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First gaming computer build, need advice! Trying to focus on maximizing price/performance!

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September 25, 2014 9:21:30 PM

Greetings, forumgoers!

My current computer is pretty outdated. It's a Dell XPS 410 that I received as a gift in 2007. The only modifications I've made were replacing the original 8800GTX and power supply when they both failed me (the replacements being a 9800GTX and a more powerful PSU) as well as adding 2GB of RAM.

I've gotta give this system credit for still barely managing to play modern games, but I believe its time is finally past. It's time to finally assemble a computer for myself.

My budget ($0-$1,600) is pretty flexible, as my goal is to achieve a machine with extremely good price/performance ratios across the board. I'm willing to take as long as it takes to fine-tune this list of parts until it becomes hyper-optimized, whether it means spending more or less money!

So, here's the list of parts I have thus far (questions to follow!):

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.98 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus SABERTOOTH Z97 MARK2 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($165.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($78.30 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.97 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($369.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($19.88 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($249.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1459.07
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-28 23:38 EDT-0400

EDIT #1 Switched to a more powerful CPU fan and RAM with better timings!
EDIT #2 Switched to a more powerful motherboard for better cooling!

This is a very rough first draft so I'd like as many opinions as possible! For the most part I picked out parts that were highly-reviewed and looked good for their price!

(NOTE: I am buying another monitor because I plan on giving the 2007WFP to a family member who will be using the XPS 410 once I build my new computer)

So, yeah, my build is pretty much centered around the highly-regarded GTX 970 which was released recently, and praised for its supposedly superb price/performance ratio. The current plan (UNLESS SOMEONE CONVINCES ME IT'S NOT WORTH IT) is to have an SLI-ready machine so I can stick a 2nd GTX 970 in there somewhere in the future.

I would love to know if I'm going overboard (or underboard) with any of these parts. I don't want any bottlenecks, but I also don't want to unnecessarily spend too much. I just don't have the experience to really know if the build is ideal or not!

Also, I have some specific questions:

1. How powerful a CPU fan do I need if I want to overclock my CPU? I just picked what looked like the best price/performance fan, but if it would severely hinder my CPU's potential I would be interested in changing to a better/more powerful fan. I have never overclocked anything before, but I am interested in doing so.

2. How necessary is buying a thermal compound? I've heard about the miracle product that is arctic silver 5, but I have no clue if it's actually worth the money.

3. How can I be absolutely certain that everything will fit together nicely in the case that I've selected? I'm imagining this terrible scenario where I finally have all the parts, but something just doesn't fit. Can I trust that PCPartPicker would only show me parts that would fit in the case that I selected?

Thanks! And I will be happy to answer any questions anyone has about my goals/desires with this build! I'm taking my sweet time figuring out the best possible build!

More about : gaming computer build advice focus maximizing price performance

a b 4 Gaming
September 25, 2014 9:34:54 PM

A few changes, I have put in a much better CPU cooler for overclocking (it is about as good as you can get for air cooling), better RAM (there was nothing wrong with the RAM you selected, just this one has better timings so will give you a bit more performance).
I wouldn't worry about getting any thermal paste as well as the bundled stuff which comes with the CPU cooler is pretty good still.
PC partpicker does a pretty good job in that respect and the only thing you will have to do with the case is remove some of the hard drive bays to fit the GPU in

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.98 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($137.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($90.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($369.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12G 650W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($96.50 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($19.88 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($249.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1440.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-26 00:31 EDT-0400
a b 4 Gaming
September 25, 2014 10:02:09 PM

Well, can't knock the PSU, that G2 is a highly recommended unit. The case is pretty good and has good cable management and will easily fit a 160mm tower cooler.

The thermal paste doesn't make that much difference, just use what comes with whichever CPU cooler you buy, regardless of what anybody says. Heck, they even tested mayonnaise and guess what, it works, really. Google it. There is only maybe, at most, about a three degree difference separating what commonly is provided with most coolers and the Prolimatech or Tuniq. Arctic silver is fine, but it's no better than what comes with any quality cooler.

I'd think about a better cooler. You don't need to go off the deep end here but while the 212 EVO is a good entry level budget cooler, for when you need something better than stock but don't have much cash, it's not a high quality solution and it's noisy. Anything by Noctua is good. Phanteks. Cryorig. I'd avoid the Cooler master V8. It's all flash and not worth the cash. I like the Noctua NH-U14S, NH-D14 and NH-D15. They are quiet and very effective. The Phanteks PH-TC14PE is a good cooler and so is the Cryorig R1 Universal and Ultimate. There a bunch of good coolers out there, but for my money I like the low sound levels of the Noctua. I barely know it's there and it keeps my FX-8320@4.5Ghz well below it's thermal limit without driving my out of the room like the EVO did. My CPU stays below 63c even after several hours of Prime on any setting.

If money isn't a big issue, which it always is, but you know what I mean, you might consider moving up to a premium motherboard. The ASUS Sabertooth Z97 Mark 2 is a damn good board for about thirty bucks more than the Z97A. All the ASUS Sabertooth boards seem to seriously help with cooling. I had a 20c difference in my CPU temp after changing to a Sabertooth board from a fairly good ASRock board. It's just a suggestion but I doubt you'll ever hear anybody say anything bad about the Sabertooth line of boards, regardless of chipset.

Other than that, everything looks pretty good to me. I've heard a few gripes about the G.Skill memory having some quality issues, but honestly haven't used the brand myself so you might look into some reviews about it just to make certain a five or ten dollar premium won't get you a superior memory chip.
Related resources
September 25, 2014 10:27:07 PM

It really depends on how much price is/isn't an issue. For example, you can find a decent 23.6" or 24" monitor for about $150 instead of $250, but it's really a judgment call.

The power supply is good, but unless you're planning on adding another card, you need nowhere that much power. Although if you're getting a top-tier PSU, you'll save maybe $20 by dropping down to a lower wattage, so I wouldn't change it, just to leave your options open.

They're right that if you want to do serious overclocking, you may want to invest in a more hefty CPU cooler, but really it depends on how far you want to go. The one you have is the best on the market for the money ... it can handle a modest to medium overclock and in any case is going to be way better than the stock cooler.
a b 4 Gaming
September 25, 2014 10:37:02 PM

capt_taco said:
It really depends on how much price is/isn't an issue. For example, you can find a decent 23.6" or 24" monitor for about $150 instead of $250, but it's really a judgment call.

The power supply is good, but unless you're planning on adding another card, you need nowhere that much power. Although if you're getting a top-tier PSU, you'll save maybe $20 by dropping down to a lower wattage, so I wouldn't change it, just to leave your options open.

They're right that if you want to do serious overclocking, you may want to invest in a more hefty CPU cooler, but really it depends on how far you want to go. The one you have is the best on the market for the money ... it can handle a modest to medium overclock and in any case is going to be way better than the stock cooler.


He says in his post he plans to do an SLI later, so the PSU is not really overkill. It might even be lacking. Due to the amperage requirements of two GTX 970 cards this PSU just meets the needs of the configuration (30 amp per card, per specs). So actually, a PSU with a higher amperage rating might not be a bad idea, but this will run two of them in SLI according to spec.

And I know you'll like this one. A Ford Pinto or a Chevy Citation used to be the best cars for the money too, that didn't make them good cars. Sure, they ran and would get you down the road. Heck, they even got pretty good gas mileage. Heh, ya know?
September 26, 2014 2:04:09 AM

I didn't catch that he might be doing SLI later, which is my fault for failing to read. But the PSU is still good - the 30A per card recommendation is a joke.

The GTX 970 tops out around 240W in stress tests, usually well under 200W in most realistic situations, which is more like <20A per card and maybe 600-650W for the system. Classic cover-your-ass specs from the manufacturer,

I guess I'm maybe not the best person to comment on cheapness. The current computer I'm typing on I built in 2008 for less than $800 and still kills at games after I spent $100 on a used 7970 (the "main" family computer is still better, but I digress) ... as for cars, our current "second" car is a 1988 BMW that I bought 12 years ago for $3,000 and still goes where I want it to with little to no maintenance, so in general a good deal. Basically, consider me the master of getting cheap crap to still work with a little effort. For the highest of the high-end stuff, maybe not.

But I still wouldn't get rid of that power supply ;) 
September 26, 2014 6:48:46 PM

Nuckles_56 said:
A few changes, I have put in a much better CPU cooler for overclocking (it is about as good as you can get for air cooling), better RAM (there was nothing wrong with the RAM you selected, just this one has better timings so will give you a bit more performance).
I wouldn't worry about getting any thermal paste as well as the bundled stuff which comes with the CPU cooler is pretty good still.
PC partpicker does a pretty good job in that respect and the only thing you will have to do with the case is remove some of the hard drive bays to fit the GPU in

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.98 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($137.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($90.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($369.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12G 650W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($96.50 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($19.88 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($249.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1440.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-26 00:31 EDT-0400


Thank you for the suggested changes! I can definitely understand that the fan I picked would be lacking, and I do want to get as much out of the 4690K as possible (within reason).

As for the RAM, I suppose I will trust in your judgment as I have no idea how different timings affect performance.
September 26, 2014 7:30:40 PM

darkbreeze said:
I'd think about a better cooler. You don't need to go off the deep end here but while the 212 EVO is a good entry level budget cooler, for when you need something better than stock but don't have much cash, it's not a high quality solution and it's noisy. Anything by Noctua is good. Phanteks. Cryorig. I'd avoid the Cooler master V8. It's all flash and not worth the cash. I like the Noctua NH-U14S, NH-D14 and NH-D15. They are quiet and very effective. The Phanteks PH-TC14PE is a good cooler and so is the Cryorig R1 Universal and Ultimate. There a bunch of good coolers out there, but for my money I like the low sound levels of the Noctua. I barely know it's there and it keeps my FX-8320@4.5Ghz well below it's thermal limit without driving my out of the room like the EVO did. My CPU stays below 63c even after several hours of Prime on any setting.


Yeah, I decided to switch to the Noctua NH-D14 as it was suggested by Nuckles_56 as well.

darkbreeze said:
If money isn't a big issue, which it always is, but you know what I mean, you might consider moving up to a premium motherboard. The ASUS Sabertooth Z97 Mark 2 is a damn good board for about thirty bucks more than the Z97A. All the ASUS Sabertooth boards seem to seriously help with cooling. I had a 20c difference in my CPU temp after changing to a Sabertooth board from a fairly good ASRock board. It's just a suggestion but I doubt you'll ever hear anybody say anything bad about the Sabertooth line of boards, regardless of chipset.


I can definitely splurge a bit more for a higher-quality motherboard if you believe it to be worth the extra $. I guess my problem is I just don't quite understand what more expensive/higher quality motherboards do for your system. With graphics cards and CPUs it's easier to discern what you gain, but less so with motherboards. The Sabertooth boards do indeed have quite stellar reviews, especially from overclockers, and I'll be happy to switch to one if you are confident it would be worthwhile for me. My lack of experience in the computer-building world really shows here :( 

darkbreeze said:
Other than that, everything looks pretty good to me. I've heard a few gripes about the G.Skill memory having some quality issues, but honestly haven't used the brand myself so you might look into some reviews about it just to make certain a five or ten dollar premium won't get you a superior memory chip.


There are so many RAM choices with excellent reviews, I wouldn't know where to begin. If I knew more about what sort of RAM would be best for this particular system, then it wouldn't be such an issue. Things like timings, CAS, and speed...I just don't know how to determine what is best.

Thank you for the suggestions!
September 26, 2014 7:53:31 PM

capt_taco said:
It really depends on how much price is/isn't an issue. For example, you can find a decent 23.6" or 24" monitor for about $150 instead of $250, but it's really a judgment call.


Well, the monitor I picked out (the ASUS VG248QE) is a 144hz monitor, which explains why it costs more than most 24" monitors.

I'm not 100% sold on the monitor; it's just that I read the 144hz makes a noticeable difference when you're playing games at a high framerate. Seems to be a divisive topic, though. Lots of people argue that the difference is negligible, and since I haven't actually seen one being used myself, I have no way of knowing for certain if I will be able to notice the difference. This is one of those components I was hoping for some additional feedback on.
a b 4 Gaming
September 26, 2014 11:48:16 PM

Most the naysayers in regard to the 144hz monitors don't have systems that can drive them properly. The setup you have outlined will, ESPECIALLY if you add a second card down the road. Here is an article explaining the features of 144hz monitors and another explaining how to get the most out of it once you have it. It might seem daunting at first, it's not. If you read the article and absorb the information slowly, it will become clear to you.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vg248qe-144hz-gamin...
September 27, 2014 12:06:11 AM

I would change the gpu from the gigabyte gtx 970 to the MSI one, simply because gigabyte's fans tend to have a comparably lower lifespan than the msi ones, and the msi ones are very solid and good, and the MSI gtx 970 is the best overclocker of them all. Also, think about upgrading the ram speed from 1600 mhz to 1866 or even 2133 as they are all similar prices, but take into account the cas number, as lower is better. Apart from that, I certainly cant complain about anything in specifics as the cpu cooler was already covered.
a b 4 Gaming
September 27, 2014 12:06:37 AM

The higher end motherboards have many features that make them worth the extra dollars over cheaper boards. First and foremost is the quality of the VRMs and the chipset itself. A good board can also dissipate heat better than a budget board which lends a longer life to stock clocked configurations since everything lasts longer when it stays cooler and better, more stable overclocks if you go that direction.

An overclocked CPU that you just can't seem to keep cool, regardless of the cooler used, on a cheaper board, might have no problems staying within thermal limits on a quality board. The quality of the capacitors used often varies greatly from board to board and is generally a selling point on high quality flagship boards due to their superior caps.

Also factoring in is the motherboard power phase configuration. This can vary a LOT from board to board and is an important aspect of the board design as well. Here is a fairly short explanation of what that's all about:

A short Power Phase Design explanation:
http://www.overclock.net/t/891696/a-short-power-phase-d...

It goes on and on. Other more obvious reasons for choosing one board over another are things like the number of usb headers available, type and speed of PCIe slots, SATAe support, and the list goes on. Here is a pretty good write up covering motherboard features:

http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/1229-anatomy-of-a-mot...
a b 4 Gaming
September 27, 2014 12:24:57 AM

As far as the GPU, I don't see anything indicating a problem with the Gigabyte card, related to fans or otherwise, as compared to any other card in the category. I've not owned a Gigabyte card so I can't really comment on the quality of the fans, but I think it's really too soon to make judgements regarding long term reliability of any of these releases until they had time to be more fully reviewed and subjected to a bit of torture. Considering that though, the MSI twin frozr version is 20 bucks cheaper and is likely a good card too. I hate the MSI website though and their updates to drivers aren't always timely.
September 27, 2014 7:51:36 PM

darkbreeze said:
Most the naysayers in regard to the 144hz monitors don't have systems that can drive them properly. The setup you have outlined will, ESPECIALLY if you add a second card down the road. Here is an article explaining the features of 144hz monitors and another explaining how to get the most out of it once you have it. It might seem daunting at first, it's not. If you read the article and absorb the information slowly, it will become clear to you.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vg248qe-144hz-gamin...


Thank you for the informative link. If I'm understanding it correctly, the monitor sacrifices color quality and depth for smoothness and responsiveness, but not to the point where the colors are unbearably bad. For someone interested in gaming, this seems fine. I think I'll stick with the VG248QE; I really want to see what it's like compared to a regular monitor.
September 27, 2014 8:07:22 PM

sparestuff said:
I would change the gpu from the gigabyte gtx 970 to the MSI one, simply because gigabyte's fans tend to have a comparably lower lifespan than the msi ones, and the msi ones are very solid and good, and the MSI gtx 970 is the best overclocker of them all.


darkbreeze said:
As far as the GPU, I don't see anything indicating a problem with the Gigabyte card, related to fans or otherwise, as compared to any other card in the category. I've not owned a Gigabyte card so I can't really comment on the quality of the fans, but I think it's really too soon to make judgements regarding long term reliability of any of these releases until they had time to be more fully reviewed and subjected to a bit of torture. Considering that though, the MSI twin frozr version is 20 bucks cheaper and is likely a good card too. I hate the MSI website though and their updates to drivers aren't always timely.


Well it looks like opinions are mixed regarding the best GTX 970 variant, and indeed I'm not sure how you could make a definitive case for one this early on. I went with the Gigabyte simply because it had the best reviews of the ones I viewed on Newegg and Amazon.

sparestuff said:
Also, think about upgrading the ram speed from 1600 mhz to 1866 or even 2133 as they are all similar prices, but take into account the cas number, as lower is better. Apart from that, I certainly cant complain about anything in specifics as the cpu cooler was already covered.


Something like this?

It has a higher speed, but different timings and a higher Cas latency. I have no idea if this is better or not.
September 27, 2014 8:16:20 PM

darkbreeze said:
The higher end motherboards have many features that make them worth the extra dollars over cheaper boards. First and foremost is the quality of the VRMs and the chipset itself. A good board can also dissipate heat better than a budget board which lends a longer life to stock clocked configurations since everything lasts longer when it stays cooler and better, more stable overclocks if you go that direction.

An overclocked CPU that you just can't seem to keep cool, regardless of the cooler used, on a cheaper board, might have no problems staying within thermal limits on a quality board. The quality of the capacitors used often varies greatly from board to board and is generally a selling point on high quality flagship boards due to their superior caps.

Also factoring in is the motherboard power phase configuration. This can vary a LOT from board to board and is an important aspect of the board design as well. Here is a fairly short explanation of what that's all about:

A short Power Phase Design explanation:
http://www.overclock.net/t/891696/a-short-power-phase-d...

It goes on and on. Other more obvious reasons for choosing one board over another are things like the number of usb headers available, type and speed of PCIe slots, SATAe support, and the list goes on. Here is a pretty good write up covering motherboard features:

http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/1229-anatomy-of-a-mot...


Thank you for the links and explanations! The only component I'm really unsure about now is RAM. There seem to be a ton of different choices with seemingly negligible differences.
a b 4 Gaming
September 27, 2014 10:08:02 PM

Salzeda said:
Thank you for the links and explanations! The only component I'm really unsure about now is RAM. There seem to be a ton of different choices with seemingly negligible differences.


No confusion necessary. I didn't point out a change on the RAM yet because you had not had a chance to get back to us on whether or not an upgrade on the motherboard was a likelihood or not and if so it might be wise to discuss a model suited to your needs. As I said, the Sabertooth is always a solid choice but you might prefer one of the ROG boards instead.

We can determine what you think would be your max budget and pick a board from that criteria, keeping in mind that it's not true in ALL cases that the better board in the price range is the more expensive one. Once you do that, I can make a firm recommendation on the RAM along with a reason why that's a good recommendation. Every board and CPU has different support for RAM configurations and without knowing what board and processor you plan to go with, nobody should be making any recommendations for a particular size, speed or brand.
September 28, 2014 7:32:33 AM

darkbreeze said:
Salzeda said:
Thank you for the links and explanations! The only component I'm really unsure about now is RAM. There seem to be a ton of different choices with seemingly negligible differences.


No confusion necessary. I didn't point out a change on the RAM yet because you had not had a chance to get back to us on whether or not an upgrade on the motherboard was a likelihood or not and if so it might be wise to discuss a model suited to your needs. As I said, the Sabertooth is always a solid choice but you might prefer one of the ROG boards instead.

We can determine what you think would be your max budget and pick a board from that criteria, keeping in mind that it's not true in ALL cases that the better board in the price range is the more expensive one. Once you do that, I can make a firm recommendation on the RAM along with a reason why that's a good recommendation. Every board and CPU has different support for RAM configurations and without knowing what board and processor you plan to go with, nobody should be making any recommendations for a particular size, speed or brand.


Oh, my apologies. Let's say I'm going with the Sabertooth then. No other motherboard suggestions have been made and you made a pretty good case for it.
a b 4 Gaming
September 28, 2014 10:31:46 AM

Ok, well in that case then I'd suggest the use of 1866 RAM. This might be a good choice:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($78.30 @ Newegg)
Total: $78.30
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-28 13:29 EDT-0400

Regarding the board, make certain when ordering it that you confirm that your product is going to come with a revision that has BIOS version 1008 installed so that the 4690K CPU will be supported without requiring you to update the BIOS first. Most sellers should be able to confirm the motherboard revision and BIOS version prior to shipping. Most likely it will be ok but if you happen to get shipped a board that's been on the shelf, so to speak, for a while, it could have an older version BIOS.
September 28, 2014 8:38:21 PM

darkbreeze said:
Ok, well in that case then I'd suggest the use of 1866 RAM. This might be a good choice:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($78.30 @ Newegg)
Total: $78.30
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-28 13:29 EDT-0400

That RAM looks good; I'll update my parts list. Thanks.

darkbreeze said:
Regarding the board, make certain when ordering it that you confirm that your product is going to come with a revision that has BIOS version 1008 installed so that the 4690K CPU will be supported without requiring you to update the BIOS first. Most sellers should be able to confirm the motherboard revision and BIOS version prior to shipping. Most likely it will be ok but if you happen to get shipped a board that's been on the shelf, so to speak, for a while, it could have an older version BIOS.


How exactly would I go about doing this, assuming I were to order it from Newegg? I would definitely want to make certain of something like that.
a b 4 Gaming
September 28, 2014 11:03:46 PM

I actually just spend about 30 minutes waiting on a chat with a Newegg agent who flatly told me they would neither confirm nor deny that the current versions of the board they are shipping have the necessary BIOS version. ASUS also said they could not verify because they don't have any way of knowing whether a board Newegg sells sat on the shelf for the last eight months or was just received two days before sending it out.

After further investigation it seems this is a moot point though as apparently the Sabertooth Mark 2 supports the ASUS flashback bios update procedure that does not require a CPU to be installed in order to update the BIOS. So if it didn't support the CPU out of the box you would be able to download the correct version on another rig to a usb flash drive and update the bios to support the cpu. So either way, you would be ok.

September 29, 2014 7:45:30 PM

darkbreeze said:
I actually just spend about 30 minutes waiting on a chat with a Newegg agent who flatly told me they would neither confirm nor deny that the current versions of the board they are shipping have the necessary BIOS version. ASUS also said they could not verify because they don't have any way of knowing whether a board Newegg sells sat on the shelf for the last eight months or was just received two days before sending it out.

After further investigation it seems this is a moot point though as apparently the Sabertooth Mark 2 supports the ASUS flashback bios update procedure that does not require a CPU to be installed in order to update the BIOS. So if it didn't support the CPU out of the box you would be able to download the correct version on another rig to a usb flash drive and update the bios to support the cpu. So either way, you would be ok.



Damn, dude, you didn't have to go do that yourself. You've really went above and beyond the call of duty in this thread, and for that I am incredibly thankful, seriously.

Anyway, it's good to hear that there won't end up being any complications in terms of the BIOS.

Looks like my parts list is in pretty good shape right now, so unless you or any other Tom's Hardware forum members have any other suggestions, I'm going to ask around at a few other sites and see about getting the buying process underway!
a b 4 Gaming
September 29, 2014 11:10:48 PM

I'd just pull the trigger. That's a great build now and likely no amount of further "tinkering" is going to add much to it in the way of performance or efficiency. Well, there's always "something better", but you know what I mean. Honestly, about the only thing you could do better at this point is maybe go with a bigger PSU in the same quality category, but it probably isn't necessary, even for an SLI setup, as we discussed earlier in the thread. I mean, for another 20 bucks you can get the same G2 PSU at 850w and know that you're set for basically ANY two card setup you may want in the future. You'd also be decreasing the probability of ever coming anywhere near over 80% of spec on the PSU. But what you have is fine too, just one of those sneaky little cartoon thoughts from the other shoulder. (Ya know, angel on one side, devil on the other.)
September 30, 2014 5:53:13 AM

darkbreeze said:
I'd just pull the trigger. That's a great build now and likely no amount of further "tinkering" is going to add much to it in the way of performance or efficiency. Well, there's always "something better", but you know what I mean. Honestly, about the only thing you could do better at this point is maybe go with a bigger PSU in the same quality category, but it probably isn't necessary, even for an SLI setup, as we discussed earlier in the thread. I mean, for another 20 bucks you can get the same G2 PSU at 850w and know that you're set for basically ANY two card setup you may want in the future. You'd also be decreasing the probability of ever coming anywhere near over 80% of spec on the PSU. But what you have is fine too, just one of those sneaky little cartoon thoughts from the other shoulder. (Ya know, angel on one side, devil on the other.)


Sounds good. I'll leave the thread open to further suggestions for a day or so, then I'll close it.

IF ANYONE HAS ANY LAST-MINUTE RECOMMENDATIONS PLEASE SPEAK UP! I really do welcome all and any feedback!

Thanks for all the help, darkbreeze.
a b 4 Gaming
September 30, 2014 8:45:42 AM

Absolutely my pleasure. I always look forward to hearing how things go with the build, as do others here.
September 30, 2014 7:35:19 PM

Parts have been purchased and are hopefully on their way. I will be sure to update this thread with the results!

Thanks, everyone!
a b 4 Gaming
September 30, 2014 8:11:08 PM

Wait, I didn't give you the shipping address! Dang it.
a b 4 Gaming
September 30, 2014 10:41:59 PM

darkbreeze said:
Wait, I didn't give you the shipping address! Dang it.


haha that made my day right there
!