How to: Build a $1000 Core i7 Gaming PC

To complement our recent guide on how to choose parts for a gaming PC, here is a build guide for the $1000 budget gamer. One thousand dollars is generally a common target for those looking for a big bang for their bucks. This build assumes you have a current keyboard mouse and monitor. This build will perform best on resolutions of 1080p or below (1920×1200/1080, 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1280×1024). Newegg was used for all prices (as of April 1, 2009), so cheaper versions of the same or similar parts may be found elsewhere, and prices do not reflect mail-in rebates. Newegg was chosen because we have simply found that they are the easiest place to deal with when buying parts for a new system.

With the recent price drops of Core i7 compatible DDR3 memory, and X58 based motherboards, building a PC based on the latest and greatest processor is surprisingly cheap. This build focuses on gaming, but is well suited for any PC usage scenario.

Motherboard:
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R ATX Intel Motherboard
Price: $199.99

Gigabyte, although not as popular as some other motherboard manufacturers, has a strong tradition of quality, and great support for their products. This board is robust enough for overclocking, and is priced very well. The overclocking options in the BIOS are robust, and the included software allows overclocking from a Windows based UI. While it lacks dual Ethernet, and some features of the higher end boards, it will provide enough features (2 iee 1394 ports, 8 USB ports, on board Realtek HD Audio, and even support for legacy ATA devices) to satisfy nearly anyone. Additionally, the board has a wide selection of on-board connectors for more USB and Firewire.

Processor (CPU)
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem
Price: $279.99

Most reviewers around the Internet just can’t say enough about the new Core i7 from Intel. This processor may not have the pure clock speed of some older Penryn based Core 2 chips, but it will certainly get the job done. While I wouldn’t recommend someone with a current Core 2 system upgrade to a Core i7 unless they are heavily into media encoding, for a new PC there is no reason to choose anything else.

Video Card (GPU)

EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 896MB 896-P3-1255-AR
Price: $199.99

The Core 216 version of the GeForce GTX 260 is an excellent value. The card is priced similarly to the Radeon 4870, but is faster in nearly every benchmark. If you find a cheaper 1GB version of the ATI 4870, that would also be a good performer. The GTX260 Core 216 vs. the 4870 1GB is essentially considered a toss up among reviewers. Check reviews and benchmarks to help decide which one is best for the games you play most often. Each card will work well on current games with high settings up to 1920×1200 resolution, and SLI or CrossFire is always an option if you upgrade to a larger display. I chose the GTX 260 here, because it comes with a free copy of Call of Duty: World at War. Additionally, a $20 mail-in rebate is available.

Memory (RAM)
OCZ DDR3-1333 SDRAM 6GB (3 x 2GB) Model OCZ3X1333LV6GK
Price: $94.99

This memory will certainly get the job done. Six gigabytes of memory with 1333MHz equivalent bandwidth will keep any program running smooth and fast. Prices are getting incredibly low on DDR3 memory, but speed, latency, and voltage are what sets this memory apart from cheaper alternatives. The memory can achieve 1333 speed at 7-7-7-20 timings with just 1.5V (don’t worry if this means nothing to you). This is well ahead of some low-end DDR3 kits, and will provide fast and cool performance with overclocking headroom in the future. OCZ has frequent mail-in rebates, with $20 on this memory currently.

Power Supply (PSU)
Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650W
Price: $99.99

Although traditionally lauded for their memory, Corsair has recently been dominating the power supply market. Their PSU’s are known for providing clean reliable power to your system. This unit will be sufficient for this build, with significant headroom for expansion. The 650W PSU should be able to handle additional hard drives and an extra video card added to this configuration. This product also currently has a $20 mail-in rebate on Newegg.

Case
CoolerMaster Elite 332 ATX Mid tower RC-332-KKN1-GP
Price: $39.99

The case is often a matter of personal preference, but I see too many budget build guides recommending $60, $80, even $100 dollar cases. This CoolerMaster case is simple and well designed. It has tool-less drive and expansion card mounting, along with great airflow from front and rear 120mm fans. I have used the older version of this case (Elite 330) for close to 3 years, and have been perfectly happy.

Hard Drive (HDD)
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS
Price: $59.99

This 500GB 7200RPM SATA-3.0Gb/s, hard drive is one of the first to offer 500GB per platter. With just one platter (the spinning disk inside) in the drive, it will run cool and quiet and consume less power. The increased density from a 500GB platter means the data will travel past the read and write heads at a faster linear velocity; this will provide faster transfer speed and shorter access times, especially on the out tracks of the disk. Partition the disk so that your operating system (OS) and Programs are on the first half, while your documents and other files (music, movies, images) are on the slower second half. This will speed up the OS and application loading performance greatly.

Optical Drive (ODD)
Samsung 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe
Model SH-S223Q
Price: $24.99

Often, the optical drive is overlooked, with people choosing the cheapest one, or worse, the most expensive assuming it will be the best. This Samsung model has been hailed by reviewers as an excellent optical drive. It is compatible with all modern CD and DVD media, and has the option of LightScribe. If you read our PC Components Guide, you will know that LightScribe discs are overpriced and the process is quite slow, so this feature will probably go unused.

Grand total: $999.92

So, there you have it. A very respectable Core i7 based system for $1000.

Mail-in rebates bring the total down, and, personally, rebates through Newegg have always worked for me. I generally forget about rebates until they arrive, at which point I go buy a new game to enjoy.

This build guide is the first of many in a semi-regular series. Check back for more guides in different price sectors, and updates of current one. The next build guide will be sub-$500 PC challenge.

Happy building!