Thoughts on new red/blue entry PC gaming setup

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EnsisTheSlayer

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Dec 13, 2015
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PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/2BcpGf
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/2BcpGf/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.89 @ OutletPC)
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5g Thermal Paste ($8.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($113.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card ($269.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Blue) ATX Mid Tower Case ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($43.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: BenQ GL2460HM 24.0" 60Hz Monitor ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire TK Wired Gaming Keyboard ($68.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse ($43.00 @ Amazon)
Other: RED SCORPION Extended Mousepad ($24.99)
Total: $1085.59
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:07 EDT-0400

I don't plan on doing any sort of major productive work (yet), this PC is just for gaming and a little bit of school work. I'm coming from console, so I wanted to save up for a decent mid-range PC gaming setup that beats my Xbox One in every way. I got a more expensive motherboard and PSU for the long run when I upgrade in (probably) a couple years.

Please note that the reference RX 480 will be replaced with the RX 480 Nitro when it's released (rumors speculate that will be at the end of this week).

I also had aesthetics in mind as well, so I came up with what I believe to be quite a unique and original idea. Instead of having a black/red or black/blue or black/green build, I would have a black/red/blue build. A lot of gaming peripheral brands I like prefer blue and red (I don't like Razer) as secondary colors, so that's why I thought that would be a unique way to save a tiny bit of money while still having an aesthetically pleasing build.

I'm not necessarily looking for advice, but if you feel that I could be doing something better please leave your recommendations down below. Recommendations or not I'd like to hear your opinions and thoughts and if you like it or not. I'll be buying this PC in the near upcoming months, so I thought it would be a good idea to see if people like it.
 
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CTurbo

CTurbo

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At least get the i5 6500. That psu is not very good. The only reason you would need to buy thermal paste is if you're going to re-use a heatsink.

I recommend these changes.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H170A-X1/3.1 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($83.89 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card ($269.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Blue) ATX Mid Tower Case ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($58.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: BenQ GL2460HM 24.0" 60Hz Monitor ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire TK Wired Gaming Keyboard ($68.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse ($43.00 @ Amazon)
Other: RED SCORPION Extended Mousepad ($24.99)
Total: $1081.71
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:35 EDT-0400
 
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Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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Feb 29, 2016
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There:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($67.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: PNY CS1311 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card ($269.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Blue) ATX Mid Tower Case ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($62.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: BenQ GL2460HM 24.0" 60Hz Monitor ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire TK Wired Gaming Keyboard ($68.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse ($43.00 @ Amazon)
Other: RED SCORPION Extended Mousepad ($24.99)
Total: $1109.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:38 EDT-0400

The price difference between the i5 6400 and i5 6500 is so small that it makes getting the 6500 for the extra 500Mhz a no-brainer.
No need for a Z170 MB if you are not OCing.
teh stock cooler;s thermal paste is just fine.
you had a bad PSU.
i actually made it cheaper but added an SSD, resulting in a higher price. You really want one of those.
 
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azaran

azaran

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Pretty good looking build. The one major thing I'd reconsider is the PSU. The one you picked out is a high enough wattage, but its quality isn't the best. The B1/G1 series from EVGA are pretty low grade. A G2 will increase the price by about $40 but its putting a quality part in that is going to power the rest of your build. Coming from a console world it may seem like a minor point, but having quality power running through the system can make a world of difference for the health of your system.

Beyond that, I'd consider a move to an SSD for your boot/gaming drive with the HDD as your storage drive for media and whatnot. It'll give you a nice boost in user performance and help games to load faster. This is something that can be added on later if budget doesn't allow for it right now.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.89 @ OutletPC)
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5g Thermal Paste ($8.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($113.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card ($269.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Blue) ATX Mid Tower Case ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($75.98 @ Newegg)
Monitor: BenQ GL2460HM 24.0" 60Hz Monitor ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire TK Wired Gaming Keyboard ($68.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse ($43.00 @ Amazon)
Other: RED SCORPION Extended Mousepad ($24.99)
Total: $1117.57
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:37 EDT-0400
 
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azaran

azaran

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Good point on the Z series board, unless the OP needs to OC or SLI in the future there's no point in it. Totally missed that bit. The stock paste isn't great, but then neither is the stock cooler really. If OP is going to put money towards better paste, getting an aftermarket cooler that comes with better paste would be a better idea.
 
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EnsisTheSlayer

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Dec 13, 2015
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Thank you for bringing that up, I forgot to mention that I do indeed plan on OCing, but with an "updated" build with more peripherals so I can start up a YouTube channel. Here:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/kj2yXH
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/kj2yXH/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5g Thermal Paste ($8.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($113.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($62.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card ($269.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Blue) ATX Mid Tower Case ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($43.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 89.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($12.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 89.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($12.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 57.5 CFM 120mm Fan ($11.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: BenQ GL2460HM 24.0" 60Hz Monitor ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire TK Wired Gaming Keyboard ($68.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse ($43.00 @ Amazon)
Other: Logitech C920 ($69.99)
Other: (25 Pack) Velcro Cable Ties ($4.43)
Other: EconoLed LED Strip ($10.69)
Other: Audio-Technica ART2100 USB Mic. ($79.00)
Other: RED SCORPION Extended Mousepad ($24.99)
Other: Sades Red Headphone Stand ($15.99)
Total: $1401.62
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:58 EDT-0400

I almost forgot about the PSU. Thank you VERY much for the recommendation, I will update my build(s?).
 
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Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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Feb 29, 2016
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This would be your OCing build:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($228.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($113.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: PNY CS1311 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card ($269.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Blue) ATX Mid Tower Case ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($62.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 89.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($12.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 89.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($12.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 57.5 CFM 120mm Fan ($11.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: BenQ GL2460HM 24.0" 60Hz Monitor ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire TK Wired Gaming Keyboard ($68.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse ($43.00 @ Amazon)
Other: Logitech C920 ($69.99)
Other: (25 Pack) Velcro Cable Ties ($4.43)
Other: EconoLed LED Strip ($10.69)
Other: Audio-Technica ART2100 USB Mic. ($79.00)
Other: RED SCORPION Extended Mousepad ($24.99)
Other: Sades Red Headphone Stand ($15.99)
Total: $1461.84
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 22:07 EDT-0400
 
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EnsisTheSlayer

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Dec 13, 2015
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I read here that you CAN overclock a non-k Skylake CPU: http://overclocking.guide/gigabyte-z170-non-k-overclocking-guide/

Is this incorrect or unsafe?
 
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Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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Feb 29, 2016
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You would habe to both:
a) downgrade your BISO to an older version that permitted that and never update it, hence also dealing with whatever issues that BIOS version might have had
b) hope an pray that the microcode upgrade that made it into the BIOSes and invalidated such overclocking does not roll out in a windows cumulative update.
 
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EnsisTheSlayer

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Dec 13, 2015
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Thank you for explaining that to me. Here is an updated build:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/DxjFtJ
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/DxjFtJ/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($228.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Amazon)
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5g Thermal Paste ($8.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($113.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($62.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card ($269.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black/Blue) ATX Mid Tower Case ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 89.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($12.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 89.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($12.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Rosewill Hyperborea 57.5 CFM 120mm Fan ($11.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: BenQ GL2460HM 24.0" 60Hz Monitor ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire TK Wired Gaming Keyboard ($68.00 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse ($43.00 @ Amazon)
Other: Logitech C920 ($69.99)
Other: (25 Pack) Velcro Cable Ties ($4.43)
Other: EconoLed LED Strip ($10.69)
Other: Audio-Technica ART2100 USB Mic. ($79.00)
Other: RED SCORPION Extended Mousepad ($24.99)
Other: Sades Red Headphone Stand ($15.99)
Total: $1486.72
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 22:37 EDT-0400
 
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azaran

azaran

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Feb 17, 2010
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Since you're planning on OCing right off, you may want to consider a slightly beefier cooler. The Cryorig H5 Universal is bigger, but still manages to not overlap the RAM channels and screw with RAM height issues. It also has a much better mounting system than the H7.
 
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EnsisTheSlayer

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The H7 can still overclock the i5-6600k to 4.4-4.5GHz with temps of 30-70 degrees right? The H5 U is ~$15 more expensive and I don't know if it's really worth it to me if the H7 can get me the clocks and temps I want.
 
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Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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Excellent. Go for it. But you can skip the thermal paste as the one that comes with the H7 is good enough, and, regarding what was said above, the H7 is hands-down the best under 50 CPU cooler aout there. Enjoy!
 
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EnsisTheSlayer

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Thank you so much!
 
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