$1500 Build for Strategy Gaming, App Development

[MattyZ07076]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for help in validating this new build config. When I specced this out, I took the recommended system reqs for the games I was looking to play short-term and tried to add a bit more "pow" where I could. Any suggestions on substitutions would be deeply appreciated.

Thank you,
Matt

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Approximate Purchase Date: end of May 2011

Budget Range: $1200-$1500 after rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important:
1) gaming (strategy and simulation ala Civ5, StarCraft2, World in Conflict, etc.),
2) application development (Visual Studio, SQL Server Dev Edition),
3) Home Use (MS office, email, web surfing, photo gallery management, finances)

Parts Not Required: monitor (have ViewSonic VG2230wm)

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com, tigerdirect.com

Country of Origin: USA

Parts Preferences: Antec case, ASUS mobo, Kinston Memory, Intel Processor

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: 1680x1050

Additional Comments:
MIGHT use this new build for home theater as well (for hookup to 42" LCD). Assume would then need to add BlueRay and change case to support remote control(?)

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Parts List

1 Intel Core i5-2300 Sandy Bridge 2.8GHz (3.1GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52300 $184.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115076&Tpk=N82E16819115076

1 Kingston HyperX T1 Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model KHX1600C8D3T1K2/4GX $83.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104142&Tpk=N82E16820104142

2 Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $117.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320&Tpk=N82E16822136320

1 EVGA 512-P3-N987-TR GeForce 9800 GT HDMI 512MB 256-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130535&Tpk=N82E16814130535

1 ASUS P8P67 PRO (REV 3.0) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard $179.99 (after $10 rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131703&Tpk=N82E16813131703

1 Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $59.95 (after $10 rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042&Tpk=N82E16811129042

1 APEVIA ATX-CW500WP4 500W ATX Power Supply I $19.99 (after $20 mail-in rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148027&Tpk=N82E16817148027

1 Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit 1-Pack - OEM $179.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116997&cm_re=windows_7_ultimate_oem-_-32-116-997-_-Product

1 ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM $21.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204&Tpk=N82E16827135204

1 Kingston FCR-HS219/1 19-in-1 USB 2.0 Card Reader $14.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134753&Tpk=N82E16820134753

1 Logitech Cordless Desktop EX 100 Black USB RF Wireless Standard Keyboard and Mouse $29.99 (after $2 rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126041&Tpk=N82E16823126041

 

[sotu]

with your budget I think your build should look like this. This build is flexible. What you lack in hardcore gaming hardware (aka SLI/XFire) you make up with processing power. Since APP Dev/DB stuff makes money and gaming doesnt (most of the time) then processing power is a good metric to to build buy.. however, that vid card is still great and can easily run the games you are looking to play no problem.. If you really want to "future" proof the machine, just get the SLI counterpart to that motherboard and a slightly more powerful PSU, then months later you can get a second 570 for gaming.. but you probably wont need it.

CPU – $315
Intel I7-2600k (3.4ghz, dual-quad core, hyper threading)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070&cm_re=i7-2600k-_-19-115-070-_-Product

Mobo - $130
GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD3-B3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] =u00000687

RAM - $95
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428&cm_re=g.skill_8gb-_-20-231-428-_-Product

Heat Sync - $30
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler, RR-B10-212P-G1
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305047753&sr=8-1&tag=vglnk-c1001-20

Main HD – $145
Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148357

Secondary HD - $60
Samsung Desktop Class Spinpoint F3 1 TB SATA 3.0 Gb-s 32 MB Cache 3.5-Inch
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Spinpoint-3-5-Inch-Internal-HD103SJ/dp/B002MQC0P8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1304993558&sr=8-2

GFX Card – $355
EVGA GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130593&cm_re=gtx_570-_-14-130-593-_-Product

PSU – $90
CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

CASE – $100
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197&cm_re=cm_922-_-11-119-197-_-Product

ROM - $70
SAMSUNG Black 12X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray Drive Model SH-B123L LightScribe Support – OEM

System Total is around 1400 after taxes

 

[mjmjpfaff]

swap out that ssd for this one 140$ after rebate: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227685&Tpk=80gb%20vertex%202
also sotu's build is a lot better than your original one

 

[mjmjpfaff]

it doesnt have an os though so switch the gpu to a gtx 560 ti $220 after rebate: http://www.amazon.com/MSI-PCI-Express-N560GTX-TWIN-FROZR/dp/B004JLNZXU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1305514848&sr=1-1
and get windows 7 home premium. you dont need ultimate
also scratch out my last post get this ssd just put your os and your other most used programs: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227550&cm_re=60gb_vertex_2-_-20-227-550-_-Product
keep your card reader and your periferals
that should be about it.

 

[aznshinobi]

I have a 1200$ build in my siggy, it'll do you lots of justice. You'll get an SSD and a great system coming 300$ below your budget. BTW the 2600K is kind of meh when the application devs usually use RAM more than the CPU during the creation process. So honestly you don't need a 2600K unless your encoding a lot.