Need help building a new computer

[PancakeWaffle]

Over the past week, I have decided to build a new PC due to my old one breaking down. I've got all my parts in line and I just want to make sure these parts are compatible with eachother due to the fact that I've never built my own PC before.
Here's what I've got (I haven't bought any of this yet. I'm waiting):
Kingston ValueRAM 8GB
Intel Core i5-3550 Quad-Core Socket 1155, 3.3 Ghz
Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB Hard drive
BIOSTAR H61MGC Socket 1155 Intel H61 Chipset Dual Channel DDR3 1333/1066MHz Motherboard
OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W Power Supply
XFX FX-777A-ZNF4 AMD Radeon HD 7770 Chipset (1095Mhz) 1024MB DDR5 (4980Mhz? Graphics card
Please help or leave suggestions if necessary

[ShyguyXPC]

What RAM, you listed the Brand and series, but not what type (DDR3, DDR2?)

Just to make sure you ordered the right type.




You have an Intel Ivy Bridge CPU selected, you'll need to make sure the motherboards bios is updated to the latest to support the Ivy Bridge Chips, if one is available, and most likely will need a Sandy Bridge based CPU to do to the Bios Update with.

the 3xxx Series CPU's for Socket 1155 are all Ivy Bridge Chips, 2xxx Series is Sandy Bridge.

if all your going to run is that single Radeon 7770, then you can get away with a 400-500W PSU with power to spare (500W ModXStream would be fine), those GPU's use less than 90W of Power. About 80W average for a stock clocked (1GHz) 7770, so 90-100W maybe, if that, for a Factory Overclocked model.

Could save a few bucks with this Modular unit:

Newegg.com - Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

Or this Seasonic for a tad more power on the 12V Rail, 15% off Promo Code till the 10th of Sept, brings it to 68 bucks or so.




For Ivy Bridge CPU support out of the box, H77 Chipsets are what you would want:


Newegg.com - ASRock H77M LGA 1155 Intel H77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Or even the B75 Chipset would be fine: Newegg.com - ASRock B75M-GL LGA 1155 Intel B75 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

[PancakeWaffle]

A quick question: Does the Video Card have to be DDR3 too?

[ShyguyXPC]

no, video card memory and system memory are completely independent of each other, never has been required to be the same.

[PancakeWaffle]

Is Gigabyte GA-H61M-S2PV Socket 1155 Intel H61Chipset Dual-Channel DDR3 1333/1066 MHz 1x PCI-Express GLAN VGA/DVI 7.1-CH HD Audio 4x SATA 3.0Gb/s 8xUSB 2.0 VGA Micro ATX good for an Ivycore processer?

[ShyguyXPC]

See post above.

H77 chipset is needed for out if the box support for ivy bridge, h61 wil need a bios update to support it. In which case you will need a sandybridge chip in the board in order to do the update.

So just get a h77 chipset and save yourself the problems and headaches.