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looks ok for the price as for as prebuilts go.

i'd say get a 570gtx on the high end, a 6950 1gb to save some duckets, or if you're feeling lucky, a 6950 2gb that you can try to flash into a 6970.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=1dhomj29h1sdy
Can this video card support two monitors? Someone said it supports two monitors but the picture newegg shows only has one monitor output. (The white one). Correct me if I am wrong though!

So... it's been a hella long time since I've actually upgraded anything in my computer. I've spent the last week or two researching parts for a all-new setup and am trying to get some advice:

I'm shooting for roughly $1200. It's going to be almost entirely a gaming PC, so I realize some parts I've included won't be necessary. The 2600k over the 2500k is a bit useless for my purposes, but honestly... I want it. I want my threads to be hyper as shit. And 8gb of RAM isn't totally necessarily, but again... I want it.

RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 1600 DDR3 (2x 4gb)

MOBO: ASRock Z68 Extreme4 - Shit's extreme.

CPU: i7 2600k - Yup.

GPU: 6950 - As for the brand... I'm leaning towards Sapphire due to their higher rates of success with unlocking, which I plan on doing. Oh, and I am considering getting two in crossfire, but that would probably be later.

PSU: Corsair TX750

HSF: Noctua NH-D14

SSD: Crucial C300 64GB - I'm still debating between the C300 and the M4. The C300 apparently has better boot times, which is primarily what I'm going for. I only plan on loading my OS and a few programs (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) on here.

HDD: WD Caviar Black 1TB - I already own this... so... yeah.

It's no SUPERMAXEXTREMECOMPUTERMACHINE.com/ALIENWARE build, I know...

Originally Posted by danielisawinner CPU: i7 2600k - Yup.

As state previously in this thread, get the 2500k instead. You'll save $90 and won't even be able to tell the difference. "I want it" isn't a justification.

Originally Posted by danielisawinner PSU: Corsair TX750

According to Newegg's PSU calculator, if you plan on getting another 6950 you'll need a ~900W PSU. Up to you when you want to get one.
(Everyone else, let me know if I'm way off on this because I just stuck the closest values into the calculator)

Originally Posted by danielisawinner SSD: Crucial C300 64GB

I hear the C300 is amazing. That is all.

Originally Posted by Firvagor As state previously in this thread, get the 2500k instead. You'll save $90 and won't even be able to tell the difference. "I want it" isn't a justification.

But... but... I really want it. All of that hyperthreading technology... mmmm...

FINE! You convinced me. I'll go with the 2500k and spend the extra bills on something slightly less useless.

According to Newegg's PSU calculator, if you plan on getting another 6950 you'll need a ~900W PSU. Up to you when you want to get one. (Everyone else, let me know if I'm way off on this because I just stuck the closest values into the calculator)

You're probably right, bro-chief. From what I read and calculated, an 850 (which is what I was originally considering just to be safe) would do it for 2 6950s in Crossfire. But, hey, I could be wrong, too.

On a related note, would I need a considerably more powerful PSU if I plan to OC the 2500k? Nothing too crazy-extreme, just enough to get it to 4.0-4.2 ghz.

I hear the C300 is amazing. That is all.

Your argument is flawless. I accept your claim.

Here's what I've come up with for my 1200$-ish build as well as some simple options to drop it into the 1000$ and less range:
Mobo- GA-Z68X-UD4-B3 (i suck gigabyte's dick)

COMBO!- save 15$
CPU- i5-2500k
RAM- 8 gb corsair vengeance ddr3

HSF- CM Hyper 212

COMBO!- save 20$
PSU- Corsair 750tx
CASE- NZXT Phantom

GPU- evga gtx 570 (the -ar version of the card just incase the 600 series hits within 3 months)

SSD- ocz vertex 2 80gb

HDD- samsung f3 spinpoint 1tb

CD/DVD/Penis- Newegg is all out of stock what in the is going on? +20$

Comes in at 1336$ and about 1280$ after rebates. This is specifically built to SLI 570's in the future.

Places to save $. **= you should do this, i would, but i'm dumb and cannot be reasoned with.

*PSU, can easily pick an antec earthwatts 750 instead of the corsair and save 20$.*
*SSD, can easily not purchase a SSD and save 157$*
Motherboard, can easily save 40$ here and get a UD3 over the UD4.
Memory, can easily cut to x2 sticks of 2gb instead of 4gb, save 35$.
HSF, can easily use stock cooler and save 30$
Case, can comfortably purchase a different case and save 60$
GPU, can comfortably purchase a 6950 1gb or a 560 ti and save 100$

Originally Posted by danielisawinner RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 1600 DDR3 (2x 4gb) MOBO: ASRock Z68 Extreme4 - Shit's extreme. CPU: i7 2600k - Yup. GPU: 6950 - As for the brand... I'm leaning towards Sapphire due to their higher rates of success with unlocking, which I plan on doing. Oh, and I am considering getting two in crossfire, but that would probably be later. PSU: Corsair TX750 HSF: Noctua NH-D14 SSD: Crucial C300 64GB - I'm still debating between the C300 and the M4. The C300 apparently has better boot times, which is primarily what I'm going for. I only plan on loading my OS and a few programs (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) on here. HDD: WD Caviar Black 1TB - I already own this... so... yeah. It's no SUPERMAXEXTREMECOMPUTERMACHINE.com/ALIENWARE build, I know...

Advice:
Get an i-5 2500k instead.
Get a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus instead of your overpriced Noctua.
If you're going to be unlocking your 6950's keep in mind it will reduce their lifespan just like overclocking anything. As for the amount of power, a single 6970 takes a minimum of 38 amps (which is basically what your unlocked 6950 will become). A power supply with around 60 amps should be fine for two of them. I dunno wtf about someone getting 900w from newegg calc, but ~700 watts for the two cards isn't unreasonable. That Corsair 750tx should be enough.
That mobo is a waste of money but you probably knew that.

Well... here's my semi-final build. It actually comes out to be $1142.41 before taxes and shipping. I'm buying from Amazon, Newegg, and Microcenter, so I'm saving on taxes or shipping on most items. I have FSSS with my Amazon Prime Student thing and I don't live in CA, so I don't pay taxes on orders from Newegg.

NZXT Phantom - $139.82 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS)

G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600 8GB - $84.99 @ Newegg (no tax and free shipping)

ASRock Z68 Extreme4 - $159.99 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS)

i5 2500k - $179.99 @ Microcenter (tax only, in-store pick up)

6950 - ~$230-290 depending on brand

Corsair TX750 - $109.99 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS and after a MIR)

Noctua NH-D14 - $87.65 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS)

Crucial C300 64GB - $124.99 @ Newegg (free shipping and no tax)

WD VelociRaptor 300GB - $149.99 @ Newegg (free shipping and no tax)

I added the Velociraptor because I wanted a separate, high-rpm drive specifically for my games, on top of my Caviar Black for storage. Right now, my installed Steam game list sits at around 105gb and my non-Steam games are around 60gb. I briefly considered a 180-256gb ssd, but then I looked at prices and was all FFUUUUUUUUU-

And yes, I realize it and other parts are not entirely necessary. But, honestly... I can afford it at this point and I'd like to have it.

Originally Posted by danielisawinner ASRock Z68 Extreme4 - $159.99 @ Amazon (no tax or shipping with FSSS)

I don't think so Tim.

I'd buy 2 right now if this was the price. I bet you've get the P67 picked out.

Originally Posted by crystalklear64 I don't think so Tim. I'd buy 2 right now if this was the price. I bet you've get the P67 picked out.

IT'S LIKE YOU KNOW ALL OF MY FLAWS. OH GOD.

Shit... yeah. You're right. My b, dawg. My b.

The Z68 is only $30 more. I'm okay with that.

ok i spent a good number of hours trying to get this under 1125$ shipped and I finally did it:

Its a complete build only missing a hard drive which you could add for 80$ and have a nice sub-1200$ build. I'll make some formal builds maybe tomorrow, but tonight I was exciting to find those 2 combo deals to shave off 50$.

Been awhile I am still planning to use the $500 toms hardware build
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...6850,2903.html

AMD Phenom X4 925 $115:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-916-_-Product
ASRock M3A770DE $60:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ock%20M3A770DE
Antec Earthwatts 380W PSU $40:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-033-_-Product
4 GB Crucial RAM $40:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-262-_-Product
AMD 6850 $170:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-908-_-Product
Seagate Barracuda 500 GB HD: $45
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-395-_-Product
Xigamatech Case $40:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0CPC-T45UE-U01
Lite-On 24X DVD Burner $20:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0iHAS%20124-04
Total is $530 before shipping.

The processor is out of stock, any other recommendations for a processor?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103808

It is the same thing as the one you wanted but faster and the same price

I would need to look into your setup more, but I think that PSU would be a bit underpowered.

its summer time and i want to build my very first pc! :]
can anyone advise me? i have no idea what to look for in components. so far ive decided (but not actually purchased yet) my processor, motherboard, and video card. ive provided links.

core i5 2500k
asus p8p67 pro
geforce gtx 560 ti

im planning to be running on the on chip gpu rather than immediately getting the gtx 560 because of money. here are some questions i have on my mind right now:
1)ddr2 vs ddr3 ram: is there a huge difference? which one would you recommend?
2)what is an appropriate wattage my power supply should be? (i dont want the bare minimum but some room to work with)
3)how about heat sinks for my processor? (i definitely dont know much about those)

thanks in advance for the replies

Originally Posted by sinned47 2)what is an appropriate wattage my power supply should be? (i dont want the bare minimum but some room to work with)

now i remember why i stopped posting build advice at cag

Originally Posted by sinned47 its summer time and i want to build my very first pc! :] can anyone advise me? i have no idea what to look for in components. so far ive decided (but not actually purchased yet) my processor, motherboard, and video card. ive provided links. core i5 2500k asus p8p67 pro geforce gtx 560 ti im planning to be running on the on chip gpu rather than immediately getting the gtx 560 because of money. here are some questions i have on my mind right now: 1)ddr2 vs ddr3 ram: is there a huge difference? which one would you recommend? 2)what is an appropriate wattage my power supply should be? (i dont want the bare minimum but some room to work with) 3)how about heat sinks for my processor? (i definitely dont know much about those) thanks in advance for the replies

First take a look at this:

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...uide/Guide.png

Then look at this:

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=296099

Then figure out how much you want to spend. Ball park for Price Vs. Performance is anything around $800 will run any current game and high or VERY high settings. $1500 is future proofing and anything above that is securing yourself for life.

Originally Posted by crystalklear64 now i remember why i stopped posting build advice at cag

More reason for this thread to become a wiki.

Originally Posted by sinned47 its summer time and i want to build my very first pc! :] can anyone advise me? i have no idea what to look for in components. so far ive decided (but not actually purchased yet) my processor, motherboard, and video card. ive provided links. core i5 2500k asus p8p67 pro geforce gtx 560 ti im planning to be running on the on chip gpu rather than immediately getting the gtx 560 because of money. here are some questions i have on my mind right now: 1)ddr2 vs ddr3 ram: is there a huge difference? which one would you recommend? 2)what is an appropriate wattage my power supply should be? (i dont want the bare minimum but some room to work with) 3)how about heat sinks for my processor? (i definitely dont know much about those) thanks in advance for the replies

If you want to use the integrated video, you're going to want either a H67(if you don't care about overclocking) or Z68 motherboard. P67 based motherboards don't allow you to use the i5's integrated gpu.

1. Not really a choice with the processor you're using. Sandy Bridge chips only support DDR3.
2. Read this: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=296099
3. That really depends on how much you want to spend, how much room you have in your case, and how quiet you want the cooler to be. FrostyTech only reviews heatsinks and should be able to point you in the direction of a good one.

I'm looking to build a PC soon in preparation for this Fall's killer release schedule (BF 3 being "the one" lol). Well, not really build one all the way from scratch but rebuilding my current PC. What I mean is that I have some parts already I plan to keep in my new build. I'm going to use my same tower, PSU, optical drives, HDD's (1 TB Drive and 2 160GB Raptors w/RAID), and MAYBE my GPU (GTX 460).

But here's my question, nothing about specifics just yet, but more as to timing. I try to keep up on new releases from all these parts manufacturers but it's pretty damn tough. Also I am not the best tech guy, on a scale from 1 to 10 I'd say my PC tech knowledge is about a 7. Is this a good time to build a PC? I was going to wait until August but I'm starting to get antsy. If I do get serious about this in the next month is that a mistake? Is there anything new that I would want to have coming out before September?

Now I know there are always bigger and better things on the horizon but just generally speaking I need a little advice. I prefer Intel CPU's BTW. I'm not apposed to AMD I just have no real experience with them. Also what about SSD's? Are they worth the investment for gaming yet? Can you justify buying a 300 gig SSD for >$500?

Originally Posted by cgarb84 I'm looking to build a PC soon in preparation for this Fall's killer release schedule (BF 3 being "the one" lol). Well, not really build one all the way from scratch but rebuilding my current PC. What I mean is that I have some parts already I plan to keep in my new build. I'm going to use my same tower, PSU, optical drives, HDD's (1 TB Drive and 2 160GB Raptors w/RAID), and MAYBE my GPU (GTX 460). But here's my question, nothing about specifics just yet, but more as to timing. I try to keep up on new releases from all these parts manufacturers but it's pretty damn tough. Also I am not the best tech guy, on a scale from 1 to 10 I'd say my PC tech knowledge is about a 7. Is this a good time to build a PC? I was going to wait until August but I'm starting to get antsy. If I do get serious about this in the next month is that a mistake? Is there anything new that I would want to have coming out before September? Now I know there are always bigger and better things on the horizon but just generally speaking I need a little advice. I prefer Intel CPU's BTW. I'm not apposed to AMD I just have no real experience with them. Also what about SSD's? Are they worth the investment for gaming yet? Can you justify buying a 300 gig SSD for >$500?

nvidia's new GPU in q4 2011 or q1 2012, ati's in july or august, bulldozer coming "soon" (could be next month benchmarks already coming out, and it looks good), SSD's still a little pricey but for me a game's startup time is a big one. If a game takes a long time to launch I'm much more likely to play something else even if I like the game better. If you're like that a SSD is a godsend. I'd still wait though. So, if you can, I'd at least wait for Bulldozer to come out. It might just dethrone intel, and even if it doesn't, it should make intel lower their prices. With the GPU's you'll have to decide if you want to buy older tech for cheaper or buy better performing tech that hasn't got the drivers and support in place yet if you wait for those. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to wait till July.

and if you don't' know, bulldozer is amd's new processor line.

Thanks j-cart, yea I know that PSU is a little weak, I"ll get something else