Help With BitFenix Prodigy Build

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jpapa007

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Dec 8, 2013
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Here is my intended part list (Link should be working if not tell me)

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/user/jpaps007/saved/35n0

This is my first build and i have a couple of questions that need answering.

First of all, I mainly want to use this machine for high end gaming, such as Battlefield 4, Assasins Creed etc. From my research, I've seen that an i5-4670 is more than plenty to run these high end games... so that leads into my first question

1) Am i right in saying that all i need is an i5-4670 rather than spend more money on a i7-4770? (not interested in overclocking)

2) Do i have any unnecessary components in my current setup? i.e. My power supply?

3) I am extremely stuck on which motherboard I should buy. I do not know whether i should get

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128615
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157374
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132028

Any suggestions? Which would suit my current setup?


4) Will all these components fit into the Bitfenix Prodigy Case? i.e. will my CPU cooling fan block my GPU or Ram?


Thankyou very much for any replies <3
 
Solution
Rammy
1) If you aren't interested in overclocking, you are probably better off with the H87N-Wifi motherboard, and as cheap an i5 as you can buy. An i5 4440 is $40 cheaper and not really any slower. And yeah, in terms of cost an i7 doesn't make a lot of sense.

2) PSU is expensive but it's very nice. If you want to cut some funds you can, otherwise it's fine.

3) See 1. Z87 Motherboards are basically just for overclocking at ITX format.

4) You don't need a CPU cooler if you aren't overclocking. If you do really want one, I'd stick with conventional wisdom and the Hyper 212 Evo as it's quite a lot cheaper. In the Prodigy case you have insane CPU cooler clearance (more than most full towers) so height is not an issue. Any CPU cooler issues you...
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Rammy

Rammy

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1) If you aren't interested in overclocking, you are probably better off with the H87N-Wifi motherboard, and as cheap an i5 as you can buy. An i5 4440 is $40 cheaper and not really any slower. And yeah, in terms of cost an i7 doesn't make a lot of sense.

2) PSU is expensive but it's very nice. If you want to cut some funds you can, otherwise it's fine.

3) See 1. Z87 Motherboards are basically just for overclocking at ITX format.

4) You don't need a CPU cooler if you aren't overclocking. If you do really want one, I'd stick with conventional wisdom and the Hyper 212 Evo as it's quite a lot cheaper. In the Prodigy case you have insane CPU cooler clearance (more than most full towers) so height is not an issue. Any CPU cooler issues you do have will be related to the motherboard itself, as ITX boards are very compact and vary in layout.
 
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Solution
H4X3R

H4X3R

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I suggest the gigabyte one because if you are not overclocking you will not benefit from the more expensivr motherboards. I also do no have experience with that case so i cannot tell you if that cooler is going to fit or not. I suggest u go for a 120mm water cooler, seems to fit most people with that case best.
 
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jpapa007

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Okay good because H87N is the cheapest but still gets the job done like you said!

Any suggestions for a suitable PSU ?

I am not keen on a cpu cooler, i just saw that it was recommended. In that case should i just stick with the stock cpu cooler?
 
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jpapa007

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Thanks man !! I should be set
 
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Rammy

Rammy

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Yeah no real reason to use a cooler if you aren't overclocking. In my Prodigy I personally use a i5 3450 and an Antec Kuhler 620 with some very quiet fans, but that was just because I could hear the stock fan over the normal case fan noise (It sits right next to me on my desk).

If you do decide somewhere down the line that you do want a cooler, like I say there are no height clearance issues, the case is enormous for ITX. Just check compatibility in advance.
 
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jb6684

jb6684

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Ah, ITX, I usually build much bigger rigs but here are my inputs:
- CPU i7-4770, go for the best as upgrading in the future won't likely be an option. Intel changes CPU sockets VERY often and you will likely not find support for 1150 more than 2 years out.
- GPU, you obviously can Only support one (1), I would push that budget if possible to a GTX780, far faster and has 3Gb RAM. With a GTX770, you'll have to dial back on the Eye Candy on Many current games to play them @ 1920x1080. Future games will likely push that card too hard to play well.
- Powersupply, great choice and brand, I'd just bump it up to a 650watt which will power any single GPU card
- MB : I have had good luck with ASUS & Gigabyte. Either would be fine. I would not goto a "cheap" MB, in my experience they are nothing but trouble. Unstable CPU voltages, they also tend to run hot, and sometimes have coil whine too.
- CPU Cooler, I would go with the stock cooler to start off. Build and test the system, if it's too hot THEN look for a cooler. That way you'll know exactly how much space you have available and something like the CoolerMaster 212 EVO would be very quiet and plenty good enough to cool a non-OC'd CPU. Or a small watercooler like those from Corsair if space is tighter than your budget.
 
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jpapa007

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I read somewhere that the next gen CPU's are going to have the same LGA1150!! but il let my budget decide whether to go with the i7 or i5.

For the GPU, the Gtx 770 is the perfect price for me at the moment, as the Gtx 780 is a little to pricey :(

Yeh i originally planned to have the Corsair HX650, but i thought i could save a few dollars seeing as i only needed 550 Watts. Il do a bit more research on them both.

Yes good choice about the cooler, il do exactly that, as there is no reason to rush or buy unnecessary parts!

Thankyou Very much for your detailed reply!
 
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jb6684

jb6684

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Yes Intel usually does two designs using the same socket. Here is a quote showing the 2 : 1155 socket parts and the 1 (current Haswell) and likely future second 1150 part (Broadwell).

Sandy Bridge & Ivy Bridge could do so with a BIOS firmware flash, due to both CPUs sharing the LGA 1155 socket. Haswell (and presumably its Broadwell successor) use the LGA 1150 socket, which is electrically incompatible with the previous models.

I would be surprising if that new 2nd part was radically faster than Haswell, so, not likely to justify a CPU upgrade... which is why I'd get the most CPU budget would allow upfront.
 
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jpapa007

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Mmm yes valid explanation, in that case il do a bit of snooping around on the net, and il see if i can find some 4770's on sale somewhere. I guess 'Future Proofing' is the way to go !

Thankyou!
 
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Rammy

Rammy

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There's not much logic in spending money on a CPU you might need at some hypothetical point. Lets remember that if you bought a good gaming PC 3 years ago, the CPU would likely still be absolutely fine but the graphics card would probably be the thing holding you back. Stuff is definitely becoming more heavily threaded but it won't happen overnight and right now the i5 is roughly 2/3 the price of an i7. In an ideal world everyone would spend more and get i7s over i5s, but when you have the option to plough an extra $100-150 into graphics, the latter option will almost always give you the best gaming performance.

A single GTX770 is plenty for 1080P gaming right now. It won't last forever, and there will be increasing compromises as it ages, but there will be with anything you chose. Spending much more than that only really makes sense if you are running a higher resolution display, as you just get into the point of diminishing value for money.
 
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jpapa007

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To be honest, this will probably be a 2 year setup for me until I build a new one. So as you said, I'm set with a GTX 770 as itl run 99% of games perfectly fine!

With the CPU, I might as well stick with the i5 as itl save me around $90, which allows me to spend money on more accessories etc. But like i said before, if i find and incredible deal on a i7-4770, i wont hesitate to buy!
 
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