Gaming Build under $1000

[TheLethean]

My old machine has finally kicked the bucket and I've decided to build a new one for the first time. I've browsed through the advice you guys have given others and think I have a pretty good build picked out, but want to make sure.

I plan on using the machine primarily for gaming (Borderlands 2, Skyrim, Dwarf Fortress etc.) but also running the PlayOn server for the house and some light image editing. I have two monitors from my old machine that I'd like to use, one at 1920x1200 and the other at 1920x1080. I'd also like the option of sending the signal to my TV, though they're in different rooms and I don't know if wireless HDMI is any good yet. Perhaps it would be a better idea to just use a sturdy case and carry the whole rig to the other room when I want it?

I'm new to PC building, so I'd prefer not to overclock or SLI. I'd also like to keep the system under $1000 including the OS. I'll probably order parts this week, if my build is any good.

Let me know if there's anything I can upgrade and still keep under $1000.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($194.15 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair XMS 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($26.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($89.85 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($74.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card ($209.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 520W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($91.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $854.92
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-11-12 17:07 EST-0500)

 

[Cyberat_88]

Your Motherboard is the heart of the system, I wouldn't buy a cheap ASRock or a cheap power supply.
I would go with Asus, Gygabite, Intel, in that order, a power supply that is at least 600-650Watt.

 

[g-unit1111]

Your Motherboard is the heart of the system, I wouldn't buy a cheap ASRock or a cheap power supply.
I would go with Asus, Gygabite, Intel, in that order, a power supply that is at least 600-650Watt.

I'd go with an Asrock board over an Intel-branded one. The Intel boards have no support for them, few (if any) driver updates and the BIOS is rarely updated. I definitely agree about the power supply. You've also got a $1K budget - don't go cheap on the case either. Anyone who says otherwise - those people are bad and they should feel bad (to use Zoidberg's phrasing). :lol:

I think I would scrap that whole build though and go with something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($127.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($37.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($88.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $987.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-11-12 17:56 EST-0500)

 

[TheLethean]

Thanks you for the advice.

Your build looks like it sacrifices a SSD to get upgrades to a lot of the other components. Will the increased CPU and GPU speeds make up for the decreased boot/load times a SSD would have given?

It also looks like with the OS your build will bump me just past my $1k budget. Is there one component you'd sacrifice first to get back within budget, or would doing so seriously limit performance?

 

[g-unit1111]

Thanks you for the advice.

Your build looks like it sacrifices a SSD to get upgrades to a lot of the other components. Will the increased CPU and GPU speeds make up for the decreased boot/load times a SSD would have given?

It also looks like with the OS your build will bump me just past my $1k budget. Is there one component you'd sacrifice first to get back within budget, or would doing so seriously limit performance?

1. It's kind of a trade off but the reason I sacrifice the SSD on sub $1K builds is that it's easier to replace or add an SSD than it is to add a new CPU or motherboard.

2. You'd limit performance a bit but the only area I'd recommend sacrificing is that if you're not going to overclock you could drop the CPU to an i5-3470 and the motherboard to an Intel H77 and then you'd save about $100 there. You would also drop the cooler as well.

 

[boulbox]

i would lower the 7950 to a 7870 and get an SSD

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($215.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LK ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Hitachi Deskstar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.68 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($89.88 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($222.21 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($107.16 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1005.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-11-12 19:25 EST-0500)

a bit over. you can change case into something like 500R or a 300R if you want to be a bit more cost efficient

 

[g-unit1111]

i would lower the 7950 to a 7870 and get an SSD

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($215.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V LK ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Hitachi Deskstar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.68 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($89.88 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($222.21 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($107.16 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1005.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-11-12 19:25 EST-0500)

a bit over. you can change case into something like 500R or a 300R if you want to be a bit more cost efficient

You could. Problem is I have an incredibly difficult time recommending Hitachi HDs because they have a higher fail rate than anything else you could get.

 

[Guest]

If your going to be gaming alot I would not suggest lowering the card and getting an ssd. And the asus v pro is a great choice for a mobo, but it is 195 bucks. And although it is not the smartest idea, if you looking for the most performance out of a build, I would suggest a cheap case. I have a 50 dollar thermaltake case. It's not the greatest but the case is probably one of the least important parts of a build.

 

[g-unit1111]

If your going to be gaming alot I would not suggest lowering the card and getting an ssd. And the asus v pro is a great choice for a mobo, but it is 195 bucks. And although it is not the smartest idea, if you looking for the most performance out of a build, I would suggest a cheap case. I have a 50 dollar thermaltake case. It's not the greatest but the case is probably one of the least important parts of a build.

Yeah I agree, I wouldn't pay that much for a motherboard. I would not purchase a cheap case on a $1K build though, I think I am in the minority here when I say that, although Maximum PC agrees with me. :lol:

 

[Guest]

Yeah I agree, I wouldn't pay that much for a motherboard. I would not purchase a cheap case on a $1K build though, I think I am in the minority here when I say that, although Maximum PC agrees with me. :lol:

It is nice to have a good well thought out case. But I would rather be able to get better parts. and as for that current mobo on the list just a heads up it will be a bit bendy and flimsey to install parts. It only have 6 mounts for stadnoffs and not 9. so the right side will not be supported at all by screws.

 

[boulbox]

You could. Problem is I have an incredibly difficult time recommending Hitachi HDs because they have a higher fail rate than anything else you could get.

had 2 never failed until i dropped them on accident.

 

[Guest]

had 2 never failed until i dropped them on accident.

The same for me. I am currently using a hitachi. Although it is not the best it gets the job done and has not failed. But I would recomend wd or seagate if you can get one for the same price. hitatchi is a bit iffy and I've had some wierd issues.

 

[Cyberat_88]

If you want to go cheap, the Asus Sabertooth/Bulldozer combo is better than a Z77 with an i5. I would not live with myself if I bought a late arrival, behind performer, cheap board like that. It's X79 or go home, in a year or two there will be an upgrade from X79. BTW, Bios is not something you update cause it's time to update like drivers. Bios is like if it ain't broken don't fix it, or you will break it. Even drivers are programmers faults from applications written, calling AMD or nVidia to modify theirs (or make a cheap update) cause they screwed up. Original drivers, with exception of early releases, are all you need for your hardware to perform at 100% everything. There are no "accelerators" anymore than there are internet speed accelerators, but there are OC tweaker apps. so be aware.

 

[TheLethean]

Best answer selected by TheLethean.