Gaming PC Budget $2500 Including Full Set of Peripherals

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J

Jungle_Boi

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May 24, 2014
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Hello fellow community members of Tom's Hardware. I have a project for you all today. I am looking to sell my current computer to make money for my next build project. This computer is going to be solely a gaming computer, and maybe some other small things on the side such as rendering, photo editing, and stuff like that if needed.

I have done my research for quite a few months, and have decided to use PcPartPicker.com to put all of my findings together. This computer will run for about $2500 (about $2000 for the PC its self) with a full set of peripherals, and the only vendors I am using are Amazon, Best-Buy, Directron, NCIX US, and Newegg.

Here is what I have put together:
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ywkQnQ
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ywkQnQ/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($88.99 @ Newegg)
Thermal Compound: Cooler Master ThermalFusion 400 4g Thermal Paste ($8.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII HERO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($197.00 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Beast 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($125.74 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($200.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive ($90.75 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($334.99 @ Directron)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($334.99 @ Directron)
Case: NZXT H440 (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case ($119.99)
Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($182.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit) ($94.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: LG 24GM77 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($275.98 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Headphones: Kingston HyperX Cloud Pro Headset ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2533.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-17 11:23 EDT-0400

I want to know your thoughts on this. Is it overkill? Is it just right? Are there any recommendations you have to improve this build? Do I need to add/take away parts of this build?

Any help is appreciated!! Thank you in advance.
 
Solution
okcnaline
Oh... Just a cost-saving measure that aligns with the color theme. ;)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($372.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI X99S Gaming 7 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($218.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
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Nextg_Rival

Nextg_Rival

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It's an OK build but I strongly recommend changing the PSU to an Antec, EVGA or a SeaSonic. I've heard some bad things about the Corsair PSUs. Also, if you are going for performance, there's much better ways to use the money. I can create a power build for the same price if you want me to?
 
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ingtar33

ingtar33

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Dec 17, 2012
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a Corsair AX760 is a fine power supply, made by seasonic. there are no issues with the AX lineup of corsair power supplies.
 
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M

MasterMace

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Original poster listed the AXi 760W, which is made by Flextronics.

@OP Unless you want the extra monitoring for the AXi series, you could pick up the Seasonic made AX760 for less money than what you have selected now.


That being said, I would recommend using a more powerful unit than that for SLI. http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-ss860xp2 is another Platinum Tier 1 power supply with 71A on the 12v rail.
 
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ingtar33

ingtar33

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Dec 17, 2012
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not a fan of 970's in SLi, and your monitor is unimpressive. 2x 970s in SLi for 1 1080p 144hz monitor? sort of a mismatch there.

listen, if 1 gtx970 can't hit 144 fps at 1080p it's almost certainly because your cpu isn't overclocked enough, in which case a 2nd 970 won't help. furthermore that memory issue that was talked about for a while, the only times it ever showed up in real world testing (outside of benchmarks) was in SLi.

So... here is the thought i have. dump the 144hz monitor, and go with 3 1080p 60hz monitors. or get yourself a bigger 1440p monitor.

also, psus are at their most energy efficient when they're around 50%-70% load. i'd probably bump up your psu to a 850W unit, just to make sure your rig is always in the sweet spot; and to give you some more room for some overclocking.



how can you tell, he didn't give enough info? still you're right the AXi is not that good. the AX is fine.

and i'm with you about the SLi issue. i think he should bump the unit up in power a bit as well
 
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J

Jungle_Boi

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May 24, 2014
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Go ahead and create a build. But I would like for it to match a red/black color scheme like the one I already created.
 
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J

Jungle_Boi

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Also, if I keep the SLI Strix 970's with my current monitor, and then upgrade it to a 4k monitor or something like that around Christmas time, would that be good?
In addition to that, is the two Strix 970's the best graphics card solution for around $700? Or are there other SLI options or a single GPU card that is better?
 
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gamer1357

gamer1357

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Aug 6, 2014
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You could do better with $2500

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($333.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($83.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z97X Killer ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($121.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Savage 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($111.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($199.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($329.00 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($329.00 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT H440 (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($117.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit) ($94.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: BenQ GW2765HT 60Hz 27.0" Monitor ($359.10 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Headphones: Kingston HyperX Cloud Pro Headset ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2580.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-17 20:41 EDT-0400

You could also choose a single 980 instead of the SLI 970's.
 
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J

Jungle_Boi

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How would the performance compare between SLI 970's and a single 980 card?
And is a i7 really needed now with the current-gen games? Or did you add it for future proofing the system?

Also which would you prefer for a single 980:
1. Asus GeForce GTX 980 4GB STRIX Video Card
2. MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card
 
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gamer1357

gamer1357

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No an i7 isn't needed. But in my system I like to keep the CPU for 4-5 years and I think by then games will utilize the extra threads. But that is just my opinion. An i5 is great too.

SLI 970's are more powerful but here are the cons

- More heat and Nosie
- Problems with SLI in certain games, but most today work well with them
- The 970's vram problem where after 3.5gb is used the latency spikes up.

I would prefer the single card and upgrade when it isn't good enough anymore but the choice is up to you. If you go the single card route you could also get a PSU with less wattage.

Between the MSI and Asus 980's I prefer the Asus because I like the backplate but they are both good.
 
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okcnaline

okcnaline

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Nov 17, 2013
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I'm surprised nobody went for 2560x1440 for under $2500. None of you have a GTX 980 also. And seriously?! Why do you need 500GB SSD when you have >1TB HDD?!!!

Oh, did I mention pulling off a very beautiful color scheme THROUGHOUT the machine? So much black and red.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($372.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($104.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI X99S Gaming 7 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($218.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Noctis 450 ATX Mid Tower Case ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($117.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.95 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer G257HU smidpx 60Hz 25.0" Monitor ($284.59 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($27.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Headphones: Kingston HyperX Cloud II 7.1 Channel Headset ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2434.38
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-17 22:39 EDT-0400
 
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J

Jungle_Boi

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Ok, cool so I have options here. But I am leaning towards the single card, and spending the money elsewhere. Do you know specifically how much more of an increase it is though? Just curious.
 
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J

Jungle_Boi

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May 24, 2014
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What is up with the $27 keyboard? And I forgot to mention I already have a Razer Deathadder Chroma mouse.
 
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okcnaline

okcnaline

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Nov 17, 2013
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Oh... Just a cost-saving measure that aligns with the color theme. ;)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($372.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI X99S Gaming 7 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($218.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Noctis 450 ATX Mid Tower Case ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($117.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($87.49 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer G257HU smidpx 60Hz 25.0" Monitor ($284.59 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Logitech G710 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Headphones: Kingston HyperX Cloud II 7.1 Channel Headset ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2511.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-18 10:37 EDT-0400
 
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Solution
king3pj

king3pj

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I'll chime in as someone who actually runs 2 970s in SLI. I originally had one 970 for about 3 months and then, due to an unusual circumstance, I had a chance to get a second, identical 970 basically for free. I play on a 1080p 60Hz TV in my main home theater setup. The single 970 was enough to max out pretty much everything I threw at it for those purposes but how could I not take advantage of a free 970 to run SLI?

Admittedly, I have only had my second 970 in SLI for a couple weeks and my single 970 was doing well with all the games I have tested (Far Cry 4, Shadow of Mordor, Borderlands the Pre-Sequel) since the upgrade.

With my single card setup Far Cry 4 would stutter when I used Nvidia's proprietary PCSS shadows instead of the generic Ultra shadow setting. I also had to use SMAA for anti aliasing. Anything higher would cause stuttering. Since going to SLI 970s I can now use PCSS and TXAA 4X and run at a smooth 60fps.

I always run VSYNC because I don't see the point of my GPUs putting out more fps than my TV can display. With the other games I have tried I was already maxing out with a single 970 so I haven't seen much performance improvement.

My GPU usage on one card used to be around 85-95% and temperatures under load would get to around 80C. I know most people say SLI adds heat and noise but that really only seems to be true when both cards are under high load. Since SLI 970s are still overkill for most games my GPU usage tends to be closer to 40% on each card. Temperatures while playing a couple hours under that amount of load seem to stay around 70-73C on each card. The 970 has a feature where fans don't even kick on until the card reaches 60C so for now I'm actually running quieter and with lower temps than I was with a single card.

In summary SLI 970s won't really be taxed at 1080p/60fps yet. Hopefully The Witcher 3 tomorrow and Arkham Knight next month will give us something that can put these cards under a bit more load. I haven't experienced any troubles that make me regret adding in a second 970 (for free) so far. I'm hoping this will give some longer than normal life to my current build since I don't plan to go higher than 1080p/60fps anytime soon.
 
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J

Jungle_Boi

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May 24, 2014
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I really like this, maybe with a few changes, this might be my next build project for me. And I will definitely enjoy it!
 
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okcnaline

okcnaline

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Nov 17, 2013
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Glad you like it! Good luck!!!

P.S.: How about this build? See if you like Black/Green or Black/Red better. ;)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($372.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI X99S MPOWER ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($254.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($97.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB 100 Million Edition Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($339.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB 100 Million Edition Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($339.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT H440 Designed by Razer™ ATX Mid Tower Case ($137.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($117.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.95 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer G257HU smidpx 60Hz 25.0" Monitor ($287.58 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Razer Blackwidow Tournament Edition Wired Gaming Keyboard ($67.61 @ Amazon)
Headphones: Kingston HyperX Cloud II 7.1 Channel Headset ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2513.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-18 16:41 EDT-0400
 
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M

MasterMace

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In the OP's link, you can view the individual parts.
 
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