Spec Check Before Ordering Tommorow

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Hello all, Im goin to be ordering my first gaming pc tommorow and was wondering if you would double check my build for things like compatibility, wires etc.

http://s11.postimage.org/gng7ettlf/reekon.jpg

was thinking about the Gigabyte Z77-D3H @ £83.99, would this be same performance for cheaper? Read that this board would need a BIOS update, not too good with drivers xD

any feedback would be apreciated, ordering tommorow mid day so please please help me! :P
 
I've checked it and,

• The "core" case is missing mesh and stuff which you are meant to buy and customize yourself, this case is complete - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-019-BX

• Heatsink - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-035-CM&groupid=701&catid=2330&subcat=

• And yes you can select the D3H for a single card setup, updating the BIOS is easy, download the latest, place onto a USB stick, boot into the BIOS and select Qflash, follow the instructions, simple.
 
I'd have a look at the 7850 as opposed to the 660: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-157-MS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=411

Z77-D3H is a popular board, I've heard that it originally had a few driver/bios issues but they've pretty much been fixed afaik

You could probably save a little cash by going for 1600Mhz RAM, you wouldn't notice the difference, but then again, you'd only save around £5.

Everything is compatible though, you don't need an OS I assume? Good luck with the build :)
 
- Change the motherboard to the Z77-D3H
- Change the graphics card to this Gigabyte 7850
- Change the RAM to this
- Change the HD to this (2TB for £2 extra)
- Change the case as Stulid already advised

EDIT: You could possibly change the SSD to this with the couple of £££ you saved from the above changes if you decide to go with them. A more reliable, faster and bigger SSD. Be much more comfortable in terms of space etc. :)
 
• And yes you can select the D3H for a single card setup, updating the BIOS is easy, download the latest, place onto a USB stick, boot into the BIOS and select Qflash, follow the instructions, simple.

thanks for the reply Stulid, would i need to have the BIOS update for the z77-D3H already on a pendrive, not too sure how I would go about it. would i install the drivers in the box that came with the mobo and then dl the latest bios and then put on to a usb an do Qflash?#

Ps - gtx660ti vs 7850 - http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/647?vs=549
plus I like nvidia more, won't be suffering too much in terms of performance I dont think?
 
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If the PC fails to boot up with the GFX card fitted then do the BIOS update.

If it works fine, then you dont really have to.

----------------------------------------

It really is a simple process.

You can connect the monitor to the board directly with the GFX removed to get a display up.

Download the latest BIOS.

Extract the compressed file and place the 8MB file onto the USB stick.

Boot into the BIOS with the stick fitted to a USB port.

Click on QFlash.

Follow the simple instructions that basically ask, what drive to look at, what file to update from. It then does its thing and then after completion will ask if you want to reboot or powerOFF.
 
Worth mentioning that the gigabyte mobo has a dual bios so it's not as risky as updating say the Asrock (i too love the styling but with your beige trousers on it makes sense to go GB).

Stulid pointed out you are using the "core" shinobi. Maybe consider the windowd version as it also comes with 2 fans. The standard shinobi Stulid linked comes with one. Good luck with the build :)
 
Ps - gtx660ti vs 7850 - http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/647?vs=549
plus I like nvidia more, won't be suffering too much in terms of performance I dont think?

No performance difference really, just the free games.

Both ATI and Nvidia have had a set of performance enhancing drivers released last week.

Edit.

You have the GTX660 selected in your basket, not the 660ti you have linked to in that comparison.
 
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If the PC fails to boot up with the GFX card fitted then do the BIOS update.

If it works fine, then you dont really have to.

----------------------------------------

It really is a simple process.

You can connect the monitor to the board directly with the GFX removed to get a display up.

Download the latest BIOS.

Extract the compressed file and place the 8MB file onto the USB stick.

Boot into the BIOS with the stick fitted to a USB port.

Click on QFlash.

Follow the simple instructions that basically ask, what drive to look at, what file to update from. It then does its thing and then after completion will ask if you want to reboot or powerOFF.

getting really paranoid about all of the drivers and stuff for the system, building it isent going to be that bad PS, i've got the OS and Monitor sorted.

Stulid, you couldent tell me in which order the driver could go would you? i mean, obviously installing the BIOS upgrade, but like you said without the gpu installed, what bout the order of operation e.g should i install win 7 and the network drivers, then the BIOS, then GPU drivers then which over drivers would i need?

this is what build looks like atm - http://www.freeimagehosting.net/y6b24
 
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getting really paranoid about all of the drivers and stuff for the system, building it isent going to be that bad PS, i've got the OS and Monitor sorted.

Stulid, you couldent tell me in which order the driver could go would you? i mean, obviously installing the BIOS upgrade, but like you said without the gpu installed, what bout the order of operation e.g should i install win 7 and the network drivers, then the BIOS, then GPU drivers then which over drivers would i need?

Just use your motherboard disc and install the lot in one go, chipset, lan, e.t.c

There may be updates but the disc will get you up and running
 
I do it,

Intel ME
Intel INF
Intel RST
USB drivers for any additional chipsets
Nvidia
Realtek/Creative sound driver.

Then if you want Lucid going, set the IGP to enabled in the BIOS and install the Intel VGA driver and Lucid Virtu MVP after.

And any updates and additional guff for your board you might want.


Remember to get the latest drivers direct from Intel/Gigabyte/Realtek/Nvidia Website.
 
Just use your motherboard disc and install the lot in one go, chipset, lan, e.t.c

would that be a way around it? install all of the Manufactur disks and then just update them drivers through internet. guessing that way would be easier then i would knoe which drivers would need updating because they would have come on disk originally :/ stressfull xD
 
Couple of points. Get the MSI 7850 over the 660 (games or cuda support), ideally you want the 660Ti but at that price point the 7950 makes more sense. You could use the kingston genesis RAM which is cheaper, put the saved cash into the heatsink budget. You wont see much benefit from that faster RAM on this socket, get a better cooler to help OC the CPU

Connect the SSD but leave the 2TB storage for now. Install windows 7 and get anti-virus software on ASAP. Then head to GBs page for your mobo and get ALL the listed drivers, the ones on the disk will be out of date.

We can talk you through as you build, just continue to post here or start a build log thread.
 
Not like the cheaper RAM I mentioned earlier then? :p

What are your thoughts on the 128GB Samsung SSD also?

might aswell go for the faster RAM whilest the money their tbh, and just wanted a standard SATA III ssd capable of installing OS, nothing much more wanted of it, didn't want it to store games to etc, but thanks for the suggestion :)!
 
If your unsure thats what i'd do, theres usually a full install option, or do them individually, you may not need everything but it will do no harm.
 
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