Need Feedback on First Gaming Build - $1500

[Dudeman911]

Nearly finished spec'ing my first gaming build with a budget of around $1500CAN before taxes and shipping.

Timing: Dec 2010 or Jan 2011

Uses: Gaming, watching movies

Overclocking: Maybe down the road once I feel the need but not right now


CASE: AZZA Hurrican 2000 CSAZ-2000 Black SECC Japanese Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - $160CAN
(I was debating the COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case at $200CAN and would likely get the one on sale at the time.)
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811517010

MOBO: ASUS P7P55D-E Pro LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard Xtreme Design, SLI/ CrossfireX , USB 3.0 + SATA 6Gb/s - $190CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131621

PROCESSOR: Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80605I5760 - $200CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115067

CPU COOLER: Tuniq CR-T120-EX-SV 120mm Magnetic Fluid Dynamic Bearing Tower Extreme CPU Cooler Rev1 - $58CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835154014

THERMAL COMPOUND: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM - $10
ww.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

RAM: Patriot G series ‘Sector 5’ Edition 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model PGV38G1600ELK - $142CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220484

VIDEO CARD: 2 X EVGA 01G-P3-1465-AR GeForce GTX 465 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - $190CAN x 2 = $380CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130555

PSU: COOLER MASTER GX Series RS750-ACAAE3-US 750W ATX12V v2.31 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply - $90CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171053

SSD: Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - $140CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148357

DVD DRIVE: ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM - $20CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM - $100CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

I have an external 250GB seagate HDD where I store all my pictures, movies, etc. I also already have speakers, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

TOTAL = $1490CAN


Your opinions, criticisms and comments are invited!

 

[Atotalnoob]

a 250 gig HDD isn't that large.... consider eventually getting a bigger one, Spinpoint F3... Also, wait on buying another GPU, and put the mmoney towards a i7 950... you won't be able to tell the difference with 1 or 2 gpus (ok, you will... but it won't be like you NEED it right then) the i7 will let you future proof and have a better ysstem longer.


Try a Mushkin Callisto drive, or a A-data(for the SSD)....

 

[etk]

I would get a single GTX 580 or 2 460's rather than 2 465's. 465's serve no real purpose in a board with only 2 PCIe slots.

I would not get the listed power supply, this would work
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
but...
if you want to be able to add a second 580 in the future, you'll want to transition to a 1366 platform, and if you want to stay on a 1156 platform, and you aren't building til January, I would wait for Sandy Bridge 1155.

 

[Atotalnoob]

oh, yeah, I didn't see that....
+1 for the waiting till january....

 

[Dudeman911]

Good advice on the PS. It sucks that I have to buy from NewEgg.ca where it is $100CAN rather than the smokin' deal at NewEgg.ca where it is $80US plus a $25US rebate card.

Great advice on the video cards, I can always SLI in the future when I need it and buy a better single card now.

I chose the SSD drive because it was SATA III, the two you recommend are SATA II.

About waiting for Sandy Bridge, I am worried they are going to be pretty pricey for performance you get, at least off the start. The current i5's and i7's will likely drop in price in January and allow me to get a better 1366 chip. What do you think?

 

[Atotalnoob]

hmm, good idea... but I thought that SB was going to be "mid level"...

 

[Dudeman911]

To be honest I don't know much about the details of the SB release.

 

[pcworm]

sandy bridge is said to be un OCable.. only multiplier unlocked samples can be OCed..
but the prices on i5s and i7s will definiately drop so +1 for waiting
also definiately avoid 465 s, they are slower performing than 460 1GBs

 

[etk]

Dont worry about Sata 2 vs Sata 3, a single drive won't saturate either.

I don't think 1366 prices will change until summer when 2011 is released.

SB will be out January, and is expected to be rather inexpensive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Bridge_(microarchitecture)
which should depress 1156 prices.

 

[Dudeman911]

Okay, here is the modified build based on your input...


CASE: AZZA Hurrican 2000 CSAZ-2000 Black SECC Japanese Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - $160CAN
(I am debating the COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case at $200CAN and would likely get the one on sale at the time.)
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811517010

MOBO: ASUS P6X58D-E LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - $215CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131641

PROCESSOR: Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601950 - $294CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211

CPU COOLER: Tuniq CR-T120-EX-SV 120mm Magnetic Fluid Dynamic Bearing Tower Extreme CPU Cooler Rev1 - $58CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835154014

THERMAL COMPOUND: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM - $10
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

RAM: CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8 G - $133CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145236

VIDEO CARD: EVGA 012-P3-1470-AR GeForce GTX 470 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card - $315CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130550

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - $100CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

SSD: Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - $140CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148357

DVD DRIVE: ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM - $20CAN
www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM - $100CAN
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

I have an external 250GB seagate HDD where I store all my pictures, movies, etc. I also already have speakers, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

TOTAL = $1545CAN


The total has risen a bit but if I hold out for sales I should be able to keep it in check. So now what do you think?

 

[etk]

I hate to throw you for another loop, but the GTX 570 should be out in a week or two. I would look on cyber Monday for deals, and if you are ordering soon start to order then. Just hold off on the PSU and Video card until we get benchmarks on 570 power consumption and see how it affects 470 Prices. You could also stick with stock cooling and paste until you need to overclock, which could be a while to save some cash.