$1,000 to $1,500 Build (my first build)

[Splorfus]

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Approximate Purchase Date: This week

Budget Range: 1000-1500

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Photoshop, Maya, Gaming

Parts Not Required: Speakers, Monitors

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, zipzoomfly, amazon

Country: United States

Overclocking: Not planning to, but I could be talked into it

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution: 2 monitors @ 1600x1200 each

Additional Comments: I want a fast and reliable machine. It would be nice if it's quiet, but not at the expense of speed or reliability

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I'm currently trying decide between the two processors listed below and the two cases listed below, and trying to figure out if the power supply listed below is overkill.

Is everything compatible?

Is any of this excessive? I wouldn't mind knocking a little off the price

Ram : 16GB G.Skill Ripjaws Series
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314
I know this much is overkill for games, but I like to work large in Photoshop.

Drives: Crucial M4 128GB solid state
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148442

I'll use my 2 current HDDs until prices fall a bit more.

CPU: i7-2600k.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115071
or i5-2500k
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115073
(Maya uses hyperthreading & Photoshop uses it for some processes. I'm not sure if the hyperthreading and little bit of speed gain is worth the $90 price difference.)
Should I overclock?

MOBO: ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131792&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=4176827&SID=immuboqivt8r

PSU: Corsair Professional 750W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010
Is this overkill, is there a reliable cheaper alternative? $150 for a PSU seems pricey.

GPU: GTX570
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130593

Case: I'm trying to decide between the Rosewell Challenger
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147060&Tpk=Rosewill%20Challenger-U3
and the Cooler Master HAF 912
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233
My gut is telling me that the Cooler Master is a better case, but I am tempted by the front USB 3.0 ports.

OS: Windows 7 Pro 64bit OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116992

DVD-Writer: I'll just use the one from my old machine

Mouse & Keyboard: Logitech Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126263

Am I forgetting anything?

Is it correct that I will only need to purchase additional fans or a non-stock heatsync if I'm overclocking?

Are extended warranties worth it?

Thanks everybody!

 

[azeem40]

Consider the Radeon 6970. It performs the same as, if not beats, the GTX 570, but uses less power and stays cooler. If you are even considering video editing and photo editing, get the i7-2600k. Otherwise, if just gaming, stay with the i5-2500k.

 

[Lowlyworm]

Stay with the GTX because of the CUDA cores

 

[azeem40]

Stay with the GTX because of the CUDA cores

..Or just get the 6970 because of the better performance in most games and the lesser power consumption.

 

[legendkiller]

Just to let you know, dont buy anything high-end BECAUSE everything ganna go cheaper in the next 6 month like 2600k ganna be $280 or so and spend like $800 on a build...

 

[Splorfus]

Just to let you know, dont buy anything high-end BECAUSE everything ganna go cheaper in the next 6 month like 2600k ganna be $280 or so and spend like $800 on a build...

I know computer prices go down pretty rapidly, but is there something in particular in the next 6 months that will make everything get suddenly cheaper?

 

[azeem40]

Not for Processors. For Video Cards, maybe.

 

[ebola28]

OP needs cuda for maya... stay with the 570

 

[ebola28]

and if you are getting a K series, overclocking is easy and well worth it. A hyper 212 evo will only cost you $35 and let you easily get over 4.0gz

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

 

[rwayne]

Is there an urgency to buy right now? Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors are coming out on April 29th and Nvidia's new GTX600 cards should be coming out this month. Even if you are not interested in either holding out should drop the price of the current tech.

Far as computer cases with USB 3.0 front ports I would recommend:

CM Storm Trooper
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119245

NZXT Switch 810
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146088

Corsair 600T
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139005

 

[ebola28]

Those cases are 3-4 times as much as the two OP had chosen...

 

[Splorfus]

Is there an urgency to buy right now? Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors are coming out on April 29th and Nvidia's new GTX600 cards should be coming out this month. Even if you are not interested in either holding out should drop the price of the current tech.

The motherboard on my old desktop died (it was time for a new machine anyways), so I'm stuck with a mediocre laptop until I build my new machine.

It seems a shame to buy components right before a price drop, but I really miss having a quality computer so I don't know that I'll be able to hold out.

 

[azeem40]

If you really need it, and it looks like you do, build now. Don't wait for something just because people tell you to. Build now.

 

[Ohmybad]

don't wait... everything on the market is more then capable of doing what you want.

 

[Splorfus]

How do you guys feel about this PSU?

Is there a cheaper one that will suit my needs just as well?

Corsair Professional 750W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139010

 

[Guest]

How do you guys feel about this PSU?

Is there a cheaper one that will suit my needs just as well?

Corsair Professional 750W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139010

CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V Was: $139.99 Now: $104.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021

better than $169.99 eh?

and this board is all the rage amongst a few of the builders here on toms':
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 $129.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271
just doesn't have usb3 headers onboard, just 2 on back. but you are looking at that cooler master case.

 

[rwayne]

The motherboard on my old desktop died (it was time for a new machine anyways), so I'm stuck with a mediocre laptop until I build my new machine.

It seems a shame to buy components right before a price drop, but I really miss having a quality computer so I don't know that I'll be able to hold out.

The same thing happened to me in August of 2010. My 5.5 year old Motherboard died and forced me to upgrade earlier than I wanted. It was frustrating at first but after I got it I loved it because the performance increase was awesome.

 

[phenom90]

it's all about patience.... whether you're have it or not... you can wait... but not because other people tells you to... but because it is the best choice you can go now... considering the timeframe you're in right now.... it is close to april and nvidia will have its next series of cards ready to storm in the market... while whether its a good or bad series is yet to be known.... but wait just a little bit longer certainly won't hurts you... at least you had a laptop to stuck into... i don't even had one back in the days where i'm in the same condition... and you certainly don't want to be in the position where... i just bought this last week and right now we had something better for more or less the same money? i may sound like a fanboy but we(certainly not all) as a consumer want to have best deals available.... and i'm not talking about spending 99 cents for a donut... its thousand bucks of hard earned money you know....

cpu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072
Intel Core i5-2500K - $225

mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130572
MSI P67A-GD53 (B3) - $110 after rebate

ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231546
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB F3-1600C9D-8GAB - $45

hsf: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181011
CORSAIR CAFA70 - $30 after rebate

ssd: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233220
Corsair Force Series 3 CSSD-F180GB3-BK 180GB - $210 after rebate

psu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817116015
NZXT HALE82 HALE82-750-M 750W - $90 after rebate

case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147107
Rosewill BLACKHAWK - $90

gpu: wait little longer for kepler then decide...


total: $800 after rebate excluding shipping....


since your budget up to $1500 i figure maybe you can get a larger ssd... but if you think it's too much... 120gb is still very good enough....

 

[legendkiller]

I know computer prices go down pretty rapidly, but is there something in particular in the next 6 months that will make everything get suddenly cheaper?

6 years ago, a 9500GT was $600 now it's like $50, basically if you buy a $2000 computer, it's ganna be trash in 10 years or even 5 years

 

[Splorfus]

If I decide not to overclock is there any reason not to get a http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131783
ASUS P8H67-V (REV 3.0) LGA

instead of one of the z68 boards?

 

[legendkiller]

h67 no OC so you can go with that but it's just that Z68 got better stuff on it like OCing and better capacitor and other like Better sata controller or the fix and that's why they made Z68...

 

[azeem40]

You can't say to someone it is the best thing for them. How do you know what they want? Unless they specify, I would not suggest stuff not out atm.

 

[Guest]

If I decide not to overclock is there any reason not to get a http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131783
ASUS P8H67-V (REV 3.0) LGA

instead of one of the z68 boards?

no, no reason at all.

'course maybe i am saying that because i have one.

 

[ebola28]

If you go with the h67, you can also get the non-k version and save 30... http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=2600&x=0&y=0

 

[RedChief6]

i5 2500k!!! all the way