Need help building my first Gaming PC (~$1,000)

Feb 20, 2013
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EDIT: I have two 32" 1080P monitors (they are not 40")

Hello everyone...


I am looking to spend around $1,000 for a gaming PC. Here are a few items of importance:


-I currently have two 32in HDMI Samsung 1080P TVs. I would like to use these as my dual monitors in my setup. Can I use a graphics card with 1 HDMI output and 1 DVI output (with a converter for my second HMDI screen?)

-I already have a mouse and keyboard -I want to be able to play basically any new game such as "SimCity 2013", and "Crysis 3"


Thank you so much in advance!
 
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Ken g6

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[thread=2192841]Attention Mid-Range System Builder[/thread]
 

DSF

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Have you used a computer connected to an HDTV before? It's not really the same experience as 1080P on a monitor because the screen is so much larger. Things like web browsing and word processing can easily cause eye strain, so if you need the computer for basic productivity stuff besides gaming you may want to keep that in mind. A secondary screen that is a more traditional monitor might be worth considering.
 

Termie

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Welcome to the forums, Phish_Phanatic!

Take a look at the link that Ken_g6 provided - it has a suggested build that might work for you.

And the point DSF made is also quite relevant. While there is a place for dual monitors, and there's a place for using a single 1080p TV with an HTPC, I don't think there are very good use scenarios for dual TVs connected to a single computer. First off, you don't want to use them on a desk, due to the low resolution and large size, and second, I don't really see them being a great HTPC setup because they'll use so much space in an HTPC environment but won't add that much usability. Perhaps it would make sense if you were feeding video streams to one and working or playing games on the other, but you didn't mention any actual HTPC needs like that.

But to answer your question, yes, you can run use a DVI-HDMI converter. Both are digital connections, but you won't get sound to your second TV using a converter. I assume you wouldn't need it if the two TVs are next to each other.
 
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Feb 20, 2013
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Have you used a computer connected to an HDTV before? It's not really the same experience as 1080P on a monitor because the screen is so much larger. Things like web browsing and word processing can easily cause eye strain, so if you need the computer for basic productivity stuff besides gaming you may want to keep that in mind. A secondary screen that is a more traditional monitor might be worth considering.

First off, thank you all very much for the replies.

Yes, I have been using my one 40in 1080P monitor for 2-3 years now. I have played with all of the resolution settings on my laptop so I am quite used to reading news, web-browsing, etc...

One question though, has anyone played games using two of these larger screens? I just realized the border of the TVs are like 2 inches and therefore will be a gap between the screens. Has anyone else had an issue like this before.

Once again, thank you all very much for your help. I am really liking this site so far...
 
Feb 20, 2013
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While there is a place for dual monitors, and there's a place for using a single 1080p TV with an HTPC, I don't think there are very good use scenarios for dual TVs connected to a single computer. First off, you don't want to use them on a desk, due to the low resolution and large size, and second, I don't really see them being a great HTPC setup because they'll use so much space in an HTPC environment but won't add that much usability. Perhaps it would make sense if you were feeding video streams to one and working or playing games on the other, but you didn't mention any actual HTPC needs like that.

The scenario you desribes is exactly how I use my two monitors currently. The first is for my Windows 7 machine and the second has my Cable TV and Xbox 360 connected. I would like to have the second monitor connected so I can play games on a dual monitor.

As for the size, I have a huge desk and both 32" screens look pretty nice back to back...
 

Termie

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Oh, ok, this makes more sense. 32" is much more reasonable than 40" on a desk.

The only problem you're going to run into is that gaming on a dual-monitor setup doesn't really make a lot of sense, as the center of the screen, which is where you'll often be looking, will have the monitor bezels in the middle. I think that's why gaming setups very quickly evolved from 1 to 3 screens in surround, and more or less skipped the two screen option.

If you wanted to add another 32" TV, that would make sense, otherwise I'd probably skip it. And for that resolution (5760x1080), your budget isn't high enough.
 
Feb 20, 2013
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Oh, ok, this makes more sense. 32" is much more reasonable than 40" on a desk.

The only problem you're going to run into is that gaming on a dual-monitor setup doesn't really make a lot of sense, as the center of the screen, which is where you'll often be looking, will have the monitor bezels in the middle. I think that's why gaming setups very quickly evolved from 1 to 3 screens in surround, and more or less skipped the two screen option.

If you wanted to add another 32" TV, that would make sense, otherwise I'd probably skip it. And for that resolution (5760x1080), your budget isn't high enough.


Termie, you bring up some very good points here. Although, I have to admit I am slightly bummed as I am now realizing I will most likely only be able to use one of the screens when playing games. But, at least I can use the dual monitor setup when running other applications like web-browsing and accessing my Slingbox HD Pro.

Is it possible to have the screens in the dual monitor setup but only play games on one of the screens? Or will I have to change the settings each time I want to do this?
 

Sleepingforest

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It is indeed possible (though I'm not sure exactly how). Lots of people put a game in one window and Teamspeak in the other. Maybe window mode and drag it over?
 

Ken g6

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Hm. You seem to have managed to lose both an SSD and the best video cards, while only adding an OS. At your budget I'd be aiming for a 7950. You didn't list prices, so I'm not sure if it fits in your budget as-is or not.

Are you sure you want to overclock? If not, switching processor, mobo, and using the stock CPU cooler could save you ~$100. Unless you're near a Micro Center which saves you almost the same amount.
 

Termie

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It would help if you'd give us a budget range to work with. There are a number of different tweaks we could make to this setup, but not without having a budget.

Two quick pointers:
(1) For your build, you're paying too much for a high capacity power supply that you don't need.
(2) I'd like to see you include an SSD if you have room in your budget.
 
Feb 20, 2013
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My budget is around $1,000. I do not need monitors, mouse, or keyboard though...

As for the SSD, yes, I absolutely want to include that drive in my purchase.

And fyi, this was an example given to me by a friend. All of these components can be changed. I am just curious to find what I can buy for my budget...
 

Sleepingforest

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I'd say that if he's spending more than $45 on a 2x4GB set of RAM, then there's some clear waste. I'd also rather have the Fractal R4 for $10 less than a 500R.
 
Feb 20, 2013
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Hm. You seem to have managed to lose both an SSD and the best video cards, while only adding an OS. At your budget I'd be aiming for a 7950. You didn't list prices, so I'm not sure if it fits in your budget as-is or not.

Are you sure you want to overclock? If not, switching processor, mobo, and using the stock CPU cooler could save you ~$100. Unless you're near a Micro Center which saves you almost the same amount.

What do you think about overclocking? It is something I am not 100% familiar with although I am sure I could figure it out with the right information. Do most people overclock? What are the drawbacks if I do indeed overclock my CPU?
 

Sleepingforest

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CPU overclock is pretty easy: go into the bios, increase clockspeed to around 4.2GHz, and make sure voltage is on manual rather than auto. Go into the OS, check for stability. If stable, you are done. If it's crashing, decrease the clockspeed.

That's good enough for a casual, low overclock. It helps in games that are CPU bound at some point (64 player BF3 maps, Skyrim at very high settings, any strategy games with a great deal of units).

As for an actual build: wait for mfenn to update his $1000 thread. Drop to his suggested 7950 and get the OS. It'll be a much strong PC overall than what you pieced together since it will have a much better GPU.
 
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Termie

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Ok, here you go, for $1000:

CPU: i5-3570k ($230) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116504
Motherboard: AsRock z77 Pro 4 + 8GB RAM ($117) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157296
GPU: Gigabyte HD7950 ($300) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125414
SSD : Samsung 840 120GB ($110) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820147185
HD : Seagate Barracuda 1TB ($75) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148697
Case: Corsair 200R ($50AR) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811139018
Power Supply: Corsair CX500 ($30AR) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139027
DVD Burner: LG 24x ($18) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136259
OS: Windows 7 ($80) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116986

TOTAL: $1010AR shipped

These are sale prices, so act fact if you want them.

Note: It looks like the price of RAM is in the process of skyrocketing. I'd recommend you buy the bundle I listed...RAM is up 20% since yesterday.

P.S. No need to wait for mfenn's build, as good as he is. ;)
 
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Feb 20, 2013
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CPU overclock is pretty easy: go into the bios, increase clockspeed to around 4.2GHz, and make sure voltage is on manual rather than auto. Go into the OS, check for stability. If stable, you are done. If it's crashing, decrease the clockspeed.

That's good enough for a casual, low overclock. It helps in games that are CPU bound at some point (64 player BF3 maps, Skyrim at very high settings, any strategy games with a great deal of units).

As for an actual build: wait for mfenn to update his $1000 thread. Drop to his suggested 7950 and get the OS. It'll be a much strong PC overall than what you pieced together since it will have a much better GPU.

Are there any downside to overclocking? For instance, will my system ever suffer from setting it up this way? If not, then why not overclock all CPUs?
 

Chapbass

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May 31, 2004
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Are there any downside to overclocking? For instance, will my system ever suffer from setting it up this way? If not, then why not overclock all CPUs?

Yes, they can have a shorter shelf life, but thats mainly for the "cutting edge" overclocking....those that like to really push the envelope. And even then, the reduced life is typically still way beyond that of the normal life span of a processor. For what you'd probably be doing (low to mid 4ghz i think is the norm for the 3570k/hyper212 combo, someone correct me if im wrong), its of no concern.
 

Sleepingforest

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Nov 18, 2012
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If you push the voltage too high trying to raise the overclock, the CPU will suffer long term damage. Sometimes the CPU appears stable enough but makes mathematically errors once in a while--this makes them unsuitable for mission-critical calculations (a scientist crunching numbers or a businessman (or his consultant) making calculations for his company's production rate would not overclock).

But for casual use, there is nothing wrong with raising the multiplier. If you don't push the voltage, nothing bad will happen.

A while ago, overclocking was pretty complicated--RAM timings, FSB settings, the core clock, and the multiplier were all tied together and needed to be carefully balanced for an overclock. These days though, you can just buy a K suffix CPU and freely manipulate the multiplier, so it's very easy.
 
Feb 20, 2013
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Ok, here you go, for $1000:

CPU: i5-3570k ($230) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116504
Motherboard: AsRock z77 Pro 4 + 8GB RAM ($117) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157296
GPU: Gigabyte HD7950 ($300) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125414
SSD : Samsung 840 120GB ($110) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820147185
HD : Seagate Barracuda 1TB ($75) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148697
Case: Corsair 200R ($50AR) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811139018
Power Supply: Corsair CX500 ($30AR) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139027
DVD Burner: LG 24x ($18) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136259
OS: Windows 7 ($80) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116986

TOTAL: $1010AR shipped

These are sale prices, so act fact if you want them.

Note: It looks like the price of RAM is in the process of skyrocketing. I'd recommend you buy the bundle I listed...RAM is up 20% since yesterday.

P.S. No need to wait for mfenn's build, as good as he is. ;)

Power Supply: Corsair CX500 ($30AR) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139027

Why this power supply out of curiosity? Most people recommend power supplies that are over twice that amount of money...
 

Termie

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Power Supply: Corsair CX500 ($30AR) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139027

Why this power supply out of curiosity? Most people recommend power supplies that are over twice that amount of money...

It all depends on your budget and your priorities. Corsair makes very good budget power supplies. They should serve you well, and with your budget and your performance priorities, that's what fits. The advantages you'll get with a 500w PSU in the $60-70 range will be higher efficiency (averaging 85-87% instead of 80-82%), higher-quality fans that reduce noise, modular (removable) cables that make your build neater, and lower overall operating temperatures. Less noticeable differences will be voltage regulation and other technical factors that will not affect your system unless you are using it under more extreme circumstances (overclocking, high ambient temperatures, bad electricity quality, etc.).

I have a ~$100 Seasonic 650w power supply and a ~$30 Corsair 400w power supply. Neither has ever given me any problems. But the Seasonic is quieter and more efficient, and potentially will last longer due to its higher quality components and manufacturing. If you'd like to push your budget up a bit, yes, by all means go for a more expensive power supply - just don't do it to get a no-name 800w PSU, because that's not what you should be paying for. If you make the jump, I recommend a serious jump, to a Seasonic 550w Gold Modular for $90: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151119
 
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Feb 20, 2013
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How does this setup look? Any suggestions?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($52.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital RE3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($72.64 @ Compuvest)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($297.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Wired Network Adapter: Intel EXPI9301CTBLK 10/100/1000 Mbps PCI-Express x1 Network Adapter ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($18.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1185.49
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-22 17:12 EST-0500)