Which of these builds that I have come up with would be better?

[OhKrez]

Which of these would be better for gaming on games such as Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Far Cry 3, Crysis 3 and would be good at overclocking?


CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($189.15 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty 990FX Professional ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($178.47 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($72.04 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($269.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $985.58
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Or....

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LE PLUS ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($72.04 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($269.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 ATX Mid Tower Case ($95.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $971.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

 

[marshallbradley]

Second build looks really solid. Honestly wouldn't change a thing (maybe the Noctua NH-D14 if you wanted to have some serious overclocks and like silence). Some people will say that you don't need 16 GB of RAM but meh, why not? RAM is so cheap.

Then again for a $1000 build I'd really expect to see an SSD. If you can go for an 8 GB kit (-$50), the ASRock Extreme4 motherboard (-$15) and something around the price of a Corsair 300R (-$40) you should be able to get a 120 GB SSD, for example the Sandisk Extreme: http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extre...362614628&sr=8-2&keywords=sandisk+extreme+ssd

EDIT: Since you've found a cheaper 3570k from Microcenter, you won't even have to swap the HAF probably.

M

 

[OhKrez]

Second build looks really solid. Honestly wouldn't change a thing (maybe the Noctua NH-D14 if you wanted to have some serious overclocks and like silence). Some people will say that you don't need 16 GB of RAM but meh, why not? RAM is so cheap.

Then again for a $1000 build I'd really expect to see an SSD. If you can go for an 8 GB kit (-$50), the ASRock Extreme4 motherboard (-$15) and something around the price of a Corsair 300R (-$40) you should be able to get a 120 GB SSD, for example the Sandisk Extreme: http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extre...362614628&sr=8-2&keywords=sandisk+extreme+ssd

EDIT: Since you've found a cheaper 3570k from Microcenter, you won't even have to swap the HAF probably.

M

Thank You! I've been looking into getting a SSD and wasn't sure it'd be worth it. But since you think so, I will probably make some move-arounds and do that!

 

[tiny voices]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($226.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 8GB (4 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1004.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-06 19:45 EST-0500)

Do this.

 

[littleleo]

The 2nd build is what I would recommend, but I think you could cut the RAM to an 8GB kit and put that money towards a good SSD.

 

[marshallbradley]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($226.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 8GB (4 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1004.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-06 19:45 EST-0500)

Do this.

Not to detract from the 670 (I happily have one myself!) but with the latest drivers the 7950 is biting at the heels of the GTX 670. I don't think it's worth losing an SSD for what's really a side-grade, unless he was going to utilize the CUDA cores for example. Of course both are fine options, just depends on where your priorities lie. I tend to think for a $1000 an SSD is a staple.

M

 

[tiny voices]

I agree with the 670 being only slightly better than the 7950. Certain games like Crysis 3 they will be about equal. Other games like BF3, the 670 wins by a mile. It all depends on the game. Here is a comparison: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/550?vs=598