# How's this build?



## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Tower: HAF-X 942 Chassis Full Tower
Mobo: ASUS Crosshair
Processor: AMD Phenom II x4
Ram: 3x4(12) DDR3
Processor fan
Graphics Card
PSU
Fans from my older computer (maybe this fan too)
Disk drive from my old computer

I use my computer everyday for way more hours then I probably should.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Your spending a lot of unneeded money on the motherboard.

No reason to buy a 3rd party cooler.

GPU should be changed to either EVGA or Asus branded.

PSU needs to be changed to either XFX or Seasonic branded.

Have you look at our recommended build guide here:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...ams-recommended-new-builds-2012-a-668661.html


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

You can do as well for less on the Mobo but, if you do go with the Asus Crosshair, go with 2x4GB of RAM. That's a Dual Channel Mobo so using 3 sticks will pout you in Single Channel and performance will suffer.
What is the primary use for the PC?
The PSU link doesn't work for me but you'll want a 520W minimum good quality PSU for a GTX 560 GPU. SeaSonic & XFX are top quality.
Zotac products aren't noted for their good quality/reliability.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

How about this?
GPU
PSU or This PSU (If the first one isn't enough)
mobo
Case or This Case
AMD Phenom II x4
3x4(12) DDR3
Processor fan
Fans from my older computer
Disk drive from my old computer


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

CPU + cooler: Better to choose a retail boxed processor. Will include a CPU cooler.

AMD Phenom II processor (socket AM3) will not mount on the Intel LGA 1155 motherboard. Choose either a motherboard socketed for AM3/AM3+ or an Intel i3/i5 processor.

Memory: 3 x 4GB kit is wasted on a motherboard which does not have triple channel memory support. Choose a 2 x 4GB kit.

Power supply: XFX Core 550 would be strong enough

Cases: Either one. Choice is yours. Both will come with sufficient fans several cooling fans. No others necessary.

Post your total budget for your new PC and what the primary use(s) will be, and we can recommend a good fit for you.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Totally agree with Gcavan!

You really should just pick a build from our build guide here:

TSF Hardware Team's Recommended New Builds - 2012


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## toothman (Jul 13, 2008)

The Phenom II x4s are still good processors, but only if you spend $100 or less on one. Newegg has the 965 for only $95:
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGMBOX - Newegg.com


Motherboard should also be less than $100 for your needs, this one is perfect:
ASUS M5A97 LE R2.0 ATX AMD Motherboard with UEFI BIOS - Newegg.com


Same as above for RAM and PSU.


The CPU will come with a fan of its own, you won't need to buy a new one unless you plan to overclock.


The GTX 650 Ti Boost 2gb is decent for the money, but an HD 7850 2gb will cost only slightly more. If you save money on other components, you can spend more on the GPU.


Lastly, you can spend less on the case. The Cooler Master Elite 431 is pretty, cheap, and functional:
COOLER MASTER Elite 431 Plus RC-431P-KWN2 Black Steel Body (0.5mm SECC), ABS plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Newegg.com


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

I'll just go with the builds and get:
XFX Core Edition PRO750W (P1-750S-NLB9) 750W ATX12V 2.2 & ESP12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Newegg.com
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN3-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with USB 3.0 and Black Interior - Newegg.com
G.SKILL Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 - Newegg.com
AMD FX-8150 Zambezi 3.6GHz Socket AM3+ 125W Eight-Core Desktop Processor FD8150FRGUBOX - Newegg.com
ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AMD Motherboard - Newegg.com
And use whatever else from my own computer. (And get this some time later)


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Sounds good to me!

You don't need the 750W PSU if you get the GPU. A XFX 550W will do just fine.


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## toothman (Jul 13, 2008)

Last couple notes:

-it never hurts to go over on wattage but 750 is more than you need for this setup.
-that 7850 has only 1gb of memory on it; you'll want 2gb for modern games


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

More power doesn't hurt it doesn't help either. 
A 520W good quality PSU is more than enough for a 650 ti.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Anyone know a good substitute motherboard that can fit 12 gb ram, and another for 16 gb ram?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

All of the boards of the example builds should accept at least 16GB. Many of them up to 32GB.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

gcavan said:


> All of the boards of the example builds should accept at least 16GB. Many of them up to 32GB.


How much can this hold?
How much ram could be used with a computer that has this processor?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Board supports up to four 8GB DIMMs for a maximum of 32GB, regardless of CPU chosen.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

gcavan said:


> Board supports up to four 8GB DIMMs for a maximum of 32GB, regardless of CPU chosen.


Thanks! But what I meant was.. Is the CPU fast enough to keep up with 12-16gb ram?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Let's just say, that will not be a problem. :rofl:

Even the slowest of processors spends more time waiting for the memory to read/write data than it does actually processing it.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Alright! Thanks!


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

More than 8GB (2x4) is a waste and will never be utilized unless you're doing serious graphics or CAD work.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

My current gpu is nvidia geforce 8300 gs
How much better is this gpu?
XFX Core Edition FX-785A-ZNL4 Radeon HD 7850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Newegg.com


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Light years!

Seriously. They aren't even close. The 8300 GS was an entry level card when it was released in 2007. The HD 7850 is among the upper tiers of cards today making it several generations newer and several tiers higher.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

G.SKILL Sniper Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-1866C9D-16GSR - Newegg.com
This set of ram will work for my mobo right?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

I'm not sure what board you finally opted for. This one?
ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AMD Motherboard - Newegg.com

Can't be certain but it should work fine


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Go with 1600MHz RAM and 2x4GB is more than plenty if you're not doing very serious graphics or CAD work.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Just wondering..
Does this support dual GPU if the gpu have crossfirex?
ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AMD Motherboard - Newegg.com


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## helios19 (Nov 25, 2008)

sr2449 said:


> Just wondering..
> Does this support dual GPU if the gpu have crossfirex?
> ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AMD Motherboard - Newegg.com


Yes it does. However, you'll want to get a board that supports PCIe 3.0 to take full advantage of modern GPUs. Also, 4 PCIe slots is completely unnecessary for anything really.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

sr2449 said:


> Just wondering..
> Does this support dual GPU if the gpu have crossfirex?
> ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AMD Motherboard - Newegg.com


That Mobo has four GPU slots.
PCI Express 2.0 x16 - 4 (x16, x16, x4, x4)
Using two GPU's is basically a waste of money. One better GPU is almost always the better option for improved graphics.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

This PSU seems like it cost to much..

Should I use this, or another PSU?


Anyways here's the build:
Processor
Ram
GPU
Mobo
Case

Things from my own computer:
Hard Drive: 2 drives, both are 7200RP (I think)
Optical Drive: DVD

Etc:
SYBA Model SD-PEX20139 PCI Express to USB Card Add-On Card - Newegg.com

VANTEC UGT-IH203 Controller, Panel - Newegg.com

LOGISYS Computer CLK12BL2 Case Accessory - Newegg.com


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Actually this PSU is the one you'll need:

XFX Core Edition PRO550W (P1-550S-XXB9) 550W ATX12V 2.2 & ESP12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Newegg.com


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> Actually this PSU is the one you'll need:
> 
> XFX Core Edition PRO550W (P1-550S-XXB9) 550W ATX12V 2.2 & ESP12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Newegg.com


Are you sure? The recommended build guide you created says otherwise..


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

If you can spend the money on the 650W PSU then I would do it.

However that GPU plus the rest of the parts will only require the 550W.

We are going to be updating the build guide soon with all new builds.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> If you can spend the money on the 650W PSU then I would do it.
> 
> However that GPU plus the rest of the parts will only require the 550W.
> *
> We are going to be updating the build guide soon with all new builds.*


Wish I knew that


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

sr2449 said:


> Wish I knew that


There won't be any dramatic changes and the present build list all use top quality components.
I would want/use no less than 620W for the 7850 GPU.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Tyree said:


> There won't be any dramatic changes and the present build list all use top quality components.


I would want/use no less than 620W for the 7850 GPU.

Same price as the 550W XFX: SeaSonic S12II 620 Bronze 620W ATX12V V2.3 / EPS 12V V2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Newegg.com


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

So I should go ahead and get XFX Core Edition PRO750W (P1-750S-NLB9) 750W ATX12V 2.2 & ESP12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Newegg.com
?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

If you want a 750W PSU, that one is fine but 620W is more than sufficient.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Rosewill RC-204 IDE to SATA Mini Vertical Bridge (for IDE device) - Newegg.com

COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN3-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with USB 3.0 and Black Interior - Newegg.com


Will I be able to attach this to the hard drive in my case?
(It's a normal desktop hard drive)


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Why do you want to use an IDE Hdd?


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Tyree said:


> Why do you want to use an IDE Hdd?


Because I have an IDE Hdd, and I might as well use it..


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I've always found adapter cards to be troublesome and rarely reliable but if you really want to keep an old IDE Hdd that's your only option.


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

Can I use this cup on this case?
AMD FX-8350 Vishera 4.0GHz (4.2GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 125W Eight-Core Desktop Processor FD8350FRHKBOX - Newegg.com

ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AMD Motherboard - Newegg.com

CPU*
I really wish I could edit my posts

By case I mean motherboard
Don't know how I made that mistake..

Also would I need a better fan? Lots of reviews says it over heats too easily..
Also what's the difference between the processor I just posted and this one:
AMD FX-8150 Zambezi 3.6GHz Socket AM3+ 125W Eight-Core Desktop Processor FD8150FRGUBOX - Newegg.com


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## helios19 (Nov 25, 2008)

Yep, the CPU and the motherboard are compatible. In terms of heat, the stock HSF is generally designed to cater for the heat at stock clocks. If you intend to OC, then an aftermarket cooler will be necessary. For the case a 120mm fan at the lower front and upper rear is generally the standard for optimum airflow.


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## toothman (Jul 13, 2008)

Yes, the 8350 will work on any AM3+ ASUS motherboard with "R2.0" in the name. On other brands, there is a chance you'll need to update the BIOS.


The difference between the FX-8150 and the FX-8350:
AnandTech | Bench - CPU

In my opinion, it's worth the small cost difference. However, in most games you will get identical performance to the 8350 with this cheaper quad-core:

Newegg.com - AMD FX-4350 Vishera 4.2GHz Socket AM3+ 125W Quad-Core Desktop Processor FD4350FRHKBOX


I would recommend spending the difference on a *2gb* HD 7850, like this:
SAPPHIRE 100355OCL Radeon HD 7850 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card OC Version - Newegg.com


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## sr2449 (Nov 9, 2011)

My current build:
psu: SeaSonic S12II 620 Bronze 620W ATX12V V2.3 / EPS 12V V2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Newegg.com
Processor: AMD FX-8350 Vishera 4.0GHz (4.2GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 125W Eight-Core Desktop Processor FD8350FRHKBOX - Newegg.com
Ram: G.SKILL Sniper Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-1866C9D-16GSR - Newegg.com
GPU: XFX Core Edition FX-785A-ZNL4 Radeon HD 7850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Newegg.com
Mobo: ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AMD Motherboard - Newegg.com
Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN3-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with USB 3.0 and Black Interior - Newegg.com
Can somebody double check if the psu is enough?


Also for my gpu, will I be able to attach a DVI to DVA converter, and have the right psu if I use this gpu instead?
SAPPHIRE 100355OCL Radeon HD 7850 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card OC Version - Newegg.com


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

The PSU will be enough for either GPU but only one of them at a time.

Change the RAM speed to 1600MHz the other stuff is fine.


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