Help A Girl Out III

[Elizabeth_B]

Hello friendly, helpful and informative Tom's people:

You have all helped me tremendously in the past on three builds and I am coming back for more but this time I will be upgrading most of my system from 2009. I want a cool, quiet, efficient and fast starting ( SSD of at least 240 GB a MUST) build that will play games like Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim at fairly good settings on a 27" Full HD Viewsonic monitor. I might also like this build to be able to receive a cable signal for TV but that is not necessary and I would like to be able to use my copy of Windows 7 64 bit Home premium for a while until I am convinced Win 8 is the way to go. Here is what I have on hand and would like to use for the upgrade:

COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper SGC-6000-KXN1-GP Black Steel, ABS Plastic, Mesh bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Western Digital WD Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive ( for storage only)

LG Black Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner SATA Model GGC-H20L

HP 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model 1170i LightScribe Support

CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified

The mobo, memory, CPU, GPU, and CPU cooler are all going to be incompatible with the new components so I obviously won't include them.

I would like this new build to also have a mobo with a better quality wireless card and I do not need a crossfire or dual card solution. Nvidia or AMD no preference just most bang for the buck on a moderate scale.

Is it possible to recycle the listed components or will I have to start from scratch?

Can I somehow add USB 3.0 functionality to this Storm Sniper case?

All of these components have been up and running in my current system since 2/2009 with no issues.

Please include your suggestions and a link to online merchants such as Newegg, Tiger Direct or Amazon.

Thanks so much for your suggestions!!!

 

[monstersti]

umm 1 thing we do need a budget/price range to put a build together

 

[lordravage]

It would be helpful to have an idea of your expected budget, it really helps define where to start looking for components. It looks like your main purchases will be a motherboard, SSD, CPU, and GPU, and "the most bang for the buck" could arguably be anywhere from $400 to $900+ depending on exactly how important certain games are compared to the size of the hole in your wallet.

You said you expected your memory was going to be incompatible, but as long as it is decent ddr3 ram it should be fine in your new system if you wanted to save some money there.

All the other parts you listed are pretty nice quality and should be fine as a starting point for you. To get USB 3.0 in that case you just need to use a motherboard that has USB 3.0 ports on the back, you probably can't change out the front ports on the case without a bit more hassle.

 

[Elizabeth_B]

ARGH! Sorry I did not use the suggested template; just saw that sticky.


Approximate Purchase Date: e.g.: Two weeks
Budget Range: (e.g.: 300-400) Not over $1000
System Usage from Most to Least Important: General Office apps, gaming, Netflix, web surfing
Are you buying a monitor: No



Parts to Upgrade: Mobo, CPU, GPU, Memory, cooler, SSD hard drive for OS

Re-using:COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper SGC-6000-KXN1-GP Black Steel, ABS Plastic, Mesh bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Western Digital WD Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive ( for storage only)
LG Black Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner SATA Model GGC-H20L
HP 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model 1170i LightScribe Support
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified
Logitech Wave cordless keyboard and mouse.

Do you need to buy OS: I don't think so? I have Windows 7 Home premium 64 bit which I got as part of the mail in offer upgrade when I first purchased Vista in 2009. I installed Windows 7 about 7 months ago as an upgrade, not a clean install and I do have the DVD.


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, Amazon, Tiger Direct, any other reputable dealer

Location:Florida
Parts Preferences: by brand or type: Intel CPU, Samsung 830 SSD or other with good reputation, Asus or Gigabyte Mobo, Top quality vid card known for excellent cooling
Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire:No

Your Monitor Resolution: Viewsonic VX2753 (1080X1020)

Additional Comments: Want to be able to play Skyrim with decent quality. Mainly play Steam games such as Mass Effect 2, etc..

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Just want to get a faster, more efficient system and the current set up ( radeon HD 4770 and Q 9550 with DDR 2 memory and plates Hard drive seems slow now)

 

[Elizabeth_B]

umm 1 thing we do need a budget/price range to put a build together

Sorry I forgot the budget. Would prefer not to go over $1000. This would be for Mobo, CPU, GPU, CPU cooler, (if needed), SSD for the OS and a few programs, and 8GB of DDR3 memory. Hopefully my current Power supply will be sufficient?

 

[the great randini]

ASRock Z77
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157296

$20 off w/ promo code EMCJJHA34, ends 12/5
Intel Core i5-2500K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

SAPPHIRE 100351SR Radeon HD 7970 3GB 384-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008

if you plan on overclocking
Noctua NH-D14
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608018

 

[monstersti]

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/qKIi
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/qKIi/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/qKIi/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($119.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Agility 3 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($159.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $759.93
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-03 13:46 EST-0500)
if u dont need super game performance u can drop the gpu down but for the money its great also for wireless ull need to buy a usb 1 or pci card for it asus makes some nice 1s if ur looking for them
and for usb 3.0 u can get a front 1 or back 1 like this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815166026
this ONLY works with windows 7 and not windows 8 (yet)

 

[the great randini]

gskill 2x4gb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231542

Crusial M4
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148530

windows 7 64bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116992

 

[lycros]

i5-3570K / Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H - $348.98
Crucial M4 256GB - $169.99 (w/ promo code "EMCYTZT2596")
Noctua NH-U9B SE2 - $54.99
Crucial 8GB (2x 4GB) DDR3 1600 9-9-9-24 1.5V - $33.99
Sapphire HD 7950 - $299.99

Total: $907.94

Freebies: AMD Never Settle Bundle (Far Cry 3, Hitman: Absolution, Sleeping Dogs, and 20% off MOH: War Fighter Limited Edition)

MIR: $20 on the GPU

And for getting USB 3 to the front of your case, get something like these.
For a wireless card, something like these (I'm keen on the intel one).

 

[jay2tall]

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V LGA 1155 $189.99
I've used this motherboard before and is very nice. It has an included wireless card and antenna that attaches to anything metal, via little magnets. It offers a lot of feature and is well suited if you intend to do some overclocking. Not saying you have to OC to take advantage of this board. ASUS has just always done motherboards right. I've used them forever.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131820

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K $214.99
Right now the 3570K is the same price on newegg as the 3570 so it makes sense to purchase this whether you intend to overclock or not. It's the current fastest i5 and will suit your gaming needs. No need for an i7 for gaming.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

Memory: CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 $39.99
8Gb is where you want to be for gaming. Using 2 sticks will allow you room to add 2 more for 16GB total if you wish later on when/if the need raises. Corsair XMS is good reliable stuff. It also has a similar color to your motherboard scheme. If that matters to you.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233202

CPU Cooler: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO $34.99
Going with the stock cooler is perfectly fine, however, I recommend this cooler as it is pretty much a go to cooler for anyone for stock to moderate overclocking. It is very quiet and include a good fan. I've installed this on the above recommended motherboard. Just a heads up, you will want to go into the UEFI BIOS and lower the CPU fan threshold. Because the fan spins at a lower rate since it cools so well, the BIOS thinks it is spinning to slow. You just have to lower the fan RPM threshold to something like 400RPM. This cooler is very quiet.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

SSD: Intel 335 Series 240GB $199.99
I would agree with going to an Intel or Samsung drive. I personally go with Intel because of some of the testing articles I've read and they have always had the least number of failures. I also like the Intel SSD toolbox and the support it gives you. It allows you to check drive lifetime and other items as well. I would always take a more reliable drive over a faster one any day. The 335 just came out and is only available in 240GB, otherwise I'd go with the 330 240GB however its the same price. Article is here if you like for the differences: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-335-240-gb-benchmark,3332.html The Intel drives usually rank in the middle of the performance chart. Real world performance is very hard to measure though. I have the 330 running on SATA II and it is quite fast enough for me. I bought a 240GB since I know games will take up a lot of space. 120Gb just won't cut it and 240GB is still a good cost per GB.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167128

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 FTW LE 2GB $379.99 - $30MIR + 2 free games
There are always 2 levels of performance I like to try and hit. One is if you are a gamer and have a low budget. I try everything possible to get a GTX660 or AMD equivalent. The Second is the GTX670 or equivalent. These are just two key levels that I made my mind up on recently. Since your budget allows, I would want to make sure you get to that 670 level. The card recommended is slightly overclocked and has a $30 MIR. It also comes with 2 free game coupons. Borderlands 2 & Assassin's Creed 3.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130802

Sub-total: $1,059.94
Shipping: $4.84
TOTAL: $1,064.78
minus $30MIR
GRAND TOTAL: 1,034.78

Should do everything you want and a bag of chips. I know it is slightly over budget, but I assume with a $1000 budget there is room for compromise. I rather have a rock solid system and pay a little more for really good parts. You could always change the video card around to save a few bucks. Or get a motherboard without built in wifi and get a USB adapter cheap. If you do not intend to overclock you could also get a lower clocked i5. There is room for play if you need to trim the fat.

 

[RetiredChief]

+10 for thoes recommending the Crucial M4 for $170!!
Have 3 ea M4's and 3 ea Samsung 830's - My preference is which ever one is cheapest at time of purchase.
Downstream will go with the 840Pro- after it has been in the puipeline longer and comes DOWN in price.

You mentioned cable TV input. Having used several Computer cards (The old A-I-W cards were prety good, but not great for gaming). I have ended up going with a dedicated DVD-DL recorder with tuner. (W/DL disks I can set up to record upto 6 hours at exceptable quality.
My current Monitor has 3 hdmi inputs (a Samsung LED 32 in TV). hdmi 1 is i5-750 Desktop, hdmi-2 is i5-2500k desktop and hdmi-3 is for my DVD recorder.