# New I7 Build!



## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Hey, I am finally going to be getting back money that i have lent to other people and as such will finally be able to build a new pc.

This is my build based off the recommendations so far.


CPU : Intel i7 2600 (or 2600k) $315 ($362)
Mobo : Asus P6P87-PRO $239
CPU Fan: CM Hyper 212+ $33
RAM: Patriot 4gb (1600) $56
CASE: CM HAF 932 $165
PSU: Corsair HX-850 $178 

GFX: Nvidia 240 GT $0
HDD: Seagate 500gb (SATA) $0

Total: $986 ($1033)

The gt240 and 500gb sata are from my current computer. I also have a 40mm fan for graphics cards which i just left running at the bottom of my case after i upgraded my 7400GS to a gt 240.

My main questions are:
Is it worth getting the 2600k if i won't o/c much for a few years?
Do I need the 850w psu when i already have a 550w CM Extreme psu?

I have a budget of around $1100. So should i save the left over money for games or buy a 60gb ssd, more ram or save for a new gfx?

Thanks for the help,
yoshi


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

You definitely need to replace your PSU regardless of what you do.
550W is plenty for the GT 240 GPU.
Personally, I would use a different RAM brand. G.Skill-Muskin-Corsair are good performance RAM.


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## hhnq04 (Mar 19, 2008)

Same thoughts as Tyree.

SSD isn't worth the additional cost for what is essentially only improved load / boot times. If you're looking for somewhere to spend some extra money, your best bet is to upgrade your GPU. If you don't intend on keeping the 240 after an upgrade, sell it on ebay or the like and put that money toward the new card. It'll be a powerful rig when all's said and done!


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Ok. I will swap the Patriot 4gb for a G.Skill 4gb (1600) for $51.

*Tyree*: You said 550w was enough yet that I had to replace the psu. Is this because the current one I have is poor quality??

*hhnq04*: What card would you recommend? I will probably just give my current psu and gfx to my brother rather than selling them.


P.S. What are your thoughts on the 2600 vs 2600k? I will probably o/c the cpu a small amount when i get it but then more after a year or two.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Corrrect, the 550W CoolerMaster is not a top quality unit. A good bang for buck PSU is the XFX P1-650X-CAH9 at $89: Newegg.com - XFX P1-650X-CAH9 650W ATX12V v2.2 / ESP12V v2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

IMHO when the word "budget" is used I tend to back off the i7 system and look more toward the i5-760 with a motherboard which costs $170 ish or under; you will get same performance the i7 is more on the side of un-nneded bloat

then you should be able to budget in the 460 or 560gtx which would make gaming a sheer delight


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

Newegg.com - Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80605I5760

Newegg.com - ASUS P7P55D-E Pro LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Newegg.com - XFX Black Edition P1-750B-CAG9 750W ATX12V v2.2 / ESP12V v2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

Newegg.com - EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1563-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card


as for the newer 2500K and 2600K the unlocker multiplier on the K sereis is not really that big a deal, I would not pay more than $50.00 to have the "K" they will both overclock to the same speed just less messing with settings on the K version BUT i personally am not impressed with the buggness of the newer sandy bridge platforms they have PLENTY of issues to iron out before I dip my toe in that soup again!

stick with either i5-760 or i7-950 they are proven to be stable and dependable = unless you enjoy a challenge ??????


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

Dont go with an SSD, there very tricky to use for windows while having a secondary to install programs onto.

Im not sure but is this forum still not advising Sandybridge pc's? due to them being excessively buggy. I suggest an I5 TO I7-960

As for ram i would agree with tyree go with dominator or other such company's they are much more dependable.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Ok.

1. I swapped the Patroit for G.Skill Ram

2. Are the 1156 and 1336 sockets dead now with the release of lga2011 this year. And if so would it be better to go with the sandy bridge as i will be able to upgrade it in the future?

3. I won't get an ssd as you have advised otherwise.

I don't really care about issues for a few months. I'm used to fixing all the problems of the 10 pcs in my house.

4. And if i go with the 650w psu will that be enough for gtx480?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

yes the socket 1156 and 1366 are on the way out; regardless if what's replacing them is better or not.

if you prefer the very latest components; then sandy bridge is the choice as far as upgrading the cpu later; that doesnt really happen any more, cpu sockets dont stay fresh long enough for cpu's to mature and evolve

the 650 is enough for about 3 years (power supplies degrade with age; about 15% for a gaming machine) I personally would advise a 750 watt it will be the best extra $20.00 you ever spend


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

I compared the prices of the different cpus from the 1156,1155,1336 sockets and so far the best option seems to be:


CPU: I5-2500K $247

MOBO: P8P67-PRO	$239

FAN: CM Hyper 212+	$33

PSU: Corsair: TX-750	$145

CASE: CM HAF 932	$165

RAM: G.Skill NQ 4gb	$51

Which come to a total of $880.

This is $115 cheaper than the 2600K build.
It also means i can buy a gtx560.

I can't find the recommended mobo for the i5-760 at most stores. They only seems to have a micro-atx asrock. I managed to find it at centrecom though.

What are your thoughts/opinions on the above build. 

Thanks,
yoshi


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Looks good to me.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Ok. Then would you suggest a Radeon 6870 or a nvidia GTX 580?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

yoshi1476 said:


> Ok. Then would you suggest a Radeon 6870 or a nvidia GTX 580?




my fav for the money is either 6950 or 560gtx


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Ok. Then I will probably go for the GTX 560. Is Asus the best brand to get?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Asus is a good brand for Nvidia GPU's.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

I almost forgot. Should I buy Windows 7 or just stick with Windows XP to save money for the gtx 560?

And if i should buy do i buy home or pro?


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## Markgg88 (Jan 7, 2011)

I assume it's a gaming oriented build. In that case I'd go with Windows 7 for DX 10 and DX 11 support, Windows XP only supports DX9 which is getting outdated and games will stop supporting it in the near future, starting with the upcoming Battlefield 3.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

7 Home Premium.


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

You CAN alter windows xp to support DX10,11 but its very tricky and not worth the effort, but yes Go for Windows 7 Home Premium, ultimate is just not needed.

I would always suggest Nvid over AMD (ATI) card as they are better quallity and there drivers are much better, yes i currently use two Asus GPU's and nothing has went wrong there.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

ATI GPU chips are just as good as Nvidia GPU chips. The maker of the board is where the quality comes in.
As per linderman's suggestion, 6950 or 560gtx.


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

Idk i feal as if there is nothing wrong with ATI GPU's just drivers from 10.3> seem to be getting more and more buggy


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

ATI drivers have always been buggy. That has nothing to do with the quality of the GPU.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Windows 7 Home Premium doesn't come with XP mode. Would I be better off buying the Professional Edition or just finding my old 120gb SATA and running a dual boot of Windows 7 and XP?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I prefer a Dual Boot if you need/want XP. XP Mode is very limited and not certainly worth the extra money.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Ok. Thanks for the help. I'll post again in a week when i build the pc.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Finally got it. I spent a whole day putting it together and trying to get it to boot. In the end I had to take off all the parts to find that the cpu socket on the motherboard had one missing pin and a few other bent out of shape.

I'll have to go back and get it replaced sometime in the next few days.


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## hhnq04 (Mar 19, 2008)

Well that's no fun! At least you were able to figure out what's wrong, hopefully it came missing the pin and it's not lodged in your motherboard socket!

Good luck remedying the problem and enjoy the rig when it's completed


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Turns out there isn't a missing pin it's just managed to attach itself onto the pin next to it and they are both wedged in a slot.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Didn't realise that the mobo wasn't compatible with ide cd drives. I will have to scrounge up some money and buy a sata cd/dvd drive tomorrow aswell.

Apart from that and the damaged mobo. All the parts are great and hopefully will all run well together. I did notice that my ram wasn't listed as compatible with the mobo though (G.Skill 4BNQ) which caused the dram light to light up however i solved that by swapping the ram into different sockets.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Went into msy today to replace the board. I was told by the cashier that they can't give me a refund or replace it and it would cost $55 to get it repaired. They told me that it is impossible that it was broken by them or during delivery and as such I must have broken it.

I was then told that they are just filling in On the Easter break and if I wanted to complain or seek a refund I will have to go back on Wednesday to talk to their Senior Warranty/Repairs Manager.

I find this shocking service. I'd barely had the mobo for a day and installed the CPU correctly without force and this was backed by others who helped assemble the build. When I am working If a customer complains I have to refund or replace their goods if there is even the slightest chance that it could have been damaged or faulty.

I just spent that last hour researching the legal rights for refunds and consumer guarantees and can hopefully solve this issue. I also discovered MSY was fined $200k for their illegal warranty and return policies this April.


Sorry for the rant, 
Yoshi


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I can't say I'm surprised at the retailer not accepting a damaged Mobo. Personally, I have yet to see a Mobo/CPU with damaged pins out of the box.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

That may be the case. However how is it possible I bent 2 pins when placing the cpu flat onto the socket?

The socket looks like this:


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Those pins are extremely fragile and it is very easy to bend them if the CPU is not placed squarely into the Mobo socket in the proper orientation.

I'm not making any implications but every Boxed Intel CPU I have ever received is securely contained in a protective semi-hard plastic container with a soft protective pad on the connection side. That container is enclosed in another plastic container with the HSF and that container is enclosed in a box with a seal.
Mobo's have a protective semi-hard plastic cover over the CPU cavity and that cover is locked down by the CPU retainer.
Knowing that, I'm sure if you were the retailer you would also be suspicious of a customer attempting to return a CPU with bent pins.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

I understand your view. However I ensured that the CPU was correctly orientated and use zero force to insert it. Aswell as this the motherboard socket is guaranteed to last a minimum of 20 insert cycles as stated in the technical documents. The two bent pins are both DMI_TX pins and as such are imperative for the proper operation of the CPU.

Consumer affairs Victoria states 


Generally, suppliers and manufacturers guarantee that goods are of acceptable quality when sold to a consumer.

This means they guarantee that a reasonable consumer, fully aware of the goods’ condition, would consider that the goods are:
safe, durable and free from defects
acceptable in appearance and finish, and
do the job that type of thing is usually used for.
If the goods are not of acceptable quality, the consumer may be entitled to a remedy. A ‘remedy’ is an attempt to put right a fault, deficiency or a failure – for example, repair, replacement or refund.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

Tyree said:


> I can't say I'm surprised at the retailer not accepting a damaged Mobo. Personally, I have yet to see a Mobo/CPU with damaged pins out of the box.



actually when the asus socket 1156 boards first hit the market there was a large rash of bent pins on boards; I got three of them in one month; newegg didnt give me any hassle replacing the boards whatsoever


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

if you used a credit card to pay for this board then I suggest you contact your bank and process a charge back; I certainly would not pay $55.00 for them to process a refund or replacement!


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

yoshi1476 said:


> Consumer affairs Victoria states
> 
> 
> Generally, suppliers and manufacturers guarantee that goods are of acceptable quality when sold to a consumer.
> ...


That's a pretty broad statement that appears to pretty much cover their butt.
As I understand that, you accepted the goods and that voids their responsibility for the condition of the goods. :4-dontkno


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

@Tyree
Actually it protects consumers not traders. This means that a customer must receive goods that are safe, durable and otherwise acceptable otherwise they are allowed a refund.

CAV then goes onto to say that any possible defects or damages must be explicitly stated and accepted before the purchase.

One interesting statement was that if a consumer had known about something that would prevent them from purchasing the item they are entitled to a refund. The example given was : "the consumer would not have bought the lawn mower if they had known the engine would fail within 3 months."

@Linderman
I can't do a charge back as I purchased the items all in one transaction.


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## yoshi1476 (Oct 2, 2008)

Ok. So i've ended up paying the $55 warranty and should get the mobo back in 4 weeks. In the meanwhile I bought a Gigabyte H67 mobo to last for a few weeks. So far the computer is running great


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