$1500 gaming build

[krisnwo420]

I apologize for the commentary in advance. lol


Approximate Purchase Date:
This week/next week

Budget Range:
$2000 is my max, but I'd like to keep it around 1500

System Usage from Most to Least Important:
Gaming (SWTOR, GW2 when it comes out, etc), other random things

Parts Not Required:
LG 23" 1080p Monitor, G15 Keyboard, G9x Mouse, BOSE speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts:
newegg.com, within driving distance to brick & morter tigerdirect/frys/microcenter

Country:
USA

Parts Preferences:
None really

Overclocking:
at first, no. maybe later

SLI or Crossfire:
easy answer, no followed by maybe.

Monitor Resolution:
1900x1080

Additional Comments:
Trying to futureproof the hell out of this thing. Something I won't have to fully replace for at least 5 years. The GPU will be replaced in the next year (and used in a different system), but I'm stuck on MoBo and Case. (problems with case will be explained below)


start with the knowns:
SSD:
SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128D/AM 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) Desktop Upgrade Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147134

HD:
Reusing a 1TB external and 500HB HDD from current system, until prices come down in the next year or so... lol

wireless card:
ASUS PCE-N15 Wireless Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n PCI Express 300/300Mbps Transfer/Receive Rate 64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK, WPS support
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320074
(don't have a choice, i have to be wireless. router/modem are downstairs in the office, room is upstairs)

CPU:
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000 BX80623I52500K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

CPU Fan:
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.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

OS:
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

DVD Burner:
LG DVD Burner 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model GH24NS70 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136236

Bluray Drive:
LG Black 12X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray Drive Model UH12LS28 OEM LightScribe Support - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136232

GPU:
EVGA 02G-P3-1568-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130683
(Getting this for a short term thing. Planning on a GTX 670 a couple months after they're released, and moving this to a different system; OR getting a second one and SLI'ing. we'll see what happens down the road)


Need help deciding the rest:

MoBo:
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271
Again, trying to future proof this thing. Would this MoBo work when on Ivy Bridge stuff down the line? Or the chipset after Ivy Bridge? (4th gen chips) Will it even hold up with what I have?

RAM:
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBRL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231315
I alt-tab while playing games. A lot. an awful lot. So more memory is needed for what I use my system for. So better question; is 4x4 good, or should i do 2x8?

PSU:
OCZ ZX Series 1000W Fully-Modular 80PLUS Gold High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341045&Tpk=ocz%201000w
Again, future proofing. No clue what else I may add to the system down the road, or how much drain the GTX600s are gonna have, so might as well get more than I need now so as not to have to rewire everything later. But is this too much, etc.

Case:
Believe it or not, the case is my biggest problem.
Whatever case I go with has to give in a 24"x12" slot in my desk, and will need to be pulled out at least once a month because my house is incredibly dusty.
Currently, I'm using an Antec 900. I'm not reusing the case because this system is being repackaged and given as a birthday gift to a relative.
I was looking at the HAF932, but don't think I'll get the room to give it decent side airflow.
Then I was looking at this:
AZZA Solano 1000R Black / Red Japanese SECC Steel/Metal mesh in front ATX Full Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811517006
Thoughts? Is this Solano any good, or should I roll with the HAF and just deal with the limited space for airflow?
Or, get another Antec 900, and put some red led fans in instead of blues. (i want a different color, hence the red)


Grand Total: (on newegg)
$1,461.88


Thanks for any and all help!

 

[g-unit1111]

ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157271
Again, trying to future proof this thing. Would this MoBo work when on Ivy Bridge stuff down the line? Or the chipset after Ivy Bridge? (4th gen chips) Will it even hold up with what I have?

That board would work but Asrock has a really iffy reputation - it seems people either love them or hate them. This would be a far safer bet:

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

Then I was looking at this:
AZZA Solano 1000R Black / Red Japanese SECC Steel/Metal mesh in front ATX Full Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811517006
Thoughts? Is this Solano any good, or should I roll with the HAF and just deal with the limited space for airflow?
Or, get another Antec 900, and put some red led fans in instead of blues. (i want a different color, hence the red)

I don't think I'd recommend either of those. Azza is an OK brand - nothing too spectacular. The Antec 900 does not have any cable management or CPU retention whatsoever.

Try one of these instead:
- Corsair Carbide 400R: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139008
- Fractal Design Arc MIDI: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352007
- NZXT Phantom: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146068

PSU:
OCZ ZX Series 1000W Fully-Modular 80PLUS Gold High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] cz%201000w
Again, future proofing. No clue what else I may add to the system down the road, or how much drain the GTX600s are gonna have, so might as well get more than I need now so as not to have to rewire everything later. But is this too much, etc.

There's no such thing as future-proofing in this area. The power requirements haven't really changed for the most part. Anything 1K+ is major overkill - you really only need that if you're running some tri-SLI or crazy custom cooling configuration. You want to get the most solid and stable PSU you can get - OCZ isn't the most reliable manufacturer around (although I hear their PSUs have got considerably better since their acquisition of PC Power & Cooling) and they have a reputation for that. The PSU is one area where you don't want to skimp and you really need to watch what you buy.

Maybe go with something from Corsair or Seasonic instead. Try one of these:

- Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021
- Seasonic X750 Gold: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151087

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBRL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231315
I alt-tab while playing games. A lot. an awful lot. So more memory is needed for what I use my system for. So better question; is 4x4 good, or should i do 2x8?

Do not go with 2 x 8 - most Z68 and P67 motherboards won't be able to recognize the 8GB chips. 16GB isn't really necessary - it's best to stick with 8. Try this instead if you plan to use a Hyper 212: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544

Try this build - it's my preferred $1500 build. I included a small SSD for boot / load times - store everything else on your second and third HDs:

Case: Fractal Design Arc MIDI - $99.99
PSU: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 - $109.99
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3P - $189.99
CPU: 3.30GHz Intel Core i5-2500K - $229.99
Cooler: Aksasa Voodoo Venom - $59.99
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz 1.5V - $44.99
SSD: 64GB Crucial M4 - $109.99
Optical: Lite On DVD Burner - $17.99
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 - $559.99
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium - $99.99

Total: $1,512.91

 

[Why_Me]

If you plan on gaming with a wireless set up, then get the best you can afford. 450Mbps > 300Mbps

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320091 $179.99 FREE SHIPPING
ASUS RT-N66U Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n, IEEE 802.3/3u/3ab

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156321 $59.99 FREE SHIPPING
TRENDnet TEW-684UB Dual Band Wireless N Adapter IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n USB 2.0 Up to 450Mbps Wireless Data Rates 64/128-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2-RADIUS, WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK, WPS

 

[xtremegamer2da-max]

first off the onboard ethernet is WAY good enough and you dont need an nic

case: cooler master haf x
mobo: asus maximus IV extreme (rev 3.0)
cpu: intel i5 2500k
cpu fan: cooler master hyper 212 evo
video card: sapphire amd radeon hd 7970
ram: g.skill ripjaws x series 8gb 1600 mhz
hhd: western digital caviar black 1.5tb
ssd: corsair force series 3 60gb
psu: corsair ax850
optical drive: lg black 12x bd-rom

total price is about 1750-1800

 

[Why_Me]

first off the onboard ethernet is WAY good enough and you dont need an nic

case: cooler master haf x
mobo: asus maximus IV extreme (rev 3.0)
cpu: intel i5 2500k
cpu fan: cooler master hyper 212 evo
video card: sapphire amd radeon hd 7970
ram: g.skill ripjaws x series 8gb 1600 mhz
hhd: western digital caviar black 1.5tb
ssd: corsair force series 3 60gb
psu: corsair ax850
optical drive: lg black 12x bd-rom

total price is about 1750-1800

He's on a wireless set up...read the OP.

 

[krisnwo420]

Plus the HAF X is WAY too big for the spot where my pc goes.

And best router in the world won't help the fact that my modem/isp sucks. =/

 

[Why_Me]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125401 $209.99
GIGABYTE GV-N560UD-1G GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

If your looking for a psu to future proof with, it doesn't get any better than this one down below. It's manufactured by Seasonic for XFX.

http://www.amazon.com/XFX-PRO1050W-Compatible-Certified-P11050BEFX/dp/B0066AH46G/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1329788620&sr=1-6 $215.78 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
XFX PRO1050W Black Edition Full Modular 80PLUS Gold PSU Compatible with Intel Core i3, i5, i7 and AMD Phenom, FX ATX 1050 Energy Star Certified Power Supply P11050BEFX

 

[Why_Me]

ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157271
Again, trying to future proof this thing. Would this MoBo work when on Ivy Bridge stuff down the line? Or the chipset after Ivy Bridge? (4th gen chips) Will it even hold up with what I have?

That board would work but Asrock has a really iffy reputation - it seems people either love them or hate them. This would be a far safer bet:

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

Then I was looking at this:
AZZA Solano 1000R Black / Red Japanese SECC Steel/Metal mesh in front ATX Full Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811517006
Thoughts? Is this Solano any good, or should I roll with the HAF and just deal with the limited space for airflow?
Or, get another Antec 900, and put some red led fans in instead of blues. (i want a different color, hence the red)

I don't think I'd recommend either of those. Azza is an OK brand - nothing too spectacular. The Antec 900 does not have any cable management or CPU retention whatsoever.

Try one of these instead:
- Corsair Carbide 400R: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139008
- Fractal Design Arc MIDI: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352007
- NZXT Phantom: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146068

PSU:
OCZ ZX Series 1000W Fully-Modular 80PLUS Gold High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] cz%201000w
Again, future proofing. No clue what else I may add to the system down the road, or how much drain the GTX600s are gonna have, so might as well get more than I need now so as not to have to rewire everything later. But is this too much, etc.

There's no such thing as future-proofing in this area. The power requirements haven't really changed for the most part. Anything 1K+ is major overkill - you really only need that if you're running some tri-SLI or crazy custom cooling configuration. You want to get the most solid and stable PSU you can get - OCZ isn't the most reliable manufacturer around (although I hear their PSUs have got considerably better since their acquisition of PC Power & Cooling) and they have a reputation for that. The PSU is one area where you don't want to skimp and you really need to watch what you buy.

Maybe go with something from Corsair or Seasonic instead. Try one of these:

- Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021
- Seasonic X750 Gold: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151087

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBRL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231315
I alt-tab while playing games. A lot. an awful lot. So more memory is needed for what I use my system for. So better question; is 4x4 good, or should i do 2x8?

Do not go with 2 x 8 - most Z68 and P67 motherboards won't be able to recognize the 8GB chips. 16GB isn't really necessary - it's best to stick with 8. Try this instead if you plan to use a Hyper 212: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544

Try this build - it's my preferred $1500 build. I included a small SSD for boot / load times - store everything else on your second and third HDs:

Case: Fractal Design Arc MIDI - $99.99
PSU: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 - $109.99
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3P - $189.99
CPU: 3.30GHz Intel Core i5-2500K - $229.99
Cooler: Aksasa Voodoo Venom - $59.99
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz 1.5V - $44.99
SSD: 64GB Crucial M4 - $109.99
Optical: Lite On DVD Burner - $17.99
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 - $559.99
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium - $99.99

Total: $1,512.91

What's with the "iffy reputation" that Asrock supposedly has? There were a part of Asus for years being sold as Asus version of a budget board, and when they split on their own two years ago they have become the third best selling motherboard manufacture behind Asus and Gigabyte and are soon to catch Gigabyte for the #2 spot. Iv'e been using them four over four years now and they are rock solid from what Iv'e experienced.

 

[krisnwo420]

Here's what I got now

Case: HAF 932 (i'll make it fit....lol)
PSU: COOLER MASTER Silent Pro Gold Series RS800-80GAD3-US 800W
MoBo: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68
CPU: 2500k
Cooling: CM Hyper 212 Plus
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
SSD: SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128D/AM 2.5" 128GB
Opiticals: LG Bluray & DVDburner
Video Card: EVGA 02G-P3-1568-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
Wireless Card: ASUS PCE-N15 Wireless Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n PCI Express 300/300Mbps Transfer/Receive Rate
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Am i missing anything?

 

[phamhlam]

YOu should look at Fractal Design R3 or Corsair Carbide 400 or 500

 

[krisnwo420]

About to click "buy," just wanting a green light that this will all work.

CPU: getting a 2600k for 270 from microcenter

From newegg:
Case: HAF 932
PSU: COOLER MASTER Silent Pro Gold Series RS800-80GAD3-US 800W
MoBo: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68
Cooling: CM Hyper 212 Plus
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
SSD: SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128D/AM 2.5" 128GB
Opiticals: LG Bluray / LG DVDburner
Video Card: EVGA 02G-P3-1568-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
Wireless Card: ASUS PCE-N15 Wireless Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n PCI Express 300/300Mbps Transfer/Receive Rate
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

other: reusing 1TB external and 500GB internal; getting either GTX 670 or second 560 down the road
Should I throw a sound card in for extra measure and really make good use of these BOSE speakers I've got? lol

 

[g-unit1111]

What's with the "iffy reputation" that Asrock supposedly has? There were a part of Asus for years being sold as Asus version of a budget board, and when they split on their own two years ago they have become the third best selling motherboard manufacture behind Asus and Gigabyte and are soon to catch Gigabyte for the #2 spot. Iv'e been using them four over four years now and they are rock solid from what Iv'e experienced.

If you want to use them fine - it's your system and you ultimately decide what goes in it. I've read a lot of various issues surrounding Asrock boards - more than say their Gigabyte or Asus but I think that all depends on how well the installation goes.

CPU: getting a 2600k for 270 from microcenter

From newegg:
Case: HAF 932
PSU: COOLER MASTER Silent Pro Gold Series RS800-80GAD3-US 800W
MoBo: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68
Cooling: CM Hyper 212 Plus
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
SSD: SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128D/AM 2.5" 128GB
Opiticals: LG Bluray / LG DVDburner
Video Card: EVGA 02G-P3-1568-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
Wireless Card: ASUS PCE-N15 Wireless Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n PCI Express 300/300Mbps Transfer/Receive Rate
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

That looks a lot better. If gaming is your biggest priority the 2600K is unnecessary. Stick with the 2500K and invest that difference in upgrading your GPU to a 570 - that's where you'll really notice a performance increase.

And I'd still drop the Silent Pro - go with the Corsair TX750 instead.

 

[krisnwo420]

If you want to use them fine - it's your system and you ultimately decide what goes in it. I've read a lot of various issues surrounding Asrock boards - more than say their Gigabyte or Asus but I think that all depends on how well the installation goes.

CPU: getting a 2600k for 270 from microcenter

From newegg:
Case: HAF 932
PSU: COOLER MASTER Silent Pro Gold Series RS800-80GAD3-US 800W
MoBo: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68
Cooling: CM Hyper 212 Plus
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
SSD: SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128D/AM 2.5" 128GB
Opiticals: LG Bluray / LG DVDburner
Video Card: EVGA 02G-P3-1568-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
Wireless Card: ASUS PCE-N15 Wireless Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n PCI Express 300/300Mbps Transfer/Receive Rate
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

That looks a lot better. If gaming is your biggest priority the 2600K is unnecessary. Stick with the 2500K and invest that difference in upgrading your GPU to a 570 - that's where you'll really notice a performance increase.

And I'd still drop the Silent Pro - go with the Corsair TX750 instead.

I do some minor video editing; random crap posted on the youtubes. And like I said, I'll probably end up getting a 670 down the road and sticking this 560 in a different system I'm rebuilding.
Isn't gold rated (silent pro 800) better then bronze rated (corsair tx750)? I mean, unless the SP800 doesn't have enough plugs for all the crap I'm looking to cram in here....

 

[g-unit1111]

I do some minor video editing; random crap posted on the youtubes. And like I said, I'll probably end up getting a 670 down the road and sticking this 560 in a different system I'm rebuilding.
Isn't gold rated (silent pro 800) better then bronze rated (corsair tx750)? I mean, unless the SP800 doesn't have enough plugs for all the crap I'm looking to cram in here....

Yeah but as good as CM cases are, their PSUs have a pretty bad reputation - there's claims that a lot of them are mislabeled and have phony certifications, that sort of thing. Go with a Seasonic, Antec, Corsair or XFX - those are pretty much the tier one brands.