Need advice in building my next computer

RektArtificially

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Oct 7, 2015
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So I have a pretty good gaming computer right now but there are definitely stuff about it I'd like to improve on (like aesthetics).

My current pc:
i5 4460
Coolermaster hyper 212 eco
EVGA GTX 970 SC
msi z97 pc mate
120 GB Kingston ssd
1tb HDD
8GB pny DDR3
corsair 200r
SeaSonic 750W gold rated psu

So I know it's not bad, but it could be better, and I like building pc's to challenge myself.

My budget is $600 but keep in mind I am able to re-use my parts such as my psu, ssd, hdd, gpu, and cooler. Mainly what I'm looking for is a new case and processor/mobo/ram

I've already been looking into the NZXT S340 Elite white and been interested in getting some white cable sleeves to go along with it (and maybe rgb (dkm))

Thank you for your help.
 
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If sheer speed is your aim then a GTX1080 is certainly going to provide that at 1080 rez!

There will be 'bottlenecking' some will come from the CPU but you're more likely to be 'bottlenecked' by the monitor refresh rate-I've more than a few games my '1080 can run at well over 144FPS, but visually demanding titles like Wildlands are still more likely to be GPU than CPU limited, even at 1080rez.

If you can find another pair of sticks that match the speed pf the current ones, adding 2x4 is the cheapest option, if you can't find any that match I'd look for that fastest 2x8 kit (up to DDR3 3000) you can find, Haswell likes fast memory.

Jester Maroc

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I would keep the same MB and CPU, and simply upgrade your RAM (to 16gb) and your GPU to the 1070. If you still want to do it you can do the case.

This will provide you with the most significant performance boost for the $600.
 
I'd definitely upgrade the case to whatever aesthetic pleases you. The 200r isn't a bad budget case, but can be a trifle cramped to work in. I agree with keeping the motherboard though. I'd also double the ram and the suggestion for a 1070 isn't bad either. Depending on what you have leftover, maybe save a bit more and toss in an i5 4690k later on. Other than that, the SSD could be larger, but that's a non-issue as long as you are just willing to deal with it.
 

Jester Maroc

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However, if you want to go ahead and upgrade the CPU, MB, and RAM, this is what I would get.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($233.49 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z270P-D3 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($107.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($99.97 @ Jet)
Case: NZXT S340 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $531.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-03-24 16:08 EDT-0400
 
Cases are always going to be either a matter of personal taste so I'll not comment on that, especially if you already have your sights set on that pretty NZXT part.

Agree with Swordkd: Swapping the motherboard won't net much performance gain, just lots of problems with Windows and reinstalls of drivers.

You'll only get any useful boost from a 'K' series CPU if it's overclocked, even then the improvements over the current part will be fairly small.

Moving up to 16Gb of RAM might be useful, but make sure it's as fast as you can find ( the MB supports up to DDR3 3000 ) but again the performance gains will be fairly small.

Swapping up to a GTX1070 may be useful, it's a FAST card but to use it at its best it'll need to be paired with either a high refresh display or, at least, a 60 Hz 2560x1440 monitor.

What display are you currently using? It might be better overall to do the recase, add some fast DDR3 memory and get a bigger/higher rez/faster display and hold on to the GTX970 for a while, maybe waiting until AMD releases their new Vega based cards in a few months time before deciding on a possible GPU upgrade to fully compliment the new display.
And yes, you can use a Freesync display with an Nvidia card, just use the 'Adaptive' option in the Vsync driver settings...Maybe not ideal but it's working brilliantly for me. :)
 

RektArtificially

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Oct 7, 2015
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I'm using the Asus VG348QE (so 1080p and 144hz)
 
Hmmm...
That's hard, what are your priorities for gaming? Speed? Resolution? Colours?
What I mean is; Would you like to change monitors rather than internal parts? Having done so would you want/be able to afford to upgrade the GPU later on to take advantage of a higher resolution/larger AND higher resolution display?
If you're happy with that nice Asus monitor, I'd suggest you do the recase, move up to 16Gb of fast DDR3 RAM and look for a good GTX1070 that'll really allow that 144Hz display to fly.
 

RektArtificially

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Ya, I'm happy with the monitor considering speed is my primary concern. And I might be able to get a gtx 1080 for $400 if things work out. Would there be any cpu bottlenecking? Also, would you say just boy 2 more sticks of ram to make it 4x4 or would it be better to replace the current ones with 2x8?
 
If sheer speed is your aim then a GTX1080 is certainly going to provide that at 1080 rez!

There will be 'bottlenecking' some will come from the CPU but you're more likely to be 'bottlenecked' by the monitor refresh rate-I've more than a few games my '1080 can run at well over 144FPS, but visually demanding titles like Wildlands are still more likely to be GPU than CPU limited, even at 1080rez.

If you can find another pair of sticks that match the speed pf the current ones, adding 2x4 is the cheapest option, if you can't find any that match I'd look for that fastest 2x8 kit (up to DDR3 3000) you can find, Haswell likes fast memory.
 
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