Sub $1k Gaming PC, ordered, built

[Modeps]

UPDATED: GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard = $129.99

UPDATED: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K = $219.99

UPDATED: G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBNT = $49.99

UPDATED: SAPPHIRE 100314-3L Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card = $174.99

UPDATED: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive = $59.99

Antec Sonata III 500 Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply = $0 (already own)

Total cost = $634.95

- Anywhere you think I could skimp a little to reduce cost?
- Dude I know is trying to tell me that there are issues with GTX 5xx cards and Win 7 x64, truth?

This is what I ended up ordering:
- EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti FPB (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
- COOLER MASTER GX Series RS650-ACAAE3-US 650W ATX12V v2.31 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
- Fractal Design Define R3 Titanium Grey ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
- SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
- G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBNT
- Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
- GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
- ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM

UPDATED
Here's a few pictures from the build, took about 2.5 hours to get everything nice and neat and pretty.

http://twitpic.com/60k1mg - Parts

http://twitpic.com/60lkz2 - Mounted Motherboard

http://twitpic.com/60maoc - Everything hooked up

Was able to get a POST on the first power on, so that's a success! Now I just need to setup the OS and everything.

 

[happinessism]

i really DOUBT you need 12 gigs of ram, unless you're a serious multitasker, 6gb will be enough (save you like.. 50$ or so)
you're missing a psu >.> unless you already have one
no cpu fan?

actually it might be cheaper to go with a sandy bridge build, since the 2500k is cheaper than the cpu you listed

 

[mnewsham]

Why are you going with bloomfield instead of sandybridge?

 

[Modeps]

i really DOUBT you need 12 gigs of ram, unless you're a serious multitasker, 6gb will be enough (save you like.. 50$ or so)
you're missing a psu >.> unless you already have one
no cpu fan?

actually it might be cheaper to go with a sandy bridge build, since the 2500k is cheaper than the cpu you listed

I'm really not certain what make the i7 better than the i5 other than HT. It's more of an ignorance call than anything. Plus, Sandy i7s are more expensive.

The reason I grabbed that ram was it seemed like a good deal for $110. If you think I'd be fine with less, I'll poke around.

I've got a PSU in the case, 500W. Also, the retail CPUs come with HSFs. I'm not interested in overclocking.

 

[iamgenius]

Very decent I see. It should serve several years. I don't know about your habits, but they are many other good mobos which are less expensive. And of course you can change the cpu to a cheaper one and overclock it. i7 920's are still decent I think.

Will you overclock? What you going to use this rig for? Gaming and what?

Ripjaws issues? Well, since it is newegg, I wouldn't worry too much. And I haven't heard about any issues with GTX 5xx 's and win7.

 

[mnewsham]

do not build X58 unless you need it.

 

[happinessism]

I'm really not certain what make the i7 better than the i5 other than HT. It's more of an ignorance call than anything. Plus, Sandy i7s are more expensive.

The reason I grabbed that ram was it seemed like a good deal for $110. If you think I'd be fine with less, I'll poke around.

I've got a PSU in the case, 500W. Also, the retail CPUs come with HSFs. I'm not interested in overclocking.

the i5 2500k is about 40 dollars cheaper than the one you chose, but since first generation i7 920 through 960 or so, the difference is easily made up with overclocking, so you could go with a cheaper 920 if you wish to do so.

the ram is certainly a good deal, however, if you realistically dont use 12gb ram, then its just wasting an extra 50 dollars in terms of ram, 6gb ram will be enough for most games, and to some degree of multitasking as well. and also, if you decide somehow that 6gb ram is too little, you could also wait till next year and upgrade then to newer generation trigate along with quad channel memory

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

Perhaps something a little more like this?

ASRock Z68 Extreme4 $190
or even the
ASRock Z68Pro3 ($120)version if you don't need the SLI

Intel Core i5-2500K $220

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB $60

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) $55

and using the video card you picked out and the case you already have drops it down to about ~$650-$720 ?

 

[Modeps]

Very decent I see. It should serve several years. I don't know about your habits, but they are many other good mobos which are less expensive. And of course you can change the cpu to a cheaper one and overclock it. i7 920's are still decent I think.

Will you overclock? What you going to use this rig for? Gaming and what?

Ripjaws issues? Well, since it is newegg, I wouldn't worry too much. And I haven't heard about any issues with GTX 5xx 's and win7.

Wasn't planning on overclocking. Primarily will be used for gaming and office work. Some photoshop, but nothing crazy. No Autocad, no 3DSMax, etc.

do not build X58 unless you need it.

Can you expound a bit? I'm trying to future-proof a bit as well so I can throw another GPU and a different CPU in there if necessary (and now, more RAM).

 

[mnewsham]

Intel's Z68 with a sandy bridge i5-2500 or i7-2600 would be more future proof then X58 (a "dead" socket, there will be no new CPU's for it) while Z68 will at least be getting IvyBridge in 2012.

 

[Modeps]

Intel's Z68 with a sandy bridge i5-2500 or i7-2600 would be more future proof then X58 (a "dead" socket, there will be no new CPU's for it) while Z68 will at least be getting IvyBridge in 2012.

That makes sense to me. Didn't realize the socket was dead. I'll check into the Z68.

 

[Modeps]

Updated the RAM, CPU, and mobo. Take a peek. What do you think about the GPU?

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

I'd still toss in a vote for the Samsung drive and the DDR-1333.

If you're not looking at the TI version of the 560, the Radeon 6870 might warrant a look as well depending on what you're planning to do with it.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Yet another Samsung fan here, and DDR3 1333 1.5v is all you need for Sandy Bridge.

 

[Modeps]

Yet another Samsung fan here, and DDR3 1333 1.5v is all you need for Sandy Bridge.

And the price keeps getting lower! Is there a Samsung Spinpoint that does 6Gb/s (or will there be a bottleneck somewhere else)?

 

[mnewsham]

There isnt a single HDD that can max out SATA II (3Gb/s) connection let alone SATA III (6Gb/s). SATA 6Gb only matters for SOME SSD's (even some of those cant max out SATA II)

 

[Modeps]

I'd still toss in a vote for the Samsung drive and the DDR-1333.

If you're not looking at the TI version of the 560, the Radeon 6870 might warrant a look as well depending on what you're planning to do with it.

Nah, the TI is a bit too expensive, though with all the other savings I'm getting....

I've always been partial to nVidia, though ATI hasn't bothered me at all. 6870 appears to be a bit cheaper than the 560. Comparable performance?

 

[mnewsham]

Also this motherboard makes more sense if you arent getting two GPU's
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128502

 

[Modeps]

Also this motherboard makes more sense if you arent getting two GPU's
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128502

Yeah, I'd like to pretend I'd go SLI at some point, but in all honesty I'd probably just buy a single new video card.

 

[mnewsham]

Yeah, I'd like to pretend I'd go SLI at some point, but in all honesty I'd probably just buy a single new video card.

Good, that is the only sensible upgrade unless you start off with xfire or SLI there is no point in upgrading to it.

 

[Modeps]

You guys blew all my original selections up, and now I'm running a lot less expensive. Thanks!

 

[mnewsham]

you can probably upgrade to a nice 6950 (much better) wit your savings if you wanted

 

[DaveSimmons]

If you want to stay with nvidia, this EVGA 560 ti is $235 - $25 rebate = $210:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130604

... but that 6870 at $155 AR is a very good choice too.

 

[mfenn]

It looks like you've converged on a good build after much revision. Unless you want to spend more money, I don't think I'd change a single piece at this point.

 

[Modeps]

I know the BF3 specs haven't been released, but you think this'll rock it well enough?