New build for friend

[Rooble91]

Well my friend is looking to build a new computer after having his for a few years and I have been out of the hardware loop too long to help him pick exact parts.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
***Pure gaming machine (mostly WoW, HoN, SC2) that is capable of FRAPSing at 1080p
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
***$1000 max with shipping, but would like to keep it around $800 unless their is a signifcant difference in price/performance that warrants going over
3) Where do you live?
***CA - Looking to use Amazon
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.
***Mobo, CPU, RAM, Videocard, PSU, HDD*, DVD drive, case*
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
***n/a
6) Will you be overclocking?
***No
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
***1920x1080
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
***Next week
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
***Nothing specific
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
***No; need Windows 7 64-bit (I have a .edu email if I can use it to get my friend a student copy)


* The only requests that he has for parts is:
Amazon.com: Samsung 1 TB Spinpoint 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.5 inch Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive HD103SJ: Electronics - $60
Amazon.com: NZXT Guardian Black SECC Steel Chassis ATX Mid Tower Case 921RB-BL: Electronics - $76

 

[Dangman]

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
***$1000 max with shipping, but would like to keep it around $800 unless their is a signifcant difference in price/performance that warrants going over

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Intel-i5-2400-Processor-3-10GHz-LGA1155/dp/B004EBUXIA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1308268350&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Intel Core i5-2400 Processor 3.10GHz 6 MB Cache Socket LGA1155: Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T6Cp9Pr5L.@@AMEPARAM@@51T6Cp9Pr5L[/ame] - Intel Core i5-2400 CPU
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/P8H67-M-PRO-CSM-REV-3-0/dp/B004Q7LGZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1308268379&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: ASUS P8H67-M PRO/CSM <REV 3.0> LGA 1155 Corporate Stable Model Intel H67 DDR3 1333 Micro ATX Motherboard: Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PlXWs-odL.@@AMEPARAM@@41PlXWs-odL[/ame] - Asus P8H67 Pro/CSM Intel H67 mATX Motherboard
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Patriot-Signature-PC3-10600-Desktop-PSD34G13332/dp/B003GSLDJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1300581504&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Patriot Signature 4 GB PC3-10600 (1333 MHz) DDR3 Desktop Memory PSD34G13332: Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41X3rfTlFYL.@@AMEPARAM@@41X3rfTlFYL[/ame] - Patriot PSD34G13332 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Radeon-XFX-6970-Graphics-Card/dp/B004GCIZ5A/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1308268432&sr=1-12"]Amazon.com: Radeon XFX HD 6970 2 GB Graphics Card: Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41WSxhoF0hL.@@AMEPARAM@@41WSxhoF0hL[/ame] - XFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 2GB PCI-E Video Card
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Spinpoint-Cache-Desktop-HD103SJ/dp/B001U3S5S0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1301946920&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Samsung 1 TB Spinpoint 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.5 inch Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive HD103SJ: Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ZPq%2BIaQ2L.@@AMEPARAM@@41ZPq%2BIaQ2L[/ame] - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Lite--LightScribe-Layer-Drive-IHAS424-98/dp/B002SIMPXM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1308268293&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Lite-On LightScribe 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive IHAS424-98 - Retail (Black): Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/318Zy9ALqfL.@@AMEPARAM@@318Zy9ALqfL[/ame] - Lite-On iHAS424-98 DVD Burner
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Enthusiast-Certified-compatible-platforms/dp/B004LB5AZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1308268329&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Corsair Enthusiast Series 650-Watt 80 Plus Bronze Certified Power Supply compatible with Intel Core i3, i5, i7 and AMD platforms 650TX v2: Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51CyDtCyPjL.@@AMEPARAM@@51CyDtCyPjL[/ame] - Corsair 650TX V2 650W PSU
-----
Total: $877 plus tax and shipping

Amazon.com: NZXT Guardian Black SECC Steel Chassis ATX Mid Tower Case 921RB-BL: Electronics - $76

Not a good choice for the money since it's relatively cramped as well of lower quality compared to other cases in that price range:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Tower-Case-RC-912-KKN1/dp/B003ZM7YTA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1308268128&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Cooler Master HAF 912 Mid Tower ATX Case (RC-912-KKN1): Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RRepLEnoL.@@AMEPARAM@@51RRepLEnoL[/ame] - Cooler Master HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 ATX Case
$77 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K58W ATX Case (tax included already)
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Computer-Case-RC-692-KKN2/dp/B00336EM0W/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308268102&sr=8-2-fkmr0"]Amazon.com: Cooler Master Computer Case RC-692-KKN2: Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518iq1ZLclL.@@AMEPARAM@@518iq1ZLclL[/ame] - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case

 

[Rooble91]

Thanks. I showed him the CM HAF and he decided to go with that instead. Just curious, is a 6970 2GB really necessary to fraps at 1080p or is there a card that costs a little less that can still get the job done?

 

[lil layzie]

Danny, I was wondering about the video card as well. In my thread, you recommended the XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB PCI-E Video Card @ $310 after taxes from NewEgg. While we are both gaming in the same resolutions, is there a reason why this card was suggested over mines?

 

[E4g1e]

Danny, I was wondering about the video card as well. In my thread, you recommended the XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB PCI-E Video Card @ $310 after taxes from NewEgg. While we are both gaming in the same resolutions, is there a reason why this card was suggested over mines?

Basically put: The card you suggested has a shorter warranty and poorer customer service quality than the one Danny suggested.

 

[lil layzie]

I apologize if I'm missing something, but the comparison on NewEgg shows both having a limited lifetime warranty.

Comparison Link

And I don't understand how one has poor CS quality compared to the other as they are both XFX branded cards. Could you explain to me on this one?

Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread OP. I'm about to build a system myself and we kinda share the same criteria.

 

[E4g1e]

I apologize if I'm missing something, but the comparison on NewEgg shows both having a limited lifetime warranty.

Comparison Link

And I don't understand how one has poor CS quality compared to the other as they are both XFX branded cards. Could you explain to me on this one?

Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread OP. I'm about to build a system myself and we kinda share the same criteria.

I stand corrected. The trick is to keep both your build and the OP's build below $1,000 total (for each) and still be able to play most games at 1920x1080 with high to maximum detail. Danny chose a lesser i5-2400 for the OP's friend's build so that he could fit a 2GB HD 6970 (as opposed to your build's suggested 2GB HD 6950) into that budget.

 

[Dangman]

Danny, I was wondering about the video card as well. In my thread, you recommended the XFX HD-695X-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 2GB PCI-E Video Card @ $310 after taxes from NewEgg. While we are both gaming in the same resolutions, is there a reason why this card was suggested over mines?

Main reason was that the OP's friend was planning on using FRAPS which is extremely demanding. As such, he's gonna need as much GPU power as possible. Hence the HD 6970 2GB recommendation for him. For you, the HD 6950 2GB was recommended since you said this: "The lower the better. Don't need top of the line equipment." As such, the HD 6950 2GB fit that criteria perfectly.

 

[lil layzie]

Gotcha. Thanks Danny for the explanation.