$3,000 Gaming PC Build, did I miss anything?

[Jeremy DeClue]

CPU --- Intel Core i7-4820K 3.7GHz Quad-Core
CPU Cooler --- Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid
Motherboard --- Asus Rampage IV Black Edition EATX LGA2011
Memory --- G.Skill Trident X Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-2400
Storage --- Samsung 840 Pro Series 512GB 2.5" SSD
Video Card --- EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB
Case --- Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower
Power Supply --- Corsair 860W ATX12V / EPS12V
Operating System --- Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro (OEM) (64-bit)
Case Fan --- Corsair Air Series SP120 High Performance Edition 62.7 CFM 120mm
Case Fan --- Corsair Air Series SP120 High Performance (2-Pack) 62.7 CFM 120mm
Custom --- AeroCool Touch 2100

Gonna recycle a 500GB hybrid drive and a 2TB regular 7200RPM drive for extra storage. Also gonna recycle my periphs ie: corsair k90 mech keyboard, feenix nascita mouse, astro a50s etc. If I was gonna toss anymore money at this build what would you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance!

 

[g-unit1111]

First off lose the extra fans and the fan controller - you're just throwing money away there. The AXi series is ridiculously overrated - there's better PSUs you could go with, and 32GB is an absolute waste of money for a gaming rig. And there's way better liquid coolers that you could get than the Corsair H100i. Just because it has the Corsair name on it doesn't necessarily mean it's a good product, and you also do not come out ahead purchasing that 512GB SSD, the cost per GB is simply not justifiable. Take that spare drive and use it as a secondary backup drive. Get a 240GB SSD and a 1TB HD. Better cost per GB ratio.

Here's what I would do on that budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Eisberg 240L Prestige 60.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($169.04 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($158.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 460 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($163.57 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($659.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($659.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom 630 (Gunmetal) ATX Full Tower Case ($167.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: NZXT HALE90 V2 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($168.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($23.52 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $2606.53
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-23 15:58 EDT-0400)

$400 less and dropped all the crap. What you're left with is:

- Better liquid cooler that can accommodate a full CPU - GPU loop
- Less expensive motherboard but will still get the job done (no need for an eATX)
- Dual GTX 780TI and the Gigabyte model has better cooling than the EVGA model
- Lost the fans and fan controller
- Way better PSU than that Flextronics unit

Use the difference for a nice monitor or whatever else you need.

 

[Jeremy DeClue]

thanks for the response, what monitor would you recommend? I currently have 2 24" Asus VW246H, I was thinking about doing the windows 8 thing and getting a single touchscreen monitor just to be able to poke a screen if i wanted to lol.

I know my previous build had a lot of tier 1 things that probably aren't worth the money now but I was more interested in future proofing the machine than I was making sure I got the most efficient performance per dollar now. With that other build I could always grab another 780 ti when i started noticing a lack of performance from the single GPU and grab another 512 SSD to raid 0 etc.

I picked the h100 on recommendations from a couple friends and because I've never installed anything liquid cooling oriented into a PC build so I didn't want to tackle a whole cpu/gpu loop and fudge it up somehow.

I'll admit the fans and controller were just to get more lights and flashies in the rig tbh. lol.

I'll take all of your recommendations into consideration and modify the build to trim some of the fat you mentioned!

 

[g-unit1111]

thanks for the response, what monitor would you recommend? I currently have 2 24" Asus VW246H, I was thinking about doing the windows 8 thing and getting a single touchscreen monitor just to be able to poke a screen if i wanted to lol.

Well that depends on how much you want to spend. You don't have to have a touch screen display to run Windows 8.1. Your current monitors should be fine.

I know my previous build had a lot of tier 1 things that probably aren't worth the money now but I was more interested in future proofing the machine than I was making sure I got the most efficient performance per dollar now. With that other build I could always grab another 780 ti when i started noticing a lack of performance from the single GPU and grab another 512 SSD to raid 0 etc.

First off there's no such thing as "future proofing" and that doesn't matter if you're spending $500 or $5000, you just can't predict what's going to come down the pike several years from now. Putting SSDs in RAID 0 is pointless and sets them up for failure far more than running them independently would. And again I'll say you do not come out ahead purchasing a 512GB SSD, let alone two of them. The cost per GB is simply not justifiable. The GTX 780TI in SLI is currently the best GPU solution you can get on the market.

I picked the h100 on recommendations from a couple friends and because I've never installed anything liquid cooling oriented into a PC build so I didn't want to tackle a whole cpu/gpu loop and fudge it up somehow.

A lot of people are quick to say the H100i without doing any actual research because it has the Corsair name on it. Just because it does doesn't always mean it's a good product. Every brand has their strengths and weaknesses. The H100i is based on a generic Asetek radiator that's several generations old and the only thing they've added is the extremely buggy "iLink" software. The Cooler Master Eisburg is a much better choice because it is based on a much newer Swiftech design and can loop through a CPU and GPU should you choose to put a liquid block on your GPUs.

 

[Marcopolo123]

Would get the swiftech h220x if you can wait until its available.
1 gtx 780/-ti would be plenty for 1x1080/1440p screen

About headphone/headset:
Would get a decent pair of headphones, none of those "gaming"branded headsets.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-update-3-23-2014-astro-a30-added

 

[TanFrash1]

First off lose the extra fans and the fan controller - you're just throwing money away there. The AXi series is ridiculously overrated - there's better PSUs you could go with, and 32GB is an absolute waste of money for a gaming rig. And there's way better liquid coolers that you could get than the Corsair H100i. Just because it has the Corsair name on it doesn't necessarily mean it's a good product, and you also do not come out ahead purchasing that 512GB SSD, the cost per GB is simply not justifiable. Take that spare drive and use it as a secondary backup drive. Get a 240GB SSD and a 1TB HD. Better cost per GB ratio.

Here's what I would do on that budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Eisberg 240L Prestige 60.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($169.04 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($158.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 460 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($163.57 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($659.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($659.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Phantom 630 (Gunmetal) ATX Full Tower Case ($167.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: NZXT HALE90 V2 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($168.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($23.52 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $2606.53
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-23 15:58 EDT-0400)

$400 less and dropped all the crap. What you're left with is:

- Better liquid cooler that can accommodate a full CPU - GPU loop
- Less expensive motherboard but will still get the job done (no need for an eATX)
- Dual GTX 780TI and the Gigabyte model has better cooling than the EVGA model
- Lost the fans and fan controller
- Way better PSU than that Flextronics unit

Use the difference for a nice monitor or whatever else you need.

Mmm... it's kinda hard to think about a $3000 build without at least 16GB and an i7 4770K. That's the only thing I would change in your revision.

 

[g-unit1111]

Mmm... it's kinda hard to think about a $3000 build without at least 16GB and an i7 4770K. That's the only thing I would change in your revision.

Why? There's very few games that use the resources that an i7 has to its' full extent, and there's almost no games that take full advantage of 16GB of RAM. And RAM is so ridiculously expensive right now that it's hard to justify the extra money being spent.

 

[4cloud]

An I5 would be plenty for gaming at that res if you are the patient type though i would definately wait for the nvidia geforce GTX 790.

 

[Karadjgne]

I wouldn't wait for the 790. The 780ti's are tried and about perfect, right now. As was proven with the first batch of 290x's and titans just because its new and the most powerful, doesn't mean its good, by the time the 3rd party coolers arrive hopefully the bugs will be worked out... In another year or so

 

[g-unit1111]

I wouldn't wait for the 790. The 780ti's are tried and about perfect, right now. As was proven with the first batch of 290x's and titans just because its new and the most powerful, doesn't mean its good, by the time the 3rd party coolers arrive hopefully the bugs will be worked out... In another year or so

I'm pretty sure the 790 and the Titan Black use the same GK110 unlocked processor correct?

Plus obsessive coin mining speculation has driven up the cost of Radeon R9s to unheard of levels - so I'd hold off on getting those for now.

 

[Karadjgne]

From what I've read on the probable 790's I believe you are correct it will be the same cpu on them, but I'm also thinking the similarities will end there. its gonna be weird, the way titans perform for the cost of one, if a 790 will outperform a titan, since 780ti's are so close in performance on average, titan sales are gonna drop like the titanic, unless of course 790's are @$1200 each.

 

[4cloud]

All right I guess that's pretty true then I suggest sticking with the for i5 4670k and going for a 2 way GTX 780 ti SLI.

 

[TanFrash1]

Mmm... it's kinda hard to think about a $3000 build without at least 16GB and an i7 4770K. That's the only thing I would change in your revision.

Why? There's very few games that use the resources that an i7 has to its' full extent, and there's almost no games that take full advantage of 16GB of RAM. And RAM is so ridiculously expensive right now that it's hard to justify the extra money being spent.

I'm not thinking in the present. Technology is advancing so fast that in less than five years 16GB RAM will be very little. Also in the future the i7 will be able to hold fine with a slight overclock (or not)

 

[g-unit1111]

I'm not thinking in the present. Technology is advancing so fast that in less than five years 16GB RAM will be very little. Also in the future the i7 will be able to hold fine with a slight overclock (or not)

I've always said that there is no such thing as making a build completely future proof. Doesn't matter if you're spending $500 or $5000 on a PC. Unless you're using your rig for other purposes like Photoshop or Autodesk software, there is no reason to purchase more than 8GB even in the future. Even Crysis 3 only uses like 6GB of RAM from what I've heard and the reviews that I've read. It's always better to invest more in getting the best GPU you can get for your budget and to evolve your build as you go along, that's the only guaranteed way to make a build future proof.

 

[TanFrash1]

I'm not thinking in the present. Technology is advancing so fast that in less than five years 16GB RAM will be very little. Also in the future the i7 will be able to hold fine with a slight overclock (or not)

I've always said that there is no such thing as making a build completely future proof. Doesn't matter if you're spending $500 or $5000 on a PC. Unless you're using your rig for other purposes like Photoshop or Autodesk software, there is no reason to purchase more than 8GB even in the future. Even Crysis 3 only uses like 6GB of RAM from what I've heard and the reviews that I've read. It's always better to invest more in getting the best GPU you can get for your budget and to evolve your build as you go along, that's the only guaranteed way to make a build future proof.

Convinced me

 

[4cloud]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3oivY