New PC build, feedback needed

Monsimeph · Sep 3, 2015

Greetings everybody!

I am finally buying a new PC after 7 years, and feel a bit out of the loop.
This is what I came up with so far and I kinda like it. I think... It's been a while since I've shopped for PC parts, I don't feel comfortable at all. Thus I'd like to get some feedback and also recommendations for a budget monitor.

The computer will be used mostly for work and casual gaming. I do need a decent CPU, nothing too crazy though. My thinking was that an overclocked i5 4690k would cut it for now. In any case it will be a major improvement from my dual core dinosaur.

I am not a hardcore gamer, but would like to play new'ish games at somewhat decent settings every once in a while. Civilization series specifically (who knows, maybe we'll get Civ6 next fall? A guy might dream). I know that R9 280x will probably perform better in Civ, but power consumption is a big concern, hence GXT960.

Things I am still on the fence about:

Cooling
Given that I am planning light to moderate overclocking, I am getting an aftermarket cooler, despite the fact that the store owner tried to convinced me I don't need one. I tend to believe I do. The problem is that in my area Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo can't be found anymore and I don't really know what are good alternatives. If you have ideas, please share.

PSU
As of now I can get a good deal on the case+PSU, however I can also get the same case and 520W Seasonic M12II for extra $25. Is there any difference between these two PSU's and is Seasonic really worth this investment?

SSD
I found this cheap offer and thought to myself that Kingston couldn't be bad. Samsung EVO is $30 more expensive. Is it even worth getting the Kingston or should I wait for a deal on Samsung if it ever comes? Or maybe third option?

Monitor
Last but not least, I need a budget monitor. 22-24''. Nothing fancy, just functional. IPS, DVI. High brightness and contrast are welcome (but I am realistic). Tilt adjustment at least. Don't care as much about angles. No need for speakers and HDMI either. I have separate monitor for media, so this one is for general use and gaming. Budget: $180.

Thanks in advance and have a great day!

P.S. Sorry, probably should've posted in Systems... Hopefully that's not too much of a deal.

Miky5983 · Sep 3, 2015

Cooling
Try finding a 212 plus its a newer version of the 212 Evo.
PSU
The one you have put on PCPartpicker is good.
SSD
Its Kingston so its probably good. Your decision.

Im not good with monitors

_Vass · Sep 3, 2015

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/benq-monitor-rl2455hm monitor? http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/monitor/#X=0,18265&W=2160,2410&r=256001440,192001080&T=1,5&H=60,144&i=67&sort=a8&page=1&m=8,139,129,166,32,35 here's a list with the filters you mentioned

Miky5983 · Sep 3, 2015

_Vass :

wow thats a nice monitor

Monsimeph · Sep 3, 2015

Miky5983 :

Nope. The only CoolerMasters I can get is either Hyper TX3 EVO or Blizzard T2 with the former being $25 more expensive. But there's plenty of Noctua's (which, admittedly, I am not familiar with) and Zalmans. Any thoughts? Is Blizzart T2 any good? I really don't want to spend twice as much on cooling.

_Vass :

The little thing I am not 100% happy about is that it's not IPS. The big thing: I checked this Benq in local stores and apparently it costs $280 here. Sigh... Let's just ditch the budget then. Let's look for the cheapest possible lol...

BTW, I know that nothing beats examining the monitor with your own eyes . At this point I am just trying to narrow the search. Options are plenty. I was hoping someone had previous experience with similar setup and can share some insights. Like 'this particular series of this particular manufacturer is bad/good'.

Thanks again for your help guys.

raisonjohn · Sep 3, 2015

Here are my thoughts that may help you in your decision-making:

COOLING
The store owner had a point in so far as using stock cooler for LIGHT overclocking. However, your hunch is correct to believe you do. Since aftermarket coolers are not too expensive, it would not punch a big hole in your pockets to protect an expensive piece of equipment. Light overclocking or not, a cpu cooler will not hurt (better to have it and not need it, than to need it but not have it). Cool temps are our best friend. Though I cannot recommend a specific alternative to your sought-after CM Hyper 212 Evo, you might want to check out this previous post/discussion regarding your specific concern.

PSU
I would strongly advise you to avoid the Case + PSU bundles as most, if not all, bundled PSU's have low-class, low-quality, and low-tiered components. Check out this PSU Tier List for particular brands and models that were manufactured with the highest efficiency, stability, and safety. When selecting, we want to keep our choices in the Tier-One or Tier-Two levels. Your initially-selected PSU, which was the Antec High Current Gamer 520W, is a good choice (Tier-Two). Fyi, Seasonic is the supplier of the Antec's semi-modular version of that PSU.

SSD
You might want to check this Latest SSD User Benchmark showing effective speed and price-performance rankings of 705 SSD's available in the market. Your initially-selected Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB ranks 530th/705 and has terrible effective speed rating. On the other hand, the Samsung 850 EVO 120GB ranks 38th/705. You get a better price-performance value for the latter when you compare these two SSD's. My recommendation is to go with the Samsung. If price is too steep for you, check the list for better-valued SSD's higher than your initial selection (maybe look at the Plextors or the Crucials which are cheaper than the Samsungs).

MONITOR
Here's a couple of monitors you may want to consider based on your requirements and budget:

Option 1:
Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor
$126.99 - $132.98
23" / 1080p / 16:9 / IPS / 250cd/sqm / 100,000,000 : 1 / 5ms / 60Hz / No Speakers / with DVI

Option 2:
Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor
$129.99 - $143.99
23" / 1080p / 16:9 / IPS / 250cd/sqm / 50,000,000 : 1 / 5ms / 60Hz / No Speakers / with DVI

Just my suggestions, hope it'll help!

Monsimeph · Sep 3, 2015

raisonjohn :

I am not even sure if I am going to OC immediately. Thanks for the link, I missed it somehow. Unfortunately, as expected, just a couple of these available for me and they are not very attractive price-wise. What a pain in the arse to find such a small and trivial component! Do you know any good Noctua models? They seem fairly new here thus the demand is low and so are prices.

raisonjohn :

I wasn't very clear with my phrasing. Sorry about that. The Case + PSU is not one of those generic cheap bundles. It's an Antec 500GX case + Antec HCG PSU bundle. I am not sure why the bundle is cheaper than buying them separately though. I shall ask the store. My question was regarding changing that particular bundle to the case + M12II for a higher price. But if there's nothing wrong with Antec PSU, I seriously doubt there's any point in that.

raisonjohn :

Thanks! I'll be checking them next.

raisonjohn :

I was considering this Acer myself, but I can only find V236HLBD in my vicinity and as far as I can tell it's not an IPS. The store states otherwise, but it's hard to believe given what the manufacturer says. Am I missing something?
The Asus looks really promising. I'll try to find one and test it.

This was extremely helpful. Thank you!

raisonjohn · Sep 3, 2015

Do you know any good Noctua models? They seem fairly new here thus the demand is low and so are prices.

In terms of performance, Noctua CPU Coolers are one of the best in the market. I have yet to see a bad review or rating on these coolers. Personally, the only thing I don't like about Noctua fans is purely aesthetical - they are all brown+beige colors that would not complement case interior! Other than that, you won't go wrong with any models (just make sure that the dimensions would fit the case you choose).

My question was regarding changing that particular bundle to the case + M12II for a higher price. But if there's nothing wrong with Antec PSU, I seriously doubt there's any point in that.

Ah, I see. Well, you won't need to as the Antec High Power Gamer series is a quality PSU. But I would warn you that not all Antec PSU's are top-tiered. The VP series and all other Antec PSU with a "P" or "F" suffix is only mediocre-ranked, while the Earthwatts, Edge II, and Neo Eco series are still un-ranked.

I was considering this Acer myself, but I can only find V236HLBD in my vicinity and as far as I can tell it's not an IPS. The store states otherwise, but it's hard to believe given what the manufacturer says. Am I missing something?

I haven't personally seen these 2 models for me to compare. What I have found so far is that the V236HLBD has, indeed, an IPS panel based on these websites (V236HLBD Website 1 and V236HLBD Website 2). However, I cannot seem to find that exact model in the official Acer Website (only the H236HL bid). Based on my quick scan, the V236HLBD differs with the H236HLbid in the two following aspects, respectively: Response Time (6ms vs 5ms) and Typ. Power Consumption (17.2W vs 26W).

synphul · Sep 3, 2015

I don't know if this one is in your budget. Maybe not the best gaming monitor, I don't game on it. Good color reproduction though, it's an ips led backlit panel. It's also a true 8bit color panel, many of the newer ones are dithered.

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/viewsonic-monitor-vp2365led

The antec hcg series I believe are made with seasonic internals, they're decent quality psu's. If overclocking, I wouldn't even attempt light overclocking with the stock cooler. The hyper 212/212 evo won't fit that case. They're 159mm tall and the case only supports coolers up to 158mm tall. This cooler is right at 158mm so it'll barely fit but may be worth considering.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835709018&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

It's no louder than the 212 evo and cools a bit better. The gtx 960 is a good performing budget card for 1080p gaming so shouldn't give you much trouble especially for games like civ v.

Monsimeph · Sep 4, 2015

raisonjohn :

Aesthetics is not something I am bothered with, so I will need to research. The models are weird here though. Don't seem to match anything I have found reviews for...

In the meantime I found a cheap (same as Arctic 7) ZALMAN CNPS5X Performa and Scythe Shuriken Rev. B. According to your link Scythe is on par with CM Hyper Evo. Zalman CNPS10X OPTIMA Retail is a little bit more pricey but also an option. Thoughts?

raisonjohn :

Yeah, the bundle deal is appealing specifically due to the PSU being an HCG which is known to be good.

raisonjohn :

The V236HLBD is extremely cheap and that makes me suspicious. I should try and find one in physical stores and continue from there.

Monsimeph · Sep 4, 2015

synphul :

The prices vary greatly around the world. It's 3.5 x my budget.

synphul :

Unfortunately, this model is also unavailable where I live. Thanks for your help anyways.

raisonjohn · Sep 4, 2015

Aesthetics is not something I am bothered with, so I will need to research. The models are weird here though. Don't seem to match anything I have found reviews for...

In the meantime I found a cheap (same as Arctic 7) ZALMAN CNPS5X Performa and Scythe Shuriken Rev. B. According to your link Scythe is on par with CM Hyper Evo. Zalman CNPS10X OPTIMA Retail is a little bit more pricey but also an option. Thoughts?

Well, comparing the paper specs on all these coolers you are considering, we have:

Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2
Fan Size: 92mm (Fluid Dynamic Bearing)
RPM: 900 ~ 2500 rpm
Noise: 24dBA
Air Flow: 45 CFM
Mounting: Vertical (127mm max. height)
Heat Pipes: 3

Zalman CNPS5X Performa
Fan Size: 92mm (Fluid Shield Bearing)
RPM: 1400 ~ 2800 rpm (±10%)
Noise: 20 ~ 32dBA (±15%)
Air Flow: No data
Mounting: Vertical (134mm max. height)
Heat Pipes: 3

Scythe SCSK-1100 Shuriken Rev. B
Fan Size: 100mm (Sleeve Bearing)
RPM: 650(±200) ~ 2200 rpm (±10%)
Noise: 10.5 ~ 31.67dBA
Air Flow: 11.81 ~ 31.91 CFM
Mounting: Flat (Low Profile @ 64mm max. height)
Heat Pipes: 3

Cooler Master RR-212E-20PK-R2 Hyper 212 EVO
Fan Size: 120mm (Sleeve Bearing)
RPM: 600 ~ 2000 rpm (±10%)
Noise: 9 ~ 36dBA
Air Flow: 24.9 - 82.9 CFM (±10%)
Mounting: Vertical (159mm max. height)
Heat Pipes: 4

Zalman CNPS10X Optima
Fan Size: 120mm (Fluid Shield Bearing)
RPM: 1000 ~ 1700 rpm (±10%)
Noise: 17 ~ 28 dBA (±10%)
Air Flow: No data
Mounting: Vertical (152mm max. height)
Heat Pipes: 4

My analyses:
Best Air Flow: Hyper 212 EVO > Arctic > Scythe *(No data on Zalman's, though)
Lowest Avg RPM: Hyper 212 EVO > Zalman Optima > Scythe > Arctic > Zalman Performa
Lowest Avg Noise: Scythe > Hyper 212 EVO > Zalman Optima > Arctic > Zalman Performa
Best Fan Type/Size/Mounting: Zalman Optima > Hyper 212 EVO > Arctic / Zalman Performa > Scythe
Best Heat Dissipation: Hyper 212 EVO > Zalman Optima > Arctic / Zalman Performa > Scythe
Largest/Bulkiest: Hyper 212 EVO > Zalman Optima > Zalman Performa > Arctic > Scythe

So, among the 5 CPU Coolers, I think the best option would be the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO, closely followed by the Zalman Optima. Probably choose the others if only the 2 doesn't fit in your case.

EDIT:
Here's some good articles regarding CPU Coolers that might be of great help (or add more confusion, LOL) in your decision-making.
Understanding CPU Heatsinks: Picking the Best CPU Cooler
The Basics of Case Fan Bearings - Which Bearing is Best?

The V236HLBD is extremely cheap and that makes me suspicious. I should try and find one in physical stores and continue from there.

I found out in some foreign online stores that this Acer V236HLBD is "discontinued" (such as this one and this one). However, I can't seem to find any official data from Acer that it was, other than the model can nowhere be found in the Acer Website (so maybe it is). Might be the reason why the price in your local store is so cheap (hope it's not refurbished, though). I can only speculate as to why it was "discontinued" (maybe poor quality? poor sales? rating? or superseded by a better version such as the H236HLbid?). Anyway, yes, your own eyes would be the judge on this one when you get to see both monitors up close. Hopefully, you'll get the best pick!

_Vass · Sep 8, 2015

Monsimeph :

Miky5983 :

Nope. The only CoolerMasters I can get is either Hyper TX3 EVO or Blizzard T2 with the former being $25 more expensive. But there's plenty of Noctua's (which, admittedly, I am not familiar with) and Zalmans. Any thoughts? Is Blizzart T2 any good? I really don't want to spend twice as much on cooling.

_Vass :

The little thing I am not 100% happy about is that it's not IPS. The big thing: I checked this Benq in local stores and apparently it costs $280 here. Sigh... Let's just ditch the budget then. Let's look for the cheapest possible lol...

BTW, I know that nothing beats examining the monitor with your own eyes . At this point I am just trying to narrow the search. Options are plenty. I was hoping someone had previous experience with similar setup and can share some insights. Like 'this particular series of this particular manufacturer is bad/good'.

Thanks again for your help guys.

give TN a chance tho it's really good for gaming. i personally find ips to be more like tv screens(color & picture wise), but everyone has his/hers own opinion.

Monsimeph · Oct 30, 2015

I know that bumping up an old thread is probably not the best idea, but you guys have been a tremendous help and I just wanted to thank you again.

I had to cut some corners and give up on SSD for now in order to get a better monitor. My choices were either 22" monitor and 120GB SSD now or 24" decent monitor and waiting a month or two to save up for 250GB SSD. Maybe even m.2. I went with the latter and so far don't regret it.

I picked up Samsung S24D590PL for a decent price and it's great. It's amazing how fast you get used to better hardware.

As for the cooler, I decided to abandon all of the previous choices and buy Scythe Mugen 4 - only 10-12% more expensive than Zalman Optima. And again, I am very pleased with it. While it won't break any records at idle temps (low to mid 30s, but ambient here is pretty high), they barely raise under load with modest OC (4.3Ghz on v1.13). 45C is the highest I got in CPU intensive games and under 60C after a few hours if Prime95. The investment was totally worth it.

Here is the final build.

So thank you guys very much and keep up the great work this community does!

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