Opinions on new PC build - Roughly 2,500~USD budget.

Erik Kasper

Honorable
Oct 1, 2013
2
0
10,510
Hey all! first time posting on Tom's - read a lot though. Little background, I am in the market for a new PC and I have been doing my research for the last month or so and in a few weeks I will buying the parts to build this (currently deployed to Afghanistan and returning home in the coming days). My budget is roughly 2,500$ but don't mind going over a little (Max being 3,000 w/ Monitor/keyboard/mouse). I'll list the parts below and try to give you why I chose each one and look forward to the criticism and I am open minded to any suggestions the pro's (you guys) will make. I'd like to make this PC last 4-5 years as I did with my last one and of course I will be OC'ing and Gaming + Heavy Multi-tasking and very light photoshop work. I would also like a suggestion on a sound card, thanks ahead guys!

CPU - Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core (Unlocked of course)

Cooler - Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid (Simple + Effective liquid cooler)

Case - Cooler Master Storm Stryker (White) ATX Full Tower (I just love the look - White with black and red components and extra white LEDs)

Mobo - Asus Maximus VI Hero ATX LGA1150 (Entry level ROG board, solid feature set, good reviews, simple overclocking)

RAM - Corsair Dominator Platinum 2x8GB 1866mhz (Honestly, I am paying extra for the awesome light bars on this ram - would I get a performance boost going with 4x4 filling all the DIMM slots? it's an extra 40 dollars)

SSD - Samsung EVO 500GB (Go big or go home, I thought about going with the pro but after some research I don't plan on using any hard drive past 5-6 years anyway)

HDD - Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM (Solid product, storage drive)

GPU - Asus GTX780-DC2OC-3GD5 (I was going to go with the Galaxy HOF, decided to switch after reading stories of the gpu catching fire on high OC's - I still want it and I don't plan overclocking the gpu THAT high but I am uncertain and would like someones advice on this)

PSU - Corsair AX860i [860watts] (Want to go top of the line with the PSU and from what I have read with power draw this should enable me to go SLI with two 780's down the line)

Case fans - Corsair AF/SP quiet edition fans (I would go with Noctua... but.. Aesthetics.)

OS - Windows 7

Monitor - Asus VG248QE 24.0" (ALL THE HERTZ GAMING!!!!oneone)
 

Jonathan Sifleet

Honorable
Apr 25, 2013
926
0
11,160
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($325.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VI FORMULA ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($299.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($80.17 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($80.17 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 840 Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($324.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($283.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($283.98 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom 530 White ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair RM 850W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($14.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($90.88 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($266.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $2492.07
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-01 12:39 EDT-0400)

Currently nearly all games are better optimized for AMD, so AMD is controlling the graphics at the moment, although I'd wait for the new upcoming GPU's.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator
RAM - Corsair Dominator Platinum 2x8GB 1866mhz (Honestly, I am paying extra for the awesome light bars on this ram - would I get a performance boost going with 4x4 filling all the DIMM slots? it's an extra 40 dollars)

Why? RAM prices are so volatile right now that you should definitely not pay the premiums for Corsair Dominator Platinum. You're paying like a 3X premium for nothing more than a fancy heat sink. Don't waste money here. 16GB and an i7 is also not necessary for a gaming rig.

SSD - Samsung EVO 500GB (Go big or go home, I thought about going with the pro but after some research I don't plan on using any hard drive past 5-6 years anyway)

I have a different opinion on SSDs, and IMO, that's not a very strong way to go about doing things. Better would be a 256GB SSD and a 2TB mass storage drive.

Currently nearly all games are better optimized for AMD, so AMD is controlling the graphics at the moment, although I'd wait for the new upcoming GPU's.

Where? Do you have proof of this? If you do I would like to see it.

Do something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Swiftech H220 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($174.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($71.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($212.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($144.91 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom 630 (Gunmetal) ATX Full Tower Case ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G2 1000W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($167.04 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2119.86
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-01 12:59 EDT-0400)

- Dual GTX 770 will simply annihilate anything in its' path - even eclipses a single $1K Titan
- PSU is one of the highest quality units on the market
- Better liquid cooler that will allow for a pass through GPU
- More storage at a better cost per GB ratio
- With the difference go for one of those nice new ultra wide 2560 x 1080 monitors - you won't regret it.
 

Erik Kasper

Honorable
Oct 1, 2013
2
0
10,510
Definitely opened my eyes, thanks for the reply's. I have been obsessing over parts for the last month. Realistically I am going to primarily just game on this PC (Planetside 2, BF4, MMORPG's).. I just have a hard time choosing and I can only research so much. I want the best of the best, even though I am probably paying too much. As for the SLI, I'm guessing you mean I could connect the swiftech to the gpu's? I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to all that. Also, thought you could not get those in the United States anymore.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


The Swiftech is a far better design than most plastic blocks in that it allows you to connect through your GPUs (if allowed) for less than the cost of a full custom loop. As far as the availability question - it takes an incredibly long time for a patent lawsuit to go through the ranks of the courts here in the states, and getting challenged on those can take from anywhere from one year to at least five. Getting a product removed from the shelves completely takes even longer than that. Most stores including Newegg and Tiger Direct still have the Swiftech listed, so if you can get it, go for it.
 

Jonathan Sifleet

Honorable
Apr 25, 2013
926
0
11,160


Have you seen the amount of games that show the "Optimized for AMD etc..." on them? There are loads... Total war, Bioshock infinite, Farcry 3, Crysis 3, Dirt 3, Tomb Raider, Pretty much every third game etc... Guarunteed there are games that prefer Nvidia, like Skyrim, BF3, Arkham City...

 

Marcopolo123

Honorable
its marketing.

wait for amd hawaii

get custome watercooling kit like the kits from xspc...

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Hero ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($62.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($309.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($309.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RM 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K95 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($138.99 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder 2013 Wired Optical Mouse ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: Corsair Gaming Audio Series SP2500 232W 2.1ch Speakers ($179.99 @ NCIX US)
Other: xspc raystorm 750 240 ($150.00)
Total: $2001.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-01 15:43 EDT-0400)


get a 1440p monitor :
http://www.amazon.com/QNIX-QX2710-Evolution-LED-Monitor/dp/B00BUI44US/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1380576131&sr=8-3&keywords=1440p+monitor
(good deal)