Critique my $1200 Build

[brettcb]

Approximate Purchase Date: 8/16/2011

Budget Range: $1200 before rebates.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Playing games, music, movies, and graphics editing.

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, mouse, monitor, Windows 7.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, Amazon, open to other reputable websites.

Country of Origin: United States

Parts Preferences: by brand or type: Anything.

Overclocking: Yes.

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe.

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200

Additional Comments: I've already purchased a Vertex 3 120GB SSD. I paid $209.99 and this will be a part of the $1200-$1300 total. Also, with the ATI 6950 purchase I plan to try to unlock the card to a 6970.

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Processor:
Intel i5 2500K

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3 LGA 1155

Memory:
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

SSD:
OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III

Storage Drive:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM

Graphics Card:
MSI R6950 Twin Frozr II Radeon HD 6950 2GB

Optical Drive:
LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R

Case:
COOLER MASTER HAF 922

Power Supply:
Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-750 750W

Heatsink:
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212+

Total Cost: $1146.91 w/ Already purchased SSD.

 

[mjmjpfaff]

get a motherboard that supports x8/x8 pci lanes- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128512

here is another good option for your case- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147107 it cools better than the HAF X- http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/dragon-rider-chaser-mk-i,2992-8.html

 

[brettcb]

I went ahead and swapped out the motherboard for your suggestion. I was trying to save a few dollars on the MB but x16/x4 is kind of a killer for SLI down the road.

Still undecided on the case. I honestly was leaning towards the Cooler Master Storm Scout but fitting the HD 6950 in the case without modding seems unlikely.

 

[TokyoGenesis]

Take a look at the Corsair cases man, I picked up a 600t and it is glorious.

 

[brettcb]

Interesting... The Corsair 600t is a sharp looking case and the cable management looks great. I'm actually leaning towards this case now.

It's hard to go away from the HAF 922... I've used it for 3 different builds now and the case is amazing.

 

[mjmjpfaff]

wait for this case- http://www.corsair.com/cases/carbide-series/carbide-series-500r-mid-tower-case.html great cooling for less than the 600t

 

[brettcb]

So now I'm going back and forth on a few things... I'm thinking about going a little higher on the graphics card with either two 560 Ti's in SLI or a single 580. Here are the two builds I'm thinking about:


Processor:
Intel i5 2500K

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3 LGA 1155

Memory:
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

SSD:
OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III

Storage Drive:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM

Graphics Card:
2 x GIGABYTE GV-N560OC-1GI GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB

Optical Drive:
LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R

Case:
COOLER MASTER Storm Scout

Power Supply:
Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-750 750W

Heatsink:
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212+

Total Cost: $1185.91 shipped w/ Already purchased SSD.

------

Processor:
Intel i5 2500K

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3 LGA 1155

Memory:
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

SSD:
OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III

Storage Drive:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM

Graphics Card:
EVGA 015-P3-1580-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 1536MB

Optical Drive:
LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R

Case:
COOLER MASTER HAF 922

Power Supply:
Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-750 750W

Heatsink:
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212+

Total Cost: $1172.91 shipped w/ Already purchased SSD.

 

[brettcb]

Thanks for all the input guys... I'm leaning towards this build now. It will cut down the cost now and I'll go SLI 560 Ti's in the near future. I went a little overboard with the PSU getting a 80 Plus Silver certified 750W but going SLI I'd rather have a nice one.

As for the more expensive motherboard, I went with the Gigabyte due to the 8x/8x PCIe slots for the dual 560 Ti's.

I'm not ordering anything besides the SSD until Thursday so I'm up for any suggestions even if it means coming up with a new build from scratch.

Processor:
Intel i5 2500K

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3 LGA 1155

Memory:
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

SSD :
OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III

Storage Drive:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM

Graphics Card:
EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1567-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB

Optical Drive:
LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R

Case:
COOLER MASTER Storm Scout

Power Supply:
CORSAIR Professional Series HX750 (CMPSU-750HX) 750W

Heatsink:
COOLER MASTER Hyper 212+

Total Cost: $1234.92 w/ already purchased SSD