PC Noob First Build

[ii AyJay o]

I want to get into PC gaming, and from what I've heard, it's best to build your own PC rather than go to Best Buy to get one. I've done some research and looked at other people's builds, and I think I've put together a decent build of my own. But I wanted to check with some experts like you guys first, to make sure everything would work well together, and maybe get some suggestions to improve it.

The games I'll be playing are Skyrim, Magic 2013, some Pokemon games on emulators, and maybe CoD and Battlefield if the PC can run it easily. I'd also like to stay under $900 if possible. Thanks for any help you can give!

Here's the build:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xxnv

Edit: Forgot to mention that I already have a copy of Windows 7!

 

[Outlander_04]

I would probably use 1600 MHz / 1.5 volt Corsair vengeance RAM

you also need a 64 bit copy of Windows 7 or 8

 

[rwayne]

I would personally recommend staying with one vendor...namely newegg. Their customer service is amazing. Plus you can save money on combos. I highly recommend subscribing to their newsletter.

Far as your build....

Nothing wrong with MSI, they are a good company that makes good products but my personal preference would be to go with ASUS or ASROCK as I feel the quality is a tier better.

I would take Western Digital over Seagate too just from personal experience.

Although not needed I would highly recommend a Solid State Drive for the boot. It makes a huge difference in general operation and gaming.

 

[nix327]

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xHRm
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xHRm/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xHRm/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 ($29.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($35.57 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($289.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($51.52 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($24.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $837.00
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-15 04:38 EST-0500)