What should I sacrifice or change to get this build closer to $1000?

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AntaresX

AntaresX

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Tried to put together an ideal build this evening, most likely going to be purchasing over the weekend. It hit $1300 and I had intended to set an upper limit of $1100. What should I cut while still maintaining performance?

This is going to be solely for gaming on a single 1080p 23inch monitor. I have all peripherals. My goal is to average 60FPS+ with very high if not maxed settings on GW2, WoW, and eventually Titanfall.

Planning to buy from NewEgg because there's no tax in my state.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VR5o
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VR5o/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VR5o/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($228.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M500 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($140.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($369.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT H440 (White/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($26.97 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1313.85
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-18 23:20 EST-0500)
 
Solution
lmaonade200
as sexy as that case is, you know it had to go, if you need to shave 200 dollars off of your build a 130 dollar case is not gonna fly, I suggest getting a slightly less sexy case that is much cheaper for now, then upgrading back to the H440 when the time/money is right

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z87 Killer ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @...
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D

doubletake

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Get a much cheaper case, something under $100, ditch the DVD drive and install Windows with a USB drive, maybe go for a 120GB SSD instead of a 240GB. These changes would keep all the same gaming performance since CPU and GPU stay the same. Only other savings to be had are maybe if you don't plan to overclock, ditch the 212 cooler and go for a locked CPU?

*Edit*

Haha, worst auto-correct ever o__o
 
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B

baazing

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That Asus gtx 770 card is actually on sale for 330 right now saving you 40:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121770

Also this similar lower end nzxt case ($60) can save you another 70:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146108

Cutting your ssd in half size wise ($82) will save you another 60:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148693

As doubletake said you can ditch the drive as well saving another chunk. That still leaves you at about 1120. If you have to get it down to 1000 you might need trade out the 770 for a 760. You could save a bit by getting lower frequency ram, a non modular power supply, or a different mobo, but I can only see that all together saving $50 at most.
 
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lmaonade200

lmaonade200

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as sexy as that case is, you know it had to go, if you need to shave 200 dollars off of your build a 130 dollar case is not gonna fly, I suggest getting a slightly less sexy case that is much cheaper for now, then upgrading back to the H440 when the time/money is right

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z87 Killer ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($83.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($345.91 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT H230 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1103.80
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

different motherboard, still just as good for about 15 bucks less, the Asrock Fatality has a proprietary audio chip, so it's better than your average Realtek on board audio and puts it on discrete sound card level pretty much (though admittedly still a cheap one), and it has all the features you'd expect from a quality board like solid gold caps, 8+2 power phase design for better heat and power management so you can overclock your CPU more, Digi power which is also found on the Asus board you linked, and a slew of other features too. The BIOS may not be as user friendly (still the easy to use UEFI though), but you'll not be missing out on anything.

slower RAM, you wanted to cut costs while keeping overall performance the same, for a gaming build the easiest place to do this is the RAM, fast RAM for memory intensive tasks, but for gaming a solid set of 1600Mhz is good enough.

lowered the SSD, halved the storage capacity and halved the cost, the money has to come from somewhere after all, Samsung is a reputable brand though,
keep in mind that in both these lists the WD 1TB hard drive does NOT have a price since that particular drive doesn't exist on newegg (not atm anyway)

Gigabyte GTX 770 instead of an Asus, it's clocked higher and cheaper, a worthy purchase.

case had to go... :(

removed the optical drive because the NZXT H440 doesn't even have a drive bay for it, so you might as well get used to not having one now
 
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Solution
Karadjgne

Karadjgne

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Dec 26, 2012
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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Crucial M500 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($72.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($309.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX750B BRONZE 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1141.84
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-19 00:16 EST-0500)

I didn't stick with newegg, since in some instances (ie the Hyper 212) neweggs price for me was over $10 more for a $30 part. I'd rather pay the $3 in taxes.
 
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AntaresX

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Thank you everyone for taking the time to assist me. I've taken all of your builds into consideration and used them to put together something new that I feel will best suit my needs. You've given me such good ideas that I think I'm going to wait until my next paycheck to purchase so I have more money to work with.

It just so happens that I love the NXZT H230, great recommendation that suits my tastes and saves a lot. I opted to stick with the 250GB SSD because I want to put MMORPGs on it as well as my OS + apps. From what I've read 128GB SSDs can't handle all that without a performance hit. 250GB makes me more comfortable and I'm willing to put extra money into that comfort. Sticking with Samsung unless something is faster/better performing for the same price.

I've never had RAM better than 1600MHz and am going to go for 1866MHz if only so that every aspect of this desktop feels like an upgrade. That's what would make me happy.

The Fatal1ty Z87 looks cool and the on-board sound bonus is a nice touch, but people generally seem to recommend the ASRock Z87. What would make the ASRock a better choice, if anything?

I'm under the impression that with this build sometime during the next 3-5 years I'll be able to overclock the CPU and buy a new amazing graphics card to keep the whole system viable for a while longer. Is this something I will be able to expect? And is it better to buy the Hyper 212 EVO later when I actually plan to overclock or can I just set it up now so it's ready for me when the time comes? I don't want to overclock right away and risk burning out my CPU early for little gain (if this isn't a realistic concern please let me know).

The part I'm least familiar with in all of this is the PSU. Is this one good and trustworthy if I plan to overclock and eventually move on to a more powerful GPU?

Karadjgne raised a good point. In some instances the tax savings is not worth it. I'm opening myself up to buying from sites other than newegg.

I'm comfortable pumping a bit more of my next paycheck into this build to ensure I've got quality parts I can rely on and feel good about. Thanks again for all of your help!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z87 Killer ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($89.37 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($145.99 @ Best Buy)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($343.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT H230 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit) ($99.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1258.21
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-19 23:48 EST-0500)
 
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Karadjgne

Karadjgne

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Looks good. Glad you could spend a little extra on budget, makes a difference. I'd install the 212 now, you won't have the trouble of repasting and jostling parts later. While an easy to do operation, its also easy to screw up a socket too when removing a cooler, and if that happens = New mobo and new CPU.

Happy building, happy gaming and welcome to THE club!
 
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lmaonade200

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hmm okay, well at least you were able to shave off some money, there really is no difference between the Asrock Z87 Extreme4 and the Fatality quality wise, but the fatality is a bit more gaming focused so it has some features taken off to not "waste" space, for example the fatality is missing the 2 PCI slots (not PCIe mind you) that the extreme4 has, which is usually where things like sound cards go. It's also missing esata and display port, and some buttons on the motherboard such as LED resets and CMOS clear switch, these features are nice to have but are not applicable to everyone so it's up to you. The overall difference is that they are both the same exact motherboard but the fatality has some features taken off to lower cost.

If you don't want to overclock right away you can just buy the cooler later, the stock coolers suck but they work just fine in stock conditions.

and this is just imo, but for MMORPGs it can be convenient to get a 120GB SSD instead, because MMOs, unlike games attached to other services like Steam or Origin, can be easily moved from drive to drive without affecting it's ability to run. But it can be a hassle to move stuff in and out of a drive I suppose.

a CX600W should still be fine if you want to overclock and upgrade your GPU in the future, in fact it might be even better for it in the future since the new Nvidia Maxwells will be landing, and they are said to retain GPU power for about half the power consumption. If you want to SLI you will need to upgrade your PSU, there's no 2 ways around it, for a decent CPU overclock and a single GPU though, a 600W should have no problems handling it, the CX units from Corsair have around 81.5% efficiency so it's one of the more stable units out there
 
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AntaresX

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You said the Fatality is missing PCI slots, is that going to impact the Rosewill wireless card I'm planning to install? I don't know much about motherboards, so I don't really understand the other features you mentioned I'd be giving up. I bet that means I won't miss them lol. In what instances would those features be applicable to me?

Thanks for the tip about SSDs.

If I'm definitely planning to OC and may eventually run SLI, is there a PSU you'd recommend instead so that I don't have to swap everything? Or should I just stick with the CX600W?

 
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lmaonade200

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it's not going to affect your wireless since the Rosewill wireless adapter is a PCIe (express) card, which is different from PCI (I mentioned this in the other post too)
those features would be applicable to you if you're messing around with the BIOS settings a lot and want a quick reset.

if you want to SLI GTX 770s and hold a decent overclock on your CPU, then I'd recommend at least a 850W gold/platinum from either Corsair or Seasonic, dual graphics chugs power like nothing and you'll need a truly high end power supply to be able to handle the load
 
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AntaresX

AntaresX

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Got it, thank you.

Those PSUs are out of my price range right now, so I'll stick with the CX600W. Thank you for all your help, one last question: From what you've said if I'm not going to SLI, that PSU will handle any reasonable CPU overclock I throw at it, right?
 
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