*** This thread is an updated replacement of the ~2009 post ***
Old thread is yar thataway: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=31150155
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The following is intended to be used as a frame of reference, and reflects prices and availability as of January 2011.
Sadly, the AMD vs. Intel situation is just as grim (if not darker) as it was in 2009. Simply put, AMD just can't compete at the high-end. For the time being, and equal face time for both, I'm recommending AMD CPUs <$200, and Intel >$200. Sandy Bridge is fast, faster than anything AMD's got. AMD gets by because everything it sells is cheaper than Sandy Bridge - so my recommendations will go accordingly. Your main advantage for going AMD at the top of the mid-end is being able to get six cores cheaply - if you're doing heavily threaded work, you can get a six-core Phenom II for under $200.
Also, Intel has done a great job of confusing everyone with 3+ currently supported sockets. It made me angry when they did it before and it makes me just as angry today - as a result, the only Intel socket I consider "existing" right now is LGA-1155. While that might sound funny or childish, this is really to continue the "mix and match" nature of my old guide. You should be able to pick any new Intel CPU off the list and match it with any Intel motherboard, just like AMD. I will not be recommending any Core i3 processors - not until they're updated to Sandy Bridge.
Please remember that an Intel motherboard is not compatible with an AMD processor, and vice versa. Also, please keep in mind that certain motherboards are designed for certain types of memory. This will be indicated clearly, eg. Motherboard Name - *CPU Socket/RAM type*.
P67/H67 SATA Issue
As of 2/1/2011, NewEgg (and other retailers) have pulled all LGA-1155 product. If you still want to buy Sandy Bridge, Google the products (motherboard, CPU) and find them at ZipZoomFly, Fry's, Amazon, etc. If you don't, there are LGA-1156 & LGA-1366 recommendations in here.
Thanks Harvey, JackMDS, mfenn, & modoheo!
Some quick FAQs:
What happened to X or Y recommendation?! It's 2011 - the fact that Intel is still selling Core 2's doesn't mean you should go buying them. AMD has competitive offerings at that price point, and Intel has new offerings at that price point.
Dual or Quad Core CPU? What about a Triple? You can buy six now?! Games are starting to take advantage of multiple cores, and more and more applications are also becoming multi-threaded. At this point, it's rather hard not to recommend a >2core CPU given how cheap some of them are. If you're not doing highly threaded work, you still get the best performance out of faster cores. So that means if you're just going online, or running games with poor threading, a faster processor with lesser cores will do you better than the processor with more cores and lower clockspeed.
RAID 0: Though many swear by setting up two hard drives in RAID 0 to increase performance, many articles suggest the real world performance improvement is not worth the added expense, complexity, and drive failure rate. A lot of onboard RAID solutions still suffer from weird issues (AMD boards tossing drives they don't like out of arrays), and unless you're serious about RAID (read: dedicated RAID controller) stick with one big drive in this price range. If you've got the money to spend, an SSD will be faster and more reliable than a RAID 0 setup. RAID 0 SSDs are a different story, but you're probably at the bleeding edge and have no business in this "intro" thread now, do you?
SLI/Crossfire: Unless you intend to play games on a very large monitor (>24") at very high settings and resolutions (>1920X1200), SLI/Crossfire does not offer enough improvement in gaming performance to justify the cost. It's usually not a great upgrade pathway either. The best single-card solution you can afford will usually give you the most bang for your buck, given how cheap you can get a *citation needed*
"Future-Proofing": Many people want to build a 'future-proof' system that will allow them to play the newest games at high to max settings for 3-4 years. Unfortunately, this is probably impossible since that length of time is an eternity in computing terms. IMHO, a better strategy is to build a mid-to-high end system every 1-2 years. Usually you'll be able to recycle the monitor and keyboard, often the case and power supply, sometimes even the hard drive or motherboard. For example, today for $1000-1400 you can build a system that'll play all games on high to max settings for the next 1-2 years, and you'll get more bang for your buck than blowing 3k on a bleeding edge system that'll be under performing within 2 years. This way you'll always have a high-performing, cost-effective system. (And building computers is fun!)
Performance/Price: System performance does not scale linearly with price. Computer systems are like sports cars and fine wines in this respect. Once you spend 1000-1400 dollars on the right components, your system will perform at least 90% as well as any desktop system available at any price.
Overclocking: Even if you've never done it before, it's so easy and the performance gain so large with the 45nm Phenom II's as well as some of Intel's offerings [not as easy] that it'd be a shame not to at least consider doing it. There are fairly simple primers and guides you can read in the overclocking section of this board and others that'll walk you through it, I won't mention it in this guide though.
Core i3? i5? i7?: Yes, it can be confusing, given the crossover you have between the top of the line i5 and bottom end i7. Do you want Sandy Bridge i5, or an old i7? Etc. Read on
The idea here is to mix and match components below from different categories depending on your personal preference and budget. This means you can choose any kind of combo you want (example: mid-range CPU, low-end RAM, high-end GPU, low-end Motherboard) and still be OK. You should be capable of selecting components below and ending up with a system ranging in price from around $650 and up. Any system made up of components from the categories below should perform at a relatively high level and run most games at mid-to-high settings, as well as perform solidly at video/photo editing, web, email, cd burning, etc etc.
For your convenience, sample builds are included at the end.
Here goes:
Processors
Value/Low End: For those on a very tight budget (This is for ~$500 builds)
AMD Athlon II X2 260 Regor 3.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor
This is a great choice for HTPC or "office work" use. These chips run cool, and can usually be had on sale or with combo deals. They are fairly decent overclockers, but this is really bottom of the barrel stuff
AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor
This adds L3 cache, as well as an unlocked multiplier for easier overclocking. If you're lucky, you'll be able to unlock a 3rd or 4th core. I've had a 0% success rate unlocking cores on AMD processors. I consider this the bare minimum for gaming.
energy efficient
AMD Athlon II X3 400e Rana 2.2GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 45W Triple-Core Processor
AMD's always kept an energy efficient 45W option available, and this here is their latest for under $100. If you're building a cheap HTPC, or are just concerned about thermals, this is the way to go.
Ugly Duckling
AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor
No unlocked multiplier here, but a solid entry level quad-core offering from AMD. Remember, going with AM3 means an easy drop-in upgrade to six-cores if you decide you need them.
Mid-Range: Best price/performance ratio
Intel Core i5-655K Clarkdale 3.2GHz 4MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Unlocked Desktop Processor BX80616I5655K
Dual-core with an unlocked multiplier. Have fun overclocking it
Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80605I5760
Entry level quadcore from yesteryear. At this price - you might want to look at Phenom II and save some $.
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T Thuban 2.8GHz 6 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Desktop Processor
You'll have to decide if you want 4 or 6 cores. This is squarely in the middle of AMD's offerings. There are faster AMD quad-cores, but they're hard to recommend given Sandy Bridge's lowest end offerings. If you need something faster, you want the Sandy Bridge based i5 or i7 chips.
energy efficient
AMD Phenom II X4 910e Deneb 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 65W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
A 65W processor from AMD, with 4 cores, a boost in clock speed, and L3 cache. This might be considered sorely "slow," make sure you need the lower thermal specs if you're buying this. The advantage here is being able to get 4-core performance with L3 cache in something as small as a set-top box.
Intel Core i5-2300 Sandy Bridge 2.8GHz (3.1GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
This trades punches with AMD's best, but keep in mind that this is Intel's lowest end Sandy Bridge chip.
High End: Sandy Bridge
Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601950
Not too shabby really, make sure you get a triple channel RAM kit.
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
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
You are now on Sandy Bridge. These are Intel's newest, most powerful CPUs. They both use the same socket, and if you select a motherboard with an Intel "H" chipset, you get integrated video courtesy of the onboard GPU. The i7 version has more L3 cache, and is clocked slightly higher, although most people here will tell you it's overkill. There are versions of both without the "K" suffix - those chips do not have unlocked multipliers, and have the lesser 2000 graphics - for most people, going with the cheaper i5-2500 is best.
energy efficient
Intel Core i5-2400S Sandy Bridge 2.5GHz (3.3GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 65W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
Intel's finally given us what we want! A low power version of their latest and greatest, if you're trying to build a small, silent, quiet PC, that is still "top of the line", this is what you want.
OVERKILL:
Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition Gulftown 3.33GHz 6 x 256KB L2 Cache 12MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Six-Core Desktop Processor BX80613I7980X
I wanna go fast.
Motherboards
Low End: (this is still a good performer, overclocks pretty well, fewer bells and whistles, might be less durable than those below)
GIGABYTE GA-880GM-D2H AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Goes great with any of the lower end AMD processors, and will even work with the faster ones. Integrated video will decode HD for use as an HTPC, and there's a PCI Express slot if you decide you want to game. This is a microATX board, so consider a case like the Antec P180 Mini. No fancy USB 3.0 here.
Mid-Range: (best price/performance ratio, overclock very well, have everything most people want/need)
GIGABYTE GA-870A-UD3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
Gigabyte's Ultra Durable line of motherboards comes highly recommended, and this one adds AMD's new SB850 (Southbridge) and offers USB 3.0 support.
ASUS M4A88TD-M/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
A nice step up from the Low End mATX recommendation. Adds USB 3.0, and a couple of bells and whistles. Don't plan on any massive overclocks though.
ASUS P7P55D-E LX LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
For LGA1156 processors above.
ASUS P8H67-M LE LGA 1155 Intel H67 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Combine this with a microATX case and a Sandy Bridge CPU and you've got yourself a good recipe. Intel's H67 chipset means you can use Sandy Bridge's onboard graphics, and you also get USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gbps support. Easily recommendable over Intel's reference H67 design.
GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
A good middle ground for P67 computers. If I were building right now, it'd be with one of these.
High End: (overkill for most, overclock very well, lots of bells and whistles)
GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H AM3 AMD 890GX HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 AM3 AMD 890GX HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
If you're considering spending this much on an AMD motherboard, consider Sandy Bridge. Nevertheless, for those of you who want a solid AMD motherboard, here it is.
GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
ASUS P6X58D-E LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
For LGA1366 processors above.
ASUS P8P67 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD3P LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
P67 is new, and the motherboards are expensive. If you're building Sandy Bridge, this will give you everything you need, and then some. CrossFireX/SLI support on both.
ASUS P8P67 PRO LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Added features (Firewire) recommended by sticks435.
ASUS P8P67 Deluxe LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
You probably don't need this. Consider it if you like spending extra money
OVERKILL: It's an Intel only affair this time around
GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD7 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD7 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
You really don't need this. If you do, you also need a cooling solution that costs as much as the board to make it worth your while. For the SERIOUS overclocker.
RAM/Memory:
Low End:
Mushkin Enhanced Essentials 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model 996586
This is for "getting the job done" - nothing special here, you get Mushkin reliability, 1.5V (good for Sandy Bridge), and 9-9-9-24 timings.
Mushkin Enhanced Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model 996770
Same idea, only twice as much RAM.
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBRM
A small step up. You get 8-8-8-24 timings, and a goofy looking heatspreader.
Mid-Range:
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL
Stepping sideways here, if you're planning on overclocking these are rated for 1600 MHz instead of 1333. But you get the slower timings (9-24).
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
High End:
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH
One more step up. 7-7-7-21 timings.
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-8GBRH
Video Card:
Nothing here is really low end. It would be rather difficult to organize these into classes, especially on the low end, so I'm going to list them in order of performance. Consider pricing/deals when purchasing your graphics card. I will also include 5 specific graphics cards as a recommendation.
Things to keep in mind: A faster single card solution will usually be better than a multi-GPU solution; SLI/Crossfire don't exactly scale linearly. If you're into Folding, an nVIDIA card will be a better choice than an ATI card.
Low-End:
XFX HD-567X-YNF3 Radeon HD 5670 512MB 128-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card with Eyefinity
The best you can get under $100 and more importantly without requiring an additional power source. XFX offers a lifetime warranty, they make good stuff.
Lower Mid-Range:
EVGA 01G-P3-1450-TR GeForce GTS 450 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
XFX HD-577X-ZNFC Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Mid-Range:
MSI R6850-PM2D1GD5/OC Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
MSI N460GTX -M2D1GD5/OC GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
Upper Mid-Range:
EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1563-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
XFX HD-695A-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
High-End:
EVGA 012-P3-1570-AR GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
XFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Bleeding Edge: These cards require lots of power, get a big power supply!
EVGA 015-P3-1580-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 1536MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
XFX HD-597A-CNB9 Radeon HD 5970 Black Edition 2GB 512 (256 x 2)-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Warning, this is a beast. It is a dual GPU card. I highly recommend ignoring it and going for something from higher up the list ($200-300), and just buying 2 for SLI or CrossFire. Although, if you bought two of these, well, you'd have some fast graphics.
All Graphics Cards:
Radeon HD 5670
"Last generation", but seriously great performance for under $100. The next logical step up from onboard graphics.
GeForce GTS 450
Radeon HD 5770
These two trade blows.
Radeon HD 6850
GeForce GTX 460
These two trade blows as well - the 6850 wins slightly on power consumption.
Radeon HD 6870
GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Radeon HD 6950
These three kind of sit together, with the 6870 being the slowest (and cheapest) of the bunch). Check benchmarks if you want to decide between the 560 Ti and the 6950. The GTX 560 Ti is a refreshed Fermi for 2011.
GeForce GTX 570
Radeon HD 6970
GeForce GTX 580
The top of the line, and the end of the line for single chip cards. The GTX 580 doesn't have a faster AMD competitor currently, but it should be coming soon (HD 6990).
Radeon HD 5970
The current "beast" amongst graphics cards. There are two GPUs on this thing, so a GTX 580 or HD 6970 might be a more practical choice. They're also getting harder to find.
Power Supply:
Easily the most overlooked part when building a new computer. You don't want to spend $1000 on shiny new parts only to find out that the no name power supply that came with your case killed everything. Antec, Corsair, Enermax, OCZ, and Seasonic are all decent brands.
There isn't a single power supply listed below that isn't "high quality." However, for example, an HTPC built with a 45W chip would be fine with a 430W power supply. A gaming build with a quad core and a graphics card would be better served with a 500W+ power supply. "Modular" power supplies don't have all the wires/plugs permanently attached, you get to choose what you plug in to help with cable clutter - definitely worth considering.
Lower end: Still solid units, but for lower load scenarios
Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D Green 380W Continuous power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
This is only if you've got (for example) a 45W CPU, onboard graphics, etc. If you have ANY of the graphics cards on this list I would move down a couple of selections, just to be safe.
CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 CMPSU-430CX 430W ATX12V Active PFC Power Supply
Mid-end: Good for just about everyone
CORSAIR Builder Series CMPSU-500CX 500W ATX12V v2.3 Active PFC Power Supply
Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
Higher-end: Includes modular power supplies, as well as power supplies better suited for extreme overclockers as well as multiple graphics cards
OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP 600W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7
Antec TruePower New TP-650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.3 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-650HX 650W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
I have Corsair's 620HX (older model), it still works. It's over 2 years old now.
Antec EarthWatts EA750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V version 2.3 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
Lots of power here. Not modular.
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
For those of you who have multiple drives, multiple graphics cards, and multiple cores. You still might not even "need it" though.
Overkill: Mr. Dual GTX 580s, or Mr. 10 Hard Drives, these are for you.
CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX 1000W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
ENERMAX REVOLUTION85+ ERV1020EWT 1020W (Peak 1120W) ATX12V / EPS12V v2.92 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
Antec High Current Pro HCP-1200 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - For those also looking to recharge their Tesla Roadster.
Cases:
There are too many options to cover here, so I'll use the old thread as well as add some of my personal recommendations. Sometimes you're better off buying cases from Amazon as they usually have free shipping.
Brands worth mentioning include, but are most certainly not limited to: Antec, Cooler Master, Thermaltake, Lian-Li
All In One
Antec Sonata III 500 Quiet Super Mini Tower ATX Case (Black)
Includes the Earthwatts 500W Power Supply listed above, and is rather silent. Good choice for a budget/mid-end build.
Micro ATX: For microATX motherboards ONLY
Antec Mini P180 White Steel MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case - Newegg.com
Antec Mini P180 Case - Black - Amazon.com
I've used this case for many a microATX build. It isn't the smallest microATX case out there, and is actually closer in size to some of the smaller ATX towers you can buy. BUT it's extremely well built, and has exceptional airflow. Women seem to like the way it looks too (at least the white one).
Lower-end:
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition VL80001W2Z Black SECC / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Newcomer to this guide. Extremely affordable, and painted black on the inside too. Highly recommended for a first build.
Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Decent offering from Antec, includes filter for front fans. I built a few systems using these, my only gripe is little to no sound dampening. You'll want to keep it away from your ears, along with the other low end cases.
COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
This seems to be a new favorite around here.
Mid-range:
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower
Very popular. Good air circulation and construction.
Thermaltake V9 Black Edition ATX Computer Gaming Chassis with Dual Oversized 230mm Ultra-Silent Cooling Fans VJ400G1N2Z Mid Tower - Retail
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Like the 900, just without the window. Again, Cooler Master did a good job with these HAF cases.
High End:
Corsair Graphite Series 600T Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
It's a big 'un. Lots of room inside.
COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Cooler Master really got it right with it's HAF cases, you can't go wrong here.
Antec DF-85 Black Computer Case
Antec's newest gigantic offering with tons-o-fans. What's not to like?
Antec P193 Gunmetal Gray Aluminum / Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
This is for those of you who want a "nice" case that doesn't look like it could take off. I have it's spiritual predecessor, the P182 - and Antec appears to have kept everything that made that case awesome while improving on the design and even the airflow. This comes highly recommended, if I were building right now I'd use this.
OVERKILL:
COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case
People like these. They're gigantic.
Hard Drives:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Big and fast enough. This is a real favorite here.
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
A nice alternative at the same price point - you might notice a little increase in speed, but it comes at the cost of half the space.
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
It may be getting old, but at this price, it's a nice alternative to an SSD.
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD6000HLHX 600GB 10000 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
The "new" VelociRaptor. This is faster than the old drive, and quite possibly the fastest you can get without getting an SSD.
SSDs:
Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Good entry level SSD - you'll want to pair it with a larger hard drive though, and use this only for OS and frequently used applications.
Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Same SSD, only bigger. As you can see, it's more than twice as expensive, so these are hard to recommend. You'll need a 3.5"-2.5" adapter bracket for either drive
Corsair Force SSDs
These are SandForce based SSDs built by Corsair
OCZ Vertex 2 SSDs
Similar to the Corsair SSDs above
Optical Drive:
Old School: DVD Burner
LG Black 24X SATA DVD Burner - Bulk LightScribe Support - OEM
LG had the honor of being my recommended drive last time, so here they are again. Paying more than $20 for a DVD burner is pointless really.
HP Black SATA 24X Multiformat DVD Burner LightScribe Support
Then why is this here? Simple - it comes in a retail box, with a SATA cable, and Nero Essentials. Some people like that.
New School: Blu-Ray
SAMSUNG Black 12X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray Drive Model SH-B123L LightScribe Support - OEM
Will only read Blu-Ray - nice 12x read speed and more importantly DVD burning support (with LightScribe!). It's a looker too. Warning, no software included.
SONY Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 8X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM 8MB Cache SATA Internal Blu-ray Burner Blu-ray Burner BD-5300S-0B - OEM
Get your Blu-Ray burner from one of the big dogs of Blu-Ray. Warning, no software here either.
Pioneer Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA Internal Blu-ray Burner Blu-ray Burner BDR-206BKS - OEM
Pioneer may have taken it upon themselves to totally vanish from the DVD burner market, but this BD-R drive hangs with the best, and best of all, includes some software (CyberLink - you'll be able to watch Blu-Rays).
Continued below...
Old thread is yar thataway: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=31150155
-------------------------------------
The following is intended to be used as a frame of reference, and reflects prices and availability as of January 2011.
Sadly, the AMD vs. Intel situation is just as grim (if not darker) as it was in 2009. Simply put, AMD just can't compete at the high-end. For the time being, and equal face time for both, I'm recommending AMD CPUs <$200, and Intel >$200. Sandy Bridge is fast, faster than anything AMD's got. AMD gets by because everything it sells is cheaper than Sandy Bridge - so my recommendations will go accordingly. Your main advantage for going AMD at the top of the mid-end is being able to get six cores cheaply - if you're doing heavily threaded work, you can get a six-core Phenom II for under $200.
Also, Intel has done a great job of confusing everyone with 3+ currently supported sockets. It made me angry when they did it before and it makes me just as angry today - as a result, the only Intel socket I consider "existing" right now is LGA-1155. While that might sound funny or childish, this is really to continue the "mix and match" nature of my old guide. You should be able to pick any new Intel CPU off the list and match it with any Intel motherboard, just like AMD. I will not be recommending any Core i3 processors - not until they're updated to Sandy Bridge.
Please remember that an Intel motherboard is not compatible with an AMD processor, and vice versa. Also, please keep in mind that certain motherboards are designed for certain types of memory. This will be indicated clearly, eg. Motherboard Name - *CPU Socket/RAM type*.
P67/H67 SATA Issue
As of 2/1/2011, NewEgg (and other retailers) have pulled all LGA-1155 product. If you still want to buy Sandy Bridge, Google the products (motherboard, CPU) and find them at ZipZoomFly, Fry's, Amazon, etc. If you don't, there are LGA-1156 & LGA-1366 recommendations in here.
Thanks Harvey, JackMDS, mfenn, & modoheo!
Some quick FAQs:
What happened to X or Y recommendation?! It's 2011 - the fact that Intel is still selling Core 2's doesn't mean you should go buying them. AMD has competitive offerings at that price point, and Intel has new offerings at that price point.
Dual or Quad Core CPU? What about a Triple? You can buy six now?! Games are starting to take advantage of multiple cores, and more and more applications are also becoming multi-threaded. At this point, it's rather hard not to recommend a >2core CPU given how cheap some of them are. If you're not doing highly threaded work, you still get the best performance out of faster cores. So that means if you're just going online, or running games with poor threading, a faster processor with lesser cores will do you better than the processor with more cores and lower clockspeed.
RAID 0: Though many swear by setting up two hard drives in RAID 0 to increase performance, many articles suggest the real world performance improvement is not worth the added expense, complexity, and drive failure rate. A lot of onboard RAID solutions still suffer from weird issues (AMD boards tossing drives they don't like out of arrays), and unless you're serious about RAID (read: dedicated RAID controller) stick with one big drive in this price range. If you've got the money to spend, an SSD will be faster and more reliable than a RAID 0 setup. RAID 0 SSDs are a different story, but you're probably at the bleeding edge and have no business in this "intro" thread now, do you?
SLI/Crossfire: Unless you intend to play games on a very large monitor (>24") at very high settings and resolutions (>1920X1200), SLI/Crossfire does not offer enough improvement in gaming performance to justify the cost. It's usually not a great upgrade pathway either. The best single-card solution you can afford will usually give you the most bang for your buck, given how cheap you can get a *citation needed*
"Future-Proofing": Many people want to build a 'future-proof' system that will allow them to play the newest games at high to max settings for 3-4 years. Unfortunately, this is probably impossible since that length of time is an eternity in computing terms. IMHO, a better strategy is to build a mid-to-high end system every 1-2 years. Usually you'll be able to recycle the monitor and keyboard, often the case and power supply, sometimes even the hard drive or motherboard. For example, today for $1000-1400 you can build a system that'll play all games on high to max settings for the next 1-2 years, and you'll get more bang for your buck than blowing 3k on a bleeding edge system that'll be under performing within 2 years. This way you'll always have a high-performing, cost-effective system. (And building computers is fun!)
Performance/Price: System performance does not scale linearly with price. Computer systems are like sports cars and fine wines in this respect. Once you spend 1000-1400 dollars on the right components, your system will perform at least 90% as well as any desktop system available at any price.
Overclocking: Even if you've never done it before, it's so easy and the performance gain so large with the 45nm Phenom II's as well as some of Intel's offerings [not as easy] that it'd be a shame not to at least consider doing it. There are fairly simple primers and guides you can read in the overclocking section of this board and others that'll walk you through it, I won't mention it in this guide though.
Core i3? i5? i7?: Yes, it can be confusing, given the crossover you have between the top of the line i5 and bottom end i7. Do you want Sandy Bridge i5, or an old i7? Etc. Read on
The idea here is to mix and match components below from different categories depending on your personal preference and budget. This means you can choose any kind of combo you want (example: mid-range CPU, low-end RAM, high-end GPU, low-end Motherboard) and still be OK. You should be capable of selecting components below and ending up with a system ranging in price from around $650 and up. Any system made up of components from the categories below should perform at a relatively high level and run most games at mid-to-high settings, as well as perform solidly at video/photo editing, web, email, cd burning, etc etc.
For your convenience, sample builds are included at the end.
Here goes:
Processors
Value/Low End: For those on a very tight budget (This is for ~$500 builds)
AMD Athlon II X2 260 Regor 3.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor
This is a great choice for HTPC or "office work" use. These chips run cool, and can usually be had on sale or with combo deals. They are fairly decent overclockers, but this is really bottom of the barrel stuff
AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor
This adds L3 cache, as well as an unlocked multiplier for easier overclocking. If you're lucky, you'll be able to unlock a 3rd or 4th core. I've had a 0% success rate unlocking cores on AMD processors. I consider this the bare minimum for gaming.
energy efficient
AMD Athlon II X3 400e Rana 2.2GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 45W Triple-Core Processor
AMD's always kept an energy efficient 45W option available, and this here is their latest for under $100. If you're building a cheap HTPC, or are just concerned about thermals, this is the way to go.
Ugly Duckling
AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor
No unlocked multiplier here, but a solid entry level quad-core offering from AMD. Remember, going with AM3 means an easy drop-in upgrade to six-cores if you decide you need them.
Mid-Range: Best price/performance ratio
Intel Core i5-655K Clarkdale 3.2GHz 4MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Unlocked Desktop Processor BX80616I5655K
Dual-core with an unlocked multiplier. Have fun overclocking it
Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80605I5760
Entry level quadcore from yesteryear. At this price - you might want to look at Phenom II and save some $.
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T Thuban 2.8GHz 6 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Desktop Processor
You'll have to decide if you want 4 or 6 cores. This is squarely in the middle of AMD's offerings. There are faster AMD quad-cores, but they're hard to recommend given Sandy Bridge's lowest end offerings. If you need something faster, you want the Sandy Bridge based i5 or i7 chips.
energy efficient
AMD Phenom II X4 910e Deneb 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 65W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
A 65W processor from AMD, with 4 cores, a boost in clock speed, and L3 cache. This might be considered sorely "slow," make sure you need the lower thermal specs if you're buying this. The advantage here is being able to get 4-core performance with L3 cache in something as small as a set-top box.
Intel Core i5-2300 Sandy Bridge 2.8GHz (3.1GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
This trades punches with AMD's best, but keep in mind that this is Intel's lowest end Sandy Bridge chip.
High End: Sandy Bridge
Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601950
Not too shabby really, make sure you get a triple channel RAM kit.
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
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
You are now on Sandy Bridge. These are Intel's newest, most powerful CPUs. They both use the same socket, and if you select a motherboard with an Intel "H" chipset, you get integrated video courtesy of the onboard GPU. The i7 version has more L3 cache, and is clocked slightly higher, although most people here will tell you it's overkill. There are versions of both without the "K" suffix - those chips do not have unlocked multipliers, and have the lesser 2000 graphics - for most people, going with the cheaper i5-2500 is best.
energy efficient
Intel Core i5-2400S Sandy Bridge 2.5GHz (3.3GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 65W Quad-Core Desktop Processor
Intel's finally given us what we want! A low power version of their latest and greatest, if you're trying to build a small, silent, quiet PC, that is still "top of the line", this is what you want.
OVERKILL:
Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition Gulftown 3.33GHz 6 x 256KB L2 Cache 12MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Six-Core Desktop Processor BX80613I7980X
I wanna go fast.
Motherboards
Low End: (this is still a good performer, overclocks pretty well, fewer bells and whistles, might be less durable than those below)
GIGABYTE GA-880GM-D2H AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Goes great with any of the lower end AMD processors, and will even work with the faster ones. Integrated video will decode HD for use as an HTPC, and there's a PCI Express slot if you decide you want to game. This is a microATX board, so consider a case like the Antec P180 Mini. No fancy USB 3.0 here.
Mid-Range: (best price/performance ratio, overclock very well, have everything most people want/need)
GIGABYTE GA-870A-UD3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
Gigabyte's Ultra Durable line of motherboards comes highly recommended, and this one adds AMD's new SB850 (Southbridge) and offers USB 3.0 support.
ASUS M4A88TD-M/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
A nice step up from the Low End mATX recommendation. Adds USB 3.0, and a couple of bells and whistles. Don't plan on any massive overclocks though.
ASUS P7P55D-E LX LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
For LGA1156 processors above.
ASUS P8H67-M LE LGA 1155 Intel H67 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Combine this with a microATX case and a Sandy Bridge CPU and you've got yourself a good recipe. Intel's H67 chipset means you can use Sandy Bridge's onboard graphics, and you also get USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gbps support. Easily recommendable over Intel's reference H67 design.
GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
A good middle ground for P67 computers. If I were building right now, it'd be with one of these.
High End: (overkill for most, overclock very well, lots of bells and whistles)
GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H AM3 AMD 890GX HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 AM3 AMD 890GX HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
If you're considering spending this much on an AMD motherboard, consider Sandy Bridge. Nevertheless, for those of you who want a solid AMD motherboard, here it is.
GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
ASUS P6X58D-E LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
For LGA1366 processors above.
ASUS P8P67 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD3P LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
P67 is new, and the motherboards are expensive. If you're building Sandy Bridge, this will give you everything you need, and then some. CrossFireX/SLI support on both.
ASUS P8P67 PRO LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Added features (Firewire) recommended by sticks435.
ASUS P8P67 Deluxe LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
You probably don't need this. Consider it if you like spending extra money
OVERKILL: It's an Intel only affair this time around
GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD7 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD7 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
You really don't need this. If you do, you also need a cooling solution that costs as much as the board to make it worth your while. For the SERIOUS overclocker.
RAM/Memory:
Low End:
Mushkin Enhanced Essentials 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model 996586
This is for "getting the job done" - nothing special here, you get Mushkin reliability, 1.5V (good for Sandy Bridge), and 9-9-9-24 timings.
Mushkin Enhanced Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model 996770
Same idea, only twice as much RAM.
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBRM
A small step up. You get 8-8-8-24 timings, and a goofy looking heatspreader.
Mid-Range:
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL
Stepping sideways here, if you're planning on overclocking these are rated for 1600 MHz instead of 1333. But you get the slower timings (9-24).
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
High End:
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH
One more step up. 7-7-7-21 timings.
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-8GBRH
Video Card:
Nothing here is really low end. It would be rather difficult to organize these into classes, especially on the low end, so I'm going to list them in order of performance. Consider pricing/deals when purchasing your graphics card. I will also include 5 specific graphics cards as a recommendation.
Things to keep in mind: A faster single card solution will usually be better than a multi-GPU solution; SLI/Crossfire don't exactly scale linearly. If you're into Folding, an nVIDIA card will be a better choice than an ATI card.
Low-End:
XFX HD-567X-YNF3 Radeon HD 5670 512MB 128-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card with Eyefinity
The best you can get under $100 and more importantly without requiring an additional power source. XFX offers a lifetime warranty, they make good stuff.
Lower Mid-Range:
EVGA 01G-P3-1450-TR GeForce GTS 450 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
XFX HD-577X-ZNFC Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Mid-Range:
MSI R6850-PM2D1GD5/OC Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
MSI N460GTX -M2D1GD5/OC GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
Upper Mid-Range:
EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1563-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
XFX HD-695A-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
High-End:
EVGA 012-P3-1570-AR GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
XFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
Bleeding Edge: These cards require lots of power, get a big power supply!
EVGA 015-P3-1580-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 1536MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
XFX HD-597A-CNB9 Radeon HD 5970 Black Edition 2GB 512 (256 x 2)-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Warning, this is a beast. It is a dual GPU card. I highly recommend ignoring it and going for something from higher up the list ($200-300), and just buying 2 for SLI or CrossFire. Although, if you bought two of these, well, you'd have some fast graphics.
All Graphics Cards:
Radeon HD 5670
"Last generation", but seriously great performance for under $100. The next logical step up from onboard graphics.
GeForce GTS 450
Radeon HD 5770
These two trade blows.
Radeon HD 6850
GeForce GTX 460
These two trade blows as well - the 6850 wins slightly on power consumption.
Radeon HD 6870
GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Radeon HD 6950
These three kind of sit together, with the 6870 being the slowest (and cheapest) of the bunch). Check benchmarks if you want to decide between the 560 Ti and the 6950. The GTX 560 Ti is a refreshed Fermi for 2011.
GeForce GTX 570
Radeon HD 6970
GeForce GTX 580
The top of the line, and the end of the line for single chip cards. The GTX 580 doesn't have a faster AMD competitor currently, but it should be coming soon (HD 6990).
Radeon HD 5970
The current "beast" amongst graphics cards. There are two GPUs on this thing, so a GTX 580 or HD 6970 might be a more practical choice. They're also getting harder to find.
Power Supply:
Easily the most overlooked part when building a new computer. You don't want to spend $1000 on shiny new parts only to find out that the no name power supply that came with your case killed everything. Antec, Corsair, Enermax, OCZ, and Seasonic are all decent brands.
There isn't a single power supply listed below that isn't "high quality." However, for example, an HTPC built with a 45W chip would be fine with a 430W power supply. A gaming build with a quad core and a graphics card would be better served with a 500W+ power supply. "Modular" power supplies don't have all the wires/plugs permanently attached, you get to choose what you plug in to help with cable clutter - definitely worth considering.
Lower end: Still solid units, but for lower load scenarios
Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D Green 380W Continuous power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
This is only if you've got (for example) a 45W CPU, onboard graphics, etc. If you have ANY of the graphics cards on this list I would move down a couple of selections, just to be safe.
CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 CMPSU-430CX 430W ATX12V Active PFC Power Supply
Mid-end: Good for just about everyone
CORSAIR Builder Series CMPSU-500CX 500W ATX12V v2.3 Active PFC Power Supply
Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
Higher-end: Includes modular power supplies, as well as power supplies better suited for extreme overclockers as well as multiple graphics cards
OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP 600W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7
Antec TruePower New TP-650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.3 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-650HX 650W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
I have Corsair's 620HX (older model), it still works. It's over 2 years old now.
Antec EarthWatts EA750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V version 2.3 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
Lots of power here. Not modular.
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
For those of you who have multiple drives, multiple graphics cards, and multiple cores. You still might not even "need it" though.
Overkill: Mr. Dual GTX 580s, or Mr. 10 Hard Drives, these are for you.
CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX 1000W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
ENERMAX REVOLUTION85+ ERV1020EWT 1020W (Peak 1120W) ATX12V / EPS12V v2.92 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
Antec High Current Pro HCP-1200 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - For those also looking to recharge their Tesla Roadster.
Cases:
There are too many options to cover here, so I'll use the old thread as well as add some of my personal recommendations. Sometimes you're better off buying cases from Amazon as they usually have free shipping.
Brands worth mentioning include, but are most certainly not limited to: Antec, Cooler Master, Thermaltake, Lian-Li
All In One
Antec Sonata III 500 Quiet Super Mini Tower ATX Case (Black)
Includes the Earthwatts 500W Power Supply listed above, and is rather silent. Good choice for a budget/mid-end build.
Micro ATX: For microATX motherboards ONLY
Antec Mini P180 White Steel MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case - Newegg.com
Antec Mini P180 Case - Black - Amazon.com
I've used this case for many a microATX build. It isn't the smallest microATX case out there, and is actually closer in size to some of the smaller ATX towers you can buy. BUT it's extremely well built, and has exceptional airflow. Women seem to like the way it looks too (at least the white one).
Lower-end:
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition VL80001W2Z Black SECC / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Newcomer to this guide. Extremely affordable, and painted black on the inside too. Highly recommended for a first build.
Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Decent offering from Antec, includes filter for front fans. I built a few systems using these, my only gripe is little to no sound dampening. You'll want to keep it away from your ears, along with the other low end cases.
COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
This seems to be a new favorite around here.
Mid-range:
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower
Very popular. Good air circulation and construction.
Thermaltake V9 Black Edition ATX Computer Gaming Chassis with Dual Oversized 230mm Ultra-Silent Cooling Fans VJ400G1N2Z Mid Tower - Retail
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Like the 900, just without the window. Again, Cooler Master did a good job with these HAF cases.
High End:
Corsair Graphite Series 600T Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
It's a big 'un. Lots of room inside.
COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Cooler Master really got it right with it's HAF cases, you can't go wrong here.
Antec DF-85 Black Computer Case
Antec's newest gigantic offering with tons-o-fans. What's not to like?
Antec P193 Gunmetal Gray Aluminum / Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
This is for those of you who want a "nice" case that doesn't look like it could take off. I have it's spiritual predecessor, the P182 - and Antec appears to have kept everything that made that case awesome while improving on the design and even the airflow. This comes highly recommended, if I were building right now I'd use this.
OVERKILL:
COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case
People like these. They're gigantic.
Hard Drives:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Big and fast enough. This is a real favorite here.
Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
A nice alternative at the same price point - you might notice a little increase in speed, but it comes at the cost of half the space.
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
It may be getting old, but at this price, it's a nice alternative to an SSD.
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD6000HLHX 600GB 10000 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
The "new" VelociRaptor. This is faster than the old drive, and quite possibly the fastest you can get without getting an SSD.
SSDs:
Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Good entry level SSD - you'll want to pair it with a larger hard drive though, and use this only for OS and frequently used applications.
Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Same SSD, only bigger. As you can see, it's more than twice as expensive, so these are hard to recommend. You'll need a 3.5"-2.5" adapter bracket for either drive
Corsair Force SSDs
These are SandForce based SSDs built by Corsair
OCZ Vertex 2 SSDs
Similar to the Corsair SSDs above
Optical Drive:
Old School: DVD Burner
LG Black 24X SATA DVD Burner - Bulk LightScribe Support - OEM
LG had the honor of being my recommended drive last time, so here they are again. Paying more than $20 for a DVD burner is pointless really.
HP Black SATA 24X Multiformat DVD Burner LightScribe Support
Then why is this here? Simple - it comes in a retail box, with a SATA cable, and Nero Essentials. Some people like that.
New School: Blu-Ray
SAMSUNG Black 12X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray Drive Model SH-B123L LightScribe Support - OEM
Will only read Blu-Ray - nice 12x read speed and more importantly DVD burning support (with LightScribe!). It's a looker too. Warning, no software included.
SONY Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 8X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM 8MB Cache SATA Internal Blu-ray Burner Blu-ray Burner BD-5300S-0B - OEM
Get your Blu-Ray burner from one of the big dogs of Blu-Ray. Warning, no software here either.
Pioneer Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA Internal Blu-ray Burner Blu-ray Burner BDR-206BKS - OEM
Pioneer may have taken it upon themselves to totally vanish from the DVD burner market, but this BD-R drive hangs with the best, and best of all, includes some software (CyberLink - you'll be able to watch Blu-Rays).
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