend 230-300$ on 60GB when the performance gains are minimal atm(SSD's best gain is in random reads and wrights IE start up so ya your PC will start quicker but anything beyond that is marginal improvements right now)

personally id wait 1-2 years before going SSD next year they will be cheaper higher sized and the technology will improve so best to wait

don't get me wrong SSD's are the future but for now there just not worth the price trust me there ive used them there are some nice gains here and there but not worth the price when you can buy a pair of Vraptors and put them in raid 0 for the same price

if you have to have them now only buy intel the jmicron drives are shit

[guartz]

you are getting a badass system, why not throw down a few bucks more and get Newegg.com - XFX HD-587A-ZNF9 Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards ?

[Solefald]

Get a Core i7 860 instead, the whole platform is cheaper, runs cooler, and is as fast as the 920. Or an i5 like Weeks suggested. Take note, i5 and i7 8xx require an LGA1156 motherboard and dual-channel 1.65v DDR3, so the components you have listed won't work with the 860.

Heatsink: the one you picked sucks hard, grab a Xigmatek, Scythe, or Thermalright(not sold at Newegg), just make sure it's compatible with whatever CPU you choose.

Hard drive: Forget what SephYuYX said, he's wrong about this and about a lot of things in general. 2x500GB platters or 3x333 GB platters in a single drive are always going to be faster & cooler than 4x250GB platters in 2 separate drives. I would not consider an SSD right now, next year once the technology matures a bit and prices come down they will be more attractive.

[seph32]

Single large drive to run everything = slow.
1 smaller drive to run the OS + game/software installations + mutipule medium drives to store your pictures/music/etc = good

I made that mistake when installing my 500GB + 1.5TB drive when I formatted and swapped them I found out how much faster Windows was.

Like posted above if you're going ATI I would get the new 5870 series personally if you can pound roughly an extra $200. 5870 come really close to the 295GTX and its cheaper.