Maximum PC

Hey guys, this is my first post here & my first PC build. I'd be REALLY grateful if someone could just have a look over the parts I'm gonna buy, & tell me if they're all compatible, & if there's anything I'm missing etc. I'm looking at the following configuration;

CASE & POWER SUPPLY - CT2017 BLACK ATX PC TOWER COMPUTER CASE with 750w SATA PCI-E PSU & FRONT USB
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-CT2017-BL ... 3cbee6a7d7

RAM - Kingston - Memory - 16 GB : 4 x 4 GB
http://www.moramall.co.uk/products/9846/

HDD - Seagate Barracuda 1 TB - 600 MBps - 7200 rpm
http://dealforu.co.uk/epages/eshop33017 ... tViaPortal

Optical drive - 12x BD-ROM / 16x DVD Writer Drive OEM
http://www.airetechit.co.uk/e-shop/prod ... livemode=1

Graphics Card - SAPPHIRE TECHNOLOGY Radeon HD 6870 Flex – 1 GB
http://xbox360.fraffy.com/sapphire-tech ... 12%2003:24

Motherboard - Foxconn A88GMV AMD 880G (Socket AM3) Motherboard
http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/comp ... n=products


As I said, I'd really appreciate any help, I just don't wanna mess it up & by the wrong things!

Thanks,

Dan

The power supply in that case is trash, it will begin to fail early and/or not provide quality continuous power. Find a case and power supply seperate if necessary. Get a good power supply, Corsair sells good ones for about the same price as your current case/PSU combination.

As to compatability what you have listed should work except the PSU and RAM should be looked at further, otherwis what you have listed looks OK, except that I did not look up the RAM, check the motherboard tested memory and find memory with the same timing and voltage [except for being the same name brand - any tested company, it does not have to be on the list of tested memory if timing and voltage are the same, they do not check all memory confurations]. Purchase 2 sticks of RAM that are packaged together from the factory, as they are checked to work together [at least some companies check them, such as G.Skill

What are you going to use the computer for? Almost everything a home use computer will need is 8GB, so, you can save money there to pay for a better power supply.

Please note that a high quality power supply is vital and most people do not know this. Find one that is certified by 80 PLUS:

http://www.plugloadsolutions.com/80PlusPowerSupplies.aspx

Looks like you're going for an AM3+ system, I would get something like this

PHENOM-II-X6-1045T £98 @ ebay.co.uk
Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 AM3 £70 @ ebay.co.uk
Corsair Vengeance PC Memory 8GB 2x4GB DDR3 SDRAM DIMM 240-pin 1600MHz £37 @ ebay.co.uk
Cooler Master Elite 371 £40 @ ebay.co.uk
Antec EA500EC 500w £20 @ ebay.co.uk

your HDD / DVD / GPU all should work, I just threw in that CPU & board since I am getting a similar combo (the 970 is better performance than 880 and just slightly higher, that Gigabyte has 10-phase (8+2) CPU VRM and good price point. The memory pictured looks like laptop SODIMM so I threw in the vengeance pair (nice).

Go with an x4 / quad CPU and that 880 board and a radeon 6850 if you are budget building.

cheers

Did I miss something on danmc452's list or is there no processor listed?

Following Dan848's advice it seems like your choice of RAM is not listed in the compatibility list provided by the motherboard manufacturer (Foxconn).

rico's RAM suggestion might be a better choice

Thanks for the advice & recommendations guys, really appreciate it.

Had a little look round, if I change the following...

Power Supply - Powercool 750w PSU Power Supply Unit 120mm Fan
http://www.internetct.co.uk/powercool75 ... -1218.html

RAM - Corsair Vengeance 8gb 1866mhz Cl9 Ddr3 Memory Two Module Kit
http://www.cohaku.com/item/corsair-cml8 ... module-kit

...would this work?

I'm going for a gaming system; I know 8GB should be fine but I figuire I may as well go for 16GB seeing as it doesn't cost too much more.

StrongEast: Lol, you're quite right! I hadn't forgotten about a processor though don't worry! I was going to go for an AMD Bulldozer FX-8 Eight Core 8120 - that should be fine shouldn't it?

Okay, one final question. The guy I was asking an estimate on to build it said he wouldn't do it. So if I go to CompUSA to have them build it do all the parts have to be from them? Or can I just show up with the parts and ask them to build it?

Why do you want to buy individual computer hardware and not build it yourself? If you can build a Lego set, a computer is a piece of cake.

Well... there are brick and mortar stores that will build you a computer if you tell them what to get.

That is a false statament, and dangerous.

At the least a new builder should look up web sites and/or YouTube instructions on how to build a computer.

Does a new builder know what ESD is? No. Does he know how to prevent ESD? No. Does he know what components are quality? No. Does he know what components he can save money on? No. -- And the list goes on and on.

Making a proper build is NOT easier than building a lego set.

I say it's akin to building a Lego set because

• Both require you to follow instructions
• Computer hardware has the advantage of fitting one way 99% of the time, if it's not going in, you're inserting it in the wrong way.

The whole process to getting to the build though, is not part of the Lego comparison. Just the building part. If you understand that 1. You should read the instructions and 2. Hardware fits one way, then you don't really need YouTube or anyone else. They're good for additional references, but really, computer hardware is essentially designed to be assembled by assembly line workers who probably don't give two shits about how a transistor works.

And in regards to the whole ESD thing, I'm the "what's the big deal?" group. Mostly because I never had an issue with ESD, and if you really want to be ESD safe, you pretty much have to work in a clean room naked, or with an ESD smock, wrist band, mat, and on a flat, non-carpeted surface. Oh and having a high amount of humidity is a plus since it's a lot harder to discharge ESD in a humid environment. I've built four computers in less than ideal environments and conditions. Not one incident, but I don't handle my components like a dumbass either.

Well in any case, you might call me out that saying building a computer is easy since I built four. The first computer I built, I had no access to another computer and the only "experience" I had was watching my dad build one years before. And the computer came out just fine.

You do not need to lecture me on ESD, I am the one that brought it up in this thread.

You are very fortunate that you have not had a problem.

I have known people like you, who do not understand and do not care to, and some of them built computers for a living - in a custom shop!

You have built four computers.

Over many years I have both designed and built more computers than I can remember, most of them custom. Diagnostics upon a failure is usually much more difficult than a build.

I believe it was a highly educated computer expert that worked for ExtremeTech that mentioned during [his then current] build, that the RAM failed, it had worked in other builds. This review was detailed and pictures were in the review. I called him out on not protecting components from ESD. From the pictures in the review I could easily see that he used nothing to protect computer components from ESD. He had fried the RAM himself, and he was highly educated. He probably got lazy, and that was all it took.

Yes, sometimes you can get lucky by being sloppy. And, I do not care how you build your computers, however, I do care when you make improper or dangerous statements to others because of your lack of education and care.

I am glad you looked up ESD, at least now you know what it is, however, your "clean room" comment will dissuade more than help new builders when it comes to proper builds, which includes care.

I take great care when I build a computer for myself, and always took the same care when building for paying customers or free builds for family or friends. It is part of my nature. And, that is why I try to impart some of my knowledge to others when I post.