Help me build a rig

[Suntory_Times]

Hello everyone, i'm a huge gamer and have been considering building my own computer rig for gaming. I do not use a screen and would be using it exclusively for gaming. Things that are a must is 3d compatibility that will work with my 3d tv. My budget is $2000 to $3000. If anyone has any tips or suggestions it would be most appreciated.

I should add one of the game I wont to be able to run well is Crysis 2.

[Suntory_Times]

So far i'm looking at the following, let me know what you think.

CPU: Intel Core i7 950 [3GHz/8MB/LGA1366]
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R
RAM: Kingston 4GB (x2)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 3.5" 1TB (x2)
Graphics Card: EVGA nVidia GeForce GTX 570 SC 1280 mb DDR5
Samsung 12 Blu-ray / dvdrw combo
Case: CoolerMaster Centurion 5 II Mid Tower Case 500W PSU

[RiseDarthVader]

Originally Posted by Suntory_Times

So far i'm looking at the following, let me know what you think.

CPU: Intel Core i7 950 [3GHz/8MB/LGA1366]
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R
RAM: Kingston 4GB (x2)
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 3.5" 1TB (x2)
Graphics Card: EVGA nVidia GeForce GTX 570 SC 1280 mb DDR5
Samsung 12 Blu-ray / dvdrw combo
Case: CoolerMaster Centurion 5 II Mid Tower Case 500W PSU

Hello fellow Australian PS3/PC gamer. I would probably go for the Core i5-760 if you're only going to be doing gaming. Games don't benefit from hyperthreading from the i7 series yet and would be an extra cost for no performance improvement. And there isn't any point getting a hyperthreaded CPU to future proof when in the future there will probably be a better architecture. And you should probably pair the CPU with a P55 motherboard. I personally have the EVGA p55 SLi.
Your RAM, HDD, GPU and BD Drive looks fine. Though for the case I advise you go for the CoolerMaster Storm Sniper as seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdXog4d2eqs

[Offender_Mullet]

Suntory,

If you're budget is that much, I would probably re-vamp all the choices you made.

1.) Get a ssd drive for your main boot drive. Then, get a Samgung 2TB hd (Hitachi/Western digital make 3TB drives but reviews are so-so) and use it for storage or set it up in an external USB 3.0 case.

2.) The CoolerMaster Centurion 5 II is a mix of aluminum/plastic/steel. I'd get an all-aluminum case.

3.) Look into higher-end gaming motherboards by Asus/Evga/MSI. I have the Asus Rampage III Formula and love it.

4.) Go for a triple-channel memory kit of 6GB. Doesn't have to be fast though, as low latency and tight timings are better than a high mhz speed (from what I've read in various gaming forums).

Have to get ready for work. Will get back to you later.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

Hello fellow Australian PS3/PC gamer. I would probably go for the Core i5-760 if you're only going to be doing gaming. Games don't benefit from hyperthreading from the i7 series yet and would be an extra cost for no performance improvement. And there isn't any point getting a hyperthreaded CPU to future proof when in the future there will probably be a better architecture. And you should probably pair the CPU with a P55 motherboard. I personally have the EVGA p55 SLi.
Your RAM, HDD, GPU and BD Drive looks fine. Though for the case I advise you go for the CoolerMaster Storm Sniper as seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdXog4d2eqs

I would also be using it as a HTPC and some 1080p hd video editing. Would there be any benefit there.

Originally Posted by Offender_Mullet

Suntory,

If you're budget is that much, I would probably re-vamp all the choices you made.

1.) Get a ssd drive for your main boot drive. Then, get a Samgung 2TB hd (Hitachi/Western digital make 3TB drives but reviews are so-so) and use it for storage or set it up in an external USB 3.0 case.

2.) The CoolerMaster Centurion 5 II is a mix of aluminum/plastic/steel. I'd get an all-aluminum case.

3.) Look into higher-end gaming motherboards by Asus/Evga/MSI. I have the Asus Rampage III Formula and love it.

4.) Go for a triple-channel memory kit of 6GB. Doesn't have to be fast though, as low latency and tight timings are better than a high mhz speed (from what I've read in various gaming forums).

Have to get ready for work. Will get back to you later.

Ohh just a fyi I am in Australia and everything costs more here so my budget isn't as big as it would sound to most in America etc. So you would recommend 18gb of memory? Most importantly this system would run Crysis 2 in 3d in high or better would it not? I would prefer to upgrade every two years or maybe a bit less but only upgrade components and not the whole thing at once.

[Offender_Mullet]

Aw crikey mate sorry I didn't see your location.

Nope, not 18GB. A 6GB Triple Channel Kit is 2x3GB modules. It's perfect for gaming, however I don't know anything about the memory consumption for hd video editing. My favorite brand of memory is G.Skill

The new Crytek engine for Crysis 2 hopefully won't be a huge resource hog, but chances are your setup should be fine for "high" though. As for 3-D I don't have a setup like that so I don't know if there are any extra 'needs' for a system to run 3-D games.

[Leopold BUTTERS]

If you are going to game in 3D you might want to consider going SLI with a couple of 570s if it is not too much for your budget. What resolution are you going to play at? 1920x1080? 3D takes quite a bit, so if you are planning on playing Crysis 2 in 3d at high settings i would probably go with SLI.

Another thing is I would try to find a new heatsink! Something like this LINK The stock heatsings from intel are garbage! You don 't need one like i posted, but if you O.C. your cpu a bit it will help with your gaming, and a nice heatsink would keep it cool.

[RiseDarthVader]

I would recommend the Hyper 212+ heatsink. It's cheap, easy to install and keeps the temps really nice and low. Also as Leopold BUTTERS said you should probably SLi GTX 570's for 3D if you want to run at 1920x1080 at max settings. I think a 750W power supply should be enough for that. And because you will be doing 1080p video editing the i7 CPU's with hyperthreading probably will benefit you.

[Suntory_Times]

I have changed what i'm looking at to and have bsically decided on.

CPU: Intel Core i7 950 [3GHz/8MB/LGA1366] I'm going to stick with the i7 it isn't costing me much more in the scope of things and if I need it I would hate to spend what I have and then feel the urge to upgrade soon.
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R
RAM: (x2) Corsair 6GB kit (3x XMS 2GB) DDR3 PC-12800 1600MHz, I have room for one more 6GB lot but don't feel it would provide much of a benifit. Is ther any issue buying more ram later and using it with the RAM I already have?
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 3.5" 1TB (x2)
Graphics Card: (x2) EVGA nVidia GeForce GTX 570 SC 1280 mb DDR5 I would have got another one but given that my cpu would be to limiting it isn't worth it for me, I think two is already overkill.
Optical Drive: Samsung 12 Blu-ray / dvdrw combo
Case: CoolerMaster Elite HAF 932 Full Tower Case
Power Supply: CollerMaster Elite HAF 932 Full Tower Case

Originally Posted by Leopold BUTTERS

If you are going to game in 3D you might want to consider going SLI with a couple of 570s if it is not too much for your budget. What resolution are you going to play at? 1920x1080? 3D takes quite a bit, so if you are planning on playing Crysis 2 in 3d at high settings i would probably go with SLI.

Another thing is I would try to find a new heatsink! Something like this LINK The stock heatsings from intel are garbage! You don 't need one like i posted, but if you O.C. your cpu a bit it will help with your gaming, and a nice heatsink would keep it cool.

I hope to play in 1080p, but if crysis 1 and 2 are the only things going to be really improved by spending much more when played in 3d I could live with 720p for these two games. Afterall resolution is only one factor in image quality. ps: In 3d mode I would turn motion blur of as it is no longer neaded as it really only exists to create a 3d like experience (which imho is not neaded when playing in 3d).

Originally Posted by Offender_Mullet

Aw crikey mate sorry I didn't see your location.

Nope, not 18GB. A 6GB Triple Channel Kit is 2x3GB modules. It's perfect for gaming, however I don't know anything about the memory consumption for hd video editing. My favorite brand of memory is G.Skill

The new Crytek engine for Crysis 2 hopefully won't be a huge resource hog, but chances are your setup should be fine for "high" though. As for 3-D I don't have a setup like that so I don't know if there are any extra 'needs' for a system to run 3-D games.

3d always sacrifices something to run at the same frame rate. If it does not, it runs at a lower number of frams per second.

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

I would recommend the Hyper 212+ heatsink. It's cheap, easy to install and keeps the temps really nice and low. Also as Leopold BUTTERS said you should probably SLi GTX 570's for 3D if you want to run at 1920x1080 at max settings. I think a 750W power supply should be enough for that.

Yep i'm using a 750W power supply. I may install a heatsink. Can I do that once the pc has been in use?

[RiseDarthVader]

There isn't any issue buying more RAM later on you just need to make sure the RAM is type and I would probably go for the same exact RAM modules. And you can install the heatsink later which I did with mine when I used the Intel stock heatsink for a week while I waited for the backplate of my Xigmatek Dark Knight to arrive.