Gaming PC Around $1,000

bwilkes · May 7, 2013

Approximate Purchase Date: Within two months

Budget Range: $1,000 After Rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, watching movies, surfing internet

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com, microcenter.com (local store), pcpartpicker.com

Country: Kansas, USA

Parts Preferences: not picky, whatever works best together

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (Samsung 24") I already have this monitor

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($194.15 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($27.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A97 R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($94.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($58.93 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($67.20 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($232.55 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic M12II 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.94 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $925.72
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-07 18:09 EDT-0400)

Would like some opinions on my current selections. What would you change to work best together. Thanks.

ingtar33 · May 7, 2013

i don't see a monitor in your build.

that said, i'd probably save a little cash on the high end, and get a fx8320... it's basically the same chip as the 8350... and will overclock about as well. Just a few dollars cheaper.

I'd not waste $90 on a computer case. they aren't that important.

You don't need 750W for this system, love the company supplying the psu, but you don't need that much power. i'd go with something like a 600W

i'd spring for an HD 7950

bwilkes · May 7, 2013

ingtar33 :

I should have been more clear, I already own the monitor. Also, which case would you suggest then? I'll look into the other parts. Thanks for the reply

g-unit1111 · May 7, 2013

I'd not waste $90 on a computer case. they aren't that important.

No offense, but that is absolutely, completely, totally WRONG. And computer cases are absolutely important - I've used crap brands and I have seen what happens when you use crap brands. You don't want to pay $50 for a case that falls apart on you in less than a year. You want to spend at least a minimum of $90 on a case, especially on a $1K build. Cheap cases ARE NOT WORTH IT! I can't emphasize that enough. You shouldn't even consider building a system if you don't think the case is important - go build some Dell or Alienware junk system if you think that.

For $1K I would not suggest an FX-8350, I would go with an Intel i5-3570K instead:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($27.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.97 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($309.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.50 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($65.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.94 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1052.32
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-07 19:11 EDT-0400)

Marcopolo123 · May 7, 2013

I would get the msi hd 7950 twin frozer, it has the hd7970 pcb, best overclockable hd 7950, can be easily overclocked to 1200mhz, while being very cool, not loud and beats the gtx 680.
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r7950twinfrozr3gd5oc

ingtar33 · May 7, 2013

g-unit1111 :

cases aren't that important.
I stand by this.

Listen there are 3 considerations that should ever determan if you get a case.

1) airflow
2) feature match with motherboard/peripherals
3) proper size for components

You're talking to a guy who makes money building and fixing systems. I can assure you cases are about as important as a car's paint job and exterior design. People might buy a car based on looks, but they shouldn't. people buy pc cases all the freakin' time based 100% on looks.

I long ago gave up trying to argue about cases because it was as pointless as arguing over the body design and color of two cars.

In my book, cases are automatically dq'ed if...
1) no top vent
2) no clean airflow
3) poor cable management (important for good airflow)

after that low bar, pretty much anything that matches the features of my mb goes. the result is you shouldn't be spending more then $60 for a case... ever... unless it meets some specific form and function needs which any other case can't

Expensive cases are nice but largely unnessessary. I've rocked some amazing builds out of $20 cheep chinese generic cases. i've run some solid builds out of some generic dell workstation tower (and those have the worst airflow of any case design i've ever seen)

So as i said... nice cases are nice... but when we're working on a budget they're about as important as nipples on a breastplate.

bwilkes · May 7, 2013

ingtar33 :

g-unit1111 :

cases aren't that important.
I stand by this.

Listen there are 3 considerations that should ever determan if you get a case.

1) airflow
2) feature match with motherboard/peripherals
3) proper size for components

You're talking to a guy who makes money building and fixing systems. I can assure you cases are about as important as a car's paint job and exterior design. People might buy a car based on looks, but they shouldn't. people buy pc cases all the freakin' time based 100% on looks.

I long ago gave up trying to argue about cases because it was as pointless as arguing over the body design and color of two cars.

In my book, cases are automatically dq'ed if...
1) no top vent
2) no clean airflow
3) poor cable management (important for good airflow)

after that low bar, pretty much anything that matches the features of my mb goes. the result is you shouldn't be spending more then $60 for a case... ever... unless it meets some specific form and function needs which any other case can't

Expensive cases are nice but largely unnessessary. I've rocked some amazing builds out of $20 cheep chinese generic cases. i've run some solid builds out of some generic dell workstation tower (and those have the worst airflow of any case design i've ever seen)

So as i said... nice cases are nice... but when we're working on a budget they're about as important as nipples on a breastplate.

So again, which case(s) would you suggest?

g-unit1111 · May 7, 2013

You're talking to a guy who makes money building and fixing systems. I can assure you cases are about as important as a car's paint job and exterior design. People might buy a car based on looks, but they shouldn't. people buy pc cases all the freakin' time based 100% on looks.

True. I always talk down users here who buy crap cases from Apevia, Xion, and Ultra because they "look pretty". But I stand by cases are important because even after your motherboard, CPU, and GPU become obsolete the case is the one thing you can carry over to your next build. And you can keep reusing that case again and again.

I long ago gave up trying to argue about cases because it was as pointless as arguing over the body design and color of two cars.

In my book, cases are automatically dq'ed if...
1) no top vent
2) no clean airflow
3) poor cable management (important for good airflow)

Hey I have the same reasoning behind my case choices, you'll get no argument from me here.

Expensive cases are nice but largely unnessessary. I've rocked some amazing builds out of $20 cheep chinese generic cases. i've run some solid builds out of some generic dell workstation tower (and those have the worst airflow of any case design i've ever seen)

Yeah Dell's cases have terrible airflow. I'm not arguing that either.

So again, which case(s) would you suggest?

$50 - $75 range:

- Antec 302
- NZXT Source 210
- Corsair 200R
- Corsair 300R

$75 - $100 range:

- Antec 1100
- Fractal Design Define R4
- Corsair 500R
- NZXT Phantom 410
- Nanoxia Deep Silence II
- Silverstone PS06B

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Gaming PC Around $1,000

bwilkes

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ingtar33

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bwilkes

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g-unit1111

Titan

Marcopolo123

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ingtar33

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bwilkes

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g-unit1111

Titan

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