High end gaming pc for around $1200 help!

[alphachaosomega]

Hello everybody, i used to be the master of building gaming pcs back in 01-04 but been out of touch for a long time. I need a great gaming pc that will perform at least 2x better than the ps4. What i dont need:
OS
Keyboard/mouse
Optical drive
Screen

What i am looking for:
A system that can be overclocked so unlocked parts.
I am more keen to amd and nvidia but if the other is more powerful then so be it.
I can skimp on a case, so any cheap case that works will do.

 

[siveshen]

Intel i5 4430. Gigabyte GA-h81M-HD3. Western digital caviar blue 1TB. Gigabyte geforce gtx760 2GB. Kingston black 8gb 1600 Coolermaster N200. Evga 500 power supply. This is my intel build let me know if you prefer an Amd build instead.

 

[alphachaosomega]

Intel i5 4430. Gigabyte GA-h81M-HD3. Western digital caviar blue 1TB. Gigabyte geforce gtx760 2GB. Kingston black 8gb 1600 Coolermaster N200. Evga 500 power supply. This is my intel build let me know if you prefer an Amd build instead.

Hey that looks nice, yeah if you have an amd build i would love to see it. Im gonna check out al those parts and see where i can get em cheap.

 

[alphachaosomega]

Intel i5 4430. Gigabyte GA-h81M-HD3. Western digital caviar blue 1TB. Gigabyte geforce gtx760 2GB. Kingston black 8gb 1600 Coolermaster N200. Evga 500 power supply. This is my intel build let me know if you prefer an Amd build instead.

Hello i have looked into the cpu and found that the i5 3570k is better for overclocking and outperformed the i5 4430, is this really true? Also for an amd i found this FX 8320 overclocked is better still than both i5 cpu's above, is this also true? This is just a quike search so not sure thank you.

 

[siveshen]

The fx 8320 is not better than the intel cpus maybe its better in games that take full advantage of more then 4 cores but even then Amd can never touch Intel because of their pathetic IPC performance.

 

[alphachaosomega]

The fx 8320 is not better than the intel cpus maybe its better in games that take full advantage of more then 4 cores but even then Amd can never touch Intel because of their pathetic IPC performance.

This is my source just scroll down a little

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1910343/4430-good-gaming.html

Acording to that its as good as an i7 but again i dont know u could be right about the ipc but this is an overclocked amd cpu so it might be better in the overclocked state.

 

[siveshen]

Amd build. Gigabyte GA-970A-D3P AM3+ AMD fx 6300 or 8320. EVGA GTX 760 superclocked 2GB. Silverston strider 500W.

 

[siveshen]

AMD 8320 as good as i7 hahahahahaha never days dude. If your are going to overclock it might be a little better but many games prove that IPC is better than higher clock speed.

 

[alphachaosomega]

AMD 8320 as good as i7 hahahahahaha never days dude. If your are going to overclock it might be a little better but many games prove that IPC is better than higher clock speed.

Hmm yeah i see your point i read that the i5 has better per core performance and i will be playing older games like skyrim so i will prolly go with the i5 3570k and overclock it to surpass the 4430, my next part to look at is a good mobo that can handle me overclocking the i5 any suggestions or is the one u said what i need?

 

[PepitoTV]

With that budget, going for an overclockable Intel build will severely impact your budget for a GPU, so you will definitely not get a high end, balanced build. Unless you're positive on investing more in the future, I'd recommend against going this route because, as is, you won't be getting the best out of your money as far as gaming performance goes.

 

[alphachaosomega]

With that budget, going for an overclockable Intel build will severely impact your budget for a GPU, so you will definitely not get a high end, balanced build. Unless you're positive on investing more in the future, I'd recommend against going this route because, as is, you won't be getting the best out of your money as far as gaming performance goes.

Well for $700-$750 what would you recomend then cause i know you can get a great gaming pc for $500 that well outperforms the ps4 so a $700+ should be well within reason. Im not looking for a super powerhouse i want to play skyrim on maxed ot setting with hd res pack and mods galore. As well as some newer games like bf4 and watch dogs.

 

[siveshen]

The GTX 760 that I recommended is perfect for this build.If you're going with the i5 3570K then you'll need an lga 1155 mobo.

 

[alphachaosomega]

The GTX 760 that I recommended is perfect for this build.If you're going with the i5 3570K then you'll need an lga 1155 mobo.

Thanks you have been very helpful.

 

[siveshen]

No probz dude

 

[PepitoTV]

Here is a suggestion given a huge rebate on the Asus Z77-A, it's still over your budget but it has all you have mentioned:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($224.59 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.95 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Asus Z77-A ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 220 ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ TigerDirect)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($50.99 @ TigerDirect)
Total: $787.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-01 16:12 EDT-0400)

 

[numanator]

I am assuming your budget is without the OS,

Here is an Fx-8320, r9 270x build that would work well, overclockable:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($154.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 Extreme3 R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 270X 2GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($199.99 @ TigerDirect)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($50.99 @ TigerDirect)
Total: $695.37
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-01 16:35 EDT-0400)

Also, if you can throw another $100 at the GPU you could get either a r9 280 or r9 280x, both are awesome cards. The r9 270x is on par with the gtx 760. With the gtx 760 I play skyrim with ENB and tons of texture mods so it is a pretty awesome card. The r9 270x should perform similarly but came down in price recently. The 280/280x would perform even better.

 

[numanator]

Here is an Intel, No OC build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ TigerDirect)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H87-D3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($101.24 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 270 2GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($159.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($50.99 @ TigerDirect)
Total: $686.68
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-01 16:33 EDT-0400)

Totally missed the RAM in the previous build, will update.

 

[numanator]

Lastly, here is a build with the 6 core fx-6300

fx-6300, r9 280

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 Extreme3 R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($259.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($47.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($50.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $698.38
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-01 16:40 EDT-0400)

 

[alphachaosomega]

Wow guys alot to think about, whats up with the fx 6300 i keep seeing it recomended? Is it better than the i5 and also for the price of the i5 3570k is there a better cpu for the money or maybe cheaper/faster. Im looking for the best i can afford. Andnthank you guys cause i have no idea whats good or bad, just too many to choose from. I dont want any bottlenecks in this build so will be asking lots of questions and doing research on ever part recommended.

 

[siveshen]

Amd 6300 can't touch the i5.the i5 3570k is a great choice as it is more powerful than the 8320 and 8350 plus it is unlocked so you can have plenty of fun overclocking it.Basically you don't want Amd in your machine unless your are a fanboy or on a tight budget amds poor performance just isn't justifiable.

 

[alphachaosomega]

I see, so intel it is. I dont like the price or the integratred gpu in the cpu for i5 3570k i just seen that. But if its better overclocked than any other cpu for the same price then thats the cpu i will get.

 

[cball1311]

Here is what I suggest. FX-6300 is solid CPU for AMD fans. I managed to work an R9 280X into the build as well.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus M5A78L-M LX PLUS Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: PNY XLR8 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: HIS Radeon R9 280X 3GB IceQ X² Video Card ($299.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($32.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($50.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $682.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-01 22:05 EDT-0400)

 

[numanator]

You see the fx 6300 and 8320s in a lot of builds mainly due to trying to keep things balanced in a system for gaming. With the i5 systems you are spending $300-350 on your cpu/mobo whereas the fx 6300 comes in at about $180-200 and the 8320 at about $230-250. So if your budget is $700, the cpu takes essentially 1/2 of your budget leaving little room for the gpu and other necessities. Now, when your budget is $1200, you have a lot more room to play with and your i5 cpu/mobo would ony be 1/4 of your budget. Pretty much at the 1k budget price point the i5 will be much more recommended since you have the money to get other parts that properly utilize the cpu (like a good gpu & mobo).

 

[alphachaosomega]

Ok so if i bumped up my limit to 1200 what would you guys recomend cause i want a good gaming pc.

 

[numanator]

For about $1k, you can get a really good system:

i5-4670k, gtx 770

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 280X 3GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($299.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($47.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 620W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($76.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $954.35
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-02 04:00 EDT-0400)

Some part rundowns:
-CPU- The 4670k is unlocked, it is pretty much the most recommended intel cpu thanks to its price/performance ratio
-mobo- The asrock extreme 4 is the mobo with the most features/ best overclockability at its price (around $120)
-CPU cooler- The 212 Evo is a good air cooler for its price, any cheaper and you would probably be better off with the stock cooler. This will allow some overclocking but nothing too extreme
-GPU- R9 280x is a great card, it trades blows with the gtx 770 (which is only $25-30 more if you like Nvidia GPUs). Both cards play most games at ultra settings, 60+ FPS (the most intensive games would need to be at high settings)

Edit: If you wanted an SSD for boot up, that would be another $70 for 120gb