First Time Build - Gaming Rig $1,300

[uptown_80]

Approximate Purchase Date: After XMas

Budget Range: $1,300ish

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, surfing the web
Are you buying a monitor: No - currently have a Dell Ultrasharp U2412M



Parts to Upgrade: New Build

Do you need to buy OS: Yes - included in $1,300 price

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: No preference

Location: City, State/Region, Country - Dallas, TX

Parts Preferences: by brand or type - Intel CPU
Overclocking: No - no idea how to do that

SLI or Crossfire: Yes - in the future

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200

Additional Comments: First time build and I don't follow the latest trends in computer gaming so I am pretty clueless as to what I am doing. I will be playing Skyrim, and FPS (play a lot of TF2, L4D 2 but would like to play the more current games

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Current computer is 6 years old

CPU Intel Core i7-3770 3.4GHz Quad-Core $299.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80637i73770
CPU Cooler Cooler Master V8 69.7 CFM Rifle Bearing $47.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rruv8xbu1gp
Motherboard Asus P8Z77-V LK ATX LGA1155 $119.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-motherboard-p8z77vlk
Memory Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 $79.98 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cml16gx3m4a1600c9b
Storage Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM $129.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-hd204ui
Video Card HIS Radeon HD 7970 3GB $393.49 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/his-video-card-h797f3g2m
Case Rosewill CHALLENGER ATX Mid Tower $49.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-case-challenger
Sound Card Asus Xonar DG $24.99 (Do I ever need this?) http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-sound-card-xonardg
Power Supply Cooler Master 700W ATX12V $89.20 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-power-supply-rs700ambad3
Optical Drive Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer $24.98 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-optical-drive-drw24b1stblkbas
Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) $89.98 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-gfc02050
Total $1,336


Please offer any suggestions/advice to my build and anything I can change/add.

 

[iceclock]

alot better is this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229388

solid gaming pc from, cyberpower and it comes with all the bells and whistles u need for 1049$

and heres a nice sound-card u can afford with the money u save:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102048

120$ and its def worth it if ur gaming to have an addin sound-card, onboard just isnt the same quality as a good sound-card.

enjoy cheaper and just as good and prebuilt

 

[butremor]

Non-overclockable, crossfire ready build :

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($149.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($87.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($354.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($20.95 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1004.92
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-16 14:21 EST-0500)

 

[iceclock]

well yes but thats not prebuilt.

depends on if hes comfortable installing the pc himself

 

[butremor]

well yes but thats not prebuilt.

depends on if hes comfortable installing the pc himself

Well this subforum is meant for own build. If he wanted prebuild, he would've posted in prebuilt subforum.

 

[iceclock]

right, either way the system u suggested is fine and mine as well

 

[DeusAres]

Non-overclockable, crossfire ready build :

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($149.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($87.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($354.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($20.95 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1004.92
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-16 14:21 EST-0500)

+1

Looks like a fairly well-rounded build. The only thing I would add to this build is a SSD. I'd get one to store my OS and games on. Just about any 128gb SSD would be fine.

ADATA XPG SX900 ASX900S3-128GM-C 2.5" 128GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211596

Overclocking: No - no idea how to do that

It's really simple to do. There are plenty of tutorials out there to help you. Look around and read some things. It can prove to be useful. If you believe this is something you'd like to look into, I'd recommend you grab a build similar to butremor's build. Just switch out the CPU for an i5 3570k and the motherboard for the ASRock Z77 Extreme4. Also, you'll want a CPU cooler to help keep your CPU cool. Links to these parts will be located below...

Intel Core i5-3570K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

ASRock Z77 Extreme4
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293

CPU Cooler COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099&Tpk=Hyper%20212%20evo

 

[uptown_80]

I'm not opposed to buying prebuilt and in fact that was my original idea but after some research it appears customers cyberpower experience is hit or miss, plus I can get more bang for my buck doing my own build.

I wouldn't rule out trying to over clock in the future and I wouldn't mind have the possibility if it's not too complicated.

Taking into account everyone's feedback, how does this look?

CPU Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core $214.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80637i53570k
CPU Cooler Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing $29.98 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2
Motherboard ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 $129.98 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-z77extreme4
Storage Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM $91.33 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd1002faex
Storage Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" SSD $99.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-internal-hard-drive-ct128m4ssd2
Video Card XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB $354.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-fx797atdfc
Case Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower $49.49 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-rc912kkn1
Power Supply XFX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V $84.99 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1750bnlg9
Optical Drive Samsung SH-224BB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer $20.95 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-optical-drive-sh224bbrsbs
Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) $89.98 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-gfc02050
Total $1,207

 

[DeusAres]

Looks good to me. Enjoy your new build.

 

[iceclock]

looks very nice, enjoy ur new beast

 

[uptown_80]

Quick follow up - I will be using Audioengine A5's for my speakers so is it worth the extra $$ to pick up a soundcard? I don't want to break the bank but at the same time would look to take advantage of my speakers. Keep in mind this will be for video game use, I won't be watching movies or listening to lots of music on my computer.

 

[iceclock]

yes def worth it, if u can afford its night and the day the difference, if uve experience good addin cards for audio ull notice, def worth it.

for gaming especially

 

[uptown_80]

Any suggestions? Like everything else the price varies so much, I don't know if I can just pick up a card for $30 or look to spend more than that? I will only be using a 2.1 setup, I don't think I will ever move on to 5.1 / 7.1.

 

[iceclock]

well for that price range id suggest u spend a few bucks more.

http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=49090&vpn=AZT-BRAVURA&manufacture=AuzenTech&promoid=1444

79$. since at 40$ unless buying off ebay u wont get much good,

its def worth every penny.

or if your really on a budget http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=56330&vpn=XONAR%20DG&manufacture=ASUS

the asus xonar