~$1000 gaming pc

[Chasepwner]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: in the coming months BUDGET RANGE: around $1000 after rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: OS, monitor

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: US

PARTS PREFERENCES: no preference, just best performance for my money

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1680x1050

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: been playing around with a few builds, cannot decide on an AMD system or an Intel system:

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/7585/amd.png

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/1696/intelw.png

 

[cory1234]

If you want the best performance go intel. If you want to save a few bucks go AMD.
Switch out the i5 660..which is a dual core with integrated graphics for a i5 750 (quad core) @ $200.

The i5 750 is a much better CPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215&cm_re=i5_750-_-19-115-215-_-Product

This is a better cooler and is good for 4ghz easy:
Hyper 212+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065&cm_re=hyper_212-_-35-103-065-_-Product

I would recommend this case: COOLER MASTER CM690 II, it received excellent reviews and is brand new.
$99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216

You can save $10 with the ripjaw series RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

Unless you need a modular PS you can save $40 with this Corsair: $80 after MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

 

[Kewlx25]

I paid $1200 for my i7-920/4GB/ATI4850/22" 1920x1080 Dell, but that was 1 year ago. This year I'm upgrading it with 5870 or Fermi. I'm filing my taxes next week, but I'm waiting for Bad Company 2 before I go DX11.

My computer came with an OS/etc.

I don't know why everyone wants to OC to 4gz. My brother just self-built an i7, OC'd it to 4ghz to find it's max, then I told him to back down to 3.5ghz. Now he gets to run lower voltage on both is CPU and Memory and his computer produces less heat than 4ghz. I told him, the faster you run your i7, the more time it will spend idle.

I have yet to meet a game/program than can bring my 2.66ghz i7 to it's knees other than grid computing. But then again, compressing to 1080p with my system is limited by the 80Mb/sec(55FPS) HD because my CPU can't break 40% usage w/o my HD getting pegged. Takes about 17 minutes to compress a BlueRay at 1080p assuming my HD is fast enough.

Back when I was a kid, going from 100mhz to 150mhz meant about a 50% increase in FPS, now going from 2.66ghz to 4ghz means a 10fps increase when already at 160fps and you have to disable all of your power saving features which means your computer is that much better at increasing your electric bill, especially during the summer.

Remember, your computer produces as much heat as it uses for electricity. If you CPU goes from 17 watts idle to 50 watts idle, now you're not just producing an extra 30watts of heat, but now you gotta run your AC longer to remove that 30 watts which means much more than 30watts. And under load, it's a whole lot worse. I think the power benchmarks showed a 4ghz OC eating upwards of 100watts more than stock.

My brother's computer could not use the c6 power state and disable cores when running at 4ghz, but it worked just fine at 3.5ghz. Just saying.

 

[Chasepwner]

i'd really like a modular ps, i'm very ocd when it comes to organization.

and i have a quick question, i hear that the p55 chipset has problems with crossfire/sli and will downgrade the pcie slots to x8. is there a bios update floating around that fixes this? or do i have to find another chipset?

 

[bababablazin]

i started with a 1000 budget... now it's a 1400 wishlist of possible parts

want to see my options? go core i5 750, it's leet for gaming and overclocking.

i5 750 (OC'd goal of 3.6 ghz) $200


+ Coolermaster Hyper 212 PLUS $30


G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
(PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL - Retail $95
OR
***G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
(PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM - Retail $115


Samsung Spinpoint F3 500 GB $55
OR
***SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM
32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $90
OR
*Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive : $55




***Antec EarthWatts EA750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V version 2.3 SLI Certified
CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5"
Power Supply - Retail $110
OR
Antec CP-1000 1000W Continuous ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS
Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $170
OR
KINGWIN Mach 1 ABT-1000MA1S 1000W ATX / BTX SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PL
US BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $195
OR
Rosewill BRONZE series RBR1000-M 1000W Continuous@40°C, 80Plus Bronze Certified,
Modular Cable Design,ATX12V v2.3/ EPS12V,SLI Ready,CrossFire Ready,Active
PFC"Compatible with Core i7, i5" Power Supply - Retail $130
OR
COOLER MASTER Silent Pro 700 RS-700-AMBA-D3 700W ATX12V V2.3 SLI Certified
CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $120
OR
***CORSAIR CMPSU-650HX 650W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE
Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $120
OR
****Thermaltake Toughpower XT W0229RU 750W ATX12V V2.3 80PLUS BRONZE ATI CrossFireX
Certified AMD GAME READY FanDelayCool Modular Power Supply - Retail
$130
OR
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80
PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail $150




GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD4P LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel
Motherboard w/ USB 3.0 & SATA 6 Gb/s - Retail $185
OR
***ASUS P7P55D-E LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard (Single Card)
- Retail $160
OR
GIGABYTE GA-P55-USB3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $120
OR
GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2 LGA 1156 Intel P55 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $105
OR
****MSI P55-GD65 LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $160
OR
**MSI P55-GD80 $210
OR
***ASUS P7P55D Deluxe LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard (Crossfirex) - Retail $220
OR
Gigabyte p55-ud4p
OR
ASUS P7P55D EVO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $195
OR
*Crossfire***ASUS P7P55D-E Pro LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX (Crossfirex)
Intel Motherboard - Retail $190
OR
*Single***GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel
Motherboard - Retail $135 (single card)
OR
MSI P55M-GD41 LGA 1156 Intel P55 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard (single card)- Retail $100




Windows 7 home premium 64 bit $105



***Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail $160
OR
****COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel
ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $110
OR
Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $110
OR
Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan - Retail $145




SAPPHIRE 100282SR Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express
2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity - Retail $300



LITE-ON Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM
48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache IDE 22X DVD Writer - Retail $30


cheapest is 1245-ish without shipping or tax

up to 1400 for me.

im still saving lol, sorry to clutter your post, but these are great options for your research on the build possibilities.