Hi all, new member here. I'm looking at building my first PC and have a few questions about the parts I have picked. Any advice regarding whether I need something or not/ if there is a better alternative would be a huge help!
The PC would be mainly used for gaming, everyday functions such as movies and homework, and possibly 3D modelling (Inventor, SolidWorks) as I am an engineering student. I want to build a computer that is as future-proofed as possible (within reason) and which can be upgraded from a two monitor setup to three monitors if I desire down the road. Ideally I would game across all three, and the third would be nice for increasing general productivity. If I'm going to build one, I'll build a good one.
I am not a hardcore pc gamer, having always been a console guy but I would like the ability to play most games (mainly RPG's + Shooters, not into games like Star Citizen) on high settings for a single monitor at 1920x1080 and preferably med - high on 5760x1080 if I choose to add a second GPU and third monitor. Also note, I have not bought any parts yet.
Here is my current parts list, which can also be found here:
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/xJ7cRB
Case: Corsair 500R Black $134.99
CPU: Intel i7-4970 $328.99
CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro Series H100i $119.99
GPU: Asus GTX780 OC II $579.99
PSU: Corsair RM850 80+ Gold $154.99
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB 1600MHz $182.99
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD $154.99
WD Blue 1TB $54.99
Motherboard: MSI Z97 Gaming 5 $169.99
Optical Drive: Samsung DVD Burner SH-224DB $16.99
***Prices all from Newegg.ca
Total without peripherals/OS: $1898.90
A few notes/questions:
-Current monitor: Dell E228WFP but I will leave monitor discussions until later.
-I don't really feel the need to overclock my system and risk any components, as a) I don't know how to, and b) I am sure stock speeds will be fast enough for me
-The Corsair 500R makes it very easy to add the H100i on top. It would work great and look awesome aesthetically but if I don't plan on overclocking do I NEED the H100i? Is it a good investment?
-I went with an 850W PSU so I had the option to SLI the GPU, will this be large enough for both?
My main question:
I had originally picked the Asus GTX780 OC II after reading reviews and benchmarks from 3dguru as it would run my single monitor games well and offer reasonable performance when in SLI at 5760x1080. It is $579.99, but I recently found on Newegg the Asus DirectCU II OC R9-290 for $449.99:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681...
A lot of Toms discussions have commented that they are almost equal in performance but that the GTX may be better built/more reliable and that nvidia software is better. In your opinion, is this worth the $130 difference? If I am wrong, please correct me. I think with the R9 I might also have to switch motherboards, but haven't looked into it.
Considering I might possibly buy a second GPU down the road, the $579.99 was about the limit I wanted to spend on a single one. Are there any cards either close to or below that price that would suit me better?
Again thank you for any advice you can offer, it's a big investment and I want to make sure I'm doing it wisely!