building first computer...need help

to start things off to make this easy, my budget is the sub $1000 range, hopefully somewhere between 700-800 dollars. i already have a monitor so i just need to fill up a case with awesomeness.

what i want from this computer is to basically be a pure photo and video editing machine, no game playing for me. i know that i can't get the best parts out there but anything will be better than my macbook especially when trying to render video or working with 120mb photos...

im just looking for advice on what cpu/motherboard/video/​graphic/etc stuff i should get. i started looking on new egg and did some research and got a little overwhelmed.

i am open to anything.

Gigabyte X58A-UD3R - 200
Intel i7 930 - 200 microcenter
6Gb DDR3 - 150
Intel SSD - 200
Decent PCI-X Vid card // 8800 GTX or better - 100-200

System can be purchased for under 1k and should overclock to around 4ghz-4.2ghz on air. Check msg boards such as anandtech before purchasing anything.

So you need the entire PC or do you already have a case?

For 700-800 you are looking at an Intel i5 with 4GB of RAM, DVD drive, case and decent PSU. You can use onboard graphics if you use a Clarkdale version of the i5 and get the H55 chipset on the motherboard.

For pre-built PCs it was recommended that I check out these...seems that they provide best bang for buck...and no bloatware...click on high performance desktops when you get there...

http://h71016.www7.hp.​com …computing/price​-list#HHO1

yes i am starting from scratch so i will need a case. i found this on newegg, http://www.newegg.com …spx?ItemList=Co​mbo.473001

and it looks like all i need is a psu and heatsink. does that look like a good first set up? and how do i know what wattage psu i need to get?

Stay away from kits. Research cpu forums (other than this one) and do it right the first time instead of taking the easy route If you act fast, this case will be going for around $50 at 10 am. Check here for more info.

These are some good forums to research the right parts:

http://www.xtremesyste​ms.org/forums/forumdis​play.php?f=59
http://forums.anandtec​h.com/
http://hardforum.com/i​ndex.php?

IMHO, the parts I provided above are the best for the money at the moment but I'm sure you could shave off a few hundred by going the i5 route or another route. Good luck.

rioni wrote in post #10737054
Stay away from kits. Research cpu forums (other than this one) and do it right the first time instead of taking the easy route

Normally I would agree with you, but that kit isn't as bad as one would normally find!

corinmcblide wrote in post #10731433
yes i am starting from scratch so i will need a case. i found this on newegg, http://www.newegg.com …spx?ItemList=Co​mbo.473001

and it looks like all i need is a psu and heatsink. does that look like a good first set up? and how do i know what wattage psu i need to get?

You need a PSU but the heatsink is included with the CPU. The stock cooler that comes with the i series is pretty good as long as you stick to stock speeds or small overclock.

For PSU you should look to Corsair, OCZ, Seasonic, Antec or the Thermaltake lines. Something around 400 or 450W is plenty for most.

For $800-$1000 I'd go with this:

Intel i7 860 plus ASUS P55 Mobo - $375
8GB OCZ RAM - $180
Cooler Master Centurion 5 case - $50
Thermaltake TR2 430W PSU - $32 AR
Western Digital 1.5 TB Black - $110
Lite On DVD burner - $22
ATI 4350 Video card - $25 AR

Total is $805 plus shipping Before rebates. If you need an OS go with Win 7 64 bit Home Premium OEM for $99.

In2Photos wrote in post #10737142
For $800-$1000 I'd go with this:

Intel i7 860 plus ASUS P55 Mobo - $375
8GB OCZ RAM - $180
Cooler Master Centurion 5 case - $50
Thermaltake TR2 430W PSU - $32 AR
Western Digital 1.5 TB Black - $110
Lite On DVD burner - $22
ATI 4350 Video card - $25 AR

Total is $805 plus shipping Before rebates. If you need an OS go with Win 7 64 bit Home Premium OEM for $99.

sweet that looks great. i don't need to buy a HDD cuz i already have 2: 1tb HDD's that my friend isn't using. i was thinking about setting up a RAID1. i've never done it before but i'd like to have instant backing up and not using an external HDD. do i need any other hardware for that or do i just need to find some software?

corinmcblide wrote in post #10738986
sweet that looks great. i don't need to buy a HDD cuz i already have 2: 1tb HDD's that my friend isn't using. i was thinking about setting up a RAID1. i've never done it before but i'd like to have instant backing up and not using an external HDD. do i need any other hardware for that or do i just need to find some software?

The RAID setup is up to you!

You may wish to add an internal card reader, but otherwise that system is good to go! Other than that, the OS and the software is up to you.

If you want some great advice on building a quality system, check out http://forums.extremeo​verclocking.com - usually there's a few people there who will throw together a decent list of parts and an explanation of what's the most important to have in a system that's tailored to your needs.

As for RAID1, there's no software involved in backing your data up. RAID1 literally mirrors the two hard disks, but the operating system only sees one drive. When you write to the drive, both disks record the same information. This kind of redundancy is only really necessary if you're storing very important data that you can't afford to lose. My main boot disk is a RAID0 (striping) array of solid-state disks and my storage is a RAID1 (mirror) of 1TB WD Black drives. That, IMO, works out the best. Anything important automatically goes to the RAID1, while apps and OS go to the main boot drive (in my case the RAID0 - you don't need a RAID0, although it can and will boost performance).

corinmcblide wrote in post #10738986
sweet that looks great. i don't need to buy a HDD cuz i already have 2: 1tb HDD's that my friend isn't using. i was thinking about setting up a RAID1. i've never done it before but i'd like to have instant backing up and not using an external HDD. do i need any other hardware for that or do i just need to find some software?

I completely misread the part about RAID earlier!

RAID is NOT a backup solution. While it is a form of redundancy you need multiple copies in multiple locations to have a backup solution. As mentioned you need nothing specific with newer hardware as RAID is built in now for most motherboards. Read up on RAID before going that route, but make sure you have other plans for backup whether you use RAID or not!

Just Ditto Mike,
Do the RAID 1 set up, but don't consider it "back up"

What it is, is built in real time redundancy that CAN help you keep working without down time in the event of a hard drive failure....

This is not the same, nor a substitute for a back up drive. I highly recommend using RAID1 for many reasons,. but make sure you also invest in a 3rd drive, (and frankly a 4th) large enough to do incremental back ups of all your important data.

cool thanks guys, yeah i have a few external drives that i use for backup now.

Try to budget for the SSD. I can't think of another component that I've upgraded in the last 10 years that has made so much of a difference.

rioni wrote in post #10744004
Try to budget for the SSD. I can't think of another component that I've upgraded in the last 10 years that has made so much of a difference.

i'd like to do that cause i know how fast they are but the prices aren't in my budget. i know i can always upgrade in the future and they could be a lil cheaper =P