$1500 Gaming Build, Please Advise

[gkikola]

I've got some money for a new build, and I'd really appreciate it if any of you could look it over.

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
This machine will be used for gaming, programming, photo editing, school work, and web browsing.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
I mainly want to keep it under $2000, which so far I have done, but I am open to any suggestions on how to reduce the price even further, provided that any corresponding performance reduction is reasonable.

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
United States. I will probably order most of the parts from Newegg, but I plan to shop around a bit for better deals.

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
My preference is for whatever is good at the time.

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
I'm going to give my current machine to a family member, so I cannot really reuse much. I am, however, keeping my speakers, a 4.1 channel Altec Lansing setup, and I also bought a new monitor, a 23" Dell UltraSharp U2311H.

I bought the monitor recently after reading a number of reviews. I wanted an affordable non-TN panel, and this one seems to offer pretty good response times and color accuracy at a decent price. I haven't received it yet, but my current monitor is a 16" CRT, so I expect the 23" to be a nice step up.

For audio I mostly use a headset, so I don't think it is necessary to upgrade the speakers. And they're not bad speakers anyway.

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
Reading this forum has been very useful in helping me decide what to get. I have read many of the threads here, but I'd like a quick check before I order anything.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
I will be overclocking the CPU, but nothing too extreme.

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.
1920x1080. I think I would have preferred a 16:10 ratio, but they're getting hard to find and I'm pretty happy with my choice in getting the U2311H.

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
I plan to order as soon as the Asus P67s start coming back in.

10. Don't ask for a build configuration critique or rating if you are thin skinned.
Don't hold back, I would appreciate any advice.


My current plan is outlined below - updated:


Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 912 - $59.99
(Formerly Antec Three Hundred - $59.95)
I wanted a reasonably inexpensive case, and I didn't want anything fancy with LEDs and such.

Case Fans: Scythe SY1225SL12M 120mm "Slipstream" Case Fan - $13.99
Scythe Slip Stream Kaze Maru2 140 series SM1425SL12M 140mm Case Fan - $12.99

PSU: CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 - $99.99
(Formerly CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-650HX 650W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 - $119.99)
I have heard these were good, and I used the Antec Power Supply Calculator to determine the wattage. Will this work okay?

Motherboard: MSI P67A-GD65 (B3) - $179.99
(Formerly Asus P8P67 REV 3.0 - $150-200?)

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge - $229.99
Looks like a great processor.

Heat Sink: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler - $29.99

Memory: G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) - $79.99
Not the fastest I guess, but I don't think that should be too much of an issue, will it?

Video Card: GIGABYTE GV-N570OC-13I GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 - $359.99
I had trouble coming to a decision on this one. I thought about getting the Radeon HD 6950, but I'm willing to spend a little more for better performance since this is going to be a gaming machine. Should I reconsider?

As for the 6950 to 6970 BIOS flash, I don't think I'd be willing to risk damaging the card.

Sound Card: None (onboard Realtek ALC892) - $0.00
I have heard that onboard audio has really improved in the last few years. I'm not an audiophile or anything, so I take it I should be fine without a discrete card?

SSD: Corsair Force CSSD-F120GB2-BRKT 2.5" 120GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - $229.99
(Formerly Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC - $134.99)

HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - $54.99
These look nice. I probably would be buying two of them if I didn't already have a couple terabytes of external storage.

ODD: ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM - $18.99
Had good Newegg ratings, I think it will fit my needs.

I thought about getting two of these, because most of my past builds have had more than one disc drive, but with the ubiquitousness of flash drives and external storage these days I find myself needing to burn and use optical discs less and less.

Monitor: Dell UltraSharp U2311H 58 cm (23") - Already purchased

Headset: RAZER Carcharias 3.5mm Connector Circumaural Professional Gaming Headset - $69.99
I don't want to spend too much on a headset, but I don't want to go too cheap either. This one got some good reviews, and it seems reasonably inexpensive.

Mouse: Logitech MX 518 8 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical 1800 dpi Gaming Mouse - $36.99
(Formerly Logitech M500 Tilt Wheel USB Corded Laser 1000 dpi Mouse - $36.99)
I just want a five-button mouse that will last.

Keyboard: LITE-ON SK-1788/BS 2-Tone 104 Normal Keys PS/2 Wired Standard Keyboard - $6.99
This seems really cheap, but the reviews appear to indicate that it is durable. I wanted something basic, as I really don't like "fancy" keyboards with scores of extraneous buttons. I suppose an ergonomic keyboard would be okay, but I have limited desk space.

This keyboard looks like it will meet my needs, but I am open to suggestions.

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit - OEM - $99.99
A couple of the features in Professional would be nice to have, but for my purposes I don't think it justifies an extra $40.


Total before shipping: $1584.84


Did I miss anything? Did I make any poor decisions?

Thanks for your help.

 

[mnewsham]

I would advise against getting the C300 and instead look at Corsair force, Samsung 470 series, or some thing sandforce based as the C300 is NOT a good all around SSD, the rest looks good. Your PSU is a little pricey but not bad.

 

[endlessmike133]

CASE: HAF 912

Motherboard: MSI P67A GD5

PSU: ANTEC 550W

MOUSE: MX 518 (go with the MX 518 instead, it's an amazing mouse)

Other than that you're set.

You could probably shave a couple bucks by going for a cheaper GTX 570 and SSD but that's it.

A GTX 570 is more than adequate for 1080p, it's downright fantastic!

Enjoy!

 

[wuliheron]

The Antec 300 is solid and looks nice, but is small and has nonexistent cable management. It's worth it to spend $20.oo more and get something better.

Corsair's a great brand name, but if you have a big enough case with cable management to begin with you don't need a modular power supply. The corsair Tx series is good enough and 650w is enough power for crossfire/sli if you change your mind.

The older sata II SSDs are plenty fast for gaming and coming down in price with the newer sata III versions coming out. Unless you have some specific use for a sata III I'd either save some money or invest a bit more in something like a 120-180gb vertex 2. Having games on an SSD can reduce stuttering and load times.

 

[gkikola]

Thanks for the fast replies, everyone! I have updated the OP with changes.

I would advise against getting the C300 and instead look at Corsair force, Samsung 470 series, or some thing sandforce based as the C300 is NOT a good all around SSD, the rest looks good.

Thanks for the insight, C300's out. And I think I will up the capacity a little. How about the Corsair Force CSSD-F120GB2-BRKT 2.5" 120GB SATA II MLC ($229.99)?

CASE: HAF 912

That looks pretty good.

Motherboard: MSI P67A GD5

I read some more reviews, and that board looks pretty solid. Unfortunately, it looks like Newegg just sold out of them, so I'm still stuck playing the waiting game unless I find somewhere else that has them.

MOUSE: MX 518 (go with the MX 518 instead, it's an amazing mouse)

Okay, MX518 sounds good.

The Antec 300 is solid and looks nice, but is small and has nonexistent cable management. It's worth it to spend $20.oo more and get something better.

Do you have any particular recommendations? The HAF 912 that endlessmike133 mentioned looks like it has better cable management, would that work?

If you think I should get a full tower case, I'm not sure that I have room.

The corsair Tx series is good enough and 650w is enough power for crossfire/sli if you change your mind.

Done, thanks.

The older sata II SSDs are plenty fast for gaming and coming down in price with the newer sata III versions coming out. Unless you have some specific use for a sata III I'd either save some money or invest a bit more in something like a 120-180gb vertex 2. Having games on an SSD can reduce stuttering and load times.

What do you think of the 120 GB Corsair Force?

With all the mess surrounding the 25 nm switch, I'm not sure I want to buy a 120 GB Vertex 2.

Again, thanks for the help.

 

[mnewsham]

Yes, i like the corsair force it is a nice drive.

HAF 912 has better cable management (from my experience anyway)

the motherboard was out of stock two days ago too, just wait it will come back.

 

[gkikola]

Yes, i like the corsair force it is a nice drive.

HAF 912 has better cable management (from my experience anyway)

the motherboard was out of stock two days ago too, just wait it will come back.

Great, thanks. I guess I'll order when the board's back in stock, unless anyone has further suggestions.

 

[gorcorps]

Keep your eye out for deals and rebates. They don't always come through, but you might as well try as it could save you a decent amount. Example:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-370-_-Product

PNY GTX570 for $310 after a $30 rebate (and $10 instant rebate)

 

[mfenn]

I'm not sure what the deal is with the Three Hundred hate around here. The cable management is fine for a basic case (zip-ties, etc) and it's not butt-ugly like the HAF series. To each his own I guess.

Your updated build is looking good! :thumbsup:

 

[fffblackmage]

I'm not sure what the deal is with the Three Hundred hate around here. The cable management is fine for a basic case (zip-ties, etc) and it's not butt-ugly like the HAF series. To each his own I guess.

Your updated build is looking good! :thumbsup:

I thought the 300 had pretty decent cable management. I mean, the 900 I'm still using barely has any cable management at all. I thought I was gonna stick with the 900 for a long time, but when I decide to finally upgrade in another year or two, I might want a new case....

 

[gkikola]

Thanks, everyone. I've ordered my parts.

Keep your eye out for deals and rebates. They don't always come through, but you might as well try as it could save you a decent amount. Example:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-370-_-Product

PNY GTX570 for $310 after a $30 rebate (and $10 instant rebate)

Thanks. I did manage to grab a couple deals, and Newegg's Combo Deals also saved me a little.

Your updated build is looking good! :thumbsup:

Thanks for checking it over.

 

[Kingkazma]

AHH if you waited just a tad longer i was going to tell you that microcenter has the 2500k for just 180!!!!!

btw your build is nearly identical to mine, except i run two acer TN monitors. decided that i didnt need ips.

 

[gkikola]

AHH if you waited just a tad longer i was going to tell you that microcenter has the 2500k for just 180!!!!!

Thanks anyway, but it wouldn't have mattered. It's a great price, but it's in-store pickup only, and that's over an hour drive for me in each direction.

 

[mfenn]

Thanks, everyone. I've ordered my parts.

You're welcome! Be sure to update this thread if you run into any problems during the build (or just to post pics).

 

[MisterDonut]

I think this is the first thread I've ever read with a thumbs down for Antec 300. I just had to post.