About to Buy 1200 dollar PC during these sales. Any last minute suggestions?

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

So I'm pretty sure my topic didn't post last time (at least I can't find it) so I have to remake this from scratch.

Approximate Purchase Date: This Week

Budget Range: 1200 +/- 100 after everything.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Internet, School Work. Made this list as a bit of a "dream list" when I got a part time job. Tried to make it so it'll run Star Citizen well.

Parts Not Required: Mouse and Monitor. OEM, have a spare.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Any?

Country: US

Parts Preferences: None

Overclocking: Probably

SLI or Crossfire: If it'll be better. Never did it though.

Monitor Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Additional Comments: Just seeing if anything I have can be replaced for cheaper or better for the same price. I'm not too knowledgeable about what's better than what past just the specs they have on PCPartsPicker and I would rather not miss a good deal.

Also wondering if the MSI Z87-GD65 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard would be better.

But anyway here's what I have so far.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($218.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus Z87-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($105.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($82.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($82.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($83.84 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB DirectCU II Video Card ($219.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($140.99 @ NCIX US)
Sound Card: Asus Xonar DX 24-bit 192 KHz Sound Card ($69.98 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N150HG 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter ($10.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Thermaltake eSPORTS Challenger Pro Wired Gaming Keyboard ($60.14 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1277.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 15:31 EST-0500

okcnaline · Nov 28, 2014

Poor. Very poor.
1) Why get Z87 when a very good Z97 is $3 more?
2) You do not need 16 GB of RAM.
3) Why that GPU? You can get way better.
4) CX PSUs aren't reliable as EVGA G2 ones are.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($209.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($75.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 EXTREME4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($103.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($334.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.15 @ SuperBiiz)
Sound Card: Asus Xonar DX 24-bit 192 KHz Sound Card ($69.98 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Asus PCE-N10 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($11.40 @ SuperBiiz)
Keyboard: Logitech G710 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1223.24
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 16:03 EST-0500

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

I admitted that I don't know very much about tiers and everything. And I do not hide the fact that I probably have some dumb choices in there. I've only built a few PCs in my life and I don't follow hardware that much. Hence why I'm asking for help. As for the RAM, that's more for overkill. Thank you for the suggestions though! I definitely don't mind saving fifty bucks and getting better hardware!

okcnaline :

zeyuanfu · Nov 28, 2014

Actually, this build would be much better:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit) ($104.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1136.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 16:09 EST-0500
I would drop the water cooler as the D14 cools as well as the 100i for less.
The motherboard is more reliable as it has been tested for 168 hours before being sent to you.
The GPU is better
The case has better cooling
Windows 8.1 is better for many reasons
You don't need a sound card.
Feel free to add whatever mouse or keyboard you like.

RazerZ · Nov 28, 2014

Is the $1200 budget before or after rebates?

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

After.

RazerZ :

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

Can you explain your choice of 8.1 instead of 7? My current PC is 8.1 and while it does run well, I find some games have trouble running on it. Or is it that 8.1 will have free upgrades to the next version?

zeyuanfu :

Actually, this build would be much better:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit) ($104.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1136.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 16:09 EST-0500
I would drop the water cooler as the D14 cools as well as the 100i for less.
The motherboard is more reliable as it has been tested for 168 hours before being sent to you.
The GPU is better
The case has better cooling
Windows 8.1 is better for many reasons
You don't need a sound card.
Feel free to add whatever mouse or keyboard you like.

RazerZ · Nov 28, 2014

Nice red and black build. Managed to save money in some areas without sacrificing performance:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($209.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9900MAX-R CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($334.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair Graphite Series 230T Black ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.42 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Asus PCE-N10 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($11.40 @ SuperBiiz)
Keyboard: Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Ultimate Wired Gaming Keyboard ($102.50 @ Amazon)
Total: $1065.24
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 16:25 EST-0500

zeyuanfu · Nov 28, 2014

AliasSigma :

Can you explain your choice of 8.1 instead of 7? My current PC is 8.1 and while it does run well, I find some games have trouble running on it. Or is it that 8.1 will have free upgrades to the next version?

zeyuanfu :

Rumor has it that you get a free upgrade to Windows 10 if you have W8/8.1.

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

zeyuanfu :

Oh okay guess there's no harm in it then.

I've applied most of the changes and came up with a list. Though I'm skeptical on the CPU cooler. Is the difference made really worth the 50 dollars more?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($208.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($26.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($83.84 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($344.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.42 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N150HG 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter ($10.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Thermaltake eSPORTS Challenger Pro Wired Gaming Keyboard ($60.14 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1125.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 18:17 EST-0500

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

RazerZ :

Oh lordy thats an expensive keyboard! Some of your adaptions were suggested by other people and I added them in. Though I'd prefer the large storage space and I think I'd go with the EVGA card instead. Is there a difference between cooler you chose and This cooler master one? It seems like the cooler master is slightly better, though that's only looking at the sound it produces and RPM.

RazerZ · Nov 28, 2014

Keyboard is personal preference. The one in your original build should work fine.

The cooler I suggested has similar performance, but has a nice red LED fan. If you don't care for aesthetics and want performance go for this cooler instead:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Raijintek/Themis/7.html - review

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/raijintek-cpu-cooler-0p105245

A few decibels louder than the 212 EVO but it also remains a few degrees cooler under load.

Also good luck finding a 970, at this point it's about grabbing whatever brand is available.

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

RazerZ :

Alright. I'll shoot for a 970 and hope to get the EVGA. Is this list okay? And should I buy now or wait a day or two to see if sales get better?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($208.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: RAIJINTEK THEMIS Evo 65.7 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($25.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($83.84 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($344.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.42 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N150HG 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter ($10.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Thermaltake eSPORTS Challenger Pro Wired Gaming Keyboard ($60.14 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1124.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 19:38 EST-0500

zeyuanfu · Nov 28, 2014

The list is great, but the cooler doesn't seem too legit

I would maybe pay 15$ more to get an 840 EVO SSD before they jump to 70$<. I would also get a Barracuda or Blue 2 TB drive as Toshiba drives aren't too reliable. I've had one fail on me a few moths after I bought it. The PSU is also of not too good quality. I would get the EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G2 for 69.99$ on sale.
Otherwise, great build!
P.S. I would still get something like this: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/phanteks-cpu-cooler-phtc14perd for the CPU cooler.

okcnaline · Nov 28, 2014

1) Great builds now.
2) I do NOT trust that brand for CPU fan.. Looks seedy.
3) The PSU sucks. CX430 may be fine, but that's lower budget builds with less need for reliability.
4) For the keyboard, I don't understand. Why not a Corsair?

zeyuanfu · Nov 28, 2014

I myself would drop the keyboard to put extra money towards future PC upgrades. I'm pretty sure you don't need a mechanical keyboard to snipe people

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

So what brands of coolers are acceptable brands?

As for PSUs, is it about the brand or the wattage?

zeyuanfu · Nov 28, 2014

Well, almost any brand is good, except for the really cheap 10$ ones.

It;s about both, as if you buy a crap brand with 1000 watts, it won't be as good if you buy a name/known/trusted brand with 500 watts. Junk PSU makers usually overrate their units to make more money.

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

Okay thanks!

Would these be okay?
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/noctua-cpu-cooler-nhu9bse2

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-100b10600kr

Edit: Is there any reason to wait until Monday to buy them, or should I just start ordering now?

RazerZ · Nov 28, 2014

Without doubt it's better than a 212 EVO. People are going to tell you it's bad simply because they haven't heard of it.

Just google it and you will see nothing but good reviews.

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

So this is what I plan to buy then.

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Jgcxt6) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Jgcxt6/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54690k) | $208.99 @ NCIX US
**CPU Cooler** | [Noctua NH-U9B SE2 37.9 CFM CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/noctua-cpu-cooler-nhu9bse2) | $39.98 @ OutletPC
**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz97xud3hbk) | $99.99 @ Newegg
**Memory** | [G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f314900cl9d8gbsr) | $56.99 @ Newegg
**Storage** | [Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7te120bw) | $64.99 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seagate-internal-hard-drive-st2000dm001) | $69.99 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-04gp42974kr) | $344.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Case** | [Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-rc922xmkkn1) | $69.99 @ Newegg
**Power Supply** | [EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-100b10600kr) | $44.99 @ Newegg
**Optical Drive** | [Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-optical-drive-drw24b1stblkbas) | $16.98 @ OutletPC
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-wn700615) | $86.42 @ OutletPC
**Wireless Network Adapter** | [Rosewill RNX-N150HG 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-wireless-network-card-rnxn150hg) | $10.99 @ Amazon
**Keyboard** | [Thermaltake eSPORTS Challenger Pro Wired Gaming Keyboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/thermaltake-keyboard-kbchp001us) | $60.14 @ SuperBiiz
| | **Total**
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $1150.43
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 23:10 EST-0500 |

Might skip on the keyboard since I already have one, depends on how splurgy I feel.

RazerZ · Nov 28, 2014

Everything looks good except the cooler and PSU. Performance wise it's not far from a Cheap $18 CM TX3.

The 600B is average quality. For the same price you can get this Antec HCG PSU which uses higher quality parts as its OEM is Seasonic.

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/antec-power-supply-hcg620m

okcnaline · Nov 28, 2014

Agreeable.

AliasSigma · Nov 28, 2014

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($208.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($344.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.42 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N150HG 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter ($10.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Thermaltake eSPORTS Challenger Pro Wired Gaming Keyboard ($60.14 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1120.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-28 23:40 EST-0500

Is that better? I've never tried to replace a cooler after placing it on, so that's something I'd especially rather not get wrong.

okcnaline · Nov 28, 2014

1) It's okay, I guess. But I'll spend more on a 212 EVO. More trustable. And it's just $10-15 more.
2) The PSU sucks balls.
3) Just an idea: you may want to check out NZXT S340 for the same price.

About to Buy 1200 dollar PC during these sales. Any last minute suggestions?

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