Greetings and salutations to each and every one of you readers. This post I am about to write is basically showing you what I am doing at the moment in my spare time.
You see I absolutely enjoy every aspect of computing and technology. Some people may enjoy horse riding, soccer, baking, frolicking through grassy fields. (As you do), but I just love technology.
Basically I’m still a student but have a couple of hours a week with an IT company. I upgraded my current computer about a year ago, changed the motherboard, processor and ram. At the moment my current specs are:
1) Motherboard =Gigabyte M57SLI-S4 (socket M2) Nvidia nForce 570 SLI Chipset
2) CPU = AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+, 3.0 Ghz
3) RAM = 4.0 GB Corsair DDR2 @ 201 MHz 5-5-5-18
4) Graphics = 256MB GeForce 7600 GT (x2)
5) Hard Drives = 200GB Seagate SCSI (x2)
6) Operating System = Windows 7 Ultimate 32 Bit
However, as you can see even though i upgraded the MB, CPU, and RAM only a year ago, already they are running out of date, especially with regards to my graphics cards, any new release games are not playable off my 256MB GeForce 7600 GT (x2). So I said to myself, that’s it!!
I’m gonna have to build a new computer.
So I spent about a week reading reviews, viewing specs, and comparing the various components. Then I picked each component that I wanted, except the video card. Now I buy each component as an can afford it. Then each time I buy a new component, I will post a new post updating you on what I’ve done. The reason I have not selected a video card is because, ATI seem to be miles ahead of nVidia at the moment, which doesn’t really sit right with me since i am a huge nVidia fan. ATI have 2GB GDDR5 cards with direct x11 support (ATI 5970). nVidia are still mainly on 1GB GDDR3 with direct x10 support. So I do want to wait to see what nVidias new Fermi range will have in store.
Ok, so. . . .so far I have bought 3 components, the Case, Motherboard and CPU (central processing unit). You’ll notice too, my supplier of choice was Komplett.ie. You will find the link to each component listed.
Here is the breakdown:
1) Case: Cooler Master HAF 922………………………………………………………[Link]
2) Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD6, P55, Socket-1156……….[Link]
3) Processor: Intel i5 Quad-Core Processor i5-750, 2.66 Ghz Quad Core….[Link]
OK, so before I go on to show you pictures and instructions on how I fitted the components, I should probably explain, why I decided to pick these exact components. By the way if you disagree with why I did something a certain way or why I chose one component over another, please feel free to leave a comment at the end of this post.
The Case -€120
So the reason I picked that exact case, the HAF 922, was because firstly, it looks amazing, lovely bright red LED’s, nice black finish looks like a mean sith machine. Ha. The other reason is because of it’s expandability – 10 drive bays, 5 external, 5 internal. Also It has an extreme fan cooling system with a Front 200mm Fan, Top 200mm Fan, and a Rear 120mm Fan, with the option for another 200mm on the side panel, and also the option to switch all 200mm fans with 120mm x2.
The Motherboard -€250
The Reason i bought that particular Motherboard was because It supports the long awaited USB 3.0, which brags to be up to 10 times faster, however this really isn’t true, most reviews claim it to be about 3 times faster than standard USB 2.0. Also it has support for SATA 6.0Gbps, yes this technically should be twice as fast as Standard SATA 3.0GBps that we are all use to. The only problem with these is that there isn’t many drives out yet that are 6.0GBps, so at the moment it’s not hugely beneficial, likewise with the USB 3.0. However in a few months or perhaps almost a year, the productions of these devices will be rampant, you see at the moment the companies i.e Seagate, Western Digital, etc all need to get rid of their current stock before selling these new technologies. Also this motherboard supports up to 16GB of SDDR3 RAM, dual channel. And Finally it’s equipped with 1x ATA, 8x SATA, 2x E-SATA, 14x USB, 3x Firewire.
The Processor -€185
Finally the reason I bought the i5-750 Processor. I was stuck between choosing AMD and Intel, Ive been using AMD for most of my life and haven’t had much trouble. However Intel just seems to be miles ahead in technology. Yes AMD are cheaper, however their flagship processor the Phenom ll x4 processor still matched my new Intels i5- 750. Thus, showing that Intels 4th or 5th best processor is matched to AMD’s greatest processor, also the fact that AMD almost got forced out of the market by Intel, was also a little bit unnerving. If Intel wasn’t forced to pay AMD 1.25 billion, who knows where they would be!
Most reviews even show that the i5-750 still out performs the phenom ll x4 by a small bit in all areas, except for gaming where the phenom ll x4 edges its way a minuscule amount past the i5. However, Intel still have the i7 family which consists of 4 different processors which are all better than AMD and the i5′s, these however range in price between €220 – €850. While AMD Phenom ll x4 prices come in around €160
The Build:
The Motherboard and How To Install It
OK so here’s what i did:
The pictures explain most of it, but ill explain what I can anyway.
Firstly I remove the two thumb screws from the back of the case so that I could remove the side panel.
Then I lined up the other twist screws with the Mother Board ATX layout. (These are nine screws which the motherboard then sits on)
After that I then removed the motherboard from it’s packaging, and sat it down lining up the screws. Also ensuring that the rear ports of the motherboard lined up with the rear port slot of the case.
Next, and this is very important, you need to screw in the motherboard, but this isn’t as straight forward as you might think. You do NOT fully screw in 1 screw at a time, this will cause the motherboard to not line up and could end up permanently damaging it. You need to just give each screw a few twists so that you just feel it threading, then you do that with the screw directly opposite it. For example if you start with the screw at the very top left, then your 2nd screw should be bottom right, and so on. Then when they are all threaded you can slowly screw them all in each one a bit at a time, until eventually they fit snug. As seen in the image.
The Processor (CPU)
The next job was to insert the processor, this part must be done with precision and accuracy! Why?
Well if you discharge static from your body through the processor it’s fried, and if you’ve bought the i7-965 Extreme, then that’s €850 that you will not be getting back.
Also if the processor is not inserted the correct way, you could bend the little pins, rendering the chip useless.
So basically, yes it is a square but your processor will come with instructions. On mine i had to line up a small triangle, the processor basically sits right in. Then the retention clip is brought down, securing it.
Yes you do need to exert quite a bit of force on this retention bracket, some people think they are in fact crushing their processor, but listen, the retention clip is there for a reason, to ensure every tiny little pin is in contact with the motherboard, of course it’s going to need quite a lot of pressure.
This image shows how it should look.
The CPU Cooler
The next a final step now comes, the fitting of the heatsink or CPU cooler as some like to call it. Either way something tells me no matter what you call it, it will still complete the same task. Cool your CPU. Ha
Anyway, i know you can buy better and quieter ones, and that you can even buy water cooling ones such as the Corsair H50 Hydro, which I’ve seen in action and must admit its pretty damn good.
However I stuck with Intels standard heat sink for cost sake. Yes it is included when you purchase a CPU.
It’s pretty straight forward, just PLEASE make sure there is cooling paste on your heat sink before you fit it, this aids in firstly holding it together but also for transferring the heat from the CPU to the heat sink.
Basically, all you do is sit it on top of the CPU lining up the 4 push screws and then turn each of them in a clock wise direction, nothing too much to it.
This image shows the heatsink fitted, the other image shows a view from the rear of the MB. and case
Also this was another reason i liked the HAF 922 Case, you can take off the other side panel and there is an access hole to the back of your motherboard.
This is very handy for say fitting a Corsair H50 Hydro, because it comes with a retention bracket that fits to the back of your board to hold the water cooling system on. With this handy access hole, it means you do not need to remove your MB from its case. Neat, eh?
Anyway that pretty much concludes part 1, I shall update ye when I purchase the next part, which will most likely be the RAM or PSU (power supply unit).
Please leave a comment after you read this whether it be commendation or criticism, I really don’t mind, but criticism helps me to learn.
Also if you have any questions regarding this post that you do not wish to post publicity, you can contact Tech-n-life, or myself (ex13mail@gmail.com).
13 Responses to “How To Custom Build Your Own PC On A Budget – Part 1”
I really like this post, this is something I have wanting to be doing for a long time so I will watch and read with interest to see your results. I do have a common point of interest with your choice of graphics cards, I am a fan of the nVidia products. My reasoning behind this choice against the ATI offering is down to reliability. We have hundreds of customers using a PCB Design eCAD design software product, and working in an Application Engineer role I have seen a lot of intermittant problems with the ATI hardware as compared with the nVidia offering.
The Lesson? Bring First to market does not mean you are the Best.
Example. Question: Who built built the first automobile in America?
Answer: Duryea built the first automobile in America.
Market perception? Most people think Ford built the fist automobile.
Reason: It’s only because they did it better!
Minib – This is a good point.. I have always struggled with which is better… but there is no substitute for real life experience…
Thank you very much for your comment MiniB, i think were definetely on the same page here. I must also agree that nVidia is great when it comes to reliability and stability. It’s nice to here of a practicle setting other than home use too. I do couple hours a week for an IT business support company, and in that setting the physical computer and all the software needs to be extremely reliable so that people can get on with their business, however it’s good to see with your customers the software they use is very graphical orientated so the actual Graphics card reliability is crucial. If a Graphics card isn’t reliable this can really impeade the ability to work, which in turn means less money. Not great for business eh?
Also i really liked your lesson, mainly cause i actually thought Ford built the first automobile. So the lesson is very applicable and proves a point.
I’m also interested actually in what you said about ATI, you mentioned you’ve seen some intermittant problems with the hardware. I’d be quite interested to know what kind of problems, if you could leave a comment or email me at (ex13mail@gmail.com) that would be great.
Thanks for your comment
Nvidia are now on the down and out.
Ati merged with AMD and became the better option.
ATIAMD are cheaper more reliable and have better performance.
Like this
AMD 5890 > Nv 295
AMD 5870 > Nv 285
AMD 5850 > Nv 275
AMD 5770 > Nv 260
I’m an NVIDIA FAN, got the 8800 and the 680i when they launched.
The 9800 was a renamed 8800, the 260 is a renamed 9800.
Only the 285 was a NEW card, but by then ATI released its DX11 5 series.
I stay clear of Nvidia for now.
i missed your point here… you said your a nvidia fan but you stay clear of it now??? clarify..?
Also, would you bring you comment over from facebook.. you made some interesting points there too
@Facebook
I had similar idea’s, but couldn’t get the funds.
I have a E6600 and a 8800GTX, not the best but still up to the job.
I upgraded my DADs recently, Got him a AMD Athlon X2 250 and a Gainward 4830, 400w OCZ PSU and a Gigabyte MA770-UD3 and a Nexus XIR 3500 CPU cooler.
On the rest of your upgrade i’d consider DDR3 1600 or 1333
Timings of c7 – c9, better if you can afford it.
The PSU anything around 600-900w. The Corsair HX is a good bet.
On Gpu the 5770 is a great card, you could get 2 of them for the price of a 5850 but you can get results similar to the 5870.
The 5890 is overkill, if you want a single card the 5850 can match the 5870 when overclocked.
Finally i’d recommend a new cpu cooler as the stock are never up to scratch.
My dads cpu now gets temps of 14c avg on idle.
The Megahalems are the de facto on this.
Enjoy your new rig!
Thanks for your advice and comments again Caleb, it’s funny you should mention it the PSU i will be getting is the Corsair HX 850watt,
The RAM will be Corsair Dominator GT DDR3 1600MHz 4GB CL7 -7 -7-20.
I was looking at the 5850 in terms of graphics cards, but once again i will be waiting 1st to see what nVidia’s FERMI range holds in store, they really are promising big things with it.The FREMI GPU will pack 3billion transistors and will out perform any other GPU on the market.
At the moment there is speculation that it may be released sometime in march, but this could easily be pushed out a bit longer
Yes Caleb, you echoed my points well, i did say that ATI were miles ahead at the moment and gave reasons why, but i have a feeling that nVidia s Fermi range will bring something revolutionary to the graphics industry. Theres no harm in waiting to see what they will bring out.
As miniB said, just because they are first out with new technology, e.g GDDR5 RAM and direct 11 support, doesnt mean they are better than nVidia. You see in the past nVidia usually perfect what ATI have done.
It’s interesting really looking at the different points and the different opinions people have. None are really right or wrong, it’s a matter of opinion, wherther you want the new technology now, OR wait till it’s perfected.
Also on a side point, ATI did join AMD yes, but as mentioned Intel had to pay AMD $1.25 Billion because basically Intel were a huge company who had the ability to push AMD almost out of the market. So ATI joining a company that almost went bust, is not very reassuring or the best business move in my opinion, you see, Intel and nVidia stand alone, and surrvive alone.
So that’s pretty admirable in my books.
Thank you for your input Caleb
my biggest issue is, i can never help myself.. I always look to who has the latest and then pay the price for being hasty…
but when it comes to the graphics card… it needs to be right. IT MUST be almost natively support by windows.. which means having the very latest generally doesn’t work out.
the best performing cards I have had are the nVidia ones.
Well i must agree with you on what you said about the ATI 5970, at the moment yes it is the king, with 2GB GDDR5 with direct x11 and open GL 3.2,it really is a great card, however this is in terms of specs. It comes down to reliability and stability aswell.
Nvidia to me usually seem that bit more stable, and have better driver support.
So although ATI is on top at the moment in terms of specs, ill still wait to see what FERMI does have to offer.
Also i see what you mean, more of the mid to low end do sell mostly ya, this is cause the high end stuff is a lot more expensive and also most computer users don’t need anything more than the mid to low end.
However i really dont see them dropping the high end GPU’s, because there will always be customers for them and if they ever dropped that, that would mean no competetion to ATI and this in turn would push nVidia out of the market.
This is something nVidia will definetely not do.
Also we’ve seen before were ATI have come out with these latest technologies, and nvidia seem quite, then BANG nVidia release something bigger, as if they were holding it back untill ATI made the release. Which makes sense, why release first? The attention you get is short lived if someone release after you, people then focus on the newer release.
I can see this happening again soon with nVidia.
well as a person who flashes the HTC Hero every two days to try out the latest build.. I guess I am like you to when you say:
I bought the 8800GTX at launch, NEVER buy a LAUNCH product unless your prepared to wait till it gets better drivers.
I love BETA testing though so its no problem for me.
I want to thank the blogger very much not only for this post but also for his all previous efforts. I found tech-n-life.com to be very interesting. I will be coming back to tech-n-life.com for more information.