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Gaming pc build forums

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Hello guys,

I have been researching into building a gaming PC for a $1500 budget. My budget includes a monitor and a keyboard. Here is the permalink

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ldoJ

I'd appreciate any input and recommendations on how I can improve this rig. I am looking for something that I can upgrade in the future without swapping out to many things. I am still debating on the HD because I do not want it to bottle neck my system. I plan on overclocking the RAM hence the 2133 Mhz ram.

It is my first build and journey into PC building and overclocking. Suggestions are welcome. Thanks

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Homebuilt system Authority
Gaming Expert

^Don't get either one of those....well the monitor is nice. While the computer itself is decent, Cyberpower tends to use cheaper parts in regions that shouldn't be, like the power supply.

As it is, your build looks pretty solid. If you are going to overclock heavily, you might want a nicer cooler. If not, then you should be fine with the 212 Plus.
Homebuilt system Expert
Overclocking Expert
Gaming Expert

Your build with a few changes:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($129.37 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($386.97 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($101.93 @ Mac Connection)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.98 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($24.98 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor ($164.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Mac Mall)
Keyboard: Lite-On SK-1788/BS Wired Standard Keyboard ($14.97 @ Newegg)
Total: $1388.15
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Z77 Extreme4 is cheaper, has most of the same features, and comes with 8GB free RAM. There's no point to anything above DDR3-1600 except on an APU.

7970 is faster.

830 is faster and cheaper.
Related ressources

I think those modifications make sense and look real solid. What's the deal with Nvidia vs AMD? I have always used Nvidia and was going to stick with the GTX 670 but seems like the HD 7970 is way better. However, isn't AMD going to be releasing their 8000 series soon? So should I wait or am I better off getting an Nvidia product. Some input would really help, I don't know enough about the market regarding these products.
Homebuilt system Expert
Overclocking Expert
Gaming Expert

AMD has been doing some very competitive pricing recently.

They're a few months away IIRC. Prices will fall and the new ones will be better, but is waiting really worth it? If you always wait for the next generation you'll never actually buy anything.
Homebuilt system Expert
Gaming Expert

your build is really good except the board i had some issues with msi boards , i would get the GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD5H its pretty high end mobo and has a very good reputation , and are you sure about windows 8 ? have you tried it ?
Homebuilt system Expert
Overclocking Expert
Gaming Expert

That mobo is also fairly expensive, and won't deliver major benefits over the Extreme4 or GA-Z77X-D3H. IMO high end mobos are pretty pointless unless you have money to burn; there's always other places that will get you a bigger performance increase for your money.

Personally I wouldn't use Win8 (tried release preview; is rubbish). It's the OP's choice though.

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'll go with the GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD3H b/c I've read that Asrock extreme4 has quality issues out of the box and heard that Asrock's customer service is not very good. I would not mind paying a small premium knowing that I am getting a quality product I don't have to worry about too much.

I will probably go with a ram that has a lower clock since it seems like I won't gain too much in performance from it.

I have been looking at monitors, and I was wondering whether a high resolution monitor like 2560 x 1440 is worth buying. I use to game on a 15.6" 1920 X 1200 laptop and noticed the visuals were better on that than when I connected it via HDMI to a 1920 X 1080 monitor.

What is your take on that? I wouldn't mind shelling out the extra cash for the higher resolution to tap into the full potential of the graphics card. Any ideas on modifications or recommendations to the current build to incorporate a higher resolution screen and whether it is worth it (frank opinions are welcome) would be great.
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