~$1000 gaming system for NOOB

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winterwind_23

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May 30, 2012
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Hi everyone,

I need a new computer as my laptop is dying on me. I was deciding between a desktop and laptop, but since I realized that I barely have a need for mobility, I thought it would be more fun to build my own desktop for some gaming and to get some work done at home.

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Approximate Purchase Date: Within the next week or two

Budget Range: $1000 (for everything, including monitor and OS!)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Remote Desktop into work computer, surf internet, store/listen to music

Parts Not Required: I will probably need everything including monitor

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon (I am a Prime member), but anywhere I can get a better deal than Amazon!

Country: U.S.

Parts Preferences: No preference since I'm a complete noob

Overclocking: I don't know how to do this, but eventually I'll probably want to

SLI or Crossfire: Don't even know what this is...so probably no?

Monitor Resolution: I'll be happy with full HD (1920x1080)

Additional Comments: I want to be able to play graphically intense games (Crysis) at high settings, which by my specification, mean they look noticeably better than on console (otherwise I would probably just play on my ps3!)

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The only parts that I've looked at are so far are the GPU and CPU. For GPU, I'm thinking either the Radeon HD 6870 or the GeForce GTX 570, both of which are recommended in TH's article as a best value (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-4.html). What kind of CPU will I need with either of those cards to ensure that the processor will not be a bottle neck in terms of gaming performance? I heard good things about i5-2500k, but would that be overkill? I would like to be able to play games like Crysis at all high settings on a 1920x1080p resolution. I'm definitely not set on any graphics card or other equipment, so any suggestions would be welcome!

I have some noob questions that I'll ask here too:

-Why are there different "makes" of GPUs? Just looking at GTX 570, there are EVGA, ASUS, and MSI models. Does this have anything to do with compatibility? Does it affect performance?

-Do I need a cooling system (fan)? It seems like CPUs and GPUs come with their own fans...

Thanks! :)

P.S. This is my first time building a PC, so I will probably have many questions, especially about compatibility.
 
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C12Friedman

C12Friedman

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Jan 25, 2012
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Welcome to Tom's Hardware Forums
I'm not going to go into recommendations at this point but will provide some clarification
1) 2500k; on the Intel processors the "k" means the processor is "unlocked" so it can be overclocked. If you want to overclock and go Intel, you'll want a "k" processor. You will also want an aftermarket cooler for your CPU since the included Heatsink/Fan (HSF)although effective at stock speeds is not effective for overclocking.
2) SLI/X-Fire is the ability to get better performance by adding an additional graphics card.

Gonna have you check out these videos, they should answer many of your questions (perhaps give you new questions too)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIXAtNGGCw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_56kyib-Ls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxaVBsXEiok

Enjoy
 
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winterwind_23

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May 30, 2012
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Thanks for those videos, C12Friedman! I watched the first two and am watching the third one now. It did indeed answer some of my questions, but like you said, it definitely brought up some questions for me too:

-How do I tell if my case and motherboard will be compatible in terms of the I/O plugs and ports?

-There were a ton of cables in the second video when he was doing the build. Will I need to buy additional cables, or will the components I buy come with all the necessary cables?

-What is the advantage of buying a more expensive motherboard if there are ones that are cheaper yet have all the ports that I will need?

I know these are very elementary questions, but they are so simple that I can't really find answers on the internet for them!



 
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l0v3rboi

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Mar 30, 2012
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All the wires of your case should have a corresponding plug in any modern motherboard. The more important things is to ensure that your CPU matches the socket of your motherboard. For example, for an i5 3570k, you will need a motherboard with the LGA 1155 socket.

You should not need extra cables.

More expensive motherboards has features you probably do not need. Just make sure that the motherboard you choose has the features you want and need.
 
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winterwind_23

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May 30, 2012
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Thanks for the reply.

I did some reading on overclocking, and it seems somewhat dangerous (reduces life of processor, possibility of overheating, inefficient energy use, etc.), especially for beginners like me. Is the only real noticeable difference between the i5 k series and non-k series the ability to overclock? The most intense applications I intend to run are games. I won't be doing any video editing or anything else that will be too processor intensive. In this case, would be make more sense for me to save $35 and go with a core i5-2400 instead of the 2500k? I could put this money towards a better graphics card. Would this be a better investment?
 
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l0v3rboi

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Yes, the "k" means the processor is unlocked so that means you can overclock. If you don't plan to overclock, then just get the i5-2400. I would go with the i5-3550 though. It's the newer generation of Intel processors plus it performs better compared to the previous generation i5 for less power consumption.

Also, I saw that you were thinking of getting the gtx 570. I would suggest you get a Radeon 7850 instead. It performs similar to the gtx 570 but consumes less power and produces less heat.
 
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winterwind_23

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May 30, 2012
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I guess the real question is will I really need to overclock. I don't intend to do anything too intensive other than gaming (games like Crysis, GTA IV, COD). Will OC give me any noticeable advantage in this situation? Or should I put the money towards a better graphics card?
 
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azeem40

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Dec 11, 2011
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You can afford the i5-2500k and a Radeon 7850 on your budget. The only other GPU worth it atm is the GTX 670, but that is $150 out of the way.

From newegg:

i5-2500k $220
ASRock Extreme3 Gen3 Z68 MOBO $122
Hyper 212 EVO $35
2x4GB Crucial Ballistix sport 1600 MHz ~$45
Sapphire Radeon 7850 $260 @ amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics-11200-00-20G/dp/B007JCNOZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338439609&sr=8-1

1TB Seagate Barracuda $100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697

XFX Pro550W PSU $75 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207013&Tpk=XFX%20550w

If not SLI/CFing, get the above.
Note: SLI/CF is running multiple NVIDIA/AMD GPUs to improve performance in games that support it. Only worth it on the newest gen of cards.

or

XFX Pro650W PSU $97 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207014&Tpk=xfx%20650w

The above is if you're CF/SLIng.

Review for the 650W PSU, which also applies to the 550W:
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=216


 
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winterwind_23

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The Ivy Bridge processors are only 10 dollars or so more than their previous-generation counterparts, so I will probably go with Ivy Bridge. There are two models I am considering: i5-3450 and i5-3550. The 3450 is 3.1 Ghz while the 3550 is 3.3 Ghz. Is the .2 Ghz worth the extra 10 dollars? Also, if I were to go with either of these two, is it ok to use the stock fan?

As for the gtx, I was actually thinking of going with the gtx 560 (not 560). What would be the best graphics card to pair with the i5-3550 (or i5-3450)?
 
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l0v3rboi

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Either one of those processors would work fine. Remember that for a gaming build, the noticeable performance gains would be from having a better GPU. That being said, I would echo what azeem40 said: Radeon 7850 is the way to go for your budget! Also, since it seems you're pretty set on not OC'ing, you can use the savings on the MoBo to get this GPU.
 
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C12Friedman

C12Friedman

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Jan 25, 2012
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At this moment in time a better graphics card will give you more bang for the buck when gaming. That may not be the case in the future which is the reason some people get k processors and don't immediately overclock. It's a minor step in attempting to "future-proof".
But with current games, overclocking would not provide any real perceptible difference.
Getting a SSD for sytem/boot drive, yeah, that'll make a difference (not specifically in your gaming experience but) in load times, updates, etc...
 
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winterwind_23

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I think this is a little more than I want to spend. The total comes out to $857, but I will still need to purchase a monitor (~$200) and then the OS ($100 for Windows Home Premium).
 
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winterwind_23

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How can I tell if a motherboard will be compatible with a particular GPU?
 
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winterwind_23

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lov3rboi mentioned that I can use the money saved on the process to put towards a motherboard for the GPU, so I assumed that I needed a different (more expensive) motherboard in order to support the more powerful GPU. Is this not the case?

Edit: answered above!
 
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