New build $3600 (USD) budget intel/nvidia newegg

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steve_

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Hello I would like to spend $3600USD on a desktop. I'm using a newegg preferred account (monthly payments) so it has to be from newegg. I want intel and nvidia. I also would prefer air cooling over watercooling since I have my 13,000 btu a/c on 24/7 anyway. I just want the tower and the main stuff that goes inside it, I'm all set on the other stuff. I'm hoping my budget will land me something where overclocking isn't gonna be necessary.

I need the:

tower: whatever's best for airflow size is not an issue

mobo: dual bios or something would be great, something where I can actually flash a bios update without fear of killing my mobo. I have a single bios mobo right now that I haven't flashed an update to since I got it in 2007 and I've noticed in the change logs lots of improvements but the risk of it becoming a paper weight just isn't worth it.

cpu: whatever's gonna be the best in my budget

gpu: whatever's gonna be the best in my budget

ram: whatever's gonna be the best in my budget

hdd: whatever's gonna be the best in my budget - I'll probably never use even 500gb - I have no idea about the state of solid state drives, or if I should have two hard drives one for my OS and one for other things. I've been trying to research all this but man things have changed over the past five or whatever years. For example my 9800GTX isn't as good as a geforce 300, why are lower numbers better now? I'm guessing they reached infinity on model numbers and had to start over. I also noticed there's a geforce titan on newegg that might be older than other cards but priced twice as high, I can't tell if it's better or not or what oh boy am I confused.

psu: whatever's gonna be the best in my budget with 80 plus platinum rating

If I'm still under budget maybe one of those power strips that have a battery in them so your desktop doesn't blow up from a power outage. Right now I'm just using a normal six outlet strip that's probably from the 1950's. I don't know anything about these but I'm in america so I know I need the ends of the cords to work with american outlets.


I just want the best I can get for $3600. I don't want to sacrifice anything, I want it to last as long as possible. I don't want to skimp on something now and have to upgrade sooner and end up paying more in the long run. So with that being said I don't think I really need to be too specific. I use a normal usb mouse, keyboard, my speakers are powered by usb, and I have a wired xbox 360 controller. I don't need any other specific ports for anything.
 
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iiTzzDeFuze

iiTzzDeFuze

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Jun 1, 2013
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I went we the whole Underestimated build, Might be small but packs power.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($999.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Asus Rampage IV Gene Micro ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($269.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Trident X Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($309.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 512GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($429.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($145.27 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX Titan 6GB Video Card ($1074.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic Platinum 1000W 80 PLUS Platinum Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($220.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $3556.18
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-04 22:14 EDT-0400)
 
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Munchbot

Munchbot

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May 24, 2013
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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($499.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Swiftech H220 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($139.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock X79 Extreme6 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($228.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($239.99 @ Best Buy)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 512GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($429.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (3-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (3-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (3-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Switch 810 (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($145.98 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series AF120 Performance Edition (2-Pack) 63.5 CFM 120mm Fans ($26.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series AF120 Performance Edition (2-Pack) 63.5 CFM 120mm Fans ($26.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series SP120 High Performance Edition (2-Pack) 62.7 CFM 120mm Fans ($27.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair 1200W 80 PLUS Platinum Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($289.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus BW-12B1ST/BLK/G/AS Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($58.98 @ Outlet PC)
Other: NZXT Sentry Mesh Fan Controller ($22.00)
Total: $3337.32
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-04 22:29 EDT-0400)

I wouldn't do that. Doing the 'small and unassuming' build really limits your options in terms of expansion. Also, the 3970x just isn't necessary. Rather, get a 3930k and put more money towards other things. This build, overall, will be better for gaming, as it has three GTX 770 graphics cards that far outperform a titan. If you want do, add a 2TB hard drive just in case, although you stated you won't need it.
 
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steve_

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Jul 4, 2013
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I wish I woulda just came here first, I've been trying to get help for days.

Okay so, I don't know who's wrong who's right but I notice a couple things here that might help me in piecing this puzzle together.

I'd love to avoid water cooling. Am I just asking for trouble? My current cpu is an i7 920 so I don't know if the newer models get a lot hotter or not. I think a bigger tower would not only be better for cooling regardless of air or water, but also for cable management right?

There's really no difference in that cheaper cpu?

Do either of those motherboards come with safety nets in case I mess up a bios update?

The 770's are in stock, the titan isn't. Again, I have to use newegg because I'm making monthly payments with my preferred account.

The corsair ram has 48 reviews at 4/5 compared to the g.skill's 8 reviews at 4/5. I don't know if higher or lower numbers are better for timing and cas latency.



OH SOMEBODY ELSE REPLIED NOW TOO I LOVE THIS FORUM

drwho1: My goal is to run second life in ultra settings (I'm a builder (using blender) and need to see what I make in all its glory to ensure people buying my stuff get the best stuff they've ever seen in their lives). Please don't look at their recommend specs as they're a bold faced lie, I need the absolute best of the best for that stupid game. That's my main priority and if I can pull that impossible feat off there's nothing else the rig wouldn't handle.
 
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iiTzzDeFuze

iiTzzDeFuze

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I wouldn't do that. Doing the 'small and unassuming' build really limits your options in terms of expansion. Also, the 3970x just isn't necessary. Rather, get a 3930k and put more money towards other things. This build, overall, will be better for gaming, as it has three GTX 770 graphics cards that far outperform a titan. If you want do, add a 2TB hard drive just in case, although you stated you won't need it.
Click to expand...

Why go with with a multi GPU setup if you can just get one dominant card? sure it does outperform a titan but produces unnecessary heat and noise and possibly a micro stuttering but I doubt it. If i were to go with a multi GPU setup I would probably go with sli 780
 
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steve_

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This is why they shouldn't make 50 new products a month!

Man this whole time I was figuring stuff made in 2013 would be my best bet too. I guess the LGA 1150 or something awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww man I'm so confused I am so, confused.

Don't kill each other over me! I appreciate the help a lot, seriously, I've been trying to research this stuff but I got a wicked bad back and I got vein problems so I'm like dead right now from having to sit so long looking this stuff up. I think the most important factors are I have to use newegg so it has to be in stock there, and every piece including the hard drive is important because of the way second life works. I'd also like a motherboard that won't become completely useless in the event of a messed up bios update or I'd like something where I just never have to worry about it I guess.

I don't know how this forum works but I'm so damn outdated and I just hope you guys all come to a conclusion. I don't know the proper way to thank everyone who helps me here but please let me know the preferred method.
 
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Munchbot

Munchbot

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LGA 1150 is Intel's 'mainstream' socket. Intel usually has two sockets that complement each other, one being their socket for most people and the other being the 'extreme' socket that has a different release schedule. The 2011 socket, the one we recommended, is the extreme socket. 1150 was just released, but since the extreme socket follows a different schedule, it was released earlier. That doesn't mean it's bad, after all, it does have 6-core CPUs and lots of other features. (Quad channel RAM, Better options for SLI/Crossfire etc.)

For all of the parts: Because Intel is such a dominant company, every maker of RAM/ hard drives etc. better be sure their stuff is compatible or else they lose a huge share of their potential market. You don't see a lot of RAM specifically made for AMD stuff. As long as you buy everything from a reputable brand and read reviews, you should be fine. As a rule of thumb, lots of reviews and a four star average is better than two with five stars - you want a bigger sample to see approximately how many people report dead parts.

Here's a build which is sort-of a mix of ours.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($499.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 CPU Cooler ($76.23 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock X79 Extreme6 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($228.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 512GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($429.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($648.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($648.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Switch 810 (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($145.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair 1200W 80 PLUS Platinum Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($289.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($18.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $3222.60
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-05 01:46 EDT-0400)

This one has 780 SLI, with room for a third, all air cooling and lots of other good stuff. Go to 'price breakdown by merchant' to see newegg-only prices.

Update: The preferred method? A best answer of course! :p
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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Whoa, everyone here is doing this wrong. Even if you're spending $3500 on a gaming rig, you will not use a 3930K to its' full extent, it's a wasted purchase. Better would be to get dual 7990s or GTX 780s.

Maybe something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U9B SE2 37.9 CFM CPU Cooler ($60.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($164.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: OCZ Vector Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7990 6GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($1046.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7990 6GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($1046.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Titanium Grey) ATX Mid Tower Case ($110.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk III 1200W 80 PLUS Platinum Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($249.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $3207.85
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-05 02:10 EDT-0400)
 
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Swift5858

Swift5858

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Only get this build if you can afford an expensive power bill. Those 2 7990's will eat a lot of energy and you will notice your power bill going up.

 
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Fox_

Fox_

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An i5 is underpowered for this budget, and two 7990s is not the way to go, I think the build with two 780s is the one to go with.
 
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Munchbot

Munchbot

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Yeah, especially since the build will also be used for rendering.
 
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steve_

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Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd STOP! Thanks everyone, thank you thank you thank you thank you. I'm getting a few final inputs elsewhere to mix with this thread and then I'll be clicking the order button. I'm sticking with this forum.
 
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ncmike

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I'd have to agree with the poster that said go with a 3930K - it can be overclocked very easily to 4.6GHz in minutes and offers better price/performance than its big brother which really doesn't get you any better performance. Also, a pair of GTX 780's will give you the best mileage at the moment re price/performance/heat until maybe a GTX790 is released.

I built a 3930K rig earlier this year and love it - driving it at 4.8GHz on a corsair H100i cooler which is water but comes sealed, ready to drop in and use without custom connections or fear of leaks. I also went with the Samsung 540 Pro 512 SSD as someone else suggested. The 3930K CPU overclocked to 4.6GHz + two 780's + the Samsumg Pro SSD and some 1600 or 1866 RAM is a very hard combination to beat for a rig that can do both gaming, as well as imaging/rendering which can take advantage of a 6-core CPU.

Regards,
Mike
 
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Zynch

Zynch

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Dual 7990's is one of the worst suggestions i have seen. The 7990's have many driver issues that cause a lot of stuttering. 780 - yes, 7990 - no.
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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For gaming it isn't. An X79 is too over powered. You won't use the extra cores or threads of an i7. If there's another use for this machine besides gaming there's an exception for an i7.

Dual 7990's is one of the worst suggestions i have seen. The 7990's have many driver issues that cause a lot of stuttering. 780 - yes, 7990 - no.
Click to expand...

Yeah true there is that micro stuttering problem but I hear AMD is finally getting around to addressing the problem.


 
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Munchbot

Munchbot

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May 24, 2013
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It's also a rendering build. More cores are helpful.
 
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