New to PC gaming need help with my newly built computer.

[CryoRose]

I'm new to PC gaming, and to computers for the most part (Other then email and small things like that) and I just recently bought a new computer for gaming (Which sadly is taking its time getting here Hehe). Silly me tho did not think of finding somewhere to ask about it before I got it. I am reading off of a print out of the specs of my new computer so please forgive me if I write it wrong (as I stated new to hardware and in depth part of computers) or if I am in error with the information.

CPU: I7-4820K Quad 3.70 GHZ 10MB Intel Smart Cache LGA2011
Motherboard: GIGABYTE x79-UP4 ATX w/ Ultra Durable 5, GblAN, 4 GEn3 PCIe x16
Ram / System Memory: 16GB (4GBx4) DDR3/1866MHz Quad Channel Memory (Cosair Vengeance)
Video Card: Nvidia Geforce EVGA GTX 760 4GB GDDR5 PCIe 3.0 x16 Video Card
Power Supply: 850 Watts - Corsair RM850 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Fully Modular Ultra Quiet Power Supply
Hard Drive: 1TB Samsung 840 EVO Series SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD
Secondary Hard Drive: 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 7200 RPM HDD
Optical Drive: LG 16X Internal Blu-Ray Burner, BE-RE, DVD+RW Combo Drive

Additions: NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 Ready Monitor / ASUS LCD - VG278 / 27" LED 3D Monitor

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium

I'm sorry about the caps and the short lettering, but that is exact how it is. Not sure if it makes a difference or not.

I want to play games such as Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghost and other first person shooters (I think that is what they are called from what I have read). Such as Left 4 Dead 2 and Titanfall

I would also like to play The Secret World, Star Wars: The Old Republic and/or World of Warcraft as my Massive Multi-Players Online.

Overall I am curious if this is at-least decent for a new gamer, or if I need to have my local shop change anything to improve my experience?

I am not sure what I am looking for as far as game specs, such as like something that would tell me if my computer would be good? Would I be able to run these games on moderate or medium settings or do I need to upgrade for better game play? I do not know what would would control my game performance, so if you would please include that if I need to upgrade which part please!

Any help on how I would play these games at a good setting would help a lot! As well any any input you may have on how to improve my system to making it a better for my specific gaming experience.

Again one last sorry if I missed or was wrong on any information (as far as wording what I was looking for) please let me know if I am!

One last note could I also get a small intro or some kind of information what to look for in computer gaming? Like if there is a specific setting or something that the gaming community looks for when they game to make it better I think is what I am going for?

 

[BustaRhymes]

You should be able to play any game on high-ultra settings. I feel like you overspent on your CPU and PSU and maybe underspent a little on your GPU. GTX 760 is still a good card though.

 

[thewizard174]

I'm curious on how much you spent?

That seems like a great build especially since you are starting out.

Here's some info on your graphics card.
http://www.game-debate.com/hardware/index.php?gid=1803&graphics=GeForce%20GTX%20760%20EVGA%204GB%20Edition
You can also put in a certain game in the "Can I run it?" section. Pick the resolution of your monitor. If you don't know you screen reso, should tell you in the manual or Google it.

 

[CryoRose]

It seams I have gotten the wrong video card? Is there a better one that I should get for the type of gaming I am doing? Like what am I looking for to see if it is better. I do not understand most of what was on the Game Debate link for the video card.

As far as price it was only a little over $4000, but I do not think I got the right card now. What one should I get for the best experience on the type of gaming I am doing? Also is there a brand/type that I should look for?

I also can not find out how to change the Can I run it to my computer parts. It only shows my laptop as default.

 

[thewizard174]

It seams I have gotten the wrong video card? Is there a better one that I should get for the type of gaming I am doing? Like what am I looking for to see if it is better. I do not understand most of what was on the Game Debate link for the video card.

As far as price it was only a little over $4000, but I do not think I got the right card now. What one should I get for the best experience on the type of gaming I am doing? Also is there a brand/type that I should look for?

I also can not find out how to change the Can I run it to my computer parts. It only shows my laptop as default.

I don't think you got the wrong graphics cards at all, I could be wrong. Since you have that cpu and a massive psu, you could get an even better graphics card if you want. I recommend any nvidia card, they have shadowplay which is a new system with the nvidia cards that let's you record all of you gaming without you have to turn it on, so you don't miss anything.

For game debate, you should be able to change the resolution to anything. I'm not sure what is is wrong with that.

 

[IrnMan]

You should be able to play any game on high-ultra settings. I feel like you overspent on your CPU and PSU and maybe underspent a little on your GPU. GTX 760 is still a good card though.

By what is written I am guessing this is a prebuilt computer and from what I can tell from pre-builds is that they never really put in top end cards. However I would say that in this case the powerful CPU and massive overhead on the PSU is quite good for someone who is new to computers, as in the future when they want an upgrade they are really just going to need a new GPU and won't have to worry about getting a new PSU on top.

The part that is going to have most effect on your game performance is the GPU. Your GTX 760 is by no means a poor card, I would put it in at the mid-high end enthusiast level. It will run most games at high to ultra with good frame rates (which will be dependant on resolution - higher resolution = less fps). It also has 4gb of VRAM so you will be able to run a multi-monitor setup if you wish.

As for buying your pc games, the best sites from my experience are as follows:
Steam
GreenManGaming
Amazon

Although for the most part I would wait until sales which are usually around holidays and you can get games really cheap.

Game settings that are going to have the most dramatic effect on performance are Anti-Aliasing (AA) and Vertical Synchronisation (VSync) so if you are having trouble with low frame rate (which I doubt you will with that build and current games) then turn off vsync and turn down AA. However most games will auto detect your hardware and match the settings to that for you. You may want to tweak those to your preferences though.

 

[CryoRose]

The monitor says 1920 x 1080 (up to 144Hz) from the information given on it in the book that came with it is that what I need to look for on my frame rates? If so is that a good resolution or do I have to go lower with my video card?

Also I am sorry for all the questions, I just am just trying to learn this the right way first off so I don't mess up and get a bad experience.

 

[titanHUNTER]

Dude, you have a beast rig! However, you overspent on the 1TB SSD and underspent on the GPU. Get a 500gb or 250gb SSD (stick with Samsung), and get either a r9-290x or a GTX 780 and you will MAX OUT all games in the foreseeable future.

 

[CryoRose]

Before I make another goof, and get another wrong one. When I look up gaming video cards it comes up with this GTX 780 as well as two others. A 780 TI and a GTX 760s SLI the one has a lower number, but so far this morning I have learned the higher or lower a number does not really mean better or worse. When it takes me to the Nvidia site it brings up a whole list of different ones, and from what I understand it goes in the order of 760/770/780/780 TI/7-Series Microsite/Titan/Titan Black/Titan Z. I'm pretty sure from what I'm reading it is correct in that order? Again it goes back to the number not being always the best so if the 780 is good does that mean if I go with one of the others it would be better? Or is it based on resolution and things like that, like say with what I am doing or running the 780 would be the best I could or should do?

 

[titanHUNTER]

The 780 is much better than the 770 or 760. The ti just has different mods for performance. When looking at GPUs, the numbers that are important are:

1. Memory bandwidth- the 780 has 384-bit while the r9-290x has 512 bit
2. Dedicated RAM/Memory- a good card should have at least 2 GB memory
3. Then there are stream processors (AMD) and CUDA cores (Nvidia)
4. Speed frequency- Most now are close to 1ghz (1000mhz) range.

In every instance, the higher these numbers means the better the GPU. The most important are the bandwidth and stream processors/CUDA cores. These truly determine how much processing prowess the card has.

Personally, I would go with the r9-290x. However, the 780 is the Nvidia equivalent. You can save from $200 to $300 by getting a smaller SSD. If it's in your budget, I would get the 500gb instead of 1tb. However, with your specs, I would not even consider a GPU lower than the two mentioned.

Keep the questions coming and I'll answer as far as my experience and knowledge will allow!

 

[CryoRose]

I won't be saving past this point (however I do appreciate the thought on it), I've already bought it, and it's shipped. My first goof was not to try and find somewhere like this before I built it.

The extra price for a new card is no problem, I just want to make sure I get the right one before I mess up again then have a buy a 3rd one. When I look at gaming experience there is the SLI thing again saying that I can have 2 video cards in my computer? Would that mean that I could use the video card that is in there now with a new one such as the 780 or the R9-290x those seam to be popular ones that keep being suggested? Which I am very grateful for!

 

[numanator]

I won't be saving past this point (however I do appreciate the thought on it), I've already bought it, and it's shipped. My first goof was not to try and find somewhere like this before I built it.

The extra price for a new card is no problem, I just want to make sure I get the right one before I mess up again then have a buy a 3rd one. When I look at gaming experience there is the SLI thing again saying that I can have 2 video cards in my computer? Would that mean that I could use the video card that is in there now with a new one such as the 780 or the R9-290x those seam to be popular ones that keep being suggested? Which I am very grateful for!

Unfortunately, SLI (dual graphics cards) only works with another of the same model so you would have to do 2 gtx 760 or 2 gxt 780 for it to work.

 

[titanHUNTER]

To clear this up first, you cannot use an Nvidia card with an AMD card (e.g. can't use both an r9 card and a gtx card). Completely different tech. If you were to Crossfire, the cards would have to be compatible. You check AMD or Nvidia website for compatibility.

I do not believe most people build a rig with Crossfiring in mind. Unless they just want to build a super-rig for show off purposes. Most of the time, people Crossfire/SLI when they first build/buy, then to get more performance they buy another card in the close price range.

So, if budget is of no concern regarding the quality of your system, then I would just return (send back) the 760. Then get the r9-290x (or 780)! You will not need another card. If you did get one, it would be to make your rig even more kickA** (lol).

Keep in mind that I have not come across many in these forums that actually have the r9-290x. It is a $600 GPU and if you do not have a hi-end processor (which you do), most would not even benefit from it. However, seeing that you do have the budget and the system to push the GPU, GO FOR IT AND ENJOY!!

Plus, anything else in your rig and that great CPU and mobo will go to waste (in gaming).

 

[titanHUNTER]

P.S. You can always hit the middle of the road with an r9-280x or GTX 770 and then buy another one of those cards down the line. You will save a few hundred bucks now and spend it later. Any of those two cards together will outperform one r9-290x or one gtx 780. That is the idea behind Crossfiring (AMD) and SLI (Nvidia).

 

[IrnMan]

The monitor says 1920 x 1080 (up to 144Hz) from the information given on it in the book that came with it is that what I need to look for on my frame rates? If so is that a good resolution or do I have to go lower with my video card?

1080p is perfect, this card will handle that just fine.

Before I make another goof, and get another wrong one. When I look up gaming video cards it comes up with this GTX 780 as well as two others. A 780 TI and a GTX 760s SLI the one has a lower number, but so far this morning I have learned the higher or lower a number does not really mean better or worse. ... Or is it based on resolution and things like that, like say with what I am doing or running the 780 would be the best I could or should do?

Honestly there are better cards out there than the gtx 760 but that will pretty much always be the case with video cards. The gtx 760 will run perfectly fine at 1080p at high - ultra settings with a good frame rate.

For a bit of perspective, next-gen consoles (PS4 and Xbox One) give about the same video performance as an R7 260x so here is a comparison of the R7 260x vs the GTX 760 http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R7-260X-vs-GeForce-GTX-760 As you can see the framerate on your card about doubles it at 1080p.

The extra price for a new card is no problem, I just want to make sure I get the right one before I mess up again then have a buy a 3rd one. When I look at gaming experience there is the SLI thing again saying that I can have 2 video cards in my computer? Would that mean that I could use the video card that is in there now with a new one such as the 780 or the R9-290x those seam to be popular ones that keep being suggested? Which I am very grateful for!

I recommend that you keep the gtx 760 as it will easily last the next few years. If you feel you need more power a few years down the line then either upgrade or go the SLI route and put in another 760. You cannot mix and match graphics card from nVidia and ATI so a 760 and an R9 290x wouldn't work. If you put a 780 in SLI with a 760 its performance will be throttled to match the 760.

 

[CryoRose]

Thanks for that. I will get a 780 and have it put in when my system gets here. Sounds like the best bet! I think from what I understand if I need more power or better performance I can put two of these together for a better experience I think if I have it right. Thanks for all the help on this, but I'm sure there is way more to learn that I will have to figure out.

 

[CryoRose]

The monitor says 1920 x 1080 (up to 144Hz) from the information given on it in the book that came with it is that what I need to look for on my frame rates? If so is that a good resolution or do I have to go lower with my video card?

1080p is perfect, this card will handle that just fine.

Before I make another goof, and get another wrong one. When I look up gaming video cards it comes up with this GTX 780 as well as two others. A 780 TI and a GTX 760s SLI the one has a lower number, but so far this morning I have learned the higher or lower a number does not really mean better or worse. ... Or is it based on resolution and things like that, like say with what I am doing or running the 780 would be the best I could or should do?

Honestly there are better cards out there than the gtx 760 but that will pretty much always be the case with video cards. The gtx 760 will run perfectly fine at 1080p at high - ultra settings with a good frame rate.

For a bit of perspective, next-gen consoles (PS4 and Xbox One) give about the same video performance as an R7 260x so here is a comparison of the R7 260x vs the GTX 760 http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R7-260X-vs-GeForce-GTX-760 As you can see the framerate on your card about doubles it at 1080p.

The extra price for a new card is no problem, I just want to make sure I get the right one before I mess up again then have a buy a 3rd one. When I look at gaming experience there is the SLI thing again saying that I can have 2 video cards in my computer? Would that mean that I could use the video card that is in there now with a new one such as the 780 or the R9-290x those seam to be popular ones that keep being suggested? Which I am very grateful for!

I recommend that you keep the gtx 760 as it will easily last the next few years. If you feel you need more power a few years down the line then either upgrade or go the SLI route and put in another 760. You cannot mix and match graphics card from nVidia and ATI so a 760 and an R9 290x wouldn't work. If you put a 780 in SLI with a 760 its performance will be throttled to match the 760.

Sorry Iron I did not see your post until after I made mine. Ty for all of your great input it helps a lot. The 760 and 780 are both good from what I see, and the 780 looks like it might just be a better choice for a long term run.

 

[titanHUNTER]

Great choice!! For those that can afford it anyway! lol

Truth be told, if everyone in this forum could afford it, we would all have 780s or 290x's lol

Don't forget to choose the solved for the best solution!!

 

[titanHUNTER]

The monitor says 1920 x 1080 (up to 144Hz) from the information given on it in the book that came with it is that what I need to look for on my frame rates? If so is that a good resolution or do I have to go lower with my video card?

1080p is perfect, this card will handle that just fine.

Before I make another goof, and get another wrong one. When I look up gaming video cards it comes up with this GTX 780 as well as two others. A 780 TI and a GTX 760s SLI the one has a lower number, but so far this morning I have learned the higher or lower a number does not really mean better or worse. ... Or is it based on resolution and things like that, like say with what I am doing or running the 780 would be the best I could or should do?

Honestly there are better cards out there than the gtx 760 but that will pretty much always be the case with video cards. The gtx 760 will run perfectly fine at 1080p at high - ultra settings with a good frame rate.

For a bit of perspective, next-gen consoles (PS4 and Xbox One) give about the same video performance as an R7 260x so here is a comparison of the R7 260x vs the GTX 760 http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R7-260X-vs-GeForce-GTX-760 As you can see the framerate on your card about doubles it at 1080p.

The extra price for a new card is no problem, I just want to make sure I get the right one before I mess up again then have a buy a 3rd one. When I look at gaming experience there is the SLI thing again saying that I can have 2 video cards in my computer? Would that mean that I could use the video card that is in there now with a new one such as the 780 or the R9-290x those seam to be popular ones that keep being suggested? Which I am very grateful for!

I recommend that you keep the gtx 760 as it will easily last the next few years. If you feel you need more power a few years down the line then either upgrade or go the SLI route and put in another 760. You cannot mix and match graphics card from nVidia and ATI so a 760 and an R9 290x wouldn't work. If you put a 780 in SLI with a 760 its performance will be throttled to match the 760.

Sorry Iron I did not see your post until after I made mine. Ty for all of your great input it helps a lot. The 760 and 780 are both good from what I see, and the 780 looks like it might just be a better choice for a long term run.

Yeah, I do not know why that guy recommended that card with the CPU and mobo you have. I mean look at your specs, you are at $2,000 at least. Why have a GPU in the $200 range?? Makes no sense.

 

[numanator]

FYI this is how much your current build would cost if you built it yourself (parts only):

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4820K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($308.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 CPU Cooler ($69.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($239.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($424.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair RM 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($140.98 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VG278H 120Hz 27.0" Monitor ($525.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2474.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

So whatever you are paying over $2.5k is shipping and labor (about 3 hours work for most ppl, less for ppl who do it all the time) + profit

 

[CryoRose]

Not sure how to do solved for best comment, everyone was helpful and helped me get a perspective on it.

 

[CryoRose]

FYI this is how much your current build would cost if you built it yourself (parts only):

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4820K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($308.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 CPU Cooler ($69.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($239.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($424.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair RM 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($140.98 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VG278H 120Hz 27.0" Monitor ($525.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2474.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

So whatever you are paying over $2.5k is shipping and labor (about 3 hours work for most ppl, less for ppl who do it all the time) + profit

O dear. I lost out on some $ there, but the next one I will surely build myself. However by then I hope to know a good bit of these ins and outs for the parts and inner workings.

 

[numanator]

FYI this is how much your current build would cost if you built it yourself (parts only):

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4820K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($308.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 CPU Cooler ($69.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($239.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($424.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair RM 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($140.98 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VG278H 120Hz 27.0" Monitor ($525.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2474.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

So whatever you are paying over $2.5k is shipping and labor (about 3 hours work for most ppl, less for ppl who do it all the time) + profit

O dear. I lost out on some $ there, but the next one I will surely build myself. However by then I hope to know a good bit of these ins and outs for the parts and inner workings.

No worries, just wanted you to know what the mark up was. I was not sure what CPU cooler your build would have so I took a guess on that but the CPU you picked is pretty powerful and should keep you going for some years without problems.

 

[CryoRose]

It has a Asetek 570 LX Extreme Liquid CPU Cooler with extra 120MM fans? I'm pretty sure that's the cooling aspect your looking for?

 

[boosbear]

It has a Asetek 570 LX Extreme Liquid CPU Cooler with extra 120MM fans? I'm pretty sure that's the cooling aspect your looking for?

If you haven't gotten the 780 yet, I would like to point out some other options. If the 760 is giving you reasonable frame rates, then there is no reason to upgrade yet. But if the 760 is not adequate, then you can either get another 760 or get a powerful card to replace it. The 290 and 290x along with nvidia's 780 are great options that should be enough for 1080p gaming. If you get the extra 760, with some optimization, you should get similar or better performance in comparison to the 780. The danger is that some games are not optimized for sli. But most AAA titles will be.
But all in all, I would recommend getting the extra 760. You are saving a couple hundred dollars for the same or better performance.