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Help build an $800 Gaming rig?

H

helpakidgrow

n00b
Joined
Oct 6, 2010
Messages
20
1) I have $800 to build a new gaming rig. If I actually follow through with a suggestion given here, I'll post up nice pictures of it :D

2) Here's what I need....

Case
PSU
Graphics Card
Memory
Motherboard
Processor (CPU)

I'm in school so I get free Windows 7 OS(yay saved like $200)!!
I already have a 25 inch Samsung Monitor/TV

3) I'm going to use the computer for gaming, and hopefully a lot of other stuff.
List of games:
Starcraft 2
LOL
HON
CS 1.6 (other various higher up steam FPS)
DIABLO 3 (when it comes out)
DIABLO 3 (needed to be put on the list twice)


4) I want to be able to overclock the computer, with ease. I haven't built a computer since my high school years, which is 5+ years from now. I'm kind of out the loop with computer tech... hopefully this build will get me back into the loop with the new technologies.

5) I'll overclock if it's safe and I need it.

6) I want this computer to last until Diablo 3 dies out.. Just kidding. I would like the computer to last 5+ years, but with the rate everything is going I doubt that is possible.....


7) I have read up on graphics card though, and I do know new Nvidia cards are due very very soon.... if the new releases lowers the price of the previous cards, I can wait for the price drop...

8) I don't have a preference for AMD build or Intel build, whichever gets the job done would be awesome.

9) I'll purchase the parts wherever the part is cheapest.....

I really appreciate help for anything, thank you all!
 
Hi, sorry sort of new to this forum, was introduced to it by a friend, and didn't check all stickies before I posted...

1) What will you be doing with this PC?

Playing Starcraft 2, CSS, CS1.6, Team Fortress, Diablo 3 when it comes out...

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?

My budget is $800, but of course as low as possible would be best

3) Where do you live?

New York

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget?

CPU
Mobo
Case
PSU
Ram
Graphics Card
Hard Drive (I can get a cheap one doesn't really matter)

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing?

I have nothing to reuse, last time I built a computer was 5+ years ago...

6) Will you be overclocking?

Yea if I need to, and if it is easy....

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?

I currently have a 25 inch monitor/tv

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?

Not in a rush to get it, probably wouldn't mind waiting until the new graphics cards come out.. The right price is of higher priority then the speed that the machine gets to me, but preferably before Diablo 3 comes out. That won't be for a while. I also don't mind waiting for certain parts to go on sale... so it doesn't have to be a one shot buy thing.

9) What features do you need in a motherboard?

I'm an Nvidia fan so probably want SLI, and USB 3.0 would be nice as well.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license?

I have a 32bit and 64bit key for Windows 7 Pro


I would like to thank you for your help beforehand..
 
Last edited:
Hmmm, scratching my head because I usually don't look at higher end parts (I'm a cheap bastard) and I'm not savvy with the new Core I stuff. However, I do know that the i5s are all dual core processors, if you meet a very awesome gentleman on here named Danny_Bui, he thinks Core i5s are ridiculous: Who wants to pay $200+ for a dual core processor?
Despite the good performance of the architecture, I kind of agree with him. (although I hear the i5 7xx series is good for the money)
All the i7 processors are around the $300 range. You can probably fit one in, but here, I'm going to spec out a AMD build for you:


$244.98 - combo Asus M4A89GTD PRO AM3 AMD 890GX + AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE
$84.99 - G.SKILL Ripjaws 2x2GB 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
$109.99 - Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Case
$109.99 - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W
$64.99 - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB

+ you're going to need a heatsink for the CPU (Black Edition)

Total: $614.94 + $4.92 shipping.

So, that leaves you about $160-$190 for a video card.
Also, if you wanted $50 more, you could "downgrade" to the Antec Three Hundred, a great case by any means. I have one.

This is just my interpretation of a build. I'm sure the locals of this forum will jump in and make suggestions and say you could squeeze some money out via combos or other choices. They're probably right!

Also, I'm a bit AMD biased as of late. It has to do with Intel and how they keep changing and creating new sockets. So take my advice with some salt.
 
Wow that was quick, I like the processor/mobo combo. I have seen the Antec 900 case, and it's a beast. I don't need something that crazy a decent sized cooler master might do the trick, just don't know which one (there is so many)! And should I spend so much on a power supply? Just wondering, not trying to contradict or anything. Thank you for replying so quickly!
 
I actually just saw a thread by someone else who had the same exact budget as me, and trying to build the same exact computer. I saw the recommended parts he got, and probably will go with that, but should I wait for the new graphics card to come out first? And could I do something cheaper for the case/power supply?

Here is the proposed build for DarkKiller's thread:

Combo: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz + ASUS M4A87TD/USB3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 $219.98

Combo: Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower + Antec EarthWatts EA750 750W $104.98 - $ 25 mir

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 $83.99 + fs

ASUS ENGTX465/2DI/1GD5 GeForce GTX 465 (Fermi) 1GB $209.99 - $20 mir + free copy of Mafia2

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB $54.99 + fs

LG Black 22X DVD+R $16.99 + fs
 
dude, stay away from the GTX 465. It's a dumb card, either get a 470 (~$270 ish) or a 460 (~$150 ish).

But I'd say wait a week and see what the new AMD (ATI) stuff looks like. If anything it'll save you money on the Nvidias.
 
You might want to look into maybe the 1156 i7 processors and see how much the motherboards cost. Again, I haven't really kept track.

The Antec Three Hundred case with the Antec Earthwatts 750W is a helluva deal. I believe Antec has the Earthwatts series made by Corsair. But case design is subjective, not sure if you like huge cases, smaller Mid Tower ATX cases, etc... I think it's a fine case.
PSU is probably the most important part you place into your rig. You want clean power, enough amperage on all lines, especially 12vdc, no ripples... etc...

Some people like the Samsung Spinpoint as I think it has a slight lead over WD's Caviar Black.

In the video card front, it's tough to say because ATI... er.. AMD is coming out with the 6xxx series sometime this month and it could ratchet prices down depending on the numbers. Here is to hoping they get 20% + performance on equivalent cards. :D

If you absolutely had to buy today, I think the GTX 460 up to the 470 is a very good card. However, like I said, we might see the pricing scheme change. What resolution do you play on?
 
Yossarian22 said:
Hmmm, scratching my head because I usually don't look at higher end parts (I'm a cheap bastard) and I'm not savvy with the new Core I stuff. However, I do know that the i5s are all dual core processors, if you meet a very awesome gentleman on here named Danny_Bui, he thinks Core i5s are ridiculous: Who wants to pay $200+ for a dual core processor?
Despite the good performance of the architecture, I kind of agree with him. (although I hear the i5 7xx series is good for the money)
Click to expand...

Not all Core i5 CPUs are dual-core. the Core i5 7xx series is a quad core. The Core i5 6xx series is all dual core. Yeah a tad confusing there. And yes I do think that the current pricing for the Core i5 6xx dual core CPUs is stupid.

helpakidgrow said:
Wow that was quick, I like the processor/mobo combo. I have seen the Antec 900 case, and it's a beast. I don't need something that crazy a decent sized cooler master might do the trick, just don't know which one (there is so many)!
Click to expand...
The Antec 900 is a piss poor case for the money actually. There are literally dozens of cheaper or equally priced cases out there that provide the same cooling but provides significantly more room to work with. In other words, the Antec 900 is a cramped case compared to other cases. As such I would not recommend buying the Antec 900 unless it was on sale for $50. Other and better cases for the money:
$60 - NZXT M59 ATX Case
$70 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
$70 - Cooler Master RC-590-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$70 - Cooler Master CM690 II Basic ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II ATX Case
$105 - Fractal Design Define R3 Black ATX Case
$105 - Fractal Design Define R3 Titanium ATX Case
$105 - Fractal Design Define R3 Silver ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case
$110 - Lian Li PC-7FN ATX Case
$120 - Velocity Micro GX2-W Silver Classic Aluminum Case with Side Window

helpakidgrow said:
I actually just saw a thread by someone else who had the same exact budget as me, and trying to build the same exact computer. I saw the recommended parts he got, and probably will go with that, but should I wait for the new graphics card to come out first?
Click to expand...
Yes wait for AMD's new GPus to come first.

Though you should keep in mind that no current AMD chipset supports SLI. So if SLI is a feature that you want, you're gonna have to go with Intel and increase your budget by another $100 or so. Also keep in mind that build list is actually using a few combo deals on Newegg. Those combo deals will disapper at the end of the month. So that setup may not be a good buy next month.
helpakidgrow said:
And could I do something cheaper for the case/power supply?

.... And should I spend so much on a power supply? Just wondering, not trying to contradict or anything.
Click to expand...

That last thing you want to skimp on is the PSU. The PSU in the build list that you listed is already pretty damn cheap at $50. If you go any lower than that, you might as well dump the PC into a trash can and call it a day. $110 for a quality PSU is actually reasonable. But $50 is a steal as evident by that deal.
 
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Can I get any comments on this build...

$230 PNY NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 1GB GDDR5 PCI Express 230
$55 Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500GB
$50 Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W Continuous Power
$145 ASRock P55 EXTREME4 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX
$117 NZXT M59 - 001BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
$000 CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
$185 i5-760

Comes out to around $790 shipped....
The case + memory is a combo deal on newegg

I'm kind of antsy about the graphics card, don't know if I need such a good card to run what I want..
 
the 460 1GB is a great card to have, but $230 is kinda meh. Either wait for a sale or wait a week for the expected price bumps. It would suck to spend that now and a week later they're going for $175.
 
I'm afraid some of the deals like the power supply and case + memory will go away :(

I'm guessing there are always deals on case + memory, but is there always a good price for PSU's?
 
Lots of people seem to like the Coolermaster 690 II case, seeems to have room and airflow, for a reasonable price.
 
Bootleg Usher said:
Lots of people seem to like the Coolermaster 690 II case, seeems to have room and airflow, for a reasonable price.
Click to expand...

Thumbs up to that. Just take a serious look at the 'Advanced' model since the Basic lacks a couple things you might want.
 
Darnit, I missed that Antec deal (they're sold out). Is this a good power supply? Or is there one anyone would suggest for my build in the 70$ range
 
Yossarian22 said:
Hmmm, scratching my head because I usually don't look at higher end parts (I'm a cheap bastard) and I'm not savvy with the new Core I stuff. However, I do know that the i5s are all dual core processors, if you meet a very awesome gentleman on here named Danny_Bui, he thinks Core i5s are ridiculous: Who wants to pay $200+ for a dual core processor?
Despite the good performance of the architecture, I kind of agree with him. (although I hear the i5 7xx series is good for the money)
All the i7 processors are around the $300 range. You can probably fit one in, but here, I'm going to spec out a AMD build for you:


$244.98 - combo Asus M4A89GTD PRO AM3 AMD 890GX + AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE
$84.99 - G.SKILL Ripjaws 2x2GB 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
$109.99 - Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Case
$109.99 - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W
$64.99 - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB

+ you're going to need a heatsink for the CPU (Black Edition)

Total: $614.94 + $4.92 shipping.

So, that leaves you about $160-$190 for a video card.
Also, if you wanted $50 more, you could "downgrade" to the Antec Three Hundred, a great case by any means. I have one.

This is just my interpretation of a build. I'm sure the locals of this forum will jump in and make suggestions and say you could squeeze some money out via combos or other choices. They're probably right!

Also, I'm a bit AMD biased as of late. It has to do with Intel and how they keep changing and creating new sockets. So take my advice with some salt.
Click to expand...

werent 460s on sale the other week for like 150-160. Go for one of those.
 
unhap said:
werent 460s on sale the other week for like 150-160. Go for one of those.
Click to expand...

I have one of those already....

here's my build so far...

i5 760
gtx 460

and contemplating on the rest, I some how got the build to go under $700 but only but a few dollars...

These parts I'm pretty set and stone with...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131662
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.514332

I'm just looking for a power supply now. I used the Antec Power Supply measure thing, and it said if I sli'd 2 460's and kept OC'd my processor a little, it'll only require a little less then 500 watts. Not sure how good that measurement is, but now I'm looking for a 600~700 watt PSU if anyone knows of any good deal, let me know please!
 
Ditch the Wetern Digital Black 500GB. There's no confirmation whatsoever showing that hard drive is now of the single platter design. As such, that WD 500GB Black drive is actually gonna be slower than the following drives:
$55 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$55 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$70 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

SO yeah, ditch the Black and go for one of the above drives.

As for PSU, I recommend this combo since it comes with a fast drive listed above and a good quality PSU:
$150 - Corsair 650TX 650W PSU + Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive Combo

Also, you can save $15 and still get roughly the same features as that Asus by going with this combo:
$285 - Intel Core i5 750 CPU + Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 Intel P55 ATX Motherboard Combo

Wait a few more days for the GTX 460 price drop to take.
 
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