Solved Making a new Tower

[SlasherIT]

Hello,

I am thinking of building myself a new tower for the first time ever. I am not sure if all the things I have chosen for my desktop build are everything I need for it to run, or if all the components I have chosen will work together (compatible) or not. Please check my specs/components:

Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X4 840 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor HDX840WFGMBOX
Newegg.com - Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D Green 380W Continuous power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Newegg.com - Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Newegg.com - ASUS M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
Newegg.com - Asus VW199T-P Black 19" 5ms LED BackLight LCD Monitor w/Speakers 10,000,000:1
Newegg.com - Crucial Ballistix sport 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT25664BA160A
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GV-N440D3-1GI GeForce GT 440 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda ST3500413AS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Newegg.com - ZALMAN 9500A-LED 92mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler

Thank You,
Slasher

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If you are not going to overclock, you shouldn't need Ballistix RAM, but Crucial is a good brand.

That's a good basic case.

Many here would try to steer you away from Seagate hard drives toward WD or Samsung, but you can obviously have good or bad luck with any of them.

 

[Skibumtx]

Just a suggestion for an alternate source of information. Toms Hardware Tom's Hardware: Hardware News, Tests and Reviews is FULL of people building home built computers, tracking the best configurations based on specific price-points and usages and they love to look over build specs and provide alternatives.

You might want to check it out.

Ski

 

[SlasherIT]

Hello,

I might think of overclocking later and I prefer Seagate to WD. So all the components listed will work well with each other?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I can't say that. I know next to nothing about AMD.

The power supply and case are certainly compatible with each other and should be fine.

But you need to check on the motherboard/RAM/processor compatibility. That's all AMD stuff and I can't help.

 

[SlasherIT]

Can you call someone like whs to come help me? Im sure he knows loads about AMD

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I can't contact any member any easier than you can yourself. I don't know WHS personally.

I'd guess others will comment on this thread if you have a bit of patience.

 

[SlasherIT]

Anyone other than ignatzatsonic (thanks for the help btw) can help me check to see if all the components I have chosen for my desktop build will work together?

 

[Zepher]

I would personally switch out the PSU and cooler with these ones,
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7
Newegg.com - Computer Hardware,Power Supplies,Power Supplies,Antec,401W - 450W

rest of the parts look fine.
And I have used 4 of those Antec 300 cases in the past and I liked them.
We build my dad a new machine recently with almost the same parts you chose and it's working great.

I personally like WD drives, especially the Black series, like this one,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320&cm_re=wd_500-_-22-136-320-_-Product

But I do have Seagates in my machine as well (6 WD and 3 Seagates currently inside)

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Zepher made a good recommendation on the cooler. It does a great job, but I haven't checked if it mounts OK on an AMD motherboard. If it does, go with it.

 

[stormy13]

Looks OK from top to bottom. About the only things I might change is the motherboard and the PSU. Seeing as your getting a video card you don't need a board with the 880G on it, something like this with the 870 on it would do,

Newegg.com - ASUS M4A87T AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s ATX AMD Motherboard

Only real difference between the two is the onboard video on the 880G, that and $25.00 cheaper. With that saving change the power supply for something a little bigger if for no other reason than possible upgrades down the line. Something like the earthwatts 500W would be a better choice,

Newegg.com - Antec EarthWatts EA-500D Green 500W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

Only other thing is possibly the monitor, might want to try and stretch to at least a 22" over the 19".

 

[Zepher]

Zepher made a good recommendation on the cooler. It does a great job, but I haven't checked if it mounts OK on an AMD motherboard. If it does, go with it.

My brother is using that cooler on his AMD 1090T, works great. I'd use one as well but my case is too small (cube server case with hard drives and psu on one side and mobo on the other side)

Ya, I'd find a better deal on a monitor. We just bought my nephew a 22" 1920x1080 Samsung B2230 monitor for $125 shipped 2 weeks ago. It's much larger than the 19" he was using.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001385&Tpk=b2230

 

[SlasherIT]

Hi,

I am gonna stick with Seagate, I like them.

@Zepher Can you be more specific as to why exactly I should change my heatsink?

@stormy13 I would prefer to have 19" over 20+" btw, I don't like a monitor that is too big, 19" is perfect for me. Although the motherboard you suggested to me looks great, it doesn't have USB 3.0, HDMI, and its less easier to overclock with it than with the motherboard I specified. If you can find something a motherboard like the one you have chosen for me, just with USB 3.0, HDMI and easier OC ability I will take it. I will now get the PSU you recommended.

 

[Zepher]

It's cheaper and it works great.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master...YPH0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302903962&sr=8-1

 

[SlasherIT]

Can you be more detailed? I'm not persuaded (soz).

Btw, I don't think I am gonna use the display you suggested for me to use because:

1. No built-in speakers
2. No LED Backlight
3. My display: Contrast Ratio is 10,000,000:1 Your display: Contrast Ratio is 70,000:1
4. My display uses much less watts than your does (I am a green person)

 

[SlasherIT]

How is the Amazon price $10 less than on Newegg? Strange...

I'm still not persuaded, I need facts please

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The heatsink Zepher recommended has 120 mm fans rather than 92mm and is bound to be quieter. It likely cools at least as well, probably better. And you save $15 or $20. It's very highly regarded.

I think that Cooler can accept TWO fans. Some people put a push fan on one side and a pull fan on the other if they really get into overclocking and are concerned with heat.

 

[Zepher]

Oh, I wasn't suggesting that screen, just showing what we got for $125 and it's perfect for what we use it for.
Also, don't get too caught up in specs because those dynamic contrast ratio features can be annoying with the screen dimming and brightening up very noticeably.
I turn off DCR if I can.

The price of the cooler was at one time $25 at both places, and going to $30 occasionally.
My brothers machine ran 10* cooler at idle just swapping in the cooler and would stay lower than 60* overclocked running Prime95.

 

[SlasherIT]

Well in that case, I'll take the new cooler. So this is what I have now:

Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X4 840 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor HDX840WFGMBOX
Newegg.com - Antec EarthWatts EA-500D Green 500W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Newegg.com - Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Newegg.com - ASUS M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
Newegg.com - Asus VW199T-P Black 19" 5ms LED BackLight LCD Monitor w/Speakers 10,000,000:1
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7
Newegg.com - Crucial Ballistix sport 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT25664BA160A
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GV-N440D3-1GI GeForce GT 440 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda ST3500413AS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Could someone please review it again and make sure everything works fine together.

 

[Zepher]

everything looks fine.