Building a PC for 1st time. Good components?

[aliteralmind]

I am building my first PC, and have done a lot of reading and research on the parts, including some serious web-based price comparisons. Below is what I've come up with.

Some questions:

• Is my sound card redundant with the motherboard?
• Does the CPU come with thermal compound and an effective fan/heatsink? I won't be overclocking.

FYI: I'm not a gamer, but I do want a reasonably-powerful computer. I actually downgraded my video card, after someone said that it was overkill.

I am looking forward to any opinions and advice you have on my build. Thanks!

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RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case With 500W Power Supply - Retail, $59.99

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - OEM, 199.98 (2 at 99.99 each)

ASUS VW224U Black 22" 2ms(GTG) Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail, $139.99

ASUS P5Q-E LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail, $129.99

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 32-bit for System Builders - OEM, $99.99

Logitech Z-2300 200 watts RMS 2.1 Speaker System - Retail, $129.99

EVGA 01G-P3-N959-TR GeForce 9500 GT 1GB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail, $54.99

HT OMEGA STRIKER 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail, 79.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ... - Retail , $98.99

Intel BX80580Q9400 Core 2 Quad Q9400 Central Processing Unit, $219.99

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail, $58.99

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One of the hard drives will be internal, the other external. And I already have a DVD writer. Oh, and I'm also getting a multi-card-reader-and-floppy-disk drive, for the front of the computer. I know that doesn't really matter, but oh well :' )

 

[Slaymate]

Get the 64-bit version of Vista.

That case comes with a power supply that you don't need. Here's the same case without the power supply.
Newegg.com - RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case - Computer Cases

You should buy an aftermarket heatsink. This is a good heatsink for the price.
Newegg.com - XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

This is better but more expensive.
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme 775 RT CPU Heatsink - (Socket LGA 775 / LGA 1366* / Xeon* / AM2*) - FrozenCPU.com

 

[hikaricloud]

You could optimize that build a bit...

I tried putting together a good 9400 build, but it worked out to be $1,150 after shipping (with the extra HDD and monitor)...I priced out an i7 build with the same stuff (except the mobo/cpu/RAM of course) and it only came out a couple hundred bucks more.

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!
Newegg.com - OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - Internal Hard Drives
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100256L Radeon HD 4670 1GB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Power Supplies
Newegg.com - LG Black 22X (CAV) DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X (CAV) DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner - CD / DVD Burners
Newegg.com - RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case - Computer Cases
Newegg.com - ASUS VW224U Black 22" 2ms(GTG) Widescreen LCD Monitor w/ HDCP Support 300 cd/m2 1000:1 (ASCR 5000:1) Built in Speakers - LCD Monitors

This build comes to a total of $1,334.32, then you get 95 bucks back after MIRs.

First, the i7 is much better than the Q9400, and it's on the newer socket. Uses DDR3, so I threw a really good 6gb kit in.

This build includes the same 22" monitor, and both HDDs, as well as a combo deal with Vista. You need 64bit to utilize all your RAM.

The video card I added in is cheap enough, and good enough for whatever, since you're not a gamer.

The CPU comes with a stock heatsink, if you aren't overclocking, that should be fine.

You don't really need a sound card, since the onboard sound nowadays is more than enough. Speakers are a personal preference though. That set is good, but you don't need something that expensive for regular stuff. I listen to music on an old Creative SBS 330 2.1 set, which only has 18w RMS, but it's lasted me just fine for nearly 5 years.

 

[aliteralmind]

Hey, thanks for the tips. Finding out about the "deals" on newegg was the coolest thing. Who knew?

I'm sticking with 32-bit, but I'm considering making some changes based on your advice.

 

[hikaricloud]

Why are you getting 32-bit? There's no point...you won't be able to use all of your RAM without a 64-bit OS.

 

[CrazeD]

Hey, thanks for the tips. Finding out about the "deals" on newegg was the coolest thing. Who knew?

I'm sticking with 32-bit, but I'm considering making some changes based on your advice.

If you want to stick with 32-bit (I don't know why you would) then go with 3x1GB of RAM instead (unless you plan on upgrading to 64-bit in the near future). 32-bit is limited to a maximum of 4GB of RAM, but even then, rarely are you able to use all of the 4GB. Usually around 3.25-3.5GB. So, getting 6GB is then a waste of money.

 

[GreenMachine]

do not stick with 32 bit. go 64bit.

 

[Pyrothrillah]

Yes. Please go with the 64-bit. It's like buying a tape player when you can get a cd player at same cost and much easier to deal with.

Also to answer you're questions;
1. Yes
2. Yes, but if you ever plan on doing any overclocking (which it looks as if the answers no) you'll want to look into TX-2 and an aftermarket heat sink.

 

[aliteralmind]

I'm either only getting 4GB RAM (2X2) and only 32bit Windows...knowing it'll only recognize just-over-3GB, or I'm getting 8GB of RAM, and dual-booting to the 32bit and 64bit OSes. The most important program for me is Ableton Live, and it doesn't work in 64bit.

 

[Hefemeister]

The most important program for me is Ableton Live, and it doesn't work in 64bit.

Fair enough reason to use a 32 bit system.
On their website it does say that it may work but that is not good enough for me.

Tell them to get their act together and start supporting 64bit.