Video Card, Power Supply, And Case
Nvidia's GeForce GTX 770 is basically a 680 with higher clock rates. But the 770 is also less expensive, even as it delivers excellent high-resolution performance. We gave Gigabyte's implementation a shot because it comes overclocked from the factory, and also sports a non-reference cooler that we're hoping will suppress noise as it keeps the card's temperatures low.
Read Customer Reviews of Gigabyte's N770OC-2GD GeForce GTX 770
At $400 on Newegg, the GeForce GTX 770 should do well at the high resolutions and detail levels that we plan to test.
Power Supply: Corsair 650TX 650 W PSU
Read Customer Reviews of Corsair's 650TX
You've seen Corsair's 650TX power a number of the mid-range builds in our System Builder Marathon, and it hasn't ever let us down. This isn't the lowest-priced power supply option, given a $90 price tag on Newegg. But it has our respect for the reliability, efficiency, and performance we've seen it demonstrate.
Case: Antec GX 700
Read Customer Reviews of Antec's GX 700
We spotted this case's military styling at Computex 2013, and it immediately interested us. Is beauty more than skin-deep?
Although it's one of Antec's lower-priced enclosures, the GX 700 comes with two 140 mm fans on top and a single 120 mm cooler around back, promising plenty of airflow. At $55 on Newegg, it won't break the bank, either.