PC and Mac

Hi all,  
 
I posted this over on GB and the topic died kind of quickly so I thought I would come over here and give it a shot.   
 
 I've been almost strictly Mac for 6 years now but I'm interested again in building a gaming PC. 
 
I will mostly play Starcraft 2, WoW, maybe Civ 5, nothing crazy graphics intensive but I would like to be able to play them all on max settings.
 
Here is what I'm looking to get: 
 
   
 
 
I know I don't have a case on there.  I have one from an old build which is in so-so shape.  I may get a new one, but haven't decided yet.  I just want to get the core decided on. 
 
Over on GB they suggested I replace that video card with the GTX 460.  That's fine, but also nearly $100 more. 
 
So, any suggestions?  I would like to keep it around $700 or so. 
 
Do I NEED the GTX 460 to play the games mentioned above on max with the i5? 
 
EDIT: Make that "advice".  Spelling FTW

@filmfanatic24: No.  That card is plenty powerful for those games.  In fact, if money is an issue, you could also go for a last-gen card like the 4850, which will also be able to max those games without much of a problem.  Personally, I would wait until around November when AMD releases the 6000 series.  5000 series parts will be super-cheap and the new parts should give you more options. 
 
The GTX460 is a much better card, and the price/performance ratio is great, but it is also overkill for the games you plan on playing.

@Forte: Like under $100 cheap?   
 
Money isn't a super issue but for a machine that will only be used for gaming I'm not going to throw down on a SSD or anything like that.

That's all good although I would get the i5 760 it's only slightly more expensive for a sizable boost in power. Other than that i agree with Forte hold off for now and wait there are big CPU/GPU updates on the way, they will push current prices down a good bit.

That's pretty much exactly what I'd build in the $800-900 price range.

Yeah actually I was going to snag a i5-760 from Microcenter, it's on sale for $169.00

A 5770 should be able to max SC2.  I have two in my machine and SC2 runs smoothly at 60+ FPS completely maxed with anti-aliasing and all the bells and whistles.  Can't comment on Civ5 due to it not being out yet.

Looks good from here.  That system should be able to do what you described you wanted.  If it starts to choke, you could just throw in a better video card and should be set, the rest of your components should last a while.

Will i need any crazy cooling for it?  If memory serves (it's not right infront of me) my old case has at least 3 120mm fans.  I don't plan on overclocking much if at all.  

SC2, WoW and Civ5 can run on a souped up toaster.  You'll be fine.

If you can afford it I think the GTX-460 will serve you quite a bit longer than the HD5770 but it's not necessary as was mentioned earlier.
I personally would recommend the Samsumg Spinpoint F3 1TB over the Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB, it's just as fast but runs quieter and cooler. 
Motherboard is good but I'd recommend having a look at reviews for the MSI P55-GD80 and the ASRock P55 EXTREME4 in that price range, better boards in my opinion.
 
EDIT: If you don't intend on a multi-card setup, take a look at going for a cheaper PSU. Something like the Corsair HX-520 will still power everything nicely and save you some extra $$$

My only suggestion would be to get a separate hard drive for the OS, and use the 1 TB as a storage drive.  Either the WD Raptor or an SSD if you can afford it.

I'd probably go with a 4870 over the 5770 unless you have to have direct x 11.

Nah the HD4870 may be slightly faster but it runs hotter, uses more power, doesn't support eyefinity and DX11. I know cause I love mine but if I was offered the choice I'd go for the HD5770 hands down unless on a tight budget.

Does the company making the card matter? 
 
Like for the HD5770 there is Gigabyte, Asus, etc.

@filmfanatic24 said:

" Does the company making the card matter?  Like for the HD5770 there is Gigabyte, Asus, etc. "

Not particularly unless you are going to buy a pre-overclocked card.  Otherwise they'll all perform identical, though some may have different cooling systems.  Some cards may have better warrantees than others so that may be a factor to consider.

@filmfanatic24 said:

" Does the company making the card matter?  Like for the HD5770 there is Gigabyte, Asus, etc. "

Mostly, that choice is about the warranty.  Though those have become pretty standard these days.  Past that, it comes down to the factory overclock and such.  And accessories in box.

You can save more loot if you go AMD w/ an AM3 board. 
You could also get a Corsair 750w PSU on Newegg.com for $110, the 650w is $89.99 w/ a mail in rebate to make it $59.99 as well. 
 
Might regret the 5770, save money elsewhere and spend more on the video card. 
I have the 5870 and it runs SC2 around 50fps w/ max settings. 
5850 is the lowest I'd go but a buddy of mine got one and sold it to get the 5870. 
 
Just so ya know!