$1300 First Build and ordering from Amazon

cmac813

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Approximate Purchase Date: July 15th during the Amazon prime sale if I find some good deals

Budget Range: I have $1300 in Amazon gift cards and $100 in newegg gift cards, I pay about 7% tax on Amazon

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, surfing the internet, netflix
Are you buying a monitor: No

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon.com

Parts Preferences: Intel cpu leaning toward i5 4690k

Overclocking: Maybe, never done it before so I'm not sure if I want to right away

SLI or Crossfire: Only if needed in the future

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080p, eventually want to get 2 more

Additional Comments: 60fps for games like Assetto Corsa and other racing sims, BF3, I'd like highest settings but doesn't have to be ultra

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Need a new machine, I'd like to be able to use it for the next 3-5 years and I don't mind lowering the graphics for higher fps in the future.

I already made a post on reddit tonight and got one person who helped price up a build with a 980ti but I don't know if I really need that for 1080p and I'm hoping for some more opinions. Below is what I came up with but I'm not sure on some parts.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wDJ2wP
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wDJ2wP/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($252.50 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($82.52 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (Purchased For $160.00)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($50.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX200 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($106.15 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($55.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 390 8GB Video Card ($353.08 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($106.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($124.10 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1312.30
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-08 22:31 EDT-0400

The parts I'm not sure on are if I need the cpu cooler or if I should go for something cheaper like the 212 evo. I imagine the noctua dh14 would keep the cpu cooler and maybe make it last longer?

I'm not sure about the motherboard, its says purchased but I haven't bought one yet, not really sure what I need. I've been looking at the different Z97 ones but I don't really know the differences between them.

As I said someone on reddit helped me price out a build for $1500 with a 980ti but since I'm only doing 1080p I don't know if that's necessary. Would a 390 or 970 work with 3 1080p monitors?

I'd appreciate any help, whether you post a full build or just some opinions on specific parts, I want to have a solid list of parts that I can watch out for during the Amazon sale. Thanks for the help.
 
looks like you're buying some at Newegg and soem at Amazon.

The Enthoo Pro is cheaper at Newegg - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854003

I'd get a gtx970 eg MSI Gaming instead of the R9 390 - http://www.amazon.com/MSI-GTX-970-4G-Graphics/dp/B00NN0GEXQ
With the 750W PSU you could later add another one.

And I'd change to 2 x 4gb 1866 cl 9 ram - about the same price and a bit faster

And get the Samsung evo 850 250gb SSD instead - cheaper and faster

And yeah for the i5 4690k the big noctua cooler is a bit of overkill. Maybe try the Cryorig H7 - bit better and smaller than the CM for a few dollars more
 
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($235.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($74.75 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (Purchased For $160.00)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($50.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($97.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($50.97 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0 Video Card ($334.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($21.20 @ Amazon)
Total: $1216.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-08 23:22 EDT-0400
 

g-unit1111

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Moderator


Yeah I just got a 970 TwinFROZR - I would easily recommend that over the R9-390, which is really a rebranded R9-285.

This is what I would recommend on a $1300 budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($328.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX_BK 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($136.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($63.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($97.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card ($343.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($117.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Directron)
Total: $1305.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-08 23:45 EDT-0400
 

Dan425811923

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The 390 is a 290 rebrand.
 

cmac813

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I'm a little surprised all of you are recommending the 970 instead of a 390. The majority of stuff I've seen people say is the 390 is better due to it being close to the 970 at 1080p and beating it in some games and having the extra VRAM. Would I need an extra video card if I get triple monitors or would one 970 or one 390 be good enough?
Also I was looking at the Gigabyte Gaming G1 970 because I heard it was a good choice, anyone have thoughts on that one? I know it's a little more expensive.

Also I'd like to quote some of you individually but it says your solution when I try to post an answer and quoting someone, is that how it's supposed to work?

Thanks for all the help, looks like I have a lot more thinking to do.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


I personally would not buy the R9-390, anyone who says it's better than the GTX 970 is just nitpicking. The extra VRAM is pretty much worthless at 1080P and even at 1440P and 2160P/4K. It won't make any difference having it at your resolution.

Also I was looking at the Gigabyte Gaming G1 970 because I heard it was a good choice, anyone have thoughts on that one? I know it's a little more expensive.

Windforce or TwinFROZR, you can't go wrong with either one. Depends on the size of your case but the Windforce should fit most cases. It barely does in my H440.
 

cmac813

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I'm pretty sure I'll get the enthoo pro unless there are some major case deals during the Amazon sale and the 970 should fit fine. The reason I'm seeing people recommend the 390 is because with the extra VRAM the card will last longer with future games requiring more than 4GB VRAM, I don't know if that's true or not. Also it seems to perform just as well at 1080p with the 970 but uses more power. I might just get whichever is cheapest when I build.

The thing I'm worried about is a game coming out next year that requires like 6GB VRAM or something like that, is that likely at all? I guess the main question is will the 970 be good enough for the next 3 years with the less VRAM?

Down the line when I get triple 1080p monitors will I need an additional card? If so with the 390 or 970 work better than the other with dual cards? Thanks for the help.
 

g-unit1111

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You can't go wrong with the Enthoo Pro, I want to get an Enthoo Luxe at some point. The VRAM thing is simply put, BS. Anyone who says future games will use more VRAM doesn't know what they're talking about, and most likely bought AMD's hype surrounding the R9-390.

The thing I'm worried about is a game coming out next year that requires like 6GB VRAM or something like that, is that likely at all? I guess the main question is will the 970 be good enough for the next 3 years with the less VRAM?

No - very unlikely. The 970 will handle everything that the R9-390 will and will still be viable for the next few years.

Down the line when I get triple 1080p monitors will I need an additional card? If so with the 390 or 970 work better than the other with dual cards? Thanks for the help.

Yes and the 970 will be better for a multi card configuration.
 

logainofhades

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Moderator


The 380 was the 285 rebrand. The 390 is an R9 290, with more ram.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=-1&IsNodeId=1&Description=r9%20390&bop=And&CompareItemList=-1%7C14-127-880%5E14-127-880-TS%2C14-131-595%5E14-131-595-TS%2C14-127-774%5E14-127-774-TS%2C14-127-874%5E14-127-874-TS&percm=14-127-874%3A%24%24%24%24%24%24%24
 

cmac813

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Thanks for the help and the info.