Building $850 gaming rig, please help :)
zeus1356
Purchase Date: Within a week
Budget: $850
System Usage: Gaming
Parts Not Required: OS, Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, Monitor
Preferred Websites: TigerDirect, Microcenter (I live very close to both of these stores too)
Country of Origin: Chicago, USA
Overclocking: Yes
SLI/Crossfire: In the future
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200
Parts Preference:
CPU: Intel Core i5 2500k
Additional Comments:
- I live by both a Microcenter store and TigerDirect store. Unfortunately sales tax in Chicago is 10.25% so that affects my budget.
- I would like a system that is quiet.
- I know that the new AMD processors are coming out soon, is it a good idea to wait or is this purchase still a pretty safe bet?
Thanks guys, really appreciate it!
Budget: $850
System Usage: Gaming
Parts Not Required: OS, Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, Monitor
Preferred Websites: TigerDirect, Microcenter (I live very close to both of these stores too)
Country of Origin: Chicago, USA
Overclocking: Yes
SLI/Crossfire: In the future
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200
Parts Preference:
CPU: Intel Core i5 2500k
Additional Comments:
- I live by both a Microcenter store and TigerDirect store. Unfortunately sales tax in Chicago is 10.25% so that affects my budget.
- I would like a system that is quiet.
- I know that the new AMD processors are coming out soon, is it a good idea to wait or is this purchase still a pretty safe bet?
Thanks guys, really appreciate it!
23
answers
Last reply
More about building gaming
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Luckily enough, I just put together a build this past week from Microcenter at your exact budget haha.
XMS3 8GB DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800) CL9 Desktop Memory Kit (Two 4GB Memory Modules)
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0347306
Core i5 2500K LGA 1155 Boxed Processor- 179.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589
Barracuda 1TB 7,200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive ST310005N1A1AS-RK- 59.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0334293
ZT-50303-10M GTX 560 Ti Overclocked 1024MB GDDR5 PCIe 2.0 x16 Video Card- 229.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0356003
ZS Series 750 Watt ATX Power Supply - 89.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0367316
22x DVD±RW Burner with Dual/Double Layer Support - SH-S223F - OEM- 17.99
GA-Z68XP-UD3 LGA 1155 Z68 ATX Intel Motherboard - 154.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0366193
And a choice between these cases.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0339423
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0365239
Those two cases are just a copy and paste from my build. You could also go with an HAF 912 or any other case. -
Avoid sales tax and shop Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Tower-Case-RC-912-KKN1/dp/B003ZM7YTA $49.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Cooler Master HAF 912 Mid Tower ATX Case (RC-912-KKN1)
http://www.amazon.com/OCZ-80PLUS-Bronze-Performance-Supply/dp/B005A2RJOI/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1316980203&sr=1-4 $99.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
OCZ ZS Series 750 Watt 80PLUS Bronze Performance ATX Power Supply - OCZ-ZS750W
http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Intel-DDR3-Motherboard-GA-Z68A-D3H-B3/dp/B00518M77U/ref=sr_1_2?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1316980403&sr=1-2 $113.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Gigabyte Intel Z68 ATX DDR3 2133 LGA 1155 Motherboard GA-Z68A-D3H-B3
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589 $179.99 (walk in only)
Core i5 2500K LGA 1155 Boxed Processor
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_c $27.06 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler, RR-B10-212P-G1
http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Ballistix-Channel-240-Pin-BL2CP51264BA160A/dp/B004UQ1KK4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e1 $49.72 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB Dual Channel Kit DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM BL2CP51264BA160A
http://www.amazon.com/Asus-DVD%C2%B1RW-DVD-RAM-Internal-DRW-24B1ST/dp/B0033Z2BAQ/ref=pd_cp__3 $18.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25
Asus 24x DVD±RW Drive DVD-RAM/±R/±RW 24x 8x 16x (DVD) 48x 32x 48x (CD) Serial ATA Internal OEM DRW-24B1ST (Black)
http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-7200-12-Internal-ST31000524AS/dp/B004IZN3YI/ref=sr_1_2?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1316985722&sr=1-2 $54.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1 TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s with NCQ 32MB Cache 3.5 Inch Internal Bare Drive ST31000524AS
http://www.amazon.com/MSI-PCI-Express-N560GTX-TWIN-FROZR/dp/B004JLNZXU/ref=pd_cp_e_1 $224.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
MSI GeForce GTX560 1 GB DDR5 2DVI/Mini HDMI PCI-Express Video Card N560GTX TI TWIN FROZR II OC
Total: $822.71
***Cheaper alternatives down below.
http://www.amazon.com/MSI-N560GTX-Frozr-II-OC/dp/B0050I1P38/ref=pd_cp_e_4 $179.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
MSI N560GTX Twin Frozr II/OC Video Card
http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Ballistix-Channel-240-Pin-BL2CP25664BA160A/dp/B004TPI42I/ref=sr_1_104?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1316980679&sr=1-104 $29.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Crucial Ballistix Sport 4 Dual Channel Kit DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM BL2CP25664BA160A
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-560-amp-edition-gtx-560-directcu-ii-top,2944.html <----- gtx 560 vs gtx 560ti -
zeus1356 said:Whats Ivy Bridge? And did you buy these parts in-store? i think im gonna have to pay tax which would put me over budget. Also, don't you need the Hyper 212 cooler for overclocking?
You don't pay sales tax on anything shipped from Amazon outside the state of Illinois. Seeing how Amazon cut all it's ties with it's affiliates in Illinois, other than that 2500K I linked to Microcenter, that entire build I posted is tax free. -
zeus1356 said:Thanks Why_Me, looks like a great build. Any idea if this rig will run pretty quietly or is that too hard to tell at this point?
The case in that build can hold a 200mm case fan...which sales for like $14 on amazon. The larger the fan, the slower the rpm which means less noise. Your going to want to add one of those fans eventually anyways so you have better cooling/airflow or it's going to be a hot box. -
Yep, Why_Me's build is looking good too. I only tried the Microcenter build because you said it was close and was one of your options, not to mention it would only go over budget by maybe $30 and you could easily cut that price down a bit. You'll just have to wait a few days to get all your parts from Amazon, and possibly deal with dead parts on arrival. But don't let that stop you! Make sure you get the CPU from Microcenter though!
And yes, it should be rather quiet. Especially if you upgrade to a 200mm fan. -
zeus1356 said:I see that both of you recommend the 560GTX TI, yet the article on Tom's Hardware for that price range suggests the Radeon HD 6950 1 GB. Why go with the GeForce?
That gtx 560ti is the over clocking king atm, and when that card is easily pushed to 900+mhz it surpasses that 6950. -
zeus1356 said:looks like overclocking is still a little challenging with this mobo. does anyone have other suggestions for a motherboard?
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 -
Sorry one more thing, I see that some PSU have fans on the top and some have fans shooting out. Is one design better than the other? I'm going to buy the HAF 912 which looks like the "fan on top" design would work better.
Lastly, do I need 750 watts for my rig? Or can I get away with 650 or 700?
Thanks. -
zeus1356 said:Sorry one more thing, I see that some PSU have fans on the top and some have fans shooting out. Is one design better than the other? I'm going to buy the HAF 912 which looks like the "fan on top" design would work better.
Lastly, do I need 750 watts for my rig? Or can I get away with 650 or 700?
Thanks.
If you want to add another one of those cards in the future in SLI then you want a 750w psu. Also you don't want to go cheap on your psu. Cheap psu's go fast, and when they go they have a tendency to take other components like your motherboard with it.
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