Desktop Build Advice?

[BitshireHashaway]

Ok, I've recently gotten started in the BTC world, and I am already very interested in it and looking and building my own desktop computer to mine it. However, I'm not good with the whole compatible parts thing so I was looking for advice from you guys. Tell me if any of these parts won't work please!

If you have other recommendations that are in stock at Newegg, please let me know. The most important part of this setup for me is electricity usage, since electricity is like $0.35/kw where I am.

Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131882

Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113283

Hard drive: Most likely an old 256gb 1.5gb/s one from my old computer. It already has windows vista on it. Are their any main things I need to worry about when looking at hard drive?

Power Supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095

Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202002
I think I'll start with one or two The motherboard says it has 3 sockets but it says their different types, does that mean it can hold up to 3 video cards, do I need special connectors or how does that work? I think it has one of the following (x16) (x8) (x4) If I buy one now, will I be able to put in 2 more later?

Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145246


That's all I have for now. I know that cooling is important, so I'm looking at fans but is there anything I forgot, or any other compatability issues. Also I would like an answer for my future video card questions. I really appreciate this ahead of time.

[vm1990]

Ram you selected is DDR2 not DDR3 motherboard is DDR3 www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145322
best part about DDR3 is its cheaper for more
other than that looks fine you could change the GPU but

you might struggle with more than 1 of them GPUs as there motherboard powerd so more than 1 takes alot out of a motherboard but as a start point there good with around 100mh/s and they keep cool so font worry about cooling for them

if you want mutiple GPU's go with ones that have either a 6 pin power connector or basicly something that takes its power from the PSU not the motherboard

[BitshireHashaway]

Ram you selected is DDR2 not DDR3 motherboard is DDR3 www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145322
best part about DDR3 is its cheaper for more
other than that looks fine you could change the GPU but

you might struggle with more than 1 of them GPUs as there motherboard powerd so more than 1 takes alot out of a motherboard but as a start point there good with around 100mh/s and they keep cool so font worry about cooling for them

if you want mutiple GPU's go with ones that have either a 6 pin power connector or basicly something that takes its power from the PSU not the motherboard

Ok, I have upgraded my ram to DDR. I won't worry about cooling them. You said I would struggle with more than one GPU, so if I wanted more than one GPU, can you show me some good MH/S ones that take power from the PSU. The reason I am wondering is because with just one at 100mh/s I think it will be difficult to get my money back, or even just cover electricity costs.

Would I be better off to switch the 7750 to a 7970?

[pointychimp]

http://pcpartpicker.com is your best friend. I still use it as search engine of sorts even though I'm very confident in my abilities to pick out compatible parts.

[vm1990]

if you can afford a 7970 then go for it there pretty low power and do a good hashrate but its up to you heres a useful list
www.en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Mining_hardware_comparison
its just a lot of research and some more useful advice is here
stick with higher powerd card out of the serises for example a 5830
5 ---generation     (anything later than 5 is good)
8 ---series            (stick with either 7,8,9)
3 ---place in series (this is basicly how they clock each card 30 is low end, 50low-middle, 70 highend, 90 very high end
0 ---a 0 for the hell of it

[soks86]

Shocked no one mentioned, I'm sure you know, GPUs are getting pushed out this year. I dunno, I was looking at the difficulty charts and bitcoin.sepa.be is predicting some scary stuff for 2013 that started in late 2012. I'm guessing it's ASICs coming on line so it won't stop, if anything it's only going to accelerate.

I'm having a hard time deciding which ASIC rigs are worth it if any, it's getting difficult to see the point of running GPU mining for anything but novelty. I'm thinking in terms of breaking even on your investment and turning a profit relative to electricity costs. Of course I could be mistaken...

[BitshireHashaway]

Thanks for the advice. I understand Asics may wipe the floor with GPU's but I don't see any company delivering them reliably in my price range. Only avalon is and you have to wait till they sell their next batch which will be over $10,000 each.

[annoyingbird]

Shocked no one mentioned, I'm sure you know, GPUs are getting pushed out this year. I dunno, I was looking at the difficulty charts and bitcoin.sepa.be is predicting some scary stuff for 2013 that started in late 2012. I'm guessing it's ASICs coming on line so it won't stop, if anything it's only going to accelerate.

I'm having a hard time deciding which ASIC rigs are worth it if any, it's getting difficult to see the point of running GPU mining for anything but novelty. I'm thinking in terms of breaking even on your investment and turning a profit relative to electricity costs. Of course I could be mistaken...

there are still the scrypt coins like litecoin  that dont work with asic

[MeltManBob]

While I'm stuck here in newbie land I'll pitch in!

Get a 7950 video card.  The 7850 comes close in terms of KHash/s per dollar and per watt.  I know you're looking at bitcoin which is measured in MHash/s, KHash/s is for litecoin but the relationship in performance between cards is still similar.  According to the bitcoin hardware wiki the 7750 does 125 MHash/s vs the 500 for the 7950.  So performance is about 4 times greater but cost is only about 3 times greater. Plus you're getting the second most powerful model as opposed to a really low end one.  This matters if you decide to stick with it and expand beyond 1 video card because the cost of your other components have to be factored in.  For example, if you stuffed a computer with 4 video cards, with 7750's you would only equal the power of 1 7950 of 500 MHash/s where as if you used 7950's that's 2000 MHash/s.  Lets run some math

Motherboard - $130
CPU - $55
Ram - $20
PSU - ~7.5 watts per dollar (7750's x 4 = ~320 + ~130 system = ~450, $60 )(7950's x 4 = ~750 + ~130 system = ~880, $120 which in reality is closer to $100)
HDD - used
7750 x4 - ~$400
7950 x4 - ~$1240

7750 system cost - ~ $665     500 MHash/s     = .7819 MHash/s per dollar
7950 system cost - ~ $1500   2000 MHash/s    = 1.3333 MHash/s per dollar

This translates to about a 70.5% better return on your money with the 7950's.  Your break even point with the 7750's is almost 36 weeks where as with the 7950's it's about 16 and a half weeks.

Assuming you were looking to keep upfront costs down I would research a good 7950 and get one to start, find a decent motherboard with 2-3 PCIe 16x slots and 1-3 PCIe 1x slots which you can use powered 1x to 16x riser cables to run more video cards from, get a power supply that is 80+ minimum certified and can supply at least 3 cards and your system.  Down the road you can add in more video cards to fill your motherboard, 4, 5 or maybe even 6 cards but then you need one big PSU which gets expensive or use 2.  PSU's have a sweet spot in terms of quality wattage for your money above and below which the ROI sucks.  6 card setup? $300-$400 1500 watt PSU or 2 $110 750 watt supplies... Anyway you can check out this spreadsheet I made https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Au-5jsYGHc29dG94ekRvbEl1WEUxcnFYMU14eDRRV3c&usp=sharing and my thread on litecoin https://forum.litecoin.net/index.php/topic,2870.0.html that explains how to use it

[cassini]

if you stuffed a computer with 4 video cards

And even worse, if you try to squeeze 4 cards in a PC case you either run into mechanical problems
(the motherboard is simply too small or, with extension cables, there is no space to safely hold the cards in place)
or you experience severe heat problems if you don't apply clever air flow control or water cooling.

[MeltManBob]

A lot of people I've read about do end up using riser cables just to deal with the heat. They also use open air cases or a good old fashioned crate.  As for air flow a lot of people mention using a box fax, all of this is kind of ghetto fabulous but it works and isn't super expensive. Water cooling kills your ROI and 3+ graphics cards in a normal case while running at full load and probably overclocked is not a good idea 9 times out of 10 unless you really know what your doing with air flow management.