Decided to build my own PC for the FIRST time, need your help..

[megabear]

Hi Guys, after reading about TERRIBLE reviews regarding CyberpowerPC, I've decided to cancel the whole thing and build it on my own. Note that I'm terrible at building anything, including IKEA furniture, so I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing.

To avoid parts not fitting into each other, I think I'm going to stick with whatever I was going to order via CyberpowerPC because I'm assuming that they will all fit. Of course, an assumption is ever so dangerous. Therefore I'd like to get your opinion on below specs. Do you have any recommendations or tips?

CASE: XFX TYPE01 High-Airflow Mid-Tower Gaming Case W/ USB 3.0 & Toolless Drive Bays
CD: LG 14X Internal Blu-ray Burner, BD-RE, 3D Playback DVD+RW Combo Drive
COOLANT: Standard Coolant
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-6600K 3.50GHz 6MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1151 (Skylake)
CS_FAN: Maximum Airflow with 120mm Case Fans (fans installed all slots for my case)
FAN: Asetek 550LC 120mm Liquid Cooling CPU Cooler - Extreme Cooling Performance (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
HDD: 128GB SanDisk SSD + 1TB SATA III Hard Drive Combo (Combo Drive)
IUSB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
MEMORY: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR4/2800MHz Dual Channel Memory (ADATA XPG Z1)
MOTHERBOARD: ASUS Z170-PRO GAMING ATX w/ USB 3.1, 3 PCIe x16, 3 PCIe x1, 1 SATA Express, 4 SATA3, 1 Ultra M.2
NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
OS: Windows 10 Home (64-bit Edition)
POWERSUPPLY: 750 Watts - EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G1 80 PLUS Gold Power Supply
SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR [3 Year Labor, 1 Year Parts] LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
VIDEO: AMD Radeon R9 390X 8GB GDDR5 PCIe 3.0 x16 Video Card (Single Card)

 

[Barty1884]

Hi megabear, glad you're looking to build yourself. It's really not too difficult. Read the manuals & take your time. If you hit a snag or need assistance, this forum is always here to help.

As far as sticking with what you put together on CyberPower - I'd encourage you to reconsider. There are options available that CP do not stock, much like the PSU we discussed earlier.

Play around with components in a partlist on http://pcpartpicker.com/ there's a decent compatibility checker built in, along with max power draw to help you decide on a PSU.

I'll put together a build to give you an example. Remind me what your budget was again?

*EDIT* Actually, sticking around $1,300? And are you interested in Overclocking?

 

[megabear]

Sweet, thanks again. My budget is under $1500.

 

[Barty1884]

Sweet, thanks again. My budget is under $1500.

Sorry, was updating that as you posted. Are you interested in overclocking? (CPU/GPU or both)

 

[megabear]

You know, to be honest I don't even know what the pros and cons are with overclocking. So I didn't choose to on my original order with cyberpowerpc. I think I'll skip it this time and when I get more familiar with the whole thing, I may do so next time around. I'm a little scared about it so I want it to be as simple as possible.

 

[Barty1884]

CyberPower would OC for you, building your own you'd be doing it yourself. For example, a 'K' CPU and aftermarket cooling (air or liquid) would be necessary, along with an appropriate board.

For example, you could overclock this rig.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($249.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($103.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A GAMING M5 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($152.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($45.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 390X 8GB Video Card ($379.99 @ Micro Center)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($47.37 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($87.95 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1383.10
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-27 17:16 EST-0500

If you didn't want to OC, you could take the "non-K" CPU (locked multiplier), run either stock cooling or a lesser aftermarket air cooler, and go with an H170 board.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($216.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus H170-PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($109.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($45.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 390X 8GB Video Card ($379.99 @ Micro Center)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($47.35 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($87.95 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1227.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-27 17:18 EST-0500

Now, the second build is around $150 cheaper but, just because you go with the CPU/Mobo/Cooler in Option #1, doesn't mean you HAVE to OC, it just keeps your options open in future. You don't sound against OCing necessarily, so it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to keep the option around incase you decide to.

 

[megabear]

First of all, thank you for taking the time to do this for me. I went to the website and tried it myself, but I was lost. So this list is extremely helpful.

That being said I'm still debating between the two options. One thing I'd like to ask is, are there specific reasons why you chose the caase (Fractal Design Refine R4)? Also should I be buying extra fans for the case (other than default)?

Lastly what kind of wireless card would you recommend? I have a crappy Rosewill router so I'm assuming I need to get that changed as well?

 

[Barty1884]

Where are you located megabear?

No problem, PCPP takes time. With the built in compatibility for example:
If you've picked a motherboard, it won't let you pick a CPU that's incompatible (another socket), or ram (won't let you pick DDR3 if it's a DDR4 board) etc.

The case I chose reviews well, has appropriate space for your components (and fits your motherboard) and is priced pretty well.

The case is like 1% fitting your motherboard & GPU (most cases that can do that will accommodate a cooler, HDDs, SSDs etc), and 99% personal preference - how you want it to 'look' in the spot you have for it will dictate a lot of your options. Unfortunately I can't answer that one for you. The Define R4 looks good to me, but it might not to you.

Most people, for regular cooling would be fine with 1x front intake and 1x rear exhaust - that case comes with one of each. You can add more, and there's a whole other debate regarding negative or positive air pressure, more intakes/exhausts that the other, but I won't go into detail here - the included fans should be sufficient for your needs.

There are numerous options for wifi. One option is to scale down the sheer size of a build, and build with a miniITX board - there are numerous options that include wifi onboard. mITX limits your upgrading options though, but I just wanted to point it out (a lot of people like the idea of a relatively small desktop - but it has it's pitfalls).

There are PCI and PCIe cards for wireless, along with a more basic USB option. Honestly, I've found USB 'dongles' to be just as good, sometimes even better than PCI/PCIe cards.

Which wifi module is right for you, will depend on the standard you router can output. 802.11AC is the latest standard, with 802.11N being prior to that.

If your router is more than maybe 2 years old, it would likely be worth an upgrade to allow faster wifi speeds.

 

[megabear]

Sorry I was in a meeting all afternoon. I'm located in So Cal.

I finished reading and it's very informative. As you can see I have tons of information to absorb. I did like the case you chose, especially the front end, but I like things with a bit more flair. I'll shop around for a different case but I know that I liked "XFX TYPE01 High-Airflow Mid-Tower Gaming Case W/ USB 3.0 & Toolless Drive Bays". I'll plug in the parts you listed, and see if I can plug in this case as well. After that I'll go through the cases to see if there is a case that I like even more.

Thanks again, I'll most likely bug you again soon..

 

[Barty1884]

Just click the PCPP list & select edit. X on the site will remove a specific component

 

[megabear]

I changed my mind. The case you chose looks good, easy to build and easy to use. Ordering everything on your list right now. After I build it I'll post a photo

 

[Barty1884]

Which one are you ordering megabear? The one with OCing potential? Or the one without?

 

[superninja12]

megabear send us as much informaiton as you can. also barty youve made a super build. the only thing thats missing is the monitor......

 

[megabear]

I work for a reputable display company so I'm not too worried about displays I will follow up once I have any updates.

 

[megabear]

Screw it. I'm going with the overclocking option. May as well right?

 

[Barty1884]

Exactly. No harm there. If you don't OC, you don't OC. At least you'll have a setup sufficient to OC if you ever decide to try it out.

 

[megabear]

There's a problem.. prices have gone up since yesterday. I'm beginning to wonder if I should wait for prices to drop

Is EVGA 750W 80+ a good replacement for EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W ?

I'm consider that one because the price went up on the latter.

 

[Barty1884]

Which EVGA SuperNOVA megabear? There's many variants...GS T2, P2, G2 or B2, sure, they'll be fine. NEX .... I wouldn't.

This one is a B2, 750W and $60 after rebate: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-110b20750vr

Or this XFX unit: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-pro750wp1750snlb9

Both great options. You shouldn't need to pay more than $70 (after rebates are included) for a quality PSU.

 

[megabear]

It's G2 with price tag of $100. Thing is I have an aversion for mail in rebates so if I can I avoid purchasing anything with them..

 

[megabear]

Also I paid $160 plus tax for MSI MSI Gaming Z170A. Rebate offer expires on 1/31 and I probably won't end up taking advantage of it. Is there a cheaper alternative? Or should I just go with Asus H170-PRO instead..

 

[Barty1884]

Ah. Dropping rebates makes it slightly more difficult, you'd be looking more around $90 as your maximum pricepoint you'd have to spend then.

Still, either of the options (SuperNOVA B2 or the XFX unit) I listed above would still work. They're both $80 units from NewEgg....and if decide to use the mail-in rebate, then you have the option on both also (both have a $20 rebate). If you choose not to use the rebate, $80 is still a relatively good price for a quality PSU.

This SeaSonic is also a quality unit, for $65 with no rebate. 620W would still run the setup fine, but doesn't leave you a lot of overhead. Either of the 750W units would be my suggestion to you.

 

[Barty1884]

This would be a pretty decent secondary option: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-z170pro4
$98 + Tax.

You want a Z170 board if you want to keep your OC options open.

 

[megabear]

Okay so here's the damage..

GPU: MSI Radeon R9 390X 8GB Video Card $409.99
PSU: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply $79.99
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory $84.99
+ Tax & S&H for three above = $622.08

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor $236.49
Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler $111.24
Mobo: MSI Z170A GAMING M5 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard $174.98
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case $85.99
HDD: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive $91.79
HDD2: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive $54.48
Optical: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer $48.72

Total: $1425.77

I'm not sure it was worth it.. what do you guys think. Do you think maybe I should wait a month or two to see if prices drop?

 

[Barty1884]

You've gone without the 'K' series CPU, yet the Z170 board & H100i cooler....
That leaves you an OCable CPU, a solid board to do it, more than enough CPU cooler...........but you're let down by the CPU.

As far as will prices go down....it really is a crapshoot. If I was to guess, I'd say that build is probably not going to be much cheaper anytime soon.

Remember the groupings though:
To keep your overclocking option open: 6600K + Z170 + H100I + higher speed DDR4
No overclocking: 6600 + H170 + even an air cooler, Cooler Master 212 EVO + max 2133MHz DDR4

 

[megabear]

I'm confused. I ordered everything on the OC list except for the PSU. Did I do something wrong? What's 'K' series CPU?

I got i5-6600K rather than i7, because I read that you don't need i7 for gaming PC. So I went with i5-6600K and plan to upgrade to cannonlake release maybe 3 years from now. What do you think?