$500 casual gaming build

[Coastaltuba]

I have been on here before asking about an AMD build, but by talking with other members, have decided to go the Intel route. So this is what I will need:

Usage: College (music notation, internet, open office), casual gaming (I love playing the new games, but I am by no means very good, so I just do campaign usually)

Items not needed: Case and monitor

Best site: Newegg or Amazon, whichever one I can get a better price on.

I want this build to be future proof. Also, I would rather have a true quad core than a hyperthreaded dual core.

When I say I need everything, I mean also cables, and keyboard and mouse.

Can someone please help me?

EDIT: Sorry, I forgot that I don't need an OS either. Sorry.

 

[striker410]

Good, but this one is just as good for less: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371016&cm_re=550-_-17-371-016-_-Product

 

[Coastaltuba]

What about a 6850? Is there that much of a difference between it and a 6870?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150505

 

[striker410]

a 6850 would be ok. But considering the 6870 is only $15 away......

 

[Onus]

That one I'd say is a step down, but not a bad unit.
At a 720p resolution (1368x720), a HD6770 is more than enough. Gamers typically get stuck focusing on 1920x1080 (or higher), where yes, you'd want a HD6870, but where you are now, a stronger GPU simply isn't needed. That should help your budget.

 

[striker410]

Ahh yes, thanks for reining me in jtt. I was thinking futureproofing and higher res

 

[Coastaltuba]

That was what I was thinking, jtt. I don't feel the need to go to 1080p at all, I don't care that much about graphics, as long as it runs smoothly.

 

[Coastaltuba]

Sorry Striker, I was making you get confused lol

 

[Onus]

Re-visiting the CPU issue, something else to consider...

Colleges with campus networks typically have system security requirements for any student systems to be attached to them. This typically includes anti-virus and firewall software, possibly other filtering. These may be enforced by yet another piece of software, such as Cisco System's Clean Access Agent. Regardless of how much faster the i3-2100 is than the 955BE at single tasks, once you layer on all this security software (plus whatever else you run), you definitely want the additional real cores. So, unless you're prepared to spend enough for the i5, I believe your choice of an AMD quad core is the right one.

 

[Coastaltuba]

Yeah, I'm going the AMD route.

 

[Coastaltuba]

Is there anything else from my above build you would change?

 

[striker410]

Case could use a change. Check out the HAF 912 and Antec 300.

 

[need4speeds]

-The 5770 and 6770 are the same card. The only advantage the 6770 has is that it does better in crossfire. The 6770 is better to get if you are going to a crossfire board. Two 6770's match the 6950.

- The $44 asusrock am3 board has both ddr3 and ddr2 slots, so it still should work with ddr3 memory. It is a cheap-o board and lacks some things.
-The 1155 asusrock board is also a cheap-o board too.
-ddr3-1333 mem should work on most ddr3 boards. Why won't it work? I don't understand why it wont work? If there is a reason then please tell him before he orders stuff. Thanks.

-The 5770 was intended to match the regor. With the phenomIIx4 you have a bit more cpu power so you can go with something like the 560ti, or 6950.

-savings on the board/mem can save enough to move up to the 560ti or 6950 card.

- I thought there was a case already?

-I have had good luck with antec and corsair power supplies, it is why i suggested the antec that is on sale. I have a 550 antec true power that i had to mod so that it has the 4 prong "p4 plug" so it would work on my then just released new am2 6000+. It is from the socket-a era. It is about 8 years old now.

 

[Coastaltuba]

I like both of those cases. Which would you recommend more?

 

[Onus]

I have had good results with any Rosewill case I ever bought. The fans are quiet yet move enough air, and though they are thin, as to be expected of cheap cases, the build quality has been very good. I can't say the same for Coolermaster; some of their designs are nice, but I've had enough minor build quality issues that I will no longer buy them. In fact, due to the liar-labels on many of their PSUs, I have placed Coolermaster in general on my personal "Do Not Buy" list.

 

[Coastaltuba]

Well, what is wrong with my Sentey case?

 

[striker410]

Even the HAF 912? I'm not talking about PSU's, as obviously their lineup is sub-par. But I find their cases to be fantastic. I plan on using the HAF for my next build in fact.

 

[Coastaltuba]

I liked the Sentey case because it came with four badass fans PLUS a built-in fan controller. If I get a different case, I'll be getting the Lamptron Fan Controller with the switches.

 

[Coastaltuba]

I decided to buy the Rosewill Challenger case, and went ahead and bought it. Returning the Sentey case on Monday.

 

[striker410]

Ahh ok. The Challenger is an excellent case, but it's cable management blows. Expect to have a cable filled system lol.

Other than that, it's an excellent case. Used one myself.

 

[need4speeds]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130616
$179.99 EVGA 012-P3-1470-RX GeForce GTX 470 (Fermi) 1280MB
448 Processor Cores

Ok i know it's the old fermi that no-one likes. and its a crummy re-certified card.

? wouldn't that be really fast?

- You hope they tested the card and it still works ok.

-It might be smart to opt for the extended warranty here for a extra $19.95.

 

[Onus]

For his resolution, that card is unnecessary.

 

[Coastaltuba]

There is no need for that card until I upgrade my monitor, which I don't expect to do for at least 3 years. And yeah, I've heard that the Challenger case isn't good on cable management, but I don't like to show off the insides off that much anyway. But to help airflow, I'll be using cable ties.

 

[need4speeds]

It's from another thread.
" using a locked dual-core I3, on a cheap BUT locked H61 motherboard that can't be upgraded to a high end K series when the time is right."

I was wrong before, some socket 1155 boards don't work with the "K" series.

How are you supposed to know that? Stupid intel and their superlocked cpus and boards. Seems like to get a board that works with the 2500K you need a much more expensive board.

With amd you can get a decent board, or a cheap one that still works.

Now i don't trust the nvidia card either, better stick with ol' reliable amd.

 

[striker410]

Well, I think it's referring to the fact that with H61 you can't overclock. You can do that with Z68 however.

 

[need4speeds]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138313
BIOSTAR H61ML LGA 1155 Intel H61 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

With all the red slots, for $59.99, it would make a good dart board with all the red plugs and slots on it. 40 points if you can hit the red sata plugs. 20 points for the memory slots, 10 points for the pcie slot.

If it wont let you overclock your new 2500k, or upgrade to one and overclock it someday, then what good is it?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Triumph-Sports-USA-Mark-It-Dart-Steel-Tip/16801497
$6.36 Triumph Sports USA Mark-It Dart Steel Tip

http://www.freevector.com/site_media/preview_images/FreeVector-Crown-Royal-Vector.jpg
? $30.

$30+$59.99+$6.36= $96.35.. I think it would be more fun than watching your new 2500k with the big 12cm fan cpu cooler you picked out, being stuck at stock clocks. It would make a fun, cheap gaming rig.