Custom gaming PC

Todd11es

Reputable
Feb 26, 2014
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Hey, well, I'm going to be saving up at least $2000, max budget is $3000 for a custom gaming PC. I need you guys to help me with the following:
1.) I plan on using this PC for school work, gaming and maybe some photo editing.
2.) How will I be able to get Dobly digital 7.1 surround sound, as I am using an astro headset. I'll also need to have DVI input and 3.0 usb input. How will I go about getting those?
3.) I plan on over clocking at about 3-5 years down the line (This is why I chose the 4770K), and SLI when one GTX780 isn't as good as it used to be.
4.) For the reasons in 3, should I get a liquidated cooler?
5.) Is 8gb ram enough, or should I go for 16?
6.) Will I be able to reach Ultra at a solid frame rate with this setup on games like bioshock infinite, borderlands 2 and BF4?
7.) Windows 7 or windows 8.1?
8.) Case fans. Should I get some? If so, can you recommend some?
9.) I need a case that will have enough space for everything and my future plans of the dual graphics card SLI and over clock. It needs to be good at cooling too. Recommendations?
10.) It'll take me about 4.5-5 months to save up for my current build, which isn't a problem.
11.) My motherboard. It needs to be compatible with everything. THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

P.S Should I change anything, do you guys recommend anything else, if so why. Thanks
 
Solution
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RulesSpew

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Dec 26, 2013
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Heyy

1. Gaming - Editing photo ( photoshop I guess ) = Definitelly an NVIDIA card, cuda works very well with ADOBE software :)
2. There are plenty good motherboard that support audio, you can buy a *audio card, but with a good +200$ motherboard the audio will be great! I recommend ASUS VI HERO + or FORMULLA for that
3. SLI 780's, nothing against that
4. With a 3000$ budget and SLI 780's would be a great choise!
I guess you know some of them and you studied yourself ( h 100i / h105, they work both the same :) ) Yeah go for a water cooled definitelly.
5. 16 RAM is a must for such a beat build, 16GB's is what you need, also you will do some editing stuff, 16 gb's ram will help a lot!
1600MHz for good gaming performance + CL9 latency for great editing
6. That question is obvious lol! 3rd best NVIDIA card in a SLI will max out everything at 60+ fps, a single one handles BF4 at 80+ fps
7. Windows 8.1 is great for gaming, usess less ram, it's up to you though :), I'd get the 8
8. There are good fans and great fans, the great ones are from Noctua, I guess you know them!
Depends on the case wich is the next question, take a look at Define R4 or NZXT cases! They are just smexy!
( they allready have PULL-PUSH fan config, you won't need more if you get those cases )
10. Who knows what will be in 4 months, the maxwell ( GTX 8xx series ) will come, and you could get a GTX 880 / 870 in a SLI
11. ASUS VI HERO / VI FORMULLA
+ great audio!
+ very good overclocking potential
+ lots of extension space
+ damn red and black smexy look

You didn't mentioned a power supply :)
XFX / ANTEK/ SEASONIC is what you need to chose from*
DOn't go corsair on PSU!

850W+ GOLD should be at least in your system! :)
With 2 hungry graphics card and a clocked i7 that 850W will handle that system very fine
 
RulesSpew pretty much just answered it

Here's my suggestion

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($324.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Zalman LQ-320 Liquid CPU Cooler ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus SABERTOOTH Z87 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($234.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($139.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: A-Data Premier Pro SP900 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($84.81 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card ($699.99 @ Newegg)
Sound Card: Asus Xonar Essence STX 24-bit 192 KHz Sound Card ($189.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($139.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $2189.20
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-27 04:14 EST-0500)
 

mcdonh

Honorable
Oct 8, 2013
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everyone kinda said what i was going to say....but any way, I would highly recommend the Corsair 750D as it is just....Brilliant and suits you very well in my opinion

That's all I have to say, hope this helped
Fleet
 

Fliggle_Slaps

Honorable
Jan 11, 2014
78
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10,660


Is that based on anything worthwhile, or simply bad experience? For reference, the link below is what you use when looking for a quality PSU.
http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx
As you can see, Corsair is for the most part a high quality brand for PSU.



I just had a look at that case and wow, the inside is amazing. It's pretty much the same as my Corsair 600T, but with dedicated SSD cages on the side. If I knew about those SSD side cages I think I would have gone for a 750D myself!
 

RulesSpew

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Dec 26, 2013
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A good power supply is never a bad thing.
Motherboard and PSU's are 2 components that break most often!

As you look on the ;ink you sent me, the best PSU's are ANTEK, XFX, SEASONIC. I also see CORSAIR but you want to get CX* version of it i guess :).

Those are fabricated in china.

Ever wondered why they are so cheap? Well, yeah.

Look, depend's on you.
You can get a cheaper one, it might work well for the next 5 years or it might crash in the 1st one.
The risk of crashing will be lower by going with a great PSU, from those I mentioned above :)

Up to you mate
 
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mcdonh

Honorable
Oct 8, 2013
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I think your opinions here are a little biased, there are plenty of great PSU's out their. I agree Antec, XFX and Seasonic are very good power supply producers however their are a number of other reliable Producers, just to list a few: Corsair, OCZ and silverstone

Thanks
Mcdonh