New to computer builds

[TyxLonestar]

Hello everyone, I am new to Nexus and modding in general but I recently ordered and should have built and running by Friday a low budget gaming PC. I researched a lot on the web and found different builds so I just wanted to get a larger view point on this build and see what others thoughts are with this. Just hoping I can run skyrim and other games on at least High settings and run texture mods fairly well. Here is the build:

 

BIOSTAR A780L3B AM3 AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

ASUS EAH6670/DIS/1GD5 Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

APEX AL-D500EXP 500W ATX12V Power Supply

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGMBOX

G.SKILL Value Series 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9S-4GBNT x2

ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM

 

running Windows 7, with about 1.5TB

 

Thanks.

[Korodic]

A micro ATX motherboard might be a bit on the small side when thinking of adding a full sized graphics card. Depends on your case too, which I don't see in your list.

I would highly recommend an SSD at least for your OS if not your games (WORLD of difference when playing Skyrim! Load times heavily reduced!)

 

I am not sure whether 500 watts is enough though. But I'll double check using this:

http://images10.newegg.com/BizIntell/tool/psucalc/index.html

 

Actually 500 appears to be fine. the build should work fine. Graphics mods tend to use more VRAM though which is something to consider, but if you're on a budget.... you should be alright. My old system ran skyrim on ultra alright and it was a 6870, but you should look at benchmarks on skyrim for the 6670 via google.

[TyxLonestar]

Thanks for the feedback. I forgot the case just noticed that too. The case is this:

 

APEX TX-381-C Black Steel Micro ATX Tower Computer Case.

 

Found the build online and just kind of upgraded certain parts for it. This was the original build I am using as a shell for my build.

 

http://www.informatics-tech.com/build-a-cheap-400-dollar-gaming-computer-2012.html

 

But from what you are saying it should run ultra hopefully haha. I will know for sure this weekend.

[FMod]

Don't buy 6670. Add a bit and get 7750. Nothing less is worth getting.

It might run Ultra... as a slideshow.

Do you really need a DVD burner and if yes, can't you use the one you have now?

 

Micro-ATX is fine, no drawbacks. Not unless you're dropping $1500+.

SSD are nice, but a luxury; fps is the same, and load times - well, it's not that much difference. For a budget build skip it.

 

500W is >> than enough. This is a 150W build, so a 250W PSU would be ~optimal for it. There are few good 250W units, of course.

The build online is less than very good. What's your budget?

Edited January 2, 2013 by FMod

[TyxLonestar]

Well I was aiming for anything less than $500. I already have all the parts shipped to me so going to have to run it as is and upgrade down the road it seems. But from what I am understanding your saying it wont run very well as is on ultra. Other than that primarily my goal is to know, will it run well enough on games like Skyrim and most all the big games out now.

 

Edit: Also.. reviewing my parts again now. Should of looked better but I just realized from peoples reviews and info on the Motherboard that is will not support the Processor I bought for it.. anyone able to help to confirm this? Will have to go out and get a different motherboard if that is the case...

 

Edit: Confirmed going to have to buy a new motherboard. So any tips on that would be appreciated. Going to local computer store today to get help as well. I know that because of the small case I am limited on the motherboards I can choose.

Edited January 2, 2013 by TyxLonestar

[Korodic]

Don't buy 6670. Add a bit and get 7750. Nothing less is worth getting.

It might run Ultra... as a slideshow.

Do you really need a DVD burner and if yes, can't you use the one you have now?

 

Micro-ATX is fine, no drawbacks. Not unless you're dropping $1500+.

SSD are nice, but a luxury; fps is the same, and load times - well, it's not that much difference. For a budget build skip it.

 

500W is >> than enough. This is a 150W build, so a 250W PSU would be ~optimal for it. There are few good 250W units, of course.

The build online is less than very good. What's your budget?

listen to this guy :thumbsup:

[Aegrus]

Just hoping I can run skyrim and other games on at least High settings and run texture mods fairly well.

 

My build used to be quite similar to yours. I had 8 gb of RAM, but Skyrim only uses 4, so we were basically the same there. My cpu was 3.2 ghz, so a little worse than yours. I had a six-core but, then, nothing modern is going to use more than 4, and Skyrim runs best with 2, so you'd be ahead there. My video card was a 6770, which is basically just a re-named 6670.

 

I could run Skyrim on high with a couple of texture mods installed, so I think you'll be able to manage that. Just keep in mind that the shadows in Skyrim are very demanding. I recommend keeping your shadows absolutely no higher than high, most likely on medium. Skyrim's shadows not only tax video cards, but they also affect cpu performance and devour VRAM. They are all around badly optimized.

[Rennn]

Just hoping I can run skyrim and other games on at least High settings and run texture mods fairly well.

 

My build used to be quite similar to yours. I had 8 gb of RAM, but Skyrim only uses 4, so we were basically the same there. My cpu was 3.2 ghz, so a little worse than yours. I had a six-core but, then, nothing modern is going to use more than 4, and Skyrim runs best with 2, so you'd be ahead there. My video card was a 6770, which is basically just a re-named 6670.

 

I could run Skyrim on high with a couple of texture mods installed, so I think you'll be able to manage that. Just keep in mind that the shadows in Skyrim are very demanding. I recommend keeping your shadows absolutely no higher than high, most likely on medium. Skyrim's shadows not only tax video cards, but they also affect cpu performance and devour VRAM. They are all around badly optimized.

 

No, a 6770 is a rebranded 5770, and it's significantly better than a 6670.

And I recommend at least a 350w power supply. It's better to be safe than sorry, and you'll find that 350w models are generally higher quality all around. You'd be lucky to get a 250w PSU that isn't dead on arrival, depending on the company you buy from, and usually the company will overrate their wattages anyway.

Edited January 3, 2013 by Rennn

[hoofhearted4]

unless im missing something, that AM3 board should run a Phenom II processor. unless its some specific thing about the board?

[FMod]

And I recommend at least a 350w power supply. It's better to be safe than sorry, and you'll find that 350w models are generally higher quality all around. You'd be lucky to get a 250w PSU that isn't dead on arrival, depending on the company you buy from, and usually the company will overrate their wattages anyway.

This is 2013. The most popular wattage today is the 350-500 W range - so it's just where the worst-made PSU tend to cluster. A bad PSu labeled "350W" isn't going to be any higher quality than one labeled "250W", just like a Ford Pinto with a vanity plate that says "BWM" isn't any better than one with a "Cadelac" plate.

 

There are some very nice supplies with low wattage:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151117

Or, if it has to be cheap: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151086

 

That said, OP already bought his parts (and largely not the right ones), so it's too late.