1200-1500 Gaming Desktop

[theproductofboredom]

Approximate Purchase Date: this week

Budget Range: 1200-1500

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, watching movies, surfing the internet, etc

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Parts to Upgrade: Its all new, so...

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website for Parts: newegg.com

Location: Westchester, New York

Parts Preferences: NVIDIA GPU, Intel CPU,

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920 x 1080p

Additional Comments: Plan on using games such as Skyrim, Guild wars, dishonored/bioshock (in the future). Would like my computer specs to last me 3-4 years.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My PC is a dinosaur and I can't play games on my mac.

LG DVD Burner Black SATA Model GH24NS90 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136247

Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case, comes with Three Fans-1x Front Blue LED 120mm Fan, 1x Top 140mm Fan, 1x Rear 120mm Fan, option Fans-2x Side 120mm Fan
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153

Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840

Acer S220HQLAbd Black 21.5" 5ms LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 ACM 100,000,000:1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009316


MSI N660 Ti PE 2GD5/OC GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127696

Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371030

Microsoft Desktop 400 5MH-00001 Black USB Wired Standard Keyboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823109232

ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986 64-bit - OEM

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel 2011/1366/1155 and AMD FM1/AM3+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128B/WW 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147163

Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

EDIT:
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model 996995
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820226191

 

[theproductofboredom]

Yeah but the myservice warranty on newegg covers accidental damage as well....

 

[TheBigTroll]

im better off with ncix

 

[theproductofboredom]

Anyway, a revised build.

LG DVD Burner Black SATA Model GH24NS90 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827136247

COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119068

Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148840

Acer S220HQLAbd Black 21.5" 5ms LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 ACM 100,000,000:1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824009316

ZOTAC ZT-60301-10P GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500242

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817151093 $69.99
SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze 520W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS 12V v2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

Microsoft Desktop 400 5MH-00001 Black USB Wired Standard Keyboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6823109232

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157304 $84.99 FREE SHIPPING
ASRock Z75 Pro3 LGA 1155 Intel Z75 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6832116986 64-bit - OEM

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel 2011/1366/1155 and AMD FM1/AM3+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835103099

SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128B/WW 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820147163

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] bo.1057717 $259.98 save: $11.00 FREE SHIPPING
Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model BLS2KIT4G3D1609DS1S00

With all the warranties and shipping, it comes out to $1557.54

This good? Any better gtx 670 ideas would be welcome as well.

 

[TheBigTroll]

1: id get a different case like the antec 302
2: id get a msi power edition 670. has overvolting
3: get a xfx 550w at us.ncix.com for 44.99. same psu but cheaper
4: id stick with the extreme4 and the ud3h
5: i dont trust acer after my laptop with them. get the vs228h-p from asus

 

[Why_Me]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1059195 $427.98 save: $13.00 - $20.00 Mail In Rebates
GIGABYTE GV-N670WF2-2GD GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
Patriot Intel Extreme Master, Limited Edition 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model PVI38G160C9K

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1053565 $235.98 save: $11.00
Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
LG DVD Burner Black SATA Model GH24NS90 - OEM

 

[CaptainTom]

A) Is the special keyboard really so important?

B) Is the difference between gtx 660 ti and gtx 670 worth the $100?

C) Is the SSD going to make all that much of a difference?


EDIT: Also, embarassed to say I forgot to put down a memory component. This wish list has been sitting around for a while and the one I selected must have gone out of stock while I was waiting.

I added one to the top post.

A) NOOOOOO!

B) Don't get a 660Ti. Get a 660 or a 670 if Nvidia is a must. Otherwise the 7870 is found for $220 or less.

C) I still don't see why SSD is a necessity to some. Is it WAY faster? Yes. Do you need a stationary PC to use 5% less power and boot up 40 seconds faster for $200+ extra? NO IMO.

 

[theproductofboredom]

1. What criteria makes for a better case? I still don't get it. Is this a good case?

Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

2. What's overvolting? Also MSI doesn't come with replacement warranty for accidental damage.

3. Whats so much better about the extreme4?

4. Why the distrust of Acer? Is the Asus Monitor a substantial quality increase?

 

[DeusAres]

A) NOOOOOO!

B) Don't get a 660Ti. Get a 660 or a 670 if Nvidia is a must. Otherwise the 7870 is found for $220 or less.

C) I still don't see why SSD is a necessity to some. Is it WAY faster? Yes. Do you need a stationary PC to use 5% less power and boot up 40 seconds faster for $200+ extra? NO IMO.

It doesn't just boot faster; it loads games faster as well...especially games like BF3 and Skyrim. I don't find it necessary per se, it's just a great idea to put one in a system such as this. It makes everything much more responsive. Also, a decent SSD doesn't cost $200+. You can get a 128gb model for under $100.

OCZ Vertex 4 VTX4-25SAT3-128G 2.5" 128GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227791&Tpk=vertex%204%20128gb

Or...

SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128B/WW 2.5" 128GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147163

 

[CaptainTom]

It doesn't just boot faster; it loads games faster as well...especially games like BF3 and Skyrim. I don't find it necessary per se, it's just a great idea to put one in a system such as this. It makes everything much more responsive. Also, a decent SSD doesn't cost $200+. You can get a 128gb model for under $100.

OCZ Vertex 4 VTX4-25SAT3-128G 2.5" 128GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227791&Tpk=vertex%204%20128gb

Or...

SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC128B/WW 2.5" 128GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147163

Yes ik an SSD upgrades speeds in games. I almost got one. But I don't want to have to worry about where to install my stuff. Thus to have a big enough SSD, I would need to spend that much.

 

[Why_Me]

Yes ik an SSD upgrades speeds in games. I almost got one. But I don't want to have to worry about where to install my stuff. Thus to have a big enough SSD, I would need to spend that much.

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extreme-2-5-Inch-Solid-SDSSDX-240G-G25/dp/B006EKJ8UI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348035833&sr=8-1&keywords=sandisk+240gb $185.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
SanDisk Extreme SSD 240 GB SATA 6.0 Gb-s 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SDSSDX-240G-G25

 

[theproductofboredom]

Will this SDD work with my computer? Reviews say that as it's designed for a laptop, its a bit awkward to insert.

SanDisk SDSSDP-128G-G25 2.5" 128GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171646

Also any recommendations on wireless adaptors? Something within 15-25 bucks.

 

[Why_Me]

Will this SDD work with my computer? Reviews say that as it's designed for a laptop, its a bit awkward to insert.

SanDisk SDSSDP-128G-G25 2.5" 128GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171646

Also any recommendations on wireless adaptors? Something within 15-25 bucks.

All SSD's are 2.5"...laptop size. It comes with a 3.5" bracket although most cases these days have drive bays that fit 3.5" and 2.5" for SSD's.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704031 $27.99 FREE SHIPPING
TP-LINK TL-WN951N Wireless N Adapter IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11b, CSMA/CA with ACK 32-bit PCI Up to 300Mbps Wireless Data Rates 64/128/152 bit WEP, WPA/WPA2, WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK (TKIP/AES), WPS.

 

[theproductofboredom]

Is this 50 dollar hard drive fine for storing music and inactive games?

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F4 HD322GJ/U 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152244

 

[Why_Me]

Is this 50 dollar hard drive fine for storing music and inactive games?

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F4 HD322GJ/U 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152244

Samsung makes some super solid hard drives. Can't go wrong with that drive.

 

[theproductofboredom]

So would it be smarter to pick the $50 hard drive and the Samsung 128GB SDD drive, or pick a good 70-90 dollar hard drive and get the 64GB SDD?

 

[Why_Me]

So would it be smarter to pick the $50 hard drive and the Samsung 128GB SDD drive, or pick a good 70-90 dollar hard drive and get the 64GB SDD?

The way I look at it, if you get the SSD firt and hold off on a storage drive you don't have to reload windows. That saves a lot of hassle and you end up with a decent size SSD. A month or two down the road you pick up a 1TB storage drive on sale for $65.

 

[theproductofboredom]

The only problem with that solution is that I have 80 GB of music waiting on an external hard drive. But I suppose with something like that I could just keep it on the external hard drive, as it isn't taxing enough to be bottlenecked by the USB conversion.

And if I factor out the HDD, my build comes in nicely under 1500 dollars. Sweet.

 

[TheBigTroll]

1. What criteria makes for a better case? I still don't get it. Is this a good case?

Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

2. What's overvolting? Also MSI doesn't come with replacement warranty for accidental damage.

3. Whats so much better about the extreme4?

4. Why the distrust of Acer? Is the Asus Monitor a substantial quality increase?

1: i suggested the 302 not the 300 illusion. for me, i look for usability, features like usb3, build quality, and cabling room. the 302 is a 300 but with better cabling and usb3

2: overvolting is increasing the voltage supplied to the video card. it helps the video card given all other cards are limited at 1.175v which is not always enough for higher level oc. msi will replace the card if its faulty or if something broke. they wont warrant anything such as frying your Chip. no one does really

3: because its z77 so you get a couple more features and that the board has a better overall power delivery design

4: im using a asus monitor at the moment. i distrust acer given my laptop from them keeps getting over 100c even though i have a level of cooling placed on it and that cleaning it didnt help

 

[CaptainTom]

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extreme-2-5-Inch-Solid-SDSSDX-240G-G25/dp/B006EKJ8UI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348035833&sr=8-1&keywords=sandisk+240gb $185.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
SanDisk Extreme SSD 240 GB SATA 6.0 Gb-s 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SDSSDX-240G-G25

I would want at least half a TB. I understand how good they are, I just can't quite stomach paying that much for them now when a 1TB is found for <$60 at times. My next desktop will use SSD, that just won't be for at least 5 years. By then they will half taken over and be far cheaper.

 

[Why_Me]

I would want at least half a TB. I understand how good they are, I just can't quite stomach paying that much for them now when a 1TB is found for <$60 at times. My next desktop will use SSD, that just won't be for at least 5 years. By then they will half taken over and be far cheaper.

In the past 5 - 6 months Iv'e seen that particular SSD go form $250 to as cheap as $169.99 on sale so hopefully it will drop to somewhere near $125 by Christmas.