Hey Guys,
new user (first post!) and first time builder. I've been doing tons of research here at Tom's (thank you all) and have decided to build my first rig. At first (I feel like so many stories on here start like this..) I had a set budget in mind ($1,000) and I put a rig together on pcpartpicker that could do everything that I would want it to do. But months went by and the idea never came to fruition; that is, until I purchased a EVGA 980 Classified. This card is absolute overkill for most of my intended purposes, but I got it at a decent price and the hope is to stave off future costs as long as possible. So now I have a EVGA 80+Gold 750W PSU on the way as well (again, overkill for now, but hoping that if I decide to SLI with a weaker card in the future I have a little wiggle room as far as electricity is concerned), and am probably making a run to my nearby MicroCenter to grab up a sweet deal they have going right now for a mobo and 4790k. My question to you guys is which Z97 MOBO should I get: the MSI Gaming 5 or the Asus Z97-A? From all my research, MSI has been known to have poor quality control when it comes to their motherboards, and I've also heard that they don't honor their warranties (although this was only one user). When it comes to Asus boards, however, I've heard nothing but praise, from top to bottom really. Considering the dollar difference is minimum here, would I be bad off with either board? The main reason I'm even considering the MSI board is because aesthetically it fits my scheme (red/black, like everyone else...lol), but also because it has the main features I'll likely be using. Heck, if you guys think I should go with a different mobo entirely, let me know! I would like my budget on the motherboard to be no more than $200, and that's pushing it. One last question, and I'll shut up: has anyone had luck purchasing open box mobos from newegg, MicroCenter, etc., and have these motherboards ever gave you any fits? Thanks guys for taking the time to read this ridiculously long post, and thanks for all your help! You can see my current build log below:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/bRKPpg
Approximate Purchase Date: Motherboard and CPU Tomorrow Possibly!!! (well, today technically...)
Budget Range: No more than $500-550 for both parts above, $500-750 rest of build (tax included)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Home Cinema, Video/Photo Editing, Streaming (If it's something I could find a hobby in)
Are you buying a monitor: Yes
Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: pcpartpicker.com, microcenter.com, pcoutlet.com, directron.com
Location: OH, USA
Parts Preferences:
Overclocking: Light to Moderate
SLI/Crossfire: Eventually, only Dual SLI likely
Additional Comments: I'd really, really prefer a red/black board, but if I had to bite the bullet I suppose the Asus' gold isn't too bad.. Thanks again for any help guys!!!
stayclassy
new user (first post!) and first time builder. I've been doing tons of research here at Tom's (thank you all) and have decided to build my first rig. At first (I feel like so many stories on here start like this..) I had a set budget in mind ($1,000) and I put a rig together on pcpartpicker that could do everything that I would want it to do. But months went by and the idea never came to fruition; that is, until I purchased a EVGA 980 Classified. This card is absolute overkill for most of my intended purposes, but I got it at a decent price and the hope is to stave off future costs as long as possible. So now I have a EVGA 80+Gold 750W PSU on the way as well (again, overkill for now, but hoping that if I decide to SLI with a weaker card in the future I have a little wiggle room as far as electricity is concerned), and am probably making a run to my nearby MicroCenter to grab up a sweet deal they have going right now for a mobo and 4790k. My question to you guys is which Z97 MOBO should I get: the MSI Gaming 5 or the Asus Z97-A? From all my research, MSI has been known to have poor quality control when it comes to their motherboards, and I've also heard that they don't honor their warranties (although this was only one user). When it comes to Asus boards, however, I've heard nothing but praise, from top to bottom really. Considering the dollar difference is minimum here, would I be bad off with either board? The main reason I'm even considering the MSI board is because aesthetically it fits my scheme (red/black, like everyone else...lol), but also because it has the main features I'll likely be using. Heck, if you guys think I should go with a different mobo entirely, let me know! I would like my budget on the motherboard to be no more than $200, and that's pushing it. One last question, and I'll shut up: has anyone had luck purchasing open box mobos from newegg, MicroCenter, etc., and have these motherboards ever gave you any fits? Thanks guys for taking the time to read this ridiculously long post, and thanks for all your help! You can see my current build log below:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/bRKPpg
Approximate Purchase Date: Motherboard and CPU Tomorrow Possibly!!! (well, today technically...)
Budget Range: No more than $500-550 for both parts above, $500-750 rest of build (tax included)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Home Cinema, Video/Photo Editing, Streaming (If it's something I could find a hobby in)
Are you buying a monitor: Yes
Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: pcpartpicker.com, microcenter.com, pcoutlet.com, directron.com
Location: OH, USA
Parts Preferences:
Overclocking: Light to Moderate
SLI/Crossfire: Eventually, only Dual SLI likely
Additional Comments: I'd really, really prefer a red/black board, but if I had to bite the bullet I suppose the Asus' gold isn't too bad.. Thanks again for any help guys!!!
stayclassy