I need help building a gaming rig!

Are you overclocking?
Do you need a monitor/OS/keyboard/mouse?
Where do you live?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4570 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($209.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus H87-PLUS ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($111.00 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($62.13 @ TigerDirect)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($395.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.50 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1023.57
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-16 19:45 EDT-0400)

I have two builds for $700, that can do all that plus some -

AMD -

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/134fi

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/134fi/by_merchant/

Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/134fi/benchmarks/

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Newegg) CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($19.97 @ Outlet PC) Motherboard: Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg) Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg) Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.99 @ Adorama) Storage: Toshiba 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ Outlet PC) Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 650 1GB Video Card ($100.98 @ SuperBiiz) Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Amazon) Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg) Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.94 @ Outlet PC)

Total: $685.81(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-04 21:45 EDT-0400)



Intel -

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/134xx

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/134xx/by_merchant/

Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/134xx/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Newegg) Motherboard: Intel DH61WWB3 Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($65.98 @ Amazon) Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ NCIX US) Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.99 @ Adorama) Storage: Toshiba 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ Outlet PC) Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($79.99 @ Newegg) Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Amazon) Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg) Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.94 @ Outlet PC)

Total: $695.84(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-04 21:56 EDT-0400)

The two I chose will run those games at around 60 FPS on high just fine, though you can go through them and find parts you like better.

OK, ya have the low end, here's the one for $1500 .... designed for expandability, adding 2nd GFX card in future.

Case - $270 - Corsair 500R Black http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1327117
$25 MIR + $35 off w/ promo code EMCYTZT3582, ends 6/13``
PSU - incl. w/ above - Corsair HX850 included with above

MoBo - $412 - ASUS Z87 Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1328368
CPU - incl. w/ above - Intel Core i5-4670K Included w/ above and MoBo has built in wireless

RAM - $65 - (2 x 4GB) Muskin CAS 9 DDR3-1600 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226191

Cooler - $30 - Hyper 212 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

GFX - $400 - Gigabyte GTX 770 Windforce http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125463
GFX - Later - Gigabyte GTX 770 Windforce Same

HD - $160 Caviar Black 1TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136792
SSD - $150 - Samsung 840 Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147192

DVD Writer - $28 - Asus 24X http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135240

bah....I see coupon expired on case but they run that special every other week or so

@JackNaylorPE: I've seen you post nearly the exact same build multiple times. May I ask why? Lots of the things listed are overpriced, such as the dvd writer (easily found for ~$15-17), HDD (1tb HDD is like $60 for blue $90-100 for Black), SSD (You can find a good quality SSD for $120-120), expensive motherboard.

@OP: If you're only planning to play TF2 and minecraft maxed out while streaming, you don't need to waste over $1k.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Asus Z87-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($145.85 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($62.13 @ TigerDirect)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($65.58 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $983.48
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-16 21:23 EDT-0400)

-Overclockable.
-Has the option to crossfire in the future.
-Hopefully 1tb is enough for all your files.
-Able to run TF2 and minecraft like a breeze. Honestly, this card may be overkill for those games but perhaps you'll like to try something else in the future?

Fraps is very heavy, and might have a FPS limit of 30, so either 30 or 40 with fraps, depending on any artificial limits added by the software.
Without fraps, 60 FPS or so.

Its the intel tax - Intel likes to have an added tax just to make more.

That was just a guess, there are many configurations out there.
Regardless, my $700 configurations should do really well in anything.

Ah, understandable, and it will, Desktops always beat laptops in gaming & storage, otherwise, laptops have the upper hand when it comes to portability, and being able to run during a power outage, lol.
I suggest getting a SSD if you can afford it, it makes the computer load 5x faster then normally.

1.Soundcards are built in to the motherboard, so no need to buy one, and they make the sound that you hear though the speakers.
2. SSD = Solid State Disk - Memory based hard drive, basically a larger USB thumb drive, but for the desktop, and are much faster then regular hard drives.
3. It will, no issues.

1.The graphics card is more then fast enough, it will run in excess of 400 Fps, as its nearly the best card from AMD.
2. If you want, you can swap that AMD card for an Nvidia GTX 670 or GTX 770, as they are both as fast, or a bit quicker.

Its personal preference between AMD & Nvidia at this price point.

Alright, and overclocking is when you need to push the card even harder to play newer & heavier games like battlefield 4, and GTA 5. Right now you are fine. Also, Nvidias can Overclock quite well, if not better, then AMDs.
I reccomend going EVGA for the Nvidia cards, they are a very good company, and support gamers quite well, especially team fortress 2 players.