Hey all!
First time posting and I am pretty new to the idea of building a pc. I primarily play WoW and use my comp for web browsing and writing documents. I have roughly a $1200 budget (I wouldn't mind going a little more or a little less) and wasn't sure if I should buy something ready made or build it from scratch. I really have no idea what I need so the more help I can get the better. Please help me out so I know where to start. Any suggestions or ideas are much appreciated! Thank you!
Something like this: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/10bfS
^ If it is a gaming build, I'd swap the 8350 out for the fx6300. That would allow for a bigger budget to get a 7950. I know the XT is a bit like a 7900 card, but it would be better to get a twin frozr. Would be nice to crossfire the 7950, the 750W would allow for it. Better than XT crossfire
You're right, didn't think about that. He said that he mainly plays WoW, so I don't think he really needs a super high end card though.
I don't mind spending a little bit extra if it will drastically improve the performance of the game. I really appreciate the input!!!
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/10bnZ
Sorry - I went 41 cents over.
So, for gaming, this build will do pretty fantastically. You have an i7 3770k 4-core, 8-thread CPU, which is probably the strongest per-core CPU out there (not the strongest CPU, though), which will overclock pretty well.
To overclock, there is an MSI GD65 "gaming" motherboard, with a Killer NIC for prioritized packets (better internet connection for games while gaming), very strong VRM, and general sexy looks. It supports crazy high memory frequencies, and is very feature-rich in terms of SATA ports, and other on-board expansion. It also comes with a better onboard audio than most boards, which will be a noticable increase for directional gaming audio.
With such a great board for overclocking, I threw in some great overclocking RAM. Crucial Ballistic SportVery Low Voltage RAM is extremely low-profile, so it fits under any CPU cooler out there. It is .15V lower than most other RAM at the same speed, and uses a very dense manufacturing process, making it great for overclocking. You could hit 2133mHz CL9 around 1.55V easily, and with no problems with heat. Great stuff, and great looks, as well.
Also, in the name of overclocking, I threw a Phanteks PH-TC12DX CPU cooler in there; it will handle a 4.6gHz OC on your 3770k no problem. I have its big brother, the Phanteks PH-TC14PE, and 5.0gHz is no problem for it, even at 1.6V (my 3770k is not the best overclocker after 4.8gHz.) It looks great, and supports 120mm fans, so if you decide to go for quieter fans, or better looking ones, you have a wide selection, such as Corsair SP120s, Noctua NF-F12s, Scythe Gentle Typhoons, etc., etc.
The best GPU out there in terms of price/performance, arguably, is the MSI 7950. It looks fantastic, first of all, with a high-end cooler that can get loud after about 70% fan speed. However, it works really well. The 7950 itself is on a nice PCB, with high-quality components, such as gold caps, with a very nice VRM for those OCs. Expect to hit 1200mHz easily :)
To power this system, and offer room for another 7950 in the future, I chose a Lepa G650 PSU. It is 80+ Gold, and is essentially fully modular, except for the motherboard power (24 pin) and CPU power (8-pin EPS). Everything else is modular - most other "semi-modular" PSUs have PCIe cables also hard-wired, but the Lepa does not. It is build incredibly well, and looks fantastic. The ripple is nice and low, and the warranty is similar to XFXs (i.e., good.) I regret not getting one for my build.
Every rig needs a case. The Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (there is a review from Logan and such here on TekSyndicate) is on sale for $65 at NCIX, roughly 40% off, and is a fantastic case for the money. It offers a surprising amount of watercooling support for the size, and also has great airflow. It looks fantastic, to my minimalistic taste, at least, and has solid cable management options. I have a Fractal Design case, myself, and plan on getting many more in the years to come; they are built well, and look fantastic, all for a reasonable price. In this situation, with the sale, you can't get better.
A 1TB Seagate SV35.5 HDD should hold all of your files. However, if you want to boot into Windows/Linux/OS X quickly, get an SSD. I was able to fit a 120GB Samsung 840 SSD in the price, which is more than enough for Windows and some programs. I do not recommend getting anything smaller than 120/128GB for an SSD; you will be kicking yourself later on, trust me. My 120GB Corsair Force 3 SSD, which I got for a good price from a friend, isalways filling up, because I love keeping everything on it. I can't imagine what having half of the storage would be like. The SV35.5 HDDs are reliable, fast, and cheap, and the 840 SSD is fast, cheap, and from a brand you can trust for SSDs - Samsung. If you come across extra money in the budget, I'd switch the Samsung 840 out for an 840 Pro, which is the fastest SSD on the consumer market, right now. Incredibly fast; in RAID 0, it surpasses 1 GB/s. On its own, not in RAID 0, it boots into Windows within 7 seconds; crazy fast, and well worth it, if you can afford it.
Lets just let brennan answer all of the build questions lol.
Best to ask him. Could do with a little more information about system use, or if he needs peripherals/monitor
True, he should have looked at the guidelines.
Why the i7, Brennan? xD
If I were you man. I would go for this
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/10bKH
Plug your old HDD in as a game drive and install windows on the SDD. This has a 780 in it and a heatsink that will give you a decent overclock. There are a few bucks left over in the build for a couple case fans in the front, which I strongly recommend to put the dust filter to good use.
I don't need peripherals/monitor right now.. I can slowly upgrade those later on.
Because I can. An 8350 and Gigabyte UD5 would be just as good, and offer room for a larger SSD, or something else in the rig.
He really doesn't need a 780 for playing mostly WoW.
1000W supply needed
What? A 780 only needs 500W, max, for the entire system.
@nregner
While I would agree, but on that same thinking, he really doesnt need to spend $1200. I think my build will still be right for him if he wants to to downgrade the graphics to a 760ti when it comes out and same some money... maybe buy a hdd and some case fans.
But if he does want to use his full budget, that graphics card will let him play what ever game he wants over the next 4-5 years no problem.
Oh I dunno. That pez dispenser is gonna need some juice. Oh you haven't included a pez dispenser, surprising o.0
yeah, you are a bit crazy pants... its not nearly that high requirement. I just chose a good PSU that was cheap, reliable, and had some headroom.
Are you guys serious? Did you think I was recommending a 1000W PSU? Have you seen me post in build a PC before? 0.o