System Builder Marathon, Q3 2014: The Articles
Here are links to each of the four articles in this quarter’s System Builder Marathon (we’ll update them as each story is published). And remember, these systems are all being given away at the end of the marathon.
To enter the giveaway, please fill out this SurveyGizmo form, and be sure to read the complete rules before entering!
Day 1: The Budget Gaming PC
Day 2: Our Mainstream Enthusiast System
Day 3: The $1600 High-End Build
Day 4: Performance And Value, Dissected

Building upon a new mandate for our lowest-priced machine, my high-end build from last quarter faced a surprisingly tight budget, along with some restrictions that may have appeared odd. Adding a $100 operating system to the $600 machine’s total cost meant limiting Paul to a mere $500 of hardware. Doubling those numbers for the mid-priced machine meant it could have up to $1000 in components and up to $200 in extras, including the operating system. And tripling those numbers meant my top-range configuration included as much as $1500 in critical parts and $300 in extras.
Those add-ons could only include items that wouldn't affect our test scores, such as the Windows license and non-benchmarked storage (an optical drive and/or non-OS storage drive). Don argued that cases should be among those parts, since we weren’t testing the extra lights and front-panel connectors that often push enclosure prices skyward. I made that concession, even though cases do affect cooling and therefore overclocking.
Unable to push unrealistic budgetary compromises into my own build, I stuck to spending $1500 for all hardware (that's three times the base machine) and $1600 for the complete PC, including its operating system. Even though my specs looked great in the Newegg shopping cart and successfully beat my prior effort when it came to giving you better value, I still found enough problems last quarter that I decided to take another run at it for today’s presentation.
The previous machine’s $90 case is gone, which helps increase the cooling budget. The award-winning Ostrog GT replaces it at two-thirds the cost, similar thermal performance, and perhaps a less office-friendly appearance.
| Q3 2014 $1600 Performance PC Components | ||
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i7-4790K: 4.0 - 4.4 GHz, Quad-Core, 8 MB Shared L3 Cache | $340 |
| Graphics | PowerColor PCS+ AXR9 290X 4GBD5-PPDHE Radeon R9 290X | $530 |
| Motherboard | MSI Z97 Gaming 5: LGA 1150, Intel Z97 Express | $138 |
| Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws X F3-14900CL8D-8GBXM: DDR3-1600 C8, 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) | $89 |
| System Drive | Plextor M6S PX-256M6S: 256 GB, SATA 6Gb/s SSD | $135 |
| Power | EVGA SuperNova 750 B2: 750 W Semi-Modular, ATX12V v2.31, 80 PLUS Bronze | $90 |
| CPU Cooler | Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BK 140 mm | $75 |
| Platform Cost | $1397 | |
| Storage Drive | WD Blue WD10EZEX: 1.0 TB, SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive | $60 |
| Optical | LG GH24NSB0B: 24x DVD±R, 48x CD-R | $18 |
| Case | Enermax Ostrog GT ECA3280A-BR | $60 |
| Total Hardware Cost | $1535 | |
| OS | Windows 8.1 X64 OEM | $100 |
| Complete System Price | $1635 | |
Other changes include a cheaper motherboard in the award-winning MSI Z97 Gaming 5, which makes room for better CPU. If you’re clicking those links, you’re probably starting to see a theme. These parts were given value awards in our lowest-priced enthusiast product segments. Only those components that have the biggest impact on benchmarks get the high-end treatment this quarter.
- Can We Build An Even Higher-End $1600 PC?
- CPU, Graphics And Memory
- Motherboard, Case And Cooling
- Power Supply And Storage
- Hardware Installation
- Overclocking
- How We Tested
- Results: 3DMark And PCMark
- Results: SiSoftware Sandra
- Results: Battlefield 4
- Results: Grid 2
- Results: Arma 3
- Results: Far Cry 3
- Results: Audio And Video Encoding
- Results: Adobe Creative Cloud
- Results: Productivity
- Results: File Compression
- Power, Heat And Efficiency
- Is There Such Thing As A Perfect $1600 PC?

These quarterly builds usually only show miniscule improvements unless something disruptive happens to the market like a tick or tock. These articles could as well be bi-annual. Good though that the price point that you're at shifts from time to time.
290x -> SLI 770 = +$100
Same budget, theoretically a 10-15% performance boost, and new topic of discussion as part of the article.
These SBM builds have taken very few risks in the last few quarters...
290x -> SLI 770 = +$100
Same budget, theoretically a 10-15% performance boost, and new topic of discussion as part of the article.
These SBM builds have taken very few risks in the last few quarters...
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 EXTREME4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($143.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($115.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 780 3GB DirectCU II Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($329.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 780 3GB DirectCU II Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($329.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 850W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1461.70
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-25 18:14 EDT-0400
What about this? Might be cheating, given the price drops from the GTX 900 series release. Also add $10 from a promo on the PSU.
With that said, I do find these SBM articles most interesting of all.
For the record, I'm not building it for myself, but somebody who wants a flashy case. I would pick the muted design of a fractal personally, but potato potah-toe
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 EXTREME4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($143.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($115.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 780 3GB DirectCU II Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($329.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 780 3GB DirectCU II Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($329.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional 850W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1461.70
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-25 18:14 EDT-0400
What about this? Might be cheating, given the price drops from the GTX 900 series release. Also add $10 from a promo on the PSU.
I went with the big cooler this time so I wouldn't have to hear about it if the CPU sucked, like it did last time. I could have met my goals on the cooler you chose, since the CPU I got this time was a great sample.
Hopefully I win this one. I need a new folding machine.
On a personal note :
I wouldn't buy an R9 290x if it was $200 BNIB.
I've seen first hand the problems that are seemingly inherent with that item.
Between the defect ratio and the variable performance , I would rather own a GTX 780, or heck even a pair of R9-280's for the same price than that lemon of a GpU.
Well, logically, those cards weren't available in large enough numbers to use on these machines.