Advice for gaming computer should it be cheaper?

Dull_Shooter · Mar 31, 2015

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/qX62nQ
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/qX62nQ/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($237.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Hero ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($123.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk Ultra Plus 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($75.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($314.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($13.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($91.75 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series SP120 High Performance Edition (2-Pack) 62.7 CFM 120mm Fans ($27.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VX228H 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($144.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Keyboard: Razer DeathStalker Wired Gaming Keyboard ($57.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G602 Wireless Optical Mouse ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: Logitech Z313 25W 2.1ch Speakers ($33.89 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1585.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-30 15:44 EDT-0400

I've been working on this build for some time now, and still would like some advice on what I have.
Approximate Purchase Date: End of summer, likely.

Budget Range: 1700 before rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Web browsing/school work; work; gaming

Parts Not Required: Possibly monitor, but it is shit. If absolutely needed, I could test it with Ubuntu.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Do not care at all, would be willing to buy from private dealers for better price/quality.

Country: US

Parts list: above

Overclocking: Likely to an extent

SLI or Crossfire: In the future, maybe

Monitor Resolution: listed in parts list and up, think it's 1920 by 1080

Additional Comments: Need to keep cool, relatively. Case needs to look minimalist, but would like a little flair. Something like the Viper GX mid case would be about my max for flair.
Want to play games at pretty high settings, hopefully max, and do it for some time. BUT NOT WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK

quandao93 · Mar 31, 2015

I recommend IPS or PLS if youre going that deep for a monitor. PLS is more the ideal type of panel for gaming.

Whateverworks_19 · Mar 31, 2015

Here is a suggestion: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BRnqgs

All the components I edited in are high quality. There is not that much difference between chipset Z97 and Z87, but personally I would prefer Z97.

tman1 · Mar 31, 2015

How many threads are you going to create with the same basic question?

DarkSable · Mar 31, 2015

I absolutely do not recommend IPS for a gaming computer at $150, are you kidding me? That's going to be a horribly cheap panel that will have all sorts of issues with bleeding and ghosting.

As for the rig, the only thing I notice is that it's got wifi... even with 802.11ac, it's going to be far slower and FAR less reliable than a hardwired connection, which you should try to achieve at all costs.

JackNaylorPE · Mar 31, 2015

MoBo / CPU - Really can't recommend last generation technology .... I would suggest 4690k with Z97 motherboard.... you move up to current technology and save $14

i5-4690k ($218 - you save $16)
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-cm8064601710803

MSI Z97 Gaming 5 ($126 - costs $2 more but it is faster)
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97gaming5

Cooler - I can not recommend the H80i as it gets soundly beat by much quieter air air coolers. Phanteks is quieter and cooler.

Phanteks PH-TC14-PE $60 - saves $20 and keeps system cooler and quieter)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835709001

So far $34 saved

Case - The Fractal supports graphics cards up to 295mm in length, the Gigabyte G1 is 312mm. You could fit one in by removing the HD cage.... but in the future if you anted to SLI, you would have to remove the 2nd also. Suggest that you get the Phanteks Enthoo pro for $10 more which will fit the cards (347mm - or 472 with HD cage removed) no problem.

Enthoo Pro - ($100 - costs $10 more)
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/phanteks-case-phes614pbk

So far $24 saved

PSU - The G series is a new design no one knows much about but the previous design was not well received. However the EVGA 750 B2 is $5 cheaper and will do SLI.

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-110b20750vr

So far $29 saved

SSD - The Mushkin 250 GB is just $89 - saves you another $33
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/mushkin-internal-hard-drive-mknssdec240gb

So far $62 saved

Hard Drive - The SSD is gonna be great for booting and what games do fit on it but won't do squat for the games on the HD. A SSHD canbring near SSD like performance to all your games as it automatically puts the files for games you are playing on the SSD portion.

Seagate 2TB SSHD ($101 - costs $25 more)
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seagate-internal-hard-drive-st2000dx001

So far $37 saved

GFX - The Gigabyte G1 is a great card but it doesn't fit in ya case w/o removing a HD cage and if ya wanna do SLI later on, then you can't have any HDs. The MSI 970 and Giga both break 1500 Mhz in the reviews tho the Giga wins more than it loses... the MSI is cheaper, quieter and has the fan cut off feature ... frankly both are great choices ... the MSI is $23 cheaper.

MSI 970 Gaming ($327 - saved $23)
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-gtx970gaming4g

So far $60 saved

Fans - Those 2350 rpm fans are going to be very loud. I'd suggest the Corsair 1450 trm fans or the Phanteks. yesterday they wuda been $8 cheaper but now that $2 more. But the LED versions are same price...BTW, the Phanteks case has a built in fan controller that will power up 11 3-pin fans via PWM or 6 via DC voltage.

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/phanteks-case-fan-phf140spbkbled
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/phanteks-case-fan-phf140spbk

Total $58 saved

Everything else just fine except acceptable IPS starts at about $350s.... but personally, I'd stick with TN for gaming unless the IPS has w/o G-Sync, ULMB and 144 Hz to overcome ghosting ... and those cost $800

quandao93 · Mar 31, 2015

DarkSable :

As I said, PLS is preferred. and he has a bigger budget, so he would get the point. A 200 dollar PLS is pretty decent.

Dull_Shooter · Apr 1, 2015

Ok guys, really long post here, so TD

R version is to look for your name.
@quandao- From what I've seen, PLS or IPS is better for gaming. However, I have yet to see one for a price around 200-300 dollars. As others have said, if there is a good IPS moniter out there for less than 250 or so, can you post it? Thanks, man.
@Whateverworks- Thanks for that list, I might be pulling the CPU cooler out of that, it seems like the water cooler was a bad idea. And I see you changed the PSU. While it is more expensive, it seems like people arn't fans of the old PSU, bad reputation. Is that the same with you?
@Darksable- I probably won't be using the wifi, but since I'm not sure where this rig will go in the house, I may be forced to use it. I will take that under advisement, though. Same with you about the IPS panel, there's nothing below 2-300 dollars that will give me a decent picture?
@JackNaylor- Wow, thank you so much. For the mobo, that looks great, and if it's faster, then I'm in. But why is it faster?
For the cooler, I think I will be changing out to an air cooler, can always retro fit with a water cooler later.
For the case, that is a major problem I see. That case is a full ATX, mine is a mid. i looked at the sizes, and there isn't much difference. But still, does the form factor matter that much?
PSU, yeah, probably going to change that. I'd like a fully modular power supply, to help with the pile of spaghetti in the case. Can you recommend a Fully modular PSU to me?
SSD, perfect, but never heard the name before.
HDD, that is a sound idea, but I can't find how large the SSD portion of that SSHD is. Do you know?
GTX, that MSI fits inside the case, without removing the drive bays, doesn't it? So would I need to get the Enthoo?
Fans, thanks for that, I'll probably get the LED fans, if ther are the same price. Then if I don't like the light, I'll unplug them.
Moniter, isn't mine a TN?

JackNaylorPE · Apr 1, 2015

1. There is no "best" monitor for gaming .... hold that thought for a moment as I will change my mind later

. Historically, these have been the major tradeoffs ....

IPS:

-Has better color accuracy, which is important if editing grandma's glamour shots but is the superhero's costume looks aqua when it's supposed to be perrywinkle do you care ? Color variance across screen can be noticeable in some spots on still images.

-Has better viewing angles .... very important if you have peeps sitting either side of you when gaming....still must be recognized that at some TN screens, color variance at edges can be different enough from center

TN:

-Much quicker, competitive gamers don't use IPS as opponent on TN sees you fraction of a second before you see him. No ghosting or motion blur.

-Better in low (screen image) light conditions .... in a dark cave, your torch will allow you to see enemies sooner.

Again in both cases we are talking a price level which doesn't include low end budget screen. Looking at the $275 - $500 range, I'd take a 144 Hz TN w/ Lightboost over a IPS. The $800 Asus Swift (1440p) was a cut above the normal TN as it had 8 bit color (like most IPS). 144 HZ and G-Sync and was, till now "the best gaming monitor".

Now we have a new $800 monitor from Acer (Predator) which has IPS, 1440p, G-Sync and ULMB. The inclusion of G-Sync and ULMB has compensated for the slower response time of IPS and has resulted in a new "king of the hill". It's the 1st IPS monitor I ever saw with less ghosting / motion blur than the Swift.

At $200 - $300 the 144 Hz Asus VG248QE or the equivalent BenQ would be my choice

2. There is nothing wrong with water cooling .... CLC type water cooling is just useless.

a) There is no 120/140mm CLC that can compete with the mid priced air coolers, all of which are cheaper and quieter

b) There is no 240/280mm CLC cooler that can compete with the best air coolers, all of which are cheaper and quieter.

c) The entry point for water cooling that actually improves upon equivalently priced air coolers is $140/$150 (Swiftech H220-X / H240-X)

3. As for the MoBo, I'd love to know

. Better design, better componentry ? But then I don't need to know..... The MSI Z97 Krait is a dog; the MSI Z97 Gaming 5 kicks my $300 Asus Board's tail. Like PSUs, a good purchase doesn't rely on choosing brand names as all brands have winners and clunkers..... Gigabyte has a fine product too, but the BIOS is still way outdated.

EVGA has made a strong push into the PSU market by putting low prices (that are now disappearing somewhat that there presence is known) on some excellent designs that are well built. Starting with Z87, MSI has been doing the same in the $125 - $175 segment slapping some very attractive prices on some great designs. They did the same in the GFX card market going from an "also ran" to the best reviewed and one of the top selling providers of 970s (gigabyte and MSI running neck and neck for top card)

4. One guy's mid tower is another guy's full tower.... I stopped paying attention to the labels and just look at the dimensions. It is important that the GFX cards fit w/o compromising upgrade ability.... and why give yup all those extra features. The Enthoo fits either the card but I think MSI is the better card to have and the Enthoo is the better case to have.

5. Are you sleeving your cables ? If not a semi or hybrid modular is preferred. The point of modularity is that we can reduce clutter .... to an extent

-We can't not use the 24 pin power cable
-We can't not use the 8 pin EPS cable
-We can't not use at least one SATA power cable

So what would be the point of having them modular ?

It is actually advantages not to have them modular as it lowers resistance, increases efficiency, lowers costs, and eliminates several failure points.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/power-supplies-psu,8016.html

6. Mushkin has been the premier memory supplier in the US for over 20 years.... Back in the day, "Powered by Mushkin" stickers adorned pre-built enthusiast builds and the customer list included NASA.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4328/mushkin_chronos_deluxe_120gb_solid_state_drive_review/index.html

If you are an enthusiast, you should know a little bit about Mushkin. Back in the day when being an enthusiast meant owning an ABIT motherboard and knowing a thing or two about jumpers, thermal management and having a lot of patience. Mushkin was helping build the foundations for the enthusiast market as we know it today. In those days we had real multiplier adjustments and RAM was the sizzling hot product used to boost system performance. Mushkin was one of the first companies offering PC-133 SDRAM with 2-2-2 timings, but the company really made a name for themselves when they introduced some of the first, if not the first PC-150 memory modules.

Back when SSDs were still a "newish" thing...Mushkin was one of those leading the high performance charge using premium 3Xnm Toshiba Toggle Mode Flash. However this is the "affordable SSD" and was highlighted by THG here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/mushkin-eco2-cheap-ssd,28720.html

7. You will find everything ya need to know about the SSHD here:

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/5748/seagate-desktop-2tb-sshd-st2000dx001-review/index.html

It has a 64MB cache and 8GB of MLC tyoe NAND

8. Your panel type is TN tho Asus makes it hard to find out

http://www.game-debate.com/monitor/index.php?mon_id=2241&monitor=ASUS%20VX228H

1dumanand · Apr 1, 2015

I think that this is a good build except that it isn't very cheap, my friend was able to build his gaming pc at about $1000-$1200 and can get a cheaper video card for 8GB and more storage on his drive.

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

Ok there is the best gaming monitor as of now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LTHr96NueA

Here is a cheap PLS monitor that is good. Ive seen in person.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824022204

"b) There is no 240/280mm CLC cooler that can compete with the best air coolers, all of which are cheaper and quieter."

"c) The entry point for water cooling that actually improves upon equivalently priced air coolers is $140/$150 (Swiftech H220-X / H240-X)"

You need to reword this lol. I have used many coolers. From noctua to coolermaster top air coolers vs nepton 280l and h110 AIO coolers. The AIO cools did a much better job at stably cooling the processor down and not blocking off my ram slots.

It is worth the extra 20 bucks to just go with an H110... lol. A fat heatsink that blocks everything is not worth the headache. and I can guarantee it would do much better cooling down the processor than a Noctua d14s..

Nepton 280L is the best for AIO coolers. Not swiftech B.S. Wanna be custom water coolers.

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

and you quoted an article about PSU from 2009. 6 years is a long time and time has changed. Get a modular.

Dull_Shooter · Apr 1, 2015

I understand about the PSU. As long as that is how all semi modular PSUs are, then I'll get one of those. Is that true, that all sent modular PSUs only have permanent 24 pin, one or 2 sata, and the 8 pin?

Dull_Shooter · Apr 1, 2015

It seems like there is a lot of debate (not just here) that the H100 is worth it. Should I bump up to the H100, or get an air cooler?

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

Yes, if you want to save head room to work around with in your case and give space for your rams. H100 can be compared to an air cooler, but dont compare the higher end tested modules such as the nepton 280L to the best air cooler you can find. There are more pros for the nepton than cons compare to an air cooler. I've had many air coolers and spent a ton of money on computer parts over the past 10 years. I can guarantee if you have a high end mid tower to a full tower case, get a CLC, there will be more pros than cons compare to a high end air cooler.

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

Dull_Shooter :

if you want efficient, go for platinum rated. Best to go fully modular. You will get better cable management, which results in better air flow and aesthetics. And it is not true that they have permanent 24 pins and 8 cpu powered pins. I have a corsair AX 1200w. I get 4pins and 20 pins.

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

and go brand names, because they will have better customer support. Asus support is crappy compared to gigabyte, but both are the top brands when it comes to motherboards. PSU wise, its always wise to go brand names... there are so many things I disagree with that guy said. Holy. And for SSD, you will use a power sata and cpu 12v 8 pin and 24 pin, idk where he get this from

"-We can't not use the 24 pin power cable
-We can't not use the 8 pin EPS cable
-We can't not use at least one SATA power cable"

Dull_Shooter · Apr 1, 2015

quandao93 :

What he means by this is you need a plug to power the mobo, usually 20 or 24 pin. I think that 8 pin cable is the graphics card, and that has to be powered. And we need power for the HDD and SSD, don't we? We can tell that right now. So why would we want a PSU that can have those plugs undone? A plug, while nice, inherently has more resistance and a higher chance of breaking than a solid line.

So that's what I understand of it. I'll see if the suggested PSU will have the right plugs permanently attached, probably does.

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

I have the option of a solid line of 6 pin or 8pin. THen again my psu is high end, so idk about the mid rage psu.

Dull_Shooter · Apr 1, 2015

JackNaylorPE :

1. There is no "best" monitor for gaming .... hold that thought for a moment as I will change my mind later

. Historically, these have been the major tradeoffs ....

IPS:

-Has better color accuracy, which is important if editing grandma's glamour shots but is the superhero's costume looks aqua when it's supposed to be perrywinkle do you care ? Color variance across screen can be noticeable in some spots on still images.

-Has better viewing angles .... very important if you have peeps sitting either side of you when gaming....still must be recognized that at some TN screens, color variance at edges can be different enough from center

TN:

-Much quicker, competitive gamers don't use IPS as opponent on TN sees you fraction of a second before you see him. No ghosting or motion blur.

-Better in low (screen image) light conditions .... in a dark cave, your torch will allow you to see enemies sooner.

Again in both cases we are talking a price level which doesn't include low end budget screen. Looking at the $275 - $500 range, I'd take a 144 Hz TN w/ Lightboost over a IPS. The $800 Asus Swift (1440p) was a cut above the normal TN as it had 8 bit color (like most IPS). 144 HZ and G-Sync and was, till now "the best gaming monitor".

Now we have a new $800 monitor from Acer (Predator) which has IPS, 1440p, G-Sync and ULMB. The inclusion of G-Sync and ULMB has compensated for the slower response time of IPS and has resulted in a new "king of the hill". It's the 1st IPS monitor I ever saw with less ghosting / motion blur than the Swift.

At $200 - $300 the 144 Hz Asus VG248QE or the equivalent BenQ would be my choice

2. There is nothing wrong with water cooling .... CLC type water cooling is just useless.

a) There is no 120/140mm CLC that can compete with the mid priced air coolers, all of which are cheaper and quieter

b) There is no 240/280mm CLC cooler that can compete with the best air coolers, all of which are cheaper and quieter.

c) The entry point for water cooling that actually improves upon equivalently priced air coolers is $140/$150 (Swiftech H220-X / H240-X)

3. As for the MoBo, I'd love to know

. Better design, better componentry ? But then I don't need to know..... The MSI Z97 Krait is a dog; the MSI Z97 Gaming 5 kicks my $300 Asus Board's tail. Like PSUs, a good purchase doesn't rely on choosing brand names as all brands have winners and clunkers..... Gigabyte has a fine product too, but the BIOS is still way outdated.

EVGA has made a strong push into the PSU market by putting low prices (that are now disappearing somewhat that there presence is known) on some excellent designs that are well built. Starting with Z87, MSI has been doing the same in the $125 - $175 segment slapping some very attractive prices on some great designs. They did the same in the GFX card market going from an "also ran" to the best reviewed and one of the top selling providers of 970s (gigabyte and MSI running neck and neck for top card)

4. One guy's mid tower is another guy's full tower.... I stopped paying attention to the labels and just look at the dimensions. It is important that the GFX cards fit w/o compromising upgrade ability.... and why give yup all those extra features. The Enthoo fits either the card but I think MSI is the better card to have and the Enthoo is the better case to have.

5. Are you sleeving your cables ? If not a semi or hybrid modular is preferred. The point of modularity is that we can reduce clutter .... to an extent

-We can't not use the 24 pin power cable
-We can't not use the 8 pin EPS cable
-We can't not use at least one SATA power cable

So what would be the point of having them modular ?

It is actually advantages not to have them modular as it lowers resistance, increases efficiency, lowers costs, and eliminates several failure points.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/power-supplies-psu,8016.html

6. Mushkin has been the premier memory supplier in the US for over 20 years.... Back in the day, "Powered by Mushkin" stickers adorned pre-built enthusiast builds and the customer list included NASA.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4328/mushkin_chronos_deluxe_120gb_solid_state_drive_review/index.html

If you are an enthusiast, you should know a little bit about Mushkin. Back in the day when being an enthusiast meant owning an ABIT motherboard and knowing a thing or two about jumpers, thermal management and having a lot of patience. Mushkin was helping build the foundations for the enthusiast market as we know it today. In those days we had real multiplier adjustments and RAM was the sizzling hot product used to boost system performance. Mushkin was one of the first companies offering PC-133 SDRAM with 2-2-2 timings, but the company really made a name for themselves when they introduced some of the first, if not the first PC-150 memory modules.

Back when SSDs were still a "newish" thing...Mushkin was one of those leading the high performance charge using premium 3Xnm Toshiba Toggle Mode Flash. However this is the "affordable SSD" and was highlighted by THG here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/mushkin-eco2-cheap-ssd,28720.html

7. You will find everything ya need to know about the SSHD here:

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/5748/seagate-desktop-2tb-sshd-st2000dx001-review/index.html

It has a 64MB cache and 8GB of MLC tyoe NAND

8. Your panel type is TN tho Asus makes it hard to find out

http://www.game-debate.com/monitor/index.php?mon_id=2241&monitor=ASUS%20VX228H

1.) So I think I am looking at either the TN panel I have now, or since I have saved a lot with your suggestions, splurging on the ASUS VG248QE.
2.) If you check this link (updated parts list), http://pcpartpicker.com/p/bpzwZL , I've changed out to that air cooler you suggested. But I am still tempted by something like the H100i, if the H80 can't push it. Would that have a comparable or better cooling? I'm worried about RAM space, as that cooler seems pretty clunky. Also, should I worry myself with having the CPU cooler fans being controlled?
3.) Changed it out, based on your review...

4.) It's only a few inches, but with the MSI card, I don't think it matters much, does it?
5.) Against some others wishes, I think I'll go with the semi modular. I think you recommended one, I just have to drop it in.
6.) Read those links, really impressed, and changed them out immediately.
7.) Done, 8gb of auto managed SSD is good enough for me.
8.)Like I said, it's down to the one I have, an ASUS VG248QE, or maybe that samsung that quandao suggested. Should I Spend the extra 100 dollars and go with IPS?

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

Dull_Shooter :

JackNaylorPE :

1. There is no "best" monitor for gaming .... hold that thought for a moment as I will change my mind later

. Historically, these have been the major tradeoffs ....

IPS:

-Has better color accuracy, which is important if editing grandma's glamour shots but is the superhero's costume looks aqua when it's supposed to be perrywinkle do you care ? Color variance across screen can be noticeable in some spots on still images.

-Has better viewing angles .... very important if you have peeps sitting either side of you when gaming....still must be recognized that at some TN screens, color variance at edges can be different enough from center

TN:

-Much quicker, competitive gamers don't use IPS as opponent on TN sees you fraction of a second before you see him. No ghosting or motion blur.

-Better in low (screen image) light conditions .... in a dark cave, your torch will allow you to see enemies sooner.

Again in both cases we are talking a price level which doesn't include low end budget screen. Looking at the $275 - $500 range, I'd take a 144 Hz TN w/ Lightboost over a IPS. The $800 Asus Swift (1440p) was a cut above the normal TN as it had 8 bit color (like most IPS). 144 HZ and G-Sync and was, till now "the best gaming monitor".

Now we have a new $800 monitor from Acer (Predator) which has IPS, 1440p, G-Sync and ULMB. The inclusion of G-Sync and ULMB has compensated for the slower response time of IPS and has resulted in a new "king of the hill". It's the 1st IPS monitor I ever saw with less ghosting / motion blur than the Swift.

At $200 - $300 the 144 Hz Asus VG248QE or the equivalent BenQ would be my choice

2. There is nothing wrong with water cooling .... CLC type water cooling is just useless.

a) There is no 120/140mm CLC that can compete with the mid priced air coolers, all of which are cheaper and quieter

b) There is no 240/280mm CLC cooler that can compete with the best air coolers, all of which are cheaper and quieter.

c) The entry point for water cooling that actually improves upon equivalently priced air coolers is $140/$150 (Swiftech H220-X / H240-X)

3. As for the MoBo, I'd love to know

. Better design, better componentry ? But then I don't need to know..... The MSI Z97 Krait is a dog; the MSI Z97 Gaming 5 kicks my $300 Asus Board's tail. Like PSUs, a good purchase doesn't rely on choosing brand names as all brands have winners and clunkers..... Gigabyte has a fine product too, but the BIOS is still way outdated.

EVGA has made a strong push into the PSU market by putting low prices (that are now disappearing somewhat that there presence is known) on some excellent designs that are well built. Starting with Z87, MSI has been doing the same in the $125 - $175 segment slapping some very attractive prices on some great designs. They did the same in the GFX card market going from an "also ran" to the best reviewed and one of the top selling providers of 970s (gigabyte and MSI running neck and neck for top card)

4. One guy's mid tower is another guy's full tower.... I stopped paying attention to the labels and just look at the dimensions. It is important that the GFX cards fit w/o compromising upgrade ability.... and why give yup all those extra features. The Enthoo fits either the card but I think MSI is the better card to have and the Enthoo is the better case to have.

5. Are you sleeving your cables ? If not a semi or hybrid modular is preferred. The point of modularity is that we can reduce clutter .... to an extent

-We can't not use the 24 pin power cable
-We can't not use the 8 pin EPS cable
-We can't not use at least one SATA power cable

So what would be the point of having them modular ?

It is actually advantages not to have them modular as it lowers resistance, increases efficiency, lowers costs, and eliminates several failure points.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/power-supplies-psu,8016.html

6. Mushkin has been the premier memory supplier in the US for over 20 years.... Back in the day, "Powered by Mushkin" stickers adorned pre-built enthusiast builds and the customer list included NASA.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4328/mushkin_chronos_deluxe_120gb_solid_state_drive_review/index.html

If you are an enthusiast, you should know a little bit about Mushkin. Back in the day when being an enthusiast meant owning an ABIT motherboard and knowing a thing or two about jumpers, thermal management and having a lot of patience. Mushkin was helping build the foundations for the enthusiast market as we know it today. In those days we had real multiplier adjustments and RAM was the sizzling hot product used to boost system performance. Mushkin was one of the first companies offering PC-133 SDRAM with 2-2-2 timings, but the company really made a name for themselves when they introduced some of the first, if not the first PC-150 memory modules.

Back when SSDs were still a "newish" thing...Mushkin was one of those leading the high performance charge using premium 3Xnm Toshiba Toggle Mode Flash. However this is the "affordable SSD" and was highlighted by THG here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/mushkin-eco2-cheap-ssd,28720.html

7. You will find everything ya need to know about the SSHD here:

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/5748/seagate-desktop-2tb-sshd-st2000dx001-review/index.html

It has a 64MB cache and 8GB of MLC tyoe NAND

8. Your panel type is TN tho Asus makes it hard to find out

http://www.game-debate.com/monitor/index.php?mon_id=2241&monitor=ASUS%20VX228H

1.) So I think I am looking at either the TN panel I have now, or since I have saved a lot with your suggestions, splurging on the ASUS VG248QE.
2.) If you check this link (updated parts list),http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vqBppg , I've changed out to that air cooler you suggested. But I am still tempted by something like the H100i, if the H80 can't push it. Would that have a comparable or better cooling? I'm worried about RAM space, as that cooler seems pretty clunky. Also, should I worry myself with having the CPU cooler fans being controlled?
3.) Changed it out, based on your review...

4.) It's only a few inches, but with the MSI card, I don't think it matters much, does it?
5.) Against some others wishes, I think I'll go with the semi modular. I think you recommended one, I just have to drop it in.
6.) Read those links, really impressed, and changed them out immediately.
7.) Done, 8gb of auto managed SSD is good enough for me.
8.)Like I said, it's down to the one I ahve, an ASUS VG248QE, or maybe that samsung that quandao suggested. Should I Spend the extra 100 dollars and go with IPS?

I have 3 of vg248qe. If its fits your budget, I recommend it. as for the cpu cooler, h80 is good when youre not doing overclock. if youre planning to overclock go h110, its worth the dollars over highend air coolers.

Dull_Shooter · Apr 1, 2015

quandao93 :

Dull_Shooter :

JackNaylorPE :

1.) So I think I am looking at either the TN panel I have now, or since I have saved a lot with your suggestions, splurging on the ASUS VG248QE.
2.) If you check this link (updated parts list),http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vqBppg , I've changed out to that air cooler you suggested. But I am still tempted by something like the H100i, if the H80 can't push it. Would that have a comparable or better cooling? I'm worried about RAM space, as that cooler seems pretty clunky. Also, should I worry myself with having the CPU cooler fans being controlled?
3.) Changed it out, based on your review...

4.) It's only a few inches, but with the MSI card, I don't think it matters much, does it?
5.) Against some others wishes, I think I'll go with the semi modular. I think you recommended one, I just have to drop it in.
6.) Read those links, really impressed, and changed them out immediately.
7.) Done, 8gb of auto managed SSD is good enough for me.
8.)Like I said, it's down to the one I ahve, an ASUS VG248QE, or maybe that samsung that quandao suggested. Should I Spend the extra 100 dollars and go with IPS?

I have 3 of vg248qe. If its fits your budget, I recommend it. as for the cpu cooler, h80 is good when youre not doing overclock. if youre planning to overclock go h110, its worth the dollars over highend air coolers.

Is this comparable?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236335&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-LCD+%2f+LED+Monitors-_-N82E16824236335&gclid=COCawpy41sQCFUY6gQodGBcAIQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

5ms ips panel looks good, but I recommend going PLS Samsung that I suggested, you'll get better gaming experience with a bigger screen. 24 inches is not big enough in my opinion as I have 3 144hz monitors. HAHAHA. I will be buying the Acer 144hz IPS Gsync soon.

but for you my friend, I def recommend going for the Samsung over Asus.

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

the PLS one is 4ms so that beats it by a bit

quandao93 · Apr 1, 2015

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-S27d390h-27-inch-Screen-Monitor/dp/B00TSCKWFO/ref=sr_1_20?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1427937931&sr=1-20&keywords=PLS+monitor+27

Advice for gaming computer should it be cheaper?

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