New $1200 or so complete gaming system

[xuzidan]

Looking to build a totally new gaming rig for around $1200. Haven't been able to do any PC gaming for about 4 years and looking forward to jumping back in.

I appreciate the help.

Approximate Purchase Date: November/December
Budget Range: (e.g.: 300-400) 1100-1300
System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming
Are you buying a monitor: Yes
Parts to Upgrade: All
Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg?
Location: WA, USA
Parts Preferences: none
Overclocking: No
SLI or Crossfire: No
Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Additional Comments: Would like relatively quiet solution. Want to play most all games at Excellent 1080 for 2-3 years with capability to upgrade GPU after that for another 2 years of longevity.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My 2007 laptop is just an internet box at this point. Haven't been able to do any PC gaming for about 4 years and looking forward to jumping back in.


Current best guess:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hGGz

CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($192.97 @ CompUSA)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($87.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($41.10 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($34.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Asus VW246H 24.0" Monitor ($176.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($91.08 @ Amazon)
Other: Cheapo Keyboard/Mouse combo from Newegg ($30.00)
Total: $1173.63
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-09-16 22:00 EDT-0400)

 

[malbluff]

All looks pretty good. I might be inclined to use 550w power supply, to give a little bit in hand. Antec Basiq BP550M is a decent budget one. Don't see any other issues.

 

[chengvang]

CPU: Change it to a I5 3570. The performance is way better. It'll be future proof for another 2 years.

SSD: Change that SSD to a Samsung or Kingston, OCZ has a lot of problems and bad customer support. Also you wouldn't need a 128gb since you already have a HDD, just get 64 to put your OS on it.

Other than that. Your build looks great. For $1200, you should get some better parts. Have any questions, just ask.

 

[xuzidan]

CPU: Change it to a I5 3570. The performance is way better. It'll be future proof for another 2 years.

Would I need to get a Z77 MB to pair with the 3570?

Edit: NVM. I associated 3570 with 3570k.

 

[malbluff]

No you can just change processor, without changing anything else. Upgrading CPU to 3570 may well be worth extra expense. I'm not sure about the NEED to change SSD. Certainly OCZ had a poor reputation for SSD's. However, the Vertex 4 is a significant improvement, on their previous models, and is beginning to creep into some people's OK list. Of course, as it's new, long term reliability is yet to be proven. Samsung 830's, or I quite like Crucial M4, are very good, but whether it's now a case of "must change" is, at least, debatable.

 

[Why_Me]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1061683 $107.98 save: $8.00
ASRock B75 PRO3 LGA 1155 Intel B75 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model PV38G160C9K

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-2-5-Inch-Solid-SDSSDP-128G--G25/dp/B007ZW2LY4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1347126230&sr=1-1&keywords=sandisk+128+gb+ssd $89.95 + $0.00 shipping
SanDisk 128 GB 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive (SDSSDP-128G- G25)

 

[envy14tpe]

Don't buy 64gb ssd. 120/128gb is worth it. I have a 120 and I already have 70gb full. That is OS, Microsoft Office, and 2 big games.

sad. Intel, Samsung are great and can be found for around $100.

with 3570, it's safer to get a z77. future proof.

 

[malbluff]

I would say, stick with 128GB fo SSD, much better value, and you're quite likely to benefit from extra space. Whether you change type, is more debatable. If you want to be as sure as you can (nothings 100%) of long term reliability, it may be worth spending a bit more on something like Samsung 830.
When it comes to mobo, I really don't see anything to be gained, by changing from H77, unless to something cheaper, which happened to have better expansion options, to gain something in place of what you may lose. If you were to use a Z77 mobo, it would make more sense to use an unlocked processor. Even if you didn't want to overclock, it could be useful to "have it up your sleeve", for in the near future. I don't see a "K" as a likely UPGRADE. By the time you came to that Haswell would probably be the way to go, which would need a completely different board.
I just don't see a huge lot wrong with the current option.

 

[gelliott]

On the subject of the Vertex4, if you can get one of the better brands for a near equivalent price go for it, but I've had my Vertex4 for a few months now, and as long as you make sure its got the newest firmware before you do the rest of your setup mine has been performing fantastically.

 

[xuzidan]

What is the difference between the B75 and H77 boards? The only extra I can see on the H77 from the ASRock site is something called "Digi power design" and 2 more USB2.0 and 1 more SATA3 6.0 connector.

Seems like I could go with a B75 or H77 depending on whatever Newegg combo deal would be better.

Thanks for the help so far. New parts list.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hMAA

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.98 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($87.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($41.56 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec Basiq Plus 550W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($59.98 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Asus VW246H 24.0" Monitor ($176.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($91.21 @ Amazon)
Other: Cheapo Keyboard/Mouse combo from Newegg ($30.00)
Total: $1221.22
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-09-17 20:22 EDT-0400)

 

[Why_Me]

The H77 allows for Lucid Virtu which is a good thing of you do any video editing.

 

[malbluff]

What is the difference between the B75 and H77 boards? The only extra I can see on the H77 from the ASRock site is something called "Digi power design" and 2 more USB2.0 and 1 more SATA3 6.0 connector.

Seems like I could go with a B75 or H77 depending on whatever Newegg combo deal would be better.

Thanks for the help so far. New parts list.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hMAA

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.98 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($87.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($41.56 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec Basiq Plus 550W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($59.98 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Asus VW246H 24.0" Monitor ($176.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($91.21 @ Amazon)
Other: Cheapo Keyboard/Mouse combo from Newegg ($30.00)
Total: $1221.22
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-09-17 20:22 EDT-0400)

The B75 basically looks at the top of the range Z77, and tries to keep the main features, including OC, and saves money by cutting out all the "little frills". The H77 takes a slightly different aproach, by cutting out OC, to save money, but keeping all the "little frills". If they're the same, in other respects, and you definitely don't want to overlock CPU, H77 is the better way to go, even if those frills don't SEEM that important.

 

[Why_Me]

The B75 basically looks at the top of the range Z77, and tries to keep the main features, including OC, and saves money by cutting out all the "little frills". The H77 takes a slightly different aproach, by cutting out OC, to save money, but keeping all the "little frills". If they're the same, in other respects, and you definitely don't want to overlock CPU, H77 is the better way to go, even if those frills don't SEEM that important.

The B75 doesn't over clock. It's the succeser to the H61 except it supports 1600Hz RAM if an Ivy Bridge cpu is used with it and not a Sandy Bridge cpu. The H77 is geared for people who don't plan on over clocking and running dual vid cards but need the Lucid Virtu for video editing.

 

[malbluff]

Not having used one, myself, only have other people's comments to go by, but HAD thought you could overclock with B75, just not with the ease, or sophistication, of Z77. Have I got that totally wrong?

 

[Why_Me]

Not having used one, myself, only have other people's comments to go by, but HAD thought you could overclock with B75, just not with the ease, or sophistication, of Z77. Have I got that totally wrong?

You might have been thinking of the Z75 which does over clock. It has everything the Z77 has other than SSD caching.


http://www.asrock.com/mb/index.asp?s=1155 <----- There's an Asrock Z75 Pro3 on there.

 

[malbluff]

You might have been thinking of the Z75 which does over clock. It has everything the Z77 has other than SSD caching.


http://www.asrock.com/mb/index.asp?s=1155 <----- There's an Asrock Z75 Pro3 on there.

Thanks for clearing that misunderstanding. When you've not actually used one, and hear comments like "overclocking on B75 is rubbish", it tends to lead to lead to my original conclusion.