2500K Gaming system

[genjaguar]

I want to build a new pc that will be a bit future proof(of course none every really is) and be more of a higher mid-ranged gaming pc.

Approximate Purchase Date: Would like to purchase soon...maybe even by the end of the weekend


Budget Range: 600-700(I'm flexible with my budget depending on what else I need to upgrade)


System Usage from Most to Least Important:gaming by far, then any other activities


Parts Not Required: CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139002
Western Digital Caviar Blue WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=

I think my PSU is still very reliable and steady...as for my HDD not sure if that would hold back this computer or if it still is good enough.


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: mostly thinking about newegg since I've always ordered from them but I'm open to any trust worthy website


Country of Origin: Chicago, USA


Parts Preferences:
CPU : i5 2500K - from everything I've seen the performance is great...especially overclocked. Seems to be the best higher mid ranged CPU available and works great in Blizzard games.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072&Tpk=2500k

MB : ASRock P67 Extreme 4 - keep reading about this motherboard but I guess it's not available at retailers yet. Everything says that this is one of the best...but again I'm open to suggestions

GPU : GTX560 TI - Nvidia gpus seem to perform better in Blizzard games...and the overclocking seems to bring this card way up and scale very nicely. Not really sure which version to get...was thinking about the Asus. Not sure if buying and overclocked version is worth it since I usually overclock myself...but I keep hearing about the Gigabyte version and it's great overclock. Not sure if the premium is worth it instead of doing it myself.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121424&cm_re=560-_-14-121-424-_-Product
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125362&cm_re=560-_-14-125-362-_-Product

Ram : G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
That is what I have from my current build...would it work well in my new build or should I switch to some higher speed ram...any sort of upgrade required. Not really too sure on RAM and what would be a better deal...but I am trying to build a rig that will last for a while\
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276



Overclocking: Yes, I pretty much always overclock to get the most out of everything I can


SLI or Crossfire: Yes, SLI


Monitor Resolution:currently using 1400x1050 but will upgrade to a full 1080p monitor in the future so want a PC that can handle it


Additional Comments: just looking for the most performance I can squeeze out at a decent price and also a PC that will last me and be able to handle upcoming games well(especially Diablo III) and also handle my current games (mostly World of Warcraft but also some shooters TFT2, CoD)

 

[aznshinobi]

Well at such a low budget I would suggest my budget builds, but seeing as you have several parts already. Then I suppose not.

Something you should look for is the 460 GTX or the 550 Ti. The 560 Ti as good as it is at your resolution is a bit much. But since you ARE expecting to upgrade, I suppose the 560 Ti is a good spot. You could check out my 1K build for the parts I would suggest aside from your PSU and HDD.

 

[genjaguar]

Well I only really need to get a motherboard, CPU, and video card so I would think the budget would be on par for it. For also getting memory or a HDD then the budget would be flexible...of course I don't want to spend much more if the other parts aren't worth the upgrade.

 

[genjaguar]

I am somewhat unsure if my RAM is good enough or if getting 1600 2x4GB would be a better option. Also somewhat worried about my older HDD holding me back(was never really good with memory or figuring out what is best).

As for the motherboard...I can't seem to find the Extreme4 anywhere and I'm not sure when it might be available...any other recommendations for a good board in the same price range?

 

[aznshinobi]

DDR3 1333 vs 1600 has virtually no difference. And HDD's don't bottleneck. The things that bottleneck the most are CPUs vs GPUs, and with the new build that shouldn't be a problem.

If anything you should just get a G.Skill DDR3 1333 8gb kit for 80$ and a Samsung F3 1TB if you want a new hard drive.

As for the Extreme4 that is the only board I like to recommend asside from the P8P67 Pro and both are just not in stock now, can you not wait a bit though? I think it'll be worth it in the end.

 

[genjaguar]

So even with the 2500k, a 1333 8gb kit would be enough...it's not worth getting 1600 kit?

As for the HDD, I was just wondering since it's so old if it was worth changing. I have had no problems with it so if it's a decent HDD for the build I would stick with it.

 

[aznshinobi]

YES a 1333 is enough!

You can keep the HDD it is your choice.

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

If you are not going to overclock the DDR3 1333 will be enough for your needs the problem that happens is once you start to overclock you can change the voltage on the ram which can smoke it, if it won’t clock up. So be careful on the memory speed.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[genjaguar]

Well I do plan to overclock the 2500K(if not now then in the future) but ram overclocking has never worked out great for me...I usually try to avoid changing the voltages.

Which set of RAM would you recommend? I always read that AMD favored low latencies...but with Intel it wasn't as much of a difference. Is that still true or is the extra cash worth lower latencies?

And is the Extreme4 board worth waiting for? (that much better than the other options)

And what do people think of the 560TI...is getting a pre-overclocked card worth it...or just overclock it myself?

 

[aznshinobi]

The Extreme4 is worth the wait in my opinion, it is a great overclocker and has great features for a low price. The features are equivalent to the P8P67 Pro for 30$ cheaper.

No lower latencies aren't worth it. Because of the SB format of overclocking it has become so much easier and memory doesn't have the limitation that it did before. It did for chips like the i5 750, i7 950 etc. etc. but the Newer gen not so much.

It depends on the price. If it is 250, go for it (Standard MSRP) anymore than that I say do the overclock yourself.

 

[genjaguar]

Well the Asus is $250 with a $10 rebate. The 900 mhz Gigabyte is $245 while the 950 mhz is $260. Not sure if the premium is worth it...and I thought Asus DirectCU was a good cooling solution

 

[aznshinobi]

I like Asus because they have sweet coolers for a good price. But also they have voltage tweak unlocked already.

I know Gigabyte has good cards, but unsure of the voltage tweaking. I think both would be good. But I like the Asus more.

 

[genjaguar]

Best answer selected by genjaguar.