(First Build) $1600 Gaming Rig, Need help please.

[SideEffecT]

Approximate Purchase Date: Today or this weekend at the latest

Budget Range: $1500-$1600 after rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Lots of Gaming(GW2,WOW,BF3, League of Legends, Black Ops 2), internet surfing, movie watching

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Parts to Upgrade: All

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, Amazon, NZXT, Microcenter, BestBuy, Fry's

Location: Pasadena, California

Parts Preferences: None

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe later on

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

I have done a lot of research and have been looking at these boards like a mad man.

Additional Comments: I have tried really hard to make the best bang for my buck comp, but stacking these forums everyday and trying to learn from you guys/girls. I would like to know if these parts are all compatible together, and any deals you know of would be awesome.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I want to play PC games on ultra settings with friends, and not have to worry about upgrading for awhile

PCPartPicker part list: / Price breakdown by merchant: / Benchmarks:

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($184.98 @ NCIX US)
I see others have the ASRock Z77 Extreme4, I see some reviews say looking back they would have paid a lil extra for Asus. I still would like to know opinions on that though.
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB Video Card ($449.99 @ Newegg)
This is what I see the most debate on. The 7970 or the 670. I don't know which card is the best value right now, but this card got great reviews from what I read.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($36.99 @ Newegg)
I don't know if this will work with my Mboard or if there is better ram for a little bit more.
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 750GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Is there a better deal or a better drive for the price?
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.30 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($98.88 @ Outlet PC)
I picked this because it won the Tom's Hardware Case award. I'm looking for a case that has good air flow and is quiet.
Power Supply: Corsair 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($85.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VE248H 24.0" Monitor ($174.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $1554.07
Prices include shipping and discounts when available.

 

[obsama1]

The Ext.4 and P8Z77 V are in two different price brackets. If you want ASRock, get the Extreme6, which is comparable to the V. Everything looks good!

 

[mocchan]

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-hd103sj <- $1 cheaper and 250GB more space.

Other than that, everything looks good.

 

[nsouter853]

Hey California brother!

This looks like a pretty sweet rig so far. Like obsama1 said, compare the P8Z77 V to the Extreme6, not the 4. Also, look at the MSI Z77A-GD65. It received the best rating in a review by Tom's Hardware comparing 6 motherboards in that price range, along with the Extreme 6. I would say go with either the Ext6 or the GD65. Either will work.

As for the GPU, the 670 and 7970 really comes down to the specific model (overclocked vs non-overclocked) and game. The 670 will will in some games, the 7970 will win in others. I would say the 670, just because I'm kind of an Nvidia fanboy in the higher-end section. I think the 7970 is actually a bit faster overall though. Either will serve you well, however, I would just go with what's cheaper.

You might also want to consider getting a fully-modular PSU like the AX750. It's much easier to manage cables with a fully-modular PSU. You'll thank me later.

Good luck!

 

[mastrom101]

Other than the RAM, it's an amazing build. I would choose corsair or g.skill, but that's your choice.

 

[obsama1]

Crucial is pretty good and it doesn't have the obtrusive heatsinks.

 

[SideEffecT]

Best answer selected by SideEffecT.