Gaming PC Under $3000

[Yaobikuni]

I'm trying to make a gaming PC that is somewhat future-insolated. I've been wanting to create a PC on my own for a couple of years, but this is my first time and I am unsure if I have to worry about conflicits. The parts look compatible at least physically, but I just wanted to see if others could tell me if this build will work before I put money down on the parts, if there is a resource I should look at to find more information, or if there were any suggestions on changes. Anyway, here it is:

Case: Corsair Special Edition White Graphite Series 600T

Power: Thermaltake Toughpower Grand TPG-1050M 1050W

Motherboard: ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 LGA 1155 Intel Z77

CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K

CPU Cooling: CORSAIR H100 Extreme Performance Liquid CPU Cooler

GPU: MSI Radeon HD 7970 3GB x 2

RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB

Drive 1: OCZ Agility 3 2.5" 120GB SSD

Drive 2: Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"

Network: Rosewill RNX-N300 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wireless-N 2.0 PCI

Optical Drive: LG Black 12X Internal Blu-ray Drive

 

[jmsellars1]

What games are you playing and at what resolution?
Is this system just for gaming?

If you are just gaming on a single monitor at 1080P, you could build a system for half the price and wouldn't even notice the drop in performance. That cash would be better spent on good speakers/monitor(s) and other things that would enhance the experience. Either that or just save it, no point in throwing money away.

 

[naf]

The 3930K is a LGA 2011 SB-e chip for an X79 motherboard, it won't work with LGA1155/Z77. Also, it's overkill for every current game. The i7-3770K or i5-3550K or i5-2500K would all work great, work with that Z77 board, and save a lot of money.

 

[Yaobikuni]

@naf - I do realize that this is overkill, but maybe it was a bit much; nothing in PCs are very future proof. Thank you pointing out that compatiblity oversight. As I say this is my first time, so I really wasn't sure how to do this correctly. So, an i7-3770k is more reasonable and likely to stand against time?

@jmsellers1 - Other than the processor, which components do you suggest I change I to make it more reasonable? The most expensive components are the graphics cards, would it be better to leave one out? Or perhaps wait for the Geforce GTX 690? I also found the 680 on Tigerdirect--Newegg, being sold out--would that be a better compromise?

 

[naf]

What to do with the GPUs depends on your monitor setup. If you're using a single monitor at 1080p, a single 7970 or 680 will give you all the power you need. If you're at 2560x1600 or 3x 1080p, you might want to stick with 2 graphics cards. The i7 will not perform better than the i5 for gaming, but if you're doing other work such as photo or video editing it could be worth it. And the H100 cooler is only necessary if you'll be overclocking.

Also, I would recommend a Samsung 830 or Crucial m4 SSD instead of the OCZ. There's almost always a sale on one or the other.

 

[therabiddeer]

Why not build a PC for $1500 now then 2 years down the line build another for $1500 more? I imagine that would get you far more longevity than a single $3000 PC.

 

[ismaeljrp]

@naf - I do realize that this is overkill, but maybe it was a bit much; nothing in PCs are very future proof. Thank you pointing out that compatiblity oversight. As I say this is my first time, so I really wasn't sure how to do this correctly. So, an i7-3770k is more reasonable and likely to stand against time?

@jmsellers1 - Other than the processor, which components do you suggest I change I to make it more reasonable? The most expensive components are the graphics cards, would it be better to leave one out? Or perhaps wait for the Geforce GTX 690? I also found the 680 on Tigerdirect--Newegg, being sold out--would that be a better compromise?

I think you should fill out this form first, then ask for advice.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261222-31-build-advice

 

[jmsellars1]

I'd say pretty much everything in the build is overkill, you would get the same gaming experience out of an i5-3570, 8GB RAM and a single HD 7970 or GTX 680. Also you would only need ~550W because it's a single card.

 

[Yaobikuni]

The parts choosing guide here on the forums said to put as much CPU as possible in it if I can since average user will keep a computer for four years or more. I would perfer a strong, but reasonable CPU if possible. Is this build below better? It comes to about $2000 with the Radeon and Windows 7 (tack on $200 I think for a Evga 680, atleast that is what I found on ebay).

Case: Corsair Special Edition White Graphite Series 600T

Power: Corsair AX 850

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD5H

CPU: Intel Core i7 3770k

CPU Cooling: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo

GPU: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7970 3GBx 1 or Geforce GTX 680 x 1

RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB

Drive 1: Crucial m4 SSD 128GB

Drive 2: Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"

Network: Rosewill RNX-N300 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wireless-N 2.0 PCI

Optical Drive: LG Black 12X Internal Blu-ray Drive

---

Approximate Purchase Date: Not sure since I have to confer with others, but I am hoping this week

Budget Range: $3000 or below

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Everything, mostly gaming, but it would be an enterntainment/workstation. I do a lot of writing and graphic design.

Parts Not Required: Accessory I have really tought of yet. I don't need a monitor since I'm planning on hooking it up to a TV (1080p).

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: I perfer Newegg.

Country: My country is US, where the parts come from doesn't bother me as long as they work.

Parts Preferences: N/A

Overclocking: If I knew how, maybe.

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: Can't find the info on my TV

Additional Comments:

 

[Yaobikuni]

Sorry meant to put, G-Skill Ripjaws 16 Gb in Memory

 

[jmsellars1]

Games aren't going to utilise hyperthreading or more than 4GB RAM so I'd go for an i5 and 8GB RAM.