1st Build: Project Tiffany

[TMayneHassuru]

First off Tiffany is the name of my only Love and future bride

Well hey this is my first computer build and I've already bought the parts, thought I'd share with you all and see what you all think. Going to be dual booting this with Windows and Mac. Mainly going to be used for Studio [Final Cut, Acid Pro, Frooty Loops, Garage Band, etc] Graphics Designs [Photoshop, Illustrator, In-Design, Fireworks, Dreamweaver, etc], some High Definition Video Editing, and of course some Gaming! Here are my parts selections and related links to the actual purchase product:

Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel $299.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813128422

CPU [Central Processing Unit]
Intel Core i7 Processor i7-930 2.80GHz 8 MB LGA1366 $295.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...5-225-_-Product

GPU [Graphicsl Processing Unit]
HIS H487Q1GH Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP $171.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...1-292-_-Product

PSU [Power Supply Unit]
Corsair CMPSU-650HX 650w HX Series 80 Plus Bronze Certified Power Supply $119.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16817139012

RAM [Random Access Memory]
G.SKILL PI Series 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) $180.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820231335

SSD #1 [Solid State Drive] will be used to boot Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit
OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2-1VTXT60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) $219.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820227469

SSD #2 [Solid State Drive] will be used to boot OSX Snow Leopard
OCZ Agility Series OCZSSD2-1AGT60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) $184.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820227461

BluRay Writer/Reader
Pioneer Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA $190.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16827129051

CPU Cooler
XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler $40.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16835233003

CPU Cooler Bracket Set
XIGMATEK ACK-I5361 Intel Core i7/Core i5 compatible Bracket Set $9.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16835233038

Thermal Compound
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound $10.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16835100007

Chassis
NZXT TEMPEST EVO Crafted Series TEVO-001BK Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $119.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...k=Tempest%20Evo

Shipping Fees
$40.00

Grand Total
! - $1,875.00 - !​

I will post up pictures of the finished product and run benchmark tests and pictures of my setup and all once I get all the parts and assemble it! Please comment on my build and let me know if there is anything that I should consider changing. Thanks in advance!

 

[aliasaid]

Feel free to post pics of tiffany as well

Congrats on both, the computer and future wife.

 

[TMayneHassuru]

Feel free to post pics of tiffany as well

Congrats on both, the computer and future wife.

Hah, will do, probably the wedding pictures

Thanks, hope the computer turns out as I plan it to be

 

[dirkpitt45]

You could save some money in places.

Like two SSDs for two OS's? Why not just partition one in half? Also can you even boot OSX on an i7 and gigabyte mobo? I don't know for sure (hate OSX personally) but I'd look into that before buying something that may not work.

As for the case, you could look at this one. It's got lots of wire management, hostswap bay, ssd bracket, tons of cooling, and its cheap.
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER CM690 II Advanced Black Steel body / Plastic + Mesh bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

Then for cpu cooling, hyper 212 is like a better version of that rifle.
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

Then AS5 is obsolete, its overpriced and old. Tx-2 (just realized I've been mixing up mx-2 and tx-2 for a while now ) is half the price, isn't conductive, isn't adhesive, and doesn't have a curing time. Newegg.com - Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound - Thermal Compound / Grease

Then that RAM is a really expensive for some reason, go with this instead, pretty much the same, but $50 less, won't notice the difference. Newegg.com - OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - Desktop Memory

Then the motherboard, if you don't plan on overclocking or anything try this one Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards as its more a basic board, still does everything you'd need though. Or if you wanted a really good mobo to blow some cash on look at this asus one Newegg.com - ASUS P6X58D Premium LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

Back with the SSDs, could just get this one, since it uses the sandforce controller, it will be much faster then any other one atm. Newegg.com - OCZ Vertex LE (Limited Edition) OCZSSD2-1VTXLE100G 2.5" 100GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - SSD

Then the 4870 is last gen, no point in buying one right now. Look at one of these, in order or price, and pick which fits your budget.
Newegg.com - XFX HD-577A-ZNFC Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100282-3CODSR Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
Newegg.com - HIS H587F1GDG Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

EDIT: I can't read

 

[Muffin Man]

^

Well hey this is my first computer build and I've already bought the parts, thought I'd share with you all and see what you all think.

:/

i agree with your proposed changes though.

 

[Slaymate]

This might help even if your not going to overclock. I should have a 930 to play with in the next few days so it may get a small update in a week or so.
http://www.techist.com/forums/f10/i7-overclocking-guide-224693/

 

[dirkpitt45]

^


:/

i agree with your proposed changes though.

Well I gotta sleep more, sorry about that lmao.


I'd like to know if you can get OSX running on that SSD though.

 

[TMayneHassuru]

You could save some money in places.....
EDIT: I can't read

Well I gotta sleep more, sorry about that lmao.


I'd like to know if you can get OSX running on that SSD though.

Hey thanks for the suggestions. BTW, I should have mentioned I haven't received the parts yet so I can return them if need be.

Hmm, I guess I could cut down on the price by only getting one SSD.

As for overclocking, yes I am going to do that, been reading up on it and stuff and have friends who will aid me in the process.

The motherboard and GPU selection was actually based upon the dual boot requirement. I am going to run MAC OSX Snow Leapord...via using HACKINTOSH method [meaning a hacked version of mac, its the same exact OS just able to run on PC]. Because it is a hackintosh, there are certain GPU and motherboards it supports. I am well aware that the 4870 is a last gen, but so far there are no support out there for the 5xxx series. As support comes in for them, I will upgrade my graphics cards to the latest ones it can handle.

And yes with the right selection of components MAC OSX Snow Leapord [Hackintosh version] will run on the SSD. Quite fast also

Thanks for the suggestions and comments man. Appreciate it very much

 

[dirkpitt45]

Though I have to ask why even use OSX? Limits you hardware wise, windows 7 is really good if you haven't tried it yet. Plus there's lots of bootcamp like programs for win7. OSX is just kinda blah to me, too restricting, and I like having having good hardware

 

[TMayneHassuru]

This might help even if your not going to overclock. I should have a 930 to play with in the next few days so it may get a small update in a week or so.
http://www.techist.com/forums/f10/i7-overclocking-guide-224693/

Thanks, and yes I do plan on OC'ing it



*EDIT*

Though I have to ask why even use OSX? Limits you hardware wise, windows 7 is really good if you haven't tried it yet. Plus there's lots of bootcamp like programs for win7. OSX is just kinda blah to me, too restricting, and I like having having good hardware

Hah, yea I understand where you're coming from. Im using OSX because my graphics design class and studio that I attend requires the use of it. I personally love windows 7, i've been with windows since Windows 95...I mean yes its got it's ups and downs, Vista was one of those really big downs ha. But ya I'm using OSX just for some programs. I'm planning on actually building another computer in the future just for gaming. Hopefully by end of this year also.