Building a pc for the first time, need some help to make sure it all works.

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Tomorrow i get paid and I will do the bill me later thing so I have 6 months to pay for it. I'll pay 300 tomorrow then I'll have it paid off with in a month. So with the i5 you showed me it requires 2 or 4 increments of ram?

Also with that build later on would it help me more to put in another video card for Cross fire or more ram?
 
For RAM there's 3 possible configurations: Single channel (multiples of 1), Dual channel (multiples of 2), or Triple channel (multiples of 3).

For modern PC's you'll either see dual or triple, older systems used single channel. For dual channel you need identical RAM sticks in multiples of 2 (depending on how many slots per channel, usually 2 or 4 sticks for 4 or 8GB total RAM). For triple channel you need identical RAM sticks in multiples of 3 (depending on how many slots per channel, usually 3 or 6 sticks for 6 or 12GB total RAM). This is of course using 2GB sticks, but that is the most common.

AMD and LGA1156 builds use DUAL CHANNEL RAM while LGA1366 builds use TRIPLE CHANNEL RAM. If you get the i5 (which is only available in LGA1156) then you'll need a dual channel kit (2x2GB or 4x2GB). If you get an i7 LGA1156 you need dual channel and if you get an i7 LGA1366 you need triple channel.

This is the other huge difference between LGA1366 and 1156, the 1366 supports triple channel RAM while the 1156 doesn't. While the only CORE difference between the i7 1156 and 1366 is HyperThreading (which I use, it does improve performance according to most reviews), the socket limits the memory controller on 1156 as well as cuts PCI Express bandwidth by a large margin (as it does away with a "northbridge" such as the 1366 platform's X58 chip which handles PCI Express as well as the southbridge connection independently). The 1156 should work fine with PCIe graphics cards but I would think a 1366 build would be better for CrossFire/SLI or running a fast GPU and other PCIe devices like RAID controllers at the same time.
 
to Sean and Rich,
stock settings is what we should be comparing the processors at... not 4.2ghz
you guys think a first time builder is going to push their processor to 4.2ghz...?
better think again

I leave mine i5 750 at stock... because it is already fast enough for me at stock :suprised:
 
Alright, thanks a bunch calc for all of that. So should I just go for the 1366? Or does the i5 perform well enough?


So here is the final build. I have a case, hard drive and dvd drive. So to cut cost im just going to use my full tower. Is all of this compatible?


Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150490

PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

Ram
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231225

Processor and Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.466275
 
Well i can get a copy of windows for 40 at my college this fall. That seems like a really nice pc I'm just worried about going with AMD i keep hearing that intel is now far ahead.
 
Well i can get a copy of windows for 40 at my college this fall. That seems like a really nice pc I'm just worried about going with AMD i keep hearing that intel is now far ahead.
Just depends on what you are looking for. With Intel yes their chip architecure and speed is ahead of AMD no questions about it. Its also not for the budget consiencious. Do you want to overclock? If so go with Intel they have a broader range and people are able to squeeze more from those chips, if your not going to do anything but basic overclocking getting .2-.4 then go with AMD.
Basically ask yourself: Am I overclocking? Do I need to have the best top of the line right now? Do I have an unlimited budget? If you answer yes then get an intel if you answer no go with AMD.
 
I think i want to go with intel, I'll spend around 1100 and just use my case, Os, hard drive and dvd drive to save money.
 
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