Help with Gaming/Work build (first timer)

[MelvilleGF]

Howdy all.

I've been a mac user for awhile now, but am sort of bored and disappointed with their products as of late. Also, I like to tinker and... Battlefield 3 is coming out

I need a desktop for work (Freelancer) and want to just combine the two. I've read a lot on here and around the web and this is the set up I have in mind.

• Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K
• GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3P LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
• Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT51264BA160A
• MSI N460GTX CYCLONE 1GD5/OC GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
• Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
• CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible ...
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32-bit - OEM

notes: I'd play Battlfield at 1680x1050 (maybe 1920x1080)... from what i read opinion is that the GTX460 *probably* will have the balls to power max or near max at 1680x1050... yeah?


And my second question: I am heading to US in August to visit family. I would like to order all of these parts and bring them back with me to Chile where I'll get a case to put it all into and a DVD drive. I am a little concerned with DOA parts... so should I get a friend to help me put it all together in one of his cases in the USA and test it? then take it apart and bring it the carry on? Or just leave them in boxes for safe travel and risk the chance something is DOA when i get to chile.. the powersource and motherboard are my biggest concerns (heavy and expensive to ship back from S America :P).

Im not sure how common the DOA is... but reading on new egg has me paranoid

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to make a suggestion!

My budget is about what I have here... I'm not a crazy gamer, but I love Battlefield and FIFA (which doesn't require much).

Thanks!

[MelvilleGF]

As usual I totally missed a great thread here thats on first page... $800 Gaming PC Help

This would be perfect I think, right? I dont care about AMD/Intel (prefer AMD actually).

I'm not sure if this build can have crossfire, though, if I want to bump up graphics power someday?

[Nuclear Krusader]

It's always a gamble to buy stuff abroad. If there's a part that's a dud, sending it back it's going to cost you dearly, unless the brand has representation in your country. Are these brands you've selected your components from available in Chile?

[MelvilleGF]

Yes all of them are actually, and I can buy all of that stuff here its just more expensive (and even more so with the dollar tanking).

I'm going to investigate if they'll respond to warranty for product purchased in USA...

[Nuclear Krusader]

I'm assuming they should; unless they don't carry the models you're intending to purchase. If Asus is available in Chile, I'd recommend an Asus mobo over the Gigabyte. Likewise for the video card. And please note that the 470 has now been replaced by the 570.