New gaming computer about $1,000.00 need help

[Kazukun]

Happy new years guys. I have been using a computer that is about 3-4 years old now and it is time for a serious upgrade.

1) Mostly be playing games (SWTOR, BF3, SC2, Diablo 3 when it comes out, Shogun Total War, steam) with some light photo shop, and dream weave

2) Preferably around $1,000, but lower is better.

3) USA, Newegg is just down the street where I live, Fry's is about 3 miles away, Micro center is about 20 miles away so these three will be the main stores I'll be purchasing from

4) I never used AMD before so therefore I will continue using Intel

5) I do not plan on using any item from my old system except for the GPU

6) I have done some small research but I'm not computer savvy.

7) I do not plan to overclock right away, but maybe a few years down the line when needed. So for now, just default speed

8) I'm not 100% sure as I am not really tech savvy but I just bought a 24" Samsung LED monitor over the summer so hope that help.

9) Somewhere this month or early February

10. ok

So my setup look something like this;

CPU: Intel i7 2600k or intel i5 2500k
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth Motherboard
Case: Coolermaster Haf 932
Ram: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x 4gb)
SSD: Intel 510 120GB
PSU: Corsair TX750
CPU Cooler: Thermaltake Frio or Noctua NH-U23P
Thermal Paste: IC diamond 24 carat

The HDD will have to wait until the price gets lowered. My current computer only uses 80gb so I can survive a few more months using just the SSD.

I plan to run the GTX 580 a month or so later on so this won't be on the $1000 price.

I've been told that I sometimes go too over by getting the top of the line which I don't really need so the biggest reason why I'm here is to try to keep my cost as low as possible without sacrificing performance.

So any advice would be great. Thanks in advance.

 

[Puppies04]

I've been told that I sometimes go too over by getting the top of the line which I don't really need

On that note drop the sabertooth, you are paying for pretty heatsinks. If you like asus go for the P8Z68-v or P8Z68-v PRO.

Sounds to me like the I7 would be overkill, go for the I5.

My advice for the GPU would be to buy something like a GTX560 TI (the 384 core one) now and upgrade it next year once both companies (amd and nvidia) have their next gen cards out. For single screen gaming a GTX580 can still pretty much be considered overkill unless you absolutly have to turn every slider up to 11.

 

[lehtv]

CPU&mobo Get i5-2500K from microcenter for $180 and combo with a good Z68 motherboard like Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3 (should get a discount on that as well).

Case I don't see why you need a full tower. A spacious mid-tower should be plenty, e.g. Corsair 400R, Fractal Design Arc Midi, CM HAF 922, Storm Sniper, Antec 1100.

RAM Buy lower-profile RAM to ensure compatibility with aftermarket coolers. This G.Skill is -20% today.

SSD Intel 510 is overpriced in comparison to Samsung 830 and Crucial M4 which are both very fast and reliable.

PSU An overclocked single GPU setup will run off of a 550W PSU easily, though often you can find a good 650W unit for about the same price. XFX 550W $55 AR / XFX 650W $65 AR. I can understand wanting to have extra capacity just in case, but it's not like you can't replace your power supply in the unlikely event that you need more power.

Cooler Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo and the supplied thermal paste are sufficient to cool an overclocked 2500K, unless you're aiming at voltages that most wouldn't consider safe in the long term.

Should cost around $700. Save the rest for upgrades later on, like the HDD.

 

[Kazukun]

Thanks for the fast replies guys. I should mention that I am planning on getting another monitor down the line but mostly for having one monitor playing games and the other streaming videos.

I really don't have a preference on the motherboard as long as it can last me several years.

I've only used kingston and corsair rams before. I do know that the g.skill are getting really well known. Are they really that good?

Out of the cases you listed, which would you prefer?

Again, thanks so much in helping me with this build. I can't wait to put everything together.

 

[lehtv]

Memory in general is very reliable, hence you get lifetime warranty from most brands. G.Skill has been among the top brands for a long time. Mushkin is also great, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy most other well known brands either e.g. Patriot, GeiL, ADATA, Crucial - as long as the modules are designed for 1.5V operation.

 

[Kazukun]

OK, I might give the G.Skill a try as the deal is pretty good.

I'm thinking of going with the Haf 922 that you have listed but I'm reading that it does not come with a SSD mount bracket. So all I would need dis that bracket and I can fit the SSD in there no problem right?

 

[lehtv]

Out of the cases you listed, which would you prefer?

I'd prefer Antec 1100, it looks fantastic and I've read it's very easy to work with. Antec is also known for sturdy construction quality. To me it looks like a near-perfect case - I just wish it was slightly less expensive and came with some intake fans. Fractal Arc Midi would be my second choice, I'm really happy with my Fractal R3 so I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one of their cases.

So all I would need dis that bracket and I can fit the SSD in there no problem right?

Yep.

 

[mnewsham]

No reason for the i7-2600k at ALL. And no reason for the GTX 580. Besides that Lehtv has given great advice!

 

[martixy]

On that note drop the sabertooth, you are paying for pretty heatsinks. If you like asus go for the P8Z68-v or P8Z68-v PRO.

Sounds to me like the I7 would be overkill, go for the I5.

My advice for the GPU would be to buy something like a GTX560 TI (the 384 core one) now and upgrade it next year once both companies (amd and nvidia) have their next gen cards out. For single screen gaming a GTX580 can still pretty much be considered overkill unless you absolutly have to turn every slider up to 11.

And on that note, drop the PRO unless you really need the FireWire or the 2 extra SATA 6Gbps ports.

 

[lehtv]

And consider P8Z68-V LE if you don't care about SLI/Crossfire.

 

[Kazukun]

Ok, so I did a small update on how I will be running my system.

OS: Window 7 64bit $99.99 @newegg
CPU: Intel i5 2500k $179.99 or Intel i7 2600k $279.99 @ Microcenter
MB: Gigabyte GA-Z68 UD3 $89.99 or $139.99 @ Microcenter
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaw 8GB (2x 4GB) 1600 DDR3 $34.99 @ Newegg
SSD: Intel SSD 510 120GB $274.99 @ Fry's
Case: Coolermaster 922 $84.99 @ Microcenter
PSU: Corsair TX650 $74.99 @Newegg
Total: $889.93 or $939.93

The reason why there is two prices is that the $50.00 discount for the motherboard and cpu only works with the 2600k and does not extend to the 2500k. So in some sense, I'll actually get the i7 2600k at $229.99 basically if I buy the combo which would be $50.00 more then the i5 2500k.

I do plan to run SLI/Crossfire somewhere down the line, just do not know when.

I know that the Intel 510 SSD isn't great for the bucks at the moment, but something about it just scream to me since the x-25 was first introduce.

I did drop the PSU to a 650w and decided to use the coolermaster 922 as it is much cheaper and is technically a size smaller then what I was gonna use before.

 

[Kazukun]

ok so the 2500k + motherboard deal seems to work, so i'll pcik up everything today, even from newegg as they offer will call it seems.

 

[lehtv]

PSU: Corsair TX650 $74.99 @Newegg

It actually says $80 AR on the product page itself.

NCIX also sells the XFX units mentioned earlier. XFX 650W for $55 AR shipped. XFX 750W $60 AR shipped (limited quantities). XFX 750W XXX 80+silver modular $90 AR. These are not in stock at the moment (1-2 weeks) but you don't seem to be in a hurry with it. JonnyGuru review

With the XFX 650W you get four PCIe connectors while TX650 V2 has only two - so you could actually run sli/crossfire provided the GPUs use less than 200W (to be on the safe side).

I know that the Intel 510 SSD isn't great for the bucks at the moment, but something about it just scream to me since the x-25 was first introduce.

Doesn't sound like a very good reason. You will notice no difference with Crucial M4 or Samsung 830, but your wallet will.

EDIT:

so i'll pcik up everything today, even from newegg as they offer will call it seems.

Oh. I thought you're building

Somewhere this month or early February

 

[Kazukun]

Right, the prices I calculated are all after rebates.

I heard of XFX with their GPU I believe but I never heard about their PSU before. Are their PSU reliable?

This was to be a two month project as I won't be getting the GPU as of yet, but as we drop the price down by nearly 200-300 already, it is getting to a price range in which at least I can get nearly all the items. Not only that, you guys have been very helpful and I thank you guys a lot for helping me out.

 

[lehtv]

I heard of XFX with their GPU I believe but I never heard about their PSU before. Are their PSU reliable?

Yep, they're just as reliable as Corsair. Did you check out the review?

What matters here is that both the TX series and the Core Pro series are manufactured by Seasonic which is a top manufacturer, if not THE top manufacturer, when it comes to reliability. The specs on TX650V2 and XFX 650W, for example, are identical so it's probably the exact same unit but in different clothes.

 

[martixy]

And consider P8Z68-V LE if you don't care about SLI/Crossfire.

Nah, while the Pro vs no-Pro difference is marginal in most cases, the no-Pro does have better audio and some other goodies that are good even for the non-enthusiast.

 

[mfenn]

I do plan to run SLI/Crossfire somewhere down the line, just do not know when.

This means that you're never going to do it.

Also, is the GTX 580 something that you already have or were you planning to buy it? If you haven't already bought one, please don't. It is beyond overkill for the games you mentioned and not worth the asking price. For the same $500, you could have a 6950 2GB now and a 8950 in two years, which will give you better overall performance over time than dropping $500 on a monster card today.

Also, lehtv has given you very good advice, you'd do well to use the parts that he suggests.

 

[Kazukun]

Hey guys thanks alot for all the recommendations. I have changed my build a bit by following your advices.

Now the ripjaw Ram was sold out before I had a chance to purchase it so I decided to use the low profile corsair vengeance ram instead like I initially planned.

I do not know if this is a good idea but a friend of mine is upgrading to a 1000w power supply and is selling me his TX650 for $60.00. There's no problem in me using a psu that has been installed in another computer for only 3 months right?

OS: Window 7 64bit
CPU: Intel i5 2500k
MB: Gigabyte GA-Z68 UD3
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8gb (2x4GB)
SSD; Samsung 830 128 GB
Case: Coolermaster 922
PSU: Corsair TX650

As for the GTX 580, I haven't bought it yet and was thinking of doing so at the beginning of Febuary. I just want something that will last me a long long time.

A quick question on the cable management. Since this is a mid size tower, how would one go and hide the wires. I went to Fry's today and looked at the Haf 922 and the back is somewhat thin to put all the wires away.

Also on cable management, should I buy those cable sleeves that is suppose to cool down the wiring? My old system came with it as the motherboard I had gave those out for free, but just wondering If i would need to purchase it.

I keep hearing about air filters, would I be needing them as well?

 

[lehtv]

I do not know if this is a good idea but a friend of mine is upgrading to a 1000w power supply and is selling me his TX650 for $60.00. There's no problem in me using a psu that has been installed in another computer for only 3 months right?

The warranty on the power supply isn't transferable. So if something happens to it within its warranty period, your friend should be the one doing the RMA.

I'd try to haggle the price down a bit, $60 seems a bit high for a used TX650 when a new one can be had for $70 AR.

As for the GTX 580, I haven't bought it yet and was thinking of doing so at the beginning of Febuary. I just want something that will last me a long long time.

Why do you want a graphics card that will last a long time? You pay the price premium for having the fastest card, not for having the longest lasting card. In other words you'll get better performance over time by buying a GPU like 6950 2GB for nearly half the price and upgrading that when it starts to feel slow.

A quick question on the cable management. Since this is a mid size tower, how would one go and hide the wires. I went to Fry's today and looked at the Haf 922 and the back is somewhat thin to put all the wires away.

Really? Haf 922 has a pretty wide space behind the motherboard tray, the side panel even has protrudes out to make space for cables. I don't think there should be a problem really, just avoid forming clumps of cables. I've got a Define R3 and the cable management wasn't too hard, even though the side panels are flat.

I keep hearing about air filters, would I be needing them as well?

The front intake fan of the HAF 922 is filtered but it's not really 100% dust proof. Some dust will get in anyway. Keep the interior clean with canned air every month or two, takes two minutes.

 

[Kazukun]

Ok, any specific brand for the 6950 2GB.

A quick question about network cards. Do they make the speed much better for their price tag or are they not worth it? My system will be connected through wired at all times but just wondering if I'll be getting the full 25 mbs.

For mouse, I was told to get the Razer Mamba and a logitech keyboard (forgot which one) I don't really need something too crazy with too many buttons though.

And last but not least, what kind of speakers would you guys recommend.

Again, thanks for always being very helpful.

 

[lehtv]

Ok, any specific brand for the 6950 2GB.

Sapphire if you want to unlock to 6970 shader count (extra <5% performance, not guaranteed to work), XFX if you want lifetime warranty. MSI is a good choice too, it may unlock but doesn't have a dual-bios switch so if the bios flash fails you'll need to fall back to integrated graphics to restore the original bios.

A quick question about network cards. Do they make the speed much better for their price tag or are they not worth it? My system will be connected through wired at all times but just wondering if I'll be getting the full 25 mbs.

I'll let someone else answer that...

or mouse, I was told to get the Razer Mamba and a logitech keyboard (forgot which one) I don't really need something too crazy with too many buttons though.

Mouse is a personal thing and has a lot to do with preferences regarding weight, shape, size, how you grip the mouse. What's good for someone isn't necessarily good for someone else. There are also differences in features, sensor quality and durability. Don't spend a fortune on a mouse that you may not like - you'll want to try it out first.

I'd say Logitech G400 is a great "starter" gaming mouse if you're not sure what type of mouse is best for you. Personally I use a cheap but reliable Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical which hasn't let me down yet.

And last but not least, what kind of speakers would you guys recommend.

Depends on how much you're willing to pay for speakers and how much you value sound quality. In general though I'd say a 2.1 set is sufficient without being too expensive. I only use headphones myself at the moment, but had a good experience with Logitech Z4 2.1 set which I bought several years ago. At the moment they offer a range of 2.1 systems from $27 to $132.

Again, thanks for always being very helpful.

The pleasure is mine, sir.

 

[Kazukun]

One quick question. A few of my friends are against me installing my games onto the SSD and would rather I install them onto a regular HDD and only install programs like photoshop, dreamweave and windows onto the ssd that wont move alot like the save files and patches.

 

[mnewsham]

I usually keep one game on the SSD and everything else on the HDD, since my game collection if all installed would be several hundred GB I simply can't afford enough SSD for them all

 

[lehtv]

You can install as many games on the SSD as you can fit, without completely filling it up of course. I've got 5 games on my 120GB SSD at the moment, along with the OS, program files and 20GB free. If you have more games in Steam than will fit the SSD, use Steam mover.

 

[Kazukun]

I think they meant that since the SSD have a certain amount of times it can move data, it would be unwise to keep games onto the ssd as patches and save files will keep rewriting the SSD storage and will shorten the lifespan of the SSD. I do not know if this make any sense as I can't clearly write it down but I kind of get their meaning.

I won't be having too much games onto the system, Like I said before, I only used an 80GB HDD before and that pretty much was all I needed with the listed game on my first post installed. I do know that picture/music/docs/etc files will later go onto the HDD rather then the SSD as I definitely can wait til the price for SSD drops back to normal. I'm just really afraid I would shorten the lifespan of the SSD that is all.