NEw Gaming Build Advice

[Dienekes78]

I’m acquiring parts for a new build using an existing build that had a motherboard failure. I’ve reserved $750 for the CPU and motherboard and 8 gig of memory. I plan on the Ivy Bridge i5 2750K CPU (estimate $250) leaving me $500 or so for memory and a motherboard.

Reusing
GPU - ZOTAC GForce GTX 680 ... yeah the new one
Apps / Storage HDs - 2 Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLHX 300GB 10000 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5 (do I need something newer?)
PSU – Antec 1000 Watt True Power Quattro (TPQ 1000)
CASE – Antec 900
OS - Windows 7 Ultimate x64
OS / Boot HD ($180) - Crucial M4 128GB SSD

Plan on using the following new components
CPU i5 2750 ($250)
MEM ($70) – Crucial 8 gig - specked to whatever the new mobo requires
OPTICAL - ASUS Black 12x BD-RWCPU
CPU Cooler ($35) - Hyper 212 EVO (Is this still ok given the footprint of the ivy bridge cpu or is somehting different needed?)

As to the motherboard I am looking at:
1. ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 TUF Series Motherboard on Intel Z77 Platform z77 ATX DDR3 1600 Intel - LGA 1155 Motherboard
2. MSI Computer Corp. Intel Z77 ATX DDR3 2400 Intel-LGA 1155 Motherboards Z77A-GD65
3. ASUS Deluxe Intel Z77 ATX DDR3 2600 LGA 1155 Motherboard P8Z77-V DELUXE

Is there something else I should look at? I’ve already taken the advice given earlier to go with the new Intel z77 chipset. All I do is game, Office Apps, and Internet – nothing that needs exotic features – just looking at a higher end motherboard hoping that it might last longer (features etc) than a lesser one. Will be using onboard sound so if something else is out there with better sound, around the $400 price point it would be a plus.

 

[nekulturny]

Asus Sabertooth's are awesomely made boards, problem is their price tag.

As far as no need for exotic features, I would buy the 2500k i5. its 30 bucks cheaper and just as good. The Ivy Bridge chips run hotter than Sandy and offer no major improvement. 6% at best, which is completely unnoticeable since the SB 2500k is already capable of greatly exceeding needed performance.

As far as sound, the integrated sound on most motherboards is adequate, even for audiophiles.

 

[Dienekes78]

Thank you for our comments. I am not worried about saving $30 here and there as much as I am focused on building a relaible, forward looking system with felxibility. Is why I went ahead and opted for the GTX 680 gpu. My old build was built around the Q9550 and a GTX 280, which one of my more tech savy freinds, who reapirs hardware, says is a bit long in the tooth, but still better than 90% of the systems he sees in his business. What I want to avoid is painting myself into a technical corner or have serious component overkill - last time I chose an ASUS P3 E5 Premium motherboard and had things like built in WIFI I didn't need or use. I expect to be playing high end games where I will take advantage of the gpu, but still want a top in cpu. I willing to buy better ram, sound chips, etc if it matters. I'm lookking at CPU cooles and other pheriperals like the HD's as those WD velociraptors are 2008 vintage and likely as not to begin to fail in the next year or so. I think of this as a technology refresh that I hope to ride of 2-4 years or so, pehraps longer if I choose the right compoinents - Hopefully this makes sense - as I said in my original question, I have sufficient skill to assemble a build but not the tehcnical wherewithall to make choices that bring together components into a superior system....