My Future Build

[Razor505]

For my future build I want to build a computer for gaming and surfing, the parts that I would be getting are:
Computer Case: Newegg.ca - Rosewill BLACKHAWK Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case, come with Five Fans, window side panel, top HDD dock
Motherboard: Newegg.ca - MSI 990FXA-GD65V2 AM3+ AMD 990FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
CPU/ Processor: Newegg.ca - AMD FX-4170 Zambezi 4.2GHz (4.3GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 125W Quad-Core Desktop Processor FD4170FRGUBOX
RAM/ Memory: Newegg.ca - G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ
Hard drive/ HDD: Newegg.ca - Seagate Barracuda Green ST1500DL003 1.5TB 5900 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive ,1 x 1TB HDD, & 1 x 250GB HDD (moving the 1TB and 250Gb from old computer
Video Card: Newegg.ca - SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card ( 11202-00-20G) Which I will be moving from my old computer
PSU: Newegg.ca - CORSAIR Builder Series CX500 V2 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply Which I will be moving from my old computer
I am wondering if this will be compatible, because the total it costs me is $562.31 plus tax and shipping. Also I want to know if moving my old hard drive to the new computer would install win 7 into the new computer?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I don't know much about AMD, but I think that is a dual channel board. Is there any particular reason you are buying a triple channel memory kit?

Which of your drives will get the OS?

Are you locked into an MSI board, an AMD processor, and a green Seagate drive?

Is your current Windows 7 license OEM?

 

[Razor505]

I don't know much about AMD, but I think that is a dual channel board. Is there any particular reason you are buying a triple channel memory kit?

Which of your drives will get the OS?

Are you locked into an MSI board, an AMD processor, and a green Seagate drive?

Is your current Windows 7 license OEM?

Theres 4 RAM slots, but I dont really need a lot of memory.

My 1TB drive has Win7 Home prem. 64-bit.

I heard MSI were good.

AMD was the one I have been using for a long time, since I dont really know much about Intel.

Seagate were mostly showned in Newegg's builds. (and cheap!)

My Win7 came with my Acer computer.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'd buy either 4 GB of RAM or 8 GB. If you use three sticks, I think your RAM will be running in single channel mode. It will work, but it's not ideal.

The Seagate green drive is OK if you are just putting data on it, but I wouldn't want it as an operating system drive.

MSI? Well, you can easily find horror stories about any motherboard brand. And regardless of which brand you buy, you can have a bad experience. Having said that, I'd go with Asus, Gigabyte, or Intel. But it's your choice.

AMD? Again it's your money, but Intel outperforms at the mid-price level or above. People buy processors for reasons other than performance and you may be one of those people.

Your Windows 7 is OEM if it came with the Acer. You intend to change motherboards. OEM licenses are restricted to the original motherboard. If you just swap the drive over, it may boot, but you would be in violation of the Microsoft license terms and you would likely run into an update or authentication jam sooner or later.

 

[bobkn]

For my future build I want to build a computer for gaming and surfing, the parts that I would be getting are:
Computer Case: Newegg.ca - Rosewill BLACKHAWK Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case, come with Five Fans, window side panel, top HDD dock
Motherboard: Newegg.ca - MSI 990FXA-GD65V2 AM3+ AMD 990FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
CPU/ Processor: Newegg.ca - AMD FX-4170 Zambezi 4.2GHz (4.3GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 125W Quad-Core Desktop Processor FD4170FRGUBOX
RAM/ Memory: Newegg.ca - G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ
Hard drive/ HDD: Newegg.ca - Seagate Barracuda Green ST1500DL003 1.5TB 5900 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive ,1 x 1TB HDD, & 1 x 250GB HDD (moving the 1TB and 250Gb from old computer
Video Card: Newegg.ca - SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card ( 11202-00-20G) Which I will be moving from my old computer
PSU: Newegg.ca - CORSAIR Builder Series CX500 V2 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply Which I will be moving from my old computer
I am wondering if this will be compatible, because the total it costs me is $562.31 plus tax and shipping. Also I want to know if moving my old hard drive to the new computer would install win 7 into the new computer?

Looks OK, as far as I can tell, with one possible exception:

The motherboard and CPU support dual channel RAM, not triple. I suggest instead something like:

Newegg.ca - G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GAO

(2X4GB). The price is $5CA more than the triple-channel kit that you list, but it's 8GB, rather than 6. There are a number of makes of 2X4GB kits listed at Newegg for about the same price; I'm not sure which is best. (The one I linked to is low-profile, so there's be no CPU heatsink clearance issues.)

Your existing Windows license is OEM. If you transfer it to a new PC, it will require a new activation, and Microsoft may refuse to do it. (OEM licenses aren't transferrable.) I have read of people persuading MS to activate a "repaired" machine, where the repair was a 100% hardware replacement, but you don't want to count on that. Budget for a new copy of Windows.

The least expensive Windows license for a new machine is a system builder (generic OEM) one. You are supposed to sell the PC rather than keep it, bust as far as I know, there's no enforcement of that.

(Or you could put the Windows 8 Release Preview on it. It's free, but it dies at the end of January, 2013.)

 

[Razor505]

I'd buy either 4 GB of RAM or 8 GB. If you use three sticks, I think your RAM will be running in single channel mode. It will work, but it's not ideal.

The Seagate green drive is OK if you are just putting data on it, but I wouldn't want it as an operating system drive.

MSI? Well, you can easily find horror stories about any motherboard brand. And regardless of which brand you buy, you can have a bad experience. Having said that, I'd go with Asus, Gigabyte, or Intel. But it's your choice.

AMD? Again it's your money, but Intel outperforms at the mid-price level or above. People buy processors for reasons other than performance and you may be one of those people.

Your Windows 7 is OEM if it came with the Acer. You intend to change motherboards. OEM licenses are restricted to the original motherboard. If you just swap the drive over, it may boot, but you would be in violation of the Microsoft license terms and you would likely run into an update or authentication jam sooner or later.

I changed some stuff with my build
RAM: Newegg.ca - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-8GBRL
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131831
CPU/ Processor: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070
Buying a new Windows 7 sure isn't cheap but is there any way I could install it with a product key?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

We can help you with choosing Intel, but that requires an Intel type motherboard, rather than the AMD type board you have chosen.

If you have a valid retail Windows 7 product key, you can download a Windows 7 ISO, burn it to a disc, and install from that.

But I assume your product key is the one from the sticker on the Acer---that would be an OEM key and is not legal on a different motherboard.

I'd come to a conclusion about your Windows license problem before I got serious about new hardware.

 

[Razor505]

We can help you with choosing Intel, but that requires an Intel type motherboard, rather than the AMD type board you have chosen.

If you have a valid retail Windows 7 product key, you can download a Windows 7 ISO, burn it to a disc, and install from that.

But I assume your product key is the one from the sticker on the Acer---that would be an OEM key and is not legal on a different motherboard.

I'd come to a conclusion about your Windows license problem before I got serious about new hardware.

I found an Intel i5 is this anygood?
Newegg.ca - Intel Core i5-2310 Sandy Bridge 2.9GHz (3.2GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I52310
and I found the same exact Windows 7 I have
Newegg.ca - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - Operating Systems
My total is $609.44, but I was thinking of a computer around $500.

 

[pparks1]

My Win7 came with my Acer computer.

And with your Acer computer it must stay. Plan to purchase another license for Windows, as you cannot move an OEM license from the OEM computer to a new one...and that is what you are going to build...a new computer.

 

[bobkn]

I'd buy either 4 GB of RAM or 8 GB. If you use three sticks, I think your RAM will be running in single channel mode. It will work, but it's not ideal.

The Seagate green drive is OK if you are just putting data on it, but I wouldn't want it as an operating system drive.

MSI? Well, you can easily find horror stories about any motherboard brand. And regardless of which brand you buy, you can have a bad experience. Having said that, I'd go with Asus, Gigabyte, or Intel. But it's your choice.

AMD? Again it's your money, but Intel outperforms at the mid-price level or above. People buy processors for reasons other than performance and you may be one of those people.

Your Windows 7 is OEM if it came with the Acer. You intend to change motherboards. OEM licenses are restricted to the original motherboard. If you just swap the drive over, it may boot, but you would be in violation of the Microsoft license terms and you would likely run into an update or authentication jam sooner or later.

I changed some stuff with my build
RAM: Newegg.ca - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-8GBRL
I would change to Intel if its good, but I am not really experienced with Intel, so I don't know which is the best.
Buying a new Windows 7 sure isn't cheap but is there any way I could install it with a product key?

CPU benchmarks:

PassMark - CPU Benchmarks - List of Benchmarked CPUs

It looks like the FX-4170 is as good or better than Intel CPUs at the same price. The Intel Core I5-2500k is very popular with enthusiasts, but it's $225:

Newegg.ca - Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000 BX80623I52500K

(Add more for a third-party CPU heatsink/fan if you want to overclock, which is easy with a 2500k. The k suffix indicates an unlocked multiplier.)

There's no way that you could use your existing Windows key on a new PC that wouldn't break the license agreement.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You can look here to get a rough idea of CPU horsepower.

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

That Intel scores about 5800

The AMD you were looking at scores about 4600.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Razor,
Over the moon with my spec's and the 8120 is $159.99 USD all day long and 149.00 USD or less sometimes. I scored mine for 159.00 and got another 40.00 worth of discounts and free shipping. Upgraded from the stellar Phenom 965BE. I've had nothing but great results from MSI and AMD. Feel free to ask any questions and like others have mentioned almost all brands have their attractors and detractors as well as the age old AMD vs Intel debate. All I know is by waiting I scored a chip for dirt that runs extremely strong and overclocks like a mad-dog.

 

[Razor505]

Razor,
Over the moon with my spec's and the 8120 is $159.99 USD all day long and 149.00 USD or less sometimes. I scored mine for 159.00 and got another 40.00 worth of discounts and free shipping. Upgraded from the stellar Phenom 965BE. I've had nothing but great results from MSI and AMD. Feel free to ask any questions and like others have mentioned almost all brands have their attractors and detractors as well as the age old AMD vs Intel debate. All I know is by waiting I scored a chip for dirt that runs extremely strong and overclocks like a mad-dog.

So is Intel better than AMD?

 

[pparks1]

So is Intel better than AMD?

Performance wise, yes...without question. Price wise, it depends upon the model. It's not that AMD is bad, they have actually been great in the past...but it's been a long time since they were on top.

 

[Razor505]

So is Intel better than AMD?

Performance wise, yes...without question. Price wise, it depends upon the model. It's not that AMD is bad, they have actually been great in the past...but it's been a long time since they were on top.

So for my new build i should use Intel, but if i want to go cheaper i should use AMD.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You should do this:

Decide on your absolute maximum budget.

Subtract from that the cost of a new Windows license.

Then decide on a list of parts from the remaining money.

In real life, it's not likely you would be able to tell whether you had an Intel or an AMD. They both work fine.

Some people buy one brand or the other for political or social reasons. You may have heard the term "fan boy".

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Price no object - Intel
Bang for buck - AMD
Oh and you had to just start this ! lol.....I warned you.......