Building a $2000 gaming pc

[Paulskywalker]

Approximate Purchase Date: June 2012

Budget Range: maximum of $2200 after rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, surfing, watching blu ray, streaming Netflix

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers,

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com, amazon.com

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: I would like to use a i7- 3770k a motherboard with a z77 chipset and a Gtx 680 or sli 670

Overclocking: possibly

SLI or Crossfire: maybe

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Additional Comments: I would like use the thermaltake level 10 gt case And this my newegg cart atm



Thermaltake Level 10 GT (VN10001W2N) Black SECC / Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case with Four Fans-1x 200mm Colorshift ...
Item #: N82E16811133188
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
$269.99
$239.99


Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822136533
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Recover Your Data(expand for options)
-$30.00 Instant
$149.99
$119.99


ASUS GTX670-DC2T-2GD5 GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
Item #: N82E16814121638
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$429.99


CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified ...
Item #: N82E16817139010
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$169.99
$149.99


Patriot Viper Xtreme Series, Division 2 Edition 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model ...
Item #: N82E16820220561
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$52.99


Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116986
Return Policy: Software Standard Return Policy
$99.99


Pioneer Black Internal BD/DVD/CD Writer SATA BDR-207DBKS
Item #: N82E16827129067
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$99.99


Kingston HyperX 3K SH103S3/120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) (Stand-Alone Drive)
Item #: N82E16820239045
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$10.00 Instant
$149.99
$139.99


ASUS Maximus V Gene LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813131830
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty
1 year: $23.99 INCLUDED

 

[TheBigTroll]

1: level 10 gt has bad build quality. get something cheaper such as a 650D from corsair
2: seagate barrracuda 1tb with 64mb of cache is just as fast or faster than black drives. its slightly cheaper
3: get the top edition of the 670
4:XFX XXX edition 750w is the same as the hx750w but for cheaper. they are made by the same company
5: get some lower voltage ram. 1.5v is optimal. nothing higher. good ram is corsair, mushkin blackline, or crucial ballistix sport
6: spend some more money on the SSD. good ones are crucial, mushkin chronos deluxe, or sandisk extreme
7: get a atx board such as the gigabyte z77x-ud5h or asus p8z77-v PRO
8: get a i5 3570k because i7 does not help with games at all.
9: a good CPU cooler is a hyper 212 or a TPC 812 both from cooler master

 

[toolinthemist]

Nice Build. The 680 would be awesome but good luck finding them available. And, anyway, apparently the 670 only looses a little performance while still saving money.

The one thing I might consider changing would be your SSD. I've got the Corsair Force 3 240GB and I've already filled up about half of that just getting some of my base games and programs installed. Depending on what you'll be playing, you might not be able to fit all of your games on the SSD.

 

[J_E_D_70]

I'd recommend my sig + Blu-Ray player + bigger SSD. Get one 670 for now (great for any current and near future game) and add another in two years after some price drops and something is on the horizon that needs it. One 1080p monitor is just not that taxing.

 

[hellfire24]

1: level 10 gt has bad build quality. get something cheaper such as a 650D from corsair

i don't agree that level 10 gt has "bad build quality".i read a bunch of reviews and no one said a single word against build quality.in fact i saw the case in a nearby store damn it was pretty.i agree that it's overpriced but in terms of build quality it is one of the best.

4:XFX XXX edition 750w is the same as the hx750w but for cheaper. they are made by the same company

xfx is made by seasonic and hx is made by CWT.

 

[hellfire24]

@OP,here's what i would suggest for you-
blu ray:-Asus 12x Blu ray drive
case:NZXT Phantom full tower newegg exclusive
cpu:Intel i5 3570K
heat sink:Cooler master Hyper 612 PWM
case fan:NZXT 200mm fan with LED on/off
hard drive:samsung f4 2TB
memory:Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 8GB 1600mhz 1.5V ram
motherboard:Asus P8Z77-V PRO
power supply:Silverstone Strider Gold 850w modular
ssd:Mushkin Enhanced Chronos Deluxe 240GB SSD
video card:Asus DCII gtx 670 2GB
Total:$1700 before rebates
note:case is a real eye candy,throw the 200mm fan on top for better airflow.DCII is very highly rated-
http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=asus%20gtx%20670%20review&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CFAQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techpowerup.com%2Freviews%2FASUS%2FGeForce_GTX_670_Direct_Cu_II%2F&ei=QVXGT52BJInOrQfDisnMBQ&usg=AFQjCNGX-7G11wqJfe98ENyB_SQmQRXGUQ
with a little tweaking it will beat a stock 680 for less price.Power supply is one of the best out there,more than enough for SLi and overclocking,modular and very quiet too.612 PWM is very quiet(PWM fan) and high performance cooler.all parts are high quality and compatible,good luck with your build

 

[azeem40]

He can get by with the Gold 750W.

 

[boulbox]

i don't agree that level 10 gt has "bad build quality".i read a bunch of reviews and no one said a single word against build quality.in fact i saw the case in a nearby store damn it was pretty.i agree that it's overpriced but in terms of build quality it is one of the best.

4:XFX XXX edition 750w is the same as the hx750w but for cheaper. they are made by the same company

xfx is made by seasonic and hx is made by CWT.

yup i think he mistaken HX for AX

level 10 is just overpriced, i would say it has more than enough room for pretty much anything

it looks like a big white version of a PS2 if you turn it sideways

 

[Paulskywalker]

I dont like having a flap that i have to open before opening the dvd drive on my case and would like to have usb3.0 on the front and you guys are right the level 10 gt is over priced btw Here is my updated newegg cart



Thermaltake Level 10 GT (VN10001W2N) Black SECC / Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case with Four Fans-1x 200mm Colorshift ...
Item #: N82E16811133188
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
$269.99
$239.99


Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822136533
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Recover Your Data(expand for options)
-$30.00 Instant
$149.99
$119.99


CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified ...
Item #: N82E16817139010
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$169.99
$149.99


CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
Item #: N82E16820233144
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$54.99


ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813131821
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$239.99


Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
Item #: N82E16819116504
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$239.99
1

Newegg Promotional Gift Card - $15.00
Item #: N82E168GC000001
Your Promotional Gift Card will be emailed 4 days after invoice.


Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116986
Return Policy: Software Standard Return Policy
$99.99


COOLER MASTER RR-H612-20PK-R3 120mm Sleeve with 6 Heat Pipes Hyper 612 PWM CPU Cooler (LGA 2011 Version)
Item #: N82E16835103106
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$49.99


ASUS Black Blu-ray Burner SATA BW-12B1ST/BLK/G/AS
Item #: N82E16827135252
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$89.99


SanDisk Extreme SDSSDX-240G-G25 2.5" 240GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Item #: N82E16820171568
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)

 

[azeem40]

That cooler is meant for LGA 2011 MOBOs and CPUs.

 

[Paulskywalker]

Hellfire the psu you recommended looks great but what worries me is that people on newegg are having trouble with 1000w version dying and making high pitch noises.

 

[Paulskywalker]

Azeem thanks for catching that I used hellfires link and didnt see that.

 

[Paulskywalker]

CPU cooleris now this

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel ...
Item #: N82E16835103099
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$1.00 Instant
$34.99
$33.99

 

[Paulskywalker]

The asus Gtx 670 Direct cu II top is what I plan on getting for my pc

 

[SinisterSalad]

I can't see what that $240 board has that this $190 board doesn't that's worth $50.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128545

 

[Paulskywalker]

Thanks for the link but the sabertooth has a heat shield that is supposed to help the air flow

 

[boulbox]

Thanks for the link but the sabertooth has a heat shield that is supposed to help the air flow

trust me they made this one before, it is just overrated and over hyped

you can get a ASUS pro and it will have a lot more features than the Sabertooth.

it says long lasting when most mobos already last more than 10 years (well mines anyways)

does it need more cooling?

not really the mobo it self is already pretty cool, and you are going for a level 10 case which already has a lot of airflow to keep it cool

my suggestion is get one of these mobos

MSI Z77A-G45 LGA 1155 - $149.99
cheap, provides just as much as a Sabertooth without the Thermal

ASRock Z77 Extreme4 - $134.99
Same as above

ASUS P8Z77-V PRO - $209.99
this one has a lot extra features such as a fan controller, blue tooth, and pretty much everything the same as Sabertooth without the thermal armor

 

[TheBigTroll]

the ud5h from gigabyte is a great one too

 

[boulbox]

the ud5h from gigabyte is a great one too

it is but i doubt you would need 3 PCI 3.0 slots

get the little brother UD3H

pretty much the same but cheaper

 

[Why_Me]

i don't agree that level 10 gt has "bad build quality".i read a bunch of reviews and no one said a single word against build quality.in fact i saw the case in a nearby store damn it was pretty.i agree that it's overpriced but in terms of build quality it is one of the best.

4:XFX XXX edition 750w is the same as the hx750w but for cheaper. they are made by the same company

xfx is made by seasonic and hx is made by CWT.

HX is also a Seasonic OEM. Corsair TX/HX/AX are Seasonic OEM's and the rest of the Corsair psu's are CWT junk.


@ the OP. You have a mATX board up there...lose that board if you want the option to run dual cards. Start getting some components off of Amazon like that HX750w psu to save some money, and that Thermaltake case says "hose job" written all over it. Look at a Corsair 500R for half the price. The Corsair 500R (White) combo's with that HX750w psu to save $30 on newegg.

 

[Why_Me]

@ the OP. Here's some options to consider. That case down below has a multi channel fan controller, LED on/off switch, dust filters, etc.. along with a 200mm LED side fan.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.913307 $259.98 save: $30.00 - $20.00 Mail In Rebates FREE SHIPPING
CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
Corsair Carbide Series 500R Black Steel structure with molded ABS plastic accent pieces ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

http://www.corsair.com/pc-cases/carbide-series-pc-case/carbide-series-500r-mid-tower-case.html <----- another look at that case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.943670 $274.98 save: $15.00 FREE SHIPPING
ASRock Z77 Extreme6 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=Z77%20Extreme6 <----- another look at that board along with a link to the latest bios update

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z77-extreme6-z77a-gd65-z77h2-a2x,3187.html <---- review w/benchmarks done on that board here on Toms

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006YLTLUY/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B007R67FTY&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0D1JXP2V8KRZSBDDA3E2 $209.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Kingston SSDNow V+200 240GB SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5" Solid State Drive SVP200S3/240G

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0391175 $429.99 + .99 shipping
Gigabyte GV-N670C-2GD NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 2048MB GDDR5 PCIe 3.0 x16 Video Card

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=Gigabyte+gtx+670+review&oq=Gigabyte+gtx+670+review&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=hp.3...24897.33541.3.34331.15.14.0.1.1.0.752.9918.5-4j10.14.0...0.0.dTwFQBluHHI&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=95610a9fc4d9debf&biw=1440&bih=775 <---- some reviews with benchmarks on that Gigabyte gtx 670 card

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

or...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544 $46.99 FREE SHIPPING
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GAO

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-CA-9011111-WW-Vengeance-Analog-Headset/dp/B005QUQP7Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1338422858&sr=1-4 $69.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Corsair CA-9011111-WW Vengeance 1300 Analog Gaming Headset

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Channel-Sound-Card-XONAR_DG/dp/B0045JHJSS/ref=pd_sim_pc_6 $27.60 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
ASUS PCI 5.1 Channel Sound Card XONAR_DG

 

[TheBigTroll]

it is but i doubt you would need 3 PCI 3.0 slots

get the little brother UD3H

pretty much the same but cheaper

you do get dual nics and a better power delivery. i would pay 20-30 bucks for that if it was up to me or get the z77a-gd65

 

[Paulskywalker]

Thanks for finding me those combo deals on newegg My cart now looks like this

CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9
Item #: N82E16820233186
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
-$5.00 Instant
$54.99
$49.99

Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
Item #: N82E16819116504
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
$239.99


Newegg Promotional Gift Card - $15.00
Item #: N82E168GC000001
Your Promotional Gift Card will be emailed 4 days after invoice.


Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116986
Return Policy: Software Standard Return Policy
$99.99


COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel ...
Item #: N82E16835103099
Return Policy: Standard Return
-$1.00 Instant
$34.99
$33.99


ASUS Black Blu-ray Burner SATA BW-12B1ST/BLK/G/AS
Item #: N82E16827135252
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$89.99


CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified ...
Item #:  N82E16817139010
Return Policy:  Standard Return Policy
Corsair Carbide Series 500R Black Steel structure with molded ABS plastic accent pieces ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Item #:  N82E16811139009
Return Policy:  Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
-$30.00 Combo
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$309.98
$259.98


ASRock Z77 Extreme6 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #:  N82E16813157295
Return Policy:  Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare

 

[Paulskywalker]

Amazon cart


Kingston SSDNow V+200 240GB SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5" Solid State Drive SVP200S3/240G - Kingston Digital, Inc.

ASUS PCI 5.1 Channel Sound Card XONAR_DG - Asus

I already have a gaming headset and an awsome 5.1 surround sound system

 

[TheBigTroll]

mobo s these days generally have pretty good sound. if you are picky, then spend it.

for the ssd, i would pickup a mushkin chronos instead.