Which Future Proof Gaming Build Should I Get?

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Zoltron_Laser

Zoltron_Laser

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Dec 14, 2012
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There are 2 builds I am considering, and I am trying to get a future proof gaming system here. The main differences in my 2 builds are cost and screen resolution.

For Build 1 I have a $2700ish system that should play current games on a 27-inch screen at 2560x1440 on max settings with 2 GTX 770 cards in SLI.

For Build 2 I have a much cheaper $2000ish system that would hopefully play current games on a 24-inch screen at 1920x1200 on max settings with a single GTX 770.

Assuming cost is not the issue, my main concerns here are possibly overheating in the SLI system and the cheaper system not being able to run games at max settings in the 1920x1200 resolution. Has anyone else here done an SLI system with GTX 680s or something similar that would put out roughly the same amount of heat? Did you have issues keeping your system cool? Did it cause problems for your computer? Do I need to do some sort of special cooling for 2 video cards in SLI? And would my cheaper system be able to handle current and future games at max settings?

Also, I plan to buy my system from NCIX. Now, I read somewhere in these forums that NCIX will price match other retailers if you call them on the phone, and I also read that NCIX will actually build your system for you, for a fee ($50 was the quoted amount), if you buy all your parts from them. Are those claims true, or am I dreaming?

Here are my builds:

Build 1:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($349.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U9B SE2 37.9 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus H87-PLUS ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($112.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($159.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: BitFenix Shinobi ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG BH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($68.65 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($129.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Asus PB278Q 27.0" Monitor ($599.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $2641.02
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-04 18:59 EDT-0400)

Build 2:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U9B SE2 37.9 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus H87-PLUS ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($159.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: BitFenix Shinobi ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG BH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($68.65 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($129.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Dell U2412M 60Hz 24.0" Monitor ($275.00 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Samsung S24A450BW-1 24.0" Monitor ($289.99 @ Mac Mall)
Total: $1962.52
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-04 19:29 EDT-0400)

Thanks in advance for your feedback, and don't forget to vote in the poll! :)
 
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Zoltron_Laser

Zoltron_Laser

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Dec 14, 2012
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Cool, I was leaning towards the more expensive build. I did not know that video cards lasted longer in SLI. That's great! I was expecting the opposite to be true.

The reason I would like the i7 is simply because I've seen things say that your performance is slightly better in games with them. I believe that outside of games my computer will multi-task faster with the 8 threads instead of 4. But yes, once a game has loaded I realize that the 8 threads won't help me a noticeable amount. I'm really just hoping that games load faster with the i7 when I first boot them up.

Also, I picked the i7 for that build because I was just like, "What the heck, I'm already spending a ton on this build, might as well get the whole kit-and-kaboodle!"

Maybe I'll drop it down to the i5 and save $100, but I'll probably not make that decision until I'm placing the order.
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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Both of those builds are completely wrong. You can't pair a K version of an Intel CPU with an H87 motherboard because you can't overclock, which defeats the purpose of an unlocked processor. Second, in no way, shape, or form does buying an i7 make a build future proof. It's impossible to future proof a build no matter if you've got $500 or unlimited funding for a build. You don't need Windows 7 Pro unless you're using more than 16GB of RAM or you need the extra NIC functions.

Here is what I would suggest:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($249.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vector Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($128.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($415.66 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($415.66 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($121.97 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk III 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1901.20
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-04 20:47 EDT-0400)
 
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Zoltron_Laser

Zoltron_Laser

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Thanks, I didn't know that I couldn't overclock with the motherboard I had. I would actually consider not overclocking and dropping the K version. What do you think about that? How big and noticeable is the gain from overclocking the CPU anyway? I ask because practically everyone tells you to drop down from the i7 K versions to the i5 K versions for gaming. So what would just dropping out of the K league do anyway?

Yeah, I know it won't be completely future proof. I just want it to be "future resistant" and last me a good 5-6 years. I wanted 7 pro because I wanted more than 16GB of RAM, when you consider the video cards in SLI are 4 plus 16 from the actual RAM, that's 20 GB. I wanted the extra RAM (16 instead of 8), again - to be future resistant.
 
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Zoltron_Laser

Zoltron_Laser

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Hmmm...I guess they changed that from the older versions of Windows. That's good to know. I remember back when there was the 4GB limit on Windows XP, and that counted against VRAM as well. But I suppose that was a 32-bit limitation and not a Windows one?

In this case I hate how they just artificially restrict your RAM to 16GB in the home edition. But then, M$ has always been good at making decisions to nickel and dime and piss their customers off.
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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1. Yeah you could do that and go with an i5-4430 and a H87 motherboard and save some money there, but if you're paying $2K for a rig you should definitely try to overclock. It's not really that hard - set your multiplier to one level and your voltage to another, done.

2. RAM and VRAM are separate entities, they don't work together. The only exception is on the AMD APU or if you're using the onboard video. Only then are the RAM and VRAM shared.
 
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Zoltron_Laser

Zoltron_Laser

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I'm kind of afraid to overclock. I've never built my own system before, much less overclocked it. I think I should do some research on that, and if I think it is safe for the life of the CPU, then I'll get a K version and overclock it a little bit.

I've been tweaking my build. I'm not quite done tweaking it, but when I am...I'll post my changes to it up for review before I make any purchases.
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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Well I kind of take a different approach to overclocking than most of the regulars here do - and that's if you're unsure about it, don't do it. So to save time and hassle go with an i5-4430 and an H87 motherboard.
 
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Zoltron_Laser

Zoltron_Laser

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So just for fun I went to CyberPowerPC to build a system very similar to what I would get for myself to build, and see how much it would cost me.

CAS: Raidmax Viper Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ 1x USB 3.0 Port & Side Window Panel (Black Color)
CD: LG 14X Internal Blu-ray Burner, BD-RE, DVD+RW, 3D Playback Combo Drive (Black Color)
COOLANT: Standard Coolant
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-4770K 3.50 GHz 8MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1150 (All Venom OC Certified)
CS_FAN: Default case fans
FAN: * CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo Gaming Cooling Fan
FLASHMEDIA: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)
FREEBIE_VC: Free Metro: Last Light Coupon
HDD: 256GB ADATA SP900 SATA-III 6.0Gb/s - 555 MB/s Read & 530 MB/s Write (Single Drive)
HDD2: 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 7200 RPM HDD (Single Drive)
IUSB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
MEMORY: 16GB (8GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (G.SKILL Ripjaws X)
MOTHERBOARD: [CrossFireX/SLI] ASRock Z87 Extreme4 Intel Z87 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ IRST, 7.1 HD Audio, Display Port, 3x Gen3 PCIe x16, 2 PCIe x1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)
NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
OS: Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional (64-bit Edition)
POWERSUPPLY: 750 Watts - LEPA G750-MAS 80 Plus Gold Certified Modular Power Supply
SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
TUNING: Intel® Core™ i7-4770K Performance Tuning Protection Plan by Intel
OVERCLOCK: Extreme OC (Extreme Overclock 20% or more)
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 2GB 16X PCIe 3.0 Video Card (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
VIDEO2: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 2GB 16X PCIe 3.0 Video Card (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
PRICE: $2280

I didn't think that having a place build it for me would be competitive, but it really is. I mean, if I built it myself then it would cost me $144.62 less right now. I would be willing to pay that much for them to overclock it and build it for me. So it seems like a good deal. What do you guys think? Good idea or bad idea for that price?
 
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bdiddytampa

bdiddytampa

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Manufacturers are way more competitive in price nowadays than they used to be, perks of buying parts in bulk :p I like to build my own computer for sheer fun of it, I enjoy putting it all together and routing the wires and troubleshooting problems, I really do lol. What some people would see as a headache I see as a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. The good thing in your position when buying a complete system like that is customer support. Not sure if I've heard anything about how Cyberpower's CS is, but having them put it all together, overclock and test, and load the software on for you, means you will get a PC in the mail that should be ready to just plug in and play (pretty much). You might get some bloatware preinstalled, but nothing that will overshadow your experience. If putting things together yourself, and figuring out potential problems yourself doesn't sound like an appealing prospect, then I'd say go for it.
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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Stay very very very far away from Raidmax. They are a truly awful brand that produces a lot of garbage products. I can't believe Cyberpower would resell their junk.
 
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Zoltron_Laser

Zoltron_Laser

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So here is what I ended up ordering. I think it's a pretty good deal. I researched pretty much every part. Only one I'm not sure about is the power supply. Hope it's a good one. I figured gold plus rating should be solid, but I dunno about EVGA when it comes to power supplies.

I also felt it was well worth paying NCIX to build the system for me, after the cost reductions through price matching, the build cost of $50.51 was basically free (and they were able to price match every part that they didn't have the lowest price on for me). They only wouldn't match Amazon's price, which was only the lowest by a few cents on the Caviar Blue HDD. And for the NewEgg price matches, they add 2% because NewEgg apparently charges 2% to your cost when you use a credit card.

The only thing I still need to order is a 2560x1440 monitor, and I plan to get the Asus PB278Q 27.0" monitor. But I'm watching the price of it and hoping for it to dip below $570 before I go ahead and make the purchase.

I went with the 4670K because I got an awesome deal on it for just under $200, so I guess I'll try to see what I can overclock it to when the system gets here. Yay for new adventures! Anybody got overclocking tips?

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U9B SE2 37.9 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($159.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($126.98 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($214.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($65.21 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: BitFenix Shinobi ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($116.66 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($129.97 @ Outlet PC)
PC Assembly and Testing: With 1 Year Limited NCIX System Warranty PRE-CONFIG WIN. OS If Purchased
Note: PC Assembly & Testing does not include servers and requires an additional 4-5 business days to ship once all parts are in stock. NCIX will install aftermarket heatsinks or pre-filled CPU liquid coolers. 1 Year Limited Warranty on installed system parts. ($50.51 @ NCIX US)
Shipping Insurance: with 30 Days Express RMA (3.00%) ($60.33 @ NCIX US)
Total: $2,071.44
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-12 23:07 EDT-0400)
 
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