~$2000 Gaming Rig. Need advice.

[Spreken]

1.Approximate Purchase Date: A.S.A.P. Unless there is a new product is on the horizon that is worth waiting for.
2.
3.Budget Range: ~2000CAD, but I'm flexible.
4.
5.System Usage from Most to Least Important:Gaming. Would like a rig that will last for a long time.
6.
7.Parts Not Required: None.
8.
9.Preferred Website(s) for Parts: No preferences, would prefer canadian to reduce shipping and customs fees.
10.
11.Country:Canada
12.
13.Parts Preferences: Read good things on the nvidia gtx 670 gpu, and the i7 3770k cpu. Not stuck on these though. I read that i7 3770k runs hot when overclocked, which is a slight turn off.
14.
15.Overclocking:Yes, but I'm not firmiliar with the process, and I'm afraid of trying this myself.
16.
17.SLI or Crossfire: No
18.
19.Monitor Resolution: Higher = better. Single monitor.
20.
21.Additional Comments:

Looking for the best possible price/performance build. The cooler and faster it runs, the better. As for the monitor, that can be added on top of the budget. I like to run games at near maximum detail. Building this to run Planetside 2 perfectly.

 

[Patflute]

You don't need i7 for gaming, but if you want longevity go for it.

Ivy runs hotter, but is 10-15% better per core than Ivy so it doesn't need to overclock that high to get similar performance if you get what I mean.


https://secure.newegg.ca/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=14849409

Here's a build that costs $1800. That gives you a bunch of money for the monitor that I didn't include.

 

[Spreken]

I click your link and get 'This wish list is empty.'

 

[Why_Me]

http://www.directcanada.com <----- Free Shipping on orders over $50*

http://www.bestdirect.ca <----- Free Shipping on orders over $80*


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

http://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8Z77V_LK/ <----- another look at that board along with a link to the latest bios update

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=183 <----- review of that Silverstone 750w modular psu


http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11180AC6196&vpn=CC-9011012-WW&manufacture=CORSAIR $115.66
Corsair Carbide Series 500R Mid-Tower Gaming Case ATX 4X5.25 6X3.5INT USB 1394 No PS Black

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=22170AC0247&vpn=ST75F-P&manufacture=Silverstone%20Technology $121.78
Silverstone Strider 750 Plus 750W Modular Power Supply ATX 24PIN 135mm Fan 60A 80+ Silver

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=16950BD6547&vpn=P8Z77-V%20LK&manufacture=ASUS $145.92 MIR $125.92
ASUS P8Z77-V Lk ATX LGA1155 Z77 DDR3 3PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 3PCI SATA3 SLI DVI HDMI DP USB3.0 Motherboard

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=12200BD0768&vpn=BX80637I53570K&manufacture=INTEL $234.79
Intel Core i5 3570K Unlocked Quad Core Processor LGA1155 3.4GHZ Ivy Bridge 6MB Retail

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11130AC0554&vpn=RR-212E-20PK-R2&manufacture=COOLERMASTER $31.05
Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo Direct Touch 4 Heatpipe Heatsink AM2 AM3 LGA1366/1155/1156/2011 120MM

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15380BD5211&vpn=F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL&manufacture=G.SKILL $48.23
G.SKILL Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 Memory

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10530DR5213&vpn=DRW-24B1ST%20Bulk&manufacture=ASUS $18.97
ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X SATA DVD Writer OEM Black

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=25350DR0783&vpn=WD1002FAEX&manufacture=Western%20Digital%20WD $109.79
Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB SATA3 6GB/S 7200RPM 64MB Cache 3.5IN Dual Proc Hard Drive OEM

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=16950DR9630&vpn=SDSSDX-240G-G25&manufacture=SANDISK $239.53
SanDisk Extreme 240GB 2.5IN SSD SATA3 SDSSDX-240G-G25 Solid State Drive

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11830BD4893&vpn=GV-N670OC-2GD&manufacture=GIGABYTE $404.04
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 OC 980MHZ 2GB 6.0GHZ GDDR5 2xDVI HDMI DisplayPort PCI-E Video Card

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=12850SW2113&vpn=GFC-02050&manufacture=MICROSOFT $92.08
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64BIT SP1 DVD OEM

Total: $1,668.76 *not including rebates and tax



http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=16950MN3389&vpn=LS23A700DS/ZA&manufacture=Samsung $349.69
Samsung S23A700D 23IN Widescreen Led Lcd Montor 1920X1080 120HZ 3D 2MS DVI-D Hdmi

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10530MN6442&vpn=ML228H&manufacture=ASUS $154.67 MIR $144.67
ASUS ML228H 21.5IN Widescreen LED Backlit LCD Monitor Black 1920X1080 2MS 10M:1 HDMI DVI-D VGA

 

[TheBigTroll]

http://pcpartpicker.com/ca/p/b03f

i built this for under 1700 dollars. i7s dont have any beneficial value in games so the i5 3570k would have the same performance for 100 dollars less.

if you dont plan to SLI in the future (to add another graphics card), you can drop down the wattage to a 550w from xfx. i chose this 750w since it is on sale at ncix and it comes with dirt 3 and far cry 2

 

[quilciri]

I'd suggest setting aside $450 of that for one of those tasty 2560x1440 IPS panel korean monitors like the yamakasi catleap or achieva shimian. Your eyes will thank you

You could still use why_me's build, with a few changes.

120 gb sandisk extreme.

8 gb RAM (games aren't likely to require more than 4gb for an ideal experience until 64-bit OS's hit 80% saturation or so)

3570k (Unless you're a coder, edit videos into taxing formats, are a CAD designer, or something along those lines, you won't need the hyperthreading. Hyperthreading is useless for gaming.)

 

[Thugnificants]

This build is slightly more expensive; and a different feel then the other recommendations above.
But it gives tons of room for future expansion as well excellent O/C potential.

Only thing this is missing is a HDD for mass storage and an OS.
For the monitor, since you're going with a single I'd recommend dishing out some extra $$ and pick up a 3D model.
Even if you aren't interested in 3D, the upgraded processor will make your gaming way smoother.


Case: Antec Three Hundred - $33
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

PSU: Cooler Master GX 750W - $100
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171053

Mobo: Asus P9X79 Pro - $325
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131800

CPU: Core i7-3930k - $580
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116492

Fan: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO - $35
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

GPU: Asus GTX670 DC2T 2GB GDDR5 - $440
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121638

RAM: Mushkin Redline Quad Channel16GB DDR3 2133MHz - $150
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226275&Tpk=993997

SSD: Mushkin Chronos 120GB - $100
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226318&Tpk=N82E16820226318


Total price for above items after taxes; $1,995
Now that's just prices as is, if you watch for sales you could put this together for cheaper.

 

[Spreken]

I won't be using this computer for anything but gaming, so I guess the i5 3570k & 8gb ram will suffice, unless I'm convinced otherwise. Wondering about the pros & cons to SLI. 2 gigabyte 670's seems extremly appealing, I might even opt for muliple monitors in the future. Curious about that psu though. Would it be safer to get corsair/seagate? Is 620w enough. And lastly that sexy mobo, says crossfire, does that also mean sli?

 

[Thugnificants]

I won't be using this computer for anything but gaming, so I guess the i7 3570k & 8gb ram will suffice, unless I'm convinced otherwise. Wondering about the pros & cons to SLI. 2 gigabyte 670's seems extremly appealing, I might even opt for muliple monitors in the future. Curious about that psu though. Would it be safer to get corsair/seagate? Is 620w enough. And lastly that sexy mobo, says crossfire, does that also mean sli?

As you've read, the Ivy Bridge is notorious for overheating. I prefer the Sandy if you're going that route.
That or get a solid CPU fan to keep that thing cool.
8GB of memory is plenty for gaming.

If you're looking to run a single monitor for the time being, save your money on the SLI.
A single 670 is more than enough to run it.

Down the road if you add more monitors, although a 670 is still solid enough to run three monitors..
Adding a second in SLI will ensure everything stays smooth on highest graphics & resolution.

If this is something you would like in the future, I would look more towards 850W PSUs.

Crossfire is the same as SLI yes, but for AMD cards.

 

[Spreken]

Is there any risk of bottleneck with a slower cpu? Torn between i7 2600k and 3770k.

 

[bigcyco1]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.99 @ Newegg Canada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Mushkin Chronos Deluxe 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($199.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($419.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Sniper ATX Mid Tower Case ($149.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($85.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Optical Drive: Sony AD-7280S-0B DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Monitor: Asus VS248H-P 24.0" Monitor ($209.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($109.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $1801.88
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)

 

[bigcyco1]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($224.99 @ Newegg Canada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($50.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($139.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($419.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Trooper ATX Full Tower Case ($149.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Corsair 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($121.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS70 OEM DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Monitor: Asus VS248H-P 24.0" Monitor ($209.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($109.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $1790.88
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)

 

[Thugnificants]

Is there any risk of bottleneck with a slower cpu? I'm still leaning towards the i7 3770k for longevity. What can you tell me about after market fans vs water cooling.

Well your computers only as fast as your slowest component.
That being said, the i7 3770k should have no problems with this.

As far as fans vs water cooling is concerned, it's mainly consumer preference.
Tom has a few good writeups about cooling, poke around a bit.

A big difference you'll find between the two is noise levels.
I prefer air cooling myself, but it is louder and generally not as efficient.


Edit: Seen your edit.
If this computer is 90% for gaming, take the Sandy Bridge.
It can O/C to outperform an Ivy anyways and you can spend the $100 you save on a soid cooler.

 

[Spreken]

Well your computers only as fast as your slowest component.
That being said, the i7 3770k should have no problems with this.

As far as fans vs water cooling is concerned, it's mainly consumer preference.
Tom has a few good writeups about cooling, poke around a bit.

A big difference you'll find between the two is noise levels.
I prefer air cooling myself, but it is louder.

Noise isn't a factor for me personally. More concerned with performance and temperature.

 

[Thugnificants]

Seen your edit.
If this computer is 90% for gaming, take the Sandy Bridge.
It can O/C to outperform an Ivy anyways and you can spend the $100 you save on a soid cooler.

Noise isn't a factor for me personally. More concerned with performance and temperature.

Zalman 135mm - $70
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118074

 

[Patflute]

You don't need i7 for gaming, but if you want longevity go for it.

Ivy runs hotter, but is 10-15% better per core than Ivy so it doesn't need to overclock that high to get similar performance if you get what I mean.


https://secure.newegg.ca/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=14849409

Here's a build that costs $1800. That gives you a bunch of money for the monitor that I didn't include.

Proper link that works: http://secure.newegg.ca/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=14849409&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=4176827&SID=vaguzlx946h4

Well hopefully it does

 

[TheBigTroll]

ivy bridge performs better than sandy bridge. a 4.5ghz ivy would be the same as a 4.8ghz sandy. the heat problems dont even exsist until you go beyond 4.5ghz which you shouldnt anyways

a good air cooler can be the noctua nh-d14 or the thermalright silver arrow (if you can find one)

 

[bigcyco1]

^ summed it up pretty good although i disagree with stopping at 4.5GHZ push that mofo as far as you can safely :lol: kidding i do though FTW

 

[TheBigTroll]

of course, you have a ROG board meaning you can technically do whatever you want with it

 

[bigcyco1]

of course, you have a ROG board meaning you can technically do whatever you want with it

That's true.

 

[bigcyco1]

You should really check out the COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper and COOLER MASTER CM Storm Series Trooper i am going to order one or the other just can't decide which i like better lol

 

[TheBigTroll]

you should also check out the haf xm

 

[bigcyco1]

you should also check out the haf xm

+1 and check out Corsair Carbide Series 500R & NZXT SWITCH 810

 

[azeem40]

As you've read, the Ivy Bridge is notorious for overheating. I prefer the Sandy if you're going that route.
That or get a solid CPU fan to keep that thing cool.
8GB of memory is plenty for gaming.

If you're looking to run a single monitor for the time being, save your money on the SLI.
A single 670 is more than enough to run it.

Down the road if you add more monitors, although a 670 is still solid enough to run three monitors..
Adding a second in SLI will ensure everything stays smooth on highest graphics & resolution.

If this is something you would like in the future, I would look more towards 850W PSUs.

Crossfire is the same as SLI yes, but for AMD cards.

Overheating is not the correct term. It is called "gets hotter". However, that is only at extreme overclocks.

Also, do not go for the X79 build. Games will not make use of 6 cores for a very long time, and that time is longer than most people keep a gaming PC for before upgrading.

 

[Why_Me]

Is there any risk of bottleneck with a slower cpu? Torn between i7 2600k and 3770k.

I'm going by the format you filled out. So if it's strictly gaming for the most part along with the option to SLI two of those cards later on then look to make these changes to that build I posted up above.


http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=12200BD0768&vpn=BX80637I53570K&manufacture=INTEL $234.79
Intel Core i5 3570K Unlocked Quad Core Processor LGA1155 3.4GHZ Ivy Bridge 6MB Retail

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=16950BD6547&vpn=P8Z77-V%20LK&manufacture=ASUS $145.92 MIR $125.92
ASUS P8Z77-V Lk ATX LGA1155 Z77 DDR3 3PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 3PCI SATA3 SLI DVI HDMI DP USB3.0 Motherboard

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15380BD5211&vpn=F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL&manufacture=G.SKILL $48.23
G.SKILL Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 Memory

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=22170AC0247&vpn=ST75F-P&manufacture=Silverstone%20Technology $121.78
Silverstone Strider 750 Plus 750W Modular Power Supply ATX 24PIN 135mm Fan 60A 80+ Silver