First gaming build list, improvments?

[PrinceOfRavens3]

Qty.Product DescriptionSavingsTotal Price1<img alt="EVGA SuperClocked 02G-P4-2662-KR GeForce GTX 660 2GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card" title="EVGA SuperClocked 02G-P4-2662-KR GeForce GTX 660 2GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card">
EVGA SuperClocked GeForce GTX 660 02G-P4-2662-KR Video Card
Item #:N82E16814130826
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy

$229.99

<img title="Add EVGA SuperClocked GeForce GTX 660 02G-P4-2662-KR Video Card to cart" alt="Add EVGA SuperClocked GeForce GTX 660 02G-P4-2662-KR Video Card to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="NVIDIA $150 value in-game coin coupon" title="NVIDIA $150 value in-game coin coupon">
NVIDIA $150 value in-game coin coupon
Item #:N82E16800995151
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

$150.00

<img title="Add NVIDIA $150 value in-game coin coupon to cart" alt="Add NVIDIA $150 value in-game coin coupon to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGMBOX" title="AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGMBOX">
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition 3.4GHz Socket AM3 Quad-Core Processor
Item #:N82E16819103727
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy

$99.99

<img title="Add AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition 3.4GHz Socket AM3 Quad-Core Processor to cart" alt="Add AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition 3.4GHz Socket AM3 Quad-Core Processor to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="CORSAIR Vengeance 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ12GX3M3A1600C9" title="CORSAIR Vengeance 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ12GX3M3A1600C9">
CORSAIR Vengeance 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
Item #:N82E16820233146
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy

$78.49

<img title="Add CORSAIR Vengeance 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory to cart" alt="Add CORSAIR Vengeance 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC High Performance Power Supply" title="CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC High Performance Power Supply">
CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W High Performance Power Supply
Item #:N82E16817139021
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

[COLOR=666]$139.99[/COLOR]
$109.99

<img title="Add CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W High Performance Power Supply to cart" alt="Add CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W High Performance Power Supply to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ AMD 990FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard" title="GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ AMD 990FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard">
GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX AMD Motherboard
Item #:N82E16813128514
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

[COLOR=666]$149.99[/COLOR]
$139.99

<img title="Add GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX AMD Motherboard to cart" alt="Add GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX AMD Motherboard to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit" title="Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit">
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit
Item #:N82E16832116986
Return Policy: Software Standard Return Policy

$99.99

<img title="Add Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit to cart" alt="Add Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with Upgraded USB 3.0" title="Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with Upgraded USB 3.0">
Antec Nine Hundred Black Computer Case with Upgraded USB 3.0 With Side Panel Window
Item #:N82E16811129021
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy

[COLOR=666]$105.99[/COLOR]
$99.99

<img title="Add Antec Nine Hundred Black Computer Case with Upgraded USB 3.0 With Side Panel Window to cart" alt="Add Antec Nine Hundred Black Computer Case with Upgraded USB 3.0 With Side Panel Window to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G - OEM" title="Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G - OEM">
Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G - OEM
Item #:N82E16835100007
Return Policy: Consumable Item Refund Only Return Policy

[COLOR=666]$11.99[/COLOR]
$7.99

<img title="Add Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G - OEM to cart" alt="Add Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G - OEM to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="LG 24X DVD Burner - Bare Drive Black SATA Model GH24NS95" title="LG 24X DVD Burner - Bare Drive Black SATA Model GH24NS95">
LG 24X DVD Burner - Bare Drive Black SATA Model GH24NS95
Item #:N82E16827136259
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

$17.99

<img title="Add LG 24X DVD Burner - Bare Drive Black SATA Model GH24NS95 to cart" alt="Add LG 24X DVD Burner - Bare Drive Black SATA Model GH24NS95 to cart" style="border:none">1<img alt="Western Digital WD Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5&quot; Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive" title="Western Digital WD Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5&quot; Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive">
Western Digital WD Black 1TB 3.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #:N82E16822136533
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

$104.99

<img title="Add Western Digital WD Black 1TB 3.5&quot; SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive to cart" alt="Add Western Digital WD Black 1TB 3.5&quot; SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive to cart" style="border:none">Grand Total:$989.40<img style="border:none" title="Add all to cart" alt="Add all to cart">

Only have about $1000 to work with right now....any advice is welcome

 

[Sleepingforest]

That build is REALLY weak for $1000. Take mfenn's $1000 build and drop down to a 7950 to make room for the OS.

 

[PrinceOfRavens3]

Ok, so take this set up:

2/10/2013 update:
i5 3570K $215 AP
Biostar TZ77B + free 8GB RAM $100
PowerColor 7970 3GB $360 AR
Samsung 840 120GB $110
Toshiba 1TB $75 AP
Lite-ON DVD Burner $18
Corsair 650TX V2 $57 AR AP
NZXT Source 220 $50
Total: $985 AR AP

- The free RAM with the mobo is only a single DIMM, so the build will be running in single-channel mode. That gives a small performance penalty, but you could spend another $50 to complete the RAM pair and have 16GB.
- The trick to using the Newegg gift cards is to place one order for the items with gift cards, wait until they email you the code (usually after the charge your CC), then place another order using the gift card codes.
- There is a dual-fan 7850 2GB available for $180 AR and a dual-fan 7950 3GB available for $290 if you want to spend less but still get very good gaming performance
- If you intend to OC (the system is capable) grab an aftermarket HSF like the budget Hyper 212 EVO for $30 AR or the mid-range Xigmatek Dark Knight II for $47.


But drop the 7970 to a 7950?

 

[Sleepingforest]

Exactly. And put in an operating system.

 

[PrinceOfRavens3]

Ok, got it. Thank you! So this will be able to run games like Skyrim, Call of Duty, Far Cry no problem?

 

[Ken g6]

Ok, so take this set up:
[snip]
But drop the 7970 to a 7950?

Correct. In other words:

i5 3570K $215 AP
Biostar TZ77B + free 8GB RAM $100
7950 3GB $290 AR
Samsung 840 120GB $110 $106 @Amazon
Toshiba 1TB $75 AP
Lite-ON DVD Burner $18
Corsair 650TX V2 $57 AR AP
NZXT Source 220 $50
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM $91
Total: $1002 AR AP

 

[Sleepingforest]

Ok, got it. Thank you! So this will be able to run games like Skyrim, Call of Duty, Far Cry no problem?

Yes. It should get roughly 60 FPS on high; you can do much better if you're willing to overclock.

 

[PrinceOfRavens3]

@Ken: Awesome, thank you!

@Sleepingforest:What would it take to overclock? I haven't ever messed around with that before.

 

[Sleepingforest]

1. Download a program.
2. Move sliders to the right.
3. ???
4. Profit!

Your computer does step 3 for you.

 

[PrinceOfRavens3]

I love it when it's easy lol Outstanding.

 

[DSF]

Look up a few guides on the internet, there are plenty out there. There's a little more to it than Sleepingforest described, but not much.

 

[mfenn]

I approve of this thread. :thumbsup: