Combo into full blown gaming rig

[DJ Big T]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming, music production, all around powerhouse rig

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$2000 max, tax and shipping included.

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

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, RAM, Case, PSU, SSD and HDD, GPU, the works.

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
No, all used off the forums here or new.

6) Will you be overclocking?
No

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
1080p

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
By Oct 12, 2012

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.
UEFI would be nice. I don't need SLI and I am probably going ATX or EATX for the motherboard.

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

Some possible parts:
Lower end i5 Ivy Bridge
Sabertooth Z77
2x 8gb RAM for 16gb (more than enough)
GTX 660ti ($300?) / HD 7950
Corsair Performance Pro 128gb SSD
2TB WD Caviar Black

Followed by whatever else I need to get the system running.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

Do not get that combo on account of the following reasons.

The case is shitty; it has little to no cable management features. Therefore air circulation would be deeply hampered; not to mention the single 120mm fan.

The PSU is a poor choice that isn't even capable of 430W in real conditions. (Heat)

That hard drive is painfully slow and outdated. Not worth it even at the discounted price when faster hard drives can be had for around the same price without discounts.

I would recommend you saving $900 and building the rig from scratch, you'll get much better quality components and a faster rig this way.

 

[DJ Big T]

Okay so new case and PSU I can swing for like $100-150 honestly the combo is still worth it to me. I can't spend $900 in one go.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

Okay so new case and PSU I can swing for like $100-150 honestly the combo is still worth it to me. I can't spend $900 in one go.

Still not a good buy.

Motherboard is outdated, when you can spend a little more money and get this better motheboard.

$79.99 - GIGABYTE GA-H77M-D3H LGA 1155 Intel H77

It has 4 RAM slots so you can upgrade RAM later. It also has a PCI 3.0 x16 slot (MSI only has PCI x16 2.0 slot), 6 SATA ports (vs 4 with the MSI)...

Same processor $124.99 - Intel Core i3-2120

Same RAM $39.99 - G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333

DVD-RW drive $16.99 - Sony Optiarc 24X DVD Burner (Free shipping w/ promo code EMCNCGJ39, ends 8/6)

Faster harddrive (granted it's 500GB smaller, still faster) - $89.99 - HGST Deskstar 7K1000.D HDS721010DLE630 (0F13180) 1TB 7200 (and you planned to get a 2TB drive anyway which you can get for ($119.99 - SAMSUNG EcoGreen F4 ST2000DL004 2TB 32MB and you could get another 1TB drive for more space than originally planned for around the same price or get another 2TB drive for like ~$30 more)

Total (not including the 2TB drives) for the above parts $351.95 as long as you use that promo code on the free shipping.

Then buy a descent PSU, case and GPU and you'll be golden.

$44.99 - CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 (CMPSU-430CXV2) 430W
$79.99 - Corsair Carbide Series 300R
$99.99 - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 128GB SATA III
~$300 660 GPU

Total w/o estimated 660 price: $580.00

Total w/ estimated 660 price: $880.00

 

[azeem40]

If you cannot spend all the money upfront, don't build the computer. Spacing parts over months and months is not a wise way to build a computer.

 

[DJ Big T]

If you cannot spend all the money upfront, don't build the computer. Spacing parts over months and months is not a wise way to build a computer.

Worked fine for me before - I plan on buying used from the forums here.

 

[Dangman]

I concur with Skillz: that combo is a waste of money and you can do better as Skillz clearly shown.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

Well since you know what you're doing, guess you don't need our advice or help. Good luck with the build.

 

[DJ Big T]

Well since you know what you're doing, guess you don't need our advice or help. Good luck with the build.

I didn't say I don't need your help or advice...

 

[xyexz]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352009

$39.99

Start your build out right and get a case that is better suited for an enthusiast build - I found a case at comparable cost to the one in the combo deal and made by a reputable company. It's still got some challenges in the wire management section but it's better than what you had due to the unique drive pay plate instead of the usual mounting system.

Also if you want to overclock you better check that motherboard, it's not the right chipset nor board to handle overclocking.

If you have $500/mo to spend I would just save up and buy it all at once with all of the components planned out accordingly. Wasting money on a combo that only has perhaps one part you're going to use in the end (dvd drive?) will really be a waste of time and money and more than likely no one will buy those parts used as they're so cheap already... wouldn't be worth the shipping costs.

 

[orvil01]

Honestly the combo doesn't look bad, the only thing i would be hesitant about is the motherboard. You could make the case work. If it wasn't for the motherboard i wouldn't hesitate to buy it and throw in a better, psu, ssd, and video card.

 

[DJ Big T]

Honestly the combo doesn't look bad, the only thing i would be hesitant about is the motherboard. You could make the case work. If it wasn't for the motherboard i wouldn't hesitate to buy it and throw in a better, psu, ssd, and video card.

That said, this is looking very tempting: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.991914 . And yes I'll buy all at once.

I'll throw in HD 6950
This PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371050

From there I just need to look at a few other parts, buying some fans and this case to replace the combo one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112337

Other than that I think I've got this figured out.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

You are spending way too much money on a PSU. 650W is the max you'll need, even then it's a little overkill for a 6950.

As you can see here:



With a setup that consumes more power than an i3, it only uses 451W overclocked (at the wall) so as you can see. 900W is overkill, just like 650W is but still gives you PLENTY of breathing room.

 

[Dangman]

That said, this is looking very tempting: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.991914 . And yes I'll buy all at once.

Still not worth it. The case and DVD drive doesn't come with free shipping. As such, that combo comes out to $365 shipped. $15 isn't worth spending on a crappy case that'll just take up space and a shitty PSU with the only real usable part being the single 120mm fan. So just save that $15 and get the parts listed in that combo seperately but with a cheaper DVD drive:
$18 - LG iHAS124-04 DVD Burner

This PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371050

As Skillz said, that PSU is completely overkill. You said it yourself: " I don't need SLI " and it doesn't look like you'll be doing triple SLI where that PSU would be needed. I recommend this PSU:
$90 - Corsair 650TX V2 650W PSU

From there I just need to look at a few other parts, buying some fans and this case to replace the combo one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112337

Main issue with that case is the lack of a side fan which means that case as less than optimal GPU cooling. I would recommend the Corsair 400R since it comes in a combo deal with the above Corsair PSU and it has a side fan plus better cable management:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1021000

 

[DJ Big T]

Okay, can you guys give me two different builds, one at max $1500 and one at max $2000, monitor, keyboard and mouse included?

Gaming is going to be on one monitor. High quality monitor of 24" preferred. Keyboard needs to be backlit for night gaming. Mouse doesn't really matter as long as its comfortable and has gaming in mind.

I think I'm just going to save my money and build this as my birthday gift to myself.

 

[tiraides]

Which edition of Windows 7 do you have? (Home Premium? Professional? Ultimate?)

You mentioned micro ATX a few times in this thread. Do you have a preference towards a small form factor (SFF) system?

Which (types of) games do you play most often? Which program(s) do you use for music production?

Since you live in LA, could you reach any of the Fry's stores in the area or the Micro Center store in Orange County?

 

[DJ Big T]

Which edition of Windows 7 do you have? (Home Premium? Professional? Ultimate?)

I will install Home Premium, then I bought an upgrade to Pro. So basically Pro.

You mentioned micro ATX a few times in this thread. Do you have a preference towards a small form factor (SFF) system?

I have a preference to whisper quiet systems. SFF would be nice but is not necessary.

Which (types of) games do you play most often? Which program(s) do you use for music production?

I don't limit myself on games. I play any and all new releases. Probably putting a GTX 670 OC into this rig.

Anyways, here's what I came up with for $2000 budget on newegg. I can probably save a bit more on Amazon due to all the taxes:

Qty. Product Description Savings Total Price
Galaxy 67NPH6DV6KXZ GeForce GTX 670 GC 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Galaxy 67NPH6DV6KXZ GeForce GTX 670 GC 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
Item #: N82E16814162109
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy

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$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$439.99

Microsoft SIDEWINDER X4 Keyboard - Retail

Microsoft SIDEWINDER X4 Keyboard
Item #: N82E16823109191
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

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-$12.00 Instant


$59.99
$47.99




Logitech Call of Duty: MW3 Edition G9x Black 7 Buttons Two modes scroll USB Wired Laser Gaming Mouse

Logitech Call of Duty: MW3 Edition G9x Black 7 Buttons Two modes scroll USB Wired Laser Gaming Mouse
Item #: N82E16826104627
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

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-$40.00 Instant


$99.99
$59.99




G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL10Q-32GBZL

G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL10Q-32GBZL
Item #: N82E16820231507
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy



$189.99




ASUS Maximus V FORMULA LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Extended ATX Intel Motherboard

ASUS Maximus V FORMULA LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Extended ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813131854
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy

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-$10.00 Instant


$289.99
$279.99




Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I73770K

Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I73770K
Item #: N82E16819116501
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy

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$339.99

LITE-ON H/H Internal BD Writer with Nero Essential SATA IHBS312-98

LITE-ON H/H Internal BD Writer with Nero Essential SATA IHBS312-98
Item #: N82E16827106381
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

Protect Your Investment (expand for options)

-$10.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate

$89.99
$79.99

Plextor M3 Series PX-128M3 2.5" 128GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

Plextor M3 Series PX-128M3 2.5" 128GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Item #: N82E16820249014
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy

-$20.00 Instant


$149.99
$129.99

Subtotal: $1,567.92
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LIAN LI PC-A71F USB3.0 Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case

LIAN LI PC-A71F USB3.0 Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Item #: N82E16811112343
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

$239.99

ASUS VH242H Black 23.6" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor W/Speakers

ASUS VH242H Black 23.6" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor W/Speakers
Item #: N82E16824236052
Return Policy: Monitor Standard Return Policy

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-$40.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card

$219.99
$179.99

Subtotal: $419.98
What's this?EWRA: $8.00
What's this?Tax: $36.75
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Grand Total: $2,182.13

 

[Dangman]

Okay, can you guys give me two different builds, one at max $1500 and one at max $2000, monitor, keyboard and mouse included?

Which one is going to be the real build?

I think I'm just going to save my money and build this as my birthday gift to myself.

Well when are you going to be building this PC?

Also, that $2000 build you made isn't good for you at all.

 

[E4g1e]

Also, that $2000 build you made isn't good for you at all.

This is partly due to the overpriced components and components that come from brands that do not have good customer service track records, and also due to the complete lack of any PSU at all whatsoever.

 

[xyexz]

Case: SilverStone Temjin Series TJ08B-E Black
Price: $97.99


PSU: SeaSonic M12II 520Watt Bronze
Price: $79.99

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-M PRO
Price: $149.99

CPU: Sandy Bridge i7-2600K
Price: $289.99


CPU Cooler: Antec 620
Price: $59.99

GPU: EVGA GTX 670 4GB
Price: $459.99


RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (4GB x 2)
Price: $53.99


SDD: Crucial M4 SATA III 128GB
Price: $119.99


HDD: Western Digital Green 2TB 64MB Cache
Price: $119.99

ODD: ASUS Black 12X Bluray Burner
Price: $89.99

Monitor: ASUS 24" 2ms HTML LED Backlight WS
Price: $204.99


Keyboard: Logitech G510
Price: $99.99


Mouse: Logitech G600 Gaming Mouse
Price: $79.99


Total: $1906.87

Now I'm sure if you search around on Amazon you'd find comparable keyboard/mouse for cheaper or some of the same parts cheaper - tax.

Also some things I chose had better compontents but there were similar products that had rebates and things that made them cheaper.

In my opinion for what you want to do this system will definitely rock it out, you may want to go for 8GB x 2 memory kit for 16GB total instead of the 8GB but that's up to you, you have some budget to play with if you're spending $2000 - 32GB is complete overkill but if you do the 8GB x 2 memory kit now you'll only use two of the four slots so you'll be able to upgrade for 32GB in the future should you really end up needing it.

Sandy Bridge is still an awesome choice for 99% of the people on this forum looking to build an "overall powerhouse rig" and with ample overclocking abililties you'll be fine for at least a couple of years.

I was able to find a better GTX 670 for almost the same price, it has doulbe the GDDR memory from what you found.

Also I didn't cut out any of the rebates on those parts there were some rebates for example $20 off on the bluray burner.

Also the case and motherboard are for M-ATX builds, so this won't be a giant tower hulking all your floor/desk space.

Good luck!

 

[DJ Big T]

Yes that is closer to what I want. $1500 is what I actually want to spend, just getting an idea of what $2000 gets me for perspective.

 

[xyexz]

Well you could definitely cut costs, skip on the SSD and change the green to a black, reduce size of monitor, go for 570 gtx instead of gtx 670 (they are sub $300 now and still pack a punch, I'm still using mine). Remove bray burner and go for more conventional cd/dvd burner combo drive that'll be $18.

Go for a cheaper mouse/keyboard, again if you find these parts on Amazon I'm sure you'll get pretty close to $1500 with the same parts I found.

 

[DJ Big T]

I'm leaning towards a HD 7950 for the video card, looking to spend around $300 for video card. Lowest I'll go on video card is GTX 580. Looking at the i5-3570K w/ Sabertooth Z77 mobo.

Case is gonna be the NZXT Switch 810 in black. PSU seems to be the HX750, max $150 is what I'll spend on PSU.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

You need to revise your questions in the OP then. As it sits;

That motherboard is more than you need + it's not mATX.

You do not need an i7 for your setup.

You need to be more clear on whether or not you want to overclock, because if you do not then no reason to spend the money on a "K" series processor.

If going mATX, then why get a full tower case?

No need for 32GB of RAM for a gaming rig.

Basically your build is all over the place, not to mention what E4g1e said about the lack of a PSU. Revise the questions and we'll get you a build put together.

 

[DJ Big T]

Okay I revised it but I assumed that if I was saying $2k max that mATX would be out of the question... some common sense is needed here...

 

[DooKey]

Don't buy a Z77 if you aren't going to overclock. Waste of money. Just grab an H77 board.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

Okay I revised it but I assumed that if I was saying $2k max that mATX would be out of the question... some common sense is needed here...

Nothing common about sense. Price range has little to do with form factor.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
By Oct 12, 2012

Also if you plan to wait until October to purchase your parts, then bump this thread in the first week of October. Lots can change in a month.

 

[E4g1e]

Don't buy a Z77 if you aren't going to overclock. Waste of money. Just grab an H77 board.

For that matter, the OP doesn't need a K-series CPU if he isn't going to overclock.

 

[DooKey]

For that matter, the OP doesn't need a K-series CPU if he isn't going to overclock.

He updated his OP to say he is buying a lower level i5 IB cpu. I took that to mean non-K.

 

[xyexz]

The build is definitely all over the place, is there any particular reason you want the sabertooth board, other than it's looks?

You can save a lot of money by picking more modest parts and still get great performance, to each their own though I suppose.

Definitely picked more modest parts i5 will suit you nicely for gaming etc, what kind of music production are you doing, software may place a factor in what CPU you buy as far as how many cores you could utilize.

As it's been said, wait until Oct to start building your rig, too much will change by that time and it'll have to be re-done.

 

[Dangman]

Yeah I'm not helping you plan a build so far in advance. Come back when you're 2-3 weeks away from buying the parts.

 

[DJ Big T]

Okay well maybe someone would help me piece together a $1500 rig including mouse, keyboard, and monitor? I don't need a copy of windows. I'm still planning on building this asap and would love for someone to give me a good idea of what to aim for.

I don't think it's unnecessary to learn some builds in case I want to build mid range rigs in the future/present.

 

[Dangman]

Okay well maybe someone would help me piece together a $1500 rig including mouse, keyboard, and monitor? I don't need a copy of windows. I'm still planning on building this asap and would love for someone to give me a good idea of what to aim for.

Since you're still not 2-3 weeks away from buying the parts in the PC, no point in helping you plan so damn early in advance.

I don't think it's unnecessary to learn some builds in case I want to build mid range rigs in the future/present.

Well there are dozens of threads every week right here in this subforum that you can check out if you actually want to "learn".

 

[DJ Big T]

A dozen or so threads - do they discuss my exact price specifications and offer a good balance between a good monitor and CPU power? Maybe... I guess I'll just not post a thread in here if I can't get any help?

I just dug through the first page... didn't see anything on $1500-2000 budget... I guess I'll keep looking...

 

[Dangman]

A dozen or so threads - do they discuss my exact price specifications and offer a good balance between a good monitor and CPU power?

Yes.

Maybe... I guess I'll just not post a thread in here if I can't get any help?

Again, if you're not 2-3 weeks away from buying the entire PC, no point in helping you since giving you a list now saddles you with an outdated list by the time you actually buy. Yes post a thread here if you want help but don't post a thread if you're not 2-3 weeks away from buying the parts for reasons already mentioned.

If you were 2-3 weeks away from buying the entire PC, I'd be more than willing to help. You should know this by now from seeing how much I post and help. However, I'm not going to give a PC build list right now when your build time is in October. Which means that I more than likely won't be recommend those very same parts at that time. So since your build time isn't 2-3 weeks from now, be patient and bump up this thread when you're 2-3 weeks away from buying.

I just dug through the first page... didn't see anything on $1500-2000 budget... I guess I'll keep looking...

Dude, even in the $1000 threads, those are enough of a primer to see what we tend to recommend and how we came about to recommend those parts. Those line of reasoning applies to $500, $1500, and even $5000 threads as well.

Not to mention, you did not look hard enough because these threads are on the very first page of this forum:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1709422
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1673000
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1708911