# [SOLVED] Finally time for a real computer.



## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

I've always had the off the shelf computer or laptop (gaming on a laptop is sad days)

But now with my laptop slowly dying in its old age and just heating up to melting from being idle. Time to build a real computer...but nothing too fancy.

Here's what I was looking at based on recommendations:

*Case* NZXT GAMMA Classic 
*Power Supply* XFX Core Edition PRO 550W 
*CPU* AMD FX-6300 
*Heatsink* Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 
*Motherboard* ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AM3+ 990FX 
*Memory* 8GB G.Skill DDR3 1600 
*Graphics Card* Gigabyte 7850 2 GB or Gigabyte GTX 660 OC 2GB 
*Hard Drive* Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 
*DVD	* Asus 24X SATA DVD+/-RW 

How does that look for a primarily gaming PC? Which video card fits better here.

I'm looking to keep it around the budget of 800$ where it is now, if anyone has any suggestions for replacements.

I'd be ecstatic for any insight, advice, opinions  Thanks!


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## CubicleCowboy (Dec 4, 2012)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Are you planning to overclock? If not, you can drop the CPU cooler and go with a 970 board - maybe upgrade the GPU.

I'd say that you won't see a big difference in performance between the two video cards. An overclocked 660 would have an edge over a stock 7850. It's also generally recommended to go with Sapphire for AMD cards and EVGA/Asus for Nvidia.


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## toothman (Jul 13, 2008)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Component selection is all high-reliability, so as is your build is going to be awesome :smile:


Only things I have to talk about are some small cost efficiency points. You could probably just buy an FX-4300 and ASUS M5A97, still have a good overclocking platform, and lose no performance in your games. It's going to be a while before gamers have a reason to buy more than four cores.

AMD FX-4300 Vishera 3.8GHz (4.0GHz) Socket AM3+ 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor FD4300WMHKBOX - Newegg.com
ASUS M5A97 R2.0 ATX AMD Motherboard with UEFI BIOS - Newegg.com


The Hyper 212 Plus is virtually identical to the Hyper 212 EVO but $5 cheaper. The EVO has a very slightly more efficient design but it's not worth the extra cost in my opinion since they are fundamentally the same heatsink.

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible with Intel 1366/1155/775 and AMD FM1/FM2/AM3+ - Newegg.com


For only $10 more than the 660 you're considering, you could purchase Sapphire's HD 7870. It's a much stronger card and Sapphire is also a reliable brand.

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100354OC-2L Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 CrossFireX Support Video Card


Lastly, memory prices have been moving around recently and you can actually pick up a G.Skill 1866 kit for a little cheaper than their 1600.

G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-1866C9D-8GAB - Newegg.com
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C8D-8GAB - Newegg.com


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## helios19 (Nov 25, 2008)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Adding to Toothman's suggestions, I like the idea of the HD 7870 upgrade however if you're going to be gaming primarily (especially if you plan to OC) you will need more than a 550W PSU.

Here are some suggestions:
XFX Core Edition PRO650W (P1-650S-NLB9) 650W ATX12V 2.2 & ESP12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Newegg.com
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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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

550W would be OK for a GTX 660.
Either of the PSU's suggested by helios19 would be OK for a 7850.
OC'ing newer CPU's is rather pointless so the OEM heatsink/fan will suffice.
1600 or 1866 RAM are OK for the Mobo you listed but you won't see any performance difference.


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Awesome thanks guys! All awesome suggestions.

Ya I don't know too much about overclocking, so the heatsink probably isn't going to be worth it cause if I can get away without OC then I probably will.

I'm definitely going to look at that video card upgrade, see if I can get it in.

Unfortunately none of the newegg links are working for me, just all taking me to the homepage. Probably have to login or something.

Thanks again for the suggestions guys, I'm going to make some shopping cart changes and keep reading around. I have to make sure I get the right parts and a computer that'll last me, I'm a "starving student" so I can't afford to make many mistakes


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

This is the updated version, with some variation because I realized I was looking at USA products/sites/shipping and converted to Canadian.

Case
Power Supply 
CPU
Motherboard 
Memory 
Graphics Card
Hard Drive 
DVD 

How is that looking for a good, solid, reliable gaming computer? I'm not looking to play every game on max graphics with 200 fps. I just want to be ABLE to play every game, low settings and 40fps is fine with me 

Thanks to everyone for the help aswell.


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## helios19 (Nov 25, 2008)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

All looks good, the PSU link lead to the video card as well, but no worries, this one should suit your build:

Power Supply

Overall, it looks good to me!  Mate, with that build "low settings" will be a thing of the past! xD

EDIT: Sorry I just noticed you changed the hdd as well, stick with the Caviar Black! 5 year warranty! :dance:


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Ya thats the PSU I had actually, just messed up the links haha.

I'll trust your advice and throw the black back in aswell.

Sidenote, I've never put together a PC completely from scratch before. Does it usually come with everything required? Or is there other little things I should look at/pick up when putting a computer together? I know I've got some of that silver Thermal Gel or something for the processor...but other then that I haven't a clue heh.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

While you are waiting for your order to arrive, familiarize yourself with the items by reading the owner's manuals (download from the manufacturer's product pages).

When your order arrives: inventory. Compare the order to the packing list to make certain all items are included. Check for and document any physical damage to the packaging. Open each item, one at a time and compare the contents with that listed in the respective owner's manual.

There are any number of video How-to's on Youtube,etc. Here are two from the NCIX Youtube channel. The utilities she uses in the second one are all available for free download; Google them by name.

NCIX Esther's System Pick of the Week - My PC Build Part II - YouTube
NCIX Esther's System Pick of the Week - My PC Build Part III - YouTube


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Awesome videos, I'll definitely watch those again to remember some of the little details, and the software in the last one.

Couple questions, not sure if you watched the videos or not but in the second video

a) The first screen she has, where she configures the ram specs. Is that just what the MSI bios looks like? I've never seen that screen.

b) Why does she disconnect the harddrive when installing windows? Where does she install it too, if not the harddrive?

And an unrelated note, above I was told that a third party heatsink would be unnecessary if I didn't plan to OC, does the CPU I picked have a stock heatsink? I read that the "retail boxed" ones have a heatsink with them, although loud and not incredibly effective it would be sufficient I imagine.

Thanks again


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

The BIOS on many new boards now accept mouse input.

Although she doesn't show it in the first video, she also has an SSD installed. If you look at the hard drive rack around the 6:15 mark, you can see it installed two spaces above the hard drive. Also, if you look at around 3:45 of the second vid, disk0 has 167GB of Unallocated space.

In a multiple drive system, it seems that Windows will, no matter how often you tell it not to, try to install itself to the wrong drive. It is for this reason she disconnected the hard drive; thus no possibility for error. You will skip this step.

The processor will ship with a heatsink/fan assembly which will give adequate cooling in most situations. Personally, I've found the stock coolers to be too loud at high RPMs and swap them out for that reason alone.


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Awesome thanks man, really appreciate the help you guys give out (for free!) here. Been using this forum for YEARS to help fix all my computer related issues. You guys are awesome!


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Bench test before before assembling in the case.
Set the motherboard on a non conductive surface. The motherboard box is perfect for this. DO NOT PLACE THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE STATIC BAG! It can actually conduct electricity! 
Install the CPU and heat sink. 
Install 1 stick of RAM.
Install the video card and attach the power supply connection(s) to the card if your card needs it.
Connect the monitor to the video card.
Connect the power supply to the motherboard with both the 24pin main ATX Power connection and the separate 4 pin (Dual Core CPU) or 8 pin (Quad Core CPU) power connection.
Connect power to the power supply.
Do NOT connect ANYTHING else. Make sure you have the power connector on the CPU fan connected.
Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard. Consult your motherboard manual to find which two pins connect to your case's power switch. Then touch both pins with a screwdriver to complete the circuit and boot the system.

If all is well, it should power up and you should get a display. Then assemble the parts into the case and try again. If the system now fails to boot, you have a short in the case and need to recheck your motherboard standoffs.

If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective.


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*



Tyree said:


> Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard. Consult your motherboard manual to find which two pins connect to your case's power switch. Then touch both pins with a screwdriver to complete the circuit and boot the system.


I don't know much about computers, but is an inexperienced man poking his new motherboard with a screwdriver a good idea? I feel like I couldn't trust myself to not break it haha. 

Do computer parts come dead on arrival often?


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## CubicleCowboy (Dec 4, 2012)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*



goudy said:


> I don't know much about computers, but is an inexperienced man poking his new motherboard with a screwdriver a good idea? I feel like I couldn't trust myself to not break it haha.
> 
> Do computer parts come dead on arrival often?


Well, it's not like you'd be randomly stabbing the board with it. :grin: 

They don't often come DOA but it does happen. The important thing is to be able to identify which part is dead. Also, make sure you take precautions against ESD. I don't use a wrist strap or anything like that but I always touch some bare metal periodically when I'm handling PC parts.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

It is not common for good quality components to arrive faulty but it does happen and bench testing can save hours of time.
The posted bench test instructions are clear and precise. 
Touching the wrong pins, which shouldn't even be an issue if you read the Mobo manual, will not cause any problems.


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## helios19 (Nov 25, 2008)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Not sure if this was already mentioned but, I should also point out that stock HSFs already come with thermal paste applied to it. All you have to do is install it. If you get an aftermarket one, then you have to put the paste on yourself.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*



helios19 said:


> All you have to do is install it. If you get an aftermarket one, then you have to put the paste on yourself.


And thoroughly remove the thermal pad and thoroughly clean the heatsink. :smile:


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Just as follow up, all the pieces came in 2-4 days (multiple shipments) and everything was safe and sound. I put it together, even though I swear the people who make the manuals for computer parts make the same ones for Ikea furniture...its a conspiracy to while in the guise of guiding you, lets you break it yourself and keep spending money ;P. Overall the build went well and I'm very happy with my new computer, the first time I sat down and played some Borderlands 2 on max graphics instead of lowest, its like a completely different game! 

Thanks to everyone who helped me out! I'm sure I would have messed something up otherwise haha.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*

Glad it worked out with no problems and you're welcome.


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

*Re: Finally time for a real computer.*



Tyree said:


> Glad it worked out with no problems and you're welcome.


Ran into a problem >_<. I posted it in the gaming support forum as it seems to only happen while playing games, but it was suggested there that I look for help with the people who helped me build the computer in the first place. Heres what I posted over there c and p.

"My entire computer will freeze while playing games...it happens MUCH more frequently during online games, even ones that are not graphically demanding. The biggest culprit is "League of Legends" that seems to crash it almost right away after entering in a game. I can play single player games on max graphics for hours before anything usually happens...but playing League of Legends on lowest graphics makes it crash very quickly.

The only temp fix I've managed to use is closing EVERYTHING in the back, I use the program Razor Game Booster to just shut down everything non-essential then use the task manager to close Windows Explorer and then I'm usually able to get through a 30-40 minute game of LoL without it freezing on me.

My computer has pretty decent specs :

PSU: XFX 650W PRO650W Core Edition Single Rail ATX 12V 53A 24PIN ATX Power Supply 80PLUS Bronze PSU 

CPU: AMD FX-4300 Quad Core Processor Socket AM3+ 3.8GHZ 8MB 95W Retail Box

Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 R2.0 AMD970/SB950 ATX AM3+ DDR3 2PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 SATA3 USB3.0 CrossFireX Motherboard 

Memory: 
G.SKILL Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 Memory

GPU:
Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 1000MHZ 2GB 4.8GHZ GDDR5 PCI-E DL-DVI + SL-DVI-D HDMI DP Dual Fan Video Card

Nothing special, but seeing as my laptop with duo core 2.0 and a ****** video card can play LoL more dependently then my desktop, something is wrong.

The freeze is pretty weird too, very rarely the screen will just freeze as is and the sound will cut out. But most of the time, the screen just goes black with lines of green all over it and the sound in the background will continue...the game sounds will generally just play the same "track" or whatever it was on over and over...but the strangest thing is if I'm on VoiP with people, it keeps going! I can talk to people for awhile after it freezes with no lag or interruptions. 

My computer temps are all quite low, before and after crashing. The Voltages in the Bios are all fine. I also ran a mem test for about 8 hours, doing 7 passes...no errors.

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on? I'm perplexed. 

Thanks to anyone that can help (I re-posted it because I'm not sure its even a video card problem anymore)"

Anyone have any ideas what could be happening ?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

What temps are you seeing during gaming?
The problem as described does sound like a GPU issue.
Have you also checked the GPU temps?
Try a different GPU or try you GPU in another PC.


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

The CPU temps are all quite normal idle its 40C and while gaming rises to about 60C...is that too high?

edit: oops those were CPU temps, let me get GPU temps quick.

the GPU idles at 33C and I'll have to update with an ingame temp when I'm in something for a decent amount of time.

Unfortunately I don't have another GPU or another computer to test this one on


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Unfortunately, the only reliable GPU test is substitution.


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## goudy (Jan 4, 2007)

I was able to recreate the freeze, by not closing any background programs and having Chrome playing some music from youtube. I threw the game (LoL) at max graphics and it ran for about 10 minutes before freezing. 

The game kept a decent fps (55-75) the whole time with no obvious framerate loss like I experience when my laptop gets too hot.

The CPU never went above 44C and the GPU climbed to 57C and stayed there until it froze. Is that hot enough to cause something like this?

You think its a "dud" GPU? 

Really appreciate the help!


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Any component can be bad or fail at any time. Testing the GPU in another PC would be the only way to be certain.


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