http://pcpartpicker.com/list/ygxZJV
That's an example so you can see the configuration and COST. There are several ways to get the price down if need be. (I don't like when people spend $1500 and put in a $60 motherboard though).
It's a nice red/black theme if you like that sort of thing.
For MONITORS I recommend:
- 27"
- 2560x1440
- IPS
- response time 6ms or less
and:
- GSYNC (if you can afford it)
- 144Hz if possible, 60Hz otherwise
To me personally, the top list is the most important. Good visuals, and sufficient resolution.
1) $350
- 25" (not 27")
- 60Hz
- rest of specs are great, and the WARRANTY is excellent (3-year, zero dead pixel, no cost RMA). the cheaper ACER monitor with similar specs has a crappy warranty. (1-year, some dead pixels allowed, and some cost to repair and/or ship)
2) $360
http://pcpartpicker.com/product/LVV48d/asus-monitor-pb278q
- similar to above but 27"
(I mainly included the 25" Dell because I bought it so I know it's nice, plus I've used the same Dell Warranty and it worked great)
3) $550
http://pcpartpicker.com/product/c298TW/asus-monitor-mg279q
- requires AMD GPU to use asynchronous mode (FREESYNC) for smoother gaming
- 144Hz
- so similar to above but 144Hz instead of 60Hz
(great, but you would need to learn how to force on "HALF ADAPTIVE VSYNC" for some games. toggles VSYNC ON or OFF as needed and synchs to 72FPS which is ideal for some games if screen tear requires VSYNC. So aim for about 5% or so drops below 72FPS to optimize quality vs tearing)
4) $800
http://pcpartpicker.com/product/XvfmP6/asus-monitor-pg279q
GSYNC, 144Hz etc.
- really nice but also expensive considering it's $440 more than a 60Hz, non-GSYNC (2nd in list).
Summary:
- so pros and cons
- personally I'd play around with the budget to get a Freesync or GSync monitor. It may sound odd, but you can get smoother gameplay, and it's much less hassle to setup games.
You also don't need the same FPS in many games. For example, with Freesync (if a good 144Hz monitor) let's say an RX-480 gave you 50FPS average. If the game has bad screen tearing then you'd need to use Adaptive VSYNC (Half) and tweak to 72FPS. Your average without VSYNC ON would be closer to 90FPS possibly to minimize drops below 72FPS.
Yeah, it's a bit confusing.
You could have a really great gaming experience with an:
- RX-480 8GB
- i5-6600K
- cheaper case etc as needed
- above FREESYNC monitor ($550)