How is my first build so far? $800 budget

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michael112

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Mar 29, 2013
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Approximate Purchase Date: In 4-6 weeks (after i'm done school for the summer)

Budget Range: 700-800 before tax
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Mostly gaming, movies, internet stuff, and homework

Are you buying a monitor: No

Do you need to buy OS: No, i have a windows 7 installation disc

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Preferably one that can be matched with tigerdirect or canada computers, I'd like to buy the parts from the store so it's easier to return in case something happens.

Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Parts Preferences: I'd like an intel processor.

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
Additional Comments: I play games like league of legends, skyrim, fallout, battlefield.
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My xbox broke so i'd like to be able to play FPS at my own house.

This is my list so far. I already have the HDD since my brother bought it for his computer but never used it. For the processor i was thinking of getting a i5-3570 that's locked but for $40 less. This is my first build and i'm not very familiar with computers or how overclocking works so i don't know if it's worth getting the unlocked processor. And the video card i can downgrade to a 7870 if i can't fit the 7850 in my budget which will shave off between $60-80 depending on the manufacturer.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($226.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Asus P8H77-V LE ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($98.35 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: Kingston 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Memory Express)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($311.68 @ DirectCanada)
Case: Thermaltake VL80001W2Z ATX Mid Tower Case ($42.17 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: Ultra 650W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($77.16 @ TigerDirect Canada)
Total: $886.33
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-29 10:34 EDT-0400)
 
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SHORYUKEN

SHORYUKEN

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($195.90 @ TigerDirect Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Patriot Gamer 2 Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($41.00 @ Vuugo)
Storage: Sandisk 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($96.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.00 @ Vuugo)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($269.99 @ Memory Express)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($55.37 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($62.50 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $870.74
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-29 10:48 EDT-0400)

 
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Onus

Onus

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Shoryuken has a much better PSU in his list. He also selects some parts that are a little less expensive because they aren't geared to overclocking. And, he includes a SSD, which will make your whole PC experience snappier. Any specifics aren't worth niggling (the case, for example, is a personal-preference item); that's a good build.
 
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michael112

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Is a locked 3570 better than the 3470 he chose? Memoryexpress is selling them for 190. Also when i was at tigerdirect the guy working their said xfx video cards are more unreliable and i should get a better brand of 7870 which is cheaper or spend a little more for a good 7850. Is he right or is it just personal preference and experience with the brand? And as for the ssd i was planning on getting one a little bit later so, I should have mentioned that earlier.
 
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Onus

Onus

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I have had four XFX cards, and none ever choked. I have heard that their "base" models ("Core," I believe) are not so good, but mine are "DD" and/or "Black" editions; lots of companies' base models are similarly less than their best. I'd chalk the sales droid's remarks to personal experience and/or reference to specific models, which may or may not apply.
The 3570 is 200MHz faster than the 3470. If you can get it cheaper, sure it's better, if it is more than $10 or $20 higher, it probably isn't worth it.
 
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michael112

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Do other brands have a similar warranty or does XFX have the best one?


I have had four XFX cards, and none ever choked. I have heard that their "base" models ("Core," I believe) are not so good, but mine are "DD" and/or "Black" editions; lots of companies' base models are similarly less than their best. I'd chalk the sales droid's remarks to personal experience and/or reference to specific models, which may or may not apply.
The 3570 is 200MHz faster than the 3470. If you can get it cheaper, sure it's better, if it is more than $10 or $20 higher, it probably isn't worth it.
Click to expand...
The one that Shoryuken linked has 1 fan, but tigerdirect has the same one but with double fans for $280. What's your opinion on the card?
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1917611&CatId=7387
 
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SamGriffiths

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Personally I prefer the Gigabyte HD 7950. http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr795wf33gd. But that's just me.
 
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n3cw4rr10r

n3cw4rr10r

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I have Gigabyte 7970 OC 1000mhz clock. It is voltage locked. But I dont plan on overclocking so, no complaints. I will pick up another of the same few months down the road. Performance wise no complaints. Gigabyte does make great cards.
 
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SHORYUKEN

SHORYUKEN

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I do agree with that.
 
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michael112

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Since i'm not purchasing them yet, i will probably wait and just get whichever card is cheaper, either the msi, xfx, or gigabyte one. But how does the cheaper 7870 stack up against these cards? Since the 7850 is near the top of my budget. On a side note what doe sit mean by when a power supply is an OEM brand? If it saves $30 is it worth it?
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1554173&CatId=1483
And when i was looking at cases the guy who worked their said i should also stay away from the cheap cases since they don't have enough air circulation in them, and tried to get me to use a $70 case instead. I was kind of skeptical and thinking he was trying to upsell me.
 
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n3cw4rr10r

n3cw4rr10r

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The 7870 XT/LE is closer to the 7950. OEM psu, I am assuming you are talking abt Tigerdirect? The question you should ask yourself is do you want to risk your expensive components trying to save a few bucks on an unknown psu ?

There are good cases for cheaper than $70 with good airflow. Like the Coolermaster Haf 912 is around $50 with great airflow.
 
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Onus

Onus

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I wouldn't touch that particular OEM PSU unless I were tossing it in the grabbage. Although there are a few exceptions (e.g. the Antec VP and Enermax NAXN), a little voltage switch on a PSU generally indicates an obsolete and likely overrated design. Ultra's "LSP" PSUs are (with the exception of the LSP750) made by Youngyear, an absolute bottom-dweller.
Cheap cases vary. Some have cooling issues, some don't. Of those that do, the addition of another fan or two (or replacement of an existing too-slow fan) can fix the problem. I have had good results with Rosewill's cheap cases, which also tend to come with more fans than competitors like Coolermaster . In any event, you want a case that offers airflow through it, not air circulation in it.
Another solution to the heat problem is to consider a graphics card like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420 which exhausts its heat. A recent video review (here, I believe, or possibly at HardOCP) showed that the HIS cooler is not only effective, but quiet as well.
 
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SHORYUKEN

SHORYUKEN

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Don't listen to that guy. He's trying to make a quick buck. I would suggest the 7870 XT or the 7870 GHz. I have no idea what the OEM PSU is. Seems like a TigerDirect thing.
 
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SamGriffiths

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He was and he wasn't trying to rip you off, in general a cheaper cases have worse air flow, but not always, also what ever you do don't buy a case based on looks, you're going to be looking at the screen a lot more than you are the case.
 
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michael112

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Ok so thanks for the help everyone but i think i will be aiming on a build like this. Thanks for the help with the psu as well I didn't pay much attention to it and overlooked it's significance.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Memory Express)
Motherboard: Asus P8H77-V LE ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($98.35 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: Kingston 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Memory Express)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Memory Express)
Case: Thermaltake VL80001W2Z ATX Mid Tower Case ($42.17 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($72.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $813.47
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-29 14:05 EDT-0400)

But for the video card what would be better? The 7950 for 280 or a 7870 xt for 255? This is the 7870xt card
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=43_557_558&item_id=057211
 
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al10677

al10677

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The 7870 XT is just a slightly downgraded 7950, its performance between a 660ti and 7950-i would go with the 7870XT merely just to spend less money, also this year AMD's 8*50 or 8*70 series is coming out, so you would be better buying an older GPU rather than a newer one which becomes outdated within a year.
 
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al10677

al10677

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Couldn't have put it better myself :D. Whichever one you buy you might be upgrading them within the same amount of time (2-3 years maybe?) so it really doesn't matter :p
 
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