Karder, this would help you out a bit, but first, a few questions for you first. Do you plan to OC either the CPU, video card, or memory at all? This would actually greatly affect your parts. And would you consider the $750 limit to include rebates?
intel e8500
gigabyte EP45-UD3P
Hightech HD 4870 512MB
corsair 750TX
antec 300
here's why i would choose these parts:
In choosing between a dual core and quad, the most important thing to consider is the application. Quads are good to render images, edit videos, or crunch/fold. Since you said the main purpose of this rig is for gaming, a dual core will suit you best. You won’t see much of an increase in fps from 2 to 4 cores, but you will get a few fps with the higher clocks that a dual core offers with also a lower electricity bill. With that said, I would get an
e8500. Wolfdales run cooler, require less voltages, and clock higher than its 65nm counterpart. This CPU can clock in the 4.5ghz range, but make sure you get the newer E0 stepping, as they don’t require as much vcore and will clock higher than the older stepping.
While p35 is still a good chipset, it’s older technology. Pick a p45 mobo since they can OC a little higher based on fsb. P45 is also the only current mobo that has ICH10R for the south bridge. Even the great x48 only has an ICH9R. p45 also offers dual x8 bandwidth in crossfire as opposed to 16x and 4x in a p35. The newest p45 chipset released is the gigabyte
p45 UD3 series. If you don’t already know, these mobos are infamous for their ability to clock quads over 500 fsb at the very low cost. Most other p45 and even x48 mobos either struggle to get 500+ fsb or can’t do it at all. There’s a few thread on this mobo on other forums if you want specific settings on them.
The video card you picked is a good choice. In this price range, a
HD4870 will outperform a GTX260. Most of these 4870 are based on reference design so just choose the cheapest one and the brand that you think provides the best support.
Most people skimp on the PSU and spend on hardware that only affect performance. Though you won’t directly see a boost in FPS no matter how great the PSU is, it actually indirectly affects how high of clocks you can achieve. With poor PSUs, it’s risky to OC since they can’t provide stable power and could burn out. No matter how great all your hardware is, if it can’t get stable power from the PSU, then it’s pretty much paperweight. A PSU dying out can take down a lot of other hardware with it, and many manufacturers of video cards and mobos do no cover this under their warranty. Most people just look for high wattage output. This is only one of the factors in choosing. The more important thing to look for is amperage on each rail and quality. With that said, I would choose a PSU from corsair, PC P&C, seasonic, and some selected models from OCZ and antec. I wouldn’t even consider anything else, with a few exceptions. The 12v rail should have a minimum of 35a to be considered decent. One other thing is to look for efficiency, as this can really affect your electricity bill in the long run or how much your room gets heated up. Always look for the “80 plus” certified, as this means that they don’t dump as much heat, lower your power draw from the wall, and imply they are made of good quality. All the brands I mentioned fall under this category. Corsair’s
750TX is more than enough power, 80 plus certified, and has a very low fan noise. With all these factors, the price range makes it a winner.
The case is totally based on preference, although you should consider if it cools well, the form factor, and configuration/layout of the internals. The
antec 300 cools well like its big brother antec900, but keeps a smaller form factor for convenience of moving it around or placement. I just thought it’s a good case with a great price for you.
that's a total of $755.21 shipped before rebate, and $695.21 after rebates, with a free 2gb flash drive!
