Need help with components and Budget

I mostly use my computer to play World of Warcraft, FPS, and some strategy games (SC2). I would like to spend about $2500 on a system, but can go up to about $3000. This is the spec I have been coming up with. I am having trouble deciding against ATI v.s. Nvidia Cards, and motherboard. I also always seem to find my computer to be in a dusty environment, so any tips to avoid getting that dust into the computer? Thanks for any and all help.

no on pretty much every count, have a look at the guide linked in my signature, and heres a good place for you to get started as far as a build in your budget

I would be gaming at 1680x1050. Any difference between the motherboard you selected versus the asus sabertooth? Also the cooling you selected doesn't look like it will work on the motherboard selected?

Thanks for all you help.

I really don't want to upgrade my monitor right now. However, what video card would you recommend? and would you be willing to post a build for me to consider? I greatly appreciate the help.

Whoops! Missed the link, thanks very much! 

for wow a 460 could do it, but he said FPS and RTS also, plus its clearly a gaming rig, so gaming power takes first place

true the d14 would beat any asetek cooler, but so does the u12p, and for 2/3 the money it will already keep you covered up to 4ghz, so dropping more money on CPU cooling when you are already over practical limits seems to me like throwing money off a cliff

Ender you forget who you talking to? I know crysis is badly coded but still you need lot of gpu and cpu power to run it at highest setting with some aa, so it needs power so its power hungry, be it that its coded that way or just coded horribly and needs that much power, no matter what games like crysis are power hungry.

The problem is not with my type of thinking the problem is yours:

I come and tell you that I need a race car, and without asking me what kind of a race or track you want to build me a race car. That is wrong.

You are playing with people's good money, I build a system that gives him what he needs, then later he can add to it, this way he does not waste money.

the problem with your build is that you want to spend my money on parts I don't need, ask me to spend more oney on monitor so I can keep up with the waste parts you have picked for me so that it won't be waste.

a 570 or 5820 on his rig will give him what he needs for his games and lot more plus, room to grow to have more if he needs it, instead of wasting his money now on things he does not need.

the other problem with your argument is that, lets say all he needs is one 460 right now, with your config he has to pay full price for another 460 instead of paying less for it down the line when he needs it.

last you are playing god,

anyone dropping over $1800ish needs to upgrade if they are still using a 1650x monitor, another reason not to build around it

, says who? you? you got the money for it?

its up to people what they want to spend what they should upgrade, to build an overkill for somebody and then telling them they should upgrade is completely wrong and has nothing to do with what OP asked for.



AS for needs, if one 570 gives him 60 fps in games he mentioned and many more then his gpu needs are met.

80GB ssd because that is what he asked for and its in his budget and will make a good difference in operations, and blow away that old arse 16MB 500GB drive you game him.

D14 beats asetek, u12 does not, it will match.

in short, my system has faster drive, more room, no sli bugs to deal with, better cpu temp, but most importantly I didn't waste any of the OP's money, every part on my config is used, I can't say the same about your dual sli 460.

You forget who was doing configs before you came along?

try not to impose what you think the users needed in the future and put that in the system now, instead give them what they need now and room to grow later.


Ender you doing great helping people and that is very kind of you but please keep consideration that most people don't have money to throw away right now, and if gpu is all they need now then give them that and a psu that can handle another gpu too so that if they need more power in the future for bigger monitor they can just payless and drop a second gpu in there.

@MagiK, so if you are a nascar racer, I should build a an F1 and tell you to upgrade your driving and races, or should I asked you want you want the race car for and then build one for your specification, with room to grow and be faster should you need it to? I agree big needs need to be taken care of, but not overkill or waste. IF all you need is 1 460 right now, why pay full price for 2? get the one you need now and then lests say next year you need more gpu power, well the second 460 in one year is gonna cost you lot less then it will now, so why pay more for the second one now when you don't need it?

Edited by DST4ME - 09 Dec 2010 at 5:06pm

this is rediculous, im not going to say much more than i already did:

Edited by !ender_ - 09 Dec 2010 at 6:25pm

Yuck. There's a lot I want to comment on but there is just way too much to pick apart and respond to individually.

Overall I would definitely have to go with Ender on this. I would like to be able to go with DST4ME's line of thinking, I really do, I held onto that kind of thinking for a long time, but it just does not work out in the end.

For a gaming rig get the most video power you can comfortably fit into your budget, then work around that, extras last.

@DST4ME, a couple of answers to a couple of your questions.

1 card that didnt drop in price before starting to disappear.  GTX 480

2. Why not add more yourself later.  Reason #1  it will not be covered by your DSO warranty.

@ALL
Honestly I can see where everyone is coming from but lets not start attacking each other.  Ego is a bad thing to swing around.  I can accept others have differing opinions on various matters.  Can we not just state our own opinions, discuss options and leave the personal ego thing out of it?  Just because someone disagrees with you doesnt mean they actually mean you are a moron or don't know what you are talking about....well unless they come out and say such things which just lowers them in the eyes of the ones reading their posts.

Theres no reason to make this stuff personal.  Just my opinion.


Edited by MagiK - 09 Dec 2010 at 6:51pm

If all that will ever be played is WoW and SC2 a single 570 would be all he does need, however It is hard for me to imagine some one being that.....focused  
err Obsessed?


Edited by MagiK - 09 Dec 2010 at 7:26pm