Hi, Im confess to being a bit of a PC noob.But I want to lern more and id like to challenge myself to build a PC, that I could upgrade as I see fit and never have to buy a prebuild again.

I really need help with selecting the Hardware as I am affraid of buying hardware that will not fit together correctly.
This will be a Total Grinding machine and nothing else, Poker cliants, Hem, other poker aps, mabey some camista/skpe.
No gaming of anykind, I just want optimal performance/reliability.
Two screens, tables on one clients/Hem ect on other.
Mainly HU tables and some 6max, so mass multitabling issnt ever an issue.

Basically I need to know Exactly what type of components to buy to build a system from scratch.Advice on cooling systems ect would be good too.

I guess i'm loking for an outline of a package in the folowling areas.(something that most importantly works well together. 1.Desktop case (I'd rather go slimline but its certainly not essentail and would prefere to spend money on performance/less on cooling ect.
2.Motherboard
3.Processor ( From what iv read mabey Intel quad core would be a good option?)
4.Memory Id like 8gig Memory (mabey overkill but ...
5.Graphics card (wont be doing any gaming)
6 Video card want to run 2 24i Mons, mabey smaller but not bigger)
7.Sound card
8.Modem (its bettor to use software modem right?
9.Hard Drive
10.CD/DVD Rom
11.Windows 7
(Do I need everything here(ie some motherboards have built in sound amiright, am i missing anything)

My budget is $1000-$1100.This will be a real challenge for me, mabey i'm out of my depth I dunno.
I also have concerns about where to purchase my components.(as I live in Ireland mabey UK/Irish sites would be he best to shop)..ie US power supply 'plugs' dont fit in Irish sockets and I'm sure there would be other complications I dont know about.
I realise this post shows what a total computer noob I am, but i'm willing to look stupid if it means I can lern enough to build this damn thing

Thanks in advance for any advise given

http://skinflint.co.uk/ will find you the cheapest prices/most reliable dealers.

Skip the soundcard. Get an aftermarket CPU cooler as the box coolers are annoyingly loud. Don't forget to buy an SSD.

Tnks wellju

Looks like a good site will defo shop there.What SSD would you recomend Brand/Capacity ect.
Also purchasing a motherboard, is compatability with Processor and other parts a major concern.

Ideally id like to build something similar to this:
http://http://www.custompc.ie/intel-...es-20192-p.asp



How are these specs, is it overpriced?
I would like to attemt to build it myself for the challenge, but it would be nice to also save on the price, would I be saving much (given price is in euro)?

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Intel Core i7 Workstation Pro Series - Antec 900 MKII Tower
Processor CPU: Intel i7 920 2.66 Ghz 4 Cores
CPU Cooling: Intel i7 Original Cooling System
Memory: 3GB DDR3 Triple Chanel
Motherboard: Asus P6T X58 Deluxe
Sound Card: 8 Chanel OnBoard Sound
Hard Disk 1: 1 Terabyte Sata Hard Disk
Hard Disk 2: Optional Extra
Optical Drive 1: High Speed DVD Rewriter
Optical Drive 2: Optional Extra
Video Card: NVS290 256MB
TV Card: Optional Extra
Networking {Broadband}: Gigabit Ethernet On Board
Power Supply: EVO 720 Watt 80+ Certified
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit
Office Software: Open Office Suite PreInstalled
AntiVirus Software: AVG AntiVirus Free Edition
Keyboard & Mouse: Optional Extra
Monitor Display: Optional Extra
Warranty Period: 2 Year Return to Base Warranty


Remove
Qty
Cost
€1,489.00
(ex Tax: €1,230.58)

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Intel Quad Core Workstation Value Series - Thermaltake M9
Processor CPU: Quad Core Q8300 2.50Ghz
Memory: 4GB DDR Dual Chanel
Hard Disk 1: 1 Terabyte Sata Hard Disk
Hard Disk 2: Optional Extra
Optical Drive 1: High Speed DVD Rewriter
Optical Drive 2: Optional Extra
Video Graphics Card: NVS290 256MB
TV Card: Optional Extra
Networking {Broadband}: Gigabit Ethernet OnBoard
Sound Card: OnBoard Sound
Power Supply: EVO 700 Watt Gaming PSU
CPU Cooling: Intel 775 Original Cooling System
Keyboard & Mouse: Optional Extra
Operating System O/S: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
Office Software: Open Office Suite PreInstalled
AntiVirus Software: AVG AntiVirus Free Edition
Warranty Period: 2 Year Return to Base Warranty
Monitor Display: Optional Extra


Remove
Qty
Cost
€865.00
(ex Tax: €714.88)




How does these look, which would be best overall vaue as a prebuild , could I save much to try build it myself

Looks quite awful. You don't go from a crappy base to build to your own.
You might want to have a look at http://www.anandtech.com/tag/guides.

Ideally, you just go to wiki and read into what you're doing.

Use skinflint to rule out component specifics you don't need, sort by price. Look at what you can afford and then search for benchmarks to determine whether it's worth to spend the 30$ on the upgrade or not.

My personal priority list on which components I tend to spend more.

Monitor - input devices - motherboard - PSU - HDD/SDD - Case&cooling - the rest (CPU, GPU, RAM) doesn't matter for me because I'll upgrade it at some point anyways.

It's basically sorted by how long I have each of these components and how much time I have them in use every day.
Don't let you fool by 0.8% speed differences between GPUs but get a monitor that displays less colors than a 15 year old CRT monitor at the same time.

google hem top 10 performance tips, that will help u also. ssd is nice for os and hem/posgresql poker client. quad core also a plus. 4gb ram 8 wont hurt.

And this will change from user to user depending what a person does.

Monitors aren't a place to skimp and I've learned from experience. That's what you look at all day. The case should be a major purchase as it's likely to outlast everything else you buy, probably through a couple builds. Get a good one. The power supply is also something I don't go cheap on.

The CPU + motherboard + memory combo isn't tough. The horsepower needed for the kinds of things most people do is available cheap now. There's no reason to spend more than 40-45% of your PC budget on these three items nowadays.

The hard drive is a bit of a decision. A couple of years ago this was kind of an afterthought, but solid state drives vs standard drives are a big jump in performance. SSDs are far more expensive and offer less storage than conventional drives, but they're also insanely faster. To me it makes little sense to put money into a higher-end CPU or board only to skimp out on an SSD which is something that will dramatically improve performance.

You should evaluate what your true capacity requirements are; a lot of folks buy 1-terabyte drives and will never use a tenth of it (and sometimes far less than that). My laptop has a 64GB solid state in it with Windows 7, Photoshop, Foobar2000, Norton Security Suite, Word, Excel, and around 7GB in files (music, photos, etc). I have 29GB free to play with.

Given your limited needs and this being a poker computer, I don't see why a 64GB SSD wouldn't work for you (and you can always add storage later).

Based on this being a strictly-for-poker PC, I think I'd build it fast, lean & mean.

1. Windows 7 Home (64-bit)
2. A new SATA3-based 64 GB SSD
3. 4 GB DDR3
4. Intel i5 2500, or even a last-gen i5-750 or 760
5. Motherboard with USB3 and 2 or more SATA3 ports (with USB2 and SATA2 ports also). Nothing fancy but buy a reliable brand like Gigabyte.
6. A solid, established midrange, midtower case. Like the Antec 300.
7. A reasonable-quality power supply, something like an Antec at the low end, but there are very good options for about $80-$90 also.
8. A modest video card with the outputs you need for your monitor(s)

Yout can get a DVD drive for nothing or maybe reuse and existing one you have now. Rest of the money I'd put into your displays.

With a SSD and any quad core you'll kick poker & HEMs ass. The i7 and everything would be overkill.

Not that there's anything wrong with 8GB memory for cheap, or i7s either, just saying it's not something you'd feel. Where with thesame money put into an SSD or nicer monitor you'd have a difference you can actually appreciate.

Thank you so much Le Gonso, your post is basically going to be my guide to building this thing.I had given up on the idea tbh as I didnt know where to start.
Atleast now I have a starting point.=-)

I'm just one opinion, I'd get others. Going off of what you wrote I think this is what I'd throw together. I'd change a couple things if you're noise-sensitive or have some kind of other special needs, but based on your wants this is about as high-end as I'd go. (I have some of these parts in my desktop, or close approximations):

Case: Antec 300
SSD: A 64GB Crucial C300.* (see notes below!)
Motherboard: ASRock H67M (B3)
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws 8GB or just about any DDR3 kit on sale.* (see notes also)
CPU: Intel i5-2500k.
Any cheap DVD drive (SATA connection)
Power: Antec Earthwatts 500

A few things:

*No sound card, no modem. Don't need it's on the board.

*A video card isn't on the list. This chip/board has the best available integrated graphics there are, and I'm fairly sure you can run the two monitors you describe as is. There are VGA, HDMI and DVI connections - preferably use the last two (you may need an adapter if one of your monitors doesn't have HDMI connectivity).

For poker you shouldn't have any issue there, but you could depending on monitors. If so you have the option of adding a video card later... which you were going to buy anyway. Try it without and see what you think.

*If you think you might be adding more programs than you're letting on, or storing millions of hands, you may want a bigger hard drive. If you have an extra laying around or purchase a cheap one that would work. Remember you'll want to be able to back up to something.

*There are newer/faster SSD models right around the corner. The Intel is out but the smallest one is a 120GB for $300. The Crucial is due April 24 and early looks seem underwhelming. The Vertex 3 looks like it will be the best performer and is "a couple of weeks away." However the smallest looks to be a $250 120GB--if true and it holds up I think that's a great price, but you may not want to spend that and I doubt you'd need to.

*8GB RAM adds around $40 to the cost, which is tempting, but not at all necessary and is very unlikely to increase performance much (if at all) for your needs. You said you wanted it and it will help future-proof things. Plus this board includes only 2 spots, so if you want 8GB, buy it the first time.

*There is leeway to save money on the CPU, but that will require a different board. The CPU is very new and an excellent chip, but for a purely poker PC it's not necessary. I'd kill off 4gb RAM long before this though.

Nearly this whole rig is overbuilt for your actual needs, but should fit into your budget with change left over. Certainly you don't need the newest i5 or a SSD for poker/HEM, but with them you can't much smoother performance and speed out of it. You could spend $200-$300 less no question about it so you'll have to weigh that out for yourself

wellju may have a correction incoming on using HDMI + DVI together stand by

I definitely agree with most of this although the antec 300 isn't really a quiet case (if thats what he's going for of course). And he could save some money going with an i5 2500 since it doesn't seem like he'll be overclocking. I'd definitely go with an SSD if I was in his position, a vertex 2 or any of the current gen sandforce drives would be perfect (80gb) and they are going on sale quite often with the newer stuff coming.

I chose the 2500k because it has a better grade of integrated graphics than the 2500, not overclocking. I doubt he'll overclock, but at least he has the option, and he may want to sell it one day to someone who does. All of that easily justifies the $15 difference I think.

The Antec 300 wasn't picked for silence or really any special attribute other than being a good value. Like I said, if noise is a special consideration I would make different choices. My coworker is telling me he can sleep over the fan noise in the 300, but you could buy aftermarket fans, fan controller, different case, etc. It sounded like a normal PC to me.

As far as connectivity, ASUS's manual says you can use any two video ports together but not three. If it did turn out that you need to use a VGA connection for one monitor that should be ok anyway, you're not gaming.

What we can learn from this thread. Instead of working trough intel whitepapers which will end up in an absurd amount of confusion, just be smart and look in the mobo manual

I approve of 2 digital outputs over one lane, but hell, how does this work?

I didn't even consider the onboard graphics :P. That would probably be the better choice in that case. I've owned a 300 in the past and it's definitely a good case for the price and has pretty good cooling.

Thanks so much for the info guys.

@Le Gonso, Noise is definatley not a concern for me atm when it comes to the case. As its my first build, what I'm looking for is to build something that 'just runs smoothly and effectivly' I think you already know that though given the parts you have outlined.
It might be hard to get the exact parts your suggesting, as I live in Ireland. But I will get as close to the spec given as I possibly can.

Also a Mid Tower case = Midi case?
Example of one I'm looking at, 'Antec Midi case DART Fleet DF-10' ... I have also located an ANTEC 300 in the UK selling for £41


I will post a detailed account of everything I intend to purchase itt for your approval.
Its prety much going to be the parts outlines by Le Gonso(in some way shape or form).
Ofc I appreciate all help given to me in itt, so if anyone can add anything that may be usefull in anyway, pls dont hesitate =-)

Case
Product Description Antec Three Hundred - EU - tower - ATX Form Factor Tower
Dimensions (WxDxH) 20.5 cm x 46.5 cm x 45.8 cm
Weight 7.2 kg
Colour Sleek black
Localisation Europe
I/O Connectors 2 x Hi-Speed USB
1 x headphones - output
1 x microphone - input
Installed Fans Qty 2
Supported Mainboards ATX
System Cabinet Features Air filter, fan speed controller
Power Device No power supply
Manufacturer Warranty 3 years warranty. Price 58.08 euro

SSD
Product Description Crucial RealSSD C300 - solid state drive - 64 GB - SATA-600 Type Solid state drive - internal
Form Factor 1.8"
Dimensions (WxDxH) 5.4 cm x 7.9 cm x 5 mm
Weight 45 g
Capacity 64 GB
Interface Type Serial ATA-600 Price= 110 euro

Memory
8GB G.Skill DDR3 PC3-10666 RipjawsX Series for Sandy Bridge (9-9-9-24) Dual Channel kit
Price. 82.28 euro

CPU
Product Description Intel Core i5 2500K / 3.3 GHz processor Product Type Processor
Processor Type Intel Core i5 2500K
Multi-Core Technology Quad-Core
64-bit Computing Yes
Integrated Graphics Intel HD Graphics
Compatible Processor Socket LGA1155 Socket
Processor Qty 1
Clock Speed 3.3 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 3.7 GHz
Manufacturing Process 32 nm
Cache Memory L2 - 4 x 256 KB - L3 6 MB
Features Integrated memory controller, Execute Disable Bit capability, Intel Virtualization Technology, Intel Turbo Boost Technology, Intel 64 Technology
Compatible Slots 1 x processor - LGA1155 Socket
Manufacturer Warranty 3 years warranty Price 206.91

PSU
Product Description Antec EarthWatts EA500D Green - power supply - 500 Watt Device Type Power supply - active Power Factor Correction (PFC) - internal
Specification Compliance ATX12V 2.3
Dimensions (WxDxH) 15 cm x 14 cm x 8.6 cm
Input Voltage AC 100-240 V
Power Capacity 500 Watt
Output Connector(s) 1 x 6 pin PCI Express power
5 x 15 pin Serial ATA power
1 x power 8 pin EPS12V with detachable 4 pin ATX12V section
1 x power 24 pin ATX with detachable 4 pin section
4 x 4 PIN internal power
1 x 4 PIN mini-power connector
1 x 8 pin PCI Express power with detachable 2 pin section
Cooling System 80 mm fan
Manufacturer Warranty 3 years warranty Price 73.81 euro

MotherBoard
ASRock H67M, H67 (dual PC3-10667U DDR3) from £ 65.02/74.00 euro
Total= 605 euro
Hows it looking so far

I can't tell you how good the prices are for where you're at though, no idea.

Cases are a very preference-specific thing, and for me really it's one of the hardest things to shop for. I'd visit NewEgg and check the reviews of a bunch of cases (though you can't shop there I know). The Antec 300 is a very functional and proven case with a good price in the US, but there are tons of choices at all price points and styles, different features, etc. I'm giving you a pretty safe/popular option is all.

Mid-tower just means mid-size (the "normal" size), these will fit ATX boards and smaller. Many typical Dell-ish desktop cases though are mini-towers, and may not fit ATX boards so you need to check the form factor for both the case and motherboard when buying. The board I recommended is micro ATX so any micro-atx or atx case should work fine.

I prefer to have a little more room to work in, better airflow, quieter fans, and honestly the micro cases have always seemed overpriced to me (or very low quality). Again you can go to newegg, search for cases in the menu, and then under type select the various micro-ATX options and you can see what's there for yourself (then sort by "most reviews" on the right).

Having said that - if you don't have a problem with normal PC noise, aren't overclocking or cramped for space, and aren't looking for some elegant design, then I wouldn't overthink it all that much. I'm kind of a case diva with a laundry list of thigns I'm looking for, where most people need a metal box to drop parts in.