- Joined
- May 19, 2013
- Messages
- 10
- Motherboard
- << need manufacturer name and model # >> See Forum Rules !!
- CPU
- i7 3770K
- Graphics
- GTX 680
Hi. I've been following this site for some time now, always wishing I had the time and money to build a Hackintosh. Now my trusty old MBP is getting slow and I find myself both excited and nervous to build my first computer ever. I apologize for any ignorance I may display on these forums, but I am excited to start this learning process with so many of you experienced builders as a support and information base.
Anyways, on with my tentative build... Here are the components I have been looking at:
Motherboard:
GA-Z77X-UP5-TH
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008LTB3QW
GA-Z77X-UP4-TH
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008LTB3KS
I would love to utilize the Thunderbolt sockets once I actually own Thunderbolt devices, but I was wondering what the major differences might be between these two boards. Right now the UP4-TH has a rebate going for it, essentially making it $85 cheaper than the UP5-TH. What, if anything, might justify the price difference?
Processor:
Intel Core i7 3770K 3.5GHz Quad core
$320
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SZ0EOW
I'm pretty sold on this processor, and it seems to be rather widely accepted in builds similar to mine.
CPU Cooler:
Corsair H60
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A0HZMGA
Not sure if I would need a CPU cooler, but I thought I might as well add it to my tentative build and see what response I got.
Graphics Card:
Nvidia GeForce GTX680
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007KC1R9E
Again, I am pretty sold on this particular piece of the puzzle. For those currently running this card, what can I expect in terms of performance in After Effects, Element 3D, and Cinema 4D?
RAM:
Corsair Vengeance 4x8GB
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0068ZWZY0
HDD/SSD:
2TB Seagate Barracuda
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005T3GRN2
250GB Samsung SSD
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009NHAEXE
I basically chose Samsung just cause the price seemed right to me. Would it be better to go with another brand?
Case:
Corsair Carbide 500R
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005E983JW
I have no idea what I really want for the case. I chose the first one I saw on the tonymacx86 buyer's guide. I would prefer a silent case, and the smaller, the better, but the most important thing is just that everything fits and has room to breathe.
Power:
Corsair Enthusiast TX750
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005E98I0G
No idea what I'm doing here.
Wifi:
TP-LINK TL-WDN4800
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007GMPZ0A
Again, just chose first thing I saw.
OTHER
Optical:
I already own a Blu-ray drive, but am unsure of the specific model. I currently have it housed in an external enclosure and it works well with my MBP. Might I run into any compatibility issues when I mount it in my build?
Additional Cooling:
I have heard things about purchasing specific fans that run quieter than stock, but I have no idea how to start researching what fans would be compatible or whether it would be necessary for my particular build. Suggestions?
Media reader:
Would like to add a media card reader, but that's not super important. It'd just be nice to clear up extra cables running outside the machine. Suggestions?
Other other:
Once I have all the individual parts, will I need any additional cables, etc.?
I assure you I WILL have more questions as I work on solidifying this build and as I am putting everything together. I'm starting to get stressed out thinking about how much work this is going to be for a first-timer such as myself.
Thanks in advance for any input!
Anyways, on with my tentative build... Here are the components I have been looking at:
Motherboard:
GA-Z77X-UP5-TH
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008LTB3QW
GA-Z77X-UP4-TH
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008LTB3KS
I would love to utilize the Thunderbolt sockets once I actually own Thunderbolt devices, but I was wondering what the major differences might be between these two boards. Right now the UP4-TH has a rebate going for it, essentially making it $85 cheaper than the UP5-TH. What, if anything, might justify the price difference?
Processor:
Intel Core i7 3770K 3.5GHz Quad core
$320
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SZ0EOW
I'm pretty sold on this processor, and it seems to be rather widely accepted in builds similar to mine.
CPU Cooler:
Corsair H60
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A0HZMGA
Not sure if I would need a CPU cooler, but I thought I might as well add it to my tentative build and see what response I got.
Graphics Card:
Nvidia GeForce GTX680
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007KC1R9E
Again, I am pretty sold on this particular piece of the puzzle. For those currently running this card, what can I expect in terms of performance in After Effects, Element 3D, and Cinema 4D?
RAM:
Corsair Vengeance 4x8GB
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0068ZWZY0
HDD/SSD:
2TB Seagate Barracuda
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005T3GRN2
250GB Samsung SSD
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009NHAEXE
I basically chose Samsung just cause the price seemed right to me. Would it be better to go with another brand?
Case:
Corsair Carbide 500R
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005E983JW
I have no idea what I really want for the case. I chose the first one I saw on the tonymacx86 buyer's guide. I would prefer a silent case, and the smaller, the better, but the most important thing is just that everything fits and has room to breathe.
Power:
Corsair Enthusiast TX750
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005E98I0G
No idea what I'm doing here.
Wifi:
TP-LINK TL-WDN4800
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007GMPZ0A
Again, just chose first thing I saw.
OTHER
Optical:
I already own a Blu-ray drive, but am unsure of the specific model. I currently have it housed in an external enclosure and it works well with my MBP. Might I run into any compatibility issues when I mount it in my build?
Additional Cooling:
I have heard things about purchasing specific fans that run quieter than stock, but I have no idea how to start researching what fans would be compatible or whether it would be necessary for my particular build. Suggestions?
Media reader:
Would like to add a media card reader, but that's not super important. It'd just be nice to clear up extra cables running outside the machine. Suggestions?
Other other:
Once I have all the individual parts, will I need any additional cables, etc.?
I assure you I WILL have more questions as I work on solidifying this build and as I am putting everything together. I'm starting to get stressed out thinking about how much work this is going to be for a first-timer such as myself.
Thanks in advance for any input!