Need assistance with $2k gaming Desktop build

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SparrowhawkCA

SparrowhawkCA

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May 10, 2015
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Approximate Purchase Date: ASAP.

Budget Range: $2 000 CAD +/- $300

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Streaming, Photoshop.

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Parts Preferences: I know Nvidia has some PhyX thing in my Metro games that has a certain quality to it. But apart from that there's no preference I suppose.

Overclocking: When I figure out how to.

SLI or Crossfire: No clue.

Your Monitor Resolution: Not sure what I want for this, I hear lots about 2K resolution but I imagine that costs a load more?

Additional Comments: With the onset of Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, I really want something capable of running it at a very high quality so that I can be totally immersed in the game. It has over a hundred hours of content, and I'll be getting the expansions with another 60-80 hours of content so this is a big deal for me. (Read all the books/played all the games)

I also play things like Metro 2033/Last Light Redux, Deus Ex, Dota 2, WoW, StarCraft, Homeworld Remastered, and Alien: Isolation as examples. I want this to be something that will last for awhile, and in the future perhaps I can upgrade it to another generation.

My internet is wireless, so I need a good PCI adapter for that. I have no care for speakers because I already own a solid pair of headphones - however I'm curious as to whether I should be getting a fancy soundcard or not? Probably 2K monitor resolution. Lastly, uh, I see a lot about cooling and getting custom fans for certain things like the CPU and replacing all the case fans, or utilising liquid cooling (but I don't understand how that works) so I'm unsure what to do for that.

Why Are You Upgrading: Apart from wanting to rock the Witcher 3 and the new Deus Ex game, my current computer is starting to hit the bucket. It's an older laptop that can barely run Metro and Witcher 2 on lower graphics settings.

Include a list of any parts you have already selected with descriptively labeled links for parts:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($317.22 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($153.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ NCIX)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($135.50 @ Vuugo)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.95 @ Vuugo)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($403.19 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($403.19 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($74.99 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ NCIX)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit) ($107.92 @ shopRBC)
Sound Card: Asus Xonar DGX 24-bit 96 KHz Sound Card ($39.00 @ Vuugo)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WDN4800 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($39.98 @ DirectCanada)
Monitor: Asus VS24AH-P 24.0" Monitor ($278.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Keyboard: AZIO MGK1 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($79.99 @ NCIX)
Mouse: Logitech G302 Daedalus Prime Moba Wired Laser Mouse ($37.97 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $2280.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-11 19:02 EDT-0400
 
Solution
DonkeyOatie
It is difficult to predict the exact final fan configuration, because of all the variables of parts, cable management, and circumstances, and your final case choice. Including what comes with the case, you will need at least two intake fans, one of which is for your GPU area, and one exhaust at the top of the case. You may need one more of each type for a total of five. Final case choice may change this. No special cables unless you have more fans than fan hearers and choose not to go with a dedicated fan controller. I don't see that happening here. Fans are cheapish. You should not need more than $100 worth of them.

IPS gives wider good viewing angles, but it can be slower. Your monitor is a very important and expensive part...
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DonkeyOatie

DonkeyOatie

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Sep 16, 2014
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Here's a starting point.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($313.24 @ shopRBC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($153.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($126.99 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.95 @ Vuugo)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($403.19 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: BitFenix Shinobi Window ATX Mid Tower Case ($66.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($18.98 @ DirectCanada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit) ($107.92 @ shopRBC)
Monitor: LG 23MP55HQ-P 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($167.95 @ Vuugo)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($23.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $1592.17
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-11 05:08 EDT-0400

At any time you can add a second identical GPU for an 80% improvement in graphics performance, and you have plenty of budget for more sophisticated keyboard and mouse. I use this one for my RPGs and I'm happy.

You have plenty of extra budget, but much more would not be cost-effective.
 
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SparrowhawkCA

SparrowhawkCA

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May 10, 2015
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I've never even heard of a "Xeon" processor. o_O

Is a 970 (or 970 x2) worth it over going with 980? This computer is something I'll be actively using, and I suppose upgrading in the future to keep up with new generations. But I want it to be fantastic right now for Witcher 3, so being able to run the high graphics with no sweat. Also, my internet is going to be wireless; do you have an opinion on some adapter for that? http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166046 was the first thing I found.
 
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Bossyfins

Bossyfins

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Dec 27, 2014
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A single 970 is about 10% to 20% slower than a 980 but once you sli them they are over50% better. At similar costs. The 970 maxes almost everything with reduced msaa. As for wireless, I'd recommend ethernet as its faster but a pci wireless card is good.

 
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SparrowhawkCA

SparrowhawkCA

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Thank you so much to everyone that has helped so far.

I went through a load of stuff this morning after reading the responses and made a rushed part list. Most of it was just basic "what's really good for x" searches. Many of this stuff I'm very lost about, namely getting a motherboard that's cost-effective, what monitor is suitable, and etc. I still don't understand the difference between the Xeon processor that was listed and an i5 for instance (as everyone and their mother in ever search says i5). What case to get is another concern, and what to do about fans/cooling.

How does RAID work and does it apply to my current storage archetype?
 
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Q

qwerty987123

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the xeon recommended is the equivalent to a locked i7 4790 (no k meaning it is locked) however doesn't have integrated graphics and is therefore roughly the price of an i5 which most people consider the go to option for gaming as xeon cpus's are intended for workstations however in this case are a better alternative to an i5. Since the xeon is a has an 1150 socket you will need an 1150 socket board, of these you want a h97 board as this is the non overclocking equivalent of a z97 board and these 2 chipsets are the latest for the 1150 socket. To pick a case a considerable amount comes down to individual taste because of aesthetics however once we know what visuals you want we can recommend good ones. With regards to cooling and fans with a locked cpu you can either use the stock cooler or a cheap aftermarket one to reduce noise and for case fans a standard setup is 2 front intakes with one rear exhaust. Whether you will need to buy fans depends on how many come with the case. Finally you won't need RAID as this is to do with using multiple drives for speed or backup and isn't required in most build as they tend to have a single 1tb hdd and an usually an ssd of varying size depending on budget although a standard is 250gb for a boot drive and some games/apps.

this wiki page explains RAID http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_RAID_levels
 
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DonkeyOatie

DonkeyOatie

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Sep 16, 2014
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The Z97 is so he can SLI, not overclock, so it is not pointless, in fact it is essential. I like the good power phases and price performance of the board. There other choices and that's where the tuning comes in. However a Z97 board is essential for this build for future expansion, just like the 750W PSU

The Xeon with four good cores and hyperthreading is something that the OP can afford, and supports the things other than gaming. Streaming will need extra threads
 
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DonkeyOatie

DonkeyOatie

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Sep 16, 2014
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See my answer above as to why Xeon. If you want to save money, you could use an i5 4460, but the additional cost is modest for the extra flexibility you get.

2 x 970 are more cost effective than 1 x 980, even though the cost more.

A wireless Ppci-e adaptor will cost around $30 CDN.

 
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SparrowhawkCA

SparrowhawkCA

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May 10, 2015
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I don't really have any care towards aesthetics with cases beyond not wanting anything monstrously ugly. My only priority in respect to cases is performance; easy-to-use, won't break on me, and et cetera. One worry is just the size of the thing, as I don't want to end up having something smaller than the sum of its parts. I'd also appreciate it to not be god-awfully noisy. Liquid cooling is something I don't entirely understand yet, so I'm unsure if I should be getting it. On that note of cooling, though, this part-picker website has a space for a custom CPU fan, and I wonder if I should be spending money on that with this Xeon processor?

Updated the part list to reflect advise given thus far.
 
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DonkeyOatie

DonkeyOatie

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Sep 16, 2014
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The stock CPU cooler will do what you need. I it does not, due to unforseen circumstances, then and aftermarket product is under $40 and can be added later easily.. Based on your particular case and its contents, you may need a couple of extra case fans.

Useful liquid cooling is for very high performance systems where air is not enough. Air is generally cheaper, better, quieter, and easier. Only if you plan an extreme over clock of an i7 4790 should you consider liquid. It's a neat thing to say you have, but it is of limited usefulness.
 
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SparrowhawkCA

SparrowhawkCA

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May 10, 2015
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How many (if any) and what kind of fans should I be garnering for this? Do I need any sort of special cables in general? And I selected my monitor essentially on the basis of it has a decent size and resolution, and then it has this IPS that's apparently so important.
 
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DonkeyOatie

DonkeyOatie

Champion
Sep 16, 2014
12,141
1
50,960
It is difficult to predict the exact final fan configuration, because of all the variables of parts, cable management, and circumstances, and your final case choice. Including what comes with the case, you will need at least two intake fans, one of which is for your GPU area, and one exhaust at the top of the case. You may need one more of each type for a total of five. Final case choice may change this. No special cables unless you have more fans than fan hearers and choose not to go with a dedicated fan controller. I don't see that happening here. Fans are cheapish. You should not need more than $100 worth of them.

IPS gives wider good viewing angles, but it can be slower. Your monitor is a very important and expensive part of your system and the market is changing almost daily. I would start a separate thread in the Displays forum to get specific advice.
 
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