Thoughts on this potential build.

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TomGoslinga

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Jul 2, 2013
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Hi guys, I am building a computer for the first time, coming from a slew of total pieces. I have wanted to get into the PC gaming scene for a while, having really only ever experienced console gaming. I don't know much about hardware, but from the few hours I've investigated, I've come up with a potential system.

My main interests are gaming and other light uses, no video editing or anything of that sort. I would like to get as high of frame rates as possible, if that includes overclocking or whatever, I would hope that it would be an easy process. I want a system that will be able to give the best longevity, and if it needs to be upgraded, need not have parts be swapped out, instead have parts added.

This is what I am looking at so far:

Case:Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
(Looks quiet, and apparently it has enough room for everything? I don't want one of those gaudy--my opinion--boxes that some people get)

MB:MSI Z77A-G45 Gaming LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
(It's not one of those really expensive ones, but I can't seem to see any difference between the various boards other than numbers of ports, which this one would be perfect I believe, allowing a possible future upgrade of 2 GPUs)

GPU:Asus GTX660 TI-DC2OC-3GD5 GeForce GTX 660 Ti Graphic Card - 1006 MHz Core - 3 GB GDDR5 SDRAM - PCI Express 3.0
(I'm thinking the 3Gb may come in handy in a few years)

CPU:Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
(Seems to be the consensus, not sure if the i7 is really worth another $100)

Memory: Team Xtreem LV 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2400 (PC3 19200) Desktop Memory Model TXD38G2400HC10QDC01
(Is there any advantage to getting the 2400 memory, it will be a little faster, but does that matter? Also, 8GB is probably enough for now, but would it be better if I just go 16 right away, so I can have 2x8GB, so it is faster than 4x4GB?)

Power Source: Fractal Design Integra R2 750W ATX12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Power Supply
(Leaving myself enough wattage to possible get a second GPU later)

HDD: Western Digital WD Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

Drive: ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM

Peripheral:
Monitor: ASUS VG248QE Black 24" 144Hz 1ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD 3D Monitor
(I like the idea of having more than 60Hz, hopefully having more than 60fps in games)

This build with everything included, including shipping and the expensive monitor is ~$1350.
I can get my hands on Windows for cheap


What suggestions of alterations do you guys have?

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my thoughts: first, you selected quite nice parts for not knowing much about hardware ;)


case and board seem good, but stating that you want "highest frame rates possible", a 660ti seems a little...little. it's still a good card for 1080p, but you are also talking about longevity, so i think a higher graphics-budget is recommended, even if you are adding a second card down the road.

the cpu is great. i'd always go with the k-series i5, it deliveres great performance and can be overclocked easily if you need even more performance. i neither understand the use of the i7 and if it was only 50 bucks more.

many people will tell you to get another cooler, even without overclocking, but i think you can keep the stock part as long as temps...
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OscarTheTitan

OscarTheTitan

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May 28, 2013
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It's a pretty good "mid-range" PC. I have used the 660 Ti and you will get some descent frames but I don't suggest Asus. All of their video cards are quite overpriced. The factory overclocked Gigabyte 660 Ti is a great buy. I know it's only 2GB but to be frank, this card won't be effective in the future anyway despite how much RAM it has. It seems like you should maybe invest in something other than the monitor. The human eye can't even tell the difference between 1ms and 5ms. The smaller the monitor, the smoother looking the game will feel. It may not say it in the frame rate but the allusion is there. For instance, I have a 5ms 21.5" LED monitor and that is just fine. I'm not sure why your PC is costing you so much? My GTX 770 PC costs less than that. And I also have an ssd in there. I think you should rethink what you are selecting in terms of features for price because it seems like you're being ripped off. Just keep researching and find the cheapest hardware shop in your area.
Keep the i5 though. Oh and I suggest some corsair vengeance RAM :3
 
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my thoughts: first, you selected quite nice parts for not knowing much about hardware ;)


case and board seem good, but stating that you want "highest frame rates possible", a 660ti seems a little...little. it's still a good card for 1080p, but you are also talking about longevity, so i think a higher graphics-budget is recommended, even if you are adding a second card down the road.

the cpu is great. i'd always go with the k-series i5, it deliveres great performance and can be overclocked easily if you need even more performance. i neither understand the use of the i7 and if it was only 50 bucks more.

many people will tell you to get another cooler, even without overclocking, but i think you can keep the stock part as long as temps are ok and it doesn't get too loud for your taste.

8 gigs should be enough for now, so 2x4gb is ok i think, but afaik there is no need for 2400mhz ram. if you insist on spending too much on ram, just get 2x8gb and call it quits. another tip would be to go for low profile sticks, or even sticks without heatsink, so you dont run into trouble when you decide to put a monstrous cooler on your cpu.

psu-wise i always get the feeling people aim much too high for their hardware. but then again, if in the end you decide on a gtx770, get a second one later _and_ start overclocking everything like cracy, yeah, then it's good you have that much headroom.
if you stick with the 660ti a 500w-part should suffice, even if you put in another gtx later on. just don't buy a cheap piece of crap, since a faulty psu can wreck your whole setup.
personally i'd also opt for a modular psu since i hate having cables i never use dangling around. but that's just me.

dvd and hdd are ok, but now the most important tip: get an ssd! a cheap 64gb one for windows and programs would suffice, but personally i'd also install my games on ssd, so 256gb is the least that _i_ would get. sure, ssds don't improve fps, but more important, they improve about everything else! it doesn't have to be the fastest there is, but a nice samsung 840 (non pro) should be absolutely standard in a modern computer.

and now about the monitor: if you're really just gaming, a cheap tn-panel is all you need. but if you are a little like me and - crazy, i know - move around a little every once in a while, you want to go with ips. modern ips panels are more than fast enough for the average gamer and, besides other advantages, offer much better viewing angles than tn. a dell ultrasharp u2312hm would be a good starting point.

gotta stop now, my hands are bleeding.
 
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