Building my first Rig (questions and opinions)

[sweave]

Hi everyone, building my 1st rig at last (or at least beginning the component collection cycle) :D

i was originally leaning towards a AMD but have been convinced otherwise to buy intel.
before i would always get something expensive and then sit on it for four years but from now on i want to get something that is midrange (but not a slouch) and upgrade (build a new rig) every 2 years or so.
the price range i am aiming for is around $800.

anyway i decided to start off with the case and the psu and found this combo at tiger
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3010759&CatId=1483
i rather like the case design and the ultra psu looks good too (was planning on getting an ultra or a thermalake anyways)

600watt is more than enough for my needs i believe as i strongly doubt i will ever go sli.

anyway my questions for now are this
the cpu i am planning on is a core 2 duo (probably a 2.4 or higher depending on prices by august). so will this psu work on a socket 775 atx mobo.

i know it might sound silly :wink:
but the reason i am asking is because the dell i am using right now has a 250watt psu and when i asked if i could upgrade it i was told that a larger psu would not work with my mobo........ :confused:

thanks in advance for your help

[mmonnin]

The case/PSU will work fine for a C2D system.

What do you plan on doing with the system? Gaming, Internet/Office, Video Editing? What do you want it to be able to do?

Is that $800 total for everything including the Case/PSU or everything after? Do you need keyboard/mouse/monitor to go with that price?

A 2.4GHz C2D may break your budget at ~$230 for an E6600. An E4300/E4400 at $119/$143 may be more in line with an $800 total budget.

Some older Dells could not use normal ATX power supplies, so that statement may have been correct.

[sweave]

ill be using it for pretty much everything including gaming
and yes the 800 is for the case and psu as well.
but i'm going to be trading in my current system to tiger as well and i should recieve a 250 or greater credit for it which i didnt include in the 800

i am keeping my monitor, keyboard, mouse, dvd burner, and possibly sound card (not sure about that one)

[mmonnin]

As for motherboards...I would suggest one with an Intel P965 chipset. It doesnt have SLI/Crossfire so it will be slightly cheaper, but not lacking performance.

Most motherboards have a decent sound card so that should be ok if you trade your current sound card in. I have used the onboard sound for several years now on different motherboards.

I would say start out the the E4400, find a P965 motherboard that has the options you want, a nice pair of memory sticks can be had for $100-150, allowcate $50 or so for a Heatsink+Fan, find a nice deal on a hard drive, use the rest on a video card +upgraded CPU.

Start looking for a nice motherboard first that has the features you want. :)

[adarryl]

I just built a c2d system with that case; it is quite nice! However, and don't take offense at this 'cause none is intended, if you are new to building a computer, do NOT use the LGA 775 retail heatsink-fan that comes with the Intel processors or any other 4-pin, "push through-and-twist to lock" heatsink. These are a bugger to install and, IMHO, are defective in design. They warp the motherboard excessively and are prone to letting go even after they appear secure. I use and recommend this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118115

It bolts through the motherboard and is just plain superior to these 4 push pin mounts.

[sweave]

thanks mmonnin :)

and yar adarryl i was planning on buying my own heatsink and other fans cooling item :D

[mmonnin]

Hehe I didnt even think of having you use the stock HS. I totally forgot it came with one...

I am a Thermalright fan myself. I have an Ultra 120 eXtreme coming my way. The non-eXtreme version is nearly as good for about $15 less.

[sweave]

while we're on the topic, what makes a good cpu fan/heatsink exactly?
what should i be looking for?
most of the ones ive seen look like their about to take off for space or seem like habitats for ants

[edcentric]

a good HSF? In my book it is reliable mounting, good cooling, tolerable noise level.
If you want some good tips on HSFs and on component selection in general try anandtech.com
http://anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2978&p=1 Not that I like this particular cooler, but the summaries cover all of the majors.
And general build info
http://anandtech.com/guides/showdoc.aspx?i=2973 Again, it isn't that I like all of their choices, but it can be helpful to see what decisions someone else has made.

[mmonnin]

A good heatsink can pull heat away from the core as fast and efficiently as possible. Nowadays its being done with heatpipes. Then after the heat has transfered into the heatsink it must be able to be taken out of the metal transport by a fan somehow. The more surface area generally means it can get rid of more heat.

[sweave]

A good heatsink can pull heat away from the core as fast and efficiently as possible. Nowadays its being done with heatpipes. Then after the heat has transfered into the heatsink it must be able to be taken out of the metal transport by a fan somehow. The more surface area generally means it can get rid of more heat.


hmmmkay so a combo one would be better then
i've seen some heatsinks though that dont come with a fan
is this because they dont require (way they were designed) one or because you're supposed to attach one to the top of it (some seem to have a locking mechanism at the top)

also are there usually holes (for the bolts) around the cpu? i've been looking at several motherboards and (maybe the shot angles) i cant seem to see 4 bolt holes in that area.

[Thrax]

IF it doesn't come with one, they're leaving you the option to buy one yourself. Fans that come with HSFs pretty much stink.

P4s, C2Ds and A64s all use mounting brackets now. No more holes in the mobo.

[sweave]

thanks for the help everyone :D

gonna start with the case and psu and then move on from there. gonna get the cpu last ^___^
might splurge a bit more on the motherboard than i want to though since i figure i probably should future proof a little and then get a mid range cpu for now and then up it next year

[sweave]

oooh one last question.
should i be wary of heatsink weight at all or is it negligable?
what i mean is if i put one of the towers in and then when i put the case right side up will i end up hearing a pop and then a crash ;)

[mmonnin]

oooh one last question.
should i be wary of heatsink weight at all or is it negligable?
what i mean is if i put one of the towers in and then when i put the case right side up will i end up hearing a pop and then a crash ;)

You shouldnt have to worry unless its some cheapo. Usually the heavier the better quality.

Intel will be moving to DDR3 next year or something, just an fyi.

[sweave]

ya i know
but like i said im planning on upgrading every 2 years now instead of 4 so i can wait no problem ^___^ and that way i can get a system that is fairly uptodate for less a lot sooner each time