Need Suggestions for 1200-1300$ Gaming PC

[mightymice]

Hey all.

I'm looking to put together my first Gaming Desktop. I've upgraded ram and graphics cards before, but never built from scratch. This computer I'm planning to use for games as well as playing 720p video files through my HDTV.

I've poked around through a decent amount of posts on here and done some looking around on Newegg, but can't help but get a bit overwhelmed. I was wondering if someone could help me with putting together a machine for around 12-1300$. I wouldn't need to purchase the OS or Monitor, and already have keyboard/mouse taken care of.

Also, I would be shipping the parts to Hawaii. I have a shipping service I use where I can send my packages to an address in California then they are shipped to me for a discounted rate, but I was wondering if when you order things together through Newegg if they tend to bundle them into a larger box? Or is it common for them to be packaged in several smaller boxes? I read on their site that it can be either, but was wondering which some of you had experienced most commonly.

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

I think it's most common for them to ship you all of the small parts in one big box together.
RAM, HDD, Graphics Card, Processor, Motherboard, Optical Drives...
They all come in a large box usually.
And then the case comes in a second box.

Here's my recommendation for a $1200-1300 build

Newegg.com - LG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD Burner - Bulk LightScribe Support - CD / DVD Burners
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Newegg.com - OCZ OCZACSSDBRKT2 Solid State Drive 3.5" Adaptor Bracket 2 - HDD Accessories
Newegg.com - Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120 mm Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooler W/TX-2 - CPU Fans & Heatsinks
Newegg.com - OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2-1VTXT30G 2.5" 30GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - SSD
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!


Comes out to ~$1229 with shipping to North Carolina, don't know how much it costs to ship to Hawaii.

 

[dirkpitt45]

I'd say this SSD is a better choice. Comes with a mounting bracket, 10gb more, and $10 less on the base price.
Newegg.com - Intel X25-V SSDSA2MP040G2R5 2.5" 40GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - SSD

 

[mightymice]

Excuse my ignorance, but is the idea behind Solid-State Drives that you get one that is 30-40 gigs and put your OS on it? Obviously that speeds up boot time, but I would imagine that also increases the general performance of applications even though they would be on your regular harddrive? Are there other apps that you would want to put on the SSD also? Or is that something you would only do if you had extra room.

 

[aliasaid]

You would use the SSD for the OS, and also programs and games you access most.

Everything else on a secondary hard drive; music, movies, etc.

 

[aliasaid]

You may be able to squeeze in this i7 build.

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Newegg.com - ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - CD / DVD Burners

total: $1302.88 + 9.99shipping (on case) = $1312.87

No SSD like the previous build suggested, but it still includes the Monstrosity that is the 5870, and is an i7 cpu with 6gb of RAM.

 

[mightymice]

For the HD, would
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6402AAEX 640GB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
be a better choice for only 5$ more for the higher Cache and Sata speed? Or is there a reason that it wouldn't be better?

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

For the HD, would
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6402AAEX 640GB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
be a better choice for only 5$ more for the higher Cache and Sata speed? Or is there a reason that it wouldn't be better?

Probably would be better...
Though I personally wouldn't be the first person to buy it. ;]
Check reviews when they come out for it...

 

[dirkpitt45]

For the HD, would
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6402AAEX 640GB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
be a better choice for only 5$ more for the higher Cache and Sata speed? Or is there a reason that it wouldn't be better?

I'd say go for it, if you pick a motherboard with SATA 6gb/s. Might as well take advantage of it, and its only $10 more then the standard 640gbs.

 

[Graham]

I doubt the 6 GB/s will be slower ... so my vote is for that too