Need MAJOR help on building a $1300 PC

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

Im a fresh meat, and absolutely have no clue on tech terms for pc. So if you could be as detailed as possible it'd be much appreciated. I only know BASIC standard words, like basic parts like RAM, SSD, Graphics Card etc. But when you start talking about Specs. Im as lost as a 5 year old trying to figure out a trigonometry question.

So im tired of my 2008 MacBook and im tired of spending $1000+ for terrible specs from pre made computers. I've heard custom building a PC is a great option but don't know where to begin.

1. Looking to build a PC around $1300ish before taxes.

2. 1440p display

3. Trying to get a beastly PC, so please try to push this budget to its best abilities.

Monitor NOT included in the $1300 build to squeeze out HP

REX.exe · April 23, 2015

I'll try to squeeze as much performance as I can out of your budget.

What currency?\

You won't be able to get 4K with 1300 of any currency, whatever it may be.

ShadowCaptain · April 23, 2015

SNIP

What is the PC for? Gaming? Photo Editing? Video editing? work? other stuff etc

Honestly 4k is nice and all but is still very hard to drive especially when it comes to gaming

Also if you are wanting to game etc then I don't recommend OSX (osx is nice and all but its best keeping it simple and keeping it for macs only instead of running hackintosh which can leads to tons of complications with drivers and software etc)

I would look maybe into getting a nice 1440p capable rig, with say an i5/i7 and a GTX 970

also 1300 what? dollars? pounds? euros?

ManIkWeet · April 23, 2015

Definitely a dollar sign in the title, the $ is very clear.

4k Gaming will not be a thing with that pricepoint, 1440p will be very doable.

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

sry didn't know how to delete this post as i forgot to quote who i was replying to.

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

What is the PC for? Gaming? Photo Editing? Video editing? work? other stuff etc

Honestly 4k is nice and all but is still very hard to drive especially when it comes to gaming

Also if you are wanting to game etc then I don't recommend OSX (osx is nice and all but its best keeping it simple and keeping it for macs only instead of running hackintosh which can leads to tons of complications with drivers and software etc)

I would look maybe into getting a nice 1440p capable rig, with say an i5/i7 and a GTX 970

also 1300 what? dollars? pounds? euros?

I'll try to squeeze as much performance as I can out of your budget.

What currency?\

You won't be able to get 4K with 1300 of any currency, whatever it may be.

Definitely a dollar sign in the title, the $ is very clear.

4k Gaming will not be a thing with that pricepoint, 1440p will be very doable.

Yes Dollars Currency. And thanks for the input bout the hackintosh. I'll probably just have my separate laptop for Mac OSX and this PC for Gaming etc.

Pretty much this PC i want for Gaming/Everyday practical use. Light editing, im no editor but i do like to mess around with photoshop but very minimal. So this PC is mainly for Gaming/Web browsing etc.

and if you could, could you give out the exact component name/brand/model or whatever. like the i5/i7 i don't know what that is, is it like a CPU intel? i do believe the GTX 970 is NVIDIA i believe correct me if im wrong. but yea when listing components please be descriptive as possible just so it'll be easier for me to look up.

and whatever the best resolution for me is at this price range just throw them out there. as it seems to be 1440p that everyones recommending. is that better resolution than 1080p?

Thank you all for the replies.

REX.exe · April 23, 2015

CUT

Again, US Dollars or AUS Dollars? I'll just start with US Dollars. When listing components, we like to use a website called PCPartPicker.

Here's my one.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G3pLBm

I didn't colour match anything. Not sure what you're into.

Is $1300 including peripherals and mointor? If so feel free to add them to that.

RJSX1 · April 23, 2015

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($241.98 @ Newegg)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.89 @ OutletPC)

Motherboard: MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($100.98 @ Newegg)

Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($62.89 @ SuperBiiz)

Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($69.00 @ B&H)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.30 @ Amazon)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($104.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)

Monitor: Asus VX238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ Micro Center)

Total: $1213.00

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-23 07:59 EDT-0400

1440p is kind of tight so 1080p

REX.exe · April 23, 2015

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($241.98 @ Newegg)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.89 @ OutletPC)

Motherboard: MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($100.98 @ Newegg)

Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($62.89 @ SuperBiiz)

Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($69.00 @ B&H)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.30 @ Amazon)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($104.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($84.99 @ NCIX US)

Monitor: Asus VX238H 23.0" Mo

Haha, I see you put a white mobo and ram in, then just threw the whole white them out the window with a red gpu :PP

grayblizzard · April 23, 2015

Go for this build as it leves you enough parts to play well until you can do the following

Add a ssd

Add another 980

Also if you trust windows from the reddit post it will be closer to your budget and finally expect to upgrade to sli 2 980 if you want to ever play at 4k well

This build is better suited for 1440p just to let you know but after upgardes 4k is great

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hzTxQ7

RJSX1 · April 23, 2015

Haha, I see you put a white mobo and ram in, then just threw the whole white them out the window with a red gpu :PP

There are now white GPUs besides 960s

Go for this build as it leves you enough parts to play well until you can do the following

Add a ssd

Add another 980

Also if you trust windows from the reddit post it will be closer to your budget and finally expect to upgrade to sli 2 980 if you want to ever play at 4k well

This build is better suited for 1440p just to let you know but after upgardes 4k is great

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hzTxQ7

He needs the monitor now i think.

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

Again, US Dollars or AUS Dollars? I'll just start with US Dollars. When listing components, we like to use a website called PCPartPicker.

Here's my one.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G3pLBm

I didn't colour match anything. Not sure what you're into.

Is $1300 including peripherals and mointor? If so feel free to add them to that.

Yes US dollars. thanks. no $1300 doesn't include monitor. what are peripherals? colors, anything with black, like black/red, black/white, black/gold etc.

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

There are now white GPUs besides 960s

He needs the monitor now i think.

any recommended monitors? im kind of looking into getting a BenQ because im also a console gamer and would be nice to switch between console/PC. or if there are way better monitors to do both please throw them out there.

WOOPS didn't notice you added a monitor to the list. Would you be able to boost a few more HorsePower out of the PC if the monitor wasn't included into the $1300 i wanted the $1300 as the base for the PC then monitor separate.

Slayer1443 · April 23, 2015

if your going for 4k in the future i would make sure ur build has a 980 so you can sli in the future.

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

Sorry guys im new to these forums stuff. So i don't really understand the QUOTE stuff. like when one of you QUOTED "SNIP" and "CUT"

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

if your going for 4k in the future i would make sure ur build has a 980 so you can sli in the future.

whats SLI? are the builds that these other users good enough? even with 4k aside do you recommend these builds their recommending

RJSX1 · April 23, 2015

whats SLI? are the builds that these other users good enough? even with 4k aside do you recommend these builds their recommending

It's when you add two cards into your PC

RJSX1 · April 23, 2015

i quoted myself

But if you already have a monitor now, i would add either a single 980 or CFX 290s. Then save up for a 1440p or 4K monitor.

Slayer1443 · April 23, 2015

Ya I would recommend this 1 http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hzTxQ7and maby instead of 8 get 16 gbs of ram but if your just going to be gaming most of the time 8 would be fine and would instead of spending 80$s on a Os just get 1 online for 5 and the last change I would make to it is a 750w PSU if you plan on doing sli in the future. Also sli is dual gpus so 2 980s and could go up to 4 way sli but I think 2 is best for scaling wise and wouldn't go over it. And for 1440p if thats what your going for now that build should be great for it.

RJSX1 · April 23, 2015

Ya I would recommend this 1 http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hzTxQ7and maby instead of 8 get 16 gbs of ram but if your just going to be gaming most of the time 8 would be fine. and sli is dual gpus so 2 980s and could go up to 4 way sli but I think 2 is best for scaling wise and wouldn't go over it. And for 1440p if thats what your going for now that build should be great for it.

Take the the 4790k it adds no benefit to gaming, only video editing. There is also no SSD.

Slayer1443 · April 23, 2015

Take the the 4790k it adds no benefit to gaming, only video editing. There is also no SSD.

Was just about tosay that

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

But if you already have a monitor now, i would add either a single 980 or CFX 290s. Then save up for a 1440p or 4K monitor.

By single 980 you mean just buy 1 EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card do you think the build Slayer1443 recommended is great for me?

Ya I would recommend this 1 http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hzTxQ7and maby instead of 8 get 16 gbs of ram but if your just going to be gaming most of the time 8 would be fine and would instead of spending 80$s on a Os just get 1 online for 5 and the last change I would make to it is a 750w PSU if you plan on doing sli in the future. Also sli is dual gpus so 2 980s and could go up to 4 way sli but I think 2 is best for scaling wise and wouldn't go over it. And for 1440p if thats what your going for now that build should be great for it.

Mostly gaming/watching streams and regular browsing. Super light editing every once in awhile.

Yea i plan on going 4k in the future but doesn't seem like anytime soon so should i hold out on the 750w power supply since mayb in the future the price will drop? or spend it now to save on the difference of throwing out my old power supply and buying a new one?

And another quick question is it better to have SSD drives over Internal HD? i heard its a bit better due to not having moving parts or something like that

THANK YOU all for taking the time to help me make a right build.

RJSX1 · April 23, 2015

By single 980 you mean just buy 1 EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card do you think the build Slayer1443 recommended is great for me?

Mostly gaming/watching streams and regular browsing. Super light editing every once in awhile.

Yea i plan on going 4k in the future but doesn't seem like anytime soon so should i hold out on the 750w power supply since mayb in the future the price will drop? or spend it now to save on the difference of throwing out my old power supply and buying a new one?

And another quick question is it better to have SSD drives over Internal HD? i heard its a bit better due to not having moving parts or something like that

THANK YOU all for taking the time to help me make a right build.

Do you have any monitor right now????

TheMTN.MRVL · April 23, 2015

Do you have any monitor right now????

No i don't but i want that to be the last of my worries. Wait so did you guys mean to take out the 4790k? and replace it with wat? and wat bout the SSD?

But if any recommendations for PC/Console gaming just throw em out there. but im more worried bout the build first.

RJSX1 · April 23, 2015

No i don't but i want that to be the last of my worries. Wait so did you guys mean to take out the 4790k? and replace it with wat? and wat bout the SSD?

But if any recommendations for PC/Console gaming just throw em out there. but im more worried bout the build first.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($241.98 @ Newegg)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.89 @ OutletPC)

Motherboard: MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($100.98 @ Newegg)

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($69.00 @ B&H)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ OutletPC)

Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($239.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($104.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($125.98 @ Newegg)

Monitor: BenQ GL2460HM 60Hz 24.0" Monitor ($139.93 @ B&H)

Total: $1399.21