Upgrading Gaming System ~$1000

[lukeebee]

Quick info:
Buying ASAP,Cost ~$1000, Use Gaming, Purchase Online Australia, Have old parts that can be used.



Hi, I'm after some advice/ recommendations for upgrading my current gaming PC. I currently Overclock my hardware and would like the option to Overclock any new parts I buy if need be in the future.

What I have

Cooler Master case (can't remember the model. The case is to small and has to go.
Cooler Master 550W PSU
Gigabyte GA-880G-UD3H Motherboard
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T @ 3.6ghz OC
GTX 460 1gb @ 870mhz OC
Cooler Master Hyper 212 evo
Corsair 1600 8GB DDR3

I would like to at least get a new Motherboard, CPU, GPU and Case.

Questions,

Is my ram ok?
Will I have to upgrade my PSU?
Or could this be upgraded later when I want to overclock?
(My PSU with GPU and CPU (overclocked) on max load only draw 290W) added that just to give people an idea of the PSU quality if it helps.

Hardware I have been looking at,

GA-Z77-D3H ATX Motherboard ( I'm a little overwhelmed with the amount of Mobos available)
Intel i5 3570k (this CPU seems to suit my use from what I've read so far)
HD 7970 or GTX 680 (would saving money on the 7970 be wise or is the 680 worth paying more for?)


Use, Gaming in 1080p . ( may upgrade display to a higher resolution down the track)
Mass Effect 3 currently playing
Far Cry 3 currently playing
Crysis 3(2013)
Sim City (2013)

Method of purchase Online in Australia,

I've looked at the following sites which may have limited brands but I have had no trouble purchasing with in the past.
Please note on msy.com the sub category's don't seem to display all stock. Eg clicking on (case, without PSU) will bring up all cases where as if you were to click (case,without PSU,brand name) you would not be able to find any Corair gear.

www.pccasegear.com
www.msy.com.au
www.umart.com.au
Open to any other sites

All shipping to Queensland.

Summary;

Id like to limit my budget to $1000, if recommendations go over that amount could you provide reason why it's needed.

Thanks in advance

 

[excella1221]

Okay, let's see.

- Pretty sure the 1055T is still a good CPU, but okay, an i5-3570K should be a good upgrade in single-threaded performance.
- RAM is as good as it gets for gaming, don't change that.
- CM PSUs have a reputation for having high failure rates in mid-high end systems, might wanna get something from more reputable brands.
- Get the 7970, it's right on par with the 680 in performance and it costs ~$100 less.
- I suggest getting a build with room for SLI/Crossfire, pretty sure Crysis 3 would melt current high-end systems when it comes out. :lol:

Here's a suggestion.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($135.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($409.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case: Antec Three Hundred Two ATX Mid Tower Case ($77.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Plus 850W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($158.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Total: $1008.00
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-02 15:36 EST+1100)

- The motherboard you wanted doesn't support SLI/Crossfire, so I put another.
- Upgraded the PSU to wattage that could handle 2-way GPUs so you won't have to upgrade wattage when the time comes, also changed to a more reliable brand.
- Case is a personal suggestion, feel free to change it.
- Went overbudget by $8, sorry.

 

[lukeebee]

1055T is a good CPU, but i have found in some games/apps that dont have multi core support is really suffers.
edit the last part of your post didnt load.

 

[mastrom101]

http://pcpartpicker.com/au/p/qwsW

 

[lukeebee]

Here's a suggestion.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($135.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($409.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case: Antec Three Hundred Two ATX Mid Tower Case ($77.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Plus 850W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($158.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Total: $1008.00
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-12-02 15:36 EST+1100)

- The motherboard you wanted doesn't support SLI/Crossfire, so I put another.
- Upgraded the PSU to wattage that could handle 2-way GPUs so you won't have to upgrade wattage when the time comes, also changed to a more reliable brand.
- Case is a personal suggestion, feel free to change it.
- Went overbudget by $8, sorry.

Thank you for your help!

I have just completed my order as per your list, plus an SSD and Blu-ray/DVD combo drive. I very much like the PSU you recommend, as you don't have to have unused cables hanging out like i do right now.

One more thing, do you really thank Crysis 3 will be that much of an impact on high end PC builds? Or was your point more aimed at saying these high end PCs wont be throwing out over the top frames per second like they have been for current games?

 

[excella1221]

^750w will give little to no headroom for any OC when 2 GPUs are present.

 

[excella1221]

What SSD did you get exactly? Please make sure it's a non-SandForce controller.
Yes, the PSU is fully modular for convenience.

Well, if memory serves correctly, when the first Crysis was released, all the high-end gaming computers weeped. :lol:

And Crytek has once again gave a heads-up that the same is expected to happen on Crysis 3.
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Crytek-Crysis-3-Keplar-FPS-Melting-PC,16928.html

 

[lukeebee]

Best answer selected by lukeebee.