need suggestion on motherboard,SSD, VGA, and PSU

[kelapa]

hello,

i'm running on :
i7 3770k
700 watt PSU purepower
16gb Ram
2x HDD wdc green 2TB
Geforce GTX 550 TI
and H77M-D3H motherboard

lot of my friends said i have bad motherboard. is it true?

but then, i have some money want to be allocated on upgrade my PC.
my question is,

1. i will buy a SSD, what type or brand compatible with my motherboard?
2. i will buy new VGA, which one is good with the price below $300 or $200? will it compatible with my motherboard?
3. do i need to change my motherboard? if yes, why? i though motherboard is not too important.
4. last, if i bought your recommendation, do i need change my 700 watt PSU?

thanks a lot

 

[TVeblen]

1. An SSD is just a hard drive. Any SATA hard drive will work with any motherboard with SATA connectors. The SSD will perform better on a motherboard with a SATA3 class controller/ports. But it will work just fine on a motherboard with SATA2 controller/ports.

2. The only compatibility issue with video cards is the type of slot they fit into, and their power needs. The vast majority fit into a PCI-e x16 slot. To figure out what video cards will work in your system you look at what slot you have, how many PCI-e power connectors you have coming off your power supply, and the Amps you have available at 12v. You would then look for cards that fit those specs. Asking what video card is best is like asking what car is best. Someone might say a Lamborghini, someone else might say a Smart Car. And they would be both right (for different reasons) and both wrong because they don't know what you need.

3. Why do your friends tell you you have a bad motherboard? To me a 'bad motherboard' is one that does not work. To someone else it might mean the RAM slots are an ugly color. Point is, that this comment means nothing. If there is some function you need that you don't have on your current motherboard then that is a good reason to upgrade.

4. Depends. You can run a lot of different high power video cards off a 700 Watt power supply. But you have to have the correct connector(s) and good amperage on the 12v rail (anything over 30A will run pretty much anything).

Step 1: determine what you need and why.
Step 2: shop for and narrow down a list of affordable parts that fit that need.
Step 3: check the specs to be sure all parts are compatible with each other.

Lots of good videos online about building (applies to upgrading) a PC.

Please note that I do not recommend any products or act as a personal shopper on this forum!

 

[Layback Bear]

A bad motherboard.
I like TVeblen are thinking the same way.
If your motherboard does what it was designed to do then it's a good motherboard.
If you want a motherboard that has more abilities and option their are many choices.

A quality 700W power supply will do the job for most systems.
Notice the word quality. All 700W power supplies are not created equal.
The brand and specs will be needed to make a proper judgement.

The motherboard selection is one of the hardest thing to do when upgrading or building a new system.
You posted this.

i though motherboard is not too important.

I have no idea how one would come up with such a thought.

Your motherboard is the controlling factor of just about everything in the computer.
Who ever is putting thoughts like this in your mind should not be listen to.

To help you the best we need information and lets start with these.

1. How much money are you willing and able to spend? $$$

2. What will be the main use of this computer?

I also will not do your shopping for you but me and other are happy to give guidance.

Look at TVeblen and my system specs.
It took a lot of research and homework on our part to come with what we wanted.
Making sure everything would work together.

I personally took more time choosing the motherboard than any other single part.
That how important a motherboard is.

 

[Digerati]

lot of my friends said i have bad motherboard. is it true?

That is a very good motherboard - assuming it is working properly. Due note that "upgrading" a motherboard is the same as getting a new computer in terms of OEM software licensing terms. This means if your current Windows license is an OEM/System Builders license, and/or came pre-installed on a factory built computer - that is, NOT a full "boxed Retail" license you purchased separately at a store, you will need to purchase a new Windows license with this new motherboard, or go Linux, to be legal.

i though motherboard is not too important.

I have no idea how one would come up with such a thought.

Your motherboard is the controlling factor of just about everything in the computer.
Who ever is putting thoughts like this in your mind should not be listen to.

Well, I don't agree so I do hope you bother to hear me out.

Now granted, we don't know the full context here and I am not saying to get a $50 generic motherboard. But there is no need to buy a $200 or $300 motherboard either. That said, the fact of the matter is there is no reason to suspect the $50 board is less capable of supporting the CPU, RAM, drive I/O or graphics than the $200 board - even at the same bus speeds - which is where it counts!!!!

If my budget is limited, I have no problems spending most of my budget on RAM, CPU and graphics (and a good PSU to power them) and putting them on a $100 motherboard from Gigabyte or ASUS (my preferred brands - though there are many others). I don't NEED the extra features a more expensive board offers as long as the budget board supports the RAM speeds and RAM amounts I want, the CPU I want to use, USB 3.0 and SATAIII. Those are the things that matter most and are readily available on even entry level motherboards. You just don't get as many expansion slots, or maybe a less than ideal integrated sound, or graphics, or support for 4 internal SATA drives instead of 6 or 10. The less expensive board will likely have a little less sophisticated power regulation circuits, but with leaky caps a thing of the past, even that is less important today - assuming a decent power supply is used, and you have properly setup case cooling.

So the motherboard is certainly important - but really ONLY for the basic functions every motherboard must provide. And even budget boards do that well - especially if fed good clean, stable power from a quality, 80 PLUS certified power supply - also a must with any computer.

So the bottom line, kelapa is right. As long as the board you want supports the CPU and RAM you want at the bus speeds you want, the choice of boards really is not too important.

 

[Layback Bear]

Itaregid I have no idea what you are disagreeing with.

Whether it's a $100.00 board or a $500.00 board
Choose the best you can for your needs and desires in the price range that suites your pocket book.

If the motherboard one has suites their needs and desires keep using it.

 

[Digerati]

Itaregid I have no idea what you are disagreeing with.

Oh? kelapa's "friends" are telling him to replace his board. He thought the motherboard is not too important.

You said not true and don't listen to anyone who says otherwise.

I disagreed, and still disagree with that, and I explained in detail why.

Again, yes the motherboard is critical. But the choice of CPU, RAM, graphics, and PSU are more important than the choice of motherboard (other than ensuring the chipset and CPU socket supports the CPU of choice).

Choose the best you can for your needs and desires in the price range that suites your pocket book.

I agree 100% here. I am just saying if you need to trim the budget, I would do it here before downgrading my RAM, graphics, CPU or the PSU.

 

[Layback Bear]

Your post.

Again, yes the motherboard is critical. But the choice of CPU, RAM, graphics, and PSU are more important than the choice of motherboard (other than ensuring the chipset and CPU socket supports the CPU of choice)

Of course all those things are important. Who said they were not?
They all must work together and they also must work with something they all have in common. The motherboard.

Did you not see my post where I requested to know how much money was available and what the system was going to be use for.
Knowing that information will help.

Today you seam to want to argue. This is the Seven Forum not a tweeter account.
We are here to help the member who requested the help not argue with each other.

 

[Layback Bear]

@ kelapa

If you can answer these two question it will help us help you.


1. How much money are you willing and able to spend? $$$

2. What will be the main use of this computer?

 

[Digerati]

Today you seam to want to argue.

Nope. It is just you taking anything that is not 100% in line with you as "personal". It is you coming back with comments like,

Who said they were not?
Today you seam to want to argue.
You are putting word in my post along with many others post by others.

None of that is true.

 

[stormy13]

The reason your friends say you have a "bad" motherboard is due to the CPU you have. You have the "K" version, which is unlocked and overclockable and you have it installed on a motherboard with zero overclocking ablility.

Now as to whether you want to overclock or not, if you do then you will need to get a new motherboard. If you don't want to overclock then there is nothing wrong with the one you have now.

 

[Digerati]

Excellent points. And since the OP has not said whether overclocking is a goal or not, maybe it would be best to wait until more information is available.

 

[Barman58]

Rather than turn this into an internal "discussion" on the merits of top end verses budget motherboards, can we please wait to hear from the Original poster

 

[Layback Bear]

Thanks you Nige.
We do need the OP to inform us what is the intended use of this computer.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Well if the OP wants to find out if he has a good enough PSU he should try this eXtreme Power Supply Calculator - The most trusted PSU Wattage Calculator that should put that one to bed

 

[Digerati]

I agree with the use of the eXtreme calc when sizing up PSU needs. And I absolutely agree that using a quality PSU is a must. But I note the OP said he has a 700W Pure Power supply. 700W is plenty and while Pure Power may not be well known in the US, it is a highly regarded PSU maker in Europe and I note their Pure Power 700W L8 Series PSUs is 80 PLUS certified and has received good reviews.

It is important for all to understand achieving 80 PLUS certification means the supply maintained very high efficiency across a full range of expected loads. For any power supply to achieve a "flat" (not to mention high and flat) efficiency rating requires (1) quality design, (2) quality, tight tolerance parts, and (3) quality construction techniques - regardless the brand name on the case or the parts inside. This is exactly why Rosewill, previously shunned for low quality, has been receiving high professional and user review scores for their 80 PLUS certified PSUs in recent years.

Of course, even the best makers in the world will have an occasional lemon. So if power is in doubt, swapping in a known good PSU while troubleshooting is not a bad idea. But if the problem remains with the spare supply, no need to replace that Pure Power PSU. It is a quality supply with more than enough horsepower.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yes Itaregrid my interest as you know is in hardware more than software well interest probably the wrong wording I just find it easier to visualize the problem.
Now the only reason I asked him to test the power rails is because of what I have read in Scott Mueller's text books and who quotes that the PSU is a very underrated component when it comes to fault finding and i just like to eliminate the rudy obvious if you get my drift.


This is a piece of test of hid I also found in Toms hardware site is this I always quote in a little ditty I wrote for testing PSU rails with HW Info Voltage Rails - Power Supply 101: A Reference Of Specifications

I find it such a good reference after reading about POwer_Good signal and the like.

Now as for brands I am a fan of Corsair, Seasonic Antec and Enermax but Corsair is is the one I laways buy. Now having said all that it has to be remembered too that each brand is not manufactured by the same companies and even Corsair uses different companies to manufacture and therein lies their model and therein lies what you are saying re lemons and I am guessing too that it might even be like cars that are made on Fridays LOL!! when everyone is itching to knock off and go home.
.PSU Makers: C-D - Who's Who In Power Supplies, 2013: Brands Vs. Manufacturers