First time PC Build. 1,000-$1,500 budget

[singer.rick]

Hey all! I've been wanting to build my own PC for a looooong time. The budget and time variables are finally aligning, and I am starting to put together a wishlist. I have built the high end of by ideal build that came to around $1,600. I am worried that my eyes are bigger than my needs, however.

I used to be a big PC gamer, but have been working off of the same laptop for the past 6 years, so obviously my PC gaming has taken a big hit. I am also starting to get into photography and photo editing. My priorities will be: Storage, probably some type of raid / backup setup down the line (I will most likely not include additional mechanical drives in my initial build, but want to build with the intention of adding a reduntant HD setup later on). I definitely want an SSD for my boot drive. I also would like to be able to have a decent gaming rig. I don't need to blow away the latest and greatest games, but I would like to be able to comfortably game on this rig for a couple of years.

Some other notes: I definitely want a modular power supply. Also any peripherals not listed here I either have already out will purchase as part of a second round of upgrades arty a later date.

Here is my "high end" build that I put together. I would definitely like to cut this down to as close to $1,000 as possible, as I really just think this build is too much machine for my purposes, and that a lot of this hardware may be a bit of a waste:

• Case:
  Corsair Obsidian Series Black 650D Mid Tower Computer Case
• Processor:Intel Core i7-3770K Quad-Core Processor 3.5 GHz 8 MB Cache
• Motherboard: Gigabyte Intel Z77 LGA 1155 AMD CrossFireX/NVI​DIA SLI
• Vid Card: EVGA GeForce GTX670
• RAM: Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1600 (PC3
• Boot Drive: Samsung 840 PRO 256Gb
• Power Supply: Seasonic x series X650 watt (modular)

Total: Around $1600

A little bit more of a realistic build for me:

• Case:
  Corsair Obsidian Series Black 650D Mid Tower Computer Case
• Processor:Intel Core i7-3770K Quad-Core Processor 3.5 GHz 8 MB Cache
• Motherboard:
  Gigabyte Intel Z77 LGA 1155 AMD CrossFireX/NVI​DIA SLI
• Vid Card:
  Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB DDR5 HDMI / DVI-I / Dual Mini DP with Boost
• RAM:
  Corsair Vengeance 8 GB ( 2 x 4 GB ) DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3 12800)
• Boot Drive: Samsung 840 PRO 256Gb
• Power Supply: Corsair Professional Series HX650 ATX/EPS Modular Power Supply

Total: Around $1300

Again, I am comfortable with purchasing either of these builds, but my main purpose in posting on these boards is for some insight on where I could stand to downgrade some equipment that I may not really need in order to save some cash. As always ANY suggestions / modifications to these builds are more than welcome. This is my first time at this so it is very possible that I have made some stupid decisions here.

Thanks so much for your time everyone!!!

-Rick

[glc]

1. The very first place to save is downgrade the CPU to an i5-3570K or even an i5-3350P.

2. I can't comment on the Gigabyte board because I'm not sure what exact model it is. However, I usually recommend the Asus P8Z77-V LK as being the most board for the money.

3. Stay FAR AWAY from the Ripjaws ram. I prefer the Vengeance, but get the low profile version if you ever want to install an aftermarket CPU cooler.

4. For proven reliability reasons, I recommend an Intel 520 over a Samsung SSD.

5. Don't forget an optical drive.