Alright then. Let's try this again.
PCPartPicker part list /
Price breakdown by merchant /
Benchmarks
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Memory Express)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ NCIX)
Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G43 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($94.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.49 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.79 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card ($257.92 @ DirectCanada)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: XFX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($74.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Canada Computers)
Total: $893.13
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-08-03 13:07 EDT-0400)
Sorry, I tend to go on a copy and paste spree and don't bother to give any reasoning for my parts list.
CPU: I chose the i5 3570k simply because of it's power straight out of the box. If you need more power in the future, all you have to do is overclock this bad boy to around 4.0-4.5GHz. There are plenty of tutorials out there on youtube.
CPU Cooler: It's cheap, reliable, and a high performer. One of the best bang for the buck coolers on the market today. You'll want one of these lest you fry your CPU if you try overclocking with the stock heatsink fan. The hyper 212 evo will allow you to overclock your CPU as well as keep it cool and stable.
Motherboard: I decided to change it up this go around. In Canada boards are more expensive for whatever reason. This mobo will have all the features you need at a reasonable price. If you can afford a better board such as the Asrock, get it. You may appreciate the extra features in the future.
RAM: Honestly, this part doesn't really matter. I typically just go for trusted brands for reliability. They all do the same thing. In your case, you're gonna want to grab RAM with low heatspreaders. This way, you won't run into clearance issues with your aftermarket CPU cooler. G.Skill is a reputable company and offers some amazing quality RAM.
Storage: The Seagate drives are reliable, fast and cheap. Just go ahead and get the 1TB version. It's not particularly a significant difference. In the long run, you'll be paying more for a smaller 500GB drive due to the drives costing nearly the same as a 1tb drive.
GPU: Just grab the hd 7870. It's a strong performer. It's one of the strongest cards you can get at your price point. I tried to fit a gtx 670 but it just wouldn't work. Sorry
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...At any rate, the 7870 will more than meet your needs. It will run any modern game on ultra settings and at comfortable frames.
Case: Since you mentioned above that you'd be willing to cut corners for performance, I decided to downgrade the case a bit. It's mostly downgraded in price, though.
![:) :)]()
The HAF 912 (just like the HAF 922) offers high airflow, decent cable management, and fairly stylish aesthetics. This case comes in at around $50 so it's a good pick.
PSU: I chose the xfx 750 watt power supply due to it's reliability, efficiency and price. Just in case you decide to do Crossfire (I'll explain that later) that option will be present with this PSU. This PSU is 80+ Bronze certified and provides 750w of continuous power... Something you'll appreciate...especially when it's feeding raw power to all those delicate computer components.
ODD: Any cheap dvd burner will get the job done. Just look for something under $20.
Now, you mentioned you weren't sure what SLI/Crossfire was? All that does is provides you with the option of bridging two video cards together (so long as they are the same GPUs) and gain extra performance.
Alright, on to the next term...
Overclocking: This allows you to push your CPU or GPU above their base clock speeds (hence the term overclocking) and gain extra performance at a cost of heat. This is why you want a case with great air flow and a heatsink for your CPU.
Hope this helps; good luck!