Sub $1000 gaming rig

wuginator

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Jul 21, 2011
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The last computer I built was back in 2005 and I purchased a Laptop in 2007, other then that I'm not that up to date on computer tech.

Approximate Purchase Date: This week (the closer the better)

Budget Range: $1000 is the absolute maximum

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (I mostly play Blizzard and various Steam games), Watching movies

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, Speakers, OS

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com

Country of Origin: USA

Parts Preferences: Most likely AMD and Radeon for value but I have nothing against Intel and nVidia

Overclocking: Maybe down the road

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe down the road

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 (The monitor I plan on getting is linked below)

Additional Comments: Quiet, cool PC is ideal. (I don't mean silent just not a jet engine)

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This is the build I'm currently thinking of picking up:

Case: Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811129066

Mobo: ASRock 970 EXTREME4 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16813157262

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ955FBGMBOX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16819103808

PSU: CORSAIR Professional Series HX650 (CMPSU-650HX) 650W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
N82E16817139012

GPU: SAPPHIRE 100314-2SR Radeon HD 6870 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=N82E16814102913

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820231277

HD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16822136795

DVD Drive: ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16827135204

Heatsink: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus RR-B10-212P-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" Long Life Sleeve 120mm CPU Cooler Compatible Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16835103065

Monitor: ASUS VH238H Black 23" Full HD HDMI LED Backlight LCD Monitor w/Speakers 250 cd/m2 ASCR 50,000,000:1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16824236117

$936.39 + $12.97 S/H
 
FREE SHIPPING for this entire build.

Here's a case that has front 3.0 USB ports and a 2.5" SSD cage. Also this case uses 200mm fans which mean slower RPM, more air movement and most of all they aren't near as loud as a smaller fan. This build allows you to add another one of those gtx 560's later on for SLI. The monitor in this build is an LED full HD 2ms response time HDMI.

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Enforcer-Interior-SGC-1000-KWN1/dp/B004WK3KKQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1309650281&sr=1-6 $79.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Cooler Master Storm Enforcer USB 3.0 Mid Tower ATX Case with Window and Black Interior (SGC-1000-KWN1)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371049 $94.99 - $69.99 after mail-in rebate FREE SHIPPING
Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-750 750W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.689907 $324.98 save: $25.00 FREE SHIPPING
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231427 $36.99 FREE SHIPPING
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBXL

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002G1YPH0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER $29.49 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler, RR-B10-212P-G1

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814261108 $179.99 - $159.99 after mail-in rebate card FREE SHIPPING
Palit NE5X5600HD02F GeForce GTX 560 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Spinpoint-3-5-Inch-Internal-HD103SJ/dp/B002MQC0P8/ref=sr_1_1?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1311298228&sr=1-1 $59.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
Samsung Desktop Class Spinpoint F3 1 TB SATA 3.0 Gb-s 32 MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare-OEM Drives, HD103SJ

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204 $19.99 FREE SHIPPING
ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236099 $149.99 - $134.99 after mail-in rebate card FREE SHIPPING
Asus ML228H 21.5" 1920X1080 2ms Full HD LED BackLight LED Monitor Slim Design 250 cd/m2 10,000,000 :1 (ASCR)

Total: $916.41 *not including mail in rebates


Here's an additional case fan for the top of that case.

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Computer-Cooling-R4-LUS-07AR-GP/dp/B002LE8BJA/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b $14.31 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25
Cooler Master Computer Case Cooling R4-LUS-07AR-GP 200mm Red LED Case Fan

Optional and stronger gpu...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130604 $234.99 (Before $25.00 Mail-In Rebate Card) FREE SHIPPING
EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti FPB (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?category_id=19&product_id=3038 <----- CM Storm Enforcer w/pics, specs, and professional reviews

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/88?vs=288 <------ AMD Phenom II X4 955 vs Intel Core i5 2500K benchmarks

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-560-amp-edition-gtx-560-directcu-ii-top,2944.html <----- review and benchmarks | gtx 560 > 6870

http://www.palit.biz/palit/vgapro.php?id=1693 <----- Another look at that Palit gtx 560