First time build, hardware compatibility check/concerns

[nick779]

Approximate Purchase Date: within a month probably

Budget Range: $1000-1250 before rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming then internet use in general

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: None anymore

Overclocking: probably, with that i5 if i can hit 3.8-4.0ghz ill be happy (new to OCing too)

SLI or Crossfire: eventually, but not right now

Monitor Resolution: whatever the highest supported resolution the monitor i selected supports


Hey everyone, i'm in the market to build my first desktop pc since my now 1 year old laptop is getting outdated faster then i expected, and ive used it as a desktop replacement for far too long.

im rather familiar with windows and the software side of things, but ive always had a laptop, my modding extent consisted of adding ram and cleaning the fans in my alienware area 51 m5500.

my goal, is to build a decent gaming computer that is faster then my current laptop that ill be able to upgrade down the road, and will be able to let me play games like battlefield 3 on medium-high, and the pc must be reliable, i dont want to take a chance with components

(current laptop is a HP dv7t quad edition with a i7-2630 with an ATI 6770 and 8gb ram and a 750gb hdd)

Being as ive never built a desktop pc, ive been doing some reading and bought pc mags build your own gaming pc issue. and i picked some parts from it, but i do not know how compatible or reliable the components ive chosen are and am basing most of it by price and ratings on newegg since they carry everything ill need.

budget: around $1250


Parts:

Nzxt Phantom Case $130
Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB
EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti picked this brand based on ratings on price, and can go SLI later down the road
Corsair Vengeance 8gb 8gb should be plenty for now right? i can always get a second set down the road to up it to 16gb right?
MSI Z68A-GD55 Motherboard i understand the specs, but i dont know what the best choice is for me
i5-2500k picked because of price, and ive read they overclock well
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Corsair 750TX 750W
ASUS vw224u 22inch lcd

the only other things i have on my list are an anti static wrist strap and a small tube of arctic silver 5



Now i know im over budget with all of this, but i forgot to include the monitor. I intend on recycling my logitech g5 mouse, my ideazon zboard, and my m-audio av40 speakers and using them in this setup.

Here are my concerns:

#1 the Motherboard, I understand the specs and the board is socketed for the i5 and supports SLI and my video cards if i read its specs right, but it it an okay MB or is there a better option out there for the price?

#2 if i overclock the i5 to around 3.8ghz, it should serve me well for a while right?



Will all this work well together? Any suggestions on hardware or tips for a first time builder?

 

[Trotter]

Mobos come down to personal preference a lot of the time. Each company has those who prefer that particular brand. I like Asus and Biostar due to personal experience, while others may like MSI or Gigabyte. Intel stuff is not my forte so I will leave the comparisons to those who are fresher on the stuff.

The 2500K looks to be a CPU that will go the distance, at least until the next gen after Ivy Bridge anyway.

It looks to be a solid build. Good work.

 

[heister]

Wait for IVY bridge, supposed to be out in a day or two.

 

[PP Mguire]

Wait for IVY bridge, supposed to be out in a day or two.

No point in waiting as we already know the performance isn't worth the premium.

That 2500k will go further than 4ghz. With a good cooler it will go 4.5ghz easy.

 

[heister]

No point in waiting as we already know the performance isn't worth the premium.

That 2500k will go further than 4ghz. With a good cooler it will go 4.5ghz easy.

My bad should have explained what I meant better, I was saying wait for Ivy to put downward price pressure SB chips

 

[PP Mguire]

My bad should have explained what I meant better, I was saying wait for Ivy to put downward price pressure SB chips

Ah that makes more sense.

 

[Trotter]

I forgot to add that you don't need a wrist strap as long as you touch the metal of the case before touching other components.

Go with Arctic Cooling's MX-2 instead of AS5. We have a thermal paste roundup with several tested side-by-side in the review section... check it out.

 

[nick779]

i had placed my parts order today, and ended up going without the thermal paste since the 212 evo came with it, and i figure 4.0-4.2Ghz should be plenty for me for now. i also ended up with the msi z77a-gd55 mb so it should be compatible for hopefully at least a year or two processor wise, but we all know how technology evolves.

ill try to find a tube of ac mx2.

 

[Soccerscode]

Well I hope it goes well, I would have gone with the HAF 932 for a case, as it gives you space for larger fans. Currently have one and have great airflow. Hopefully everything works well!