[Azeem40]

Hello guys. Since my last thread didn't turn out so well, I will try to now clarify in my first post what I want to keep.

First of all, I want to keep my SSD, so don't tell me to not buy it. I know this forums has a negative view on them, so this is to prevent any pointless arguments, as neither side will give in.

Second of all, I want to know if for my small amount of video editing, an i7-2600k is needed.

I have been researching this for weeks and weeks, and I have finally decided all the parts I am getting! It is going to be a gaming PC and I will play Runescape, Skyrim, Battlefield 3, Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3, and Emulator games. This will also be used for very little video recording and uploading as well as general usage and youtube videos on fast stream and 1080p quality.

Anyway, without further ado, here it is:
Newegg.com - Once You Know, You Newegg
I already own a copy of Windows 7.

Since the i5-2500k is out of stock, I cannot make use of the $50 discount on motherboard, so I decided to buy the motherboard and the cpu on newegg as well.

What do you all think?

EDIT: I will Crossfire in the future.

 

[Azeem40]

Re: $1800 Gaming Rig v2

Since there is no edit option, here is my build:
Case: RC-922M-KKN1-GP
Motherboard: ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 (since I have heard it sucks, I need a Motherboard that has atleast 2 PCIe 2.0 x16 slots)

SSD (not changing): Crucial M4 128GB SSD
CPU: i5-2500k Processor (should I upgrade to 2600k for my little bit of video editing?)

Hard Drive: WD Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 6GB/s
RAM: G.Skill Sniper 8 GB (2x 4GB) RAM Low Profile Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR
Monitor: ASUS VW246H
Optical Drive: ASUS 24x DVDRW Burner Model 24B1ST/BLK/B/AS
Paste: AS5-3.5G
SSD Bracket: Model BYTECC Bracket-35225
Cooler: CM Hyper 212 EVO Model RR-212E-20PK-R2
GPU: SAPPHIRE 11196-00-40G Radeon HD 7950 3GB
PSU: Seasonic SS-850HT 850W

Total: ~$1600

EDIT: The Template:

1. Budget: How much money are you willing to spend on the new build? $1800
2. Brands: Are there any brands of components you want or don't want? Intel CPU, AMD GPU.
3. Multitasking: Will you be multitasking with this computer and if so, how much? Yes, Youtube + Runescape + Forums + PC Games.
4. Gaming: Will you be gaming and if so, how much and how new are the games? Yes, all the games are from late 2011 (Skyrim, BF3), one is a MMORPG called Runescape, and one is 2005 (DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 3).
5. Calculations: Will you be doing any intense calculations or media encoding? I will be doing SOME video recording and uploading.
6. Overclocking: Do you plan on overclocking and if so, how much? Yes, and up to 4.5 GHz.
7. Storage: How much storage will you need and what will you be storing? I will be storing pictures, some music, and files like school papers, assignments, and graded papers; and of course the games and applications.
8. Legacy Support: Will you need support for older hardware like parallel, serial, or PS/2 devices? PS/2 for NKRO.
9. Operating System: Do you want Windows XP or Vista, or Linux compatibility? No.
10. Case: Do you want help selecting a case and if so, how big do you want it? I have chosen the case after though, but if there is a better case with better airflow and better cable management while still looking cool, I will consider it.
11. Accessories: Do you want a keyboard, mouse, or other items included? Yes.
12. Recycled Components: Will you be reusing any components you already have? No, but I do not need to buy an OS.
13. Monitor: If you want a monitor, what size do you want and should it be widescreen? Yes to widescreen and LED backlit, but otherwise I don't care.
14. Stores: Do you have any online stores that you prefer to purchase from? Microcenter, Newegg, Superbiiz, NCIX.
15. Location: What country do you live in? U.S.

 

[toothman]

Re: $1800 Gaming Rig v2

Well the 2500k should be good enough for everything you're planning to throw at it, but then again the 7950 far exceeds that standard

The 2500k should be fine. Technically, it will probably bottleneck the 7950, but not in a way that you will ever notice. I think the 2500k is a great choice here because you will probably be interested in upgrading to Ivy Bridge and PCI-Express 3.0 later this year, in which case it would be much more satisfactory to upgrade from an i5 than an i7.

If you want a more acclaimed board without spending much more, ASRock's P67 EXTREME4 GEN3 has nothing but good reviews. Everyone seems to love it, and it even won a Customer Choice Award on Newegg.
Newegg.com - ASRock P67 EXTREME4 GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Many buyers have reported that ASRock's customer service is lackluster, so if that's worth spending some more to you then go with an ASUS or Gigabyte board for both quality and customer service. The cheapest board I've found on Newegg that doesn't sacrifice any of the features you want is the $180 ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z/GEN3. Both this and the ASRock board can potentially Crossfire two 7950s in PCI-Express 3.0 at dual x8.
Newegg.com - ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
One note is that the z68 chipset brings with it a little more SSD support, namely caching your hdd with your ssd.

The 7950 is going to max out all of your graphics, so I can't help but feel that this build deserves a more immersive monitor size. If you get a monitor more like this:
Newegg.com - Hanns-G HZ281HPB 27.5'' 3ms Full HD 1080P HDMI WideScreen LCD Monitor 400cd/m2 X-Contrast 15,000:1(800:1)Built-in Speakers
you'll get much more out of the hardware and be able to lean back a bit while still comfortably reading text in Runescape. Not that 24" is not a small monitor; I just think you'll get much more out of the larger screen. My buddy used to play WoW on a 32-inch 720p tv sitting only about 4 feet away from the screen lol and he loved it, playing on a $600 computer. I personally use 27.5" and can't imagine ever going back. I might go bigger some day.

Remember that the monitor is the face of your computer, and what will influence your experience with it the most. If you want your computer to be beast, your monitor should deliver an immersive experience as well. THX recommends 32" for 3.5-5 feet of distance between your eyes and the screen, and most pc desktop setups are around 2-3 feet.

I also think the SSD is the least cost-effective part of your build, but I understand the enthusiast need to have it. The Crucial M4 you selected is generally considered the best SSD option for the money right now.

That's all the input I can think of right now. All your other hardware selections look solid. This is going to be an enthusiast-class gaming machine. I think you're going to be very happy with the finished product :grin:

 

[Azeem40]

Re: $1800 Gaming Rig v2

Thanks for the detailed response. I will probably go with the ASUS since it looks more future-proof. I also think the monitor you suggested is gonna be part of my build. Thanks again!

 

[greenbrucelee]

Re: $1800 Gaming Rig v2

first- The forum does not have a negative view of ssd's its just that we usually try to sway people from getting them as the price for the actual performance and size of the drives is very expensive and not good enough. Just like we try to sway people from going sli or xfire since it costs alot to have two cards, plus a better psu is often needed and an increase in heat will occur and all for a 20% increase in performance if at all.

Second- I agree with toothman, AsRocks support is crap, asus support is excellent and so are their boards.

Third-the rest of your rig looks fine.

 

[Azeem40]

Re: $1800 Gaming Rig v2

Thanks all!! Question answered!

 

[toothman]

Re: $1800 Gaming Rig v2

Glad to help. Good luck with your build!

 

[Azeem40]

Thanks!