First time build under $1200

[55th Mint]

Hello,
For a while now I've been wanting to get a good pc. Now finally the moment has come! I have gotten a few insights from friends and relatives, below is my edited version of the standard template and under it is my proposed setup.

Approximate Purchase Date: By the end of September

Budget Range: $1500 max, $1200 preferred.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Surfing the internet, watching movies, working on large images and pdfs, word, gaming (Counter Strike: Source)

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, Monitor, OS.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/default.php
OR
http://www.msy.com.au/Parts/PARTS.pdf
OR
http://www.cplonline.com.au

Country: Australia.

Parts Preferences: Do not care, just as long as they are quality and well trusted brands.

Overclocking: Most Likley

SLI or Crossfire: No clue what this means. Somebody pleas explain?

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200, maybe dual monitor setup. Please adivse.

Additional Comments: Prefer to have a quiet PC. As well as some LED lighting (not included in budget). Would also be nice to maybe have those fan controllers and a small screen displaying computer status. I also would like to have two audiocards if possible so I can DJ, one output onto headphones and other onto speakers! Any advice?

Current setup:
Prices are from: http://www.msy.com.au/Parts/PARTS.pdf

Intel i5 3570K - 234
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H - 169
8G Kit 2133 Kingston HyperX   - 60
Intel SSD 520 SATA3 120GB - 139
Seagate SATA 3 1TB - 79
SATA Blu-Ray Combo Pioneer - 65
=$746
+ Also a graphics card is needed & a case with a transparent side & a power supply!

You can suggest me your setup and change anything from my list. I just made it according to my friends suggestions.
- Thanks in advance!

 

[malbluff]

First thing. Your comment about two monitors. If that's for multitasking, fine. It's useless for gaming. You need one, or three (with two, your natural eyeline is BETWEEN them). That's the point about SLi. If you want multiple monitors, for gaming "surround vision", you need more than one graphics card, that's SLi (or crossfire with Radeon). That's something you need to think about, in advance, as it effects choices, in the initial design. The rest of it is down to how much you want to concentrate on pure gaming performance, or the "extras", like sound cards etc. Cases are so much personal choice (the look), it's almost better for you to pick a couple YOU like, and us tell you which of them is "best".

 

[idroid]

Get this:


CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.00 @ PCCaseGear)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($36.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($152.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card (CrossFire) ($345.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card (CrossFire) ($345.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: OCZ 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply
Total: $1355.00

 

[malbluff]

Get this:


CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.00 @ PCCaseGear)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($36.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($152.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card (CrossFire) ($345.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card (CrossFire) ($345.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: OCZ 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply
Total: $1355.00

Certainly some build (and a half), if OP does want tri-monitor. Not sure if he actually NEEDS multiple sound cards, as well.
Slightly off thread, but I keep hearing opposite comments, as to whether Ripjaws are OK with 212EVO. Not having used either Ripjaws or the 212EVO, myself, bit difficult to judge. Do we KNOW they're OK?

 

[idroid]

Certainly some build (and a half), if OP does want tri-monitor. Not sure if he actually NEEDS multiple sound cards, as well.
Slightly off thread, but I keep hearing opposite comments, as to whether Ripjaws are OK with 212EVO. Not having used either Ripjaws or the 212EVO, myself, bit difficult to judge. Do we KNOW they're OK?

*what part am i missing?

*Needing, wanting and having the possibility to do something are very different things.... you don't really need clothes/money/cars/computer but if you can have them...why not having them?? the same logic applies for the sound card(s) the thing is.... having multiple cards is idiotic because who da hell outputs audio to more than two audio devices at the same time (onboard + discrete) and the sound quality only (really) improves when you have a $200+ sound card with a ~$1200+ sound system.

*G.skill ares and CML corsair vengance will work too

 

[malbluff]

Subject to OP confirming, I suspect OP is thinking of second screen for multi-tasking, rather than gaming. What he did ask for was Blu-ray and sound card (two probably is OTT), reasonable, perhaps,if he's doing sound mixing for DJ work, at least.
I appreciate Ares and CML are ok, with cooler. I just keep getting opposite opinions, on whether Ripjaws are. Having never used them, question of being sure.

 

[55th Mint]

Hello!
First of all, I may want to upgrade to dual monitors once I setup my system. Now in terms of the video cards, if I have two do thier specs add up together, or does one only work at a time? And the other just takes care of monitor outputs?

 

[malbluff]

Two don't add together, necessarily. What they do is allow higher resolutions. A single monitor may be 1920x1080. If you then use three, in eyefinity (the picture SPREAD across 3 screens), then you have an effective resolution of 5760x1080, far too much for a single card, so you need two. Generally speaking, if you have single screen, even with 2560x1600 resolution, you are usually better with a larger single card, rather than 2 smaller ones, or at least, the benefit of 2 doesn't justify the cost. In that situation, 2 will help with frame rates in very demanding games, but not x2.
As I said, forget 2 monitors for gaming. Has to be 1 or 3, 2 is useless.

 

[55th Mint]

Well I'm planning to game using just one screen. Is it possible to have one card and make it run two screen, but when I game it will use only one screen. So do the separate outputs have their own resolution ratings, or are they dependent on each other. By that I mean if the video card has a max resolution of 1024x768, and I hook up two monitors to the two outputs making the resolution 2048x768 will the card be able to support this new resolution?

 

[idroid]

Well I'm planning to game using just one screen. Is it possible to have one card and make it run two screen, but when I game it will use only one screen. So do the separate outputs have their own resolution ratings, or are they dependent on each other. By that I mean if the video card has a max resolution of 1024x768, and I hook up two monitors to the two outputs making the resolution 2048x768 will the card be able to support this new resolution?

no no no no no.... and NO... it doesn't work like that.

the build i listed can handle 6x 2560x1600 monitors (7680x3200) but each monitor's image is going to be rendered @2560x1600 it doesn't add up.

 

[malbluff]

Well I'm planning to game using just one screen. Is it possible to have one card and make it run two screen, but when I game it will use only one screen. So do the separate outputs have their own resolution ratings, or are they dependent on each other. By that I mean if the video card has a max resolution of 1024x768, and I hook up two monitors to the two outputs making the resolution 2048x768 will the card be able to support this new resolution?

You can run two screens doing different things, the same as you can multi-task on one. If your graphic card has, say, two DVI ports, you plug one monitor into one, the other into the other. Windows7 will recognise there are two screens, and you can direct your game to one, and say, do emails on the other. For that sort of thing, the "auxilliary" screen is effectively irelevant, in terms of its graphics load. It may slow your gaming slightly, but should be marginal.

 

[55th Mint]

What card (or two) would you recommend for under $300?

 

[idroid]

What card (or two) would you recommend for under $300?

7870/7950/GTX660ti.

 

[55th Mint]

They don't have two DVI outputs?

 

[55th Mint]

The 660 has two different DVIs?

 

[malbluff]

You always get adapters/cables, supplied with graphics cards. Worst case scenario, if monitor doesn't have same inputs, you have to buy an adapter, or cable, or you can used hdmi. There's always a way round it, provided you've got decent, modern monitors.

 

[55th Mint]

New setup:
MSY Prices

Intel i5 3570K - 234
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 (145) OR Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H (169)
8G Kit 2133 Kingston HyperX   - 60
Intel SSD 520 SATA3 120GB - 139
Seagate SATA 3 1TB - 79
SATA Blu-Ray Combo Pioneer - 65
Gigabyte 660 (339) OR Gigabyte 7870 (279)
Antec True Power 650W - 120
+ CASE
=1121

Need suggestions for case. I'm willing to spare an extra 100-150. I prefer one with a side panel for my LED lighting

 

[55th Mint]

New setup v2:

MSY Pricing http://www.msy.com.au/Parts/PARTS.pdf

CPU Intel i5 3570K - $234

Motherboard ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ($145) OR Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H ($169)

RAM 8G 1600 Kingston - $45

SSD Samsung 830 SSD SATA3 128GB - $109

HDD Seagate SATA 3 1TB - $79

Blu-Ray/DVD/CD SATA Blu-Ray Combo Pioneer - $65

GPU Gigabyte 660 ($339) OR Gigabyte 7870 ($279)

Power Supply Antec True Power 650W - $120

+ Case

= $1076 (Cheapest price, without case)

 

[55th Mint]

Asking for as many insightful and useful comments as possible!

 

[malbluff]

Not a lot to choose between mobo's. Tend to think ASRock, purely because it's cheaper.
As for GPU, I take it your talking about 660Ti. If so, it's better than the 7870. Whether it's better value, rather depends on which game. If you particularly want good performance in BF3, or perhaps Portal 2, the 660Ti probably justifies the higher price. Over a broad range of games, possible not, but then you could be considering it against the 7950, at that price, which MIGHT be the better choice, overall.