The time has come…

[Val155]

Make sure your Windows 7 key can support multiple installations before counting on that.

Did you buy it in a brick & mortar store, or from an etailer?

Yes, I bought the home version from Best Buy. How can I check to see if the key supports multiple installations?

Again, after talking to some pro IT guys they laughed at me when I had told them I had everything except an SSD. Grab an SSD for this build no matter what. You WILL feel the difference. Pointless going with a mechanical for OS. Don't bother upgrading at all than. And yes stick with the 4GB GPU for future proofing if you're spending it all on this and won't be doing anything for the next 3-4+ years. If you ever need more juice, grab one used so I suggest grabbing a 4GB reference GPU since they are more common and easier to find.

That's still a pretty stiff price when compared to HDDs, but even so, I consider an SSD a must with any new build. Even just grabbing an $80 840 EVO (120gb) will make a world of difference.

So from all of this, I need to make sure I find an affordable SSD and a 4GB GPU card. What type of motherboard do I need to support these. Are all video cards now PCI Express 3.0 x16? Also, do intel chips still come with their own cooling fan or do I need to buy one?

 

[EarthDog]

Any motherboard will support a 4GB GPU and an SSD. Assuming you are going Haswell, a Z87 or Z97 based board will be what you are looking for.

All modern cards are, yes.

Most intel chips come with one... except the 4930K/4960K I believe. If you are overclocking though, you need to buy a better cooler than stock.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

It should support two installs, at least.
The reason I ask is that online you can buy "OEM" copies that are cheaper, but only support one install.

Since you don't need the OS, here's my recommendation. http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3GfeI
I left the heatsink to allow for overclocking. Also the stock coolers are loud, the 212 EVO not so much.

 

[Daleon]

I think if you want something that is going to give you anywhere near the longevity you had with the last system go with Intel for cpu and NV for GPU.

Intel Core i5-4670K $239
ASUS Z87-A $129
Team Vulcan 8GB 2133 $70
Samsung 840 EVO 250GB $139
Random DVD/RW $19
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO $34

I think a single 250GB SSD will prolly suit your needs for the time. You can always add a normal HD later if needed. Or you can get a 120GB SSD for $60. I would get one though.

PSU - I would want something other than the cheapest decent unit. For $20 more something like a SeaSonic G Series 550W 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular is worth the piece of mind of trying to keep a system going for that long. My friend just lost his cpu\mb due to a cheap Corsair unit after about 3 years.

Case - There are plenty of good, cheap units like HaF's and Carbides to choose from. Usually more personal choice, get what you like. Would recommend trying to buy locally if you can find close to same prices or find a place that doesn't charge a ton on shipping.

GPU - The more money you can put into it now the longer the system overall will be enjoyable to game on. A GTX 760 is fine, million times better than what you got now but a GTX 770 would be my choice for this kind of build. Great warranties on EVGA cards to.

 

[Val155]

I have some EVGA parts in my PC now and am very happy with their quality (and rebates ).

I am currently running with an 850W PSU.... should I buy a new one at that wattage or are the newer parts more energy sufficient where a 550W will be more than enough?

 

[EarthDog]

Efficiency really has nothing to do with the output of the PSU. It has everything to do with how much power is taken from the WALL though.

A QUALITY 850W PSU will run any 2 single GPU cards without breaking a sweat. What brand PSU do you have?

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Efficiency really has nothing to do with the output of the PSU. It has everything to do with how much power is taken from the WALL though.

A QUALITY 850W PSU will run any 2 single GPU cards without breaking a sweat. What brand PSU do you have?

+1

 

[ninjacore]

What brand PSU do you have?

Current built PC since 2008:
- EVGA LGA 775 Nividia NForce 780i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
- Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.46hz LGA 775 Processor
- EVGA Geforce 8800GT Akimbo 512MB 256bit GPDR3 PCI Express 2.o x 16 HDCP SLI ready video card
- Western Digital RE2 400GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
- Corsair Dominator 4GM (2x2GB) DDR SDRAM
- LITE-ON 20x DVDR SATA
- Raidmax Sagita ATX Mid-Tower Case
- Thermaltake Black Widow 850W ATX Powersupply.

Not the greatest

 

[Bobnova]

Noooo not really. New PSU time IMO.
You could probably get away with a new build on that one, but it's not an especially good unit. I can't find any reviews on it specifically, and looking at it by name/rating I found 2-3 different sets of internals, ranging from OKish to not-so-great-and-only-good-for-500w-on-a-good-day.

 

[Val155]

What r the key specs to look for in a psu

 

[ATMINSIDE]

What r the key specs to look for in a psu

Look for a good review on JonnyGuru.com, or the recommended PSU sticky in our forum.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Yup, Jonnyguru is king when it comes to PSU reviews and testing.