Motherboard suggestions

Well, if everyone thinks that's okay, I'll go ahead and order that first thing tomorrow

Sorry got in late. No real problems, just a few comments.

First, I don't think you can achieve DDR3-1600 without overclocking the base clock on the i5-7xx series. You still get "better" memory with an increased likelihood for achieving improved timings at DDR3-1333 speeds if you like to diddle with those settings in the BIOS. I have DDR3-1600 memory in my rig specs for that reason, either overclocking or better timings at -1333 speeds.

If you might consider overclocking, even modestly, then a third party CPU heatsink is a must. It's also a lot easier to add one before you install the motherboard into the case unless the case has an access hole cut out of the motherboard tray as these type of heatsinks are best attached through the motherboard to a back plate and not directly to the motherboard.

Y'know, I've never really over clocked anything. I'm fairly confident at installing hardware and software, but the thought of changing the way it was designed to work scares me no end!

I thought I'd go ahead and get a 3rd party cooler anyway. Getting the temps down is never a bad thing

Well... my last rig was the first rig I built myself... so maybe this'll be the rig that I start over clocking...

Hello!

Got all my stuff this morning and I spent most of the afternoon putting it together.
Seems to be working great so far.

There are a couple of minor problems though... first is, that CPU heatsink/fan is huge... and is actually the reason for both problems.
It's so big, it takes up some room over the RAM slots so I can't put in all four sticks of RAM. Still, I can put three in and that brings me up to six gigs.

The other problem is that my PC's main fan is built into the side of the case, rather than the back... it's a huge fan... the problem is the CPU heatsink protrudes into it's blades! So I've had to keep the side slightly off so that won't happen.

I guess I'll have to disconnect that fan and get myself a new rear case fan. Ah well.

Other than that, it seems great.
I've been keeping track of the heat from the CPU, although I'm not sure what I should be getting, most of the cores ran at about 49c while I was playing Half-Life 2 as a test run.

Considering the ambient temperature in the room is pretty damn hot, I don't think that's too shabby.

Anyway, just thought I'd give you all an update. Thank you all so very much in helping me get this set up

Edit: Just got a chance to try out CoH. Ultra mode all the way up, world detail at 200% and on average around 30fps. Lovely
CoV side it's usually in the 20s except in Grandville and the Cap Au Diable slums area which are just great big jerks and can dip to around 11fps when they feel like it. But on the whole, a vast VAST improvements

Well using only three sticks will/should force the the system into single channel mode from dual, losing half the bandwidth to main memory and hurting performance some.

Other than getting a shorter 3rd party heatsink or using the standard Intel one I have two ideas.

First, I think that memory allows you to remove those fins that stick up. I think there is three bolts along the top that hold them in place. You may need an allen/hex wrench or torx driver of the right size to remove them, then again you may just need a phillips head. That may lower the height of the last stick so it can fit under the fan or plates.

Second, the plates on the heat sink are not centered relative to the CPU, one side sticks out further than the other. Not sure if you can mount it "backwards" so the side with more of the plate sticking out is over the ram slots but if it can you should also check for that. The instructions that came with it makes it clear which way it should be oriented.

Third, you should be able to move the fan to the over side of the heatsink and blow air from the back to the front of the case. It's not ideal.

Sorry, I've taken so long to respond.

Anyway, yeah. Even with the fins removed, the ram wouldn't be able to get in there. I'm not too worried though, as I said.