Need guidance selecting components for new build

Hey folks,

As the subject says, I'm seeking guidance in selecting components for a new system. I have the technical knowledge and capability to build a system, and I have built several in the past, but the last one was five years ago, so I am not exactly up to date with the latest technology.

This will be a desktop system Following is a list of intended uses for this machine:

• General web surfing, email, document editing
• Photo editing with Photoshop Elements 9
• DVR; BeyondTV 4 will be running 24/7 to be able to record and schedule recordings
• DLNA server; J.River Media Center 15 will be running 24/7

Notice video editing and gaming are not on the list, and I don't expect them ever to be. Therefore, I don't need super fancy high-end graphics.

I suppose I will begin by selecting a CPU and building the system around that. Years ago I always chose AMD because I believed you got more processor for your buck. I have absolutely no idea if that is still true. I'm sure there are those out there that prefer Intel, and those who prefer AMD for whatever reason. If so, why? In either case, which family of processor should I look at? Which socket type? Etc?

I could also use help with motherboard, memory, video card, and power supply. It shouldn't be difficult to select drives or a case.

I realize preference in components is often very subjective. Suggestions such as "Go with X brand, they are awesome," or "Stay away from such-and-such, it's total garbage," are useless. Please provide at least some basic information (you don't have to get super technical) as to why you recommend or don't recommend a certain product or brand.

Thanks to anyone for your help. I'll will check in here regularly, and I'll be sure to post back with a final list of components I choose, and with how it goes once the system is build.

Ken

 

Well Ken, you forgot one basic thing in your otherwise excellent post, what's your budget? I would go with as high end as I could with your resources to future proof your machine. Are you going to buy an OS and/or case?

AMD is the way to go for you in my opinion.

 

Oh, I forgot to ask, does all that software work properly right now? What is your current OS and hardware specs? Would you need to pay to upgrade your programs to W7? How about your peripherals like a scanner/printer, will they work with W7, meaning drivers? All things to consider.

 

Hi

As far as processor, I agree AMD would be best (you still get more processing for your dollars with AMD), probably a Phenom II.

Power supply I would go with Corsair or Antec, both are good brands... probably a 650W.

It will definitely help to know your budget (goal and max).

 

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the quick responses. Excellent questions. Let me address them.

Agreed! I thought about including my budget, but I wasn't sure how realistic it would be. Ideally, I'd like to keep it to $400-$600. This does not include any software. I already have the software I need, including Windows 7. So we are talking monitor, case, PSU, HDD, optical drive, motherboard, CPU, memory, graphics card (if motherboard doesn't have decent on-board graphics), mouse and keyboard (I have some laying around, but I want a nice wireless set like the ones Logitech makes). Think I can stick within that range for all of that?

I already own MC15 and BTV4. I've run them on XP Pro, but they have no issue working with Windows 7.

 

Ouch man, take the monitor out of the equation to simplify this. More than likely a mATX case/mobo with onboard audio/video is the way to go. BTW, a 650W PSU is way over the top if you're not going to have discrete video cards. I have a 600W powering some mid to higher end cards.

Do you ever expect to upgrade? Best thing to look for is some barebones machines.

 

Yes, I imagine I will upgrade along the way. I want this machine to serve not only my immediate needs, but have the ability to do so for years to come. I don't necessarily want the smallest/cheapest components I can get just because I'm on a budget. That's why I said I didn't know how realistic my budget actually was. I don't want microATX. I want plenty of room for expansion.

So, you think I can get decent on-board video?

 

I'm not sure why, but I was thinking powering an i7, a 500W would be sufficient with onboard video.

Approximate cost for what you want:

Midtower case $60-$100

CPU (Phenom II quad) $150

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

Motherboard will run $100-$150, depending

That's already around $400 right there... RAM, if you 4GB, it will be around $60... if you want more, that will cost more.

A decent power supply will cost you over $50.

Hard drive will be at least $60 for a decent one, optical drive if you don't need Blu-Ray is minimal (like $20).

I would say go with ASUS for a motherboard, you'll likely want one with USB 3.0 and SATA 6.

I would say you're looking at spending at least $600 for a decent machine for what you want.

 

I notice the Athlon II family seems to be less expensive than the Phenom II. What advantages will I gain by using a Phenom II instead of Athon II?

Wouldn't a dual-core, say 2.8 or 3.0 GHz, still provide excellent performance? Would I notice *that* much of a difference between a dual and a quad?

Besides the socket type, what other factors must be considered in determining if a particular board is right for a particular CPU? Newegg has excellent guide search capabilities, and socket type and CPU type are two different fields. I guess not any socket AM3 CPU will work in any socket AM3 board, but what are the determining factors?

 

You don't need the processing power of the Phenom II. However, since you want a computer that will last several years, I'd suggest it simply because in a few years it will be a "slower" processor compared to what they will have then. Simply put, the $50 (or maybe slightly more) you would save by going with a cheaper processor won't affect the overall cost of the computer by too much, after everything else. The quad isn't a top end processor, even for AMD, but it's one that will last years into the software future (I think). Go with 4GB of RAM (2 2GB sticks) and get a motherboard with 4 (or more) slots, that's the cheapest way to buy now and upgrade later, as when you upgrade the CPU, you're replacing it, whereas with RAM like that, you simply can add more.

Socket type is the determining factor for the motherboard... definitely go with AM3. Asus is one of the better brands for motherboards.

EDIT: Also, quality RAM is important, and not much of a price difference. Kingston or Crucial are the best RAM (I use Crucial myself).

 

I definitely understand that the socket type will determine the type of CPU that can be used. But I'm curious if there are other determining factors. In other words, can any socket AM3 processor work in any socket AM3 board?

I hope you don't think I'm being too stubborn here, but for the sake of argument, if I had to choose between a quad Athlon II or a dual Phenom II, which would you recommend?

 

If you're debating between those two processors, I'd go with the dual Phenom II. The reason for this is that multicores of processors aren't being FULLY utilized by most programs yet.

From what I understand, any AM3 processor will work in any AM3 socket motherboard.

 

I like ASUS too, I've built some 40 of them and not one comeback. Ya, AM3 is the way to go as AMD will be supporting this socket with future CPU releases for the forseeable future. It even supports the 6 core 1090T though I'm not sure if they will use the same socket for their 8 cored CPU's.

Go for a dual core if you wish as you really won't notice much difference between that and a quad. As to choosing a mobo, if you want on-board video then you're stuck with an AMD discrete video card as the only upgrade(which is a good choice as it is, just so you know). Have fun!

 

What do you mean by this? Won't any board have a PCI Express slot? Wouldn't I be able to disable onboard video and use any video card?

Onboard video is not necessarily feature I'm specifically looking for, but if I could get a board at a good price that has good features, I'm fine with it.

 

Well, if you look at this board this is what newegg says:

Crossfire is ATI only and not nVidia, which is SLI. As I said above, there's nothing wrong with a video card like that. I have reached the edge of my knowledge of AMD/ATI stuff as I'm an nVidia guy. At any rate, $ for $ you get a better bang with ATI than nVidia, not that that should be a deal breaker for you.

I only mentioned that you'll be stuck with ATI and wanted to start slowly so onboard video is the way to go until the money comes in for a video card, if you even need one given what you stated in your first post.

I think I'm overly confusing you, sorry for that.

 

OK. I just talked to a buddy of mine. He said that ATI Crossfire is a method ATI uses to link two video cards together to double the processing power, and it does require special support. So, this board supports ATI Crossfire, but does not exclude you from using non-ATI graphics cards.

 

Right... you can use an Nvidia or ATI graphics card in any motherboard... however, if you want to run TWO cards together (linked), ATI requires Crossfire, and Nvidia requires SLI. I think all Augie was saying is that if you get AMD, you'd only be able to use Crossfire.

Since you likely won't need anything but onboard video, let alone 2 graphics cards, it doesn't matter for you.

 

For a motherboard, I think I've decided on the Asus M4A88T-V. A little more than I originally wanted to spend on a board, but will save me money in the long run since it has onboard video. Thoughts?

 

Here's the final list of components I've chosen:

• CPU -- AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition
• Motherboard -- ASUS M4A77T/USB3
• Memory -- Kingston 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) Dual Channel Kit
• Case -- Antec Sonata Proto
• PSU -- Corsair Builder Series CMPSU-500CX
• HDD -- Seagate Barracuda 80GB (for OS and programs) and 1TB (for documents)
• Optical -- LG DVD Burner

I'd like to order this by the end of the day. Does anyone see any potential compatibility, performance, or other issues with any of the components?

 

Personally, I'd go with a little better PSU... something like this (while Corsair makes good power supplies, their CX series isn't so good):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

Also, never been a Seagate HDD fan, Western Digital's Black Caviar series are good system drives.

And finally, LG isn't the best brand for a DVD burner, might want to look at Sony (no price difference):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118039

Your CPU of course will be good, motherboard and memory look decent.

 

I'm certain I won't need the extra 50 watts in the power supply you linked to. Aside from that, what is the difference, and why should I spend the extra $20?

Same with the HDD. Seagate is a popular brand, and their products get good reviews. Is it just a matter of personal preference? A 1T WD is $17 more than the Seagate I chose.

I will, however, consider switching to this WD Caviar Blue 160GB for my OS drive. Only a few bucks more than the 80GB Seagate I chose. I probably won't even need 80, but twice the capacity for just a few bucks more is a no-brainer. However, what's the difference between the Caviar Black series and the Blue?

As for personal preference, it has always been my personal preference to avoid Sony. I suppose this is more true for consumer electronics; probably not much difference in your basic DVD drive. But what is wrong with LG?

(Actually, I just looked at the Sony again and notice did doesn't support LightScrib. The LG does, and I want that feature.)

Not trying to sound totally cheap, but a few bucks here, a few bucks there, and it all adds up. If I have a compelling reason to step up a component, I will. Your input is greatly appreciated, as it has been since I began this thread.

 

I didn't recommend the PSU for watts, the one you selected has enough power, just the CX series aren't as good as I already mentioned. If you're going to skimp for cheaper parts, skimp on something other than the power supply. The power supply I linked to is better quality, period.

Blue Caviars are lower quality than Black Caviars. WD Black Caviars have better redundancy checks (real time error correction, etc.), better speed, and are more reliable, which is why I recommended them. I think it's worth the extra money, at least for your system drive. I know this is more than your Seagate drive, but at least read up and consider it:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320

If you want to avoid Sony, that's your choice. I personally don't have either Sony or LG for my burner, I've just heard that LG tends to be cheaper quality on their DVD drives. I have an LG monitor that I'm very happy with, and know they are generally a decent brand. As to LightScribe support, remember you need to buy the more expensive LightScribe CDs and DVDs in order to use that feature (not worth it in my opinion, I'll stick to using a black Sharpie). LightScribe does NOT work on normal CDs and DVDs. Being that you're on a budget, I can't imagine you'd be buying the more expensive LightScribe disks. If you don't want to buy Sony, there's other drives than LG... if you decide to go with LG, I wish you the best and hope it works great for you. As I mentioned, I don't have experience with either brand burner to share, just going off of what I've heard.

I completely understand about saving a few dollars here and there, but it's also wise to spend a little bit more to get better quality than to end up replacing the things you buy once or twice because you wanted to go TOO cheap in the first place.

 

I agree about skimping elsewhere and not on the power supply. I read up on the CX series, and so I will go for the one you recommended. I just wish there were a lower-wattage version so I could get the quality of that series without paying too much for lots of power I don't needs. But I know the headroom won't hurt, so if it is truly a better series, then the switch is a good decision.

I think I will keep the drives that I originally selected. Yes, of course I know you need LightScribe discs to use that feature. Every burn won't use it. But if, say, I photograph a wedding (which I do on the side), a Sharpie isn't exactly professional. Just because I have a certain budget on a rather large initial purchase of hundreds of dollars on equipment doesn't mean I'm not willing to spend a few cents apiece more for LightScribe discs.

BTW, looks like after I pick up a keyboard and mouse combo, this system will be under $600, not including monitor, which was my goal.

 

True. Also, for your photo business (just an idea) there are also labels you can get that you can use in a printer to put on disks as well. Nice thing with those is they can be full color.

Anyway, best of luck with your new computer! It'll definitely spank my current system (waiting on the tax return to fund my new parts).

 

Thanks for the well wishes, despite me not choosing every component you would have. As I said, I'll post here again with results when the system is up and running.

Yeah, I thought about the label printing thing, or even a printer that can print directly onto compatible discs. That can be something to consider in the future if I feel there is enough of a need for it.

 

I completely understand the budget situation, and I'm very glad you were able to get a decent system that fits your budget. Personally, I have relatively cheaper HDDs I'm using and they've been fine for a few years so far, hopefully you receive the same luck.

If I had a set budget I was trying to fit, I would also be making a few sacrifices here and there to make it work. Best thing is to get the balance between price and quality.