700-1000$ gaming comp, buying this week

[clly]

Approximate Purchase Date: This week

Budget Range: 700-1000

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, regular stuff

Parts Not Required: -

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: directcanada.com

Country of Origin: Canada

Parts Preferences: by brand or type (e.g.: I would like to use an AMD CPU & Biostar mobo with a 24" LCD and full tower case)

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200

___________

Here is the build my friend and I made for our computers so far after looking at the forums and reviews:

PSU: Corsair Builder Series CMPSU-600CXV2 600W ATX Power Supply Active PFC 120MM Fan *3 Year Wrty*

Memory: 4GB 1600MHZ 240PIN DIMM DDR3 NON ECC CL9 1.65V GOLD

MoBo: ASRock Z68 EXTREME3 GEN3 ATX LGA1155 DDR3 2PCI-E16 2PCI-E SATA3 USB3.0 SLI CrossFireX Motherboard

GPU: Gigabyte Radeon HD 6950 870MHZ 1GB 5GHZ GDDR5 2XDVI HDMI Display Port PCI-E DIRECTX11 Video Card

CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K Quad Core Unlocked Processor LGA1155 3.3GHZ Sandy Bridge 6MB

Case: I am planning on putting this build in a fractal design R3.

What do you guys think?

 

[cutebeans]

Change your RAM to this
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15380BD5211&vpn=F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL&manufacture=G.SKILL

Don't use 1.65v, it's going to damage the rig.

 

[clly]

Got it. Thanks a lot for warning us of that.

Any other recommendations?

 

[legendkiller]

Change your MoBo to the Asus Maximus Rampage LGA 1155(Dont need Gen3 PCI-e because you need to change CPU too for the support of PCIe 3.0 which only Ivy Bridge supports it in LGA 1155 Socket)
Change your VideoCard to GTx 580 1.5GB to max everything out at 1920x1200(Beside your suppose to get 1.5-2GB for 1920x1200(1920x1080) resolution because few or some games use more than 1GB and that's probably BF3 & MW3)...
Change your PSU to Antec 750w(With green color)
Also get CM212+ Heatsink...

 

[clly]

We were thinking of Gen3 so that in the future when we upgrade CPU we won't also need to change the MoBo. Is that not the way to think?

Also, what if we bought the HD6950 - 2GB instead of the GTX?

And if I don't plan on overclocking my CPU or GPU right now, can I forego the CM212 and heatsink?

Finally... do I really need 750w?

Thanks for the advice. I do appreciate it

 

[Why_Me]

We were thinking of Gen3 so that in the future when we upgrade CPU we won't also need to change the MoBo. Is that not the way to think?

Also, what if we bought the HD6950 - 2GB instead of the GTX?

And if I don't plan on overclocking my CPU or GPU right now, can I forego the CM212 and heatsink?

Finally... do I really need 750w?

Thanks for the advice. I do appreciate it

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=13220AC2351&vpn=OCZ-ZS750W&manufacture=OCZ <---- 750w to push two 560's or two 6950's, and stick with the gen3 board. Also check prices at Best Direct Canada...they are affiliated with Direct Canada and both use the same shipping addy out of Richmond, BC.

 

[legendkiller]

We were thinking of Gen3 so that in the future when we upgrade CPU we won't also need to change the MoBo. Is that not the way to think?

Also, what if we bought the HD6950 - 2GB instead of the GTX?

And if I don't plan on overclocking my CPU or GPU right now, can I forego the CM212 and heatsink?

Finally... do I really need 750w?

Thanks for the advice. I do appreciate it

Well, It doesn't really matter if you change CPU or not because you have to change GPU as well so do you really wanna spend 1k on the computer and upgrade it or do you just want to spend 1k and just leave it for the next few years? I Rather keep my 2500k(if i ever build one now) and my GPU than upgrading which will waste my money on old GPU and CPU unless i got another computer on the side that need a GPU or CPU...

CPU can only max out at around 3.8GHz on stock intel heatsink so no you do not need if you dont OC too far from 3.8GHz...

You only need 750w PSU so you can upgrade to another GPU for CFx...

 

[clly]

I am a bit confused after reading a few sites.

With the Asrock extreme3 z68 will I be able to use the USB 3.0 that is on my case?

 

[legendkiller]

Yes you can as long as the MoBo has a USB 3.0 slot that can be plug like the same as USB 2.0 DOES... Max sure it's BLUE color lol...

 

[clly]

After reading some more, it would seem that because the Asrock Z68 Extreme3 doesn't have a front USB 3.0 header, thus I would not be able to use the 3.0 on my case. I will have to go for the Extreme4 which does have a 3.0 header.

Can you validate this?

 

[madchemist83]

that is correct ..
no point in buying that mobo in particular ... any mobo in that price range is good enough .. with slight chance of DOA

 

[madchemist83]

apart from the look is there any other reason u going with that case?
it only comes with 2 120mm fans ... compare to HAF 922 - 2 200mm = quieter
for PSU u have OCZ ZS, PC & PC, Thermaltake or FPS

 

[clly]

Going with the case because I like the look and it's supposedly quiet (which I definitely want). Though I am sure you are right and other cases with bigger fans and lower RPM are quieter. I like the relatively smaller size too. Thats another big thing for me.

So do you think there's any point in getting the extreme4 which has a usb 3.0 header i can use to connect to the the front panel of my case? Or not worth the extra 50$ investment

 

[madchemist83]

i don't think so