Fishhead McKenzie has $1000 to spend on building a new computer (but doesn't know what to buy)

ChemriofChemriof Soviet Scotland
edited August 2012 in Hardware
As my laptop continues to fall apart and the old desktop won't run important tasks (Skyrim). I'm deciding that it is about to sink some hard earned cash into a new desktop. As such, I have right around $1000 USD in my spending account (liquor money), but I know clue what to buy. I've skimmed a few guides, but the most recent I found was late 2011 and I figure if anyone knows their stuff, it's the kindly gentlemen of Icrontic. So friends, commrades, and country men, tell me what to buy.

Notes:
I already have a monitor that I'm happy with for the time being, and I have 3.5 TB in external storage space.

Comments

  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    Let's start with a list of what you have right now. Perhaps some of it can be salvaged.
  • MiracleManSMiracleManS Chambersburg, PA Icrontian
    I've heard mixed reviews about Ivy Bridge, so I'd likely stick with the older stuff for $/performance. I know that for OC the 2500k is great bang for buck. I've heard folks getting it to extreme speeds just on air.

    As far as video card I couldn't be more pleased with my 6850 for a 1 monitor setup, the more monitors the more you're going to want, I think.

    Ram wise, I'd be hard pressed to not recommend 8gb. If you can, I'd get 16gb because yay.
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    Thrax posted some great GPU advice in post #8 of this forum thread.

    I'll second the Sandy Bridge advice. Skip Ivy Bridge CPUs, but go for a Z77 motherboard.
  • ErrorNullTurnipErrorNullTurnip Illinois Icrontian
    I'll vouch for the 7850. It's been working great in a 3x1 eyefinity setup, should be able to handle anything you can throw at it.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Z77 + 2600k + Powercolor PCS+ 7850 (overclock it) + 8 gigs of DDR3-1600. Done!

    I prefer Gigabyte.
    Chemriof
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    Thrax's responses on that linked thread made my day.
  • ChemriofChemriof Soviet Scotland
    I don't really have much that can be used, maybe the disk drive. But thanks for the great advice so far!

  • d3k0yd3k0y Loveland, OH Icrontian
    Heh, remind me to ask for advice here for my next computer build, I am not super savvy when it comes to hardware.
  • ChemriofChemriof Soviet Scotland
    What is the Z77 to get, I see lots of options?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    z77 is the most recent Intel chipset for Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors based on the "Sandy Bridge" or "Ivy Bridge" architectures.

    I highly recommend the Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H.
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    I'll assume for the moment that you are able to re-use your case and OS license.

    CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K $289.99
    Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H $179.99
    GPU: PowerColor PCS+ AX7850 $259.99
    RAM: Crucial Ballistix 8GB DDR3-1600 $43.99
    SSD: OCZ Vertex 4 128GB $89.99
    PSU: OCZ ModXStream 700W $89.99

    Total: $953.94 plus any shipping and before promo codes and rebates. The shipping cost to my zip code is $10.63, which puts you well under the $1000 mark.
    Chemriof
  • ChemriofChemriof Soviet Scotland
    Thanks for all the help! Parts are arriving daily, and I will be posting pictures soon. After a few additional bells and whistles, it came out just a little over 1000 USD.
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    Cool! What did you order?
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