Budget/Gamer Build $350 approximate

[Quarkstar]

Approximate Purchase Date: This Week or After Christmas

Budget Range: $300 to $400

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Surfing, Email

Parts Not Required: keyboard Logitech g110, mouse Logitech G500, Logitech G35 Headset, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001482&Tpk=Samsung Syncmaster S24A350H, speakers, Win7 Home Prem. SP1 64 Bit, SATA HDDs: Seagate ST3500413AS 6 GB/s, ST3500418AS 3 GB/s (Currently not in Raid), http://www.corsair.com/tx850w.html, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042(without SSD bays)
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0315397

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: http://www.microcenter.com; http://www.newegg.com

Country: United States
Parts Preferences: Intel LGA 1155 Asus mobo Z68 or P67. Asus would be my first pick, but just want a good board with 3.0 usb x2 atleast and on board sound. Amazed I don't see too many PCIe 3.0.
Core i5 2500K 3.3 Ghz($179.99), **for price this would probably be my choice I tend to use computers 3 to 4 years with minor upgrades as needed**
Core i7 2600 3.4 Ghz ($249.99),
Core i7 2600k 3.4 Ghz ($279.99),
Corsair, Patriot, Kingston **really don't care; prefer good brand with performance timings but will skimp, not sure if 4 GB (2x2GB) dual or 8 GB (2x4 or 4x2) is recommended on the new CPUs and boards Currently on 4 GBs (2x2) am happy enough I suppose.

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI: Yes / Maybe I have 2 EVGA Geforce GTX 260s, This is something I really can't afford to put money into a mainstream or high end card at the moment; stuck with them to stay preferably under budget.

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 native

Additional Comments: Running Tri-cool fans on low(top and back) with 2 fans that are noisy w/o speed control (1 Front and one Side blowing on HDD and GPU). I'm guessing if there are any 2500k's left a decent or great board w/ i5 2500k will run me just over $300 and RAM close to $400 if I don't buy the cheap sticks. I have to return my current board by the 21st, and would prefer not to have to put in my LGA 775 board back in with a Q6600 just to take it back out.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...00176035 600158412&IsNodeId=1&name=Intel Z68]

 

[sadams04]

Where are you seeing those prices for the processors?

CPU $225 - i5-2500k => http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

MB $115 - Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 => http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128502
-8x/8x for SLI / CF, and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

MEM $42 - Corsair Vengance 8GB DDR3-1600 CL9 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186
-Watch the height of the memory you use with the Hyper 212+. The taller GSKILL modules will cause interference problems with the heatsync.

 

[christiangordon]

Where are you seeing those prices for the processors?

CPU $225 - i5-2500k => http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

Microcenter has great prices on CPUs
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

 

[ScrewySqrl]

overall, it looks pretty good. the 260s are getting long in the tooth, but will be adequate for a few months more

 

[Quarkstar]

Where are you seeing those prices for the processors?

CPU $225 - i5-2500k => http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

MB $115 - Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 => http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128502
-8x/8x for SLI / CF, and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

MEM $42 - Corsair Vengance 8GB DDR3-1600 CL9 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186
-Watch the height of the memory you use with the Hyper 212+. The taller GSKILL modules will cause interference problems with the heatsync.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

 

[Quarkstar]

Where are you seeing those prices for the processors?

CPU $225 - i5-2500k => http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

MB $115 - Gigabyte GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 => http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128502
-8x/8x for SLI / CF, and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

MEM $42 - Corsair Vengance 8GB DDR3-1600 CL9 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186
-Watch the height of the memory you use with the Hyper 212+. The taller GSKILL modules will cause interference problems with the heatsync.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

 

[Quarkstar]

overall, it looks pretty good. the 260s are getting long in the tooth, but will be adequate for a few months more

Sorry, Edited. I misread what you said. I thought you left off a 0 yeah the 260s even OC'D are on life support agreed.

 

[Cryosis00]

I would stick with your (2) 260's until the next gen graphics cards come out. The cost/performance outcome for upgrading from what you have just is not there and it would eat up all your budget.


FYI Microcenter will also give you (instant)$50 off any motherboard with purchase of an I5 or I7 series processor. Really makes it a no brainer to get those two components from that store.


Last week I picked up an i5-2500k and a ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 LGA 1155 Z68 ATX Intel Motherboard all for $357(including tax).

Also picked up 16gig G.Skill Ripsaw DDR3-1600 memory from newegg for $65. Was a shell shocker deal 2 weeks ago.


To keep you in budget.. I say.

$179 - i5-2500k (miocrocenter)
$69 - P8Z68-V LX LGA 1155 Z68 ATX Intel Motherboard (Reg. $119 @ Microcenter)
$44 - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) (Newegg.com)
______
$292 Total - You could always splurge more on a better mobo or buy something else to round out your rig.

 

[Quarkstar]

Thank you for the advice. They (microcenter) wouldn't give me the $50 off unless I bought a 2600k. Did the math would put me over budget. 2600k was $100 more. $365 something after tax.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0371775
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0364400
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

I love newegg.com, but dang microcenter is undercutting them big time if you have one near you. They also match their own online prices. Hint hint Walmart cough match your own stupid prices lol.

Now I just need to sell my useless ddr2 ram. Naw I'll build a workstation for my fiancé out of my old mobo and a spare low end nvidia card or 8600 or 9xxx series if I still have it, and put it in a old tower I have.

 

[Quarkstar]

Sorry I have to give props to cryosis00, but thanks to every one.

I've had a Q6600 close to 5 years. The only upgrades I've done were vid cards and replacement hard drives and a corsair 850w I killed with a poor ventilated tower case. One evga card failed under warranty due to the same poor ventilation I'm sure which died just under the 12 month warranty which was replaced by evga. Spent $365 now and bought a super sale on a Samsung (really good monitor) only cause my 12 to 15 year old CRT monitor died last week. Try that with a small console box that's obsolete every two years which can't do your homework or Essay you have due, and doesn't have a mouse with games that don't port well to a PC. Shrug

 

[Quarkstar]

Best answer selected by Quarkstar.