Initial Build for college

[pdawg]

Hello forum!

 

tl;dr - College gaming PC around $1300. Tips/suggestions appreciated.

 

First and foremost, I am a college student living on the east coast, though I am going to work over the summer on the west coast. My idea was that once summer starts, I will probably have some free time. What better way to use time than build a new, blazing fast computer?!? So the plan started out as building a ~$1000 gaming rig that could also handle CAD, video editing, and general work for a college student. Then things got a little out of hand...

 

Here are my updated parts at the moment:

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3t84q

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3t84q/by_merchant/

Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3t84q/benchmarks/

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($319.99 @ Amazon) 

Motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($119.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory: A-Data XPG V1.0 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($139.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Intel 530 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($79.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card  ($259.98 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: NZXT H440 (Red/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($119.99 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($99.99 @ NCIX US) 

Total: $1194.90

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-16 22:45 EDT-0400)

 

So with all of this, everything rounds out to a mean $1300 USD! Now, the main goal behind this was to have a really snappy and useful computer, being able to run literally anything I throw at it. However, I also wanted to be able to upgrade down the line, maybe SLI eventually.

 

Concerning peripherals and monitors and everything else, I do not need much because I already have a nice mouse, keyboard, speaker/headphone system, and 1080p monitor, however one day 4K may be on the agenda (for House of Cards of course:) ).

 

Now, I wanted to post this here because I am new to all this, and kind of want suggestions. Is this too overkill for a first build? Also, more specifically, will stock heatsink with the Intel chip be able to handle heat if I don't overclock? Are any parts out of place? And finally, what is my best option of getting it back to the east coast for the coming fall semester? I probably will take it all apart and put it back in the original boxes, but that will be cumbersome nonetheless.

Edited April 17, 2014 by pdawg

[JLCitadel]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($189.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard:  MSI Z87-G55 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($113.98 @ SuperBiiz) 

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($64.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($60.98 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($104.99 @ NCIX US) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card  ($489.99 @ Newegg) 

Case:  Fractal Design Define R4 Blackout with Window ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.99 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply:  EVGA SuperNOVA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($102.18 @ Amazon) 

Optical Drive:  LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer  ($15.98 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $1273.05

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-16 22:18 EDT-0400)

[helping]

drop VI Gene, that's going to look like butt in an h440

get 16gb of RAM, buy a ATX board like a Z87 G45 and you're good

750w is plenty for 760 SLI and 4770k.

Buy smaller SSD (i.e. 120gb EVO) and a Hyper 212 evo

 

@pdawg fixed it

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard:  MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($124.99 @ Amazon)
Memory:  A-Data XPG V1.0 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($78.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card:  MSI GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($319.99 @ NCIX US)
Case:  NZXT H440 (Red/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($119.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply:  XFX ProSeries 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($109.99 @ TigerDirect)
Total: $1298.91
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-16 22:25 EDT-0400)

 

this should roflstomp your current selected build and the builds above and below 

The build should be fashionable and pretty quiet, tack a better fan on that Hyper 212 and it should be dead silent.  

[SAV1OUR]

better 
 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor  ($149.99 @ NCIX US) 

CPU Cooler:  NZXT Kraken X60 98.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($119.99 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard:  Asus Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($164.00 @ Amazon) 

Memory:  Kingston Beast 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($76.74 @ Amazon) 

Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($78.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card  ($489.99 @ Newegg) 

Case:  NZXT H440 (White/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($139.99 @ Amazon) 

Power Supply:  Corsair RM 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($129.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1387.66

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-16 22:18 EDT-0400)

[pdawg]

drop VI Gene, that's going to look like butt in an h440

get 16gb of RAM, buy a ATX board like a Z87 G45 and you're good

750w is plenty for 760 SLI and 4770k.

Buy smaller SSD (i.e. 120gb EVO) and a Hyper 212 evo

 

Thanks helping! So why would an ATX be better than mATX? Is it mainly aesthetics in this case?

 

Also should have mentioned, going with Intel for SSD and chipset because family ties  

[nosirrah123]

Thanks helping! So why would an ATX be better than mATX? Is it mainly aesthetics in this case?

 

Also should have mentioned, going with Intel for SSD and chipset because family ties

 

Nah, mostly expandability problems, maybe a bit aesthetic

[helping]

Thanks helping! So why would an ATX be better than mATX? Is it mainly aesthetics in this case?

 

Also should have mentioned, going with Intel for SSD and chipset because family ties

I don't quite understand. Why should an ATX not be better than mATX?

 

And you pay a premium for that board to be mATX, and you're not even going to be using mATX.

 

There should still be room in the budget for a 120gb Intel SSD, though I'm not sure why you're particular to it?

 

my earlier post has been edited. 

[pdawg]

Thanks again helping! So I downgraded the SSD size, changed RAM, and upgraded to the ATX suggested board. However, I am still on the fence about a 3rd party heatsink because of travel.

 

That brings me to this question though. How do you travel with a PC? I will probably take it with me to wherever I work during the summers, which means reassembling it multiple times may be a little unnecessary. Can I just pack the whole case, completely assembled, and travel as so?

 

Thanks again everyone. Also, updated the main post.

Edited April 17, 2014 by pdawg

[Faceman]

@pdawg

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard:  MSI Z87-G55 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($113.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory:  G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($127.50 @ Newegg)
Storage:  PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($60.98 @ Newegg)
Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card:  MSI GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card  ($479.99 @ Newegg)
Case:  Cougar Archon ATX Mid Tower Case  ($39.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply:  Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($45.00) CX 600M <-- Buy this now before the sale ends.
Optical Drive:  Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($15.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1288.37
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-16 22:37 EDT-0400)

 

For CAD, you are going to want an i7-4770k and 16GB of RAM.  If you live near a Microcenter, go pick up an i7 and motherboard in-store.  They have massive in-store discounts, and when you buy a CPU and motherboard bundle, they give you an additional $30 off.  The Hyper-Threading that the i7 offers is too good to pass up.

 

16GB of RAM, you want the least expensive 8GBx2 1600Mhz, 9-9-9-24, 1.5v RAM you can find.  Brand does not matter.  The RAM I picked out is really good quality and on sale for very cheap.  Get it not before the sale ends.

 

Hyper 212 EVO is going to be your absolute best bet for overclocking.  It is amazing how much performance $30 gives you.  You will be able to achieve some quality overclocks on this cooler.  Make sure the case you get is at least 195mm or 7.9".

 

Case doesn't impact performance, and because you need pricier parts like the i7 and 16GB of RAM, all the more reason to not spend more than you have to on a case.  Make sure whatever case you get has front USB 3.0 headers, has plenty of clearance for large video cards, and has a width of at least 195mm or 7.9".  The case I selected is a perfect blend of all these things, and it doesn't look too shabby.  Regarding travel, twist ties and strong plastic ties are you friend.  Use them liberally before you travel.  You shouldn't have to disassemble your PC every time you travel, just take the precautions to secure everything firmly when you do your build, and travel with the PC on a flat surface with the components facing up.

 

Motherboard doesn't impact performance. Don't spend more than you have to.  The motherboard I selected is very good quality, from a reputable company, is SLI capable if you decide to do that in the future, has plenty of RAM slots so you can add more if you want, USB3.0 headers, good on-board audio and doesn't cost more than what a motherboard with these features should.  Do not spend more than $110 on a motherboard that is SLI capable.

 

Graphics card is the most important component.  Nothing impacts performance more than your GPU.  The GPU should be 40%-50% of your overall budget.  You have a very large budget, anything less than a GTX780, and you aren't spending your money in the correct areas.  I have seen the MSI GTX 780 go on sale at Newegg for $450 before, but any 780 for $500 or less is a great buy.  I am particularly fond of EVGA, but you can't go wrong with any of the big 4.  Asus, MSI, EVGA, Gigabyte.

 

Power Supply is another component that doesn't impact performance.  While it is not a good idea to skimp out on this part, there is no benefit to going overkill either.  The CX600M is your best option.  It is the perfect mix of price to performance, spectacular value.  Very quiet PSU, and semi modular all while only costing $45.  I have one myself and cannot recommend it enough.  This PSU is not enough for SLI though.  If you are really serious about going SLI, then you will need a stronger PSU,  However, if you don't plan to go SLI for a year or two, then stick with the CX600M, and when you are certain that you will SLI, thats when you go for a more expensive PSU.

 

Storage:  You are going to want an SSD and HDD.  The PNY 120GB is a spectacular deal for only $60, you can even double down and go for 240GB for only $90, thats a bargain.  Install your operating system, and a few heavily used programs/games on your SSD.  Everything else should be on your HDD.  Seagate Barracuda is a great company and great product.  The bulk of your programs, movies, music, media, etc.. will go on your HDD.  You can upgrade to 2TB for $85

 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[WoodenMarker]

Summer is a while from now. I'd suggest planning later. ~2-3 days at most before you buy. Parts and prices change frequently so any parts list you come up with now will likely be obsolete by the time you're ready to buy.

 

Thanks again helping! 

You need to quote a post or tag a member or else they won't get a notification you replied to them.

[pdawg]

 

Summer is a while from now. I'd suggest planning later. ~2-3 days at most before you buy. Parts and prices change frequently so any parts list you come up with now will likely be obsolete by the time you're ready to buy.

I never would have thought of that. I always try to plan ahead before I make big purchases though. Do you think having at least a general idea earlier in advance would help influence my decisions down the road? I may buy these parts in May, but once again, that is far off.

[WoodenMarker]

I never would have thought of that. I always try to plan ahead before I make big purchases though. Do you think having at least a general idea earlier in advance would help influence my decisions down the road? I may buy these parts in May, but once again, that is far off.

Up to you. We can generally help get your parts list revised and cleaned up in a few hours if not within the first half hour depending on who's online.

[pdawg]

Thanks @WoodenMarker! I'll start a new thread as I near a build day