New build review: Gaming $1500-1800

[amcjmc3]

Hello,
Just getting ready to order for my first build any help or improvement suggestions are appreciated. Thanks for your time.


Approximate Purchase Date: This week

Budget : $1400-1800


System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, photoshop, movies

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse , monitor, OS

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon, newegg

Country: usa

Parts Preferences: none

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: Yes , in the future, when needed

Monitor Resolution: 1920x 1200

Comments: this will be my first build. Looking to build a system that can run today's games on ultra and have the option to upgrade down the line. Thank you for your feedback.

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Kingston Technology HyperX 8 GB (2x4 GB Modules) 1600 MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Kit (PC3 12800) 240-Pin SDRAM ... http://amzn.com/B0037TO5C0 $44.74

Intel Core i5-2400 3.10 GHz 6 MB Cache Socket LGA1155 Processor http://amzn.com/B004EBUXIA $189.99

Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB DDR5 HDMI/DVI-I/Dual Mini DP PCI-Express Graphics Card 21197-00-40G http://amzn.com/B006P88VO8 $559.99
Is the performance increase from a 7950 worth the extra $?


Corsair Enthusiast Series 850-Watt 80 Plus Bronze Certified Power Supply http://amzn.com/B004MYFODS $134.99

Crucial 128 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s CT128M4SSD2 http://amzn.com/B004W2JKZI $159.99

Western Digital Caviar Green 1 TB SATA III Intellipower 64 MB Cache Bulk/OEM 3.5-Inch http://amzn.com/B0053YKMGA $108.05

Case: ? Big enough to crossfire down the road

Mobo: ASUS LGA 1155 - Z68 - PCIe 3.0 and UEFI BIOS Intel Z68 ATX DDR3 2200 LGA 1155 Motherboards P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 http://amzn.com/B005UDITPK

And just noticed I forgot a dvd drive. Will get a cheap one.

Thanks again!

 

[jmsellars1]

By the time that HD 7970 can't game well on a single monitor, it definitely won't be a good idea to Crossfire it. Even if it was, the i5-2500k at stock settings starts to show signs of bottlenecking in certain games with the HD 7970 so that's another reason that 2 of them would seem like a waste with an i5-2400, especially on a single monitor.

 

[Atotalnoob]

I'd get G.Skill ram. Kingston ram is horrid, perhaps this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233254 $79.99

If you have extra money go for a blu-ray player. It can't hurt to get one...

 

[jmsellars1]

Nothing wrong with Kingston RAM, Corsair and G.Skill are fine as well though.

 

[Atotalnoob]

Not in my experience.

 

[Why_Me]

Hello,
Just getting ready to order for my first build any help or improvement suggestions are appreciated. Thanks for your time.


Approximate Purchase Date: This week

Budget : $1400-1800


System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, photoshop, movies

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse , monitor, OS

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon, newegg

Country: usa

Parts Preferences: none

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: Yes , in the future, when needed

Monitor Resolution: 1920x 1200

Comments: this will be my first build. Looking to build a system that can run today's games on ultra and have the option to upgrade down the line. Thank you for your feedback.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kingston Technology HyperX 8 GB (2x4 GB Modules) 1600 MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Kit (PC3 12800) 240-Pin SDRAM ... http://amzn.com/B0037TO5C0 $44.74

Intel Core i5-2400 3.10 GHz 6 MB Cache Socket LGA1155 Processor http://amzn.com/B004EBUXIA $189.99

Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB DDR5 HDMI/DVI-I/Dual Mini DP PCI-Express Graphics Card 21197-00-40G http://amzn.com/B006P88VO8 $559.99
Is the performance increase from a 7950 worth the extra $?


Corsair Enthusiast Series 850-Watt 80 Plus Bronze Certified Power Supply http://amzn.com/B004MYFODS $134.99

Crucial 128 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s CT128M4SSD2 http://amzn.com/B004W2JKZI $159.99

Western Digital Caviar Green 1 TB SATA III Intellipower 64 MB Cache Bulk/OEM 3.5-Inch http://amzn.com/B0053YKMGA $108.05

Case: ? Big enough to crossfire down the road

Mobo: ASUS LGA 1155 - Z68 - PCIe 3.0 and UEFI BIOS Intel Z68 ATX DDR3 2200 LGA 1155 Motherboards P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 http://amzn.com/B005UDITPK

And just noticed I forgot a dvd drive. Will get a cheap one.

Thanks again!

That Kingston RAM you have linked up there is no good for these 1155 boards. They require low voltage RAM as in 1.5v RAM, and that Kingston you have up there is the old school 1.65v. Chances are it will mess up your controller.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104173&Tpk=KHX1600C9D3K2%2f8GX <------ That's that same Kingston RAM...and it shows 1.65v

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-PC3-12800-1600mHz-CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B/dp/B004QBUL1C/ref=pd_cp_e_0 <----that's 1.5v RAM and there's probably more 1.5v ram on amazon.

Modular psu down below and it's manufactured by Seasonic as is that Corsair psu you have up there.

http://www.amazon.com/XFX-Semi-Modular-80Plus-Certified-P1850BNLG9/dp/B0050751YS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1329773193&sr=1-1 $134.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
XFX PRO Series 850W XXX Edition Semi-Modular 80Plus Silver 850 Watt PSU ATX 850 Energy Star Certified Power Supply P1850BNLG9