$1500 Gaming 1st Build (Advice)

[sambidexterous]

Approximate Purchase Date: Today

Budget Range: $1500-$1800

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, FRAPS, Misc.

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, mouse

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.com, Amazon.com

Country of Origin: USA

Parts Preferences: Not really, just quality brands.

Overclocking: Maybe, future

SLI or Crossfire: Yes, future

Monitor Resolution: Awesome, but not extreme

Additional Comments: Want to play games on high settings. General multi-tasking. I can upgrade items like the Video Card (2nd), more RAM later on and get another monitor. Whatcha think?

Ps. This totals $1590 (before tax/shipping). About to be final. Thanks for any insight!!

CPU: $225 i5-2500k http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16819115072

Motherboard: $160 ASRock P67 Extreme4 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16813157229

Video Card: $275 HIS HD 6950 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161372

RAM: $70 G.Skill Ripjaws 4gb (2x2gb) DDR3 1866 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820231432

SSD: $170 (OS) OCZ Agility 2 90gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227604

HDD: $200 WD Velociraptor 10,000rpm 450gb SATA 6.0GB/s http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16822136556

PSU: $140 Corsair HX series 750Watt 80PLUS Silver Certified http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817139010

Case: $80 RaidMax Smilodon Mid-Tower http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811156063

Monitor: $150 Asus HDMI LED Backlight LCD w/speakers http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16824236100

OS: $100 Windows 7 OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16832116986

Optical: $20 Lite-On CD/DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16827106289

The SSD is for OS/Apps, quick boot times & a bit extra. I don't want to feel constrained using a 60g. The Velociraptor is for the games, media.

 

[ps3hacker12]

you may want to replace that 6870 with a gtx460 if you want but thats up to you:

$208:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125345

comparison of gigabyte supoer overclock 460 vs the HIS hd6870:
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=27185&page=5

as you can see in some benches, the gtx 460 super overclock, beats the 6870 by 20-25FPS. (and its cheaper)

 

[crewton]

I wouldn't spend 200 dollars on a hard drive when you are getting a SSD. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&Tpk=spinpoint%20f3 is plenty fast and has 1TB of storage.

You can get 8GB for $87 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314 1600Mhz cas9. You won't notice a difference in 1866 vs 1600 and 8GB provides a more futureproofing.

Keep the 6870 or bump it to 6950 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161368&cm_re=6950-_-14-161-368-_-Product $250 (20MIR) that's the nonreference version. You can't flash the 6970 bios (well you can but it doesn't have the dual bios so I wouldn't).

 

[mjmjpfaff]

that Velociraptor drive is a huge waste of money get the samsung spinpoint f3 1tb hdd at amazon for 60$
ram- get 8gb 1600 mhz ddr3
ssd- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148441&cm_re=m4_64gb-_-20-148-441-_-Product
gpu 270$- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127562&cm_re=6950_2gb-_-14-127-562-_-Product
psu 100$- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021&cm_re=tx750-_-17-139-021-_-Product this psu is great
case- the haf 922 is good but i would wait till the rosewill blackhawk is in stock but that is just me because im kid of a wire management freak

 

[chesteracorgi]

The velociraptor is not going to improve performance, you will do as well to get a relaible 7200 rpm HDD for $80 or less. I'd go with a SATA3 HDD because it can be used on a SATA2 port if you run ou of SATA3. The reverse is not true.

Bothe AMD and Nvidia have good alternatives to the 6870. Go for an article to help you decide:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card-game-performance-radeon-hd-6670,2935.html

I picked up a GTX 470 for $162 (used) on eBay and am very happy with it after modding it with the Zalman 3000VF.

The advantage of the AMD 6950 is, as Crewton says, being able to flash it to a 6970. The advantage of the Nvidia GTX is that they are good overclockers and Nvidia has a history of updating drivers more often than AMD. But both have good GPUs.

An alternative to consider is waiting for a special on the SSD. I picked up the Crucial 300C (SATA3) 128 GB for $199. It is a worthwhile upgrade from a 60 GB model.

Otherwise your projected build is excellent.

 

[mjmjpfaff]

The velociraptor is not going to improve performance, you will do as well to get a relaible 7200 rpm HDD for $80 or less. I'd go with a SATA3 HDD because it can be used on a SATA2 port if you run ou of SATA3. The reverse is not true.

Bothe AMD and Nvidia have good alternatives to the 6870. Go for an article to help you decide:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card-game-performance-radeon-hd-6670,2935.html

I picked up a GTX 470 for $162 (used) on eBay and am very happy with it after modding it with the Zalman 3000VF.

The advantage of the AMD 6950 is, as Crewton says, being able to flash it to a 6970. The advantage of the Nvidia GTX is that they are good overclockers and Nvidia has a history of updating drivers more often than AMD. But both have good GPUs.

An alternative to consider is waiting for a special on the SSD. I picked up the Crucial 300C (SATA3) 128 GB for $199. It is a worthwhile upgrade from a 60 GB model.

Otherwise your projected build is excellent.

why doesnt he just get a sata2 drive so he doesnt have to move it over anyways sata3 drives usually cost more and give no speed boost.
stick with the 64gb m4 ssd i posted

 

[mjmjpfaff]

The velociraptor is not going to improve performance, you will do as well to get a relaible 7200 rpm HDD for $80 or less. I'd go with a SATA3 HDD because it can be used on a SATA2 port if you run ou of SATA3. The reverse is not true.

Bothe AMD and Nvidia have good alternatives to the 6870. Go for an article to help you decide:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card-game-performance-radeon-hd-6670,2935.html

I picked up a GTX 470 for $162 (used) on eBay and am very happy with it after modding it with the Zalman 3000VF.

The advantage of the AMD 6950 is, as Crewton says, being able to flash it to a 6970. The advantage of the Nvidia GTX is that they are good overclockers and Nvidia has a history of updating drivers more often than AMD. But both have good GPUs.

An alternative to consider is waiting for a special on the SSD. I picked up the Crucial 300C (SATA3) 128 GB for $199. It is a worthwhile upgrade from a 60 GB model.

Otherwise your projected build is excellent.

why doesnt he just get a sata2 drive so he doesnt have to move it over anyways sata3 drives usually cost more and give no speed boost.
stick with the 64gb m4 ssd i posted

 

[mjmjpfaff]

sorry about the double post it has never done that b4

 

[chesteracorgi]

MJ, the SATA3 drives at Newegg are not appreciably more expensive than the SATA2 models. Unless I am mistaken, you can run a SATA3 on a SATA2 port, but you can't run a SATA2 on a SATA3 port. The difference is usually $5-$10. The extra $$ are worth future compatibility & current flexibility.

It is a judgement call, and there is no wrong answer.

 

[mjmjpfaff]

get the spinpoint f3 1tb hdd it is a sata2 drive that is 60$ on amazon and it is faster than the 90$ sata3 western digital 1tb hdd

 

[sambidexterous]

I've updated some the parts. Went with the HD 6950, good call on the flashing. I also changed the SSD, SATA 2 90gb. I'm keeping the Raptor!! The newest 6.0 g/bs are basically the same price as the older verison. I think this is a solid build that makes sense for the most part. I look forward to learning my own lessons, at least I won't have to regret but $100 worth.