Opinion on first ever gaming build

[sfonline]

hey guys this is my first time building a computer and my first time posting, i am still learning all the acronyms and understand everything so if im asking alot, i apologize in advance.

Approximate Purchase Date: within 3-4 weeks

Budget Range: 700-800 After Rebates; After Shipping

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming,streaming movies surfing the internet, Plex Media server

Are you buying a monitor: No i have a crappy Dell™ E193FP im still gonna use for a while

Parts to Upgrade: CPU, mobo, RAM,Power Supply, case, and internal HD( no ssd, no need for keyboard, cd/dvd drive, monitor, or speakers)

Do you need to buy OS: No- will use win 7 home

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com, amazon.com, frys.com(i live very close to the frys in Fishers,IN), wherever its cheapest really

Location: indianapolis,IN US

Parts Preferences: Intel CPU, apart from this, i dont really know or have a pref for hardware from other brands. Please recommend critique or recommend hardware that i should buy.

Overclocking: not really, so i know i dont need the K version of cpu, what should i get instead?

SLI or Crossfire: no

Your Monitor Resolution: 1024x768 for the most part again i have a Dell™ E193FP so please keep that in mind when recommending hardware, im not looking for hardware that displays fancy hdmi graphics or anything, just that the game runs smoothly on med-high settings. this monitor only has a "D-sub" input plug btw. i may upgrade to a better one in the future.

Additional Comments: I am basically trying to make a build to play games and stream movies online. like i said idk much about computer building and its my first time so i am using the most recommended/most reviewed parts i see on newegg and amazon. i want my computer to last for a while without having to upgrade for 5 or so years apart from graphics card. i mostly play FPS like Call of Duty MW3,battlefield 3, RAGE. I would LIKE to be able to play Microsoft Flight Simulator X or the upcoming SimCity smoothly on my pc.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: my current computer is a dell dimenson 8400, its gotten very slow, and cant handle ANY of the newer games or smoothly stream a hq movie online.

Include a list of any parts you have already selected with descriptively labeled links for parts:

HD: $90
Western Digital Caviar Black 1 TB SATA III 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache Internal Desktop Hard Drive Bulk/OEM - WD1002FAEX
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036Q7MV0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Case:$60
Cooler Master HAF 912 - Mid Tower Computer Case with High Airflow Design (RC-912-KKN1)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZM7YTA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

CPU:$220
Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

or
$210
Intel Core i5-3550 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2500 BX80637I53550
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116505

PSU:$110
OCZ ZT Series 750W Fully-Modular 80PLUS Bronze High Performance Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandy Bridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341052

RAM:$45
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428

Motherboard:$135
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293

GPU: NO FRIGGIN IDEA! i have an old EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked-896P31252B3 and an ASUS M2A-VM motherboard i got from a friend a while ago idk if i should use it or not.

Any and all advise would be GREATLY appreciated. again, i am not really trying to show off my pc, i dont NEED colorful LEDs on my case or any of that, i just need a simple, durable pc that will last for some time and that will play the newer games that are out. sorry if i have been too detailed. THANK YOU!


EDIT: I found this video after posting this:
Build your own STEAM BOX! - How to build a gaming PC!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh455l3348s

video seems recent, im guessing the hardware is recent too. should i just follow this? heres the components he used:

1GB XFX Radeon HD 7770
Intel Pentium G850, Socket 1155, Dual Core, 2.90GHz
LiteOn IHAS124-04 24x DVD±R
Fractal Design Core 1000
500W Storm Silent LPJ19-25
MSI H61M-P31 (G3) Motherboard
4GB Corsair Value DDR3 PC3-10600 (1333)
500GB Seagate ST500DM002 Barracuda SATA 6Gb/s, 7200rpm
Windows 7 64BIT Professional

 

[jonjonjon]

i would look at something like this. no need to spend $100+ on a psu. can save $10 on ram. my only concern is the 660ti and your monitor resolution. if you look below at the link for battlefield 3 you can see the difference from 1280x800 to 1920x1200. if you don't plan on overclocking you can get teh 3470 for $180 and buy a cheaper motherboard for $60-70. i would suggest getting a 1080p widescreen monitor. something like this. it would probably make just as much of a difference as the gpu.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_7950_X2_Boost/8.html


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Patriot Intel Extreme Master, Limited Ed 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($31.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB Video Card ($239.00 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($65.48 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Sony AD-7280S-0B DVD/CD Writer ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $810.41
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-31 23:23 EST-0500)

edit: i forgot a cpu cooler. so with that added to the price you would need to downgrade the gpu.

 

[angaddev]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($33.84 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($96.00 @ B&H)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Green 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($78.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $811.76
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-31 23:34 EST-0500)

 

[angaddev]

I added a monitor, because gaming at that resolution is just soooo bad.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($33.84 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($67.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($194.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Green 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($78.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VH236H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $838.74
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-31 23:37 EST-0500)

 

[g-unit1111]

i would look at something like this. no need to spend $100+ on a psu. can save $10 on ram. my only concern is the 660ti and your monitor resolution. if you look below at the link for battlefield 3 you can see the difference from 1280x800 to 1920x1200. if you don't plan on overclocking you can get teh 3470 for $180 and buy a cheaper motherboard for $60-70. i would suggest getting a 1080p widescreen monitor. something like this. it would probably make just as much of a difference as the gpu.

Correction: No need to spend *MORE* than $100 on a power supply. Tread extremely carefully buying budget supplies - there's a lot of crap out there (yes even trusted brands like Antec and Corsair have put out some junk) and you don't want to get the wrong one or it will end badly. And you don't want to pay more for a PSU with a higher wattage than you need.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer MK III 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($64.58 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $821.49
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-31 23:56 EST-0500)

 

[sfonline]

thanks for the fast replies. After seeing the video i mentioned in the edit, i am thinking about just using the current monitor for normal internet surfing,etc and using my 60 inch LG smart tv for the gaming. Whats ur opinions on his build? i posted the specs at the end of this post as well. I am mostly looking to make sure that i don't have to spend any more money for at least 5 to 6 years from now in which case i would think that the most important things to look at are the gpu, psu, motherboard. btw that asus monitor looks awesome, i might just get it.

1GB XFX Radeon HD 7770
Intel Pentium G850, Socket 1155, Dual Core, 2.90GHz
LiteOn IHAS124-04 24x DVD±R
Fractal Design Core 1000
500W Storm Silent LPJ19-25
MSI H61M-P31 (G3) Motherboard
4GB Corsair Value DDR3 PC3-10600 (1333)
500GB Seagate ST500DM002 Barracuda SATA 6Gb/s, 7200rpm
Windows 7 64BIT Professional

 

[jonjonjon]

Correction: No need to spend *MORE* than $100 on a power supply. Tread extremely carefully buying budget supplies - there's a lot of crap out there (yes even trusted brands like Antec and Corsair have put out some junk) and you don't want to get the wrong one or it will end badly. And you don't want to pay more for a PSU with a higher wattage than you need.

what are you *TALKING* about. the xfx psu i put is a rebranded seasonic for $65.48. and talk about junk you recommend a ocz psu. ahah ironic.

a 7770 with 1 GB of memory won't last anywhere near 5 years. a 7770 is already below the recommended system requirements for crysis 3. same with the dual core cpu. if you have a $700-800 budget not sure why you picked those.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Crysis-3-System-Requirements-DirectX-11-Radeon-GeForce,19509.html

 

[sfonline]

what are you *TALKING* about. the xfx psu i put is a rebranded seasonic for $65.48. and talk about junk you recommend a ocz psu. ahah ironic.

a 7770 with 1 GB of memory won't last anywhere near 5 years. a 7770 is already below the recommended system requirements for crysis 3. same with the dual core cpu. if you have a $700-800 budget not sure why you picked those.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Crysis-3-System-Requirements-DirectX-11-Radeon-GeForce,19509.html

ur absolutely right. i didnt pick it, i just posted what i saw and im glad i did. so in your opinion, the 660ti will be enough to play something like crysis 3 and hold out for 5 or so years? and going back to your original build suggestion, im thinking now that i might not want to OC, what motherboard would you recommend for the i5 -3470?

 

[g-unit1111]

what are you *TALKING* about. the xfx psu i put is a rebranded seasonic for $65.48. and talk about junk you recommend a ocz psu. ahah ironic.

a 7770 with 1 GB of memory won't last anywhere near 5 years. a 7770 is already below the recommended system requirements for crysis 3. same with the dual core cpu. if you have a $700-800 budget not sure why you picked those.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Crysis-3-System-Requirements-DirectX-11-Radeon-GeForce,19509.html

PC Power & Cooling isn't technically OCZ - they're an OCZ subsidiary. They still operate as a separate entity and they still manufacture their own supplies. I have the Silencer MKII 950W and it's a great power supply. I won't recommend anything that I think is junk.

The Radeon 7770 with Catalyst 12.8 is still a perfectly capable GPU - it's better than say the GTX 650 is.

 

[angaddev]

ur absolutely right. i didnt pick it, i just posted what i saw and im glad i did. so in your opinion, the 660ti will be enough to play something like crysis 3 and hold out for 5 or so years? and going back to your original build suggestion, im thinking now that i might not want to OC, what motherboard would you recommend for the i5 -3470?

For the motherboard, get the cheapest H77 board you can find from a reliable brand like Asus, Asrock, Gigabyte or Intel.

The 660Ti is not future-proof. Get a 7950 or 7870.

 

[g-unit1111]

For the motherboard, get the cheapest H77 board you can find from a reliable brand like Asus, Asrock, Gigabyte or Intel.

The 660Ti is not future-proof. Get a 7950 or 7870.

Do not purchase an Intel branded motherboard - they are horrible. Sure they last a long time but the BIOS hasn't changed in years, they limit access to the multiplier, and they don't support the fastest RAM speeds on the market.

 

[jacknhut]

what are you *TALKING* about. the xfx psu i put is a rebranded seasonic for $65.48. and talk about junk you recommend a ocz psu. ahah ironic.

Not meant to jump in between you 2, but the PC Power and Cooling Silencer MK3 is built and manufactured by Seasonic as well. The fact that OCZ acquired PC Power and Cooling doesn't change that fact. The junk PSU that are from OCZ is the ModExtreme series. PC Power and Cooling is a very reputable brand, their PSU especially the MK III Silencer Series are always built by Seasonic and thus are backed up by 7 years warranty, same as the Seasonic X Series PSU.