Need Suggestions for a $2,000 Core i-7 build

I have a friend who wants to build a gaming rig this week or next for around $2,000 (+/- a little). These are the components he is currently considering. Overclocking or water cooling is not a goal as he wants to run all components at factory clocked speeds. Could the forum please offer some suggestions on this potential build?

Case: Cooler Master Haf X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/plastic ATX Full Tower computer Case
$199
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119225


CPU:
Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06 GHz 4x 256kb L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-core Processor BX80601950
$298

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=19-115-211&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&PageSize=10&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&IsFeedbackTab=true#scrollFullInfo

HeatSink:
COOLER MASTER Intel Core i7 compatible Hyper N 520
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103057
$39.99

HDD:
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD60000HLHX 600GB 10000 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0 GB/s 3.5’ Internal Hard Drive-Bare Drive
$279

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136555&cm_re=velociraptor_600gb-_-22-136-555-_-Product

Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
$268

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=20-148-348



GPU: XFX HD-587X-ZNFC Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-biit DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
$357

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150476&cm_re=ATI_5870-_-14-150-476-_-Product


Mobo: ASUS Rampage 3 Formula LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6 Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Motherboard
$299

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=13-131-666

DVD: ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
$23.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204&cm_re=asus_drw-24b1st_24x_internal_dvd_burner-_-27-135-204-_-Product


Power Supply: CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
$169

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139011


OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders – OEM
$99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754&cm_re=Windows_7_home-_-32-116-754-_-Product


Memory: Patriot Viper II Sector 7 Edition 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model PV736G2000ELK
$167.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220500&Tpk=n82e16820220500

 
Solution
If you're looking at stock, there's no real reason for the Rampage formula. Get a $200 ASUS Sabertooth or the Giga suggested by raif.

I'll say stick to the 5870 if you can afford it. - 5850 vs 5870

If you don't really need modular, go with the $70 CORSAIR 650TX - nice savings.

Forget 'bout the velociraptor. Use an older HDD for now. Get the new-gen SSD's, when they come out. At your budget, you definitely deserve a SSD.

The fastest ones right now are the OCZ vertex's - Not the OCZ Agility.

raif89

Distinguished
Sep 20, 2009
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your friend feel like throwing away some money?


if not, here's some suggestions...

first, the motherboard is way too expensive for someone not interested in overclocking, go with this one isntead
GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R it costs $200 and saves you 100$

your VGA, the hd 5870 is currently too expensive for the performance. consider either a hd 5850 if you must have an ATI card, i would recommend a gtx 460 and sli it later on. heres a good card to consider
Palit GTX 460 Sonic Platinum 1GB at $240 and sli them for extremely good performance

your ram can be better look at these
g.skill Pi CAS 7 1600mhz at $155

if you go with either a hd 5850 or gtx 460, you will not need a psu bigger than 650 watts since you aren't overclocking heres a good one
Corsair hx650 at $120

switch that hard drive with this one the spinpoint f3 1tb saving you $200. the velociraptors are unnecessary and tend to have a higher failure rate.

as for the ssd, i'd personally go with an ssd that uses the new sandforce controllers as it outperforms the c300 series. heres one to you should go for OCz agility 2 at $260, no savings but a better component.

overall savings would be some $460. could maybe even save some more with combos and the like.
 

calguyhunk

Distinguished
Jul 6, 2010
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If you're looking at stock, there's no real reason for the Rampage formula. Get a $200 ASUS Sabertooth or the Giga suggested by raif.

I'll say stick to the 5870 if you can afford it. - 5850 vs 5870

If you don't really need modular, go with the $70 CORSAIR 650TX - nice savings.

Forget 'bout the velociraptor. Use an older HDD for now. Get the new-gen SSD's, when they come out. At your budget, you definitely deserve a SSD.

The fastest ones right now are the OCZ vertex's - Not the OCZ Agility.
 
Solution
Thank you all for your comments.
How is this for a revision?
Any suggestions?

CM Storm Sniper
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119194
$139

GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128423
$199

Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211
$298

HIS H585FN1GD Radeon HD 5850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161330
$269

G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231247
$149

Corsair TX650X PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
$89

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533
$89

COOLER MASTER Intel Core i7 compatible Hyper N 520
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103057
$39

Windows 7 64bit
$99

ASUS DVD Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
$23

total
$1,552

 

blackhawk1928

Distinguished
For 2,000 here is what a gaming rig with maximum gaming performance will have.

-Intel Core i7 950 Bloomfield
-GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R
-Corsair AX1200 PSU
-Dual EVGA Nvidia Geforce GTX480
-6GB of G.Skill RAM 1600mhz/cas9
-Cooler Master HAF 932 Case (comes at a good price right now)
-Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB or a 1TB

^That should add up to 2k. I didn't include an SSD because the price of an SSD would decrease your budget for a graphics configuration and you would have to get probably one 5970 instead of 2 480's which smoke one 5970 any day.
 
I rarely post in this section. For an additional $139 you will have a solid, faster, more reliable, and more stable system. In addition, "options" second $59 Blu-ray/DVD-ROM and upgrade to Windows 7 Pro $40.

Look at my configurations, I build. Example HDD on SATA3 makes no sense and the {storage} HDD should be backed-up. Run OS + Apps off the C300 on SATA3 leaving an expansion if needed later. The GTX 480 is clearly a better GPU than the HD 5870. Never get Patriot RAM; horrible and problematic.

Changes:
Case: {800D}
If you friend doesn't want to OC then it seems odd to get a CM HAF X case; instead I would look at either the Corsair 700D or 800D (+$50-$60) {investment case} or CM 690 II Advanced (-$110)

CPU Cooler: {H50}
Corsair H50 +$40 or H70 +$70
Cooler Master V6GT +$30 or V8 +$20

MOBO:
EVGA X58 FTW3 132-GT-E768-KR -$35

OS:
Windows 7 x64 Pro (+$40)

GPU:
EVGA 015-P3-1480-AR GeForce GTX 480 (Fermi) (+72)

HDD:
RAID 1: (x2) Western Digital RE3 WD1002FBYS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s (-$21)

DVD:
{DVD: ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW) } AND...
ASUS Black Blu-ray Drive SATA Model BR-04B2T - OEM (+$59)

RAM: { http://www.corsair.com/configurator/product_results.aspx?id=1522759 }
CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 {TR3X6G1600C8D} (+$23)

Good Luck on your Build!


 

blackhawk1928

Distinguished
^I am not a big fan of the 800D but it is very large and convienent plus coming at a lower price so I agree in this situation.

-Isn't the H50 a water cooling based cpu-cooler?...Op said he doesn't want water cooling. Either way, if the person isn't overclocking, just keep the stock cooler. Or in any case buy the hyper 212+ at its cheap price.
 
^ I like the H50/H70 for a variety of reasons, and in particular it is super easy to clean & maintain; no more sticky dust embedded into the CPU fins. Though it is a "water cooling" solution, it is NOT one in the traditional sense it is {100%} instead factory sealed and just as easy if not easier to install than a traditional OEM or OP Hyper N 520. [Plug the integrated pump into the CPU_Fan header and set BIOS at 100% fan speed and your pump is fully monitored in the BIOS.

Building 3/4-WAY and Koolance systems the 700D/800D is a very elegant, efficient, and crafted case. Not a bunch of plastic molded "stuff."