$900 Gaming Oriented Build

[limitedaccess]

This is a build for someone else. Looking to build it now.

Gaming oriented. No overclocking. Lower than 1920x1080.
Budget - $900 (including shipping and taxes)
Location - Seattle. Access to free shipping from Newegg and Tigerdirect

These are the components required and specific requirements if applicable-

CPU
GPU
Motherboard - Nothing outside of the ordinary. Probably should have rather "standard" features these days like USB 3.0.
Memory - 8gb
Storage - 1tb, single drive
Optical Drive - DVD
PSU
Case - In terms of design (not necessarily this price range) he would like something more along the lines of the Antec 900 than the Antec P280 (I used those 2 as an examples of contrasting designs). So lights and the ability to see the inside.

Reusing nothing.

OS will be 64 bit Win 7. Does not need to be factored into the cost at this time.

I'm not in the US so do not know the prices as much and so haven't looked into specifics yet but at the moment I am thinking of something built around a i5 3570 and a 7870 (or better) as a starting point.

 

[Dangman]

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video? UEFI? etc.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?

 

[limitedaccess]

Will be possibly be reusing DVD drive and HD. Trying to figure if these are PATA or not. If its cheaper (or not significantly more expensive) to get a new DVD drive rather then a mobo with PATA support then that is a better alternative.

Plans to order now.

Trying to ask if he needs PATA support. Otherwise nothing special. Although I'd think it would be beneficial for rather standard nowadays features like USB 3.0. If not a significant cost difference the possibility of onboard video (as a backup) as well. Possibly SLI/xfire and eSATA for versatility if not a significant cost difference as well. Basically if he can scrap these features and go up from say a 7870 to 7950 that would be better, otherwise use it as a budget filler.

OS will be 64 bit win 7.

This is actually helping someone else help someone else, hence the communication issues. Edited original post to include this as well.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

Well find out if those drives are PATA. If they are, then he's going to not only want newer drives, but it's almost required since very, very few Intel motherboard come with PATA onboard these days. (For good reason)

 

[limitedaccess]

Going to go without the PATA requirement and will not be reusing anything. Will be buying a new optical drive.

Updated the original post as well.

 

[Dangman]

$189 - Intel Core i5-3470 CPU
$75 - Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H Intel B75 mATX Motherboard
$42 - Corsair CMX8GX3M1A1333C9 8GB DDR3 16000 RAM
$195 - Gigabyte GV-R785OC-2GD Radeon HD 7850 2GB PCI-E Video Card
$119 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2BAA 2.5" 128GB SSD
$77 - Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$18 - LG iHAS124-04 DVD Burner
$77 - Corsair 650TX V2 650W PSU
----------
Total: $792 shipped

Have your friend choose a case. I recommend these any of these cases over the Antec 900:
$65 - Corsair Carbide Series 300R ATX Case
$80 - Corsair Carbide Series 400R ATX Case
$100 - Antec 1100 ATX Case
$110 - Antec P280 ATX Case
$120 - Corsair Carbide Series 500R ATX Case
$120 - Lian Li PC-7HX Black Aluminum ATX Case