[yakev724]

Here's my 2-week old build (PMd OP yesterday):

Asus Maximus IV Gene-Z/Gen3
Intel i5 2550K
Cooler Master Hyper 212+
8GB G.Skill Sniper DDR3 2133
EVGA GTX 280 SSC
OCZ Vertex 3 120GB SSD
Corsair CX600V2 PSU
Antec Three Hundred
Cougar PWM Fans (7) + 2 PWM Splitters
DVD Drive

I spent around $650, buying the mobo, CPU, and GPU used and at significant discount, the rest on Newegg, also basing my purchases on discounts/rebates (i.e. Vertex 3 was $70). Didn't need any peripherals and using my old 2TB HD for storage.



I HIGHLY recommend the mobo to anyone looking to do a build--2x 6gbps sata, built in creative x-fi sound card, dual PCIe 3.0, full IB support, 2200 DDR3 support, and EXCELLENT BIOS and Windows utils. And it's $150 brand new on newegg. Can't see myself replacing it for 3-4 years. Just needs some PWM splitters if your case has a bunch of fans.

I would recommend the 2500K/2550K over any other CPU atm. The hyperthreading of an i7 has no noticeable effect on gaming performance, and these chips clock phenomenally, typically up to 4.2/4.3 on stock volts. 4.5/4.6 with a slight increase (on air) and as high as 5 (on liquid). Just need a decent cooler, and the 212+ in unbeatable at ~$30.

I cheaped out on the GPU, but will be upgrading to a 570 soon. I really like EVGA's new warranty system (transfers with the card) and clocking utils. I've heard, though, that at some price points, ATI cards are superior.

PSU is a bit cheap; might upgrade in the future but no need for SLI so it satisfies the system.