First time builder: Mid

[inhardtimes]

FIRST TIME BUILDER: MID BUDGET GAMING RIG
*yes, I forgot to finish the post title, silly me*

Hello there,

I am a long time lurker in the world of gaming and computer hardware. I think it is time for me to to get my own gaming set-up and set step into the virtual world.

I live in Canada and will most likely buy components of the following sites:
-NCIX.com
-newegg.ca
-memoryexpress.com
-canadacomputers.com

I have also been looking for local classifieds on sites; basically trying to build the most reliable, price-to-performance machine my budget allows. I will use this computer for primarily gaming, web browsing, and document writing.

I have set myself a rough budget of $1500 including:
- CPU
- CPU cooler
- Motherboard
- RAM
- GPU
- PSU
- Hard drive
- Chassis
- Monitor
- Gaming mouse/keyboard/monitor
*essentially an entire gaming set-up*

From reading countless reviews and forum posts, I have narrowed down my choices to some degree.

CPU: Intel i5 2500k ($199.99)
CPU cooler: Corsair H80 ($89.99)
Motherboard: Asus ROG Maximus IV Gene-Z ($169.99)
GPU: XFX 6970 2GB ($359.99)
PSU: XFX 750W 80PLUS Silver ($124.99)
Chassis: Corsair 650D/500R ($179.99)($129.99)
*I would appreciate having a case with a windowed side panel at a reasonable price; TBH the 650D is out of my price range, any recommendations?*
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4x4) ($89.49)
HDD : Undecided (due to floods in Taiwan, I may hold off buying one until prices decrease)
SDD : Undecided (watching out for deals around 1GB/$1)

Monitor: BenQ 24" ($169.99)
Mouse: Saitek Cyborg R.A.T 9 ($159.99)
Keyboard: Logitech G510 ($99.99)
Headset: Undecided

*Total of $1514.10*
*AFTER MIR 1484.10*
*AFTER TAX ~$1710.93*

*Prices on the right, are after price matched on NCIX.com; before MIR and tax (13&#37*
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As you see, I am already above my budget and I am missing a new components. Is there any way to cut down on my expenses and still acquire the best price-to-performance ratio?

*note that I am more than willing to settle for a much cheaper gaming mouse/keyboard*
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Thank you for reading through all that mess!

 

[mfenn]

You have a decent start, but some stuff on your list is wait overpriced.

- CPU: Good
- HSF: Overpriced, the Hyper 212 Evo will do what you need for less.
- Mobo: Overpriced, the P8Z68-V LE fits your needs (and case) better
- GPU: Overpriced, the 6950 2GB is very close in performance for a lot less. The one that I linked even has the possibility of being unlocked to a 6970
- PSU: Overkill, a good 650W like this XFX is all you need.
- Case: Probably out of your budget, check out the Antec Three Hundred for a reasonable, inexpensive case.
- RAM: You don't need 16GB for gaming, get this $32 8GB Patriot DDR3 1600 kit instead
- HDD : Unless you have an existing drive that you can reuse, your best bet is probably this Hitachi 7K1000.D 750GB for $110.
- SSD : The $1/GB SSDs aren't that good. You can get a fast 64GB drive like the M4 for a little over $100 though.
- Monitor: Probably fine depending on the exact model
- Mouse: Think long and hard before spending $160 on a mouse, especially one as funky as the RAT 9. I would not, under any circumstances buy one like that unless I had held it first. Look into less expensive options like the Logitech G400
- Keyboard: No way in hell would I spend $100 on a rubber dome based keyboard. A $20 basic Logitech or Microsoft one will be functionally the same

Those suggestions should bring you below your budget.

 

[lehtv]

What mfenn said. Just to add to that:

Corsair 400R is a good option for a case, it's quite a bit cheaper than 500R but the only difference is the side fan. For a single GPU you don't need a side fan, and for two GPUs you could just add a 140mm fan on the 400R.

I can't stress enough the importance of rethinking what mouse you're buying. I would strongly recommend to test some mice in a store, especially when it comes to the expensive ones. What mouse is optimal for you depends a lot on the shape, size, weight, how you grip the mouse and the general feel. Features are secondary. If you're not really sure what type of mouse is the right one for you, I'd recommend Logitech G400 to start with.

For $1500 you could probably get a 6950 2GB crossfire setup, provided of course that you spend less on things like case, mouse, keyboard, heatsink.