Mobo and GPU recommendations

[Skorpian]

Hello how is it going everyone!
Ok, confused a little bit with this build. Currently I have my mind set on :
Intel Core i5 3570k
2x4GB DDR3 1600 MHz
A Cougar CMX 700 Watts
2 TB Seagate HDD.
Now, I've been thinking about the motherboard. I was gonna ask for the Z77-D3H but it's a bit overpriced for my needs. I don't think I'll ever crossfire/SLI, so I want something cheaper as much as possible while keeping PCIe 3.0, USB 3.0 and 1600 MHZ DDR3 support. This build is already over budget so we're trying to get as low as possible
Coming to the GPU, I had the Sapphire OC 7850 Edition and GTX 660 Ti. They had 550 EGP difference in price, which is around 90 dollars difference.
I've heard that the 7850 OC's like a beast, but I never OC'd so I'm not sure. The GTX 660 ti is a bit too expensive tho, so is the 7850 enough nowadays? Can I OC it even more and get good FPS on a Full HD monitor? Or the GTX 660 Ti will still be the winner?
Is there much difference between the GTX 660 and the GTX 660 Ti? There was like 80$ difference in price, so if not much difference I'd go for the 660 and not the Ti one.
In short :
1-I need a good cheap mobo that'll mainly be cheaper than the Z77-D3h, s that I know it's cheaper when it comes to buying locally. Need DDR3 1600 MHz support mainly.
2-Is the GPU 7850 Sapphire OC edition good enough to compete with the 660 Ti? If not, will overclocking it even further than company overclock make it compete? Is overclocking hard and is it safe? Does warranty cover overclocking?
3-Is there much difference between the 660 and the 660 ti?
Thanks

 

[PP Mguire]

So many questions with a simple answer, but answer my question first. What is the purpose of this build?

 

[Skorpian]

Gaming on a full HD 23" monitor. Talking about BF3, Crysis 2 and similar games ( and even more powerful ).
Thanks.

 

[PP Mguire]

Then simply get an H77 board with an i3 3220. For gaming you want more horsepower to be in your GPU than your CPU. The i3 has HT for 4 threads and a fast dual core is more than plenty for modern gaming. That being said, I would get a Corsair TX650 instead for a PSU and get the 660ti as it is much faster and worth the price.

 

[Skorpian]

I want this build to be as future proof as possible, wouldn't the i3 get outdated a bit too quickly?
I'm buying locally and no Corsair PSU's were available sadly.
Also, comparing GTX 660 Ti and the HD 7870/7950, which will be better?
Thanks PP Mguire, you've always been of great help here in the forum. Appreciated

 

[PP Mguire]

Are there any other brands available locally? Seasonic, Antec? I Don't trust Cougar.

It wouldn't be outdated all that quickly. There is only one game so far that has ever maxed either my quad or hex and that is Farcry 3. Doing a test, dual, quad, or hex all get the same performance with HT off. You have until 2015ish before more cores will really be used. Just trying to save you some money so you can get a better GPU.

To that question, 660ti.

 

[Skorpian]

Alright pal, thanks.
So, the 192-bit bus of the 660 Ti won't cap it in the future?
Also, what really is the difference between H77 and Z77 boards?

 

[PP Mguire]

No, too technical to sit here and explain why but just no. Not only that, but it has already been proven that even though the 7950 gets a few frames faster the 660ti is a smoother experience due to micro-stuttering on the 7950.

Z77 can OC, H77 can't. If you get an i3 though it can't OC as it is. You can get a cheaper Z75 board and upgrade to a quad later if you wish.

 

[Skorpian]

Z75 boards can OC? If not, does that apply to CPU's only or to GPU's also
Also, the no overclocking for H77 applies for CPU's only or to GPU's also?

 

[PP Mguire]

Z75 boards can OC, and it only applies to the CPUs. GPUs can overclock no matter what board you have.

It's the thing with Intel and these boards. You need a K class CPU to OC, and you can't OC those CPUs with an H77 or lower board. You need P67, Z68, or Z77/75 to OC with.