New Build - Can't decide between components

vipe155 · May 26, 2016

I'm getting ready to finally move on from my old AMD FX based system. I've decided to go Intel (never thought I would switch), and an all new platform.

So, since I don't want to go too expensive, I'm looking for a simple build.

I was looking at a quality B150m motherboard. Is that ok if I'm not going to overclock anything?
I would have to go DDR4 2133 with that B150m board, but is there a tangible difference in performance for games and general tasks with 3000 or something like that? Would I benefit from the Z170 with OC memory?

I also can't decide between the i3 6100 or i5 6500. I know the i5 is four cores, but am I going to see any real difference in something this year or the next, like Tomb Raider/Doom/etc. between the i3 and i5, or will the graphics card really dictate that?

I have acquired a friends good condition old GTX 970 (I had a 670) as he's upgrading to the 1080 now.

VR PC-BUILD · May 26, 2016

A big difference in i3 and i5 what is your budget?

Guest · May 26, 2016

Go with the i5 for sure. Here's a simple setup with a lot of airflow and a B150 gaming board. If your budget is under $600, this should work for you.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core OEM/Tray Processor ($187.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper T2 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($15.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI B150A Gaming Pro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($33.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Sandisk Z400s 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($37.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($42.89 @ OutletPC)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($61.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case Fan: Masscool FD14025S1L3/4 57.1 CFM 140mm Fan ($6.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Masscool FD14025S1L3/4 57.1 CFM 140mm Fan ($6.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Masscool FD14025S1L3/4 57.1 CFM 140mm Fan ($6.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Masscool FD14025S1L3/4 57.1 CFM 140mm Fan ($6.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: BitFenix BFF-SCF-14025KK-RP 47.7 CFM 140mm Fan ($6.49 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: BitFenix BFF-SCF-14025KK-RP 47.7 CFM 140mm Fan ($6.49 @ NCIX US)
Case Fan: Masscool FD12025B1H3/4 81.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($5.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $587.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-05-26 23:15 EDT-0400

Note#1. OEM i5-6500 chosen, so no money will be wasted on the stock cooler.

Note#2. The Hyper T2 cooler is better than the stock cooler. The price of the OEM i5 and this cooler costs only about 10 dollars more than buying the Retail boxed i5 with stock cooler. It's a great stock cooler replacement on a budget.

Note#3. A MSI Gaming board was chosen for it's high quality parts and heatsinks.

Note#4. Standard Speed DDR4 G.Skill RAM with heatsinks and a standard voltage of 1.2V, no need to waste money on higher speed RAM.

Note#5. Affordable SSD Boot drive from a good brand and just enough space for the OS and a few programs.

Note#6. Affordable 1TB Hard drive to install large games and store files.

Note#7. No video card chosen since you already have a GTX 970.

Note#8. The Corsair 300R case was chosen for it's price, simplicity and cooling options.

Note#9. The power supply chosen was a no-brainer. It's a Seasonic with Bronze efficiency and it's fully modular.

Note#10. No stock fans used for this build, just get rid of the ones that come with the 300R case (Sell them on Ebay or whatever).

(4) Masscool FD14025S1L3/4 57.1 CFM 140mm Fans for front intakes and top exhausts.
(2) BitFenix BFF-SCF-14025KK-RP 47.7 CFM 140mm Fans for side intakes.
(1) Masscool FD12025B1H3/4 81.0 CFM 120mm Fan for rear exhaust.

vipe155 · May 27, 2016

I appreciate the build. I actually already have the power supply, SSD & HD, etc. I really only need the CPU, MB, Memory. I'm going to be using my Hyper T4 as a cooler.

So, OC memory doesn't change much in performance for games and general stuff? I don't need to do any better than the 2133 memory? The only reason I wondered about the i3 is that I've seen some reviews that suggest it's a very strong CPU for the price and is comparable in most games right now since a lot of stuff doesn't use 4 cores. I'm just concerned about spending more for the i5 but not actually see that difference in a game.

Guest · May 27, 2016

vipe155 :

You can still use the same CPU, Motherboard and Memory I selected. RAM speeds are almost never a factor in frame-rates. I just hope your case has good airflow and you have a quality power supply. If you do, then you're all set. You can "get by" with the i3, but you should really go for the i5 if you're serious about gaming. In CPU intensive games, the i5 spreads the work across 4 cores, rather than a hyper-threaded i3 core that has to switch between two tasks. The i5 can handle games with ultra presets nicely. It's also more future proof, that way you can run future games with ease.

vipe155 · May 27, 2016

I have an Antec Earthwatts 650, I think it was Tier Two when I looked it up on the "master list" of power supplies here.

I had intended to go with the i5, I just wanted to make sure there was good reason to do so. Either CPU would be a good upgrade to my 4 year old FX. What's the benefit of the increased memory speeds if not for gaming?

Guest · May 27, 2016

vipe155 :

If your power supply is an old version, you may have to disable sleep states to avoid issue with these new Intel skylake parts. As for the RAM speed, it doesn't matter a ton. It really does depend on the individual application/game. RAM speed has a bigger effect when you're using integrated graphics (i.e. AMD APU).

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