First build 2 years on, unsure where to go from here.

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DanBetweenJobs

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Jun 20, 2014
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Hi all,

Below are the specs for the first machine I have ever built. I call it Frankenstein. I have improved it a lot over the last two years or so and at this point I'm not sure where to go next with it. I plan for this to be my main rig for the foreseeable future and right now it's big, it's powerful, and it chews through anything I can throw at it in 1080p right now with ease. Not to mention handling double duty as both my gaming rig and home media server. That said, I am a tinkerer and if there is a way to beef up this rig I will do it eventually. Beyond cosmetic changes; case mods, fan controllers, lighting, etc; what else can I add to my machine to improve it? I've considered upgrading my cpu to the i7-4790K so that I can start overclocking my CPU beyond the factory cap of 3.9Ghz and making better use of my Noctua but I'm not sure if that is the best use of the my funds going forward. Alternatively I have considered beefing up my PSU and adding a second or even third R9 290X. I haven't really thought to much about liquid cooling as I have the Noctua already but I am intrigued by liquid cooled GPUs. For the next upgrade my budget is around $400. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770S 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($305.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI Z87-GD65 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($124.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Intel 525 Series 120GB mSATA Solid State Drive ($115.16 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Green 4TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive ($149.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 290X 4GB Video Card ($544.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 932 ATX Full Tower Case ($159.99 @ TigerDirect)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower Grand 850W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($150.33 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus BW-12B1ST/BLK/G/AS Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($47.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($187.97 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Hannspree HE245DPB 60Hz 23.6" Monitor ($129.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Hannspree HE245DPB 60Hz 23.6" Monitor ($129.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer GN246HL 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($239.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2946.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-29 12:16 EDT-0400

- DanBetweenJobs

p.s. - I removed the heat spreaders on two of my 8gb sticks so that they fit under the Noctua.
 
Solution
Rapajez
If you're gaming at 1080p, it will probably be a long time before you'd see any benefit from a 2nd R9 290X, or from dropping $300 on a 5-10% faster 4790k (assuming you're '80-series' motherboard is compatible with a devil's canyon CPU, not all are). With brand new, possibly much faster GPU's around the corner, and intels "Broadwell" series, I'd probably just hang onto that money.

Maybe a brand new 500GB Samsung 850 Pro, if you wanted crazy fast SSD speeds. But again, probably not a huge impact over your current Intel. (Unless you count less hassle--squeezing everything into 120GB of SSD space.)

Otherwise, have you tried a mechanical keyboard? You'll get a much more enjoyable experience out of that then 4 or 5 FPS boost. Same goes for...
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Rapajez

Rapajez

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Jul 17, 2014
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If you're gaming at 1080p, it will probably be a long time before you'd see any benefit from a 2nd R9 290X, or from dropping $300 on a 5-10% faster 4790k (assuming you're '80-series' motherboard is compatible with a devil's canyon CPU, not all are). With brand new, possibly much faster GPU's around the corner, and intels "Broadwell" series, I'd probably just hang onto that money.

Maybe a brand new 500GB Samsung 850 Pro, if you wanted crazy fast SSD speeds. But again, probably not a huge impact over your current Intel. (Unless you count less hassle--squeezing everything into 120GB of SSD space.)

Otherwise, have you tried a mechanical keyboard? You'll get a much more enjoyable experience out of that then 4 or 5 FPS boost. Same goes for a good gaming mouse, headset, etc...

 
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Rapajez

Rapajez

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Jul 17, 2014
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Just notice you already have 3 1080p monitors (although one is a different model). Have you tried running Eyefinity (gaming across all 3 screens--shown in my avatar)? In that instance, you might benefit from a 2nd R9 290X, but I suggest trying it before you drop the cash. Might want to pick up a 3rd identical monitor for best results.
 
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