$1300 Gaming Desktop

[Bwelch]

This is my first attempt at building a computer, and I'm in the process of gathering components. I'm trying to build a moderately priced gaming PC, but I'm having trouble staying under budget. I want to have it performing well for the Final Fantasy XIV release, but also have the ability to upgrade my components in October or beyond without having to spend frivolously on my initial start-up.

Even though I do live in Atlanta, and there are Microcenters around me, I'm actually on summer break in Wilmington, NC. I'm going to have to get everything online.

Anyways, I already own a Samsung P2770HD Monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, and Winduped 7.

Here's what I got so far:

Cooler Master Case

Western Digital 1TB

Gigabyte GTX 460

Corsair 650W Power Supply

Gigabyte Motherboard

Corsair 6GB Memory

Intel Core i7 930

Kingston SSDNow 64GB

ASUS DVD Burner

Total: $1,354.69

Any and all thoughts are greatly appreciated. ;3

[Jurgen]

Looks like a pretty good setup. Just keep an eye out on the egg for combo deals and you might be able to trim and little bit more here and there.

[Kakashisensei]

That's almost identical to the build I'm making. Like Jurgen said, you can save quite a bit from the combos. For example, I'm looking at this case & psu - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.440198
There's also a combo for the motherboard & cpu - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.437357 Only saves $16, but it adds up.

[Bwelch]

Woah, thanks to the both of you! I added those combos.

Here's my edited list:

Western Digital 1TB

Gigabyte GTX 460

Corsair 6GB Memory

Kingston SSDNow 64GB

ASUS DVD Burner

XFX 650W Power Supply / Cooler Master Case / Combo

Intel Core i7 930 / Gigabyte Motherboard / Combo

Total: $1,298.72

[Bwelch]

I'm fiddling around with my options so I put together something a little different. I'm not really sure if this works; what do you guys think? d('-'*)

Western Digital 1TB
ASUS DVD Burner
Kingston SDDNow 64GB
Sapphire 5870 / Core i5 750 / Combo
XFX 650W Power Supply / Cooler Master Case / Combo
ASUS Motherboard / Kingston 4GB Memory / Combo

Total: $1,280.71

[levish]

for strictly gaming ditch the ssd and use the money to put it towards a 2nd card. This is coming from a ssd owner (2x 120GB OCZ Vertex's in RAID0)

[Boyiee]

Meh it depends what he's playing. FF11 barely uses the gpu at all, ff14 might only be slightly better.

Either way, 64gb is a waste of money, you'll need more than that. But thats looking at it from my point of view, I'd want at least my most played game on it besides my OS ;p

[Bwelch]

Ditched the SSD and bought a better GPU. I'll skip the SSD for now, I'll be able to upgrade in the near future if I feel I need it anyway. Good catch.

I'll be playing FFXIV, Sims 3, Crysis, Oblivion, Fallout 3, MW2, and anything else I can get my hands on.

Western Digital 1TB
ASUS DVD Burner
XFX 650W Power Supply / Cooler Master Case / Combo
EVGA GTX 470
Corsair 6GB Memory
Intel Core i7 930 / Gigabyte Motherboard / Combo

Total: $1,227.93

[Knyghtmayre]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.433330

OCZ 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3F1600LV6GK

+

EVGA 012-P3-1470-AR GeForce GTX 470 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Price After Mail-In Rebate(s): $429.98

Saves you $30 and gets you 1600 MHz ram instead of 1333.


Edit:Could save a bit more if you're not dead-set on an EVGA 470.
http://i32.tinypic.com/2hmlq54.jpg
$1126.79 after MIRs, that looks about the best I can do with keeping the same models that you have. (Swapped out 6gb/s HDD with 3gb/s since I'm almost positive there actually is no difference with current technology as nothing short of an SSD is going to hit 3gb/s?)

[Archimond]

Swapped out 6gb/s HDD with 3gb/s since I'm almost positive there actually is no difference with current technology as nothing short of an SSD is going to hit 3gb/s?

Cut the "almost positive" crap, be affirmative. =D


3.0Gbps=375MB/s
6.0Gbps=750MB/s

HDD=~150MB/s
SSD=~300MB/s

[Ashtray]

If you ever want to upgrade down the line, 650W Power Supply isn't going to cut it for running two GTX 470s in SLI.


1 GTX 470 can hit 400W+ under load.

2 GTX 470 in SLI is just hitting 650W~

[Bwelch]

I think I'm going to keep that power supply and upgrade later if I need it.

Also, should I be concerned that the HITACHI Hard Drive suggested by Knyghtmayre is a bare drive?

[Knyghtmayre]

All internal hard drives are labeled bare drives (even the one you were intending paying $40 too much for)

[Bwelch]

So when I look at this the only difference is that it comes with cables, manual and software? And the same goes with the DVD burner you suggested; I need to buy separate cables?

[Archimond]

So when I look at this the only difference is that it comes with cables, manual and software? And the same goes with the DVD burner you suggested; I need to buy separate cables?

Most motherboards come with 2+ SATA cables.

[Bwelch]

Oh thanks, I missed that, lol.

I'm also going to have to buy a wireless adapter too... I have a Linksys and I'll need something for my PC to connect to it... Any recommendations?

[Deadgye]

>>5870 to a 470
>>Ditched the SSD and bought a better GPU.

lolwut?

[Knyghtmayre]

I'd just SLI 2 MSI OC'd 192-bit 460s for $400 and be done with it, really.

[Bwelch]

I'd just SLI 2 MSI OC'd 192-bit 460s for $400 and be done with it, really.

Well I've been eye-balling that build you posted earlier, and every time I look at it I think it's the right one. It's priced well below what I expected, comes with a nVidia 470, and Intel i7 930. I think I can work with it.

Aside from finding a Network Adapter, I think I'm set for checking out. =)

[levish]

>>5870 to a 470
>>Ditched the SSD and bought a better GPU.

lolwut?

went from 460->470