Gaming PC ~$1,000 How does this combo look?

[wontmatterlater]

Approximate Purchase Date: Within 24 hours
Budge Range: Ideally $1000<=
System Usage: Gaming @ highest or near highest settings ( Diablo III, Skyrim, BF3, Batman, GTA5 ), Photoshop and photo editing, I never surf the internet so no need for that.
Parts not required: OS, Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Speakers
Preferred Websites: Amazon, Newegg
Country: USA
Overclocking: Maybe/Leaning towards yes, eventually
Monitor Resolution: 1920 x 1080
SLI/Crossfire: Probably going to stick with a 1 card route as that seems like the consensus.
Additional Comments: Ideally I’d like it to be as future relevant as possible. Reusable case, ram, mobo etc. I’d like a more quiet PC but also would like good airflow. No bling please, although I might name it Flava-Flav. I have Amazon Prime and Shoprunner so I’ll have free shipping pretty much. I’m located in NJ so no tax on Amazon purchases.

Parts that I’ve purchased already:

Crucial 128 MB - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004W2JKZI/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details - $150.00

Parts that still need to be purchased:

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 - $129.99

I’d be happy to go with one of the ASUS boards. Sway me.

CPU –Intel i5 2500K http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 - $224.99
Like there’s another choice.

Case - Corsair Carbide Series 500R Mid Tower Gaming Case CC-9011012-WW
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Carbide-Tower-Gaming-CC-9011012-WW/dp/B005E983JW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1330537245&sr=1-1 - $119.23

I’m really open on case alternatives. I like the rubberized look of the Bitfenix Shinobi but can’t find it for sale anywhere. http://www.bitfenix.com/global/en/products/chassis/shinobi/

PSU - CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC High Performance Power Supply http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021 - $104.99

RAM – 3 Choices.. are there any differences? Is lower voltage better? Where am I?
1. 1.5v CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145345 - $49.99

2. 1.5v CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186 - $49.99

3. 1.25v G.SKILL Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231461 - $49.99

Hard Drive – 3 Choices. Who am I? Can I get by with a 500GB Caviar Black?
1. Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284 – $169.99

2. Western Digital Caviar Black WD1502FAEX 1.5TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136793 – $159.99 <- shouldn’t this be more expensive than the above since it is higher capacity?

3. Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840 - $124.99 <- can I save some $ with this one?

Optical Drive - LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 – OEM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289 - $17.99

GPU – I’m still torn on this one. What’s the best Bang for Buck card that can play some gangsta games at their highest or near highest settings? Should I go with GTX or Radeon

CPU Cooler - Advice?

Additional Fans ?

Fan controller? http://www.amazon.com/SENTRY-Touch-Screen-Fan-Controller/dp/B002L16OMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330538240&sr=8-1

Final cost: ~$967.17 without GPU. If you see anywhere that I can trim the fat and cut costs I’m diggity down. Thank you!

 

[sosofm]

CPU COOLER : COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099 35$
The best bang for the buck video card is 560Ti
GIGABYTE GV-N560UD-1G GeForce GTX 560 Ti http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125401 210$
EVGA 01G-P3-1561-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130623 230$ and 200$ after rebates.

 

[g-unit1111]

Case - Corsair Carbide Series 500R Mid Tower Gaming Case CC-9011012-WW
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Carb [...] 245&sr=1-1 - $119.23

I’m really open on case alternatives. I like the rubberized look of the Bitfenix Shinobi but can’t find it for sale anywhere. http://www.bitfenix.com/global/en/products/chassis/shinobi/

The Carbide is an *EXCELLENT* choice. Alternately you could check out the Fractal Design Arc MIDI:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352007

Or the NZXT Phantom: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146067

RAM – 3 Choices.. are there any differences? Is lower voltage better? Where am I?
1. 1.5v CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145345 - $49.99

2. 1.5v CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820233186 - $49.99

3. 1.25v G.SKILL Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231461 - $49.99

Of those choices - #2. #1 won't be good for using an aftermarket cooler, #3 won't be good because of 1.25V.

Alternately I'd suggest Crucial as they have some of the lowest fail rates on the market:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544

Hard Drive – 3 Choices. Who am I? Can I get by with a 500GB Caviar Black?
1. Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136284 – $169.99

2. Western Digital Caviar Black WD1502FAEX 1.5TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136793 – $159.99 <- shouldn’t this be more expensive than the above since it is higher capacity?

3. Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148840 - $124.99 <- can I save some $ with this one?

I actually wouldn't recommend either of those - you'll pay huge premiums for the Caviar Black right now due to the shortages, the Seagate drive is an OK choice. This will give you the most bang-for-buck right now:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152245

GPU – I’m still torn on this one. What’s the best Bang for Buck card that can play some gangsta games at their highest or near highest settings? Should I go with GTX or Radeon

Depends - both have their strengths and weaknesses. Where the Radeon's biggest strengths lie is the ability to utilize multiple displays. If that's your ultimate goal with this system, go with that option. If not go with the aforementioned 560 TI.

Try this: HIS Radeon 6970: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161385

CPU Cooler - Advice?

The Hyper 212 Evo is a good choice, check out this article for some alternate suggestions:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/LGA-2011-i7-3960X-Air-Overclocking,3130.html

Additional Fans ?

Fan controller? http://www.amazon.com/SENTRY-Touch [...] 240&sr=8-1

Neither of these are really needed IMO - you can wait until you get your build up and running and see how the airflow in your system works before you decide to get these.

 

[wontmatterlater]

Thank you for both the responses so far. I think i'm going to go with this config:

Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.33 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($137.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB Video Card ($232.68 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 500R Black ATX Mid Tower Case ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $893.81
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-02-29 18:03 EST-0500)

Looking alright?

 

[cskoler]

Thank you for both the responses so far. I think i'm going to go with this config:

Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.33 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($137.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB Video Card ($232.68 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 500R Black ATX Mid Tower Case ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $893.81
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-02-29 18:03 EST-0500)

Looking alright?

Unless you're planning on going Xfire sometime later, that 750W is definitely overkill. Go for a 650W.
Also, up to you, but I'd spend less money on the case, get an Antec Three Hundred Two or something similar and put that extra money towards a 560 Ti 448 Core or two 6850's in Xfire, instead of the 560 Ti.

 

[g-unit1111]

Thank you for both the responses so far. I think i'm going to go with this config:

Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.33 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($137.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB Video Card ($232.68 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 500R Black ATX Mid Tower Case ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $893.81
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-02-29 18:03 EST-0500)

Looking alright?

That looks like an excellent build. I'd say go for it. I wouldn't change the PSU and go for something less - it's always good to be as future-proof as possible as you don't want to buy the same part twice.

Also, up to you, but I'd spend less money on the case, get an Antec Three Hundred Two or something similar and put that extra money towards a 560 Ti 448 Core or two 6850's in Xfire, instead of the 560 Ti.

I would not get either of those choices - you're not going to notice much difference between the 560TI and the 560TI 448 core version. And 2 x 6850 - why bother when you could get a 7950 when they drop in price.

 

[Why_Me]

This build allows you to add another one of those gtx 560 ti's later on in SLI.

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Tower-Case-RC-912-KKN1/dp/B003ZM7YTA/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330491729&sr=1-2 $59.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Cooler Master HAF 912 Mid Tower ATX Case (RC-912-KKN1)

http://www.amazon.com/OCZ-80PLUS-Bronze-Performance-compatible/dp/B005A2RJOI/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330491916&sr=1-7 $99.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
OCZ ZS Series 750W 80PLUS Bronze High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandy Bridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271 $129.99
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-BX80623I52500K-Core-i5-2500K-Processor/dp/B004EBUXHQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330492110&sr=1-2 $224.54 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Intel Core i5-2500K Processor

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0/ref=pd_cp_e_1 $24.05 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler, RR-B10-212P-G1

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220570 $41.99 FREE SHIPPING
Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory with heatshield Model PSD38G1600KH

http://www.amazon.com/Barracuda-7200RPM-Cache-3-5-Inch-Internal/dp/B005T3GRNW/ref=sr_1_8?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330491045&sr=1-8 $99.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Barracuda 7200RPM 1 TB SATA 6 GB/s NCQ 64 MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive - ST1000DM003

http://www.amazon.com/Asus-24xDVD%C2%B1RW-Serial-Internal-DRW-24B1ST/dp/B0033Z2BAQ/ref=pd_cp_e_3 $20.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25
Asus 24xDVD±RW Serial ATA Internal OEM Drive DRW-24B1ST (Black)

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

Total: $911.97 *not including shipping and mail in rebates


http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Premium-64bit-System-Builder/dp/B004Q0PT3I/ref=pd_bxgy_pc_img_b $99.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226236 $142.99 FREE SHIPPING
Mushkin Enhanced Chronos MKNSSDCR120GB 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD

 

[wontmatterlater]

Best answer selected by wontmatterlater.