$1500 Gaming Rig, Opinions welcome

That's actually a very solid build!

Couple small things -

Same HDD for $20 less here

Option for a different SSD here

Other than that everything looks good.

Everything looks pretty decent, but if it were my rig I would make the following changes:

1) Replace the Mushkin SSD with a Samsung 830 or 840 PRO model. The Samsungs are the absolute pinnacle of price vs reliability vs performance in today's SSD market. You should also be able to find them at a better price than $100. I frequently see the 128gb model at around $70 or $80 on Newegg or other big eTailers. I guess you should see what goes on sale over Black Friday weekend and then decide then, in case some magic deal pops up.

2) If you want to save a few $$$, the H100 is a bit overkill. An H80 would serve you just as well, but I can totally understand wanting the best, especially if its only like $20 more.

3) I don't by any means want to start an AMD vs nVidia war, but I think a 7950 would serve you better than a 660. you can even find 7970's for $330 bundled with some games (check the online deals section of the forum).

4) Maybe you need a sound card for some reason that I'm unaware of, but your motherboard has onboard sound processing, so you don't need that by any means.

5) I'm really not a fan of razer mice. In my experience, they break quickly, and I hate the feel of them, so make sure you go to a best buy or some other store with a nice display of mice and find something that feels nice. A mouse is (in my opinion) the most important thing to "try before you buy".

Those are all just nitpicks. Your original selections were perfectly valid, so don't change anything on my account. You just might want to consider some of these possibilities.

Welcome to OCN!

I agree with everything Alcal said. Definitely consider the 7950. You'll get MUCH more performance for the same money. I know many people like to hate Razer, but I've got a few of their products and haven't had any problems. Maybe I just have been lucky. And keep an eye out for SSD deals. They pop up all the time.

If he wants to have good sound on his system he should definitely get a sound card.
By the way you should think about getting the Asus Xonar DX card since it has a PCI express connector, and some motherboards are dropping the PCI slots.

130 for a keyboard, get a filco or duckey. The Mushkin SSD is good, but overpriced, try getting a Samsung 830 or the new 840. I like everything else.

Yea u dont want a PCI card, get a PCI-E.

Switch the Mushkin out for a Samsung 830 SSD, and take a look at a more inexpensive cooler offering similar performance like the Noctua D14. Skip the Corsair K90 and buy a DAS Professional silent (MX Browns) or Logitech G710, the prices are similar but the quality is higher. The Corsair isn't even completely mechanical, they cut corners and cost by using rubber domes for some of the keys. Get rid of that Seagate Barracuda and buy the WD Caviar Red 2TB that's on sale for $109 right now at Newegg, it's faster and has twice the storage.

Take the $50 saved from those component swaps and upgrade the Xonar DG to a Xonar DSX (for speakers) or DGX (for headphones), PCI-E is the new standard and more future proof. PCI may very well be dead in 2 years when you upgrade your motherboard.

The GTX660Ti is $50 more expensive than the 7950, a card that will easily outperforms it. Buy a 7950, have better performance for $50 less, and spend that $50 in the Steam store to get your game collection started.

That's what I'd do, don't take anything personally, your choices weren't bad, I'm just trying to help you maximize value out of your hard earned cash.
Edited by Wattser93 - 11/11/12 at 4:15pm

Looks like a good build, but I'd change a few things.

 

1) Get this HDD instead (WD10EZEK), it's $5 cheaper, faster, quieter, and it isn't a Seagate. :P Here's a review: http://www.overclock.net/t/1297633/wd10ezex-review-wd-blue-1tb-single-platter-drive

 

2) Get the Samsung low voltage memory (MV-3V4G3D/US). It's cheaper and overclocks like a beast. Look at this thread: http://www.overclock.net/t/1210482/samsung-2x4gb-low-voltage-ddr3-1600-kit-ocing-to-2400-discussion

 

3) I'd choose a different SSD. I'd go for the Plextor M5S, Samsung 830, or Samsung 840. The Mushkin is a good drive, but I'd pick something else.

 

4) I'd go for a cheaper case, but that's just me. Fractal Designs and Silverstone both make nice cases.

 

5) If you're using cheap speakers or headphones then stick with integrated sound, but if you have a good setup then an external sound card is worth it.

 

6) I've never owned one, but I hear the Rosewill mechanical keyboards are good and they're $45 cheaper than the K90.

 

7) I'd pick the H80 like alcal said, or a good air cooler like the DH-D14 to save some money. Heck, even a 212 is good, but with your budget I'd get something better.

 

8) You can get the GA-Z77X-UD5H for $25 more. I like Asus more, but Gigabyte is good too.

 

I'm pretty picky so that's just what I think, but it's a good build. :)

Edited by Ecstacy - 11/11/12 at 4:06pm

OP, where are you located? If you live anywhere near a Microcenter, you can get amazing deals on processor+motherboard combos, even better than deals I've seen on Black Friday. They run these promotions all the time, you can check their ads to see which motherboards qualify for discounts when purchased with an Intel processor.

I got an i5-2500K and a Gigabyte Z68 motherboard for $250 before taxes, and I got my brother an i5-3570K and an ASRock Z77 motherboard for $270 before taxes.