Looking for advice on my first build ever.

[j61185]

Hey all. After many years of day dreaming I'm finally in a position to build my dream PC. Since this is my first time building a PC, I just want some input on what I've picked out so far. Any input would be great. Please let me know if I'm missing something or if I'm doing something silly/overkill. I have a budget of about $3000 but I wouldn't be opposed to saving some money, or even better, getting more for my money. I'm mostly looking to build an awesome gaming PC that will be able to play the best games beautifully for years to come. Longevity is pretty important since I'm not sure when I'll be able to get my wife to let me do something like this again. :-D

Here's the pcpartpicker link to my current build: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QyqN
Feel free to be harsh. ;-)

And here's the info asked for in the forum sticky.


Approximate Purchase Date: within 1-2 months

Budget Range: $3000ish. I could probably be over by a couple hundred, and of course being under never hurts.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, web surfing, movies, some light work (I'm a network admin, so I don't really use any resource intensive applications for work.)

Are you buying a monitor: I already have an HP x23LED from my current computer. I'm planning to demote that to my second monitor and buy a new monitor for my primary monitor.



Parts to Upgrade: All. Here's the plain text of my pcpartpicker build:
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QyqN
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QyqN/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QyqN/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($549.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth X79 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($314.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($157.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 750GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($399.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital AV-GP 1TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card ($699.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master HAF X ATX Full Tower Case ($196.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Athena Power 800W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($106.30 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDR-2209 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($85.99 @ B&H)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro - OEM (64-bit) ($137.00 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VE248Q 24.0" Monitor ($177.58 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Microsoft SIDEWINDER X4 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Mouse: Anker AK-98ANDS2368-BA Wired Laser Mouse ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: Cyber Acoustics CA-3602 30W 2.1ch Speakers ($40.98 @ Best Buy)
Headphones: Logitech G930 7.1 Channel Headset ($103.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $3238.73
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-10 01:19 EST-0500)


Do you need to buy OS: Yes. Planning on windows 8.1. I know there's a lot of people who don't like it, but I do.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Whatever is cheapest and wont still my identity.

Location: Orange County, California

Parts Preferences: none

Overclocking: Maybe. I've never done it before, but I think I'd like to try it.

SLI or Crossfire: Yes. I plan on buying a second GTX 780 Ti eventually.

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 is the one I'm looking at. Not sure if I'm holding myself back here or not.

Additional Comments: Would be nice if the system was quiet, but performance is definitely more important. A couple of concerns I have and would love some input on. Is my processor overkill? I know with current games I probably wouldn't notice much difference if I were using an i54670K instead and it's half the cost. My main line of thinking behind the 4930k is longevity of the system. Is my CPU cooler too much? I picked this one because from what I read it was great for Overclocking. I'm planning on using this and just the fans built into the case for cooling. Do I need more, is it too much, or is it just right? I know my PSU is overkill, I chose to go with more power in anticipation of someday throwing in that second GPU and more RAM. Is this a good idea, or should I just go with a cheaper one and upgrade it as needed?

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Because I've always wanted a top of the line PC that I built myself and now I can have it. yay


Thanks to anyone who takes the time to ready my huge wall of text. Like I said, any input is very much appreciated.


-Jon

 

[bob hays]

If you really want the best gaming performance I would go with an i5 4670k, and a z87 mobo which would save you about 500. You could also get an 8gb and spend a little bit more to get a 2nd 780 ti. The problem is that would be absolute overkill for a single monitor. I would suggest going with the i5 (and z87 mobo) and 8gb to save about 600.

Don't worry about future proofing because getting an i5 and respective chipset mobo again after a few more cycles would still be cheaper than the 4930k now, and the future cycles would have better performance per clock.

That's also a massive ssd do you need that much space? And any reason for going with a 5400 rpm hard drive?

I also think you are overpaying for the dvd drive.

I also suggest getting a higher res monitor especially with that budget and high end GPU.

 

[j61185]

If you really want the best gaming performance I would go with an i5 4670k, and a z87 mobo which would save you about 500. You could also get an 8gb and spend a little bit more to get a 2nd 780 ti. The problem is that would be absolute overkill for a single monitor. I would suggest going with the i5 (and z87 mobo) and 8gb to save about 600.

Don't worry about future proofing because getting an i5 and respective chipset mobo again after a few more cycles would still be cheaper than the 4930k now, and the future cycles would have better performance per clock.

That's also a massive ssd do you need that much space? And any reason for going with a 5400 rpm hard drive?

I also think you are overpaying for the dvd drive.

I also suggest getting a higher res monitor especially with that budget and high end GPU.

Thanks for the quick response. Correct me if I misunderstood you. So you're saying that I would probably be better off gaming with the i5 4670k and 2 780 Ti than with a 4930k and 1 780 Ti? Also, just to be clear. I will be using 2 monitors.

I understand what you're saying about future proofing. I didn't think about it that way and it seems like good advice. Thanks.

As for the memory, is 8 GB enough? I currently have 8GB in my prebuilt HP and it seems a little sluggish. I've always assumed my memory was the bottle neck, but admittedly know very little and am probably wrong. I've also always assumed that more memory is always better.

I picked the larger SSD because I currently have a 1TB HDD that is crammed full of games. I could always just uninstall some of the ones I'm not playing at the moment, but it'd be nice to not have to.

I picked 5400 rpm because it was the fastest. I really have know idea how that would even effect performance and probably don't need it that fast.
Edit: I just went back and looked at some more HDDs and discovered that 5400rpm isn't even close to the fastest. Lol. Boy do I feel a little dumb.


I'll look around more for a better deal on the BR/DVD drive.

 

[bob hays]

If you really want the best gaming performance I would go with an i5 4670k, and a z87 mobo which would save you about 500. You could also get an 8gb and spend a little bit more to get a 2nd 780 ti. The problem is that would be absolute overkill for a single monitor. I would suggest going with the i5 (and z87 mobo) and 8gb to save about 600.

Don't worry about future proofing because getting an i5 and respective chipset mobo again after a few more cycles would still be cheaper than the 4930k now, and the future cycles would have better performance per clock.

That's also a massive ssd do you need that much space? And any reason for going with a 5400 rpm hard drive?

I also think you are overpaying for the dvd drive.

I also suggest getting a higher res monitor especially with that budget and high end GPU.

Thanks for the quick response. Correct me if I misunderstood you. So you're saying that I would probably be better off gaming with the i5 4670k and 2 780 Ti than with a 4930k and 1 780 Ti? Also, just to be clear. I will be using 2 monitors.

I understand what you're saying about future proofing. I didn't think about it that way and it seems like good advice. Thanks.

As for the memory, is 8 GB enough? I currently have 8GB in my prebuilt HP and it seems a little sluggish. I've always assumed my memory was the bottle neck, but admittedly know very little and am probably wrong. I've also always assumed that more memory is always better.

I picked the larger SSD because I currently have a 1TB HDD that is crammed full of games. I could always just uninstall some of the ones I'm not playing at the moment, but it'd be nice to not have to.

I picked 5400 rpm because it was the fastest. I really have know idea how that would even effect performance and probably don't need it that fast.
Edit: I just went back and looked at some more HDDs and discovered that 5400rpm isn't even close to the fastest. Lol. Boy do I feel a little dumb.


I'll look around more for a better deal on the BR/DVD drive.

To the first point, yes. 2 780ti's is better. And do you plan on gaming on both displays? If so I'd suggest going triple because the middle of the screen (where cross hairs / focus is) would be split in between the screens.

8gb is a lot unless you plan on doing some heavy work like a lot of video editing (not just casually). For example right now im only using 25% of my 8gb. If you feel that your RAM is the bottleneck just go to the windows task manager and it tell you how much is being used at that time. You can also tell which program is using the most RAM so you can better manage it.

5400 RPM is actually the slower, more energy efficient version. Standard desktop hard drives are 7200rpm (shouldn't be that different in price. A couple dollars max and I suggest that).

 

[woltej1]

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QA0M
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QA0M/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QA0M/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($334.29 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Hero ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($157.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 750GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($399.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital AV-GP 1TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card ($699.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Phantom (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($89.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000G2 1000W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($175.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDR-2209 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($85.99 @ B&H)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro - OEM (64-bit) ($137.00 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus PB278Q 27.0" Monitor ($549.98 @ Best Buy)
Keyboard: Microsoft SIDEWINDER X4 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($49.99 @ Mac Mall)
Mouse: Anker AK-98ANDS2368-BA Wired Laser Mouse ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: Cyber Acoustics CA-3602 30W 2.1ch Speakers ($40.98 @ Amazon)
Headphones: Logitech G930 7.1 Channel Headset ($103.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $3223.12
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-10 02:14 EST-0500)

The 4670k is a great gaming CPU, but considering your budget the i7 does offer slightly better performance is will be more future proof with it's HT. The hero mobo is a great OC one, even better than the more expensive sabertooth. Changed the case to the phantom, great reviews, the phantom line has been a great case for a while and saves you a lot of money that I put towards a 1440p screen. Unless you plan to have 3 1080p screens together, you better put that 780 ti to good use. A 780ti powering 1 1080p screen is pointless.

 

[j61185]

If you really want the best gaming performance I would go with an i5 4670k, and a z87 mobo which would save you about 500. You could also get an 8gb and spend a little bit more to get a 2nd 780 ti. The problem is that would be absolute overkill for a single monitor. I would suggest going with the i5 (and z87 mobo) and 8gb to save about 600.

Don't worry about future proofing because getting an i5 and respective chipset mobo again after a few more cycles would still be cheaper than the 4930k now, and the future cycles would have better performance per clock.

That's also a massive ssd do you need that much space? And any reason for going with a 5400 rpm hard drive?

I also think you are overpaying for the dvd drive.

I also suggest getting a higher res monitor especially with that budget and high end GPU.

Thanks for the quick response. Correct me if I misunderstood you. So you're saying that I would probably be better off gaming with the i5 4670k and 2 780 Ti than with a 4930k and 1 780 Ti? Also, just to be clear. I will be using 2 monitors.

I understand what you're saying about future proofing. I didn't think about it that way and it seems like good advice. Thanks.

As for the memory, is 8 GB enough? I currently have 8GB in my prebuilt HP and it seems a little sluggish. I've always assumed my memory was the bottle neck, but admittedly know very little and am probably wrong. I've also always assumed that more memory is always better.

I picked the larger SSD because I currently have a 1TB HDD that is crammed full of games. I could always just uninstall some of the ones I'm not playing at the moment, but it'd be nice to not have to.

I picked 5400 rpm because it was the fastest. I really have know idea how that would even effect performance and probably don't need it that fast.
Edit: I just went back and looked at some more HDDs and discovered that 5400rpm isn't even close to the fastest. Lol. Boy do I feel a little dumb.


I'll look around more for a better deal on the BR/DVD drive.

To the first point, yes. 2 780ti's is better. And do you plan on gaming on both displays? If so I'd suggest going triple because the middle of the screen (where cross hairs / focus is) would be split in between the screens.

8gb is a lot unless you plan on doing some heavy work like a lot of video editing (not just casually). For example right now im only using 25% of my 8gb. If you feel that your RAM is the bottleneck just go to the windows task manager and it tell you how much is being used at that time. You can also tell which program is using the most RAM so you can better manage it.

5400 RPM is actually the slower, more energy efficient version. Standard desktop hard drives are 7200rpm (shouldn't be that different in price. A couple dollars max and I suggest that).

I prefer to game on just one monitor. My second screen is used for work and looking up guides and such while gaming.

 

[bob hays]

Ok, and I suggest that you get a 1440p monitor for the one that you game on because the 78ti is overkill for 1080p gaming.