Hi guys,
I'm building my first PC ever, after 7+ years of using laptops (Acer & Mac), so I'm kind of lost in the details. Main purposes: gaming and programming (with a slight shift to the former).
I've already consulted with my friend on multiple occasions and have a blueprint of the future build:
1. MoBo: MSI Z97 Gaming 5
2. CPU: Inter Core i5-4690k
3: RAM: Kingston 1x8 GB 1600 MHz Savage CL9
4. Graphics: MSI GeForce GTX 970 Gaming 4G
5. Storage: WD Black 1TB
6. PSU: Seasonic G-650 650W (SSR-650RM) 80+ Gold
7: CPU cooler: Noctua NH-U12S
8: Case: Zalman Z12 Plus
9. Display: Dell U2414H
I also have a decent PC @ work (Asus H97 MoBo, i7-4770, 16GB RAM, GeForce GT650, dual-monitor setup) and i like it (I don't play games on it, of course, but overall performance leaves good impressions).
So, below is some reasoning for the picks:
0. Availability: I don't have Newegg, Amazon or any multi-country internet hardware shops option in here, so I go with local shops, and their stock is quite limited (e.g., no EVGA graphic cards). I would be grateful if you consider this. Prices won't be on my side here, either.
1. MoBo: I don't wan't to go with anything too fancy like X99 or 2011. Z97 supports OC - though I don't know yet if I will OC in the future; not at the start, I won't - and Broadwell architecture, too. Particular MSI model isn't top, nor it's basic.
2. CPU: one of the hardest choices. I deal with C++ @ work, C#, too. The thing is, it doesn't matter how much hardware one throws at Visual Studio, it still will lag. And this will be my "home" rig, so (luckily!) no C++ here, just C#, Python, some other interpreted languages.
My main concern here is virtual machines support, as I want to run some Linux VMs, GUI or Vagrant, or Docker sometimes and want to know if lack of hyperthreading will be the problem here. Again, I won't run dozens at a time, 1-2 will be enough. i5 is true 4-core, so... no problems here, right? I don't need i7, do I?
Also, because of MoBo, "k" CPU is obvious choice here.
3. RAM: Lowest timing available @ 1600 MHz; won't consider any other frequency. I also went with 1x8 instead of 2x4 because I want to throw in another 8GB soon (VM support; also, because I came from laptops and it's a prejudice - better have an extra RAM)
4. Graphics: I want the latest card on the market, so that it would last longer. 980 looks like overkill for my tasks as 970 should do with modern games but that's the open question for now. I also consider the slight possibility of going SLI in the future if needed.
Particular model was chosen because of good cooling system (according to reviews) and it also happens to be manufactured by the same vendor as MoBo, and, if I recall it correctly, even have some common OC software from MSI.
5. I don't feel I want SSD now 'cause I'm quite happy with conventional 7200 rpm HDDs, and because it's a one-way road (as in "I've recently switched to mechanical keyboard" one-way). Went with WD Black... anyway, there are no 100% good HDDs on the market; could have done with Seagate or some other brand.
6. PSU: oh, here we go.
First: no XFX here; also, Corsair is CX-only. Seasonic, though expensive, seemed like the only choice.
Second: you've guessed it, 650W. Enough for current rig but with a possibility of a future SLI the margins are next to paper-thin.
But overall, SS G-650 looks great, with semi-modular cable system and 80+ Gold.
7. CPU cooler: looking for effective and silent. I know sometimes it isn't the main source of noise but here I want top-notch solution; also, no water. I think U12S stays where it is until there are some really great alternatives.
8. Case: no preferences here, just threw in the first I found. If I understand right, I will need to switch to full-tower in case of SLI (no pun intended). Now I just want to fit all the hardware in a shell with good airflow, and modest, too. So nothing like Z11 Plus (but I will consider some stylish variants if they pop up)
9. Display: not a TN. I know about response time, 144Hz Asus displays and so on but I'm no pro and this isn't a gaming-only PC. I think U2414H will do (but I'm open to suggestions 'cause it is expensive)
10. Games and other duties: I played FPS mostly (CS, CoD) in my younger days, so I'm building all this for BF4, Ultra @ 1080p. Sometimes I enjoy games like Skyrim or Assassin's Creed, too.
Programming: VMs, Python, C#
No video rendering.
Thinking about streaming while playing, but not a requirement.
If you haven't fallen asleep reading all this "I-want-spent-every-penny-right-analysis" (to some point, it really is), there are some questions that are left unanswered:
1. First and foremost, is this setup good? Balanced?
2. Are some parts really bad? Is my logic flawed when reasoning about some parts?
3. Given all from CPU and games sections, should I buy i7-4790k instead (e.g., for streaming)?
4. Is GTX 980 worth it? (No, it's not)
5. Is G-650 a good PSU and should I stick with it if I don't want to go SLI in advance and only when 1 card won't suffice?
6. Will all this fit in Z12 case (card? CPU cooler?)
7. I've heard about limited RGB support on U2414H. Seems there are some workarounds available for NVidia cards but rumors are they don't work 100% of time. It's my main concern about this display and shedding some light on the problem - if any - will be helpful.
8. Is Noctua's thermal compound any good? What should I search for if it's not?
9. What are the good alternatives to my parts of choice? I still could find Asus/Gigabyte MoBos, Asus/Zotac/Inno3D graphics cards, G.Skill/Crucial RAM; PSUs and CPU coolers aren't on the strong side but there are couple alternatives on the market.
Although my budget allow me to buy this (at a total approaching $2k), it's quite tight. I will spend an extra if needed but only if gain is non-negligible given tasks I'm targeting.
Thank you for reading
I'm building my first PC ever, after 7+ years of using laptops (Acer & Mac), so I'm kind of lost in the details. Main purposes: gaming and programming (with a slight shift to the former).
I've already consulted with my friend on multiple occasions and have a blueprint of the future build:
1. MoBo: MSI Z97 Gaming 5
2. CPU: Inter Core i5-4690k
3: RAM: Kingston 1x8 GB 1600 MHz Savage CL9
4. Graphics: MSI GeForce GTX 970 Gaming 4G
5. Storage: WD Black 1TB
6. PSU: Seasonic G-650 650W (SSR-650RM) 80+ Gold
7: CPU cooler: Noctua NH-U12S
8: Case: Zalman Z12 Plus
9. Display: Dell U2414H
I also have a decent PC @ work (Asus H97 MoBo, i7-4770, 16GB RAM, GeForce GT650, dual-monitor setup) and i like it (I don't play games on it, of course, but overall performance leaves good impressions).
So, below is some reasoning for the picks:
0. Availability: I don't have Newegg, Amazon or any multi-country internet hardware shops option in here, so I go with local shops, and their stock is quite limited (e.g., no EVGA graphic cards). I would be grateful if you consider this. Prices won't be on my side here, either.
1. MoBo: I don't wan't to go with anything too fancy like X99 or 2011. Z97 supports OC - though I don't know yet if I will OC in the future; not at the start, I won't - and Broadwell architecture, too. Particular MSI model isn't top, nor it's basic.
2. CPU: one of the hardest choices. I deal with C++ @ work, C#, too. The thing is, it doesn't matter how much hardware one throws at Visual Studio, it still will lag. And this will be my "home" rig, so (luckily!) no C++ here, just C#, Python, some other interpreted languages.
My main concern here is virtual machines support, as I want to run some Linux VMs, GUI or Vagrant, or Docker sometimes and want to know if lack of hyperthreading will be the problem here. Again, I won't run dozens at a time, 1-2 will be enough. i5 is true 4-core, so... no problems here, right? I don't need i7, do I?
Also, because of MoBo, "k" CPU is obvious choice here.
3. RAM: Lowest timing available @ 1600 MHz; won't consider any other frequency. I also went with 1x8 instead of 2x4 because I want to throw in another 8GB soon (VM support; also, because I came from laptops and it's a prejudice - better have an extra RAM)
4. Graphics: I want the latest card on the market, so that it would last longer. 980 looks like overkill for my tasks as 970 should do with modern games but that's the open question for now. I also consider the slight possibility of going SLI in the future if needed.
Particular model was chosen because of good cooling system (according to reviews) and it also happens to be manufactured by the same vendor as MoBo, and, if I recall it correctly, even have some common OC software from MSI.
5. I don't feel I want SSD now 'cause I'm quite happy with conventional 7200 rpm HDDs, and because it's a one-way road (as in "I've recently switched to mechanical keyboard" one-way). Went with WD Black... anyway, there are no 100% good HDDs on the market; could have done with Seagate or some other brand.
6. PSU: oh, here we go.
First: no XFX here; also, Corsair is CX-only. Seasonic, though expensive, seemed like the only choice.
Second: you've guessed it, 650W. Enough for current rig but with a possibility of a future SLI the margins are next to paper-thin.
But overall, SS G-650 looks great, with semi-modular cable system and 80+ Gold.
7. CPU cooler: looking for effective and silent. I know sometimes it isn't the main source of noise but here I want top-notch solution; also, no water. I think U12S stays where it is until there are some really great alternatives.
8. Case: no preferences here, just threw in the first I found. If I understand right, I will need to switch to full-tower in case of SLI (no pun intended). Now I just want to fit all the hardware in a shell with good airflow, and modest, too. So nothing like Z11 Plus (but I will consider some stylish variants if they pop up)
9. Display: not a TN. I know about response time, 144Hz Asus displays and so on but I'm no pro and this isn't a gaming-only PC. I think U2414H will do (but I'm open to suggestions 'cause it is expensive)
10. Games and other duties: I played FPS mostly (CS, CoD) in my younger days, so I'm building all this for BF4, Ultra @ 1080p. Sometimes I enjoy games like Skyrim or Assassin's Creed, too.
Programming: VMs, Python, C#
No video rendering.
Thinking about streaming while playing, but not a requirement.
If you haven't fallen asleep reading all this "I-want-spent-every-penny-right-analysis" (to some point, it really is), there are some questions that are left unanswered:
1. First and foremost, is this setup good? Balanced?
2. Are some parts really bad? Is my logic flawed when reasoning about some parts?
3. Given all from CPU and games sections, should I buy i7-4790k instead (e.g., for streaming)?
4. Is GTX 980 worth it? (No, it's not)
5. Is G-650 a good PSU and should I stick with it if I don't want to go SLI in advance and only when 1 card won't suffice?
6. Will all this fit in Z12 case (card? CPU cooler?)
7. I've heard about limited RGB support on U2414H. Seems there are some workarounds available for NVidia cards but rumors are they don't work 100% of time. It's my main concern about this display and shedding some light on the problem - if any - will be helpful.
8. Is Noctua's thermal compound any good? What should I search for if it's not?
9. What are the good alternatives to my parts of choice? I still could find Asus/Gigabyte MoBos, Asus/Zotac/Inno3D graphics cards, G.Skill/Crucial RAM; PSUs and CPU coolers aren't on the strong side but there are couple alternatives on the market.
Although my budget allow me to buy this (at a total approaching $2k), it's quite tight. I will spend an extra if needed but only if gain is non-negligible given tasks I'm targeting.
Thank you for reading