$600 Comp Update

[Clanan]

I currently have a C2D e8400, Radeon HD 4870 1gb. Time for an upgrade!

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
In prioritized order:
Software Dev. I would like to dual boot Linux.
Gaming (Guild Wars 2, Borderlands 2, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, etc.)
Photoshop CS6, Illustrator
Web Browsing. etc.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
~$600, taxes/shipping included.

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.

Albuquerque, New Mexico. Nearest MC is 8 hours away.

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.
Here's what I'm eyeing:
CPU - (already purchased) i5-3570k with the CompUSA $50-off coupon - $180
SSD - (already purchased) Kingston SH103S3/120G HyperX 120GB SSD - $65

MB: ASUS P8Z77-V LK LGA 1155 Intel Z77 - $130
RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR3-1600 - $45
GPU: 660 non-Ti?

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Tower: Antec 1200
HDD: WD Caviar WD6400AAKS 640gb 7200 rpm
Mouse/keyboard/monitor/speakers

I’m hoping I can reuse these:
PSU: Corsair 750W TX
Cooler: Xigmatek HDT S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler

6) Will you be overclocking?
Someday, yes. Not immediately, though.

7) 7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
27” 1900x1200 for gaming. Otherwise I pair it with a 23" 1900x1080. I would like to upgrade to 27” 2550x1440 within the next six months, if possible.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
I’ve already purchased the CPU and SSD. As soon as possible for the rest.

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.
I'm assuming SLI with another card down the road is a viable upgrade path(?)

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Yes. Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.


If I squeeze out some extra funding, what would I gain from 16gb of ram instead of 8gb?
Also, is there anything to gain from waiting until Black Friday to purchase? I’ve read that hardware sales aren’t great, which is why I bit on the 3570k sale today.

Thanks for your time!

 

[Dangman]

MB: ASUS P8Z77-V LK LGA 1155 Intel Z77 - $130
RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR3-1600 - $45
GPU: 660 non-Ti?

That mobo is fine. I recommend this RAM instead:
$45 - Samsung 2 x 4GB MV-3V4G3D/US DDR3 1600 RAM

As for the GPU, I would spring the extra cash for the GTX 660 TI if possible.

I’m hoping I can reuse these:
PSU: Corsair 750W TX
Cooler: Xigmatek HDT S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler

The PSU is reusable. However you will probably have to buy this bracket for that Xigmatek HSF:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233039

If I squeeze out some extra funding, what would I gain from 16gb of ram instead of 8gb?

If your Photoshop usage is very extensive then yes that extra RAM will improve performance. For gaming or web browsing, it won't benefit you that much. As for software dev, it may or may not help depending how you're developing software.

Also, is there anything to gain from waiting until Black Friday to purchase? I’ve read that hardware sales aren’t great, which is why I bit on the 3570k sale today.

Nothing really

 

[Clanan]

Thanks, Danny, for the quick response.

I've been reading more GPU reviews tonight and am wondering: is the 7870 as good of a performer as they say? I would prefer to give an nVidia card a spin because I find the Catalyst control center a real pain, but if I can find a 7870 for $200 that performs as well as a 660-Ti, that would be a steal.

 

[Dangman]

The 7870 is a good card