First Build ~$2000 Canadian

[bigred738]

Approximate Purchase Date: I might buy some of it today or tomorrow and the rest next week after I get paid.

Budget Range: ~$2000 Canadian

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, surfing the web

Are you buying a monitor: No


Parts to Upgrade: Everything

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: memoryexpress.com (There is a store close to me and I would prefer to buy as much in-store as I can.) ncix.com (I will buy a couple things online if you think it will be that much better.)

Location: Alberta, Canada

Parts Preferences: Intel

Overclocking: Yes but not very much just trying to learn.

SLI or Crossfire: Yes

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Additional Comments: I want it to look good.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I don't like running games with very minimal settings at 720p and still end up getting random frame drops to 20fps.

Processor: Core™ i5-3570K Processor, 3.40GHz w/ 6MB Cache $229.99
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX39008

CPU cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO CPU Cooler $34.99
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX36377

Motherboard: P8Z77-V w/ Dual DDR3 1600, 7.1 Audio, Gigabit Lan, WiFi, SLI / 3-Way CrossFireX $194.99
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX38189
(Should I upgrade to the pro?)

GPU: 2x MSI N660Ti Power Edition OC GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB PCI-E w/ Dual DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort $329.99 each
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX40903

Ram: Vengeance 8GB DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Dual Channel Kit (2 x 4GB) $49.99
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX31392

Storage: Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black 7200rpm SATA III w/ 64MB Cache $109.99
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX27676

Power Supply: I was thinking 700-750 watt range, am I right?

Case: I'm not entirely sure.

I am open to suggestions. I might put a ssd in later, or I'll get one next week if you think I should.

 

[DeusAres]

Here ya go...

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.79 @ DirectCanada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($31.05 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($169.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($82.49 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($222.66 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($409.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Antec Eleven Hundred ATX Full Tower Case ($87.87 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: XFX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($104.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($98.99 @ Computer Valley)
Total: $1517.80
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-09-02 12:03 EDT-0400)

The case I recommended comes with two exhaust fans. One of those fans have blue LEDs. You'll want to grab a few extra 120mm case fans. The Antec 1100 has up to 9 total fan mounts.

I wouldn't recommend doing SLI or Crossfire just yet. Typically one GTX 670 will be enough for 1920x1080 res gaming. The MSI version I recommended has an unlocked voltage which means you have more control as far as overclocking goes. While the gtx 660 ti scales fairly well, there's always those games that don't support SLI. Occasionally you'll also run into microstuttering.

I suggest taking a look at some more cases at your budget. There are plenty out there. Just pick the one you like the best and make sure it has high airflow and good cable management.

For a power supply, you'll want at least 750w for SLI/Crossfire. You will also want to make sure it is made by a reputable company and is 80+ certified.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask.