Gaming Build for my son - within reason

[ganzy]

I am putting together a gaming rig for my son, he has money to pay for half and I am going to take care of the rest; as long as he takes up some extra chores I have set aside for him. It’s been a long time since I have done a build so I have spent the past week researching a bit. I want to basically get something that will be good in the here and now but will also be viable down the road for the next couple of years. We are not going to get into Overclocking at first but I want to have the ability to Overclock as that may be an option once I educate myself a bit more.

I would really like feedback on GPU and MOBO’s but I’ll take comments on everything. My main question is ------ Am I in the right ball park with what I have selected? This site has been a tremendous resource and I really enjoy reading the opinions all of you folks give on here. I haven’t purchased anything yet, this is just a list to get feedback on whether or not I am heading in the right direction. One more point and then I’ll shut-up, I’d like to keep this between $800 - $900 dollars. That is the ballpark my wife expects me to be in, anything more than that and I’ll end up having to give a Power Point presentation about the whole damn thing. I deal with enough of that BS at work so I don’t want to get into it at home.

Thanks a bunch everyone!


Approximate Purchase Date: Within the next two weeks.
Budget Range: ($800 - $900)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Surfing, Movies, Music
Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Monitor, Speakers, Windows 7 Ultimate
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com but I am willing to shop around.
Country of Origin: USA
Parts Preferences: Intel CPU beyond that no preference
Overclocking: Maybe down the road
SLI or Crossfire: Maybe down the road
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080


Buying:
Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor - $224.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

Mobo: MSI P67A-GD65 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - $179.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130574

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 - $259.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130550

Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL - $49.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

PSU: Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply - $69.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - $59.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136795


CASE: Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case – $54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153


Total = $899.93


Also if there is anything I should add, like a CPU Cooler, please let me know.

 

[jmsellars1]

That build looks great, personally i would go for a GTX 460 1GB over the 470 though. It is better value. Overclocked, the 460 gets very close to the performance of the 470 for $100 less. Also they scale very well in SLI so there is still room to upgrade. If that is the plan i'd personally be more comfortable buying a 750W PSU though.

Also, is there any specific reason why you want that motherboard?

Don't get me wrong though, the build you posted is great and im sure you would be very happy with it.

P.S. If youre thinking about CPU coolers, the Coolermaster Hyper 212+ is a safe bet, cheap and does a good job.

 

[Why_Me]

I would make these changes here for a better build but same price range.

First off a better mobo yet it's less expensive...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157229 $159.99
ASRock P67 EXTREME4 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Then the vid card...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125363 $244.99
GIGABYTE GV-N560OC-1GI GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Now a psu to push two of those cards later on....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025 $89.99 FREE SHIPPING
Antec TruePower New TP-750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.3 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply

Now for a quicker and quieter h/d...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185 $64.99 FREE SHIPPING
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

 

[ganzy]

I would make these changes here for a better build but same price range.

First off a better mobo yet it's less expensive...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157229 $159.99
ASRock P67 EXTREME4 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Then the vid card...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125363 $244.99
GIGABYTE GV-N560OC-1GI GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Now a psu to push two of those cards later on....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025 $89.99 FREE SHIPPING
Antec TruePower New TP-750 750W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.3 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply

Now for a quicker and quieter h/d...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185 $64.99 FREE SHIPPING
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Thanks Why_me! I think I am going to follow all of your suggestions. I'm going to start making my purchases tomorrow, I may shop around a bit tonight.

The main reason I was going with the MSI mobo was price and it looked like it would do the trick. However after doing some reasearch on th AS Rocks I am going in that direction.

As a side note I like the Alska Aces logo you have. I go to a lot of Charlotte Checkers games, we used to be in the ECHL but made the jump to AHL this year (Hurricanes affiliate now), lots of fun. Well I'm off to buy some parts while watching my Oilers hopefully dismantle the Flames chances of making the playoffs.

 

[Nakkiel]

Get a motherboard that supports triple channel memory and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220500 IMO.

 

[Why_Me]

Get a motherboard that supports triple channel memory and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220500 IMO.

wth

 

[mercuryman24]

CPU - Intel Core i5 2500K @ 3.33Ghz
Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3 [SATA 6GB/s, UBB 3.0]
GPU - Sapphire 6950 2GB
PSU - Seasonic S12D Silver 750
CASE - Cooler Master 690 II PLUS
HSF - Cooler Master hyper 212 plus
RAM - Corsair XMS3 2x2GB DDR3 1600Mhz
HDD - Western Digital 1TB SATA 6GB/s Caviar Black
Headset - Logitech G330 [for some extra benefit]

 

[Why_Me]

CPU - Intel Core i5 2500K @ 3.33Ghz
Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3 [SATA 6GB/s, UBB 3.0]
GPU - Sapphire 6950 2GB
PSU - Seasonic S12D Silver 750
CASE - Cooler Master 690 II PLUS
HSF - Cooler Master hyper 212 plus
RAM - Corsair XMS3 2x2GB DDR3 1600Mhz
HDD - Western Digital 1TB SATA 6GB/s Caviar Black
Headset - Logitech G330 [for some extra benefit]

That board is not meant for dual vid cards. It runs a single card @16x, and dual cards @ 4x.

 

[mercuryman24]

That board is not meant for dual vid cards. It runs a single card @16x, and dual cards @ 4x.

Sapphire 6950 is enough for his monitor. He is not using eyefinity. peace

 

[Why_Me]

Sapphire 6950 is enough for his monitor. He is not using eyefinity. peace

So your suggesting that the OP should forgo any chance of using dual vid cards for future and more demanding games and purchase that gigabyte board?

 

[mercuryman24]

So your suggesting that the OP should forgo any chance of using dual vid cards for future and more demanding games and purchase that gigabyte board?

Let him decide. If he wants to do eyefinity and crossfire in future he deserves the UD4, if he don't then UD3
both are good boards except for the Crossfire/SLI feature in UD4.

 

[Why_Me]

Let him decide. If he wants to do eyefinity and crossfire in future he deserves the UD4, if he don't then UD3
both are good boards except for the Crossfire/SLI feature in UD4.

I thought maybe you would explain to the OP why you have a 750w psu for a single card set up ? Your giving advice on here to someone on how they should spend their money. So I'm sure you have a good explanation for that psu.

 

[mercuryman24]

I thought maybe you would explain to the OP why you have a 750w psu for a single card set up ? Your giving advice on here to someone on how they should spend their money. So I'm sure you have a good explanation for that psu.

he should have a 750 watt psu BECAUSE
the graphics card's recommended power supply is 500 watt
plus
the processor takes about 120 watt

so its safer to have this power, also upgrading with case fans also require some power.
the case I gave above can handle about 10 case fans, instead he can hook up crossfire... is this good enough for you? PEACE

 

[zooted]

he should have a 750 watt psu BECAUSE
the graphics card's recommended power supply is 500 watt
plus
the processor takes about 120 watt

so its safer to have this power, also upgrading with case fans also require some power.
the case I gave above can handle about 10 case fans, instead he can hook up crossfire... is this good enough for you? PEACE

When a company recommends a 500w psu, that means for the total system not for just the gpu alone.

 

[mercuryman24]

When a company recommends a 500w psu, that means for the total system not for just the gpu alone.

considering crossfire in mind dude...

 

[zooted]

Fair enough, I just woke up

 

[mercuryman24]

Fair enough, I just woke up

LOL :lol:

 

[Why_Me]

considering crossfire in mind dude...

But why would he consider Crossfiring with the board you recommended to him ? As I already pointed out on here that board was never meant for dual vid cards. That board runs dual cards @ 4x. So again can you please explain to us why you recommend a 750w psu for that build you posted up above.

 

[mercuryman24]

But why would he consider Crossfiring with the board you recommended to him ? As I already pointed out on here that board was never meant for dual vid cards. That board runs dual cards @ 4x. So again can you please explain to us why you recommend a 750w psu for that build you posted up above.

Read all my posts above. I have mentioned it...