[First Build]i5 Gaming Build $750

[technologic]

I was creating a build for an i3-2120 setup, but my budget has increased as uncle sam was a little generous this year. Budget increased frrom $600-$750. The i5's benchmarks are noticebly higher than anything else in the sub $200 CPU range so I wanna get one.

.Approximate Purchase Date: 1 -2 weeks

Budget Range:$750-(will wait an extra week to drop $850 if its well worth it
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming and Music Production

Parts Not Required: Moniter, Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts:newegg.com

Country: AMERICA

Parts Preferences: i5, roomy case with good airflow(preferably tool-less)

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire:Maybe

Monitor Resolution: Using 720p 32" HDTV

 

[chulex67]

I would Rather get an SSD with the I3, Than a I5 2400.

 

[drunkducki]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115074 - $189.99
Intel Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.4GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I52400

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130616 - $99.99 - $20MIR
MSI H67A-G43 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel H67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148767 - $84.99
Seagate Barracuda ST500DM002 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151244 - $16.99
SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM SATA Model SH-222BB/BEBE - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233&Tpk=cooler%20master%20912 - $59.99 - $10MIR
COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231426 - $39.99
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150523 - $239.99 - $15MIR
XFX HD-695X-ZNFC Radeon HD 6950 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371051 - $84.99
Antec EarthWatts Series EA-750 Green 750W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Certified CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Continuous Power Supply

Total: $816.92 - $45MIR

 

[jessterman21]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115074 - $189.99
Intel Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.4GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I52400

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130616 - $99.99 - $20MIR
MSI H67A-G43 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel H67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148767 - $84.99
Seagate Barracuda ST500DM002 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151244 - $16.99
SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM SATA Model SH-222BB/BEBE - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119233&Tpk=cooler%20master%20912 - $59.99 - $10MIR
COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231426 - $39.99
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150523 - $239.99 - $15MIR
XFX HD-695X-ZNFC Radeon HD 6950 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371051 - $84.99
Antec EarthWatts Series EA-750 Green 750W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Certified CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Continuous Power Supply

Total: $816.92 - $45MIR

Great build - if OP was playing at 1080p. For 720p, I'd say drop the video card to an HD 6770/6850 at the most, drop the Earthwatts 750 to an Earthwatts 380, and put the extra $100-$150 into an SSD.

 

[technologic]

So helpful guys thank you! Was so gonna buy an AMD about a week ago, but hesitated...those i5 benchmarks are hard to resist. Worth the wait IMO.

Question: I can use a speedy SSD inplace of an actual HDD?

 

[technologic]

-disregard

 

[technologic]

Should I spend a lil more on this board?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131773

 

[technologic]

I noticed that the one MSI board doesn't have HDMI and I will be using an HDTV as my monitor...or will the VGA cable work just as good?

 

[jessterman21]

I noticed that the one MSI board doesn't have HDMI and I will be using an HDTV as my monitor...or will the VGA cable work just as good?

No it will be worse.

 

[drunkducki]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271 - $121.99
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

 

[technologic]

Close thread, decided on i3 as i found out the new processors come out in April, i'll hold out.

 

[jessterman21]

Close thread, decided on i3 as i found out the new processors come out in April, i'll hold out.

Or you could save $50 more and get a Pentium - games almost as well as an i3.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120-10.html

Very nice stop-gap CPU if that's what you want.