Final Review-$1200 Gaming Machine

[AlterReality]

Approximate Purchase Date: Tonight

Budget Range: $1200

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, DVD Burner, Power Supply

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: (e.g.: newegg.com, ncix.com -- to show us selection & pricing)

Country of Origin: United States

Parts Preferences: Quality preferred

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe (future date)

Monitor Resolution: 1080p

Additional Comments: Power Supply is a carry over from my previous build. Please let me know if you think this will put my computer at risk. I understand to CrossFire, I will need to purchase a new PSU when the time comes.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703009

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Cooler Master HAF 922 [$90]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197

Intel Core i5-2500K + Windows 7 Home Premium OEM [$305]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.723046

Cooler Master Hyper 212+ [$30]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard [$115]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271

Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory [$55]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226184

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive [$60]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

SAPPHIRE 100312-3SR Radeon HD 6950 Dirt3 Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity [$265]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.731435

ASUS VS Series VS247H-P Black 23.6" 2ms LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 50000000:1 [$167]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236174
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Thoughts, suggestions and recommendations appreciated. Looking at pressing the purchase button tonight and hopefully Newegg can work their magic and have it to me this weekend (wishful thinking). Thanks for all the help.

 

[genghiskron]

great build. you will not need a new psu to crossfire, that is a solid 750w psu, which is just fine for dual hd6950s. my only objection is the price of that hd6950. is it a good cooling system? sure, but $300? id go with the dual fan sapphire:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.731435

 

[Why_Me]

Solid looking build.

 

[AlterReality]

great build. you will not need a new psu to crossfire, that is a solid 750w psu, which is just fine for dual hd6950s. my only objection is the price of that hd6950. is it a good cooling system? sure, but $300? id go with the dual fan sapphire:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.731435

Do you know if that particular card will be able to unlock or is it a crap shoot all the way around?

 

[genghiskron]

dont know, but it seems like its generally a crapshoot. again, that twin frozr iii is a great card, i just cant see how its worth $35 more than the well-received sapphire version. the reviews seem to indicate that both models are capable of a shader unlock, at least some of them.

 

[AlterReality]

Agreed. Seems someone purchased on 8/29/11 and received unlockable. Change made. Any other opinions?

 

[madchemist83]

Yes handsdown Sapphire Dirt3 is a solid card. I think they fixed the shaders ... but it's still probably 50/50