First time builder, $1000 gaming rig

[Walkendude]

Approximate Purchase Date: This week, maybe the next. As soon as I feel confident in what I have.
 
Budget Range: $1000, I'd like rebates but sending the UPC code to the manufacture ruins Newegg's RMA, so I wouldn't want to send the rebates back until after 30 days.
 
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (SWTOR, L4D2, BF2: PR), Web surfing, word processing.
 
Parts Not Required: Keyboard, mouse, speakers, monitor.
 
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg
 
Country of Origin: USA
 
Parts Preferences: Nvidia Video Card
 
Overclocking: I don't know anything about this so I'll say no.
 
SLI or Crossfire: No
 
Monitor Resolution: I think it's a 1440x900, tower won't boot up so I can't check and Google isn't helping me.
 
Additional Comments: Quiet, the one had become so loud I can't stand it. I have never made my own build before, I've replaced hard drives, graphics cards, ram, a CPU and I think I remember doing a sound card, but never a new build. So simple would be nice. I'd really like some quality hardware that's going to last and I don't have to RMA, I'd sacrifice performance for that security.
Also, I've done my best to check compatibility for all components, if you see anything wrong I'd appreciate that could be pointed out. I picked out a full tower, I don't know if I really need that but I figure that's my best chance of everything fitting in the case and making sure the GC fits out the back. I'm paying $120 for a PSU and trying to remind myself that is a good price and I'm not wasting money. I looked through RAM and tried to find the best I could for a decent price, but it has spikes all over it. What's going on there? Finally, I'm not a big fan of rebates because they prevent me from RMAing with NewEgg.
I know I'm just some guy you've never met so I want to say thanks for reading and thank you for you input.

COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

MSI N560GTX-TI Twin Frozr II/OC GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video ...

CORSAIR Professional Series HX650 (CMPSU-650HX) 650W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular ...

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL

MSI P67A-GD65 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
 
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel ...

 

[tomskent]

you did a great job at picking out the parts, its a great build.
If you want to save any more money, Id suggest the Biostar TZ68A+ motherboard.
You can get it for $99 at newegg, it has the Z68 chipset.
Also at 1400x900, you can get a less expensive video card and still run everything at max at that resolution.

 

[aznshinobi]

Cheaper HDD same performance.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&Tpk=samsung%20f3%201tb
Cheaper PSU more performance and similar price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194093&Tpk=Lepa%20850
Cheaper motherboard similar performance.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271
OR
http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Intel-DDR3-Motherboard-GA-Z68A-D3H-B3/dp/B00518M77U%3FSubscriptionId%3D19BAZMZQFZJ6G2QYGCG2%26tag%3Dsquid1240995-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00518M77U
Cheaper off Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0%3FSubscriptionId%3D19BAZMZQFZJ6G2QYGCG2%26tag%3Dsquid1240995-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB002G1YPH0

 

[jmsellars1]

The 922 isn't a full tower, it is pretty big though. Also those spikes on the RAM are partly to look cool and partly to dissipate heat.

Here's something should should be better and more quiet.

i5-2500k - $219.99
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 - $124.99
8GB G.Skill Ripjaws X 1333Mhz - $47.99
MSI Twin Frozr II/OC GTX 560Ti - $244.99
Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB - $59.99
Corsair TX-750 - $104.99
NZXT H2 H2-001-BK - $84.99
Win 7 Home Premium 64 Bit - $99.99

$987.92

That gives you 8GB of RAM and a quieter case with noise absorbing foam. Also the Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB is just as fast (or faster) than the WD black for a lot less. This build also gets you a decent Z68 motherboard.

Since you don't want to overclock or SLI/Crossfire though, you could get a much cheaper motherboard, PSU and CPU. Give me 5 minutes and i'll think of something more suitable.

 

[aznshinobi]

Virtually all the suggestions I made OP may want modular though I also just noticed he doesn't want CF SLI so....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016

 

[jmsellars1]

Heres another idea for a nice little Micro ATX build that should be even quieter.

i5-2400 (Because you don't want to overclock.)
8GB Corsair XMS3 (Lower profile than Ripjaws)
ASRock H61M/U3S3 (Don't need SLI/Crossfire/OC but this has USB 3.0 and SATA 3)
*Gainward Phantom GTX 560Ti (I hear its very quiet.)
SeaSonic M12II 520 (Very quiet PSU.)
*Fractal Design Define Mini (Cool little mATX case, very quiet)
*Scythe Big Shuriken

* Refers to something not on Newegg

That should be extremely quiet and cheap enough so that you could probably buy a SSD such as a Crucial M4 64GB too. That would be very fast and even quieter.

If you wanted to make it even quieter still you could remove the fans on the cooler and the case and buy 3 x Noctua NF-S12B ULN. One for the cooler, one for the front of the case and one for the back.

 

[Why_Me]

@ the OP...I wouldn't want to push dual 560's with a 650w psu and hope to have some juice left over for o/c, extra drives, etc.. This XFX psu down below is manufactured by Seasonic as is that HX650w psu you have up there.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.722409.11-119-197 $184.98 FREE SHIPPING
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

http://xfxforce.com/en-us/Products/PSU/Pro-Series/750W-PSU.aspx?product=34605 $119.99
XFX PRO750W XXX Edition Semi-Modular 80Plus Silver 750 Watt Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271 $124.99
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.717978 $448.98 $20.00 Mail In Rebates
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
MSI N560GTX-TI Twin Frozr II/OC GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 $29.99 FREE SHIPPING
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186 $52.99 FREE SHIPPING
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185 $59.99 FREE SHIPPING
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118039 $19.99 FREE SHIPPING
Sony Optiarc CD/DVD Burner 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model AD-7260S-0B - OEM

Total: $981.91 *not including shipping and rebates

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.730392 $142.98 - $15.00 Mail In Rebates FREE SHIPPING
CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC High Performance Power Supply
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9B

 

[Walkendude]

Wow! Thank you all so much for the input, and for finding stuff I already have but with a combo discount! I'm going through and adding/removing things right now and I'll post a new list.

Both a 500w and a 750w PSU have been recommended. I would think that the 500w wouldn't be enough to run the 560 Ti and the 750 would just produce excess heat from the wasted extra watts and force the fan to work hard. Thoughts?

 

[Why_Me]

Wow! Thank you all so much for the input, and for finding stuff I already have but with a combo discount! I'm going through and adding/removing things right now and I'll post a new list.

Both a 500w and a 750w PSU have been recommended. I would think that the 500w wouldn't be enough to run the 560 Ti and the 750 would just produce excess heat from the wasted extra watts and force the fan to work hard. Thoughts?

"Wasted extra watts"? A 750w psu is what's recommended for dual 560ti's in SLI. A 650w psu will probably push two of those cards, but it leaves you zero head room. 560's use a lot more juice than 6950's.

 

[Walkendude]

What if I have no plans to SLI?

 

[Walkendude]

Updated my wish list here.

 

[Why_Me]

What if I have no plans to SLI?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157230 $119.99 - $109.99 after mail-in rebate FREE SHIPPING
ASRock P67 PRO3 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.amazon.com/Antec-Computer-Power-Supply-HCG-520/dp/tech-data/B0047YNHI2 $71.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-520 520W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

 

[jmsellars1]

If your system is using 400W and you have a 750W PSU, 350W will not be wasted. 750W just means up to 750.

Then you take efficiency into account, that's where you worry about heat. If a system is pulling 400W from an 80% efficient (80 PLUS) PSU, the PSU will pull 480W from the wall and so 80W is excess heat. If you were pulling 400W from a 90% efficient PSU (80 PLUS Gold) the PSU would pull 440W from the wall and only 40W would be wasted as excess heat.

Hope that was clear

About the build. As said earlier, if you don't plan on SLI/Crossfire or overclocking you can get a much cheaper PSU and motherboard and a slightly cheaper CPU.

- The i5-2400 is pretty much just the i5-2500k without overclocking. The only difference would be the minor clock speed difference and that the i5-2400 is cheaper.

- Z68/P67 are mainly bought for overclocking and SLI, if you don't need them then a H61 or H67 board would be a lot cheaper. (There are other features of these such as RAID support but overclocking and SLI/Crossfire are the main uses in gaming builds.)

- With a single GTX 560Ti and no overclocking you could probably get away with 400W if you had the right connectors but you don't tend to get 2 x PCI-e connectors until about 500W so ~500W would probably be best.

- Don't feel like youre missing out with SLI and Crossfire, they are useful for certain people but i find they are best for pretty high end builds and frequent upgraders. Otherwise they are not that useful because it tends to eat a lot of power and be quite hot and noisy. Also means that it's not a good idea to wait too long before upgrading because in 5 years it won't be worth buying a second GTX 560Ti, you will probably be able to get a $100-150 card that will beat 2 of them and use half the power by that point anyway.

 

[Walkendude]

Best answer selected by Walkendude.