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First time builder, one last check before I buy everything. Any final tips? ~$1100 gaming rig

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  • Gaming
  • new-build
  • Systems
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June 26, 2013 5:31:05 AM

Hi everyone.

I asked for help not too long ago putting this one together, but I've made a few little tweaks and wanted to ask once more if anyone had anything to add. My budget is really around $1,000 so I'm a little over already, but $1,150 isn't the end of the world for me. I'm going to be using it for gaming, but I'm new to pc gaming so it isn't going to be anything super intense. I grabbed Batman Arkham Asylum/City and both Dragon Age games, so those will be first up, along with good old minecraft. I'm buying everything from Newegg and Amazon. (No Microcenter around)

All I'm really looking for is to make sure everything will work together and that I have everything I need to assemble the computer and start using it right away. I plan on getting a nice monitor, plus a mouse and keyboard fairly soon, for now I'm going to use some older spares we had around the house. I'm hoping to buy everything within 1-2 weeks.

I do plan on learning how to overclock soon, so I also wanted to make sure this setup would work for that too.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($33.24 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($87.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill Challenger-U3 ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $1147.15
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-26 08:18 EDT-0400)

Also, I can't decide between these three cases;

Corsair Carbide Series 200R Black Steel / Plastic compact ATX Mid Tower Case

Rosewill CHALLENGER-U3 Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Rosewill LINE GLOW ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

I prefer the look of the Challenger-U3, is there any reason to go with one of the others, or are they about the same? Is there one that's much better than any of these around this price range?

Okay, I think that's it. I want to thank everybody who's helped me already with putting this build together so far and I would really appreciate any help I could get for this last check.

More about : time builder check buy final tips 1100 gaming rig

June 26, 2013 5:47:08 AM

Yes, everything will work together. The PSU is 100% compatible with the haswell CPU, good choice!
The challenger U3 seems to be better than the Corsair one because it has a front 120mm fan (better airflow) and it's quite a bit more popular then the Line glow one.
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a c 251 4 Gaming
June 26, 2013 5:56:36 AM

Yes....

Way, way better Motherboard for less money. You paying $415 for MoBo / CPU Combo
ASUS Z87-PRO w/ 4670k is $360 after $10 off w/ promo code Z87MB617, ends 6/30 and $80 combo discount. That's $55 back in your pocket of left to spend.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

Your paying $140 for case / PSU combo w/ a 550 watt PSU. This 650 watt combo with waaaaay better case and larger PSU is $174 w/ $45 in rebates for a net cost of $130. The MSRP on the case alone is $140 !!!!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

Better yet, this 750 watt PSU combo lets ya go to SLI / CF comfortably and is $195 w/ $45 in MIRs for a net cost of $150,\ just $10 more for two huge improvements.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

7870 XT after the 760 having now been released ????

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-760-rev...
Quote:
A quick reference to Best Graphics Cards For The Money: June 2013 shows that Don is currently recommending the Tahiti-based Radeon HD 7870 (Tahiti based means 7870 XT) for $250. With almost certainty, the GeForce GTX 760 will take that honor next month, displacing the Radeon HD 7950 with Boost at $300 in the process. Aside from the entry-level cards, this was really AMD’s last bastion in our monthly round-up of Tom’s Hardware-approved purchases.


The 7870 XT is basically a "broken 7950", and with the 760 being recommended over the 7950, I'm with Toms statement above .... I don't see an AMD card to buy above the $130 price point at this point in time.


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a b 4 Gaming
June 26, 2013 6:14:46 AM

There's some tweaks I would make -

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($93.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($84.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($309.99 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1143.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-26 09:11 EDT-0400)

My cunning discount finding eyes found this 7970 ( Much better than the7870XT ) for 310$. I would trim the SSD to a 840 , and add it. Also I added a BitFenix Merc Alpha , its a much better case , with 7 Fan mounts , plenty for any high end build too , a good and sturdy case too , I know that since I used it for my build ( replacing it with a HAF XB though , since I am in love with that case :p  ) Also a SLI capabable PSU , so that you can CrossFire later on , 100% Haswell compatible too.
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June 26, 2013 10:08:30 AM

@ jokyteddy Yeah, JackNaylorPE pointed the 760 out too, I think I'll go with it.

@ CommentariesAnd More The 7970 is definitely tempting, but I think it's a little over my budget. I think the 760 is the way to go for this build.

@ JackNaylorPE Good points! The ASRock board also had an $80 off combo, so the Asus board is still $20 more expensive, but I think it's worth it so I'm going to use it anyway. Same with the GTX 760. Now, the only thing I'm hesitant with is the case/PSU combos. I generally don't really like MIR deals because sometimes it can be a huge hassle actually getting the rebate sent out. Plus, I really like the look of the U3 for some reason, so I think I might just stick with my Rosewill/SeaSonic setup I have right now. Especially because even after everything, it would only save me $10 on the case/PSU combo. Although, that case in the combo does look really nice... I'll think it over a little more.
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a b 4 Gaming
June 26, 2013 10:16:31 AM

The 7970 fits in my suggested build , and is the best you can buy ATM. It competes with the GTX 770 , which costs 400$. AMD also has the Never Settle Reloaded Offer , so if you buy a qualifying 7970 , you will get 4 Games free , which is a SHELL SHOCKER!!!!!!! Also I don't find the 80+ Gold PSU useful at all. You have a SLI/CFX Capable motherboard and a CPU that can handle 3 GTX Titans well , So why not go for a cheap 750W SLI capable PSU ? When you can add in the second GPU , you will find it useful , in my case I had to change the PSU and Motherboard , which costed me 250 bucks which was almost the cost of the GPU I have ATM LOLed pretty badly when I realised that , but it was true.
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June 26, 2013 12:29:53 PM

CommentariesAnd More said:
The 7970 fits in my suggested build , and is the best you can buy ATM. It competes with the GTX 770 , which costs 400$. AMD also has the Never Settle Reloaded Offer , so if you buy a qualifying 7970 , you will get 4 Games free , which is a SHELL SHOCKER!!!!!!! Also I don't find the 80+ Gold PSU useful at all. You have a SLI/CFX Capable motherboard and a CPU that can handle 3 GTX Titans well , So why not go for a cheap 750W SLI capable PSU ? When you can add in the second GPU , you will find it useful , in my case I had to change the PSU and Motherboard , which costed me 250 bucks which was almost the cost of the GPU I have ATM LOLed pretty badly when I realised that , but it was true.


Trust me, I definitely see the value of the 7970. It's a really nice card, and the four games almost make me want to buy it just for them. I've never really been one for shooters, but I absolutely love Bioshock, not to mention Tomb Raider looks pretty great too. My biggest concern is that I don't know how much I'm actually going to be gaming on it. I'm still really new to pc gaming, so I'm just trying to build an overall nice system. That's why I kind of like having the pro SSD instead of just the regular 840 series. And I picked the 550W SeaSonic because it was a solid modular PSU for not a ridiculous amount of money. I've heard a lot of stories about people skimping on the PSU, so I think I did the opposite and went overboard with it. And again, I don't know what kind of gaming I'll be doing on it, so I don't think I'm going to need another GPU anytime soon. I think if I was going to go with the 7970, the build would look something like this

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus Z87-PRO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($93.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($84.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($329.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill Challenger-U3 ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1214.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-26 15:18 EDT-0400)

(I kind of wanted to stay with Newegg and Amazon, but I might have to go with some of the cheaper prices if I do this.)

Right now I think it's going to come down to price and if I want that pro SSD bad enough. Plus I'd have to go through the thing with the rebate card for those last $20. Honestly, the free games are really swaying me over to the 7970, but again, I'll think about it.

Dang, just when I think I have it figured out, I start thinking about switching it all up again. XD
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June 26, 2013 7:26:22 PM

The 4 games aren't worth a lot of money... They say it's worth $150 but if you search on eBay, people are selling that bundle for less then $40. HD 7970 is a good deal only if you're planning on keeping those games.

HD 7970 is 7% faster http://tpucdn.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_760_SC_ACX_Cooler/im...

Both cards can max out any games currently on the market on a single monitor (1920x1080) so you'll be happy with either cards.
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