$500-600 Gaming and Productivity Computer. Help!

zantif

Honorable
Jun 28, 2012
15
0
10,510
Approximate Purchase Date: This month.

Budget Range: $500-600

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming > digital audio workstation/graphics design.

Parts Not Required: Mouse, speakers, monitor, keyboard.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon, newegg, any other online retailer available in the US!

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: Ideally I want an Intel cpu, I was considering the i5-2500k, but thought it may be too much for my budget. So in that case I was thinking I would settle with some kind of i3.

Overclocking: Maybe (if I get an i5-2500k I will definitely consider OCing in the future)

SLI or Crossfire: No

Additional Comments: I'll be using this computer to play a wide variety of games, such as, but not limited to Diablo 3, League of Legends, Witcher 2, Battlefield 3, and CS: GO. I also want to be able to use the computer to do graphics design and music production. I will also most likely get a Linux partition in addition to Windows for programming.

All I know for now is that I want either an i5 or i3 cpu:

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-BX80623I52500K-Core-i5-2500K-Processor/dp/B004EBUXHQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1334122241&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-i3-2100-Processor-3-1GHz-LGA1155/dp/B004JEVGMO/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1340938980&sr=1-2&keywords=i3

I was also considering a Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 6850 for the gpu (not sure if too expensive, either):

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-E-Video-100315L/dp/B0047ZGIUK

As for the rest, I really don't know what to use so I could really use the advice! As you can see, I will certainly be stretching in terms of my budget, so if the gpu and cpu combination is too expensive, please suggest alternatives. I really would like an i3 or i5, though.

So basically, I would like some help in selecting my motherboard, memory, hard drive, power supply, and case! (along with anything else I'm forgetting)
 

zantif

Honorable
Jun 28, 2012
15
0
10,510


Thanks for the advice. I really need a video card in order to run the games I want to play, so I'd like to get one with the rest of the package. As for the processor, I want to go for a sandy bridge rather than ivy bridge, just because they're cheaper.

I will definitely take a look at the rest of the components you got as choices though!


With those in mind, I suppose I have:

ASRock Z77 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 (compatible with i5-2500k or i3-2100?) - $99.99
Corsair XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory - $59.99
Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive - $64.99
Apex Vortex 3620 ATX Mid Tower Case - $35.99
Corsair 500W ATX12V Power Supply - $63.99
LG GH24NS90 DVD/CD Writer - $16.99

And I already have a windows disc, so I won't be needing another.

That runs me to approx. $341, without taxes or shipping. So I suppose I have another $250ish to spend on a gpu and cpu. I guess the i5 is definitely out of the picture if this is how much other components cost. But perhaps I can still pull off an i3-2100 (~$109) and still get a decent video card? Assuming I got the i3, that leaves me with about $150 to spend in order to keep me under $600.

Would that be the way to go? Or would I be better off with trying to make this work with the i5 I originally had in mind?

Thanks again guys!