4-Year Build Needed

[HardcoreRobot]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Primary gaming + basic home office stuff. Want to be on a 4 year upgrade cycle so, ideally will be useful for that long.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
Max 2000, but mostly focused on price/performance sweet spot, which will likely be around 1k. Also, some needs to go to things other than the base system (NAS)

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
USA

4. IF you're buying parts OUTSIDE the US, please post a link to the vendor you'll be buying from.

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
No preference, prefer current best bang-for-buck

6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Monitor
secondary HDD/SDD (need new primary)
kbd/mouse

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
No plans to overclock, not much time to tinker with comp, just want something stable. would rather spend time playing ON comp, than with it.

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?
1920x1080

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Ready now, but willing to delay slightly to get best price

I'm ready to upgrade my current main rig (C2D E8400, Nvidia 260GTX, 8GB RAM). I enjoy all types of games, but don't need bleeding edge performance all the time. Since I upgrade pretty infrequently I don't keep up with everything that closely, mostly hoping for you guys to point me to good resources and guide me in the right direction.

---Current Plans---
-NAS-
~$250
As mentioned above, I also want to carve out a bit of the budget to replace my aging NAS (4-bay Promise 4300N). My goal is to get a 2-bay with 2x3TB drives in RAID 1. I am worried about the current NAS or drives dying, and I want to upgrade to GigE instead of just 100. I have been happy with the promise interface, but it doesnt seem like they have refreshed their SOHO offerings in a while? I have heard good things about Synology, particuarly DS212j model (though I just saw this model is 1.5yrs old too). I may need to head over to Memory and Storage and ask around there. So I'm planning 200-300 for a diskless 2-bay NAS. I have 2xHitachi Deskstar 0S03228 3 TB Internal Hard Drives lying around I could put in there. One has been used sporadically as an external backup drive, the other is NIB, but purchased at the same time. Any reason I should get a different pair to use? If I need 2 new drives, that will eat into the budget as well. For now I'll plan to use those drives in the NAS, but would like to hear opinions.

-Case-
79.99 - CASE FRACTAL DESIGN|FD-CA-DEF-R4-BL
Fractal R4 looks like a good case for my needs, went on sale just at the right time too

-PSU-
59.99AR - PSU CORSAIR|TX650 V2 650W R
Seems solid, recommended from the 1k build guide

-GPU-
249.99AR - PowerColor AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV4 Radeon HD 7950 Boost State 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Seems like this is the best value for 1080p gaming. Ill save the extra 100 from the 7970 for a better monitor

-RAM-
48.99 = MEM 4Gx2|GSKILL F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
8GB should be plenty for what I need. Have extra slots to add more if it drops in price again, or if it turns out I need it.

-Mobo/CPU-
264.98AR - Intel Core i5-3570K & GIGABYTE|GA-Z77-HD3
Recommended in the 1k build, seems like the unanimous cost/value winner for now

-SSD-
149.99 - SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD250BW 2.5" 250GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
I have a 120GB SSD Ill throw in as a secondary local drive, but I think id like to add a ~250GB SDD as well. For bigger storage Ill use the NAS.

-Fans/Coolers-
Didn't get anything. May add some extra fans to the case if im not getting good airflow. No plans to OC so I think stock cooling will suffice.

-Extras-
I dont need to max the budget on the system just to max the budget (dont want diminishing returns by spending more), so if theres any left Ive been eying a new wireless headset (Logitech G930) and possibly a mouse / mousepad. Not a requirement for the build though. Don't need any optical drives.

Grand total: 906.93

Lots of wiggle room in the budget for upgrades in the future too.

TIA!

 

[Sleepingforest]

Look at mfenn's $1000 build for an idea of what to do with the primary computer. It's better for you to just save some of those $2000 and get a new graphics card in 2 years than to get a crazy Crossfire system now, and that upgrade is very easy, in terms of what you have to.

 

[lagokc]

Look at mfenn's $1000 build for an idea of what to do with the primary computer. It's better for you to just save some of those $2000 and get a new graphics card in 2 years than to get a crazy Crossfire system now, and that upgrade is very easy, in terms of what you have to.

Have to agree here. 10 years ago it might have been worth it to spend $2000 on computer parts but today the difference between a $1000 and a $2000 computer isn't that substantial.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

thanks for the feedback guys. this purchase is using a company allowance, so I need to see if I can save some for later. Normally I would not be spending anywhere near this amount on a system, preferring cheaper systems with more frequent updates.

Also, updated OP to indicate NAS is for mirror not striping...

 

[mfenn]

Ah, company hardware allowances. Promoting inefficient at every turn. If you cannot save money for later (and I suspect you cannot due to all sorts of accounting reasons), then we can put together a $2000 system + NAS config. Can the allowance be spent on anything computer related (monitors, etc)?

 

[aarontpx]

Buy a quality power supply. They are the no.1 thing I see fail in computers that I have seen personally.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Buy a quality power supply. They are the no.1 thing I see fail in computers that I have seen personally.

i personally have had a PSU burnout on me, so I am in full agreement

i spoke with HR, the allowance does not need to be used all at once, so that really changes things. ill update the OP with revised goals when i have some time.

 

[mfenn]

Awesome! Go go progressive accounting and HR depts!

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Awesome! Go go progressive accounting and HR depts!

yeah i figured they would say they only wanted to process one reimbursement form, but instead they will reimburse as i buy and let me know when the money runs out! last time i dropped it all on a laptop. that one is still going strong so its time for a reasonable desktop + toys.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

alright updated the OP a bit, but the focus now has changed from using up a 2k budget to getting a solid gaming comp that will last 2-4 years. Looking at working off some of the 1k build guides, maybe bust the budget a bit with 256gb SSD.

Do you guys think the 1k build is a good place to be for my needs (good gaming performance for at least 2 years?)

 

[DSF]

Do you guys think the 1k build is a good place to be for my needs (good gaming performance for at least 2 years?)

Yes. That's pretty much what it's designed for.

While almost every component in my recent build is technically different than mfenn's, they are almost identical in spirit. I would recommend his, although I'm not sure a 7970 is really necessary for most single-monitor setups. I got my 7950 for about $100 less than a 7970 and it handles everything just fine for me.

 

[ElFenix]

alright updated the OP a bit, but the focus now has changed from using up a 2k budget to getting a solid gaming comp that will last 2-4 years. Looking at working off some of the 1k build guides, maybe bust the budget a bit with 256gb SSD.

Do you guys think the 1k build is a good place to be for my needs (good gaming performance for at least 2 years?)

is the accounting department a euphemism for your wife?

 

[Sleepingforest]

No, he's being literal. His company has given him a computer hardware allowance.

 

[Essence_of_War]

As DSF mentioned, if you're gaming at 1080, it's probably fine to pick the 7870 or the 7950 and pocket the difference for a gpu upgrade in a year or two.

Since you mentioned the larger SSD, it's only about 60-70 USD more for the Samsung 840 250 GB, and about 120 USD more for the 840 Pro 256 GB.

Certainly something to think about.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

is the accounting department a euphemism for your wife?

hahaha no, company is paying 100%. she really cant complain because Im going to use some of the allowance for a mSATA drive for her laptop...

 

[HardcoreRobot]

As DSF mentioned, if you're gaming at 1080, it's probably fine to pick the 7870 or the 7950 and pocket the difference for a gpu upgrade in a year or two.

Since you mentioned the larger SSD, it's only about 60-70 USD more for the Samsung 840 250 GB, and about 120 USD more for the 840 Pro 256 GB.

Certainly something to think about.

good info, thanks. I dont usually upgrade my rigs because by the time I feel the need it usually makes sense to replace everything. but you make a good point in the cost difference btw the GPUs now will go further for performance in the future than it will now. so ill definitely consider..

 

[TheStu]

hahaha no, company is paying 100%. she really cant complain because Im going to use some of the allowance for a mSATA drive for her laptop...

Your company gives you an allowance to build a new computer, that you can use for personal gaming, and personal purchases??

Who do you work for, and are they hiring? (I'm only a little bit joking)

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Your company gives you an allowance to build a new computer, that you can use for personal gaming, and personal purchases??

Who do you work for, and are they hiring? (I'm only a little bit joking)

Officially, its so we can be equipped to answer emails and do corporate type stuff at home. In practice, we can basically use it for anything tech related that serves that purpose. I think most people probably just use it to buy a laptop + smartphone, but i want to build a new rig and get some gadgets instead.

They had recently talked about getting rid of the benefit and just giving as salary/bonus, which is cool and works out the same in the end. But the point I made is that if I just had the money, I wouldn't allow myself to spend it all on tech stuff. Being forced to spend it that way lets me splurge guilt-free.

We are a small company ~30 people, doing government contracting in the DC/Northern Virginia area and are hiring qualified technical people. Particularly developers/dbas. If you want more details feel free to PM.

 

[geniusloci]

I have a large glass jar I throw all my change in when I come home. I take that to a coinstar counting machine and it will dispense amazon gift certificates when I count it up. It does not take a percentage for gift certificates. Generally it's a couple hundred dollars when filled. This is an excellent way to get yourself a gpu upgrade every few years, work allowance or not.

 

[mfenn]

As DSF mentioned, if you're gaming at 1080, it's probably fine to pick the 7870 or the 7950 and pocket the difference for a gpu upgrade in a year or two.

Since you mentioned the larger SSD, it's only about 60-70 USD more for the Samsung 840 250 GB, and about 120 USD more for the 840 Pro 256 GB.

Certainly something to think about.

$1k gets you a 7970 and a 120GB SSD, but for 1080p I agree that it's totally reasonable to flip that to a 7950 and 250GB SSD.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

$1k gets you a 7970 and a 120GB SSD, but for 1080p I agree that it's totally reasonable to flip that to a 7950 and 250GB SSD.

i might go crazy and get both im gonna look at comparisons btw 7970 and 7950 and make a decision

 

[HardcoreRobot]

7950 makes more sense for me @1080p. save some $ in the 2k budget and i can upgrade in a couple years instead.

ssd purchased too.

purchasing delayed due houseguests, should wrap up next week. will probably wait on the NAS till one goes on sale.

 

[VirtualLarry]

purchasing delayed due houseguests, should wrap up next week. will probably wait on the NAS till one goes on sale.

I just picked up a 3TB Seagate GoFlex Home unit for $125. Check clearance.bestbuy.com . They had a 2TB that popped up after I ordered the 3TB, for under $80. Don't forget to use the promo code.

 

[Sporinator]

I just picked up a 3TB Seagate GoFlex Home unit for $125. Check clearance.bestbuy.com . They had a 2TB that popped up after I ordered the 3TB, for under $80. Don't forget to use the promo code.

Also, maybe keep an eye on this 4TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822178111

I picked one up on a Shell Shocker deal for $149.99 about 3 weeks ago. Seems to actually be quicker than my two 3TB externals. (1 WD & 1 Seagate)

 

[VirtualLarry]

Also, maybe keep an eye on this 4TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822178111

I picked one up on a Shell Shocker deal for $149.99 about 3 weeks ago. Seems to actually be quicker than my two 3TB externals. (1 WD & 1 Seagate)

Did you miss the fact that I was talking about an ethernet NAS, with a 3TB drive included? Your HD is just USB3.0. No NAS functionality.

Anyways, I just hooked it up, I'm getting 32MB/sec write speeds.