Need prof opinions on budget gaming rig

Hello everyone, im new to this forum. I have been doing some research on a budget gaming rig that will be around $500-$550. I stumbled across this forum in the process and saw some of the awesome fact-based reasons that some of you guys give about computer components.

I stumbled across this barebones kit, and actually purchased it, but may send it back if i can get better value for my $509 i spent on it.


http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] kwCjCECjCE

sorry couldn't get the url to work in any of my links


The one thing to note is that I have a a graphics card and a DVD-RW drive, so i thought this was a good setup, because my comp would be complete.

The graphics card is only a 8800gt, but ill be happy with that until i absolutely have to upgrade it, no need for overkill when the rest of the comp is very good for gaming.

But doing more research on this kit, i realized that this case for the components it holds is horrible, and that i would need to upgrade my case, pretty much voiding the whole purpose of the barebones because i only saved about the price of the case on purchasing it.

My mission now is to find all of these components for a similar price, but to get a good case, and decent cpu fan for about the same $510 price, assuming i can get some of the other components for a little less than in the barebones, and spend the money on the case and cpu fan/cooler.

Here are the 2 cases im looking at...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811517007

I really like this Azza case for 2 reasons. The first being that it is relatively inexpensive with a mail in rebate, coming to a total of $49.99. And the fact that it comes with 4 large, and supposedly quiet fans standard with it.

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http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] 8&CatId=32

I really like this case becuase it also comes with fans and a temp gauge, is relatively inexpensive at $64.99 and is a good company.


My quest for this rig is to overclock the I5 to 3.5 or 3.6ghz, which shouldnt be a problem with either of these cases (i hope), but it would be a problem with the case from the barebones i ordered.

All in all, I would like some feedback on what you guys think i should do. Should i try to get the individual components for cheaper, and that way have money for a cpu cooler and a decent case? And if i can the same components in that barebones kit for cheaper i would love some links to the sites, because I have been looking for awhile and cant seem to get everything under $550 (the max i want to spend on this rig)

Any help would be awesome, and i know this is long, but at least you cant say i wasn't detailed enough

Welcome to the forum. There's a link in my sig which you could fill out as well, but in the mean time, something like this would work nicely.

Intel Core i5 750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115215

ASUS P7P55 LX LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131604

OCZ Platinum 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227478

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] f3%20500gb

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] k=550%20vx

Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-GP 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835103065

Since you didn't specify a purchase date, I thought I'd list the best parts even though they might be temporarily out of stock.

Both Asus mobos and that case are well respected. As far as the spinpoint f3 its the fastest you can buy.

ok thanks jbaker and sonic-boom for clearing the reason for the HD, case, and mobo up for me. Next question is, why that 550w psu when i can get

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] CatId=2533

for about $15 cheaper and 200more Watts.

Im still trying to cut costs here and there, tell me what u think.

thanks for clearing that up jbaker, people like you is the reason why i posted on this forum to begin with, you know what your talkin about.

I just found an I5 for $149.99, that my brother-in-law could pickup for me (since they don't ship), so thats an extra $50 to save, unless there is something wrong with this cpu, or its different in any way.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0317379