New build for ~$1,200

A

atrifix

System Usage: Everyday machine used for general usage/movies/surfing/etc., some 24/7 use, cpu-intensive Monte Carlo simulations (similar to Fritz), some gaming (mostly Diablo 3).

Approximate Purchase Date: ASAP

Budget: ~1200 (1000-1500)

Country: USA

Overclocking: Yes

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

CPU - i5-2500k $220
Heatsink - CM Hyper 212 EVO $34
CPU Fan - Scythe Gentle Typhoon $19
Motherboard - BIOSTAR TZ68K+ $100 ($15 MIR
RAM - Samsung 8GB DDR3-1600 $47
GPU - ZOTAC GeForce GT 430 $70 ($30 MIR
HDD - WD Caviar Green 2TB SATA3 $120
Optical - Lite-On 24X $22
SSD - Plextor M3 128GB $130 ($30 MIR
PSU - Antec Earthwatts Green 380W $49
Case - CM HAF 912 $65
Case top fan - CM Megaflow 200 $19
Monitor - Asus 23.6" VH242H $180 ($10 MIR
Speakers - Logitech S-220 2.1 $25
Keyboard/Mouse - Logitech Wireless MK260 $29
OS - Windows 7 $100

Total: $1,229 ($1,144 after MIRs)
 
I'm not sure how happy you're going to be with that GT 430. Any way for you to put more money toward that without changing your proc?
 
Ditch the extra fan and speakers. Put that cash toward a better GPU or more solid PSU. I second with LNCpapa. I do not think the GT 430 will keep you happy for very long.
 
Yeah $40 worth of fans is a bit of a waste, if you put that towards the GPU you can get a 7770 for $110. Other than that your build looks pretty good for the budget.
 
Much better. It should serve you well. But I would swap out the GTX 460 with a HD 6850. The 6850 from what I know performs better and should only be a couple of bucks more (Couple being maybe $10-15)
 
Also, save some money and ditch the Hyper 212 unless 1) you are going to overclock, or 2) you are crazy insane about noise levels. The stock heatsink works just fine. Might even allow you to jump up to a 6870, which will be cooler, quieter, and require less power than the gtx460.
 
I would recommend keeping the heatsink, IMO. its really worth losing the extra heat and noise, just helps your build feel like a really solid one.
 
Correction: I notice now he said he was going to OC in the original post. Go ahead and get the Hyper Evo then, it's a good idea.

If you are willing to hang on for a couple of weeks, you are pretty much guaranteed to see a deal on the 3570k and a (better) mobo, especially if you have a microcenter or frys near you. I've seen no less than three over the last month, usually the cpu for ~220$ and a nice mobo for $50 off. Just a thought. Otherwise, looks pretty good!
 
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