First Time! Bulding Gaming Computer, Please Review!

[Elumo]

I recently have been having troubles with my FPS on my Alienware laptop. I have decided since I have my Ipad for portable computing, I can switch to desktops. As building a custom desktop is the best way of getting "bang for my buck" I have decided to take this route. However, I need a lot of help. I really do not know where to start. Does anyone have any recomendations? Also, I am currently in South America. I am going to try and source parts from here but it would be very useful to hear from people who have experience in shipping components, taking them on a plane with you, or having a desktop as "checked luggage". I will be taking a long trip back to Canada soon so I could always bring the parts back with me.

My budget is around $2,000 (CDN/US).

Thanks.

Components (Suggestions thus far):

CPU:Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz
Motherboard:EVGA P67 FTW 160-SB-E679-KR LGA 1155 Intel
RAM: Please help: http://www.newegg.ca...-Power-Supplies
I would like to pick a combo RAM and Power Supply.
Power Supply: See above.
Hard Drive:Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III SSD
Video Card: 1 x EVGA 03G-P3-1591-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) Hydro Copper 2 3072MB (Water Cooling)
1 x EVGA 03G-P3-1584-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 3072MB
OR two of the Non-Water Cooled
Computer Case:Rosewill THOR V2-White Edition, THOR V2-W Gaming ATX Full Tower Computer Case,


Is it difficult, worth it, necessary to have water cooling? What else would I need for a system like that? Will I have sufficient cooling without the water cooling?

 

[Roark]

If this computer is purely for gaming I'd go for the i5 2500K for ~$100 less, the 2600K has no real benefit for gamers.
The motherboard seems like overkill to me, you can easily find something <$200 with similar features, unless you need 5x PCIe 2.0 slots.
Couldn't find a good combo for RAM + PSU but separately:
RAM / PSU

That case looks like it has great air-flow, so unless you plan on some hefty overclocking I wouldn't think water-cooling would be necessary.

 

[Sean W.]

i see a lot of room for improvement, what is your max budget?

 

[Elumo]

I am trying to keep it around 2000 cdn\US. What are your suggestions?

 

[Sean W.]

this is better:

Case: $170
Rosewill THOR V2-White Edition
Newegg.com - Rosewill THOR V2-White Edition, THOR V2-W Gaming ATX Full Tower Computer Case, support up to E-ATX/XL-ATX, come with Four Fans

Motherboard + Processor: $365
i5-2500K + MSI Z68A-GD55
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

Memory: $45
G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
Newegg.com - G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR

Grahpics card: $1000
2x ASUS ENGTX580 DCII
Newegg.com - ASUS ENGTX580 DCII/2DIS/1536MD5 GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 1536MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

PSU: $210
COOLER MASTER Gold 1000W
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Silent Pro Gold Series RSA00-80GAD3-US 1000W ATX 12V v2.3 / EPS 12V v2.92 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

SSD: $210
Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB
Newegg.com - Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)


Total: $2000

 

[tj_extreme]

Sean, that's a great build, but with that kind of budget for the graphics card, why not look around for a 590? I know they're hard to find, but you can probably find one online somewhere.

Newegg.com - EVGA 03G-P3-1596-AR GeForce GTX 590 (Fermi) Classified 3072MB 768-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

 

[Sean W.]

two 580s perform better... plus you get the eepen factor of being able to put " SLI 580s " in your sig....

 

[Elumo]

Ok guys, here is an updated build. Let me know what you think. Also, feel free to comment on compatibility issues or anything else.

CPU:Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz

Motherboard:ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z LGA 1155 Intel Z68
Motherboard

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
RAM

Power Supply:OCZ ZX Series 1000W Fully-Modular
PSU

SSD:Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III
SSD

GPU: 2 x MSI N580GTX Lightning GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 1536MB
GPU

HD:SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s
HD

Computer Case:Rosewill THOR V2-White Edition, THOR V2-W Gaming ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Case

Cooler:Noctua NH-D14 120mm & 140mm SSO CPU Cooler
Fan

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
Thermal Compound

 

[Sean W.]

... i dont understand a lot of your choices... but its your computer broskie...

the cards i chose are better, faster, quieter and cheaper...

the thermal compound that the Noctua cooler comes with is WAY better than artic silver 5.

you can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink from it, do your thing...

 

[Elumo]

Ya, I am still looking over the GPU options. I have had lots of different opinions...

Also, please help with this guys:

I need to source the case from where I live. I will pay out of my *** for it, but it will be less complicated in shipping. Can you help me pick one from this list? The selection in chile is not nearly as good.

PC Factory • Tu centro tecnológico

I am thinking the HAF 932 by coolermaster.