First time build needs advice: $600 budget gaming build

[akizuku]

Hi all,

First time builder would really appreciate advice, especially on compatibility.

Approximate Purchase Date: This week or next week.

Budget Range: $500-600 (currently at around $600, prefer not to go too much over)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Mostly gaming (Blizzard games like D3 and WoW), but will also use for home office

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, mouse, OS, monitor

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com, amazon.com, will use microcenter if the difference is significant

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: prefer and Intel cpu with an Nvidia gpu. Would appreciate comments on mobo as well.

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Neither

Additional Comments:


Currently the build looks like this:

CPU: Intel i5 2500k - 169.99 + tax
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

Mobo: Asrock Z77 Pro4 LGA 1155 ATX Intel Motherboard - 69.99 + tax (when bundled with CPU) - I am only planning on running with one GPU
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0387555

RAM: Corsair Vengeance Blue 8gb DDR3 1600 - $45 with newegg coupon
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145345

GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 - $169.99 w/ $30 MIR =$139.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130660

HD: WD Caviar Blue 500gb - $69.99 at amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Caviar-Cache-Desktop/dp/B00461G3MS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340686695&sr=8-1&keywords=caviar+blue+500gb

PSU: Antec Neo Eco 520w - $50 - $15 mir = $35 at newegg.com
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371030

Case: CoolerMaster Elite 430 - $49.99 - $10 mir = $39.99 at newegg.com
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119227

Optical Drive: probably some cheap DVDRW - $20

Total: $644.95 + tax - 55 MIR = $589.95 + tax

What do you guys think? Where can I improve? Are there compatibility issues?

Thanks!

 

[akizuku]

Hi guys, I know bumping is discouraged, so I will only do this once. Would really appreciate some advice on if the above build will be compatible. Thanks in advance.

 

[rdx07]

that's pretty good you can also check on i5 3570k which is just few bucks more.for the GPU, don't you want to consider the ti version? i mean, how much is the difference there? overall, i say that at the end, this is a great build and enough for the future

 

[cbsevenfifty]

The 560 is priced at $159.99, after MIR, not $139.99. For that price I would spend the 5 extra bucks for the Sapphire 6870 which is a slightly better card. You get a free Dirt3 game with the 6870 so you could sell it for like $10 and make your money back if you didn't want it.

 

[akizuku]

I actually bought the 560 a little earlier when it was on sale and $139.99. If it ended up being terrible I'd have returned it and gotten another one. As it is, I think I'm going to stick with it. I'm also going to check out the i5 3570k which I think is only $20 more than the i5 2500k. Thanks everyone for your help - I'm very excited to get this build going!

 

[cbsevenfifty]

In that case I would definitely stick with the 560, the performance difference is pretty minute and for $20 less it's a no brainer.

 

[akizuku]

In that case I would definitely stick with the 560, the performance difference is pretty minute and for $20 less it's a no brainer.

Awesome! That's definitely what I'll do then. Thanks!

 

[akizuku]

Best answer selected by akizuku.

 

[rdx07]

goodluck!