Any recommendations for my build? Could I get cheaper with just as good quality?

[AvianMAGS]

My build is this: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/AvianMAGS/saved/

Anything that you'd change or make better?

I don't plan on overclocking, but might do SLI. I'm not on a budget but might like to reduce the price a little. Please HALP

 

[James Mason]

Nah man, other than a cheaper better quality PSU there isn't much money to be saved on your build, dunno what the external is there for but i assume you have data you need to transport:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($31.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($124.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.30 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.98 @ OutletPC)
External Storage: Western Digital Elements 1TB External Hard Drive ($58.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $1171.19
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-21 17:35 EDT-0400

 

[AvianMAGS]

Thanks, man. Definitely going to choose the 650w.

 

[James Mason]

If you are not restricted to a bare minimum budget forget the M.S.I. crap and build a machine using asus, gygabyte or asrock motherboards and similar graphics cards.
For a single gtx 970/80 use an XFX TS 550 power supply.
The cx 750 is too big and a bad quality unit for its size (
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html
)
The hard drive you list is 'portable'. Use the WD Blue for VFM.
A '650' watt supply is over powered for a single 970/980 but Underpowered for either of those cards in SLI.
650 Watts is a bad choice for those gpu's.
.
Buy 550 or 750 watts.

uhh, MSI isn't crap.
and in SLI the 970s only use about 500Ws.

As someone who owns ASUS, Gigabyte, Asrock, and MSI products, currently, I'm more satisfied with my MSI ones than the others.

 

[bsod1]

build coming up

 

[bsod1]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($103.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($52.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.60 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($319.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($95.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($87.88 @ NCIX US)
External Storage: Western Digital Elements 1TB External Hard Drive ($58.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $1064.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-21 19:11 EDT-0400

 

[James Mason]

If you wish to build a pc using an M.S.I. motherboard and 2 M.S.I. GTX 970'S connected in scaling link interface to a 500 watt power supply,I would gladly enjoy watching a you tube video of the outcome after a month or so.
Trust me when I say you would be uploading that video using one of the asus/asrock/gigabyte machines you mention.

I didn't give him a 500 Watt PSU, i gave him a 650.

And i'd actually upload probably upload it from my xeon, msi mobo one.

You're kinda talking out of your butt if you think MSI is bad.

 

[bsod1]

Stop bickering, here look at the motherboard tier list and give it a rest

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2383187/motherboard-tier-list-z97-chipset.html

The MSI Z97-G45 is Tier Two Class B

 

[James Mason]

If you wish to build a pc using an M.S.I. motherboard and 2 M.S.I. GTX 970'S connected in scaling link interface to a 500 watt power supply,I would gladly enjoy watching a you tube video of the outcome after a month or so.
Trust me when I say you would be uploading that video using one of the asus/asrock/gigabyte machines you mention.

I didn't give him a 500 Watt PSU, i gave him a 650.

And i'd actually upload probably upload it from my xeon, msi mobo one.

You're kinda talking out of your butt if you think MSI is bad.

650 watts is 'Inadequate' generally for 2x 970's or 980's in SLI the same as any other sli or Xfire combo requires more than twice the spare gpu running watts of a single card (for start up load and other reasons)and preferably noted in the 12 volt amps rails output maximum.
A 650 watt unit is a really bad call for a single 970 or 980.
I'm not talking out of my Butt, I'm talking from a lot of years of interest and experience.
Do feel free to continue tho.

Yeah and i've been building computers for 18 years and I try to make all my buying decisions based on modern research instead of personal biases. You also seem to think that Nvidia and AMD cards are consuming the same amount of power when they don't. if he was going for crossfire then he'd probably need a 850 watt unit at least.

 

[AvianMAGS]

BTW guys, when I said I might do SLI, I meant "I might." I might do it in the future if I've got enough money, but for now it's just a single GPU.