attempting to build a gaming pc for the first time

noodles4123

Honorable
Oct 29, 2013
8
0
10,510
Hi! So as the title say, I'm building a Gaming PC for the first time and would really appreciate some advice (I know next to nothing about computers XD).
heres the parts i've picked out so far:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1UDhv

I've picked the gtx 770 b/c I plan on getting a 2560x1080 monitor and I've read that thats needed for smooth fps rates for a resolution that big.
so really, I'm making my purchase around that. all the other components are either the cheapest ones that i found or its just whatever seems like the best (not much research went into parts other than graphics card and processors).

So some feedback from someone that actually knows what their doing would be greatly appreciated!

Oh! And I would REALLY like to play FFxiv on Max settings, would this build make that possible?

Thanks!
 
Solution
Well your system is not very well done, so I'll give you a couple of options:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($184.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($92.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card ($316.13 @ Newegg)
Case:...
Well your system is not very well done, so I'll give you a couple of options:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($184.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($92.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card ($316.13 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $928.06
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-29 08:04 EDT-0400)

Intel option:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($92.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card ($316.13 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $968.06
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-29 08:09 EDT-0400)

For a gaming system, either will do just fine. It all depends on what you like or don't like.

* Either CPU will do just fine for gaming and other tasks.
* RAM has LOW PROFILE heat spreaders, so you can add aftermarket CPU HSF's without any clearance issues.
* Both Mobo's have pretty much most options that people want/need. If you have specific needs, than we can adjust the Mobo options to fit your needs.
* 120 gb SSD is plenty for Boot drive and a few games/apps. Also added a 1 TB HD for storage and additional games.
* GPU is one of the best for the $ and will do just fine in higher resolutions. If you want one of the best for high resolutions, than the AMD R9 290x is the beast right now for ~$550. If you prefer nVidia than the recent price drops put the GTX 770/780 in a better price range.
* Case is plenty for just about any system. If you want more space, we can adjust it to your needs, but the Corsair 200R is a good case at a good price.
* PSU can handle any single GPU out on the market. It's 80 PLUS Bronze certified (which means it's pretty efficient at delivering solid and steady power).
 
Solution

opteron1983

Distinguished
Feb 14, 2012
34
0
18,540
Heres my suggestion

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1UDYd

I replaced the H81 motherboard with a z87 since your looking at a unlocked processor the z87 motherboards will give you additional overclocking options as well as a second video card slot if ever you want to add a second video card for sli.

Changed the EVGA videocard for a Gigabye card to offset the price difference with the motherboard.

Power supply replaced with a 650 watt unit

Replaced case with a unit that has front mount USB 3.0 as the motherboard also has usb 3.0 headers.

I also changed the ram to 2 x 8 gigs but you could also go with a 2 x 4 gig.
 

noodles4123

Honorable
Oct 29, 2013
8
0
10,510
Wow! I really like that second intel build! Yeah! So I just noticed that the gtx 770 has dropped so I'm definetly going to get that one for sure (never been much of an AMD fan). Just for curiosity, why did you replace the the i7 for an i5?

So with all of these parts will I be ready to go? Is there anything else I should invest in? Like cooling towers and such?

Thanks for such quick and informative replies! :)
 

fatboytyler

Distinguished
Jan 29, 2012
590
0
19,160
i5 is the king of gaming CPUs. The performance gain going from an i5 to an i7 whilst gaming is minimal at best, certainly not worth the extra bucks.

As for the GPU, another good choice would be the R9 280X with similar or better performance for cheaper. I know you're not an AMD fan, but just some food for thought.
 


Well the i5 will perform pretty close to the i7 and a fraction of the price. It's up to you if you want to spend >$300 on a CPU for gaming, but the i5 3350p is a good performer for the $. If you want a Haswell CPU, the i5 4670k is a good option for around $220.

If you not planning on OC'ing than cooling towers (CPU HSF's) aren't always needed. If you want a bit quieter/cooler system for not too much, the Cooler Master 212 EVO is a good option for around $30. You'll just have to make sure you don't buy RAM with BIG heat spreaders, because they would get in the way of that cooler (which is why I use only LOW PROFILE heat spreaders, in all of my build suggestions).