XrayMan

Simba123

ok, so narrowing down your spec list (2600k & 3gb 580)

MB: Evga P67 FTW m/b                 $ 280  or $ 250  (240 after mir)
Graphics: Evga 3gb 580 classified  $600
RAM: Gskill Ripjaws 2x4mb $52 or $104 for 16mb (Which you don't need for gaming) I picked these cause the coloring goes with the motherboard, and they are a good set of ram.
CPU: i72600k $315 at newegg or $280 at microcenter (pickup only)
PSU: Corsair AX1200 professional $280
DVD: Asus cd/dvd burner $21
<edit> CPU cooler: [link=../products/moreInfo.asp?pn=M020-00-000234&family=Peripherals&sw=22]Evga cooler [/link]$55 or better CM Hyper 212+ $27
You are at $1500 minimum and $1655 max before case and delivery.

Start buttering up the missus for an $100-250 bucks!

I'll drive to Microcenter, and save a little money. Also, I have some Evga bucks to help pay for the video card/ motherboard.
What do you think about this Ram?:> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231431

 
 
waste of money. you'll never notice any difference in gaming, or anything else for that matter; apart from benching.
 
Cases are as expensive as you want them to be. by limiting yourself to a top-mounted PSU, you eliminate 90% of the available cases.
You can get a decent one for $130 odd, or you can spend a grand.
 
 

maniacvvv

kram36

This gets you the GTX 590 you've always wanted, but slightly over your budget at $1,667.62 after EVGA $15 MIR.  Just keep your Sony drive if you're not having issues with it.

EVGA 03G-P3-1596-AR GeForce GTX 590 (Fermi) Classified

http://www.newegg.com/Pro...x?Item=N82E16814130693

EVGA P67 SLI 130-SB-E675-KR LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Pro...x?Item=N82E16813188073

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost)

http://www.newegg.com/Pro...x?Item=N82E16819115072

CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

http://www.newegg.com/Pro...x?Item=N82E16820233144

CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX1200 (CMPSU-1200AX) 1200W

http://www.newegg.com/Pro...x?Item=N82E16817139014

COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1

http://www.newegg.com/Pro...x?Item=N82E16811119225

I am going to go with Kram36's build, but with a few changes...

First off, lose the 590 (I'll explain later) thats + $750
 
I would add in http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823239015 for $100
 
Thats $650 left for a videocard
 
Then DO NOT BUY a Videocard, keep your 560 and either let your wife use the card she has now -or- you can PM me and I'll send you a good one for her at no charge
 
 
Use the $1500 she will allow (in cash) and save your EVGA bucks to put on top of the $650...
 
This means your up with the new system and a 560... with $650 and your EVGA bucks
Then -wait- till after Christmas and see what price drops Kepler will bring for either one of topend Kep -or- dual 580's at a big savings over todays prices

@Maniacvvv,
 
First of all, I don't need a new keyboard just yet. Not sure where that came from! LOL! Also, I want this 560 upgraded. Not saying its a bad card, but I just want a better one. Either the 580 or 590. I'm still up in the air on that, because the heat issues keep coming to mind when I think of 590. I will most likely sli later on.

XrayMan

Drerex

IMHO, I would wait and get a X79 board. 

I would need more info on that board. I'm sure I could wait if I need to, just need to be some justification for waiting. What are the differences between the P67 and the X79¿ Things like that! Would I be happy and content with the P67¿

 
X79=that remains to be seen.
pricing forecast would be around 1K for cpu/mobo/mem alone
 
 
 
 

boredgunner

Actually simba, most cheap/basic cases still have top mounted PSUs.  Especially the ones with the low profile expansion slots.  Clearly those won't be enough for him though.  

You can still get an Ultra case for $20.  Lian-Li was always pricey.  

well you could, but you wouldn't be able to fit an EATX board into it, let alone a decent cooler, or have any form of cable management slots etc.
 
I have no idea how much that PSU weighs(and the corsair site doesn't tell you), but if it's under 6 kilos I'd be surprised. There's no way I'd want that on the top of a full tower. You'd just have to bump it and the thing would fall over, unless you get a case with those fold out legs that stabilize it.
 
Personally I think the bottom is the best place for a PSU. stick a filter on it, have it suck cool air from under the case so it doesn't screw your airflow and take air away from the graphics card/s plus the weight on the bottom keeps the unit stable.
 
Only time I would recommend it is if the case is going to be stuck on a shag pile carpet or the client has some very furry animals. 
You can get magnetic filters that are easy to remove/clean/replace now as well (I have a kit for my rig and it's great)
 
Each to there own though, it's his choice.
 

I would highly suggest getting the GTX 580 classified for your video card.
 
Also, I know you want a 1200w PSU, but there is no way your system with a i7 2600K set-up will even need more than about 450w with a single card set-up.
 
Source:
http://www.guru3d.com/article/evga-geforce-gtx-580-classified-review/6 
 
They are still using that i7 975 @ 1.35v (A lot more power than a i7 2600K requires)
 
That GTX 580 classified would have you covered on ANY game @ 1080p.
 
With that, you could use the Kingwin LZP-550 (That can even run 2 GTX 560Ti's in SLI without a problem.)
 
You probably won't want to go this route, but figured i'd toss that out there.

XrayMan

RainStryke

I would highly suggest getting the GTX 580 classified for your video card.

I was just reading about that card after reading your post. The specs on that card are awesome. The only con with that card is that there is no HDMI connection on the card. I don't understand why that was left out.

 
that's the card I included in the system I posted- well the 3gb version.  pretty sure it comes with a DVI-HDMI converter, if not, just buy one for 10 bucks at microcenter.
 
Cases are an individual thing, if you do go purchase the AX1200, remember it is a bit longer than a standard PSU, which may make life difficult mounting it in a top position - something to keep in mind.
 

Simba123

boredgunner

Actually simba, most cheap/basic cases still have top mounted PSUs.  Especially the ones with the low profile expansion slots.  Clearly those won't be enough for him though.  

You can still get an Ultra case for $20.  Lian-Li was always pricey.  

well you could, but you wouldn't be able to fit an EATX board into it, let alone a decent cooler, or have any form of cable management slots etc.

I have no idea how much that PSU weighs(and the corsair site doesn't tell you), but if it's under 6 kilos I'd be surprised. There's no way I'd want that on the top of a full tower. You'd just have to bump it and the thing would fall over, unless you get a case with those fold out legs that stabilize it.

Personally I think the bottom is the best place for a PSU. stick a filter on it, have it suck cool air from under the case so it doesn't screw your airflow and take air away from the graphics card/s plus the weight on the bottom keeps the unit stable.

Only time I would recommend it is if the case is going to be stuck on a shag pile carpet or the client has some very furry animals. 
You can get magnetic filters that are easy to remove/clean/replace now as well (I have a kit for my rig and it's great)

Each to there own though, it's his choice.

 
The bolded part is false.  I have a top mounted PSU in my CM ATCS 840, which is roughly the same size as the PC-A70F/PC-A71F.  I have a Megahalems with a 25mm shroud and 120mm x 38mm fan on it, and I'd be able to fit push/pull if I didn't have a tall GPU VRM cooler.  No cable management holes are blocked.  Look at my mods rigs for cable management.  No wires sticking out really, everything is routed.  I'd be able to fit an E-ATX board easily, since it's just wider than ATX.  
 

 
My case also comes with a metal bar that goes under the PSU (in the top mount) for added support.  I would assume that the Lian-Lis come with something like this.  You're right about the PSU having better airflow on the bottom, if the case's feet are not too short and there is a vent on the bottom.  However, for air cooling, top mounted PSU wins in my book so that we can have extra bottom intake fans, blowing air straight to our GPU(s).   I make sure that I buy a PSU that can handle some heat.  

 
 Just wanted to thank everyone for your great comments, and insight, in building a new rig. There is just one last thing that I need more help on, and that's the Ram. I know I want the maximum 16gb to go in a Motherboard. I want very good Ram, not just mediocre Ram. I want the, how do I say this? I want Ram that is high quality, and very fast. Like the Corsair Dominators were in their day. I hope you guys know what I'm trying to say!

XrayMan

STEVEBABCOCK2002

Evga  580 - 3gig         ( because a 1.5 gig minimum has been fast approaching on video cards lately, even on single monitors )

I think your the only one so far who thinks that the 3gb card would be better with only one monitor.         ;)

Considering BF3 has makes my 580 1.5's vram max out. im with steve on this... 

if you want to tinker try these
http://www.mushkin.com/Memory/Redline/996997.aspx
or just run them at what simba suggested at 1866 instead of 2133
120.00 at the Egg ,heat-sinks are great i have a 996982 set with same heat-sinks

  
                                           Which case would be better? 
  
                       COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP :>
 
      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160 
 
                                                         OR
  
                                 COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 :>
 
      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119225

 
  There's a Haf and a Haf X. What does the "X" mean?  Difference?
 
  I was also looking at the Corsair Obsidian Series 800D. What do you think of that case?
 
  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139001&Tpk=Corsair%20Obsidian%20800D

800D has virtually no airflow, and despite the size, you'd need to de-rivet the bottom HDD cage and make ventilation in order to use a second radiator internally (larger than 120mm/140mm) in conjunction with a top 360mm radiator.  The Obsidian series seem completely worthless to me.  They're pricey and still made of sheet metal (save the aluminum faceplate) with plastic tool free locks, plus it lacks the things I mentioned above.

Uh oh, I forgot to answer your other question.  Comparing the HAF 932 and HAF-X, the X adds two hot swap bays, dust filters (behind 5.25" drive bay covers, behind front fan vent, on side fan vent, and on the top), 200mm side fan instead of 230mm (although blade length and performance is identical), a side duct for the 200mm fan, USB 3.0 support, a VGA support bracket, GPU air duct (HAF 932 Advanced has this), and a little box to hide PSU cables.
 
It might also be worth asking if they get the Storm Trooper in stock.  

Blizzie

SR2 is not worth it for a gaming rig for your purposes.

X58 is outdated and surpassed by Sandy Bridge. P55 was a good choice before, but for your budget it has no place.

It's sad that my X58 is outdated!