New Gaming Computer - $800-850 Budget - Advice/Review?

[JJ24]

Gaming Computer ... $800-850 budget
World of Tanks / Diablo 3 / Skyrim / COD Black Ops2 / Guild Wars2 / Borderlands 2 / etc etc etc

Buying parts after Christmas (Loot!)

I have slightly more then this but also need to buy a copy of Windows... 7 or 8 is still up for debate but either one is about $130 :-(

I do want to do a mild overclock of the CPU to maybe 4-4.2ghz-ish... Which from what I've read is fairly easy for this processor.

I am in the USA (Texas) and will be making purchases online at Newegg or Amazon and/or at local Microcenter store (www.microcenter.com)



Currently have and will use with new build:
OCZ Vertex4 128gb SSD (Caught a sale on Black Friday for $75)
24" Monitor 1920x1200 Resolution.
750gb External HD


Current Planned purchase:
Case: CoolerMaster HAF912 - $59.99 @ Microcenter
http://www.microcenter.com/product/343331/HAF912_Mid_Tower_ATX_Computer_Case

PSU: Rosewill Green 630w - 59.99 @ Newegg
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182200

MB: ASRock Extreme4 Z77 - $94.99 @ Microcenter($40 savings with the CPU)
http://www.microcenter.com/product/387554/Z77_Extreme4_LGA_1155_Z77_ATX_Intel_Motherboard

CPU: Intel i5-3570k - $189.99 @ Microcenter
http://www.microcenter.com/product/388577/Core_i5_3570K_34GHz_LGA_1155_Processor

CPU Cooler: Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo - $29.99 @ Microcenter

RAM: G.Skill Ares DDR3-1600 2x4GB - $41.99 @ Newegg
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231546

Vid Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7870 2gb - $239.99 @ Newegg
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125418

HD: Hitachi Deskstar 7200rpm 1TB internal drive - $59.99 @ Microcenter
http://www.microcenter.com/product/...ache_SATA_60Gb-s_35_Internal_Hard_Drive_-_OEM

Optical: LG 14x Bluray Burner - $69.99 @ Microcenter
http://www.microcenter.com/product/398053/14x_Internal_Blu-ray_Burner_WH14NS40_-_Bare_Drive

Those items come to: about $847 which is right at the top of my budget...

******** EDIT: Parts Ordered 01/04/13 *******
So I have some parts already and ordered some of the last ones yesterday... And will be going to Microcenter this weekend to get the last of them. Should get the stuff I ordered online next week sometime (I hope)

Final Build:
Case: CM Storm Scout 2
PSU: Seasonic X650 Gold
MB: ASRock Z77 Pro3 1155
CPU: Intel i5 3570k
Cooler: Hyper212 Evo
GPU: MSI Radeon HD 7950 Twin Frozr
Ram: 2x 8GB G.Skill Ripjaws
SSD: 256mb Crucial M4
HD: 1GB Western Digital Blue
Optical: LG 14x BluRay Disc Burner

Ordered the Hyper212, couple cables, couple extra case fans, and video card from Amazon yesterday. Going to get the MB/CPU/Case from Microcenter this weekend, and already have the other parts at home.

 

[mfenn]

OK, so basically we need to free up $40 for the GPU, that shouldn't be too hard:

Samsung DDR3 1600 8GB $40 - $2 cheaper and one of the best kits out there.
Hyper 212 EVO $25 AR - Can save $5 by getting the rebate at Newegg.
XFX 550W $40 AR AP - Save $20 and get a superior PSU
Corsair 300R $50 AR AP - Save $10 and get a better case
LG Blu-Ray combo drive $50 - Save $10 and only lose the ability to burn Blu-Ray discs.

That's your $40 right there. Obviously you could just get a DVD-RW and forget Blu-Ray capability altogether to save another $30.

 

[JJ24]

Why is the Samsung ram better then the gskill? It has a little lower voltage i see, but its cas timings are higher 11 vs 9 ...

the rebate on Hyper212 expires tomorrow so thats a wash...

I like the XFX Power Supply but have always thought mail-in rebate type things are more often then not a scam... or at least takes 8 weeks to get the money back and costs more up-front.

saying the corsair 300r is a better case is debatable, yes it has USB3.0 on front which is a plus but its not really a game changer... and its $20 off promo ends today so thats no good for me.

The only reason I want the bluray optical is for burning blurays... (have a PS3 for bluray watching needs)


Thanks for the suggestions, and I'll probably switch out the Power Supply but not so sure on the others.

 

[mfenn]

Generally speaking, if your budget is very tight, then you must take advantage of all deals you can. That means you must not lock in parts until an hour or so before you order, no more than 24 hours. Make sure you update the thread at that time.

Why is the Samsung ram better then the gskill? It has a little lower voltage i see, but its cas timings are higher 11 vs 9 ...

It runs at DDR3 1866 CAS 8 if you bump the voltage to the standard 1.5V.

the rebate on Hyper212 expires tomorrow so thats a wash...

OK.

I like the XFX Power Supply but have always thought mail-in rebate type things are more often then not a scam... or at least takes 8 weeks to get the money back and costs more up-front.

I've never failed to get a MIR back, even from some pretty shady companies (OCZ). 3-4 weeks is the norm in my experience. Even disregarding that, the XFX is better considering that it costs $55, provides plenty of power for your build, and is made by seasonic.

saying the corsair 300r is a better case is debatable, yes it has USB3.0 on front which is a plus but its not really a game changer... and its $20 off promo ends today so thats no good for me.

No, I don't think it really is debatable. The 300R has:

- USB 3.0
- A dedicated center peg for ease of motherboard mounting
- Standoff-less mobo tray
- 140mm intake fan
- Bigger cable routing holes
- Better tool-less mounting system for HDD and ODD
- Sleeved and/or flat internal cables
- Elevated feet so that you can do an effective flipped-PSU setup
- A cool black-painted interior
- Looks better (subjective)

 

[riversend]

How soon after Christmas are you buying? Pre-Christmas sales will likely vary quite a bit, but there should still be a few places to save some money to squeeze in the 7950. Regardless of whether or not you want the Samsung, you should be able to find good DDR3 for $35 or less on sale. Another possibility is to bump down to a less expensive mobo like the AsRock Z77 Pro3 if your local Microcenter has it. That should save you about $30.

Agree with mfenn on the rebates. I have always gotten rebates back, multiple companies: Gigabyte, MSI, Corsair, XFX... You just have to pay attention and get them out the door ASAP so you do not forget. Procrastination is your worst enemy with rebates, not generally the companies.

 

[JJ24]

I *want* to order ASAP... but it depends on exactly how Christmas works out, and if I have to wait till my 1st pay period after or not... (1st Pay Period after would not be until Jan 4th)

As for MB options... Here is a link to the current Microcenter Catalog and it "should" be opened to the MB special page if the link works properly...
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/946fc66b#/946fc66b/33

They have the Pro3, Pro4, and Extreme4 all selling for same price after the combo/in-store rebates.

 

[mfenn]

I *want* to order ASAP... but it depends on exactly how Christmas works out, and if I have to wait till my 1st pay period after or not... (1st Pay Period after would not be until Jan 4th)

That's fine, there is nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying to not get locked in more than 24 hours before you order.

As for MB options... Here is a link to the current Microcenter Catalog and it "should" be opened to the MB special page if the link works properly...
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/946fc66b#/946fc66b/33

They have the Pro3, Pro4, and Extreme4 all selling for same price after the combo/in-store rebates.

You sure about that? What MC store are you choosing. Mine (White Plains, NY) shows the Z77 Pro3 for $55 in combo, Z77 Pro4 for $70 in combo, and the Z77 Extreme4 for $95 in combo.

 

[JJ24]

mfenn I hope you are right cause changing to one of the Pro ones would be a nice savings... I linked the catalog I was looking at above... but the specific store I'm looking at is

Texas-Dallas Metroplex/Richardson

When I goto the processor or MB on the web page I cant see the combo savings at all... in the catalog its a little confusing because only like 6 boards are listed as "With $40 combo savings" and the rest are just a list with prices... I thought those prices included the savings.. maybe not..

 

[DSF]

Also, unless you need something I'm not understanding, the Azrock Z77 Pro3 is on sale for $95 at MicroCenter right now, which comes all the way down to $55 with the combo.

You lose double-GPU compatibility, but as far as I can tell from what you've told us you wouldn't be missing anything else.

The Samsung Ram is also even cheaper at Amazon, especially if you have Prime.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00

 

[riversend]

I would definitely call and ask about the deals. That Pro3 is the "normal" price at $95. Seems like I recall my brother going in and getting a deal on a board not listed as one of the six in the ad that are specified for the additional savings. That is a good price on the Extreme4, so the Pro3 should be less. Unfortunately I've never had one nearby so can't say how flexible they are.

 

[mfenn]

Ah yeah, the catalog can be confusing. The $40 off counts for all Socket 1155 boards, not just for the ones they mentioned. Make sure that you have your store selected at the top and then add the board and CPU to your cart. You should see the discount applied there

I just tested it for your store with the i5 3570K and the Z77 Pro3, and my total came out to $55 + $190 = $245.

 

[DSF]

I just bought a Pro3 about 3 hours ago and it qualified for the deal, so the price of the motherboard was effectively $55. That's in Baltimore, MD.

 

[JJ24]

Single GPU is all I want/plan to do... 7950 should be plenty of GPU for now and a single card upgrade in the future would be feasible if it became a neccesity.

the only thing the Pro4 has over the Pro3 is 4 Sata3 instead of 2... but an SSD is the only HD that really gets a benefit from the higher speed of Sata 3 right? (excluding the 10000+ rpm super drives)

 

[JJ24]

Ah yeah, the catalog can be confusing. The $40 off counts for all Socket 1155 boards, not just for the ones they mentioned. Make sure that you have your store selected at the top and then add the board and CPU to your cart. You should see the discount applied there

I just tested it for your store with the i5 3570K and the Z77 Pro3, and my total came out to $55 + $190 = $245.

I just bought a Pro3 about 3 hours ago and it qualified for the deal, so the price of the motherboard was effectively $55. That's in Baltimore, MD.

Thanks for the confirmation on the MB pricing... Thats very helpful and I think the Pro3 would satisfy my needs... And allow me to get the better GPU.

The other parts seem good to you guys? And the mild overclock should be feasible with the Hyper 212 right?

 

[mfenn]

The Pro4 has onboard DVI output (doesn't matter to you since you have a GPU). It also has an add on SATA 6Gb/s controller for two more ports (as you pointed out) which doesn't really matter unless you plan to run more than two SSDs. There are also some differences in the power delivery, but that doesn't matter for moderate OC of an Ivy Bridge CPU. Overall I agree that the Pro3 is a better deal.

 

[mfenn]

The other parts seem good to you guys? And the mild overclock should be feasible with the Hyper 212 right?

Well, we really won't know what the best deals are until right before you order. With that caveat, what you originally picked out is fine, but could be better (see my first reply).

A Hyper 212 is a good choice for a mild to moderate overclock.

 

[JJ24]

** Editted 1st post also...

So I have some parts already and ordered some of the last ones yesterday... And will be going to Microcenter this weekend to get the last of them. Should get the stuff I ordered online next week sometime (I hope)

Final Build:
Case: CM Storm Scout 2
PSU: Seasonic X650 Gold
MB: ASRock Z77 Pro3 1155
CPU: Intel i5 3570k
Cooler: Hyper212 Evo
GPU: MSI Radeon HD 7950 Twin Frozr
Ram: 2x 8GB G.Skill Ripjaws
SSD: 256mb Crucial M4
HD: 1GB Western Digital Blue
Optical: LG 14x BluRay Disc Burner

Ordered the Hyper212, couple cables, couple extra case fans, and video card from Amazon yesterday. Going to get the MB/CPU/Case from Microcenter this weekend, and already have the other parts at home.

 

[mfenn]

You need to include prices if you want the most informed advice. Overall it looks fine assuming you got the X650 for $80 last week.

 

[JJ24]

mfenn - wasn't really looking for more advice at this point, just came back to update the thread. Already got good advice/made changes from earlier suggestions... Yes I did get the Seasonic PSU when it was on sale, and the Ram, HD, and Optical were gifts.

I already have all the parts except the Case / MB/ CPU which I'll be getting from microcenter this weekend

Currently Microcenter has the 3570K for 169.99 the ASRock Extreme4 for 94.99
And the CM Scout2 for 89.99