Under $1630, gaming PC, help please, first time.

[terminus]

Hi everyone, well I'm thinking about building my first gaming PC for under $1630. Here are the requirements I'm looking for:

-Case: Antec 902
-MOBO: Asus P6t X58
-CPU: Intel Core i7 920
-RAM: any very cheap 6GB DDR3
-CPU Cooler: I would like the Cooler Master V8 (but anything cool looking and cheaper is fine too.)
-GPU: Nvidia GTX 295 (I would love to have the EVGA backplate version, but that might be too much money.)
-HDD: any very cheap 500GB or more with 7200rpm 32MB cache
-PSU: any very cheap 800watt (maybe even 750watt if my rig can do it.)
-CD Drive: any thing cheap you could recommend me.
-anything else I need?

-thanks!!!

 

[aevm]

Get a WD6401AALS hard drive for $70 at newegg.

A Corsair 750TX would be perfect there.

Don't even buy an aftermarket CPU cooler. It's only need for overclocking, and you don't sound ready for that sort of thing.

CD: SH-S223F

 

[aevm]

RAM, $80:
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231223

 

[aevm]

You can save $55 with the GA-EX58-UD3R too.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128375

 

[terminus]

cool thanks! additionally are there any other websites other than newegg.com that has really low prices?
since I'm not sure if everything will fit in my budget.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

www.buy.com and www.zipzoomfly.com have good service and often have just as good or better prices than newegg, especially on computer cases, power supplies, and hard drives.

 

[aevm]

Yeah, those are the best IMO.

You could also try www.ncixus.com and http://www.microcenter.com.

 

[Why_Me]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160 <=== Better pics, specs, and customer reviews of the case used in this build.

http://www.securemart.com/SMA2101442?mv_pc=294&mv_specials=&mv_stock=y $119.91
Cooler Master RC-932-KKN1-GP HAF 932 Chassis - 12 Bays - Black

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009 $139.99 ($119.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359 $239.99
ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail / 3-Way SLI & Quad-GPU CrossFireX Support

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=I7-920 $265.99 Free Ground Shipping
Intel Core i7 Processor i7-920 2.66GHz 8MB LGA1366 CPU, OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029 $39.99
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020 $6.99
ARCTIC COOLING MX-2 Thermal Compound - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143170 $329.99 ($299.99 after $30.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
BFG Tech BFGEGTX2851024OCPE GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Call of Duty: World at War w/ purchase, limited offer

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231247 $94.99 Free Shipping*
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319 $69.99 Free Shipping*
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152 $24.99 Free Shipping*
LG Black 22X (CAV) DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X (CAV) DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488 $99.99 Free Shipping*
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM

Total: $1,332.81 *not including shipping - $1,282.81 w/rebates

*Two of those gtx 285's in SLI

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143170 $329.99 ($299.99 after $30.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
BFG Tech BFGEGTX2851024OCPE GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Call of Duty: World at War w/ purchase, limited offer

Total: $1,662.80 *not including shipping - $1,582.80 w/rebates

 

[terminus]

been a great help everyone! here's what I got so far:

Case: http://www.ncixus.com/products/35774/NINE%20HUNDRED%20TWO/ANTEC/ ($124)
MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359 ($240)
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202 ($289)
CPU Cooler: http://www.ncixus.com/products/35004/RR-UV8-XBU1-GP/COOLERMASTER/ ($56)
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231223 ($80)
GPU: http://www.ncixus.com/products/36321/N295GTX-M2D1792/MSI%2FMicroStar/ ($469)
HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319&Tpk=WD6401AALS ($70)
CD Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171&Tpk=SH-S223F ($25)
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=Corsair%20750TX ($120, $100 after rebate)

anything else I need? will my rig be safe at 750 watts? and could someone estimate the shipping expenses?

additionally for building my first ever PC, should I buy OEMs?

 

[Why_Me]

been a great help everyone! here's what I got so far:

Case: http://www.ncixus.com/products/35774/NINE%20HUNDRED%20TWO/ANTEC/ ($124)
MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359 ($240)
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202 ($289)
CPU Cooler: http://www.ncixus.com/products/35004/RR-UV8-XBU1-GP/COOLERMASTER/ ($56)
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231223 ($80)
GPU: http://www.ncixus.com/products/36321/N295GTX-M2D1792/MSI%2FMicroStar/ ($469)
HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319&Tpk=WD6401AALS ($70)
CD Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171&Tpk=SH-S223F ($25)
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=Corsair%20750TX ($120, $100 after rebate)

anything else I need? will my rig be safe at 750 watts? and could someone estimate the shipping expenses?

additionally for building my first ever PC, should I buy OEMs?

I'm not sure how much we helped you. I found the same cpu for a lot less money... $265 + free shipping not to mention the heat sink I found is cheaper and rated better. Also you have no thermal compound in your build, which defeats the purpose of keeping your cpu cool. That RAM you have is great if your building a budget build or a rig for an office machine, but your blowing almost $500 on a vid card, yet your getting cheap ram...I'm not getting it. One other thing, with that psu you are stuck with one vid card. Two gtx 285's will blow away a gtx 295 and leave it in the dust. Just a few things for you to ponder.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3501 <=== gtx 285's in SLI reviews

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2009/01/16/nvidia-zotac-geforce-gtx-285-1gb/1 <=== gtx 285 review

http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm <--- heat sink ratings...top ten

 

[terminus]

I'm not sure how much we helped you. I found the same cpu for a lot less money... $265 + free shipping not to mention the heat sink I found is cheaper and rated better. Also you have no thermal compound in your build, which defeats the purpose of keeping your cpu cool. That RAM you have is great if your building a budget build or a rig for an office machine, but your blowing almost $500 on a vid card, yet your getting cheap ram...I'm not getting it. One other thing, with that psu you are stuck with one vid card. Two gtx 285's will blow away a gtx 295 and leave it in the dust. Just a few things for you to ponder.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3501 <=== gtx 285's in SLI reviews

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2009/01/16/nvidia-zotac-geforce-gtx-285-1gb/1 <=== gtx 285 review

http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm <--- heat sink ratings...top ten

I will try to explain:
-I prefer the GTX 295 because I prefer a single card solution (even though it technically is 2 cards soldered onto one board)
-I chose the Cooler Master V8 not only for performance, but I just love how it looks.
-Hmm... I probably will get the much cheaper Intel i7 920, however what's the difference between OEM and retail?
-I chose the Antec 902 over the HAF because I wanted a mid-tower solution.
-Thank for reminding me, yea I'm going to defnitley get thermal compound.
-The reason I'm getting a very expensive GPU and very cheap RAM is because I feel GPUs will have a larger performance effect on gaming than RAM.

 

[Why_Me]

I will try to explain:
-I prefer the GTX 295 because I prefer a single card solution (even though it technically is 2 cards soldered onto one board)
-I chose the Cooler Master V8 not only for performance, but I just love how it looks.
-Hmm... I probably will get the much cheaper Intel i7 920, however what's the difference between OEM and retail?
-I chose the Antec 902 over the HAF because I wanted a mid-tower solution.
-Thank for reminding me, yea I'm going to defnitley get thermal compound.
-The reason I'm getting a very expensive GPU and very cheap RAM is because I feel GPUs will have a larger performance effect on gaming than RAM.

Agreed on the single card solution. I like single card better better myself.

 

[terminus]

I'm thinking about getting the very cheap Intel i7 920 OEM you suggested, but because I don't know anything about the actual "building" process, should I still get the OEM or stick with the retail?

plus do you think 750 watt psu is good enough for my rig? or do I need 800 watts?

 

[aevm]

The difference between OEM and retail is that retail comes with a heatsink. You're getting the V8 anyway, so you don't need the stock heatsink. I'd get the OEM.

The warranty may differ too, I'm not sure. Read the fine print if you care.

MX-2 is great thermal compound.

 

[Why_Me]

I'm thinking about getting the very cheap Intel i7 920 OEM you suggested, but because I don't know anything about the actual "building" process, should I still get the OEM or stick with the retail?

The OEM saves you... like $20+. If you take that money you saved and upgrade your RAM to like that G.Skill I posted, then it softens the price difference. I think that RAM goes for $94 w/free shipping.

 

[terminus]

just a minor question, if I get the i7 920 oem, do I still get the cool intel sticker?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

just a minor question, if I get the i7 920 oem, do I still get the cool intel sticker?

Nope