================
|| -- Introduction -- ||
================
I made this guide for those who are totally new to building PC's. There is already a "Help Me Build My Rig" thread but most of the posts there are build suggestions and parts pricing. Even with a recommended build, I noticed that newbies still have lots of questions for every particular component of the PC. My goal is to teach newbies the basics in building their own first PC. Of course, for in-depth information for each component the PC will be not discussed here as there are already threads here for that. This guide is for newbies so don't criticize it for being too simple and straightforward.
I have built my first gaming PC back in November 2008. It was composed of an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, 2GBx1 DDR2 800 CL6, and a GeForce 9400GT. As you can see, this build is unbalanced for a gaming PC - a powerful CPU paired with a weak GPU. I still see many TPC members here making this mistake. I want to share my knowledge I gained since I started exploring CPU overclocking back in February 2010. My second gaming PC was composed of an Intel Core i5 750, 2GBx2 DDR3 1600 CL9, and a GeForce GTX 275. It was already a decent gaming PC but I sold it and switched to another platform. I am now using an AMD Phenom II X6 1055T paired with a Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 1GB
I will update this guide as new information becomes available. Suggestions and corrections are also welcome. Just send me a private message.
Thanks.
====================
|| -- Definition of Terms -- ||
====================
AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port. An old slot type for graphics cards. AGP graphics cards are too slow for modern games. You won't see this anymore on modern motherboards. AGP graphics cards will only fit in AGP slots. Replaced by PCI-E
Benchmark - a test or set of tests that measure performance of a PC. Synthetic applications or real-world applications can be used for benchmarks. Benchmarks are mostly used by overclockers to measure the performance gained by overclocking. It can also be used to measure the performance gain of a hardware upgrade
BIOS - Basic Input and Output System. When updating your BIOS, make sure your PC is plugged on a UPS. If the BIOS update process is interrupted by a power failure, the BIOS will be corrupted. Your PC will not function if this is damaged or corrupted.
CPU - Central Processing Unit. This is the brain of the PC. This is commonly called as the processor
CPU Frequency - This shows how fast a CPU is and it has a unit of Gigahertz (GHz). Higher is better for the same family of processors
CPU Socket - This is where the CPU chip fits in. AMD processors use AM2, AM2+, and AM3 while Intel processors use LGA 775, LGA 1156, and LGA 1366
Cool n Quiet - Power saving feature of AMD processors. The CPU downclocks when it is idle or the load is light
CrossFire - A technology from ATi that allows 2 or more ATi GPU's to work together in games
EIST - Enhanced Intel Speed Step. Power saving feature of Intel processors. The CPU downclocks when it is idle or the load is light
FSB - Front Side Bus. Old Intel CPU's and all LGA 775 CPU's use the FSB to communicate with the memory.
HDD - Hard Disk Drive. Used as primary data storage
HSF - Heat Sink and Fan. This cools the CPU. Too much heat and your CPU will die sooner than expected.
IGP - Integrated Graphics Processor. AMD IGP's are located on the motherboard and modern Intel IGP's are located on the CPU chip. IGP's are not advisable for gaming
IMC - Integrated Memory Controller
LCD - Liquid Crystal Display. A type of display that is replacing CRT monitors. Have a low power consumption compared to CRT monitors
LGA - Land Grid Array. A socket type used by modern Intel processors. The contact pins are on the motherboard.
GPU - Graphics Processing Unit. This comes in two types, IGP and Add-on. Add-on type of GPU's are those cards that you insert in the AGP slot or PCI-E slot
Overclocking - The process of running a component beyond its rated speed. Should be done with caution. Overclocking can damage your components if not done properly
PGA - Pin Grid Array. A CPU socket type used by AMD processors
PCI-E - Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. Used by modern graphics cards
PSU - Power Supply Unit. This is the part that supplies power to every component of your PC. Make sure you use a reliable PSU to ensure safe and stable operation of your PC.
RAM - Random Access Memory. Commonly called as memory.
SLI - Scalable Link Interface. A technology from nVIDIA that allows 2 or more nVIDIA GPU's to work together in games
SSD - Solid State Drive. Similar to HDD's except there are no more mechanical parts. It is a lot faster than HDD's but still very expensive to replace HDD's
UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply. In case of a power failure, this provides backup power for your PC to give you enough time to save your files and properly shut down your PC. For more info on UPS, go to the PSU 101 thread
========================
|| -- Choosing the Right CPU -- ||
========================
When choosing your CPU or processor, know first the applications that you will be using and don't rely on the specifications of the processor. The core count and CPU frequency is not a reliable measure of performance. The best way to compare performance of different CPU's is to run a benchmark using real-world applications. A fast dual-core processor will do if you will do mostly gaming, web browsing, file downloading, some video trancoding, and other light tasks like typing documents. If you will use the PC for heavy tasks like 3D rendering, lots of video transcoding, and file compression, a quad-core processor or six-core CPU will serve you better. AMD also makes triple-core CPU'ss which offers performance in between duals and quads.
Here are some benchmarks to make things more clear
+ Test System +
Asus P7H57DV-EVO
Intel DX58SO
Intel DX48BT2
Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P
Qimonda DDR3 1066 1GBx4
Corsair DDR3 1333 1GBx4
Patriot Viper DDR3 1333 2GBx2
eVGA GeForce GTX 280
Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit
3dsmax 9 - 3dsmax SPECapc - CPU Rendering (higher is better)
Intel Core i5 750 2.66 GHz -------------- 13.4
AMD Phenom II X4 955BE 3.2 GHz ------ 11.3
Intel Core i5 660 3.33 GHz -------------- 10.7
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2.66 GHz ----- 10.6
Intel Core i5 650 3.2 GHz ---------------- 10.3
AMD Athlon II X4 635 2.9 GHz ----------- 10.0
Intel Core i3 530 2.93 GHz -------------- 9.1
AMD Athlon II X4 620 2.6 GHz ---------- 8.9
AMD Athlon II X3 440 3.0 GHz ---------- 7.9
AMD Phenom II X3 720BE 2.8 GHz ------ 7.8
Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz ------- 7.3
AMD Phenom II X2 555BE 3.2 GHz ------ 6.7
AMD Athlon II X2 255 3.1 GHz ----------- 6.5
x264 HD Encode - 720p MPEG2 to x264 - First Pass (frames per second - higher is better)
AMD Phenom II X4 955BE 3.2 GHz ------ 74.0
Intel Core i5 750 2.66 GHz -------------- 72.9
AMD Athlon II X4 635 2.9 GHz ----------- 66.9
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2.66 GHz ----- 60.8
AMD Athlon II X4 620 2.6 GHz ----------- 60.4
Intel Core i5 660 3.33 GHz --------------- 58.7
Intel Core i5 650 3.2 GHz ---------------- 56.4
AMD Athlon II X3 440 3.0 GHz ----------- 55.2
AMD Phenom II X3 720BE 2.8 GHz ------ 52.2
Intel Core i3 530 2.93 GHz -------------- 50.1
AMD Phenom II X2 555BE 3.2 GHz ------ 41.2
AMD Athlon II X2 255 3.1 GHz ----------- 39.8
Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz -------- 38.1
CineBench R10 - Multi Core CPU Rendering (higher is better)
Intel Core i5 750 2.66 GHz -------------- 14142
AMD Phenom II X4 955BE 3.2 GHz ------ 13242
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2.66 GHz ----- 11577
AMD Athlon II X4 635 2.9 GHz ----------- 11244
Intel Core i5 660 3.33 GHz --------------- 10863
Intel Core i5 650 3.2 GHz ---------------- 10550
AMD Athlon II X4 620 2.6 GHz ----------- 10168
Intel Core i3 530 2.93 GHz -------------- 9167
AMD Phenom II X3 720BE 2.8 GHz ------ 8765
AMD Athlon II X3 440 3.0 GHz ---------- 8666
AMD Phenom II X2 555BE 3.2 GHz ------ 7225
Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz ------- 6903
AMD Athlon II X2 255 3.1 GHz ---------- 6689
WinRar 3.8 - File Compression - 300MB Archive (time in seconds - lower is better)
Intel Core i5 750 2.66 GHz -------------- 96.2
AMD Phenom II X4 955BE 3.2 GHz ------ 111.8
Intel Core i5 660 3.33 GHz -------------- 120.4
Intel Core i5 650 3.2 GHz ---------------- 120.5
AMD Athlon II X4 635 2.9 GHz ----------- 129.1
AMD Phenom II X3 720BE 2.8 GHz ------ 132.7
Intel Core i3 530 2.93 GHz -------------- 133.8
AMD Phenom II X2 555BE 3.2 GHz ------ 138.5
AMD Athlon II X2 255 3.1 GHz ----------- 140.8
AMD Athlon II X3 440 3.0 GHz ----------- 146.7
AMD Athlon II X4 620 2.6 GHz ----------- 148.1
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2.66 GHz ----- 158.2
Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz ------- 170.0
Far Cry 2 - 1680 x 1050 - Medium Quality (frames per second - higher is better)
Intel Core i5 750 2.66 GHz --------------- 71.7
Intel Core i5 660 3.33 GHz --------------- 52.4
Intel Core i5 650 3.2 GHz ---------------- 51.3
AMD Phenom II X4 955BE 3.2 GHz ------ 51.2
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2.66 GHz ----- 51.2
Intel Core i3 530 2.93 GHz -------------- 46.7
AMD Athlon II X2 255 3.1 GHz ----------- 45.8
AMD Phenom II X3 720BE 2.8 GHz ------ 45.0
AMD Phenom II X2 555BE 3.2 GHz ------ 43.6
AMD Athlon II X4 635 2.9 GHz ----------- 40.2
Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz ------- 38.9
AMD Athlon II X4 620 2.6 GHz ----------- 36.8
>> Naming Scheme of CPU's <<
- 2 cores -
AMD Phenom II X2
AMD Athlon II X2
Intel Pentium Dual Core
Intel Core 2 Duo
Intel Core i3 500 series
Intel Core i5 600 series
Intel Core i3 2000 series
- 3 cores -
AMD Phenom II X3
AMD Athlon II X3
- 4 cores -
AMD Phenom II X4
AMD Athlon II X4
Intel Core i5 700 series
Intel Core i7 800 series
Intel Core i7 900 series
Intel Core i5 2400 series
Intel Core i5 2500 series
Intel Core i7 2600 series
- 6 cores -
AMD Phenom II X6
Intel Core i7 970
Intel Core i7 980X
Intel Core i7 990X
All Intel Core i series CPU's have Turbo Boost except for Core i3
All Intel Core i series CPU's have Hyper Threading Technology except for Core i5 700 series, Core i5 2400 series, and Core i5 2500 series.
AMD Athlon II series does not have L3 Cache
>> List of Recommended CPU's <<
- Entry Level -
AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.0 GHz
AMD Athlon II X3 440 3.0 GHz
AMD Athlon II X4 640 3.0 GHz
Intel Core i3 530 2.93 GHz
- Mainstream -
AMD Phenom II X2 555BE 3.2 GHz
AMD Phenom II X4 955BE 3.2 GHz
AMD Phenom II X4 965BE 3.4 GHz
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8 GHz
Intel Core i5 750 2.66 GHz
Intel Core i5 760 2.8 GHz
Intel Core i5 2500K 3.3 GHz
- High End -
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T 3.2 GHz
Intel Core i7 870 2.93 GHz
Intel Core i7 930 2.8 GHz
Intel Core i7 2600K 3.4 GHz
>> List of CPU's to Avoid <<
AMD Phenom I series
AMD Athlon I series
Intel Pentium D
Intel Core i5 600 series
============================
|| -- Getting the Right Motherboard -- ||
============================
>> Tips on motherboard layout <<
1. Make sure the CPU socket type is compatible with the CPU you will be using
AM3/AM2+
- Phenom II
- Athlon II
LGA 775
- Pentium Dual Core
- Core 2 Duo
- Core 2 Quad
LGA 1156
- Core i3 500 series
- Core i5 600 series
- Core i5 700 series
- Core i7 800 series
LGA 1155
- Core i3 2000 series
- Core i5 2000 series
- Core i7 2000 series
LGA 1366
- Core i7 900 series
- Core i7 970
- Core i7 980X
2. Make sure the main 24-pin connector is located along the edge of the board. Avoid boards where the main 24-pin connector is located near the CPU socket
3. Take note of the position of the sATA ports. If you are planning on using gaming graphics cards, make sure the sATA ports are not in line with the PCI-E slots. If ever the sATA ports are in line with a PCI-E slot, make sure they are in a parallel position with respect to the board like the black sATA ports of the MSI P55-GD80 pictured above. However, there are some casings where you need the sATA ports to be perpendicular with respect to the board.
4. As much as possible, choose a board where the CMOS battery is located far from the PCI slots and PCI-E slots
5. If the budget is not restricted, select a board that uses solid capacitors. Solid capacitors are more tolerant to heat compared to electrolytic capacitors. They also have a longer life span and they don't leak.
6. For convenience, choose a board that has a CMOS reset button. Some boards even a feature a CMOS reset button located at the rear panel so you don't have to open the casing if ever you need to reset the CMOS
>> What Chipset Should I Choose ? <<
The motherboard usually has 2 chipsets
1. Northbridge - for Intel LGA 775, it holds the Memory Controller and the PCI-E Controller. The Northbridge determines the type, maximum amount, and maximum speed of memory. It also determines the number of PCI-E lanes that will be available.
2. Southbridge - it handles the Input/Output devices (keyboard, mouse, gamepads), storage devices (HDD, SSD, USB) and other components of the PC
Modern AMD and Intel CPU's now have an Integrated Memory Controller. So it is now the CPU that determines the type, maximum amount, and maximum speed of memory. The Northbridge is now only left with the function of supplying the PCI-E lanes. Modern CPU's don't use the FSB anymore, they now communicate directly with the memory
For Intel LGA 1156 motherboards, there is only one main chip - the Platform Controller Hub. It functions more like a Southbridge and the 2 common chipsets are P55 and H55. The main difference between P55 and H55 is that H55 allows the use of IGP's of Intel Core i3 500 and Core i5 600. Using a Core i3 500 or Core i5 600 on a P55 board is possible but the IGP will be disabled. All LGA 1156 processors are compatible with P55 and H55.
Intel LGA 1366 boards still has two chips- the Northbridge and the Southbridge. It only has one type of Northbridge - the X58. The X58 chipset has 36 PCI-E lanes but this becomes only significant in a multi-GPU setup.
Here are the common Intel Northbridge chipsets for LGA 775
(Chipset - maximum FSB supported - memory type - maximum memory amount - PCI-E Lanes)
P31 - 800/1066 MHz - DDR2 667/800 - 4GB - 1 PCI-Express x16 / 1 PCI-Express x4
P35 - 800/1066/1333 MHz - DDR2 667/800/1066 - 8GB - 1 PCI-Express x16 / 1 PCI-Express x4
P35 - 800/1066/1333 MHz - DDR3 800/1066/1333 - 8GB - 1 PCI-Express x16 / 1 PCI-Express x4
G31 - 800/1066/1333 MHz - DDR2 667/800 - 4GB - 1 PCI-Express x16 / 1 PCI-Express x16
P45 - 800/1066/1333 MHz - DDR2 667/800/1066 - 16GB - 1 PCI-Express x16 2.0 / 2 PCI-Express x8 2.0
P45 - 800/1066/1333 MHz - DDR3 800/1066/1333 - 8GB - 1 PCI-Express x16 2.0 / 2 PCI-Express x8 2.0
X38 - 800/1066/1333 MHz - DDR3 800/1066/1333 - 8GB - 2 PCI-Express x8 2.0
X38 - 800/1066/1333 MHz - DDR2 667/800/1066 - 8GB - 2 PCI-Express x8 2.0
X48 - 1066/1333/1600 MHz - DDR3 1066/1333/1600 - 8GB - 2 PCI-Express x8 2.0
X48 - 1066/1333/1600 MHz - DDR2 667/800/1066 - 8GB - 2 PCI-Express x8 2.0
Here are the common AMD Northbridge chipsets
(Chipset - PCI-E Lanes - IGP - supported Southbridge)
890FX - 2 PCI-Express x16 2.0 / 4 PCI-Express x8 2.0 - none - SB850/SB810/SB750/SB710
890GX - 1 PCI-Express x16 2.0 / 2 PCI-Express x8 2.0 - HD 4290 - SB850/SB810/SB750/SB710
790FX - 2 PCI-Express x16 2.0 / 4 PCI-Express x8 2.0 - none - SB850/SB750/SB600
790GX - 1 PCI-Express x16 2.0 / 2 PCI-Express x8 2.0 - HD 3300 - SB750
785G - 1 PCI-Express x16 2.0 - HD 4200 - SB850/SB810/SB750/SB710
Here are the common AMD Southbridge chipsets
(Chipset - sATA ports - USB 2.0 ports)
SB850 - 6 x 6GB/s - 14
SB810 - 6 x 3GB/s - 14
SB750 - 6 x 3GB/s - 12
SB710 - 6 x 3GB/s - 12
SB600 - 4 x 3GB/s - 10
>> List of Recommended Motherboards <<
- Entry Level -
ASRock N68C-S (AM3 / AM2+)
ASRock 880GM-LE (AM3)
MSI 785G-E53 (AM3)
ASRock P55 Pro (LGA 1156)
eVGA H55-V (LGA 1156)
- Mainstream -
ASRock 890GX Extreme 3 (AM3)
MSI 890GXM-G65 (AM3)
Asus M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 (AM3)
MSI H55-GD65 (LGA 1156)
MSI P55-GD65 (LGA 1156)
MSI P55-GD80 (LGA 1156)
eVGA P55 SLI (LGA 1156)
eVGA X58 SLI Micro (LGA 1366)
- High End -
Asus Crosshair IV Formula (AM3)
MSI Big Bang Fuzion (LGA 1156)
MSI Big Bang X Power (LGA 1366)
===============================
|| -- Memory Speed, Type and Amount -- ||
===============================
>> Form Factor <<
These are the types of memory according to form factor. The form factor indicates the size of the module and the number of contact pins
1. SIMM - Single In-line Memory Module. It can either have 30 pins or 72 pins.
2. DIMM - Dual In-line Memory Module. This is the form factor used by modern desktop PC's. It can have a 184-pin configuration or a 240-pin configuration. Modern desktop PC's use DIMM's
3. SODIMM - Small Outline DIMM. Used by laptop PC's. It can have a 72-pin configuration or 144-pin configuration
4. MicroDIMM - smaller than SODIMM
>> Types of Desktop DIMM <<
DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM)
1. DDR2 (1.8V) - used by Intel LGA 775 CPU's and AMD AM3/AM2+ CPU's
2. DDR3 (1.35V to 1.65) - used by Intel LGA 1156 CPU's, LGA 1366 CPU's and AMD AM3 CPU's
(DDR3 modules can only be installed in a DDR3 slot and DDR2 modules can only be installed in a DDR2 slot)
Modern PC's should have a minimum of 2GB RAM especially if you intend to use it for gaming. If there are no restrictions on the budget, go for 4GB. But I recommend you get two 2GB modules instead of one 4GB module. This would come in handy if ever one of the modules fail. If you do heavy multi-tasking, go for 6GB or 8GB.
If you are building a new PC, there si really no need to go for DDR2 because the price of the DDR2 and DDR3 are almost the same. But in terms of real world performance, DDR2 and DDR3 perform equally at the same DRAM frequency
Most manufacturers sell dual-channel kits. These are ordinary modules but they already come in pairs so you won't have compatibility issues. So, if you plan on using two memory modules, get a dual-channel kit instead of buying two separate memory modules. By the way, Intel LGA 1366 CPU's use triple-channel DDR3 modules so check before buying to avoid compatibility issues.
To check if dual channel mode is enabled, you can see it at the boot up screen or you can use CPU-Z. See image below for a sampe of CPU-Z screenshot
>> What Memory Speed Should I Choose ? <<
For the memory speed, DDR3 1333 and DDR3 1600 will do for real world applications. Only synthetic benchmarks will benefit from DDR3 1800 or higher
+ Test System +
Intel Core i7 870
Asus Maximus III Formula
Corsair 2GBx2 DDR3 1600
Zotac GeForce GTX 260
Windows Vista Enterprise Version 64-bit
WinRar 3.9 beta 64-bit - File Compression (percentage - higher is better)
DDR3 1600 8-8-8-24 ----------- 117.4
DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 ----------- 114.9
DDR3 1066 6-6-6-18 ----------- 110.2
DDR3 1066 8-8-8-24 ----------- 103.8
DDR3 800 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
WinZip 12 - File Compression (percentage - higher is better)
DDR3 1600 8-8-8-24 ----------- 102.1
DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 ----------- 101.4
DDR3 1066 6-6-6-18 ----------- 101.0
DDR3 1066 8-8-8-24 ----------- 100.3
DDR3 800 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional - PDF document creation (percentage - higher is better)
DDR3 1066 6-6-6-18 ----------- 101.1
DDR3 1066 8-8-8-24 ----------- 101.1
DDR3 1600 8-8-8-24 ----------- 101.1
DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 ----------- 101.1
DDR3 800 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
Adobe Photoshop CS4 - Image Processing - Applying 6 filters to a 69MB TIF image (percentage - higher is better)
DDR3 1600 8-8-8-24 ----------- 101.0
DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 ----------- 100.0
DDR3 1066 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
DDR3 1066 8-8-8-24 ----------- 100.0
DDR3 800 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
Lame 3.98 - Audio encoding - wav to mp3 160kbps (percentage - higher is better)
DDR3 1066 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
DDR3 1066 8-8-8-24 ----------- 100.0
DDR3 1600 8-8-8-24 ----------- 100.0
DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 ----------- 100.0
DDR3 800 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
DivX 6.8.3 - Video transcoding - MPEG2 to AVI (percentage - higher is better)
DDR3 1600 8-8-8-24 ----------- 103.6
DDR3 1066 8-8-8-24 ----------- 102.4
DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 ----------- 102.4
DDR3 1066 6-6-6-18 ----------- 101.2
DDR3 800 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
3DS Max 2009 - Image rendering - 1920 x 1080 (percentage - higher is better)
DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 ----------- 101.3
DDR3 1600 8-8-8-24 ----------- 101.3
DDR3 1066 8-8-8-24 ----------- 100.7
DDR3 1066 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
DDR3 800 6-6-6-18 ----------- 100.0
>> Memory Clock Speed and Data Transfer Rate <<
Memory - Real Clock - Effective Clock - Maximum Theoretical Data Rate - Memory Module
DDR 200 - 100 MHz - 200 MHz - 1600 MB/s - PC-1600
DDR 266 - 133 MHz - 266 MHz - 2133 MB/s - PC-2100
DDR 333 - 166 MHz - 333 MHz - 2666 MB/s - PC-2700
DDR 400 - 200 MHz = 400 MHz - 3200 MB/s - PC-3200
DDR2 400 - 200 MHz - 400 MHz - 3200 MB/s - PC2-3200
DDR2 533 - 266 MHz - 533 MHz - 4266 MB/s - PC2-4200
DDR2 667 - 333 MHz - 667 MHz - 5333 MB/s - PC2-5300
DDR2 800 - 400 MHz - 800 MHz - 6400 MB/s - PC2-6400
DDR2 1066 - 533 MHz - 1066 MHz - 8533 MB/s - PC2-8500
DDR3 800 - 400 MHz - 800 MHz - 6400 MB/s - PC3-6400
DDR3 1066 - 533 MHz - 1066 MHz - 8533 MB/s - PC3-8500
DDR3 1333 - 667 MHz - 1333 MHz - 10666 MB/s - PC3-10600
DDR3 1600 - 800 MHz - 1600 MHz - 12800 MB/s - PC3-12800
DDR3 1800 - 900 MHz - 1800 MHz - 14400 MB/s - PC3-14400
DDR3 2000 - 1000 MHz - 2000 MHz - 16000 MB/s - PC3-16000
Effective Clock = Real Clock x 2
Maximum Theoretical Data Rate = Effective Clock x 8
Memory modules manufacturers usually name their mmodules according to the Effective Clock but some use the Maximum Theoretical Data Rate
>> How to Read Part Numbers of Memory Modules <<
Kingston
Part Number: KHX1600C7D3K2/4GX
--> KHX means Kingston HyperX
--> 1600 is the Effective Clock
--> C7 is the CAS Latency
--> D3 means DDR3
--> K2 means 2 modules
--> 4G is the total capacity of the modules
This is a Kingston HyperX 2GBx2 DDR3 1600 CL7
Kingston
Part Number: KHX1333C7D3K3/6GX
--> KHX means Kingston HyperX
--> 1333 is the Effective Clock
--> C7 is the CAS Latency
--> D3 means DDR3
--> K3 means 3 modules
--> 6G is the total capacity of the modules
This is a Kingston HyperX 2GBx3 DDR3 1333 CL7
G. Skill
Part Number: F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL
--> 12800 is the Maximum Theoretical Data Rate
--> CL9 is the CAS Latency
--> F3 means DDR3
--> D means dual channel, 2 modules
--> 4GB is the total capacity of the modules
--> R stands for Ripjaws
--> L means Ripjaws rated at 1.5V
This is a G. Skill Ripjaws 2GBx2 DDR3 1600 CL9
G. Skill
Part Number: F3-12800CL8D-4GBRM
--> 12800 is the Maximum Theoretical Data Rate
--> CL8 is the CAS Latency
--> F3 means DDR3
--> D means dual channel, 2 modules
--> 4GB is the total capacity of the modules
--> R stands for Ripjaws
This is a G. Skill Ripjaws 2GBx2 DDR3 1600 CL8
G. Skill
Part Number: F3-12800CL8Q-8GBRM
--> 12800 is the Maximum Theoretical Data Rate
--> CL8 is the CAS Latency
--> F3 means DDR3
--> Q means dual channel, 4 modules
--> 8GB is the total capacity of the modules
--> R stands for Ripjaws
This is a G. Skill Ripjaws 2GBx4 DDR3 1600 CL8
G. Skill
Part Number: F3-12800CL7D-4GBRH
--> 12800 is the Maximum Theoretical Data Rate
--> CL7 is the CAS Latency
--> F3 means DDR3
--> D means dual channel, 2 modules
--> 4GB is the total capacity of the modules
--> R stands for Ripjaws
This is a G. Skill Ripjaws 2GBx2 DDR3 1600 CL7
G. Skill
Part Number: F3-12800CL8D-4GBTD
--> 12800 is the Maximum Theoretical Data Rate
--> CL8 is the CAS Latency
--> F3 means DDR3
--> D means dual channel, 2 modules
--> 4GB is the total capacity of the modules
--> T stands for Trident
This is a G. Skill Trident 2GBx2 DDR3 1600 CL8
G. Skill
Part Number: F3-12800CL7T-6GBRH
--> 12800 is the Maximum Theoretical Data Rate
--> CL7 is the CAS Latency
--> F3 means DDR3
--> T means triple channel, 3 modules
--> 6GB is the total capacity of the modules
--> R stands for Ripjaws
This is a G. Skill Ripjaws 2GBx3 DDR3 1600 CL7
Corsair
Part Number: CMG4GX3M2A1600C7
--> 1600 is the Effective Clock
--> C7 is the CAS Latency
--> 4G is the total capacity of the modules
This is a Corsair 2GBx2 DDR3 1600 CL7
================================
|| -- How Much GPU Power Do You Need? -- ||
================================
All PCI-E graphics cards will work on any motherboard that has a PCI-E slot. What you should check is if your PSU has the right connectors for the graphics card. Usually, entry-level gaming GPU's require only one 6-pin PCI-E power connector. Mainstream gaming GPU's require two 6-pin PCI-E power connector while high-end gaming CPU's require one 6-pin and one 8-pin PCI-E power connector. Some gaming GPU's even require two 8-pin PCI-E power connectors.
Next, make sure that your GPU is matched to the native resolution of your monitor. Usually, a higher native resolution will require a more powerful GPU. When choosing a GPU, don't rely on the specifications. Real world benchmarks are the only reliable way to compare different GPU's. Go to review sites like Tomshardware, Guru3D, AnandTech, and Bit-Tech for reviews of GPU's
Lastly, make sure your casing can accomodate long graphics cards. Mainstream graphics cards usually measure 11.5". High-end graphics cards like HD 5970 can reach up to 13"
>> PCI-E x16/x16 VS PCI-E x8/x8 <<
I see many gamers asking if PCI-E x8/x8 will suffice for gaming and some recommend that they should go for motherboards that support PCI-E x16/x16 for SLI or CrossFire. Unless you are into hardcore benchmarking, you don't really need PCI-E x16/x16.
PCI-E x8/x8 is still sufficient for the current generation of gaming GPU's
Here is a benchmark to prove this
+ Test System +
Intel Core i7 870
eVGA P55 SLI (P55 chipset)
Intel Core i7 920
eVGA X58 SLI (X58 chipset)
Kingston HyperX 2GBx2 DDR3 2133 @ 1600 MHz 8-8-8-24
Radeon HD 5870 1GB
ATi Catalyst 9.11
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Far Cry 2 - 1920 x 1080 - Ultra High Quality - 4x AA (frames per second - higher is better)
X58 2-way CrossFire ----------- 119.8
P55 2-way CrossFire ----------- 117.1
Far Cry 2 - 2560 x 1600 - Ultra High Quality - 4x AA (frames per second - higher is better)
X58 2-way CrossFire ----------- 84.0
P55 2-way CrossFire ----------- 82.4
Crysis - 1920 x 1080 - Very High Detail - no AA (frames per second - higher is better)
X58 2-way CrossFire ----------- 54.8
P55 2-way CrossFire ----------- 48.3
Crysis - 2560 x 1600 - Very High Detail - no AA (frames per second - higher is better)
X58 2-way CrossFire ----------- 31.7
P55 2-way CrossFire ----------- 29.5
STALKER Clear Sky - 1920 x 1080 - Ultra Preset - 4x AA - DX10 EFDL (frames per second - higher is better)
X58 2-way CrossFire ----------- 62.0
P55 2-way CrossFire ----------- 61.7
STALKER Clear Sky - 2560 x 1600 - Ultra Preset - 4x AA - DX10 EFDL (frames per second - higher is better)
X58 2-way CrossFire ----------- 35.1
P55 2-way CrossFire ----------- 32.8
GTX 460 1GB VS GTX 460 2GB
>> List of Recommended GPU's <<
2560 x 1600
- GeForce GTX 580 SLI
- Radeon HD 6970 CrossFire
- GeForce GTX 570 SLI
- Radeon HD 5970
- Radeon HD 6950 CrossFire
- Radeon HD 5870 CrossFire
- Radeon HD 6870 CrossFire
- GeForce GTX 460 1GB SLI
- Radeon HD 5850 CrossFire
- Radeon HD 6850 CrossFire
1920 x 1080
- Radeon HD 5970
- GeForce GTX 580
- GeForce GTX 570
- Radeon HD 6970
- Radeon HD 5870
- Radeon HD 6950
- Radeon HD 6870
- Radeon HD 5850
- Radeon HD 6850
- GeForce GTX 460 1GB
- GeForce GTX 460 768MB
- GeForce GTX 285
- GeForce GTX 275
- GeForce GTX 260
- Radeon HD 5770
1680 x 1050 and 1600 x 900
- GeForce GTS 450
- Radeon HD 5750
- GeForce GTS 250
- GeForce 9800GTX+
1280 x 1024 and lower
- GeForce 9800GT
- GeForce 9600GT
For a complete list and more info graphics cards, go here
>> List of GPU's to Avoid <<
GeForce GTX465
Radeon HD 5830
===================
|| -- Power Suppy Unit -- ||
===================
Now that you have chosen your CPU, GPU, motherboard, and memory modules, it's time to find a PSU that is right for your hardware. Getting an undersized PSU will result into unstable operation of your PC or your PC will not start at all. If the PSU is oversized, the efficiency of the PSU will suffer. Efficiency of PSU's is at its highest when the load is around 50% of the rated capacity of the PSU
Rated capacity of a PSU is measured in Watts. It is the maximum amount of power it can supply to your PC. Your PC will only draw power that is needed so don't be worried about getting a PSU with a high rated capacity .Some PSU's have good overload capacity but I recommend you stay below 80% of the rated capacity.
The CPU and the GPU are two major components that draw a lot of power from the 12-V rail. Make sure the 12-V rail of the PSU you are going to buy has enough ampacity. Ampacity has a unit of Amperes (A) and it is the maximum amount of current the 12-V rail can handle.
>> How To Manually Compute the Power Requirements of your PC <<
Sample setup
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T (125 Watts TDP)
ASRock 890GX Extreme 3
Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 1GB (151 Watts TDP)
12-V Rail
CPU: 125 W / 12 V = 10.4 A
GPU: 151 W / 12 V = 12.6 A
Motherboard: assume 3 A
Total = 26 A
You will need a PSU that has a current limit of 26 A on the 12-V rail.
Good 600-Watt PSU's can handle mainstream gaming PC's. For high-end gaming PC's, I recommend you get 700 Watts or higher
Take my gaming PC for example
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8 GHz
ASRock 890GX Extreme 3
G. Skill Ripjaws 2GBx2 DDR3 1600 9-9-9-24
Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 1GB
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1TB sATA
Samsung SH-S223 DVD writer
4 units of 120mm fan
1 unit of 140mm fan
My PC draws around 230 Watts only when running DiRT 2 @ 1920 x 1080 with Ultra High detail and 4x AA enabled. My PSU is Corsair HX620 and it has a rated capacity of 620 Watts.
>> Computing the Electric Bill for Your PC <<
I'm going to use my gaming rig as an example. It draws around 230 Watts when running DiRT 2 @ 1920 x 1080 with Ultra High detail and 4x AA enabled
--> Power = 230 Watts = 0.230 kW
Assuming I play 4 hours a day in one month
--> Energy = 0.230 x 4 x 30 = 27.6 kWh / month
Assuming the rate is Php 7.00 per kWh
--> Electic bill = 27.6 x 7 = Php 193.2
>> List of Recommended PSU's <<
- Entry Level -
FSP Supersonic 450 Watts
FSP Blue Storm 500 Watts
Corsair CX400
OCZ Mod X Stream 500 Watts
- Mainstream -
FSP Epsilon 600 Watts
FSP Everest 600 Watts
Corsair HX620
Corsair HX650
OCZ Mod X Stream 600 Watts
OCZ Mod X Stream 700 Watts
- High End -
Corsair HX750
Corsair HX850
CoolerMaster Silent Pro M 1000 Watts
>> List of PSU's to Avoid <<
Huntkey V Power series
Huntkey Green Star series
CoolerMaster Extreme Power Plus 460 Watts
All generic PSU's
===============
|| -- CPU Cooling -- ||
===============
CPU's, like any other device or equipment, are not 100% efficient. Some of the electrical power supplied to the CPU are wasted and generates heat. Heat should be managed to avoid damage. CPU's already come with a HSF and this is usually sufficient if you will not overclock the CPU.
>> Basics of Heat Transfer <<
First, you should know that heat transfers from a warm object to a cold object. The principle of heat transfer applies to all types of cooling method.
The heat sink absorbs the heat from the heat-spreader of the CPU. Cool air from outside the casing passes thru the heat sink and absorbs the heat from the heat sink. The air becomes warm and is ejected outside the casing.
Stock HSF's have limited capacity coz there is only one contact point for heat transfer. For overclocked CPU's, this is a big problem.
The solution is to add more contact points. Aftermarket CPU coolers use heatpipes to absorb heat from the heat-spreader of the CPU. Usually, good CPU coolers have 5 to 6 heatpipes. Fins are coupled to the heatpipes to increase the surface area.
Heatpipes contain a small amount of liquid. The liquid at the bottom of the heatpipe evaporates and rises up to the other end as hot gas. The fins become warm and air passes thru the fins. The gas in the heatpipe then reverts to liquid form
The 3 images above are from logan of Overclock.Net
Here is the link to the original thread
>> Why Do We Need a Thermal Paste? <<
The surface of the heat-spreader and the surface of the cooler base are not perfectly flat. Once you press the cooler base against the heat-spreader, there exists tiny air gaps which reduces the efficiency of heat transfer because air is a poor conductor of heat.
The purpose of the thermal paste is to fill in the air gaps. Don't put too much thermal paste because this will reduce the effectiveness of the cooler. Metal to metal contact is still better
>> How To Apply Thermal Paste <<
coming up... ...
>> List of Recommended CPU Coolers <<
- Entry Level -
Deepcool Ice Blade Pro
CoolerMaster Hyper 212+
Xigmatek Balder
- Mainstream -
Thermaltake Frio
Prolimatech Megahalems
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme
Thermalright Venomous X
Xigmatek Thor's Hammer
============
|| -- Casings -- ||
============
The first thing to consider when choosing a casing for your PC is how spacious it is. If you plan on using aftermarket CPU coolers, get at least a casing that has a width of 8 inches. Second is the length of the casing. If you will install gaming graphics card, make sure the casing can accomodate at least a 10.5" graphics card. Graphics cards usually measure 10.5" to 11.5" and some high end graphics cards even reach up to 13".
Second is the air flow of the casing. Make sure the casing has provision for at least one front intake fan and one rear exhaust fan. If the casing has provision for a side fan, make sure you install a fan as an intake.
Here is the basic air flow inside a casing with top-mounted PSU
1. Cool air enters front
2. The air absorbs heat from the CPU, GPU, RAM, and motherboard
3. The rear exhaust fan and the fan of the PSU sucks up the warm air and it is ejected out of the casing
The problem with a top-mounted PSU is that the already hot PSU further absorbs heat from the other components of the PC. As much as possible, we want the PSU to run as cool as possible because as the PSU gets warmer, the efficiency of the PSU drops.
Manufacturers have solved this by having a case where the PSU is mounted at the bottom.
>> Does More Case Fans Mean Better Cooling Performance ? <<
Antec 300 VS Aerocool VS-9
+ Test System +
Intel Core i7 920 @ 3.8 GHz / 1.416 Vcore
Asus P6T
Kingston HyperX 2GBx2 DDR3 2133 @ 1600 8-8-8-24
XFX GeForce GTX 285 1GB
Benchmark @ Tomshardware
Here we see that more case fans does not always mean better cooling performance. It's all about the design. Nothing still beats Antec 300 in terms of cooling performance for the same price range.
===============================
|| -- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) -- ||
===============================
>> CPU <<
Q: Is it true that Intel processors run cooler than AMD processors ?
A: There is no documented test on the web that uses an accurate methodology to compare the core temperature of different brands of processors.
Q: Which is faster, AMD processors or Intel processors ?
A: It depends on the type of application and price range. For the same price, AMD usually offers better performance. Take Intel Core i3 530 and AMD Athlon II X4 640 as an example. They almost have the same price but Athlon II X4 is quad-core processor and Core i3 530 is dual-core processor. In applications like that uses 4 cores like video transcoding, Athlon II X4 640 beats the Core i3 530.
Q: What should I get, AMD Phenom II X4 965BE or Intel Core i5 760 ?
A: Both processors offer great performance for the price. It's up to your brand preference
Q: I am using a quad-core CPU but why is that my games run slow ?
A: It's likely that the GPU is the problem. Almost all games need only 2 cores to run smoothly. Get a faster GPU
Q: CPU-Z shows a CPU frequency lower than the stock CPU frequency. What is the problem?
A: Modern processors automatically downclock to save power when it is idle or the load is light. EIST for Intel processors and Cool n Quiet for AMD processors
Q: What is Turbo Boost ?
A: It is a feature of Intel LGA 1156 and LGA 1366 processors. It increases the CPU frequency without going over the thermal design limits of the CPU. This is achieved by shutting down the inactive cores, thus giving more thermal headroom for the remaining active cores. The increase in CPU frequency depends on the core temperature and load of the processor.
Q: What is Turbo Core ?
A: It is a feature of Phenom II 6-core processors similar to Turbo Boost but it offers a higher increase in CPU frequency. The only downside is that it only activates when 3 of the 6 cores are not loaded
>> Motherboard <<
Q: I have an H55 motherboard. Why is that the VGA port is not functioning ?
A: Make sure you are using a Core i3 500 series processor or a Core i5 600 series processor.
Q: The BIOS of my motherboard has a lot of voltage settings. What are those for?
A: Understanding All Voltage Configurations from the Motherboard
Q: Is it true that LGA 1156 motherboards are not advisable for a 2-GPU setup ?
A: Just make sure that the LGA 1156 board support PCI-E x8/x8
>> Memory <<
Q: I have a DDR3 1600 MHz but why does CPU-Z show a DRAM frequency of 800 MHz ?
A: CPU-Z shows the Real Clock. Just multiply the Real Clock by 2 to get the Effective Clock
Q: Why does my DDR3 1600 MHz run at 1333 MHz only ?
A: Most boards have a default of 1333 MHz for the DRAM frequency. You have to manually set it to 1600 MHz. Modern CPU's have a native support for DDR3 1333 only. So DDR3 1600 is usually achievable only thru CPU overclocking
Q: Is it ok to run my DDR3 1600 MHz at 1333 MHz ?
A: Yes, it is ok to run the memory module below its rated speed but never run it above the rated speed
Q: Can I use lower timings when running the memory module below their rated speed?
A: Yes but you have to manually tweak the timings to find the lowest stable timings for the corresponding speed. I can run my G. Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600 9-9-9-24 at DDR3 1333 6-7-6-18. Stable in Linpack for 8 hours
Q: How do I know if a memory module is defective ?
A: Use MemTest+ . Download link at the Tools section
For more in-depth information on memory, here are some articles that you can read
Kingston's Ultimate Memory Guide
How Computer Memory Works @ HowStuffWorks
How RAM Works @ HowStuffWorks
>> GPU <<
Q: I have the same GPU as the review sites use but why is it that my framerate is lower than those of review sites ?
A: Most review sites use overclocked Intel Core i7 900 series processors that is why their framerates are extremely high. A fast CPU also helps in gaming.
Q: I have a DDR2/DDR3 RAM, should I also use a GPU with a DDR2/DDR3 VRAM ?
A: No. The type of VRAM is not dependent on the type of system RAM
Q: Will my dual-core processor bottleneck my fast GPU ?
A: Athlon II X2 series and Core i3 series are good for gaming. For Core 2 series, get at least an E7500 or E8400
Q: I have a GeForce 9 series GPU and a GeForce GTX 200 series GPU. Can I use them in SLI mode ?
A: No. SLI requires identical nVIDIA GPU's
Q: Can GeForce 9800GT still do gaming at 1920 x 1080 resolution ?
A: I tried my GeForce 9800GT 512MB on Call of Duty 4, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, DiRT 2, and Resident Evil 5 - it performed well. Average framerate was 40 frames per second. In very demanding games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Metro 2033, and Bad Company 2, you will have to lower the resolution to 1280 x 720 but you can use high detail with no AA
Q: What is the best nVIDIA GPU I can use as a PhysX card ?
A: Get a GeForce GTS 450 or a GeForce GTS 250. If budget is tight, GeForce 9800GT will do
>> PSU <<
Q: Is it ok to use a generic 600-Watt PSU on my gaming PC ?
A: You can use a generic PSU but safe and stable operation of your PC is not guaranteed. Avoid using a generic PSU.
Q: I have a low-end PC and I just use it for light tasks like web browsing and typing of documents. Can I use a generic PSU ?
A: Even a low-end PC should use a true-rated PSU
Q: I plan on using two or more high-performance GPU's in the future. What PSU should I get ?
A: A true-rated PSU with a capacity of 600 Watts or 700 Watts should be able to handle 2-way SLI or 2-way CrossFire. If you plan on using 3 GPU's, you should probably get an 800-Watt PSU or higher
For detailed computation of power requirements and for more information on PSU, AVR, and UPS, go to the PSU 101 thread
If you want an in-depth information about the PSU and the UPS, check the articles below
Everything You Need to Know About Power Supplies
Anatomy of Switching Power Supplies
Everything You Need to Know About Power Supply Protections
How to Discover the Real Manufacturer of Your Power Supply
Understanding the 80 Plus Certification
Can We Trust the 80 Plus Certification?
How Much Power Can a Generic 500 W Power Supply Really Deliver?
Uninterruptible Power Supply
Anatomy of Surge Suppressors
Power Supply Test Methodology of Hardware Secrets
=======================
|| -- Basic Tools and Utilites -- ||
=======================
- Basic Hardware Information Tools -
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
BlackBox
Speccy
- Temperature Monitoring Tools -
HW Monitor
Real Temp
Core Temp
BlackBox
- CPU Stability Check -
LinX
Intel Burn Test
OCCT
- Hard Disk Diagnostic Tool -
Seagate SeaTools (works with any brand of HDD)
- Memory Error Test -
MemTest +
- Benchmarking Tools -
Cinebench R11
wPrime
y-cruncher
Super Pi
MaxxMEM
MaxxPI
MaxxMIPS
MaxxFLOPS
Unigine Heaven 2
3DMark Vantage
3DMark 06
====================================================
|| -- nVIDIA PhysX, Microsoft DirectX 11, and Graphics Card Drivers -- ||
====================================================
ATi driver
nVIDIA driver
nVIDIA beta driver
nVIDIA PhysX
DirectX 11
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very detailed post but not noob friendly. Anyways, your cute so it can be forgive. :-)
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