Please Review My First Build - Total $1286.46

CASE - $129.99 - Antec Nine Hundred Two - NewEgg Link

MOBO - (combo) - ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 - NewEgg Link
CPU - (combo) - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz - NewEgg Link
RAM - (combo) - CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) - NewEgg Link
COMBO - $624.98 - MOBO/CPU/RAM Combo - NewEgg Link

HDD - $99.99 - WD Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM - NewEgg Link
GPU - $189.99 - XFX GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition Core 216 896MB - NewEgg Link
PSU - $119.99 - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX - NewEgg Link
DVD - $27.99 - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R - NewEgg Link
CPU Cooler - $59.98 - ZALMAN CNPS9900LED - NewEgg Link
Compound - $8.95 - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM - NewEgg Link

Total for all of this is $1261.86 plus $24.60 Shipping

Grand Total $1286.46

Do I need fans or anything else?

I have an older Sony 21" 520GS CRT Monitor 1600x1200 that I am going to use for now. I will get a LCD later.

Thanks for your review. All comments/opinions welcome.

 

I think those memory sticks are overkill. I'd take these and Noctua NH-U12P. Samsung F1 Spinpoint 1TB is 10 buck cheaper than the HDD you have chosen. Are you sure you need an overclocked graphics card? You can do it yourself. With the money saved from changing the RAM you could take Radeon HD 4890.

 

Well, I save $105 on the combo.

If I buy the RAM you suggest then I am looking at:

CPU: $279.99
MOBO: $289.99
RAM: $85.99
Total: $655.97 and the combo is $624.98.

Difference: Adds $30.99

Then with the different cooler would be an additional $15.01 ($59.88 vs. $74.99).

Total additional is $46.00

I was looking at the Noctua NH-U12P - $74.99 - NewEgg Link today so I think that is a better cooler but the memory would be a downgrade at a higher cost.

Would you suggest this card HIS H489F1GP Radeon HD 4890 1GB $189.99 - NewEgg Link over the 189.99 -XFX GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition Core 216 896MB - NewEgg Link

Do you need additional cooling components to overclock the GPU? I don't think I even need to overclock a GPU. I am not a big gamer anyway.

Thanks so much.

 

MattiMies: The Samsung drive is 10 dollars cheaper, but is also much worse. The WD drive is quieter and much more reliable.
The black edition isn't a particularly good choice I will grant you that much.

CB:
Case: 9/10 - Very noisy, but well designed and well built.
CPU: (rating irrelevent) - excellent performer, the only i7 worth buying
Mobo: 5/10 - overkill, and potentially problematic. Use this instead:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128374
RAM: 10/10 - excellent memory.
HDD: 10/10 - THE 1TB drive for performance purposes.
GPU: 4/10 - overpriced, underpowered. This is a much better choice: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150359
PSU: 8/10 - Excellent PSU, only 650W is needed for this build, but scope for upgrades
ODD: 7/10 - Some complain about Samsung DVD burners. I've no experience of them of late.
Cooler: 5/10 - Zalman coolers are overpriced and relatively poor, having long since been eclipsed by tower coolers like this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608007
Paste: 7/10 - great, in the olden days. This is the new stuff to have:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020

 

Sam: Thanks

I am a little confused.

You say,

and then rate my HDD choice 10/10.

Also, what do you mean when you say the mobo is "Overkill"? What exactly do you mean by that? 5 out of 10?

Did you notice that I forgo $105 for buying a different mobo?

Thanks so much.

 

Yeah, black edition = graphics card you chose. Caviar black = the HDD you chose.
I know you lose a big bundle savings, but tbh I'm not that happy with the P6T as a whole.

 

Got it. Thanks.

Still, what do you mean by overkill on the PT6? In what way?

Thanks again.

What about this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150360

vs the one Sam suggests. The price difference is not an issue and it's cheaper after the rebate. I like that it comes with Hawx.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150359

 

It's overclocked very slightly, the real world difference is there, but it's very tiny. If it means a free game the other card doesn't come with though, go for it!

 

Here in Texas we have a superstore called Fry's Electronics.

I went by there today and bought my case. I went with this case instead.

COOLER MASTER HAF 922 - NewEgg Link $129.99

The price at Fry's was $129 (same as NewEgg) and I had a $20 store credit. I had to pay tax but it was cheaper paying tax then paying shipping from NewEgg. Fry's Total $140.71 vs. NewEgg $149.98.

TIME LAPSE

I just opened the box with the case in it and it must have sustained some damage during shipping so it's going back tomorrow. Hopefully this is not how my luck is going to go. At least I don't have to ship it back to NewEgg. That would have really sucked.

Has anyone heard about this cpu cooler?

Prolimatech Megahalems $69.99 I talk to a guy at Fry's about it and he loves it. I called the Micro Center where we bought it and they said you also have to buy a fan or two fan for this unit.

Let me know what you think. I just found this article I thought I would read about it. http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTYxNCwsLGhlbnRodXNpYXN0

Thanks

 

The HAF 922 is a nice case. The prolimatech cooler is nice, but it's no better than Noctua or Thermalright coolers, which cost the same.

 

I missed out on the combo deal.

I was hesitant in getting the combo because of NewEgg return policy for Combo Items.

 

To be honest, that's a very reasonable policy. Some places won't take returns from bundles without having the whole lot back.

 

It's a terrible deal if you want to return one item. For instance the memory. It costs $160 (170 now)so if you wanted a refund for it you would only get $55 back because the discount was $105 on the combo. This is beside the point now. Lets don't get hung up on it.

I went to Fry's again today to exchange the HAF 922. The other ones they had looked like they were damaged also so I got the HAF 932. The sell it for $159 but I got them to match MicroCenter's price of $149 so it costs me an extra 20 bucks. Man, that case is a monster. I like it. At least the way it looks so far.

Update: MicroCenter has the i7 920 for $199. Yep, $199.

I got the manager at Fry's to agree to match this price if I buy my motherboard at Fry's also. That's what I am going to do. They don't carry the P6T Deluxe and they are out of the UD4P until tomorrow. I think I will buy the cpu/mobo tomorrow unless I change my dang mind again.

 

Looks like I am going to go with this board.

GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P

I am getting the cpu for $199 and this board for $259.99 plus tax.

Let me know if this is a good move.

Thanks

 

Looks fine to me.

 

Sam, you must have a lot of time on your hands.

Hey, with this HAF 932 is there a cool water cooled setup that is good and not too expensive? Radiator?

I could show it off to the old folks I know. lol

Thanks

 

Getting watercooling to show off isn't especially wise. it's tricky to get right, very costly, and often causes you problems. I would only ever recommend a quality custom-assembled system, which would be the order of $200-$300 ish. A lot to pay when air cooling would do (especially in that case)

 

Maybe I could hire a good plumber.

Anyway, I am still on this journey of building this pc obviously.

I am having second thoughts about spending $200 on a video card when I am not a serious gamer and the fact that I have expanded my budget about 600 clams.

I have a 21" monitor now and I will probably upgrade to 24" in a few months.

I don't even have any games but I would like to play like the new COD and others like that. Maybe Hawx.

Could I get something less expensive and still have a decent card?

Thanks so much.

 

COD6 and HAWX will play fine on a midrange card, but not at maximum settings with a big 24" monitor. I'd recommend you go no lower than this card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150394

 

Thanks again kiddo(Sam).

Ok, I drop some clams tonight.

This is what I have so far.

CASE - Paid $149.99 (Fry's) - Cooler Master HAF932 - NewEgg Link
MOBO - Paid $259.99 - GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P - NewEgg Link
CPU - Paid $199.99 (Fry's) - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz (Revision D0) - NewEgg Link
RAM - Paid $154.99 (Fry's) - CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) - NewEgg Link
HDD - Paid $99.99 (Best Buy) - WD Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM (Boxed Retail) - NewEgg Link
Fry's 3yr Warranty MOBO/CPU - $89.99 - Don't really need any opinions on this one if you think it's a waste of money. Fry's will replace the mobo/cpu once in the three year period. If they don't carry the 920 or mobo, you get a comparable one that they currently make/carry. If I were buying a pc from Dell, I would probably buy a service plan.

Subtotal: $954.94

Tax: $78.78 - I know, I hate the tax but I got decent prices compared to NewEgg and I hate sending stuff back. I would rather be able to take it back to a store. I also saved the cost of the case shipping and got the cpu for 80 clams cheaper than NewEgg.

Total so far: $1033.72