Build Advice on $500 PC

[frappes]

Approximate Purchase Date: e.g.: End of August/Beginning of September

Budget Range: $500 after rebate

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Browsing the web, F&H

Are you buying a monitor: No

Parts to Upgrade: Everything except HDD, optical drive, monitor, mouse, and keyboard

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: microcenter, newegg, and amazon

Location: USA

Parts Preferences: Doesn't matter much to me.

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 1080p

Additional Comments: I will be playing Skyrim, Crysis, Civ 5, BF3, pretty much all the new AAA games.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My PC is old.

Here's my part list:

Phenom II x4 965BE - http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0325874

ASUS M5A97 mobo - http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0382961

The CPU and mobo are bundled for $135.

Diablotek EVO case w/ 4 120mm fans - http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0351733

Crucial Ballistix 8GB - http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0382099

HIS 7850 2GB - http://www.amazon.com/HIS-DisplayPort-Express-Graphics-H785QN2G2M/dp/B007HYIDTC/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1345664915&sr=1-2&keywords=7850

OCZ ZT 550W - http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0376717

Hyper 212+ - http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0#productPromotions

Now, this all adds to $481. Is there anything I can improve?

 

[jmsellars1]

Wow getting those parts at that price is impressive, looks like a really great build! Might be a bit noisy for the price but excellent price/performance.

 

[DarkOutlaw]

Should save up a bit more money and get an i5 3570k, and an Asrock z77 Extreme4 if you are going to be doing that much gaming.

 

[frappes]

On a tight budget at the moment, so I can't. I could, in a year, get the Haswell i5 and mono combo from microcenter, and put that in the build. Also, I don't play a lot. Just ocassionally. But, is there any way to im

 

[frappes]

Prove this build? Like 1600Mhz RAM instead of 1333? Hyper 212 EVO? How about the Phenom II x6 1045T?

 

[frappes]

Sorry for triple post, but should I get a Corsair or Antec PSU?

 

[jmsellars1]

That OCZ is fine, the 1045T would give worse performance in games and the Evo gives similar cooling to the plus model, it's just a bit quieter.

I would go for 1600MHz RAM, it doesn't make much difference at all but it doesn't cost much more either.

 

[frappes]

Thanks! Anymore insight?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

I don't see a hard drive in your build? are you reusing your old one? if so, what is the model?

 

[frappes]

Reusing. Samsung.

 

[frappes]

IDk the model number though. I'll make an external backup, format it, then migrate the data.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

*nod* As long as its SATA, it'll work.

However, you might consider a 120 GB SSD

 

[frappes]

It won't fit in budget, but the prices have been going down a lot, so when a 120gb is on sale for $50 in the next few months, I'll snatch it up. Also, what is the ETA for piledriver? Might consider the the piled river version of the fx4100.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

october to december for piledriver/trinity

 

[frappes]

Too late. The multi threaded performance isn't bad, but single threaded is terrible. If they improve that, they'd be good. Also, switched the case to a black Bitfenix Shinobi.

 

[frappes]

Or should I get the Thermaltake MS-I?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

cases are very subjective. pick the one that looks right to you

 

[frappes]

Alright, thanks. Picked the MS-I. I'm just waiting on the official 7850 price drop. I want that ASUS 7850. Anything else I should change?

 

[jmsellars1]

Nah it looks great assuming you will overclock the CPU

 

[frappes]

How far does a 965 OC? What's a reasonable estimate like x.x GHz.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

3.6 to 4.0 GHz depending how lucky you are with the chip