Need advice on budget gaming build $400-$600 range

[Ooyads]

Approximate Purchase Date: e.g.: At the latest December

Budget Range: $400-$600

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming and movies

Are you buying a monitor: Yes



Parts to Upgrade: Need everything ))) Links below--

Do you need to buy OS: Yes


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: any site really. I do have a microcenter in my city

Location: Houston, TX

Parts Preferences: by brand or type: I'd prefer Intel products

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Your Monitor Resolution: Not sure yet still looking at monitors

Additional Comments: Want to play 'big' game titles such as call of duty, Diablo 3, skyrim etc etc on medium-high settings

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I only have a laptop and I'd really like to be able to play more PC games.

I've looked at some random parts, but I would like advice on how to get around the same performance for less. I'd also like to know if I even picked parts that will work together lol. I'm way behind on current stuff. If this is a pretty good build for my price range just let me know so.


CPU:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0388579


MOBO:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0393422


Case:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0383014


Vid Card:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0382944


HDD:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0334293


Power Supply:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027


RAM:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0347306

Price: $597.93 After Rebates/Before Shipping
$657.93 Before Rebates/Before Shipping

 

[malbluff]

Nothing hugely WRONG. I don't know that case, toknow if it's any good. Trouble with white cases, is they look great when they're new, but... and that gets worse, if quality's not geat. Coolermaster Elite 430 is decent at that price range, but it's a question of what YOU like.
That graphics card is particularly feeble. You don't need a Z77 motherboard, with a locked chip. A H77 is just as good, but cheaper. Put the change towards better graphics card.
It LOOKS like that CPU is a retail version, with a cooler. Make sure it's not an OEM version, that doesn't have a cooler with it.

 

[Nw333]

First, downgrade to an H77 mobo since Z77 is made for OCing and you cant OC the 3450.

With downgrading^ you should have enough money for a 7850.

Wth that, you can play Ultra, 1080p at atleast 30FPS.

 

[Wisecracker]

Wait until December 1st.

(if you can make it past *Black Friday* !!)

 

[Ooyads]

Wait until December 1st.

(if you can make it past *Black Friday* !!)

Should I really wait til december? Because if it'll be worth it I can

 

[boulbox]

yes the ivy bridge i3 will be coming out soon and it would be great on a budget build like this.

i also suggest(if there is a good sale anyways) to buy some parts on black friday

parts like GPU(hopefully you can get a 7870) motherboard, case, and PSU.

 

[malbluff]

Ivy i3's are out. Whilst they're pretty good, I don't see a lot of advantage downgrading to i3, UNLESS that extra few $ enables you to get a much better graphics card, AND, you don't NEED i5 for other things.

 

[Ooyads]

I honestly don't know if I really need an i5 or if a 3 will be fine

I mainly want this rig for gaming and Internet only. I won't be editing video or anything like that. If it'd be better to downgrade to an i3 and get a beefier video card lets do that.

 

[Nw333]

That depends on your games and what settings you can handle them at, eg. If you can live with medium graphics but have a lot of units on screen. (SCII )

 

[Ooyads]

I plan on playing the borderlands games, the witcher games, sc2, call of duty, d3 etc

I can live With medium settings but I'd rather be able to play high.

I plan to uPgrade this system also so would it be better to go ahead and get the i5 now or get a better video card now

 

[Nw333]

Those games arent much demanding interms of CPUs. (Except SCII which might be your main problem going down to the i3) If you do get the i3 though, I suggest you immediately upgrade next year when the new Intel Haswell processors come out.

A 7870 will be your friend interms of graphics. If not, a 7850 will still do fine but a little less performance.

 

[Ooyads]

Should I go with the i3-3220 or the 3240? Doesn't seem to be a huge difference but the 3220 is like $15 cheaper.

 

[Nw333]

3240 is my choice