Building A Custom Desktop

[PS3-Playb3yond]

I gut everything hooked up last night, then I was going to turn it on to see if it will boot and show me the BIOS but I realized that the ASUS P8Z68-V PRO motherboard doesn't have PS/2 connectors and I don't have a USB mouse or a wireless mouse so.....I guess I need to look for a mouse and a keyboard now. Is there a way around this? If not, should I get a wired or wireless keyboard and mouse? Brand?

Thanks!

[BLindsay]

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

I gut everything hooked up last night, then I was going to turn it on to see if it will boot and show me the BIOS but I realized that the ASUS P8Z68-V PRO motherboard doesn't have PS/2 connectors and I don't have a USB mouse or a wireless mouse so.....I guess I need to look for a mouse and a keyboard now. Is there a way around this? If not, should I get a wired or wireless keyboard and mouse? Brand?

Thanks!

ppl still use ps2 mice and keyboards?

Logitech and Razer are some good brands for mice and keyboards. Wired vs wireless is really preference, i prefer wired myself so i dont have to deal with batteries and hardcore gamers will argue that wired is better then wireless

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by BLindsay

ppl still use ps2 mice and keyboards?

Logitech and Razer are some good brands for mice and keyboards. Wired vs wireless is really preference, i prefer wired myself so i dont have to deal with batteries and hardcore gamers will argue that wired is better then wireless

Microsoft isn't too bad for mice. I have 2, and they're really comfortable to use. I have this one for my new desktop: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...bdb8396bb1en02

I use a logitech wireless keyboard though. I'm wireless because I have my desktop hooked up to my TV. Both my keyboard and mouse have on/off switches on them so I can shut them off when they're not in use to save battery life.

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

I gut everything hooked up last night, then I was going to turn it on to see if it will boot and show me the BIOS but I realized that the ASUS P8Z68-V PRO motherboard doesn't have PS/2 connectors and I don't have a USB mouse or a wireless mouse so.....I guess I need to look for a mouse and a keyboard now. Is there a way around this? If not, should I get a wired or wireless keyboard and mouse? Brand?

Thanks!

You can also buy USB to PS2 adaptors, but you'd be better off buying a new set.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

Originally Posted by BLindsay

ppl still use ps2 mice and keyboards?

Come on! They're not that old.

Logitech and Razer are some good brands for mice and keyboards. Wired vs wireless is really preference, i prefer wired myself so i dont have to deal with batteries and hardcore gamers will argue that wired is better then wireless

Yeah, I was going to go for Logitech too. Have had good experience with Logitech in the past.

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Microsoft isn't too bad for mice. I have 2, and they're really comfortable to use. I have this one for my new desktop: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...bdb8396bb1en02

I use a logitech wireless keyboard though. I'm wireless because I have my desktop hooked up to my TV. Both my keyboard and mouse have on/off switches on them so I can shut them off when they're not in use to save battery life.

You can also buy USB to PS2 adaptors, but you'd be better off buying a new set.

I actually have an adapter that came with my keyboard a long time ago. The keyboard is USB so I could plug in the adapter to the mouse and just use what I have instead of spending money on new one. I still have to buy a monitor too ($250). What do you think?

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

Come on! They're not that old.



Yeah, I was going to go for Logitech too. Have had good experience with Logitech in the past.



I actually have an adapter that came with my keyboard a long time ago. The keyboard is USB so I could plug in the adapter to the mouse and just use what I have instead of spending money on new one. I still have to buy a monitor too ($250). What do you think?

Mice are dirt cheap though. You can get them on sale for under 20 bucks.

[crystal_sun]

I use a wired Logitech thin Illuminated keyboard...best keyboard ever....seriously. go check out and feel it at the store. the wireless Illuminated is not great..different feel. If you can wait for discount...I got mine for $40 on sale.

http://www.logitech.com/keyboards/keyboard/devices/4740

keyboard and mouse are usually a weekly sale thing...I guess if you are not picky, then try to grab one of those.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Mice are dirt cheap though. You can get them on sale for under 20 bucks.

I will probably get a mouse if I find one that's cheaper, I will think about it.

Originally Posted by crystal_sun

I use a wired Logitech thin Illuminated keyboard...best keyboard ever....seriously. go check out and feel it at the store. the wireless Illuminated is not great..different feel. If you can wait for discount...I got mine for $40 on sale.

http://www.logitech.com/keyboards/keyboard/devices/4740

keyboard and mouse are usually a weekly sale thing...I guess if you are not picky, then try to grab one of those.

Oh, I'm very picky lol. I found a similar one that's cheaper and wired:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126043

[crystal_sun]

my previous link was just a description link for you to see shop around...visit your electronic place and test out this keyboard....and then make a decision. It looks really good at night or in a dark room...but it feels nice when you press on the keys..at least for me. I tested a bunch of them and this one was the best...

anyhow, good luck in your search. again, i bought it for $40 at Fry's Electronic.

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

Oh, I'm very picky lol. I found a similar one that's cheaper and wired:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126043

[PS3-Playb3yond]

I have my PSU placed with the fan on the bottom. Is that okay or do I have it upside down? I don't know if the fan blows the air in or out.

Originally Posted by crystal_sun

my previous link was just a description link for you to see shop around...visit your electronic place and test out this keyboard....and then make a decision. It looks really good at night or in a dark room...but it feels nice when you press on the keys..at least for me. I tested a bunch of them and this one was the best...

anyhow, good luck in your search. again, i bought it for $40 at Fry's Electronic.

Cool! I would have bought it if it was that cheap. Maybe I will wait and see if I can find it for sale. Thanks!

[crystal_sun]

not knowing your PSU location on the case and the PSU fans, it's hard to say.

1. you can grab a piece of thin paper and put it next to the fan and you will know the direction of the air.
2. you want to create a nice flow of air coming in and then out in 1 direction.
3. you want to push the hot air from bottom to top of the case.
4. you want a good flow of air going across your cpu and memory..and harddrive.

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

I have my PSU placed with the fan on the bottom. Is that okay or do I have it upside down? I don't know if the fan blows the air in or out.



Cool! I would have bought it if it was that cheap. Maybe I will wait and see if I can find it for sale. Thanks!

[PS3-Playb3yond]

This is the PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371049

The case I have is the Cooler Master HAF X. I will take a picture soon and post it here.

[crystal_sun]

let me draw a quick diagram for you.

edit:

I was looking for a picture around, but found someone already did it. This is about the same direction of my current setup. The setup is pushing all the air to the exhaust fan in the back...giving your cpu and memory a good bath of air.

Others think it's a bad flow of air by not making the 2 top as an exhaust, but I disagree with them after trial and error. I noticed my cpu temp was lower by making the 2 top as intake because the CPU is right next to it and I push a good amount of air into the cpu before it goes out to the back exhaust. You can test it out and make your decision.

Also, you might want to get a more powerful exhaust fan in the back...possible a fan with 2000-3000 RPM adjustable, assuming the stock is not the greatest fan.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/s...d.php?t=647347



fyi, I played around in switching the PSU facing up and down, it made no difference...so don't worry too much about.

However, you should put a piece of paper on those other fans to make sure they are pointing to the right direction. The fan itself has a direction arrow on it if you want to pop them out and see for yourself. There is 1 arrow showing the direction, just need to find it.

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

This is the PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371049

The case I have is the Cooler Master HAF X. I will take a picture soon and post it here.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

Alright, I will experiment and see which way air is flowing to make sure. As for the PSU, I was only worried if putting it upside down would harm it but if it's okay then all is well. Thanks!

[crystal_sun]

the bottom of your case has a ventilation so you'll be okay with the PSU fan facing down. If that's the case, then air from the bottom will be suck into the fan and go out immediately to the back side.

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

Alright, I will experiment and see which way air is flowing to make sure. As for the PSU, I was only worried if putting it upside down would harm it but if it's okay then all is well. Thanks!

[BLindsay]

yeah if there is ventilation on the bottom then pointing it down is fine but if its just pointing into a solid panel the point it up

[PS3-Playb3yond]

I took some pics last night:

[Show spoiler]

Blindsay - I wanted to get the C300 SSD but it was out of stock so I went with this one instead and looking at the reviews this one is just as fast except when booting, it is still fast but not as fast as the C300 but only by a little......I believe that's because of the random read/write you were talking about. Having never used an SSD before though I think this one will be plenty fast for me. We'll see...

I fired it up last night just to test it out and I only had a keyboard to work with so....I couldn't do much. Unlike the old BIOS where you can change anything with a keyboard the new UEFI BIOS is accessed with a mouse which I don't have yet.

So, PSU is working great since it handled everything great. No problems with the motherboard and SSD, in fact I was able to see what was detected, it found the SATA3 SSD and CPU just fine. I was very worried about the CPU because when I installed it, even though I knew I put it in the right way, I was very nervous.

Now to get a monitor and and mouse. If I get a wireless mouse I don't know if I will be able to access the BIOS without first installing a drive for it and since I didn't install the OS yet.....I don't know. Do wireless mouse work right out of the box to the USB receiver?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by crystal_sun

the bottom of your case has a ventilation so you'll be okay with the PSU fan facing down. If that's the case, then air from the bottom will be suck into the fan and go out immediately to the back side.

Originally Posted by BLindsay

yeah if there is ventilation on the bottom then pointing it down is fine but if its just pointing into a solid panel the point it up

Ok, cool! I will probably put the motherboard some place higher than the ground so that it gets enough air and since I have carpet I don't want it to be dusty real quick.

[BLindsay]

Looks good so far

also that SSD is a good choice as well so no worries there.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

I will be replacing that CPU cooler soon too. I saw the temperature reading of the CPU on the BIOS last night and it was very hot. Unless the reading was wrong I saw the bar meter full and red and not blue. It was in the 90 degree Celsius. I didn't put thermal paste on it because I saw it already came with one on the heat sink.

[crystal_sun]

are you still using the stock CPU heat sink?

If you are, then change to an aftermarket one...HUGE difference.

Also, you should put get thermal paste...people recommend Artic Silver 5. Make sure you clean the old paste off the cpu. Google it and there are a lot of picture instruction out there...pretty easy.

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound

Good luck.. 90 degree stock cooler is not normal as I recall...

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

I will be replacing that CPU cooler soon too. I saw the temperature reading of the CPU on the BIOS last night and it was very hot. Unless the reading was wrong I saw the bar meter full and red and not blue. It was in the 90 degree Celsius. I didn't put thermal paste on it because I saw it already came with one on the heat sink.

[Torgon]

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

This is the PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371049

The case I have is the Cooler Master HAF X. I will take a picture soon and post it here.

Nice case. I almost bought the same case but bought the HAF 932 Advanced instead. The case is huge; which is good becase I don't think I need anymore space.
Your build is looking good.