Build Check for a friend

[tonytnnt]

So my activity has definitely dropped off here at HardForum, but I'm still alive! My college roommate is asking me for build help, and I wanted a sanity check for my suggested build.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming (Skyrim, BF3, SC2, Diablo 3)
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$1200 including taxes and shipping. Under budget is better.
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
New Jersey (Microcenter is nearby)
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, Motherboard, RAM, GPU, PSU, SSD, Case, Monitor, DVD Drive, OS
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Can reuse Antec Performance Plus PLUS1080AMG case. Can get hard drive later and just use SSD for now.
6) Will you be overclocking?
Originally he wanted to, but then he wanted to save money.
7) 7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
Monitor needs to be purchased. Probably a 23" 1080p
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Within the month. Is willing to wait if there are moderately firm dates on Radeon 7000 stuff.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video? etc.
USB 3, SATA 6, the rest are bonuses.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
No. Please include cost of OS in the budget.


Here are my current suggestions:

Microcenter (taxes included)
$238 (before $10 MIR) - Intel Core i5-2500k and Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3 LGA 1155 Z68 ATX Intel Motherboard
$67 - Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-520 520W

Newegg
$40 - NZXT Source 210 Black Case
$140 - Acer G245HQ 23.6" LCD
$170 (before $20 MIR) - XFX HD-687A-ZHFC Radeon HD 6870 1GB
$100 - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM
$19 - DVD Burner
$40 - G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
$210 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB
$8 - BYTECC Bracket-35225 2.5 Inch HDD/SSD Mounting Kit For 3.5" Drive Bay or Enclosure

Total (before any rebates, including shipping and taxes) - $1032

I'm probably going to encourage my friend to consider the LCD and case that I recommended as baselines. Also, I'm considering suggesting a GTX 560 Ti or Radeon 6950, but I'm not really sure that the extra money justifies the performance boost over the 6870. Any thoughts?

 

[Dangman]

At $67 shipped, that Antec 520W PSU is a bit overpriced considering that the 620W isn't that much more. And if you do go with the HD 6950 or GTX 560 TI, I would recommend getting the 620W HCG-620 PSU.

That NZXT case isn't that best of choices for the money. I'd recommend spending the extra $10 for the Elite version:
$50 - NZXT Source 210 Elite Black ATX Case

It comes with an extra 140mm fan and a front panel USB 3.0 port over the Regular Source 210 case.

For 1080P, the extra cash for the GTX 560 TI and HD 6950 is well worth the extra cash if he want high settings and decent FPS. If he does want to stick with the HD 6870 1GB, downgrade the monitor to a 20" to 22" with a max res of 1680x1050 so that he can still get high settings and decent FPS.

 

[tonytnnt]

Thanks Danny, I'll pass your suggestions along

 

[PC_User]

^ Agree with Danny. For maximum enjoyment of the latest games, I would go with a 2GB 6950 for ~$250.

Also, get this ram for $5 more.

 

[Forceman]

Also check and see if the new case can mount the SSD natively - most of the new ones have 2.5" mounting capability.