Please Help Select Remaining Components to go with EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti and ASRock H97M-ITX/AC

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Kylearan

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Jul 10, 2014
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Hi everyone and thanks in advance.

I haven't built a PC since the days of Morrowind, when I made a monster ATX for that game alone. Then switched to consoles.. but I'm not in love with this next gen, so I have been scouring this site and your suggestions non-stop the last couple of days, slowly piecing together a system that won't break the bank, that will primarily be for gaming (I've missed SO many great games) but can also be used as an HTPC (am presently using a Mede8er with Synology for that purpose, the former of which I'll move to another room).

Have no intention to overclock. In addition to gaming and HTPC, system will likely also be used for standard downloading/uploading, basic audio editing, light video encoding and the occasional online browsing.

I have most components already purchased, jumping on any rebates/tax free/gift cards I could. I know the EVGA GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked has its supporters and detractors, as does the CSM 450W.. chances are I would have gotten something else at this point, but water under the bridge now.

Approximate Purchase Date: Within the next week
Budget Range (approximate): Storage - $150
System Usage from Most to Least: Gaming (1080p is fine, NOT BF4, more like the upcoming Skywind or Dragon Age: Inquisition), HTPC, light online
Buying a Monitor: No, have an Asus 238H and a 55" Panasonic Plasma
Parts to Upgrade: Only Storage Left (Memory and CPU solved)
OS: Windows 8.1 64-bit (presumably)
Preferred Stores: Cheapest and most reliable, cash back and rebates good. I have some credit at Overstock, but prices for CPU/Storage don't seem too good there.
Location: CA, USA (Micro Center IS an option.. right now the i5 4590 is available in store for $159.99)
Overclocking: Not this time (unless I switched to a Z97...)
Additional Comments: Quieter the Better, Heat and Power Management/Considerations

Already Purchased Components
CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 (CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

Jury Is Still Deliberating...
Storage: 240/256GB SSD. (Already have 6GB network storage, so it'll only have the OS, XBMC/Plex and whatever games we add.

Here is a link to my nearly completed build, if that's easier to look at:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pj8Jgs

Again, any assistance greatly appreciated. I'm mostly baffled by what CPU to throw in the mix here.. I don't want to get anything TOO awesome (as in, something that will be useless because of other components), but I don't want to get the back end either.

Thanks for your time.
 
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stickmansam

stickmansam

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Oct 30, 2011
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With a $400 budget I would get the i5 4590 from MC and this ram, hdd and ssd

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($184.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Sandisk Ultra Plus 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.91 @ OutletPC)
Total: $382.88
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

 
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K

Kylearan

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Jul 10, 2014
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4,510


Thanks for your response, especially the storage options. I hadn't even considered Sandisk for the SSD, just had Samsung on my mind for some reason. I also guess the i5 4590 is a good price, though I have suspicion it's overkill for the build. Bit of a drive to get there, but I have to pick up my mobo anyway.

Researched Memory far, far too long this evening. Got scared off the Ballistix Sport by a fair number of reviews on Newegg.. set my heart on the G.Skill Ripjaws and then came across one post saying to basically get the cheapest, most reliable RAM I could. Duh. Shot over to Overstock (not good choices) and then Best Buy.com, without much hope, but came across the Corsair Vengeance in stock nearby. Used an old gift card, redeemed a rewards certificate and picked up the 8GB for $27 out of pocket.

Which opens up a little money-room in the CPU and Storage areas, though I'll probably just wind up pocketing whatever I don't spend or getting a bigger SSD. Still flummoxed on which CPU, though - there are so many darned options and I want to choose something worth choosing...the best fit, as it were. ;-/

Decisions, decisions...

Thanks again.
 
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stickmansam

stickmansam

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Oct 30, 2011
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paired with the 750ti, an i3 should be fine in most cases but i5 will be better and allow for future GPU upgrade with no worries
for most i5's just do the ghz/$ math. The i5 4590 @ 3.3ghz and 4160 is a pretty good deal

I've been using the Crucial Ballistix Sport just fine :p and frankly the newegg reviews are pretty good http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544

for SSDs, the 240/256GB size is the best price/size/performance there is right now

you could also get a 2TB HDD I guess
 
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K

Kylearan

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Jul 10, 2014
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Thanks. I figured the i3 would do the job, but when you break it down by price/performance...and generate heat/using energy, I actually went with the i5 4590S, which was on sale for $169.99 at Micro Center.

Yeah, it's a dip off the 4590, but I guess I'm going the cautious "build a competent little gaming/htpc system for the least possible" AND "generate less heat" route for my first build in so many years. My PSU is probably too big, but for $29, I hope it was a $mart buy. Still don't know enough about liquid cooling, how much heat will be generated (and how much is a problem), etc., and in the time I learn that, there will be even cooler toys to play with.

I DO know, for sure, though, that I want a small form factor. The 110 is probably better-sized for my tastes, but the 130 was cheaper and I can possibly recycle it on a future build.

I am going to follow your 240/256GB SSD advice - just ditch the dual-drive system. I can always add another one, and as my Synology is already carrying the heavy storage burden, another 1GB inside this case won't make much difference just yet.

Thanks again.
 
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K

Kylearan

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Jul 10, 2014
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Ok, so basically save $10 by getting the straight 4590. I can make that change before pickup on Saturday.

Because of the video card, which is already bought - the EVGA 750 Ti Superclocked - there is very little reason to throw all this to the wind and get a system to OC, right?

Say, go with a 4670K for $219 (which is $45 more than the 4590, adjusted for tax), and the AsRock Z97E-ITX/ac (for another $45 bump)? I'd presume some higher frequency memory at that point (bought it, but haven't picked it up.. was going to do that tomorrow), too? I could use my gift cards for an SSD at BestBuy instead of picking up the memory.

Lots of waffling, huh? I guess the real question is in there: is there any point in overclocking other components with a 750 Ti Superclocked? Or would the (hopefully well spent) extra $90 basically only be opening the door to another video card down the line? I'm alright with this, just want it to be a well-thought choice as opposed to throwing money into a system that won't benefit me for who-knows-how-long.

Anyway, thanks.. getting there, almost done, I think. Bet I'll still be questioning the build once it's done, no matter what it is. ;-/
 
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K

Kylearan

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Jul 10, 2014
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...and done. Kept the i-5 4590, which I got for the price of an i3-4340. Stuck with the H97 board, which was the same price as an H87, as I'm not over-clocking. Also got the newer 512GB Crucial MX100 SSD for $200 - a little over my allocated budget, but having saved a few dollars elsewhere and it being a close performance competitor to the 250GB 840 EVO, more than twice the capacity for less than $70 extra seemed a no-brainer.

Also threw in an optical drive, more to avoid any potential hassle of not having one than to use it, but $18 isn't much to pay for piece of mind (and annoyance avoidance).

I have some older 1.5GB 7200 SATA drives sitting around as well, which I can use for extra media storage.. will get some 5400 drives when it's time.

CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3 GHz Quad-Core
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR-1600
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" SSD
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply
Optical Drive: Asus DRAW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer

Total Build without the OS: $693.78 - under budget by just a few bucks. Can't wait to put it together! May make an HTPC-only build soon, too.

Thanks again. =)
 
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4mylgl6

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Sep 26, 2014
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Hey there,
Just wanted to ask how your build turned out - I'm thinking of putting together something quite similar.
Did you have any trouble fitting the GTX750 Ti into the motherboard? It's a dual width PCIe GPU, and the Mobo you mentioned has only 1 PCIe slot.

Thanks!
 
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