[Gaming build] First time build. Need some info.

cocoshovel

Hey all. My current computer is pretty outdated so I was thinking of building one sometime in the coming months. I know the things I need, and I don't think building it will be a major problem.
The thing I'm wondering about is how exactly do you know what hardware item will work with others?
Its a stupid question, I know and maybe has a simple answer to it. But for e.g how would I know if a video card, or ram etc is compatible with a certain motherboard? I'm assuming it isn't as simple as just "if it fits it works" .

Ive been slowly researching things over the past months and I want to create a mid-high quality gaming build for about €600 (excluding monitor) if thats possible. I would be wanting it for such games as Guild Wars 2 and other new releases, perhaps BF2. I want it to last a good while and be able to keep up with games. Also some photoshop, adobe flash, animation/movie watching.

8gb ram or more
64 bit windows 7
SSD for operating system? would be a nice luxury
2 or more 1tb drives
unsure of everything else at this stage but have slight ideas.

Id appreciate any help/info you could give me. I do need to spend a bit more time learning and researching though

MakeNine

I won't recommend specific products because i'm not familiar with AMD CPU's and ATI graphics (I just ordered my own gaming PC).

But one thing you need to keep in mind is that right now HDD prices have soared because of the Thailand floods, and don't look like coming down anytime soon. So fitting several HDD's into your budget might not be possible right now if you want a decent CPU and card. For example a 1TB drive will set you back 130-150e right now :eek:

deconduo

Don't have a lot of time to give the links, but here's what you would be looking at from hardwareversand:

i5-2400 - €150
ASRock H61M mobo - €50
8GB GSKill RAM - €30
64GB Crucial M4 - €90
Windows 7 - €75 (unless you are a student in which case its €45)
Xigmatek Asgard - €30
SF Amazon 450W - €40
Sapphire 6850 - €120
Shipping - €30

Forget the hard drives for now. Not gonna happen on that budget because of the floods.

cocoshovel

Thanks a lot. Ill leave the hard drives for now so, the SSD doesnt seem to have gone up by too much which is good.:)

Would it be a good idea to invest in a higher watt PSU incase I decide to upgrade/add more parts in the future, or would that have little or no bearing? I was thinking maybe something closer to 800W? completely unneccessary maybe.

dwighet

cocoshovel wrote: »

Thanks a lot. Ill leave the hard drives for now so, the SSD doesnt seem to have gone up by too much which is good.:)

Would it be a good idea to invest in a higher watt PSU incase I decide to upgrade/add more parts in the future, or would that have little or no bearing? I was thinking maybe something closer to 800W? completely unneccessary maybe.

someting like this will keep you powered up for a good while.

Im running a 850 wat AX corsair with 2 x 6970`s and 2 hdd,overclocked i5 760.. More than enough juice to keep things chugging along:cool:

deconduo

cocoshovel wrote: »

Thanks a lot. Ill leave the hard drives for now so, the SSD doesnt seem to have gone up by too much which is good.:)

Would it be a good idea to invest in a higher watt PSU incase I decide to upgrade/add more parts in the future, or would that have little or no bearing? I was thinking maybe something closer to 800W? completely unneccessary maybe.

It depends on what you would want to add. The SF Amazon 550W is €50 and will run any single graphics card apart from the GTX580. If you want to run dual GPUs in the future then you would need a better PSU, case and motherboard.

cocoshovel

Hmm seems to be coming closer to €700, but I can wait till about Christmas before I order so Ill have time to save.

It depends on what you would want to add

I might just add more ram in the future & a new graphics card. Prob no more than 3 hard drives in total. oh Ill also definitely be adding a card reader but thats not on my to buy list right now.

I am a student so I guess that means cheaper windows . I assume hardwareversand don't have the student offer?

I really do appreciate your help guys, I didn't expect you to help me like this. Thanks I'll try and not bug you with too many questions

cocoshovel

cocoshovel wrote: »

I am a student so I guess that means cheaper windows . I assume hardwareversand don't have the student offer?

the student offer (studentsofware.ie and software4students.ie)
is for upgrades only to Windows 7 professional for €45/€85.

Windows 7 home premium is about €85 on homewareversand.de

EDIT: :DCONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING YOUR 1,000th POST!:D

Tea_Bag

Deleted User wrote: »

the student offer (studentsofware.ie and software4students.ie)
is for upgrades only to Windows 7 professional for €45/€85.

Windows 7 home premium is about €85 on homewareversand.de

EDIT: :DCONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING YOUR 1,000th POST!:D

you can do a clean install with it. its not possible to upgrade from a 32bit even if you wanted to.

Fluffy88

EDIT: Not sure I can call a 6 minute gap a ninja, but ... Ninja'd!!

You can install the "Upgrade only" version of Windows 7 as a clean install.

Just google for the steps involved.
Many people here have done it before without any error.

Fluffy88

Fluffy88 wrote: »

You can install the "Upgrade only" version of Windows 7 as a clean install.

Just google for the steps involved.
Many people here have done it before without any error.

thanks, had a search there. theres a way around everything in technology!
you've just saved me a few quid in the future aswell

MakeNine

If you are waiting for a couple of months keep in mind that the new Intel CPU's (Ivy Bridge) will be out early 2012 I think, along with a new series of HD7000 ATI graphics cards and a bit later the GTX600 series from nvidia.

AFAIK Ivy Bridge won't be a big improvement performance wise, but will be more energy efficient and have a few other new features, just something to think about as well

cocoshovel

Ill be waiting until late december maybe. However Im being tempted to wait even longer and spend way more on things like a Sapphire 6950 and a Tower hehe.

With the set up deconduo recommended I assume Ill be grand upgrading items in the future. I know I was told if I want to run 2 GPU's then Ill have to get loads of new things but I dont plan to run 2, just to maybe add more ram and other little bits if needed.

One last silly question for now: I notice that the H61M mobo comes in 3 different version. H61M-vs. H61M-HVS. & H61M/U3S3.
I know that these are different sizes but aside from that is there anything else significant I should know? The case states that it supports ATX and mATX, which all 3 of those are.

deconduo

cocoshovel wrote: »

Ill be waiting until late december maybe. However Im being tempted to wait even longer and spend way more on things like a Sapphire 6950 and a Tower hehe.

With the set up deconduo recommended I assume Ill be grand upgrading items in the future. I know I was told if I want to run 2 GPU's then Ill have to get loads of new things but I dont plan to run 2, just to maybe add more ram and other little bits if needed.

One last silly question for now: I notice that the H61M mobo comes in 3 different version. H61M-vs. H61M-HVS. & H61M/U3S3.
I know that these are different sizes but aside from that is there anything else significant I should know? The case states that it supports ATX and mATX, which all 3 of those are.

Main difference is just the onboard video out slots. Not really important as you'll be using a graphics card anyway. The U3S3 has USB3 and SATA3.

HVS: VGA+HDMI
VS: VGA
S: VGA + DVI
U3S3: VGA+DVI+HDMI, also has USB3+SATA3

cocoshovel

Alright how does this look, Anything missing or that I could/should add? Will it all work together etc?

Total build cost: €673.53 + €30 shipping
Intel Core i5-2400 Box, LGA1155 €166.45
ASRock H61M-VS (B3), Sockel 1155, mATX €45.89
8GB-Kit G.Skill PC3-10667U CL9 €31.61
MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SB-Version Englisch €83.30
Xigmatek Asgard, ATX, ohne Netzteil, schwarz €31.61
Sapphire HD 6850 1GB GDDR5 PCI-Express €121.66
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 11 LP €10.47
XFX PRO850W Core Edition Full Wired Power Supply €88.05
Crucial M4 64GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5") €94.49

would you need fans?

cocoshovel

Deleted User wrote: »

would you need fans?

One comes with the case, and I included one for the cpu. Would I need anymore? Im not sure you see, thats why Im asking here

cocoshovel

cocoshovel wrote: »

One comes with the case, and I included one for the cpu. Would I need anymore? Im not sure you see, thats why Im asking here

Ya you would need at least one more id say. usually the dimensions are 12cm x 12cm. don't go for the cheap ones as they're usually noisy!
I presume your overclocking if your getting a more poweful cpu cooler?

cocoshovel

Deleted User wrote: »

Ya you would need at least one more id say. usually the dimensions are 12cm x 12cm. don't go for the cheap ones as they're usually noisy!
I presume your overclocking if your getting a more poweful cpu cooler?

Hows this?: http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=37846&agid=42


and I dont really have intentions of overclocking at the moment, it was just a random fan I picked out. Is everything else in my build alright?

Also forgot the disk drive. Ill add one of those later, theyre not hard to pick out. Would I need thermal paste or anything like that?

cocoshovel

cocoshovel wrote: »

Hows this?: http://www3.hardwareversand.de/articledetail.jsp?aid=37846&agid=42


and I dont really have intentions of overclocking at the moment, it was just a random fan I picked out. Is everything else in my build alright?

Also forgot the disk drive. Ill add one of those later, theyre not hard to pick out. Would I need thermal paste or anything like that?

ya that fan should be ok but its low in stock.

a heatsink fan comes with the cpu so that should do you since your not overclocking, but go ahead and get the one in the list if you want. yes you will need thermal paste
look up a few YouTube videos before you do it! look at the newegg videos on building a pc. especially part 3

sorry, I was,wrong, you wont need thermal paste as it comes pre applied

http://custommodding.blogspot.com/2011/07/arctic-cooling-freezer-11-lp-cpu-cooler.html

put up your final final! list before you order and get someone else to have a look at it too

cocoshovel

Yeah I didn't realize the cpu came with a heatsync already and I dont plan on overclocking so I think Ill leave that artic cooler fan.
Also I think I might just drop the SSD and pay the price for a 1tb drive .

Ill post my final build in a few days. Planning to place my order next week.