Want to build a new gaming rig - need some guidance

Aviator92

Reputable
Aug 28, 2015
2
0
4,510
I want to build a new PC because the one I have now is starting to show its age (it has a Core 2 Quad with DDR2 and struggles running some games). I want to build a system with DDR4 memory as it will be more future proof than DDR3. The only thing I cannot decide is the processor and motherboard. I am not sure if I want a 6700k, a 6600k, a 4790k (not sure if this is compatible with DDR4), or a 5820k. I kind of want to go with the latest and greatest because I want it to be as future proof as possible. I originally was thinking of going with the i7 because it is the top of the line, however I see that the i5 6600k is cheaper and doesn't seem that much weaker than the i7. My question is, is it worth it to spend the extra money on the i7 for system longevity and future proofing? Which processor will provide the best bang for the buck and work best for gaming and multimedia? This system will also be my main everyday use PC as well so it needs to be good at multitasking as well. I am also not sure what motherboard to get either but I think I need a X99 or Z170 depending on the processor I get. I prefer ASUS or Gigabyte motherboards but wouldn't mind going with another brand if the specs are really good.

I do NOT plan on overclocking or running SLI and want to stick with air cooling at least for now. Also, in my current PC I have a Corsair TX 650 watt power supply, will this be sufficient for the new machine I build or will I have to upgrade it too? (I plan on getting a GTX 980 graphics card as it seems to be the top of the line newest card and I eventually plan on upgrading to a higher resolution monitor). Will the 650 watt be enough for the 980?

One last thing, in my current system I have an Arctic Freezer 7 Pro v2 CPU cooler and it says it is also compatible with 1366 and 1155. Does the new Intel chipsets use the same heatsink mounting size? Will I be able to reuse it in my new build? Will it provide enough cooling for the new system?
 

Penanc3

Reputable
Aug 8, 2015
88
0
4,660
Hi there, so yeah, the 4790k does NOT support ddr4 memory : http://ark.intel.com/products/80807/Intel-Core-i7-4790K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4_40-GHz

Taking into account you're really stressing on future-proofing : i'd avoid the 4790k and go for the others, either the skylake ones or the 5820k. since only they support ddr4. (but folks say it'll still be a while till we see substantial differences between the two)

As for the PSU, i can't find it on here at Tom's. How old is it? I'd recommend getting a newer one : http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html (Try sticking to the top 2 tiers)

One last thing, in my current system I have an Arctic Freezer 7 Pro v2 CPU cooler and it says it is also compatible with 1366 and 1155.

The 4790k is LGA 1150, the Skylake processors are 1151 and the 5820k is 2011-v3 so i don't think you can use that one.

EDIT : Sorry, apparently the Arctic Freezer 7 Pro v2 does support 1150 so if you do go with the 4790k you can still use it.