~$800 Gaming Build

[wabsrck]

Hi all,

First time here and first time building a computer from scratch. I need opinions on where to cut performance and where to increase. Also, if you know anywhere that I can find a product cheaper than newegg let me know! Thanks all for your help.

Approximate Purchase Date: Within a week

Budget Range: 800-1000

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Playing BF3 MW3, Photo Editing, Surfing the internet, Excel

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Reputable buyers with less than 2 week shipping

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: Intel for processor, NVidia for graphics card

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: A year or two down the road maybe. Does the motherboard I have below allow SLI use?

Monitor Resolution: I haven't bought the monitor yet...

Additional Comments:

This is what I have so far please feel free to change anything as I am not tied to these parts:

Processor Intel I5 2500K

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

Graphics Card MSI N560GTX Twin Frozr II

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127593

Motherboard MSI-just click the link

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130582

PSU 620 W Antec Eco

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371031

Leaning towards the Antec 200 Illusion case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

DVD drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

RAM (not sure if it's a good idea with the motherboard because it would not be at its native frequency plus got this from looking at another thread)
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-Profile-PC3-12800-CML8GX3M2A1600C9/dp/B00569K7LM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1325215023&sr=8-3

HDD
No idea. At least over 750 GB.

 

[azeem40]

Your MOBO does not supports SLI. Anything on this list supports SLI.

HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136768

 

[wabsrck]

Hmm. There doesn't seem like many options in the way of SLI. Should I just get a better GPU? Any suggestions for mobo?

 

[wabsrck]

Does anyone have experience with this HDD?
http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-7200-12-Internal-ST31000524AS/dp/B004IZN3YI/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1325223179&sr=1-2

 

[wabsrck]

Another question...
Will the PSU have enough plugs for the graphics card? I read it takes two power connectors.

 

[Zero_]

Check the $1000 build in my sig. i5 2500k + HD6970. If it's over budget, go for GTX560Ti from the $800 build in my sig instead of the HD6970. It should add up to around $900 including OS.

 

[andrewcarr]

Your motherboard only supports CF so to stay in your price range I recommend instead buying this GPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127545
This should perform the same as a 560 (non Ti). You can get a cheaper model of the same card but I chose the same one as your chose except different GPU. Last option would be to wait until the new 7xxx series comes out but then you may have to wait longer than you want. The 79xx come out January don't know about the 78xx and 77xx.
Or to change the Motherboard you could get this- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131771
Then you run into problems with your PSU not having enough PCI-E connectors and not having enough power. But this PSU should handle it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341041

 

[aznshinobi]

Check out my $900 build here:
http://www.squidoo.com/electronicandmore

 

[wabsrck]

Okay so it seems BF3 really wants a kickin GPU and I'm interesting in FPS games mostly anyways. So, I'm thinking in interest of money to not look at SLI anymore. So here is where I am at and let me know what you think.

MOBO MSI G45 B3 128
PROCESSOR I5-2500K 220
GPU EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 240
RAM Ripjaw 8GB 4x2 40
HDD Seagate Barracuda 1 TB 105
PSU Antec Eco 620W 60
CASE Antec 900 90
DVDD ASUS 20

 

[andrewcarr]

looks like a great computer

 

[wabsrck]

Thanks Andrew! Any little things I should know like cables that might not be included? I already ordered a SATA cable.

 

[andrewcarr]

Ok found something I would change because it is cheaper and better. Would get this mobo its 10% off.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130582
You only need two SATA cables so why you bought one I don't know. Can you cancel that order?
Your motherboard and the one I listed both come with two SATA cables.
Besides that if you don't want to CF or SLI you are fine.

 

[wabsrck]

I can cancel the SATA cable order I did not see it was there.

Also, you linked to the same board I have listed.

 

[andrewcarr]

One more thing to add is if you buy everything but a GPU and wait until the 7xxx series comes out there should be a price drop in AMD GPU so you should be able to pick a 6950 for the same price as an 560 Ti which then allows you to CF in the future because this motherboard only supports CF. Would have to wait until about second week of January. Release date is the 9th.

 

[andrewcarr]

Sorry thought you were tanking about this G45 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130612 (don't accidentally get this) not the other one you are getting (so many models with close names please be more specific).

 

[wabsrck]

My goal would be to build this next week so I do not think I will be waiting for the AMD GPU.

 

[andrewcarr]

Ok you could get this GPU which you could later CF its the same price. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150552
Or this one which will be better to overclock http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125385 (what I would get)
Or this Motherboard which supports SLI
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128495
but with this you lose the two USB 3.0 ports on the board although your Case doesn't have front ones anyways.
To not lose those you need this motherboard which is far better but costlier
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131771
Then it comes to the PSU which needs 4 PCI-E connectors not 2. Any of these will work.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341041
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207014
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371049
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371051
I would get a modular one so the one I would buy is the OCZ.
Can you post a link to the 560Ti you want to get there are lots of them there. The one I would get is this though if it had to be a 560Ti that is.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162088

 

[andrewcarr]

I have had a galaxy card go and they sent me a new one they are great about their warranty it was an easy process. Worked for about 1 month and I don't think it was the companies fault but just that some go bad.

 

[wabsrck]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130610

thats the card i was looking at ^^^

 

[andrewcarr]

That's ok but I'd still get the Galaxy for a little more.
I am going to have to get off soon so hope I can help you finalize the build soon.

 

[wabsrck]

Yea I am right about at my budget at my current configuration so the Galaxy would be out of that range. Also, I'm just wary of AMD because I have never used them before. Would the AMD card listed perform better than the EVGA?

 

[andrewcarr]

You would get your some money back if you get the Gigabyte. But the AMD card should perform about the same as the 560Ti. Here are some comparisons. http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2011-gaming-graphics-charts/compare,2675.html?prod%5B4827%5D=on&prod%5B4967%5D=on&prod%5B5147%5D=on&prod%5B5062%5D=on&prod%5B4838%5D=on&prod%5B4969%5D=on&prod%5B4975%5D=on&prod%5B4974%5D=on&prod%5B4971%5D=on&prod%5B4833%5D=on
Got to get off now hope that helps. Please list your final build and I'll be back on to check in 7 hours. With the AMD cards you have a chance of unlocking it to make it a 6970 so that is is far better than the 560Ti. There is about an 80% chance of unlocking it. http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/159

 

[wabsrck]

Well I think I am going to stick with NVidia. I just haven't spent the time I need researching AMD cards. Also, I am changing my power supply to a OCZ modular 500W PSU. The price was $35 so it really can't be beat. The minimum for my card I believe is 500W so I still should be good on that front. Let me know if this causes issues.

Thanks for all your help.
Scott

 

[andrewcarr]

Should work fine. Your PSU really only needs to be 420w and that's if you overclock the CPU so it needs 130w. http://extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine
Should be a good computer.