Need Help, Gaming PC Build Less than $3000 (Need Monitor as well)

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nisiandrew

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Jun 11, 2013
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Hi all, first of all let me say that i know many of you will laugh at me for spending so much money on a gaming computer when i have so little experience. The truth is i haven't built a computer in the last 10 years but i would like to get back into pc gaming, however i have not kept up with the industry and only recently started doing research. I plan on purchasing and putting together the computer sometime around september-october and have around $3000.00 to spend (Also need to purchase a new monitor). Frankly I feel lost and could use advice in every department, psu, case, gpu, cpu, motherboard ect ect.... I have a few preferences, mainly i would prefer intel (specifically a 6 core to help future proof), Nvidia graphics, also a 1200p or 1440p monitor would be amazing but i doubt i could afford one, so a perhaps a 1080 120hz monitor at 27''+ would be best?? Besides these preferences i have no idea what to get. I've looked at nvidia cards and would enjoy a titan (who wouldn't?!) but they seem astronomically high so maybe a 780 that i could later sli?? However i have heard that running in sli is not perfect and there are many problems with it especially with games not optimized for sli (which is why i'd love a titan lol). I'd like to be able to run most games at maximum with 60+fps and make it as future proof and easily upgradeable as possible. My final concern is heat, I'd prefer a full size case that gives me the best possible heat dissipation so if i decide to go SLI in the future overheating wouldn't be such a worry. I'm open to suggestions and if my preferences just seem out of sight please say so i could use all the help i can get.

As a side note i've looked at sites such as www.ibuypower.com and their signature EREBUS Xl with the custom water cooling looks amazing but i don't have $4000.00, just wondering what your thoughts are on the site and the water-cooling setup.

I know this is a long post and some of my questions are most likely stupid and idiotic but i thank you for reading it and offering your suggestions.
 
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dannyboy2233

dannyboy2233

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May 24, 2013
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First off, MONITOR: Dell U2713HM, one of the best monitors there is. Period. - $700
CPU: i7 4770k- $350
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z87X UD3H- $180
GPU: Dual MSI Lightning 770's- $900
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LP @ 1600 MHz- $130
PSU: Corsair HX850- $160
Cooler: Corsair H100- $100
HDD: Any 2 TB, 7200 RPM, 64 MB cache HDD- $100
SSD: 240 GB Samsung 840 Pro Series- $240
Case: Corsair Obsidian 800D- $250
Total: $2,400 for the computer, $700 for the monitor, $3,050 for the whole thing. This build will DESTROY anything you throw at it, and the monitor is simply spectacular.
 
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Munchbot

Munchbot

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May 24, 2013
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I agree. I have the u2713hm, it's an extreme definition monitor at 2560 by 1440, it's simply amazing. I agree with dannyboy on the processor, even though it's not a six-core, for gaming it will be all you need and more. I have an HX power supply, the cables look great, the PSU being mostly modular is great, and the specs and stability are great as well. (It even comes in a fake velvet bag! :p) Overall, great recommended build. :)
 
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TheBigTroll

TheBigTroll

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Apr 15, 2012
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id rather get the pb278q for a 1440p panel instead. its 600 and the stand is built to last even though its mostly plastic

as for the rig, id get this
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/15AEL

-the i7 wont help you in games. by the time it does, you are running at medium settings anyways and are due for a upgrade
-liquid cooling wont be necessary for the most part. if you do want to watercool the entire system, go into the parts list and select the swiftech h220. any other AIo cooling unit is a joke
-high end boards overclock the same as the mid-range boards
-you wont need that much ram for gaming. if you want to, you could go 16, but then its useless
-there is no need for the 840 pro when other SSDs perform the same in real life
-you will not want 770s to drive a 1440p panel. the 780 is a much better option. the gtx ttian is a joke when the 780 performs within 10% of the titan while being half the price
-you wont ever need a full tower. if you can overheat the cards, you are doing something seriously wrong
 
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dannyboy2233

dannyboy2233

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@OP specifically said he/she would prefer a full-size case... And plus, if you're going with a build of this caliber, there is absolutely no reason to not go the extra $100 and get the i7. As is probably evident, this isn't exactly a "budget build". As to the cooler, the H100 is one of the best coolers out there. The monitor is one I would stick with, since it has MUCH better color than the Asus. Also, the 780 is (IMO) one of the stupidest cards you can get. Either go all the way and get a Titan if you really need to render things well, or spend $100 less and get dual 770's (which will destroy a 780 any day). Also, I did not by ANY stretch of the imagination choose @OP an extremely high-end board...
I stick with my previous build.
 
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TheBigTroll

TheBigTroll

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-the preference of a full size case is based on the fact they want to make sure anything wont overheat, but if the cards never go above 60c, the CPU is bottlenecked by the intergrated VRM, and that the most cooling you can get out of a full size compared to a mid tower is less than 3c, it wont matter if you have a full tower or a mid tower

-why waste perfectly good money when you dont need it? yeah you can afford it, but it doesnt mean its useful.

-uh huh. cheap pump, cheap aluminum fins and barely better performance totally justifies its 100+ dollar price tag. if you want good quality liquid cooling, there is no better option than the h220 from swiftech. at least its built with a proper copper rad, overbuilt pump and is expandable

-its not MUCH better. its slightly better. id save my 100 dollars for something else.

-first of all, the 770 is a rebadged 680 but put with more voltage. it is already known that the GK104 chip does not run 1440p very well (the 256 bit bus is the limiter). second, of course 2 770s smack a single 780,. there is a reason that its 200 dollars more. getting a titan is just plain stupidity when you pay 400 dollars more for a crappier reference PCB and cooler

-for the board, i wasnt really talking about you. it was just incase the OP slews up something ridiculous like the maximus 6 formula
 
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dannyboy2233

dannyboy2233

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The point is that he asked for the best build for the price, and that is what I provided. It's never a good idea to only give the minimum. It is always best to have numerous options to choose from. I understand that you think that the 770 is a terrible card, but the 780 and Titan are both stupid, and SLI 770's is the only way to go.
 
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nisiandrew

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Jun 11, 2013
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Thanks for all the quick replies everyone, they are extremely helpful! But i would still appreciate more suggestions if anyone has them. Also, i have always believed in the rule that you should buy the best single card you can at a time and then SLI it later instead of immediately going out and SLI'ing a lower end card. In this case i'm wondering whether or not it would be best to buy two 770's or buy a single 780 and sli it later down the line? As always any of your suggestions are welcome.
 
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dannyboy2233

dannyboy2233

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It's obvious that dual 780's will perform better than dual 770's. However, it is nowhere near worth the cost for the amount of performance you would be getting. IMO, the 780 is a card not to buy, as it is simply a dumbed-down Titan. The 770 is the best of the GK104 architecture, whereas the 780 is the worst of the GK110 architecture. If you're going for 780, just get a Titan; however, by then you'd be better off getting dual 770's for much higher FPS and a $200 price drop :)
Here is a video with SLI 770 stats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPMsg8qqva0
 
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boulbox

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Don't go for a weaker dual GPU set up. Try to get the strongest GPU you can get at your price point instead which also leads you to getting a 2nd in the future if needed. I would really get the 780 over 2 770s. reason is, 770 is bottlenecked at 2gb vRam while the 780 is doubled the vRam and you do not have to fiddle with SLI settings for some games.

Also, for the monitor, the ASUS one is more fit for a gaming one since the respond time is much better than the Dell's. Not saying the Dell monitor does not have benefits, it is just more cut out for professional use.

 
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boulbox

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If this was recently made, it is a bit more on the outdated side for CPU and SSD. 32GB ram is really not needed and a waste of money. Blu ray burner not needed but everyone has different needs.
You should have gotten the 23" IPS monitor that is about half the price of the one you put up there or gone with a 1440p monitor.

Pretty much, it has a lot of places you could have saved on or gone with better parts for the budget of your build
 
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dannyboy2233

dannyboy2233

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Completely agreed.
 
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nisiandrew

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Jun 11, 2013
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hey everyone sorry it took so long to reply but after reading everyone's suggestions and doing an enormous amount of research i've (tentatively) decided on my build. Even though its a little over $3000.00 I am hoping that by looking for deals and sales over the next 2-3 months i can get it a little closer to my original $3k budget. Anyway heres the build and i'd really like to hear everyone's opinions on it.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/198gG
 
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TheBigTroll

TheBigTroll

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-get a i5 4670k if you want to game and the 4770k if you want to do some video work. the 3930k is ONLY for if you are building a high end workstation, which is not your primary objective in this system
-get rid of the cheap liquid cooler. get a heatsink, or get something legit like the h220
-stock paste is more than enough
-you dont need a ROG board
-dual channel ram is ridiculous in a x79 platform. get yourself the z87 and you are fine. another thing is that you can get cheaper sticks that are more lower profile
-your SSD in every way is inferior to mine
-NEVER get a enterprise drive for a desktop. best way to lose your files
-again, you will never need the full tower
-coolermaster fans are junk
-the acx 780 is way better than the stock even though it may not look as great
-overkill wattage. not to mention better units out there
-dont bother with blu-ray unless you watch them weekly.
 
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boulbox

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Swiftech H220 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($139.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($126.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($169.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($124.32 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card ($659.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 850W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($140.78 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1733.04
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-22 19:07 EDT-0400)

You can choose your own case, everyones tastes are their owns.
Can go with cheaper 8GB ram if wanting to save money, just added so you can just reuse for a new build in the future since you do not really need to change Ram.
Can go with an Air cooler to save money
Seagate is on the cheaper side of HDDs and do have a bit of less quality but i did not really have a problem with my 2-3 year one.
 
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