1200 - 1300 gaming system

[programs]

My attempt at a first build:


Approximate Purchase Date: next few weeks

Budget Range: ~1200 - 1300

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, surfing the internet

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, speakers, OS

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: by brand or type: Intel based

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: best I can get for the budget

Additional Comments: none



Parts:

Processor: $219
Intel Core i-5-2500K Sandy Bridge
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072


Motherboard: $124
ASRock Z68 Extreme3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271&Tpk=asrock%20extreme3%20gen3%20z68


Video Card: $249
EVGA SuperClocked GeForce GTX 560 Ti
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130610


Memory: $42
G.Skill Sniper 8GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231416


Case: Undecided


Hard Drive: $149
Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&Tpk=Samsung%20Spinpoint%20F3%201TB


Power Supply: $124
Corsair GS800 800W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139025


LG DVD: $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136228


Heatsink: $29
Cooler Master Hyper 212
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065


Monitor: $214
ASUS VE248Q 24"
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236154&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=4176827&SID=11bv4yzofbsro

 

[NeutralEnergy]

Well then, you obviously researched your stuff well. So... Just saying here, if our getting an i5 2500k then your goanna have to overclock to actually use what it's got. Really, the only reason people buy it is because of its amazing overclocking potentials. Read up on overclocking (make a post in the overclocking section?) and its a piece of cake to get it up to 4.0 GHz.

The motherboard seems ok but if you had some more to spend then I would go with an Asus motherboard, as Asrock motherboards tend to be buggy (ie I'm on one right now and most of the times that I try to power up my system it doesn't do anything at all... so I have to restart it 4 times exactly to actually get it to start up :/ ). For instance this motherboard is quite nice-

Asus- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131792


For the memory, get a pair of these instead as they are 1600 MHz opposed to 1333 MHz. It's well worth the... $3?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231461

So, you picked a good choice for the video card. That one really hits the spot in terms of its performance/dollar ratio. I only wish that it was possible to 3-way SLI it, but I guess 2-way is good enough. You definitely wanna sli that card with another one when you get a chance to. Keep in mind, though, that the gtx 600 series should be coming out sometime in Q1 of this year (2012). You could always wait for the gtx 660 ti to come out... or you could buy one right now, register it on evga, and then use its step-up program to pay the difference =D. I recommend doing that.

So... Cases are hard to pick, they really are. I know personally, and I made a last-minute choice to go with a much cheaper case (Antec 900) and am seriously regretting it. If your just looking for a cheap case with just the basics (decent cable management, decent looks, decent space, etc.) then I really recommend going with the Rosewill Challenger.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153
It's half the price of the case I have ($50) and twice as good. Rosewill is a part of Newegg so... You really can't go wrong with them. Otherwise, if your looking for a top-end case with great looks, great cable management, loads of space and overall awesomeness I would really recommend going with the Corsair 650D.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139006
It's one hell of a case (I'm getting it next week =P ).

About the monitor, though... Keep in mind that the larger your screen is, the more blurry things will be (in your case) because your monitor has the same resolution as a 23" monitor... I really recommend going with a Asus 23" monitor.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236117
I'm on it right now and... it's great. This one is all up to you, though.

Well then, that's pretty much all. I hope this helps. Good luck with the build! Cheers!

 

[Silvune]

A better PSU:
Rosewill Capstone 750W 80Plus Gold $120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182073
There any number of other power supplies which are at the very least more efficient, if not modular or better performing in some other aspect in the $100-130 price range than the Corsair GS800.