Build critique? First timer

[chroz32]

I'm looking for opinions on what I've chosen to build my first PC.

http://i.imgur.com/WClpRaU.png

The case isn't visible on the SS but it's a CoolerMaster Storm Enforcer (mid tower).

I followed a little guide to try to get these but I'm not sure if it's good. Also I don't plan on overclocking right now. I guess I'd be getting a CPU cooler when that time comes. I'm getting Windows 7 OS so it's not included in the price.

total price comes to about $860 after taxes. Any help on reducing the price on this would be appreciated.

 

[e_X]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G41 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $819.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-09 19:13 EST-0500)

 

[realchaos]

Your ram is too expensive. You could save about $10 with the average price of 8gb ram. Are you for sure about overclocking later on? Or are you still debating? You could save some serious money if you're not overclocking.

 

[g-unit1111]

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G41 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $819.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-09 19:13 EST-0500)

No price on the RAM, no CPU cooler. And you don't need RAM that fast either.

Cooler Master has a horrible reputation of lying about its' power supplies (for instance Hardware Secrets discovered that the "Japanese capacitors" advertised on the box are actually made in Taiwan ) so I would not purchase them. This would be a far better choice: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151074

 

[realchaos]

The XFX 550w psu is a better buy than that 430w seasonic psu.

 

[g-unit1111]

The XFX 550w psu is a better buy than that 430w seasonic psu.

Yeah but if your system doesn't really generate that much power do you really need 550W? And that is essentially a rebranded Seasonic PSU.

 

[realchaos]

Same price? 120 more watts? The fact that it's a rebranded seasonic is what makes it so good. It would perform just like a seasonic psu.

Edit: Newegg charges $10 for shipping on the seasonic 430w for a total of about $70 if you buy it from newegg. So essentially, the xfx one is cheaper and just as good, if not better, than the seasonic.

 

[boulbox]

I would just skip OCing the CPU in general and try to get the best GPU out of your budget.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($175.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock B75M-DGS Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($58.97 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($72.04 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($234.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $715.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-09 22:37 EST-0500)

or amd version
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 EXTREME4 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($97.87 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($72.04 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($234.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $738.84
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-09 22:41 EST-0500)

which allows for SLI/CFX in the future if you would so want so

 

[g-unit1111]

Same price? 120 more watts? The fact that it's a rebranded seasonic is what makes it so good. It would perform just like a seasonic psu.

Edit: Newegg charges $10 for shipping on the seasonic 430w for a total of about $70 if you buy it from newegg. So essentially, the xfx one is cheaper and just as good, if not better, than the seasonic.

Yeah true, point taken there.

 

[chroz32]

Just got back from work, gonna look all this over.

 

[chroz32]

I would just skip OCing the CPU in general and try to get the best GPU out of your budget.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($175.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock B75M-DGS Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($58.97 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($72.04 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($234.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $715.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-09 22:37 EST-0500)

or amd version
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 EXTREME4 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($97.87 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($72.04 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($234.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $738.84
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-09 22:41 EST-0500)

which allows for SLI/CFX in the future if you would so want so

wow, that saves a ton of money, and I get a better video card. I don't think I would OC. I play WoW and BF3 atm. I want this mostly for gaming.

the motherboard is out of stock on newegg, but I found it on amazon for a bit more

http://www.amazon.com/ASRock-Intel-Micro-Motherboard-B75M-DGS/dp/B009KKJ8TK

 

[realchaos]

Get this instead then: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157303&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

[chroz32]

Get this instead then: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157303&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Thanks! Total is ~$765 after taxes. I just have to worry about building it. A local store is asking $100 but I just want to take a crack at it myself. I wasn't sure about the difficulty of this going in.

edit: also wanted to ask about RAM. My current computer is a 2006 mac pro dual core with 8gb RAM. I'm wondering if I can just use the RAM I have now, is it compatible? The only info I can find on my current ram is "DDR2 PC2-5300." Is it worth the upgrade to DDR3 if I can use it?

 

[chroz32]

bump

 

[boulbox]

intel uses ddr3 not 2 so you would have to use 3

 

[chroz32]

Best answer selected by chroz32.