Please recommend 1200-1300$ Gaming build

C

CragHack

n00b
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Messages
18
Hi everyone,
I'm planning on building a new gaming desktop in the next two weeks. Could you help me choose the parts?

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
1200-1300$. Tax and shipping included
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Boston, Massachusetts
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
CPU
CPU cooler
Mobo
RAM
Storage
GPU
Case
PSU
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Not reusing anything
6) Will you be overclocking?
I'd like to try overclocking, but is it useful for the purposes of gaming performance?
7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
I'm also buying a new monitor. it will probably be 1920x1080p or 1920x1200p, 23"-24". Still undecided.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
next two weeks
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? UEFI? etc.
USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s. Maybe SLI/Crossfire...
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Windows 8 64bit
 
Dangman said:
NOt the answer I was looking for. Again, how long is the drive?
Click to expand...

Dang is just concerned with how much gas you might use that will negate the savings from sales at the store. Don't mind his curt wording. :)
 
Alai said:
Dang is just concerned with how much gas you might use that will negate the savings from sales at the store. Don't mind his curt wording. :)
Click to expand...

Oops, that was a tad curt. My bad. Sleep deprivation does that to ya. :eek:
 
I recommend the following:
$314 - Intel Core i5-4670K CPU + Asus Z87-A Intel Z87 ATX Motherboard Microcenter combo
$70 - Kingston HyperX Blu KHX1600C10D3B1/8G 8GB DDR3 1600 RAM
$161 - Samsung 840 Evo Series 250GB SSD
$88 - Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$86 - Seasonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W Modular PSU
$50 - Cooler Master Seidon 120V Liquid Cooling System
---
Total: $769 shipped plus tax on the CPU and mobo.

Since you live near a MC, take full advantage of that Intel CPU + mobo combo deal as that will be one of the most bang for the buck configs possible. As for the video card, ask about that a day or three before you buy. Right now, the video card market is extremely volatile and it's rather hard to recommend a GPU for a build in the next few weeks. But as you can see, you still have lots of room left in your budget for a solid video card.

Choose your own case. I do recommend the following cases though:
$50 - NZXT Source 220 Black ATX Case
$60 - Corsair Carbide Series 200R ATX Case
$75 - Corsair Carbide Series 300R ATX Case
$90 - Corsair Carbide Series 400R ATX Case
$100 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001BK White Full Tower ATX Case
$100 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
$110 - Antec 1100 ATX Case
$110 - Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Arctic White ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Gunmetal Black ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Carbide Series 500R ATX Case
$130 - NZXT Phantom 530 Black Full Tower ATX Case
$144 - Silverstone RV03B-W ATX case
$144 - Silverstone RV03B-WA ATX case
$150 - Corsair Graphite Series 600TM ATX Case
$160 - Corsair Obsidian Series 750D ATX Case
$160 - Corsair Special Edition White Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$170 - Corsair Obsidian Series 650D ATX Case
$170 - NZXT Phantom 630 Gunmetal Full Tower ATX Case
$170 - NZXT Phantom 630 White Full Tower ATX Case
 
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As this is a pure gaming build, could you survive on just the SSD? Or a 500 / 512 GB SSD? The 500 GB of that range is $309, the 750 GB is $399.

I note that you haven't mentioned an optical drive. Do you have an existing external one?
 
Dangman said:
I recommend the following:
$314 - Intel Core i5-4670K CPU + Asus Z87-A Intel Z87 ATX Motherboard Microcenter combo
$70 - Kingston HyperX Blu KHX1600C10D3B1/8G 8GB DDR3 1600 RAM
$161 - Samsung 840 Evo Series 250GB SSD
$88 - Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$86 - Seasonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W Modular PSU
$50 - Cooler Master Seidon 120V Liquid Cooling System
---
Total: $769 shipped plus tax on the CPU and mobo.

Since you live near a MC, take full advantage of that Intel CPU + mobo combo deal as that will be one of the most bang for the buck configs possible. As for the video card, ask about that a day or three before you buy. Right now, the video card market is extremely volatile and it's rather hard to recommend a GPU for a build in the next few weeks. But as you can see, you still have lots of room left in your budget for a solid video card.

Choose your own case. I do recommend the following cases though:
$50 - NZXT Source 220 Black ATX Case
$60 - Corsair Carbide Series 200R ATX Case
$75 - Corsair Carbide Series 300R ATX Case
$90 - Corsair Carbide Series 400R ATX Case
$100 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001BK White Full Tower ATX Case
$100 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
$110 - Antec 1100 ATX Case
$110 - Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Arctic White ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Vengeance Series C70 Gunmetal Black ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Carbide Series 500R ATX Case
$130 - NZXT Phantom 530 Black Full Tower ATX Case
$144 - Silverstone RV03B-W ATX case
$144 - Silverstone RV03B-WA ATX case
$150 - Corsair Graphite Series 600TM ATX Case
$160 - Corsair Obsidian Series 750D ATX Case
$160 - Corsair Special Edition White Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$170 - Corsair Obsidian Series 650D ATX Case
$170 - NZXT Phantom 630 Gunmetal Full Tower ATX Case
$170 - NZXT Phantom 630 White Full Tower ATX Case
Click to expand...

Thanks! the build looks perfect. I think I'll order the parts in the next 2-3 days, so I could use a GPU recommendation. I plan on OC the GPU as well, but maybe not right away.

a few questions though:
Is there any reason for getting a more expensive case than the 200R\NZXT Source 220? I mean if I don't mind the noise levels or the appearance of the case...
this might a be a little trivial, but should I buy additional fans for the case?


Quartz-1 said:
As this is a pure gaming build, could you survive on just the SSD? Or a 500 / 512 GB SSD? The 500 GB of that range is $309, the 750 GB is $399.
Click to expand...

I think 250 GB will be a little tight for me, but I can manage it. 500 GB is perfect. I can allways add more storage later, so maybe starting with 250 GB is a good idea.

Quartz-1 said:
I note that you haven't mentioned an optical drive. Do you have an existing external one?
Click to expand...

yeah I have an external one. I hardly ever use it though...

thanks!!!
 
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CragHack said:
Thanks! the build looks perfect. I think I'll order the parts in the next 2-3 days, so I could use a GPU recommendation. I plan on OC the GPU as well, but maybe not right away.
Click to expand...
Go for the GTX 770 2GB
CragHack said:
T
a few questions though:
Is there any reason for getting a more expensive case than the 200R\NZXT Source 220? I mean if I don't mind the noise levels or the appearance of the case...
this might a be a little trivial, but should I buy additional fans for the case?
Click to expand...
More fans can't hurt. The main reasons to get more expensive cases are outside of better looks and lower noise are:
- More interior space to work with meaning that you won't have a hard time building inside the case
- More space to tuck away cables for better cooling
- More methods to tuck away cables for better cooling
- Higher construction quality
- Integrated fan controllers
- Far Better cooling
- More tooless hardware features

CragHack said:
I think 250 GB will be a little tight for me, but I can manage it. 500 GB is perfect. I can allways add more storage later, so maybe starting with 250 GB is a good idea.
Click to expand...
Hence why I included a 2TB drive from the beginning: You can install more games on that drive as well as any misc data you may want to keep.
 
CragHack said:
Is there any reason for getting a more expensive case than the 200R\NZXT Source 220? I mean if I don't mind the noise levels or the appearance of the case...
Click to expand...

Both the Corsair 200R and the NZXT Source 220 are pretty good cases, regardless of price. But if noise is that big of a concern for you, then check out Silent PC Review for multiple ways to "quiet down" a normal ATX case.

CragHack said:
this might a be a little trivial, but should I buy additional fans for the case?
Click to expand...

You could benefit from a third fan (a 120mm fan for either the front intake or the side intake in the Source 220, or a 140mm fan for the top intake in the 200R), maybe even a fourth fan (so you'll have two intakes, front and side, and two exhausts, rear and top). But you don't need to spend a lot of money on case fans.

CragHack said:
I think 250 GB will be a little tight for me, but I can manage it. 500 GB is perfect. I can allways add more storage later, so maybe starting with 250 GB is a good idea.
Click to expand...

You're not going to put all of your data on the SSD. SSDs, like HDDs, slow down performance-wise the closer they get to full capacity. You'll use your SSD for the OS, your key programs, and only a few games at a time. Everything else goes on the hard drive.
 
Dangman said:
Go for the GTX 770 2GB
Click to expand...

which model of the 770? go for the cheapest?

tiraides said:
Both the Corsair 200R and the NZXT Source 220 are pretty good cases, regardless of price. But if noise is that big of a concern for you, then check out Silent PC Review for multiple ways to "quiet down" a normal ATX case.



You could benefit from a third fan (a 120mm fan for either the front intake or the side intake in the Source 220, or a 140mm fan for the top intake in the 200R), maybe even a fourth fan (so you'll have two intakes, front and side, and two exhausts, rear and top). But you don't need to spend a lot of money on case fans.



You're not going to put all of your data on the SSD. SSDs, like HDDs, slow down performance-wise the closer they get to full capacity. You'll use your SSD for the OS, your key programs, and only a few games at a time. Everything else goes on the hard drive.
Click to expand...

got it. thanks.
 
Last edited:
tiraides said:
You could benefit from a third fan (a 120mm fan for either the front intake or the side intake in the Source 220, or a 140mm fan for the top exhaust in the 200R), maybe even a fourth fan (so you'll have two intakes, front and side, and two exhausts, rear and top). But you don't need to spend a lot of money on case fans.
Click to expand...

I had to correct myself there... you should always use a top-mounted fan as an exhaust fan.

"Remember, dumba-- ah, tiraides, heat rises (you hothead...)." [/teacher]
 
AP514 said:
Im like'n my 210 elite case...........
Click to expand...

The price of the NZXT Source 210 Elite has increased to the point that the Source 220, which has the same internal design, is the more affordable option.
 
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