600 CAD gaming build for bf3

[jimmybrando7]

Approximate Purchase Date: this week

Budget Range: 600-700 CAD

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

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor and speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.ca, ncix.com

Country: Canada

Parts Preferences: Intel sandy bridge cpu

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: n/a

Additional Comments: A build that can handle battlefield 3 on high or ultra settings

Thanks

 

[danraies]

"n/a" is not an option for monitor resolution. You have a monitor and we need to know what resolution it is. If that resolution is 1600x900 then you'll need at least a 6950 or 560ti to hit ultra (and even then...maybe not) and you're not going to do that on $700 CAD.

This is a list I just put together in US prices and it's about the best I think you can do with sandy bridge:
($115) CPU: Intel i3-2100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115078
($110) Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Pro3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157279
($240) GPU: Gigabyte 6950 1GB ***
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125385
($47) RAM: 8GB G.Skill (the stats here do matter)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428
($60) PSU: Corsair CX500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027
($40) Case: NZXT Gamma
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146061
($80) HDD: Hitachi 500GB 7200RPM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145299

***If you can find a GTX 560ti for cheaper than a Radeo 6950 then that's what you should get (they're basically the same card).

Total of $692 USD. You can try to find the best CAD prices - I never know where to look. At this price point, the i3-2100 is your only sandy bridge choice. If you need to downgrade some things to stay under budget then your first choices are the motherboard (micro-ATX or H67 chipset) and the RAM (4GB is an acceptable starting point). Do not downgrade the PSU and I don't know of a cheaper case or a cheaper reasonably-sized hard drive. You should make the graphics card the last thing you downgrade. A Radeon 6870 is still a good choice.

For reference, here is my configuration and it barely manages BF3 on ultra at 1600x900: i5-2500K (stock clocks), HD 6950 2GB (stock clocks), ASUS P8Z68-V Pro, 16GB RAM, etc.