1000$ Gaming Build

[tekcap]

Approximate Purchase Date: January

Budget Range: 1000$ Maximum with rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, Monitor, Sound Card, Case, and power supply

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.ca or tigerdirect.ca

Parts Preferences: None

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: No Idea

Additional Comments: I already have a corsair PSU rated at 750 wat and its gold standard. I also have the coolermaster beast case. I don't remember the name but its definitely overkill for whatever I'm doing. I have never overclocked before but I might give it a shot but nothing to crazy. The only part I havent put up is a hard drive because I don't know if I should keep my cheap sata 2, 500gb HD or get a new SSD one. I also didn't list Windows because I'm still weighing out the benifits of Windows 7 versions.

If I include Windows 7 and a SSD the current build might be roughly 1000$

Please feel free to tear apart everything I have suggested.

The only two parts I'm strongly sure of are these.

GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128502

Intel Core i5-2500 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I52500
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115073

The rest of the parts are randomly chosen out of ignorance.

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233144

EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti FPB (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130604

 

[larkspur]

You want this CPU (the K means unlocked for overclocking): http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

If you choose to OC then you definitely want the K. If you aren't overclocking then you won't need an aftermarket cooler.

 

[jecho]

Get the 2500k. Overclocking is very easy and many games see much improvement with a 4.4 clock on air. I have a 2500k with the 212 and i maintain 4.4 with no heat issues. I would say wait a couple weeks to see what AMD is coming out with and maybe it will come with a price drop on the gtx 500s. Also save up some money and I highly recommend a SSD at least for a boot drive. I love the start and shutdown times.

 

[tekcap]

Thanks folks, ill wait for the video card drop and swap CPU for the 2500k.

 

[larkspur]

Thanks folks, ill wait for the video card drop and swap CPU for the 2500k.

As far as waiting goes... the only GPU launching soon is the 7970 and with limited availability at that. The 7950 will come around "soon after" but it appears to be later rather than sooner. The 7700 and 7800s will start arriving sometime this quarter but that could be as long as March (with Feb being more likely). All speculation. Read the January update: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107.html

My point is that chips are already a little cheaper (since the holidays are over) and I think only the high-end chips will further drop prices this month. I think the mainstream chips won't get cheaper for another month or so.

 

[inzone]

Looks good for a gaming Pc and if you are going with an after market cpu cooler I would get some Artec Silver 5 thermal compound in stead of the stock compound that comes with the cooler.

COOLER MASTER Hyper N 520 RR-920-N520-GP 92mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Intel Core i7 compatible
$39.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103057

Same price better cooler.

 

[tekcap]

To be honest, there is no hurry. As long as its ready for Diablo 3

I made the swap for the other cooler and ill take a look at the paste.

 

[tekcap]

Could someone recommend a SSD drive?

 

[tekcap]

Looks good for a gaming Pc and if you are going with an after market cpu cooler I would get some Artec Silver 5 thermal compound in stead of the stock compound that comes with the cooler.

COOLER MASTER Hyper N 520 RR-920-N520-GP 92mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Intel Core i7 compatible
$39.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103057

Same price better cooler.

It does not list 1155 socket but I'm assuming it will fit?

 

[azeem40]

I recommend a 1920*1080 resolution and HD.

 

[tekcap]

I recommend a 1920*1080 resolution and HD.

I actually plan on hooking up the computer through HDMI to put 40 inch TV. Never done anything like this before but hopefully everything looks good.

 

[larkspur]

I actually plan on hooking up the computer through HDMI to put 40 inch TV. Never done anything like this before but hopefully everything looks good.

Well hopefully its a 1080p TV. Only real trouble with the larger TVs is that each pixel gets larger and more noticeable the larger they get while the resolution isn't more than 1080p or sometimes just 720p.

 

[tekcap]

Its not 1080p, I might have to get a new one if it doesn't look good

 

[larkspur]

Its not 1080p, I might have to get a new one if it doesn't look good

Well as long as its at least 720p then it'll be good, I didn't mean to make you worry. It's the kind of thing that gets very noticeable on the 50"+ screens. a 40" @720p is probably fine. I do hope its not like a standard def or something (not sure if they even make those). That would be very bad.

 

[tekcap]

Best answer selected by tekcap.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey