My build under $900

Well first of all the GPU should be replaced by the new 6xx series model before ivy bridge comes out.

Second there are quite a few better or equal PSU for cheaper.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Of those I would get the modular Antec PSU. Any of them should be enough power because you are only running one GPU and a second (SLI) needs at least a 750w PSU (in my opinion at least, could make do with a 650w most likely).

For the memory you don't need low voltage memory unless you plan on overclocking it. These are cheaper or the same price for an even lower voltage if you do plan on overclocking the memory. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submi...

Lastly for the case I would get one of these three.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Between the cases, it looks like the NZXT will let you achieve better cooling once you add more fans (Scythe and Noctua are usually good). It also looks better, in my opinion. You might also consider adding a CPU cooler like the Hyper 212 Plus (great for the price) or the NH-D14 (the best air cooler around).

The Crucial M4 has better firmware than the Mushkin.

I wouldn't rely on rebates: companies pretty consistently don't honor them even when you do send them in within the allowed time. So the 560 Ti you picked will end up being $300. The 6950 1GB is pretty much its equal, but cheaper. If you're playing at resolutions higher than 1920x1080, the 6950 2GB will beat the 560 Ti, and is still cheaper. And for $350, the 7870 will beat all of those cards.

It all works but you don't need a board for dual vid cards if you plan on going with s single card. The Asrock extreme3 Pro 3 is almost $20 cheaper. Also I would wait for the Z77/Z75 boards (Panther Point chipset) seeing how they should be priced pretty much the same as the Z68 boards. Those boards are due to be on the shelves along with Ivy Bridge at the end of April. And as the other poster pointed out, save some $ and go with 1.5v RAM.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/index.asp?s=1155 <----- You can see those boards here.

^+1. The 1.5V RAM is generally the best buy. You won't see a difference between 1333 and 1600 MHz kits, and G.Skill is generally the cheapest of the bunch but is actually a great brand.


The NZXT Source 210 is actually a pretty good case for the money (owned one briefly). It's basically a cheaper Antec 300, and the $10 extra for the 210 Elite is worth it - you get toolless drive bays which are quite nice in a small case like that. I definitely would have liked those.


The Crucial has a much more reliable controller. That's the key difference there (though, the Mushkin drives are supposedly more reliable than most of the Sandforce 2281 drives).


What companies do you file rebates with? In the last 2 years I've filed several rebates with Corsair and MSI in the appropriate window and have received them within 6 weeks. Otherwise, you have a copy of the originals with which you can resolve any potential disputes (you do make copies, don't you?).

Cool man, thanks for the response. I love that black Antex ATX tower you picked out, definitely going with that one... Also, what makes the PSU I chose have a higher rating/price tag? What is better about the ones you chose?

Thanks!

Woah, so many responses. Thanks for the heads up on the XFX 6950 2GB. Is it truly better? Why the price difference?

Also, what is the disadvantage (other than the extra $10 max) in buying the 1.35 Mushkin RAM over the GSkill? I guess I'm asking why the price difference if the cheaper one is better?

As for the case it's definitely going to be an Antec 300 ATX.

All the PSUs recommended (including the one you selected) have an 80+ Bronze efficiency rating, which means the PSU has a peak efficiency over 80% (larger amounts over 80% -> higher rating (80+, 80+ Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)).

The XFX is actually a Seasonic PSU underneath, and Seasonic is regarded as the best PSU manufacturer out there (Corsair also has several Seasonic-made PSUs). Antec's a quite reliable brand as well, since their OEM is generally Channel Well who has significant experience in the business. I owned an Antec that ran smoothly and quietly for a good several years before I sold it.

Thanks for your help boiler. So what would your recommendation be for the PSU?

About the PCB, I own a BenQ G2400WD already so would I need dual video cards? If I wait for the Z75 mobo, would it not accommodate dual video cards?

Thanks again.

Any of those PSUs would be fine. I'd personally go for the higher wattage PSUs ~600-650. The Antec I owned was the first version of that Earthwatts PSU, and worked without worry.

You shouldn't need dual GPUs yet - I run at 1920x1080 with my 560Ti (stock OCed) and have great gaming performance. The 448 core gets about 15% better performance, and OCed will perform much better than a regular 560Ti

It's hard to find a board that won't support 2 GPUs these days. I am confident there will be a board that will suit your needs once Ivy comes 'round.

I just like modular PSU and also give you the option of others that are very good brands and will run your system. The SeaSonic is the best but also lower watts the others are about the same and because of that I would buy the modular one for the same price.

Oops, that's what I meant.


I haven't bought anything that had a rebate, but when I looked for users who have, most seemed to be disappointed. But there are also people for whom it's worked out, like you. Maybe it's because most people who talk about it are people who didn't get the money.

For a lower-power system, modular doesn't make as much sense. With a few HDDs, a GPU, and CPU/Mobo, you'll be using almost every cable that comes with the PSU. So you're basically opting for a feature that is useless.

In a higher power system where you frequently upgrade between 1 to 2 GPU systems it makes much more sense for a modular PSU.