New streaming/gaming PC build - suggestions please =)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($338.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($62.99 @ Mwave)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($137.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($142.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($629.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT H630 (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G2 1000W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($67.17 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1917.04
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-19 23:26 EDT-0400

Wait for the GTX 980 to be restocked or for newer aftermarket cooler versions to be released. It's worth waiting.

Not realistic for the demands AND your not considering your network upload speed (stream via Twitch @ 1080p). If you have 'ANYTHING LESS THEN' the 100Mbps package from a Cable Internet service you will have too 'low' UPLOAD (how your streaming) pipe to do what you want, even if you were 'hardwired' the entire way (not even discussing yet about Wifi, other devices on the network - aka Mom watching Netflix,etc. yet).

1) You will get nothing for your old PC. It is too old and 'used' so basically worthless EXCEPT if you part it out. Use SPECCY and search Ebay to get a estimate for each part's worth individually.
2) You will be staying ABOVE $1500 to do ALL the demands you laid out. Your MORE THEN LIKELY be OVER $2000 especially if you keep insisting "game @ max settings" and pipe that at Twitch Streaming @1080P instead of 720P.
3) To "game @ max settings", stream AND under $2000, you will need to OC your hardware to maximize the lower 'investment' your putting in (as I said your demands are normally on over $2K systems) and all this needs super cooling, which the BEST and MAIN solution for that IS water cooling. You can try all the fans you like, but ultimately everyone at this end ALWAYS goes water cooling.
4) Cheap Laptop - $249 is the cheapest you can get (Walmart) normally your talking around $300-400, so there won't be enough 'left over' because of the 'demands' on the specs.
5) Mmmm no need for a VidCap card anymore, as the software works real well doing it already be it the built in NVidia or something like FRAPS.



1) Actually it is 8.1 Update. You HAVE TO upgrade via the Microsoft Store to 8.1 then install the 8.1 Update to get 'ANY' patches. Win8 performs faster then Win7, and all software has been 'optimized' for W8.1 now anyway.
2) Software keeps replacing hardware, so your really out of the loop, you do NOT need a VidCap card to stream.
http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/articles/shadowplay-twitch-streaming
3) Most power is in the newest Gen. Normally your going Haswell (Intel) and some x70/x80 (Nvidia) for the gameplay you need.
4) your demands REQUIRE a i7, and that is what the i7 is for, HIGH Demands, especially video / audio encoding / decoding and compression (converting RAW video to MPEG, etc.).
5) Depends really what your demands are. Both work real well with most loving the AMD R9 line. I personally switched to Nvidia only because I use a 120Hz screen, which AMD does not support above 60Hz (now with 4K Displays out maybe they changed this recently? )
6) see below...
7) Agreed only the PSU and the HDD 1TB are salvagable, even Windows7, but the OS is usually 'part of the price' and setup, though can help on PCPickParts. The rest are too old and won't support the current tech. You COULD salvage the RAM BUT depends on the timing as compared to the 'new' Mobo/CPU combo (you have to research it by checking the PDF manual from the support page). I HIGHLY RECOMMEND get another 4GB stick though, you 3X is BAD as all iCores and AMD FX rely on RAM configured in PAIRS. When it isn't, it impacts the CPU in performance and causes recycles in passing stuff to / from RAM. The better solution would be 2x8GB, ESPECIALLY with your demands you laid out.
8) Sound Cards are for Audiophiles, the ones whom say MP3s sound like crap, etc. Unless your using BOSE Speakers/Headphones and can pick out individual hits on the 'Triangle', onboard is NORMALLY good enough for everyone and has NO impact on performance.



1) With a SSD in the Build (High recommend) you need to plan out and MANUALLY install secondary apps (like steam games) to the 1TB drive, only keeping the main critical apps / OS on the SSD to keep from maxing out the drive.
CONSIDER THIS: W7 and Microsoft Office FULL installs take up to 48GB of space, JUST to type a letter nothing else. So commonly people get 250GB SSD (Samsung 840 EVO) and some scored newer 480GB SSDs for $250! Amazingly.
2) Should have checked the Warranty, they normally are good for THREE years and will be replaced if defective. That said IF you were OCing or using 'factory' fan on it, then yeah it will burn out that fast, you need to ensure you have the proper cooling for it.
3) YEAHHHH the first number (6) doesn't make it 'better', it is actually the second number (5 or 6) that tells you the level it is for. GTX x50 cards are ENTRY LEVEL (no matter if it is 450, 750, 950) performance and low cost. Normal card is a x60 , better performance (between cost and performance) x70, and for YOUR demands stick to the x80. That would mean buying into a GTX 780 ($417 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/zotac-video-card-zt7020510p) or a GTX 980 ($550 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/pny-video-card-vcggtx9804xpbcg)
4) Can do Blu-Ray on it, is about the same cost as a normal DVD-RW anyway.
5) Cases will have vents on top (heat rises) as the BEST solution. You can get / mount a 'SPILL GUARD' over it.. so basically if you did spill it would splash to the sides. None the less the best policy since the first IBM PC is - Keep all FOOD and DRINKS away from the PC at all times.
6) Yep can happen overtime. REMEMBER HARDWARE IS ONLY WARRANTIED FOR THREE YEARS, PERIOD. That means anytime after 3 years, the hardware WILL fail at some point and it isn't the makers fault.
7) YEAHHHHH oooooollllldddddd articles, been long fixed (majority of time) as long as you (like spilling drinks) keep common sense about the parts. Here is UP TO DATE reading for you http://www.anandtech.com/show/7738/closed-loop-aio-liquid-coolers
http://www.maximumpc.com/articles/reviews/hardware/water_cooling



Well as I said just 'selling' that system as is won't get you any money and you best get money back in parting out.
IF we did this advise then we are saving some money on your build as follows:
Reuse the case (check measurements FIRST) -$130
Reuse 1TB -$ 89
Reuse PSU -$ 90
Reuse OS -$ 98
As you went X99 we can't reuse the DDR3 and just grabbed another 4GB to make it 16GB, would saved you $200
SAVE: $ 407

With that I would suggest you swap the 770 for the 780 (see above cost ), as games like WatchDogs demand 3GB or more on the card, and is only $120 more (but your saving $407 off the price you listed already), BUT your asking alot of the system so you MAY just want to go 980 ($270 more) then to match the performance of all the parts AND meet demand. To be 'Balls' to the wall and maximize these parts, meet ALL your specs (except as noted about the network) then you might just want to SLI 2X GTX 980s ($1778 - $407 = $1371 - $282 for GTX 770 = 1089 + $1100 (2x $550 for GTX980) = $2189) which will absolutely play anything for the next 5 years fully maxed out and stream 1080P at the same time.
I would also suggest that as you have a i7 K, that is intended for OCing. Between the heat both the 780 and i7 will do water cooling is your best option.

That said, the final consideration is your Network, how your connected, is it dedicated like this PC to these chores (NO OTHER DEVICE FROM ANYONE ELSE is on it at all) etc. will ultimately make or break your NEEDS.

You listed at the top:

- stream via Twitch @ 1080p smoothly
- game @ max settings (my games: ESO, WoW, LotRO, Skyrim, Civ 5, BF4, EUIV, SC2, HotS, MTGO)
- future-proof for 3-4 years while I finish college

While your telling us by this AND your reply above you play older low end titles, you want to play 'current' and "future-proof for 3-4 years" game @ max settings stream via Twitch @ 1080p smoothly. Now given when BF4 (2013) was released it was a 'game changer' on how people just can't get a 'high end card for any computer' and be done with it, but now need a equally 'high end' CPU to do all the 'non-graphic stuffssss' like physics, weight drop off and impact scaling, advanced tactical interactions of NPCs (i.e. no more 'cattle herding' or 'spawn point only kills' or 'waiting for line up' ) and so on are all processing functions.

2014 titles like WatchDogs, Assassin's Creed: Unity, Alien Isolation, etc. all have more impactive demands WITHOUT the 'hardware' dedicated to encoding / decoding / compression for a stream, especially if one wants "max settings". So given all THREE portions, even TechCIDLC posted going GTX 980. I was just additionally suggesting that as your making a 'serious commiment' to this build, why not do it fully and go SLI GTX 980s then you really will be set without worry for many many years.

That said, I did say UPLOAD, not download, but when you 'buy' your Internet services, the discussions are based on 'how fast does my web page load' aka download speeds. That said, from the Cable companies it is actually 50Mbps down, 10Mbps up, depending on alot of factors, one big one will be if your 'pushing' that much data (1080p streams for hours) you will CAP OUT and alert ComCast/whomever about your 'use'. Netflix already has alot of trouble 'streaming' to customers because of ISP demands and limitation, imagine your issues? Further this isn't even addressing how your connecting this PC (wifi? Wired?) and how much 'other' demands you have (for example you and your roomates all share this connection, someone want to Porn Surf while your 'twitch streaming' while someone else is catching up on SAMCRO and BOOM your video 'seen' is all jerky, etc.

Except for Battlefield, then your totally mistaken for two points. Game that you listed we can't "know" what will or won't happen and can't 'guage' any future proofing, case in point SimCity. SimCity was like the games you have and the last one worked well with common systems then went on hiatus for what 10 years or so? No one thought a new one would be made, then the newest one was released and the DEMANDS it put on systems made it as bad (in its time) as WatchDogs is making for systems now. No one predicted or expected that and thus many people were taken off guard or quite upset "Hey I can play old SC with no problems why does this one crash when I start it". The second point is, with the exception of your hardware (USB ports for example) failing, and you wish ONLY to stick to those titles, then you have no need to replace your hardware. If it is working just fine with that nice legacy system then it will continue till the hardware dies. As a replacement hardware, you could go LOW COST and be perfectly fine for THOSE titles, again as we have NO WAY to predict what if any changes will occur but the most likely is WoW will be shut down before such a major change would happen (like SW:Republic was and other titles as MMORPG model dies off hard in popularity).

So honestly, for just your failing hardware consideration, dump any of the ideas you had, simply buy a i5 Desktop (www.slickdeals.net) prepacked (8GB, 1TB, W8, DVD/Blu) aroun $399 or so and either go cheap (GTX 750Ti) or swap out the PSU for yours and upgrade the video to a GTX 760 and you will be set with a new system, underwarranty, no muss fuss.

Except for Battlefield, then your totally mistaken for two points. Game that you listed we can't "know" what will or won't happen and can't 'guage' any future proofing, case in point SimCity. SimCity was like the games you have and the last one worked well with common systems then went on hiatus for what 10 years or so? No one thought a new one would be made, then the newest one was released and the DEMANDS it put on systems made it as bad (in its time) as WatchDogs is making for systems now. No one predicted or expected that and thus many people were taken off guard or quite upset "Hey I can play old SC with no problems why does this one crash when I start it". The second point is, with the exception of your hardware (USB ports for example) failing, and you wish ONLY to stick to those titles, then you have no need to replace your hardware. If it is working just fine with that nice legacy system then it will continue till the hardware dies. As a replacement hardware, you could go LOW COST and be perfectly fine for THOSE titles, again as we have NO WAY to predict what if any changes will occur but the most likely is WoW will be shut down before such a major change would happen (like SW:Republic was and other titles as MMORPG model dies off hard in popularity).

So honestly, for just your failing hardware consideration, dump any of the ideas you had, simply buy a i5 Desktop (www.slickdeals.net) prepacked (8GB, 1TB, W8, DVD/Blu) aroun $399 or so and either go cheap (GTX 750Ti) or swap out the PSU for yours and upgrade the video to a GTX 760 and you will be set with a new system, underwarranty, no muss fuss.