New $2000 budget Gaming Build

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laserpp

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Friend wants a gaming computer, mainly for SC2.

Budget: 2000 (would like to spend less if possible)
Usage: SC2 maxed out settings, movies, surfing web

He has nothing to start with, prob get mouse and keyboard from bestbuy

Case:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146067
Monitor:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009424
HDD:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148912
Video Card:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130809
Power Supply:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139011
Memory:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314
Motherboard:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128583
CPU:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116502
OS:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

He wants zero lag in SC2 on max settings.
 
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If it is just some video editing, the i5 3570k is good enough. It is until that most of his time goes towards video editing and such that i would advise for an i7 3770k.

If he is not computer savvy, then i don't think he would want an OCed CPU(unless you are going to OC it for him).

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($183.56 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus P8B75-M/CSM Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($75.67 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($107.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($86.99 @...
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Sep 27, 2012
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Two thousand isn't exactly budget. :p

And for starcraft, it's way overkill. This computer has a NUMBER better parts, mostly ones that are both better and cheaper.
It also will, overall, be JUST as good. (And no, you shouldn't upgrade the processor to an i7 - it'll perform exactly the same.)

This computer also has the ability to overclock quite easily, meaning that it'll actually be better than the i7 you've got there, which can't overclock.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme6 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($154.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.20 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.61 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($238.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Silverstone Redline Series RL03B-W-USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Case ($55.90 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($95.25 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VE247H 23.6" Monitor ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1151.85
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-26 18:48 EDT-0400)
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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Jul 27, 2011
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$2K build and you're settling for a single 660TI? No way. I'd drop that whole build and get something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($220.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP4 TH ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($184.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vector Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($379.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($379.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($134.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($154.78 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1832.66
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-27 02:34 EDT-0400)

Better case, better power supply, best SSD on the market, dual GTX 670 - this will guarantee no lag.
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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G-unit, he's playing Starcraft 2. A single 670 is overkill. :p

If one were to blow the budget, for which there's no need, I'd go with an LGA 2011 platform - CPU horsepower will be way more beneficial than graphics horsepower here.

 
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laserpp

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Lol thanks all, yea I agree 2000k is way high for jsut SC2, little background on friend, he has black thumb of computer, kill my laptop, my friends laptop and his own laptop. He is not computer sazy at all.

SO no need for dual GPU and such. SO if we can get it for cheaper that is great. He does need everything though. Doesnt even have a computer desk =D
 
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laserpp

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Going to hijack this thread for me now =D, Idk if you can see my computer build on my profile, but what would I have to do to convert it to a SSD build. I know my motherboard only has 3g SATA and want 6g SATA for full usage of SSD
 
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completelyrandomname

completelyrandomname

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Toms recently published an article about using your SSD on SATA II vs SATA III.

Short answer: It won't affect your performance unless you are running synthetic benchmarks 24/7.

Long answer: IItt wwoonn''tt aaffeecctt yyoouurr ppeerrffoorrmmaannccee uunnlleess yyoouu aarree rruunniinngg ssyynntthheettiicc bbeenncchhmmaarrkkss 2244//77.

Honestly, it doesn't really matter if you use SATA 2 or SATA 3 for your SSD. You can use the data migration tool from Samsung to get your stuff from the HDD to the SSD.
 
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boulbox

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If it is just some video editing, the i5 3570k is good enough. It is until that most of his time goes towards video editing and such that i would advise for an i7 3770k.

If he is not computer savvy, then i don't think he would want an OCed CPU(unless you are going to OC it for him).

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($183.56 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus P8B75-M/CSM Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($75.67 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($107.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($86.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($349.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Tempest 410 ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $999.16
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-11 17:32 EDT-0400)
 
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Solution
g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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Yeah that's true, you don't really need a lot of GPU horsepower for that.
 
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laserpp

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Shit, ok 2 questions, 1) never installed a SSD, is it the same as a regular HDD in term of install OS on it? Also forget to buy friend a 3.5 or w/e size expansion bay for the SSD. am i fucked?
 
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boulbox

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No you are not, most cases(modern) come with screws at the bottom of the hard drive plastic thing. To install and SSD, plug it in first just like an HDD and only have that one plugged in. Install to the SSD so it makes a clean install then plug in the HDD.
 
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laserpp

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All built, couple things i found stupid,
1) the video card covers the sata 6g for the SSD...... so i have it plugged into the sata 3G.
2)Only came with 2 SATA cables so the HDD needs to wait till we order another one
 
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laserpp

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Don't think I can, the card is seriously touching the SATA 6g connection. I tried to squish it but i feel like something would def break. Also would just be easier to get a second SATA cable, because I will be the one switching them when he needs it done lol.
 
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