$2000 4K gaming pc build Advice!!

_Whitedragon_ · Mar 16, 2016

Hello friends,

This is my first ever build, I had always wanted to have my own PC that could play any game at max settings and now that I finally have a job I would like to build my own PC...Am new at building PC but I have researched a lot for this...I want to build a 4K gaming PC but am not able to fit everything I want in my budget,Is it possible to build a 4K gaming PC with this budget?? If not I at least want to build a 1440P gaming PC.I also need advice on the monitor(27inches or more

)... I would like to keep the CPU and the Motherboard....and if possible the GPU too

. I also need advice on the monitor.
Please advice me on my GPU choice, Is there any other GPU that is equal and is cheaper than what I have chosen for my build??? Is it possible to build a 4K gaming PC with this budget?? If not I at least want to have a 1440P gaming PC.Here is my build so far:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/XTzvzy

Approximate Purchase Date: May 2016 or June 2016

Budget Range: $2100 before shipping

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming pc

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Parts to Upgrade: I would mostly upgrade my RAM when needed and maybe add another GPU
Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon.com and NCIXUS any site that has good international shippping rates will do.

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Parts Preferences: Intel, Nvidia
Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe(If needed)

g-unit1111 · Mar 16, 2016

What store are you going to be buying from? Knowing local availability will help because what's available here and what is available in Saudi Arabia won't always guarantee a match.

Barty1884 · Mar 16, 2016

The R9 390X is comparable, and does actually win out in some situations at 4K gaming, so it's worth considering....

Assuming you'd be paying a good amount on import charges etc, it may make more sense to purchase within Saudi if you can....

Converting the USD back, $2,100 USD would be around 7,900 SAR? I'm assuming you could go a little higher if shipping would be easier, I assume cheaper too?

Budget might be a little low to factor in a full-scale 4K monitor at 144hz.......... you could drop the resolution, or to 60Hz.

CPU: i7-5820K - 1,638.90 SAR
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - 491.30 SAR
Motherboard: ASUS X99-A / USB 3.1 - 1,218.80 SAR
RAM: Kingston HyperX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 2666MHz - 341.30 SAR
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB - 375.00 SAR
HDD: 1TB SeaGate Barracuda - 232.50 SAR
GPU: Saphire NITRO R9 390X 8GB - 1,717.60 SAR
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 750W - 581.30
OS: Can't seem to find in Saudi
Case: 100% personal preference
Monitor: 24" AOC 3840x2160 @ 60HZ - 1,755.10 SAR

So, without Windows or a case*, but including an ok monitor, you're looking at 8,350 SAR (roughly $2,200), with what I'm assuming is substantially cheaper shipping....

*I avoid picking cases if I can, as it's 100% personal preference. Provided it'll fit your components, anything will do.

That's just the one site though, there will be options if you shop around a little bit.

As a frame of reference, here's (roughly) the same build, priced up in the States - $1,800 pre-rebates:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($376.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($104.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Asus X99-A/USB 3.1 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($249.88 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($89.98 @ Mac Mall)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($87.96 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($45.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 390X 8GB Tri-X OC Video Card ($378.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: AOC U2879VF 60Hz 28.0" Monitor ($342.61 @ B&H)
Total: $1762.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-16 16:22 EDT-0400

**EDIT** The monitor I included is only 24" (didn't see the 27" requirement)......... it'll be tough. You can make some conscessions & go with an i5 - there's really no need for the i7 in most situations today, but the additional cores/threads will serve you better in the long term.

photonboy · Mar 16, 2016

1) May want to read some of my comments in the following link:
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3004356/xfx-550-gtx-1070.html

(250GB Samsung SSD + 2TB or greater HDD is what I recommend usually. Games like SKYRIM on the SSD. Most on HDD, with backup IMAGE via Acronis True Image for SSD save on the HDD in case of issues)

2) I'd personally WAIT and get an AMD Polaris or NVidia Pascal card.

(possibly build now and use an existing GPU)

3) The best gaming will involve an asynchronous monitor (see link above):
*For FREESYNC (AMD) you need a 2.5X or greater min-to-max ratio. For example, 30Hz min to 75Hz max is fine. 30Hz to 60Hz is not. Highest refresh rate is recommended (to keep gaming in smooth, asynchronous mode).

I'd much rather put money towards a good asynchronous monitor and try to reduce the budget elsewhere (like slightly weaker GPU, i5 instead of i7 etc), but right now I'm holding off on upcoming GPU's so budget is hard to predict.

GSync/Freesync monitors are still quite expensive as well. So maybe that's a future purchase.

4) investigate that 1TB SSD quality. for gaming it's mostly about LOAD TIMES so I'd go with a Samsung 850 EVO (you can MOVE games in Steam via backup, delete, then restore to folder on other drive..)

5) AMD current GPU's create a lot of heat. If considering, make sure room temp isn't an issue. It's a problem for me even with air conditioning (since it can't keep up for just my room).

_Whitedragon_ · Mar 16, 2016

g-unit1111 :

Well, I was actually planning to buy everything online...almost all the parts that I've listed in my build are available here locally and on few online shopping websites within Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and UAE too....

_Whitedragon_ · Mar 16, 2016

Barty1884 :

The R9 390X is comparable, and does actually win out in some situations at 4K gaming, so it's worth considering....

Assuming you'd be paying a good amount on import charges etc, it may make more sense to purchase within Saudi if you can....

Converting the USD back, $2,100 USD would be around 7,900 SAR? I'm assuming you could go a little higher if shipping would be easier, I assume cheaper too?

Budget might be a little low to factor in a full-scale 4K monitor at 144hz.......... you could drop the resolution, or to 60Hz.

CPU: i7-5820K - 1,638.90 SAR
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - 491.30 SAR
Motherboard: ASUS X99-A / USB 3.1 - 1,218.80 SAR
RAM: Kingston HyperX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 2666MHz - 341.30 SAR
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB - 375.00 SAR
HDD: 1TB SeaGate Barracuda - 232.50 SAR
GPU: Saphire NITRO R9 390X 8GB - 1,717.60 SAR
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 750W - 581.30
OS: Can't seem to find in Saudi
Case: 100% personal preference
Monitor: 24" AOC 3840x2160 @ 60HZ - 1,755.10 SAR

So, without Windows or a case*, but including an ok monitor, you're looking at 8,350 SAR (roughly $2,200), with what I'm assuming is substantially cheaper shipping....

*I avoid picking cases if I can, as it's 100% personal preference. Provided it'll fit your components, anything will do.

That's just the one site though, there will be options if you shop around a little bit.

As a frame of reference, here's (roughly) the same build, priced up in the States - $1,800 pre-rebates:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($376.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($104.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Asus X99-A/USB 3.1 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($249.88 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($89.98 @ Mac Mall)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($87.96 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($45.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 390X 8GB Tri-X OC Video Card ($378.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: AOC U2879VF 60Hz 28.0" Monitor ($342.61 @ B&H)
Total: $1762.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-16 16:22 EDT-0400

**EDIT** The monitor I included is only 24" (didn't see the 27" requirement)......... it'll be tough. You can make some conscessions & go with an i5 - there's really no need for the i7 in most situations today, but the additional cores/threads will serve you better in the long term.

Is there no other Nvidia GPU that i could fit in my budget and it would perform the same as the gtx 980ti?? I was actually not planning to go with AMD GPUs...what if I manage to increase my budget, how much more do I need that can take me beyond 1080p?? and Is SLI or Crossfire a good Idea am willing to go for it (If needed)??

_Whitedragon_ · Mar 16, 2016

photonboy :

1) May want to read some of my comments in the following link:
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3004356/xfx-550-gtx-1070.html

(250GB Samsung SSD + 2TB or greater HDD is what I recommend usually. Games like SKYRIM on the SSD. Most on HDD, with backup IMAGE via Acronis True Image for SSD save on the HDD in case of issues)

2) I'd personally WAIT and get an AMD Polaris or NVidia Pascal card.

(possibly build now and use an existing GPU)

3) The best gaming will involve an asynchronous monitor (see link above):
*For FREESYNC (AMD) you need a 2.5X or greater min-to-max ratio. For example, 30Hz min to 75Hz max is fine. 30Hz to 60Hz is not. Highest refresh rate is recommended (to keep gaming in smooth, asynchronous mode).

I'd much rather put money towards a good asynchronous monitor and try to reduce the budget elsewhere (like slightly weaker GPU, i5 instead of i7 etc), but right now I'm holding off on upcoming GPU's so budget is hard to predict.

GSync/Freesync monitors are still quite expensive as well. So maybe that's a future purchase.

4) investigate that 1TB SSD quality. for gaming it's mostly about LOAD TIMES so I'd go with a Samsung 850 EVO (you can MOVE games in Steam via backup, delete, then restore to folder on other drive..)

5) AMD current GPU's create a lot of heat. If considering, make sure room temp isn't an issue. It's a problem for me even with air conditioning (since it can't keep up for just my room).

Yeah sure...A few weeks ago my first preference were AMD GPUs since they are usually cheaper but later when I did a little research on the GPUs I realized not many people recommend them... :??:

Barty1884 · Mar 16, 2016

Not comparable to the 980ti, no. Anything below that price-wise, is a noticeable step down in quality if you're striving higher than 1080p - especially on higher settings.

If you're not open to AMD GPU's, then your best bet for 4K gaming is the 980ti (there is the Titan-X, but unless it's miraculously less money in Saudi, the 980ti is the best option).

You can game at 4K with a GTX 970, but you'd be on low to medium settings, with maybe 30-40FPS, although that really depends on specific games.

A single, better card is highly recommended over SLI or CrossFire.
SLI/CrossFire is a "nice to have" for when your GPU isn't quite cutting it anymore. Throw a second one in & increase the longevity. Never build a rig with SLI/CF from the outset (unless you have money to burn and are going for the top-top card), as it removes your upgrade potential. Any upgrade from there requires an entirely new card.

You could pair an i5-6600K, Quad-Core (the i5 is all that's required, but the i7-5820K's 6core/12thread may help in future) or i7-6700K (4 core/8thread) with a 980TI and game successfully at 4K with pretty good settings.

You want to ensure you have a good quality monitor too though, and those do get expensive. That's where the budget starts to falter a little (you could just about fit the i5 or i7 + 980TI in your original budget). I'm by no means an expert on monitors, so won't get into suggestions too much, but I can tell you that will be a pricey element of the build.

Barty1884 · Mar 16, 2016

_Whitedragon_ :

Curious where you're seeing them not being recommended? An R9 390X would be the best card for your uses, considering it's budget. Sure, it generates a little bit more heat, and consumes a little bit more power (in real world use), but it's 2/3, sometimes nearer 1/2 the price.

In a "money is no object" world, excluding SLI or CF, the cards suitable for 4K gaming at any decent setting would be arranging in order, something like this (not a perfect list):

Titan-Z
Titan-X (just edges out the 980TI but costs substantially more)
GTX 980 TI
FURY-X
R9 390X
GTX 980
R9 295 x2
R9 390
R9 FURY
R9 380x
GTX 970

Some of them are so close, they're essentially inter-changeable. Anything less than those cards would not run at 4K even remotely close to "well".

As you see there, nVidia wins out at the top of the tree. AMD hold their own moreso in the mid-range 4K gaming........which is the affordable space for most.

g-unit1111 · Mar 16, 2016

_Whitedragon_ :

What I meant to say is that if you're in Saudi Arabia, links to Newegg and Super Biiz won't exactly help you with buying the parts for your build. If you can post the store or stores that you will be buying from that will allow us to post what you are looking for.

_Whitedragon_ · Mar 17, 2016

Barty1884 :

Yeah as I said am new to building PC so I don't knw much about all the good GPUs and other stuff out there, thanx for the info on that...I think my budget is too low for building a 4K gaming PC....can you suggest me a build for 1440p or 1080p resolution?

_Whitedragon_ · Mar 17, 2016

g-unit1111 :

_Whitedragon_ :

What I meant to say is that if you're in Saudi Arabia, links to Newegg and Super Biiz won't exactly help you with buying the parts for your build. If you can post the store or stores that you will be buying from that will allow us to post what you are looking for.

yeah here are the links to the online sites:

https://gear-up.me
http://www.dubaigamers.net/
http://sa.pricena.com/en
http://www.advantionline.com/

Barty1884 · Mar 17, 2016

_Whitedragon_ :

Since you sound more open to AMD cards than you did initially, I'd stick with the 390X and drop the CPU to an i5 and the board to Z170..... That's more than capable at 1080p or 1440p. You could actually game pretty well at 4K with it too, the downside is you'd need a more expensive monitor!

CPU: i5-6600K - 1,008.80 SAR
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - 491.30 SAR
Motherboard: ASUS Z170 Gaming - 720.00 SAR
RAM: Kingston HyperX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 2666MHz - 341.30 SAR
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB - 375.00 SAR
HDD: 1TB SeaGate Barracuda - 232.50 SAR
GPU: Saphire NITRO R9 390X 8GB - 1,717.60 SAR
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 750W - 581.30
OS: Can't seem to find in Saudi
Case: 100% personal preference
Monitor: 27" LG LED, supports 4K - only a 60Hz refresh rate though - 2,088.80 SAR

7,556.60 SAR / $2,000 USD
Still need an OS and case, but you should have enough left over if you were looking at $2,100 US + shipping......hopefully?

Of course, you could always leave that monitor out & pick up a relatively cheap 1080p or 1440p monitor until you can afford a 144Hz, 4K monitor...

g-unit1111 · Mar 17, 2016

_Whitedragon_ :

So here's my suggestions without monitor:

Case: Fractal Design Define S - 750.00 SAR
PSU: Seasonic X 750 Gold - 765.00 SAR
Motherboard: Asus Z170-E - 648.40 SAR
CPU: Core i5-6600K - 1008.80 SAR
Cooler: BeQuiet! Dark Rock 3 - 331.80 SA
RAM: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Kingston Hyper X - 307.50 SAR
SSD: 240GB Crucial BX200 - 285.00 SAR
HD: 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue - 236.30 SAR
GPU: Sapphire R9-390X - 1721.30 SAR

Total: 6053.40 SAR (USD $1614.06)

That should give you $400 for a decent monitor, if you want something good be prepared to go over budget with this build.

Midnight822 · Mar 17, 2016

photonboy :

I've seen this suggestion several times, but isn't it a fair assumption that the price of the new cards will be pretty high, unless you want to wait until around the end of the year? $650 on the 980Ti isn't exactly cheap, but how much will the flagship 1000 series be at launch?

Barty1884 · Mar 17, 2016

It's a total guessing game how much Polaris/Pascal will cost, and even how that would impact the top tier cards like the 980TI.

Generally at a new launch, the low-mid range cards of what becomes "prior gen" decrease significantly, while the flagship cards don't budget very much at all.

If somebody was asking the question, with a relatively capable GPU at the moment, I'd suggest they wait it out & see (one things for sure, a 980TI won't cost more then than it does today). Given the OP doesn't sound like they have anything capable to get them through, the 390X is a great performance to cost return. The 980TI (imo) doesn't warrant +40% of the 390X's pricing.

_Whitedragon_ · Mar 17, 2016

Barty1884 :

_Whitedragon_ :

Since you sound more open to AMD cards than you did initially, I'd stick with the 390X and drop the CPU to an i5 and the board to Z170..... That's more than capable at 1080p or 1440p. You could actually game pretty well at 4K with it too, the downside is you'd need a more expensive monitor!

CPU: i5-6600K - 1,008.80 SAR
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - 491.30 SAR
Motherboard: ASUS Z170 Gaming - 720.00 SAR
RAM: Kingston HyperX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 2666MHz - 341.30 SAR
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB - 375.00 SAR
HDD: 1TB SeaGate Barracuda - 232.50 SAR
GPU: Saphire NITRO R9 390X 8GB - 1,717.60 SAR
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 750W - 581.30
OS: Can't seem to find in Saudi
Case: 100% personal preference
Monitor: 27" LG LED, supports 4K - only a 60Hz refresh rate though - 2,088.80 SAR

7,556.60 SAR / $2,000 USD
Still need an OS and case, but you should have enough left over if you were looking at $2,100 US + shipping......hopefully?

Of course, you could always leave that monitor out & pick up a relatively cheap 1080p or 1440p monitor until you can afford a 144Hz, 4K monitor...

Do I need additional cooling for the GPU? If yes, can you suggest me a good cooler for the R9 390X or how many fans will I need to keep this build at a good temperature??

$2000 4K gaming pc build Advice!!

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