First build, switch from console. $900 budget (judge my parts list)

[kenh536]

Approximate Purchase Date: Not too sure yet.. hopefully soon but maybe a few months.

Budget Range:I would like to spend about $900. That said, I can up it to $1000 if I absolutely must.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: This will be 90% for gaming, will want to hook it to a tv and monitor for steam big picture mode/movies, some youtube/web browsing etc.
Are you buying a monitor: I need a monitor included in the price(looking for a 1920x1080 over 20")

Do you need to buy OS: Yes I want windows 7.
Please note that if you're using an OEM license of Windows, you will need a new one when buying a new motherboard.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts:I would prefer newegg or amazon depending on price difference I would buy elsewhere.

Parts Preferences: Going with AMD cpu and gpu.

Overclocking: Definitely not anytime soon.

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe in the future.

Your Monitor Resolution: I want a 1920x1080 over 20".

Why Are You Upgrading: Intel integrated graphics laptop. Nuff said.

Games I want to play: Simcity, Minecraft, Diablo 3, Starcraft 2, Elder scrolls online, maybe WoW

So I have been researching for about a week and came up with a build:

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/kenh536/saved/1nDU

What do you guys think of it?
My concerns: Im not sure if the cpu will bottleneck the 7870(its the powercolor tahitiLE). I LOVE the look of the case but Im not too sure if it is that good. Is the powercolor 7870 worth it for $245 or should I get something different?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Shockeray]

Your answers to Overclocking and SLI/CrossFire don't tell us anything.
Do you want to be able to overclock with this build? yes/no
Do you want to be able to SLI/CrossFire with this build? yes/no

Depending on how you answer those questions tells us what types of parts you should get.

And just a note, your case you have picked out already comes with one 120mm fan.

 

[tidwellt]

I have pretty much the exact build as this minus the case and a better motherboard. It's solid

 

[tidwellt]

But if you think theres even a slight chance youll get another video card in the future, upgrade to a corsair tx750. Not muh more expensive.

 

[kenh536]

Your answers to Overclocking and SLI/CrossFire don't tell us anything.
Do you want to be able to overclock with this build? yes/no
Do you want to be able to SLI/CrossFire with this build? yes/no

Depending on how you answer those questions tells us what types of parts you should get.

And just a note, your case you have picked out already comes with one 120mm fan.

Ah sorry misunderstood. No overclocking and I would like SLI/crossfire compatibly but its not absolutely necessary. And I know it comes with a fan but reading reviews people reccomended adding another...somewhere I forget.

 

[tidwellt]

And have a look at this radeon 7870. My buddy has 2 of these. Reduces heat inside your case, and you can easily oc them by like ~75mhz in catalyst control center http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161404

 

[g-unit1111]

Get an FX-6300 or an Intel i3 over the Phenom II 965. The 965 is such an old CPU now that it doesn't even begin to compete with the newer processors from both Intel and AMD.

 

[tidwellt]

Yeah but on a budget phenom 965 is still a decent choice. I still have a system with a phenom 965 and it stillruns all my games at great fps and i record music with it. Not a bad cpu just not the greatest

 

[kenh536]

Get an FX-6300 or an Intel i3 over the Phenom II 965. The 965 is such an old CPU now that it doesn't even begin to compete with the newer processors from both Intel and AMD.

I know its old but it seemed pretty capable at a great price. I picked it over a newer AMD due to that. But how do you think I would move around my build to include this in budget?
Oh and btw I am getting an AMD cpu because it would be dumb of me to have an AMD case and Intel cpu no? =P

 

[tidwellt]

You could try to stretch for an intel 3350 though. I think theyre about 160 most places but in games your performance wiuld be better.

 

[boulbox]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A99X EVO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($119.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($244.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Tempest 210 ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic M12II 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $893.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-01 13:20 EDT-0400)

does not have an SSD in exchange for a strong CPU, OC ability, and a strong GPU.

PS:you can add a decent cooler for $30

 

[g-unit1111]

Get an FX-6300 or an Intel i3 over the Phenom II 965. The 965 is such an old CPU now that it doesn't even begin to compete with the newer processors from both Intel and AMD.

I know its old but it seemed pretty capable at a great price. I picked it over a newer AMD due to that. But how do you think I would move around my build to include this in budget?
Oh and btw I am getting an AMD cpu because it would be dumb of me to have an AMD case and Intel cpu no? =P

Wait, what? Cases aren't CPU specific. You can use any case with any motherboard and processor, that doesn't matter.

Maybe try this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($82.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($184.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($74.64 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $737.12
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-01 13:27 EDT-0400)

Or this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 EXTREME4 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($107.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($184.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($74.64 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $712.43
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-01 13:26 EDT-0400)

 

[tidwellt]

He meant amd gpu i think, g unit but no, amd video cards work just as well with intel cpus. And nvidia work just as well with amd. In most cases.

 

[kenh536]

Get an FX-6300 or an Intel i3 over the Phenom II 965. The 965 is such an old CPU now that it doesn't even begin to compete with the newer processors from both Intel and AMD.

I know its old but it seemed pretty capable at a great price. I picked it over a newer AMD due to that. But how do you think I would move around my build to include this in budget?
Oh and btw I am getting an AMD cpu because it would be dumb of me to have an AMD case and Intel cpu no? =P

Wait, what? Cases aren't CPU specific. You can use any case with any motherboard and processor, that doesn't matter.

Maybe try this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($82.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($184.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($74.64 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $737.12
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-01 13:27 EDT-0400)

Or this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 EXTREME4 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($107.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($184.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($63.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($74.64 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $712.43
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-01 13:26 EDT-0400)

Haha I meant this case is Amd themed, so therefore I want to make an AMD build. I took into consideration the suggestions and ditched the ssd and added an fx6300.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/kenh536/saved/1pBo

How bout this? I would rather not go with the 7850 because the 7870 tahitiLE should provide way better performance right?

 

[g-unit1111]

Haha I meant this case is Amd themed, so therefore I want to make an AMD build. I took into consideration the suggestions and ditched the ssd and added an fx6300.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/kenh536/saved/1pBo

How bout this? I would rather not go with the 7850 because the 7870 tahitiLE should provide way better performance right?

That doesn't matter either - you can use any case with any motherboard and CPU. I'm not the biggest fan of Thermaltake - better would be to get something like the Corsair 200R or Antec 302.

And yes the 7870 XT/LE is a very excellent GPU - you can't go wrong there. I definitely agree with leaving the SSD off - you can always add one in later.

 

[jesot]

You're basically working with $680-690 after the Monitor & OS.

An i3 3220/7870 Tahiti combo should be your starting point at that price range. You can almost squeeze an i5 3350P, but it's tough.

For a case, the HAF 912 is highly regarded and is $50 right now (I don't like the way it looks, but that's a personal preference).

 

[kenh536]

Sorry for the late reply guys. I have done some more research and tweaked my build and I am very satisfied with what I came up with:

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/kenh536/saved/1qM9

I decided on the coolermaster elite 431 case and decided to replace the front fan with a red led 120mm and add an exhaust 120mm. Also got a much better psu for a great deal with the 431 and a rebate(if it works). I also did some reasearch and found this motherboard. I chose it because it has lots of good features, has a 20-pin usb-3.0 connection for the 413 front panel,has the 990fx chipset, and would be better for upgradeability(crossfire/sli/OC). I opted for the Sapphire 7870xt over powercolor because it seemed to have better cooling and had better reviews. I then switched out the barracuda for a Western digital because they are supposed to be better quality. I also added in a monitor that had speakers, an hdmi and dvi port so I can use my 360 if I want with hdmi and the speakers, and use the dvi for the pc.

One dumb question: I can run my ram in dual channel mode correct? I heard that fx processors only support 1866mhz ram in duel channel mode.

Also should I add in a cpu cooler right now to help improve the life of the cpu or wait until I decide to overclock if I do? If I did right now I would probably spend under $20 or $30.

Anybody have any suggestions/comments/thoughts? I am looking to order most of this tonight exept for the gpu because its out of stock atm. Thank you for all the help guys =).

 

[boulbox]

Cooler master PSU are pretty unreliable but they make much better cases(just wish they had good filters)

 

[g-unit1111]

One dumb question: I can run my ram in dual channel mode correct? I heard that fx processors only support 1866mhz ram in duel channel mode.

Also should I add in a cpu cooler right now to help improve the life of the cpu or wait until I decide to overclock if I do? If I did right now I would probably spend under $20 or $30.

Anybody have any suggestions/comments/thoughts? I am looking to order most of this tonight exept for the gpu because its out of stock atm. Thank you for all the help guys =).

No that is false - FX CPUs can support up to DDR3 2133MHz, and aren't limited to RAM speeds the way Intel CPUs are, that's one advantage they have over Intel processors. With Intel CPUs the design places the memory controller on the CPU die itself where before it was on the motherboard's North Bridge. That's why it's limited with Intel and not with AMD.

Adding an aftermarket fan isn't going to improve CPU life one way or the other but it helps if you're overclocking to have one.

 

[kenh536]

Ok good ram will work. Also now know what duel channel mode is haha.

From what I have read Corsair is a good psu company, this one had good reviews and is 80 plus so I should be ok I think.

Somewhere I read that using a better heatsink that would keep cpu temps down would increase the life of the cpu by keeping it cooler. So if I dont need a heatsink now would it be hard to remove thermal paste later and install one?

 

[CarolKarine]

removing thermal paste is as simple as removing the old cooler, dampening some paper towels with rubbing alcohol and cleaning it till it's gone.

 

[kenh536]

Okay cool. So thats it then. I cant see anymore issues. Ordering parts soon. Thanks again guys, might update this when I get it all built and running.