New PC Building from scratch

[Anastasios]

Hi guys,

 

I am a 27year old guy with a huge passion for PCs. I've been a PC lover since Pentium III when they were first released back in 1999. Since then I am in love with PC gaming.

I recently moved to a new place and I feel that it's time to invest in a setup that I am going to deeply enjoy since I will have more leisure time available.

 

Usage:

The main usage is gaming and movies; the secondary is photo and video editing and lastly, use it as an office workspace (world files and browsing). I am definitely going to need some screen real estate to multitask.

 

The Goal:
My main objective is to go for a 1440p High to Ultra settings at 60 Fps - 100 Fps. 

Also, I would like to create a YouTube channel and record multiplayer game play. Sounds like I will need some serious firepower to play and stream at the same time...

 

The Feeling:
Honestly, what I am really looking forward is an aesthetic performance platform that will provide a butter-smooth experience for all-around usage; even if that means that I have to compromise to 1080p with 100+ Fps.

 

Budget:
•    $2000 for the build including an Ultrawide Curved monitor. 

I will be looking for peripherals as well, but I prefer to spend more on the setup. I am sure that I can find a good mechanical keyboard and mouse for around $120 - $150.
 

Attention:
Preferred Monitor would be an Ultrawide Curved Monitor varying from 27''-34'' Inches. (Trust me once you try it, you won't go back to a straight panel)
 

Main Games are:
1) Player Unknown Battlegrounds
2) Call of Duty Series - Mainly Multiplayer, such as Black Ops III and Ghost

 

Secondary:
3) Witcher 3
4) Deus Ex
5) Assasin's Creed Origins
6) Hitman 
7) Tomb Raider
8) GTA V
... and the list goes on.

The Facts:
I have been reading and searching a lot for the past weeks resulting in various complex hardware choices. Unfortunately, due to cryptocurrency mining, the prices are quite high, but I can't wait anymore. I am kinda desperate to finally build my own gaming space. Due to the circumstances, I am happy to look for refurbished or even compromise with barely used items so that I can achieve this project I have in mind. Amazon.com offers a lot of refurbished or slightly used components at significantly lower prices.

 

Various Configurations (Low to High Range Price Setups) 

1.    Low Range
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rcCJfH  - USD $1769.03 – PC + Monitor
•     https://pcpartpicker.com/list/m3ycTB - USD $1950.32 – Including Peripherals 

2.    Medium Range 
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/XGv68Y   - USD $2228.42– PC + Monitor
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/tKFfP3  - USD $2614.08   – Including Peripherals 

3.    High Range 
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/ZddnLJ     - USD $2,600   - PC + Monitor
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Poyias/saved/gK69WZ    -  USD $2,992 – Including Peripherals 

The Question:
1.    What is your opinion on all this? How shall I approach the topic having an available $2000 budget? What can I change in order to get improved performance for a lower budget?
2.    Shall I look into a full water cool design or go with traditional fans? What would be the difference in price?
 

[hconverse02]

Oh boy I can fix this: 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8600K 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor  ($237.59 @ SuperBiiz) 
CPU Cooler: be quiet! - Dark Rock 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($63.49 @ SuperBiiz) 
Motherboard: MSI - Z370 GAMING PRO CARBON ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($139.89 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory  ($169.89 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ B&H) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB STRIX Video Card  ($599.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: Fractal Design - Meshify C Dark TG ATX Mid Tower Case  ($87.28 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: Corsair - RMx 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($119.99 @ Amazon) 
Monitor: Asus - ROG Strix XG35VQ 35.0" 3440x1440 100Hz Monitor  ($761.71 @ Amazon) 
Keyboard: Corsair - K95 RGB PLATINUM Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($159.99 @ Amazon) 
Mouse: Logitech - G900 CHAOS SPECTRUM Wireless Optical Mouse  ($103.90 @ Amazon) 
Headphones: Logitech - G933 Artemis Spectrum 7.1 Channel  Headset  ($127.99 @ Amazon) 
Total: $2771.70
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-23 21:09 EDT-0400

 

Go all out. You will regret it later if you aren't enjoying your experience.  I opted for a better AND cheaper monitor, as well as cheaper ram, and an 8600k as opposed to the 8700k, to save another $100. Fans are fine, because a watercooled system will be upwards of $3500-4000 if you want to watercool cpu/gpu.  Also, you really like your expensive peripherals  I am ok with the k95 plats, but you are wasting your money a bit getting a wireless mouse for $100 and a $120 what I would call average headset.  These are better: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/tZL7YJ/kingston-headphones-khxhscprd and getting a dedicated pair of audio headphones with a studio mic would be even better.  Both would cost between $100 and $200.

[Herman Mcpootis]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 2700 3.2GHz 8-Core Processor  ($297.33 @ Amazon) 
CPU Cooler: Scythe - SCNJ-4000 84.6 CFM CPU Cooler  ($39.99 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: Asus - PRIME X370-PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($134.23 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($162.89 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Crucial - MX500 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($121.89 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB D5X Video Card  ($604.98 @ Newegg) 
Case: Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($51.55 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Gold 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($74.99 @ Newegg) 
Monitor: Dell - S2417DG 23.8" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor  ($369.95 @ Amazon) 
Keyboard: ROCCAT - Ryos MK Glow Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($56.11 @ Newegg) 
Mouse: Logitech - G403 Prodigy Wired Optical Mouse  ($47.31 @ Amazon) 
Headphones: Logitech - G230  Headset  ($33.99 @ Amazon) 
Total: $1995.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-23 21:38 EDT-0400

[dizmo]

I wanna play too!

Here's what I'd do. It sort of falls between your lower and mid tier.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2600X 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor  ($229.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: EVGA - CLC 240 74.8 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($89.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - X470 AORUS ULTRA GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($140.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team - Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($159.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital - Blue 1TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($229.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($43.85 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1070 Ti 8GB SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition Video Card  ($529.99 @ B&H)
Case: Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400 TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Acer - Predator Z35P 35.0" 3440x1440 100Hz Monitor  ($790.98 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: G.Skill - RIPJAWS KM780R Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($85.68 @ Amazon)
Mouse: G.Skill - RIPJAWS MX780 Wired Laser Mouse  ($38.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $2480.11

 

Parts selection reasoning:

• The monitor has GSync, which will greatly help with frame timing.
• The 1070Ti when overclocked is similar to a 1080. Should be quite capable at the resolution suggested. Ultra is overkill, just play on High.
• Lots of SSD storage, and some mass storage.
• Liquid cooling, though you could easily save $20 and get a good air cooler.
• Case has TG. A must if you have a window IMO.
• The 2600x overclocks itself quite nicely without intervention. It's only $30 more than the 2600; or, if you want to do it yourself, save the $30.

 

@hconverse02's build is quite nice, but the 8600k kind of shits the bed when it comes to streaming, not sure if it's the same with recording.

@Herman Mcpootis's build might require a BIOS update. The Dell monitor is solid if you don't mind straying from ultrawide.

 

Welcome to the forum

[hconverse02]

8 hours ago, dizmo said:

Liquid cooling, though you could easily save $20 and get a good air cooler.

I know aios are fine most of the time, but for the same price, you can get similar or better performance with a good air cooler like a noctua d14 or dark rock 3

[VEXICUS]

11 hours ago, Anastasios said:

Hi guys,

 

I am a 27year old guy with a huge passion for PCs. I've been a PC lover since Pentium III when they were first released back in 1999. Since then I am in love with PC gaming.

I recently moved to a new place and I feel that it's time to invest in a setup that I am going to deeply enjoy since I will have more leisure time available.

 

Usage:

The main usage is gaming and movies; the secondary is photo and video editing and lastly, use it as an office workspace (world files and browsing). I am definitely going to need some screen real estate to multitask.

 

The Goal:
My main objective is to go for a 1440p High to Ultra settings at 60 Fps - 100 Fps. 

Also, I would like to create a YouTube channel and record multiplayer game play. Sounds like I will need some serious firepower to play and stream at the same time...

 

The Feeling:
Honestly, what I am really looking forward is an aesthetic performance platform that will provide a butter-smooth experience for all-around usage; even if that means that I have to compromise to 1080p with 100+ Fps.

 

Budget:
•    $2000 for the build including an Ultrawide Curved monitor. 

I will be looking for peripherals as well, but I prefer to spend more on the setup. I am sure that I can find a good mechanical keyboard and mouse for around $120 - $150.
 

Attention:
Preferred Monitor would be an Ultrawide Curved Monitor varying from 27''-34'' Inches. (Trust me once you try it, you won't go back to a straight panel)
 

Main Games are:
1) Player Unknown Battlegrounds
2) Call of Duty Series - Mainly Multiplayer, such as Black Ops III and Ghost

 

Secondary:
3) Witcher 3
4) Deus Ex
5) Assasin's Creed Origins
6) Hitman 
7) Tomb Raider
8) GTA V
... and the list goes on.

The Facts:
I have been reading and searching a lot for the past weeks resulting in various complex hardware choices. Unfortunately, due to cryptocurrency mining, the prices are quite high, but I can't wait anymore. I am kinda desperate to finally build my own gaming space. Due to the circumstances, I am happy to look for refurbished or even compromise with barely used items so that I can achieve this project I have in mind. Amazon.com offers a lot of refurbished or slightly used components at significantly lower prices.

 

Various Configurations (Low to High Range Price Setups) 

1.    Low Range
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rcCJfH  - USD $1769.03 – PC + Monitor
•     https://pcpartpicker.com/list/m3ycTB - USD $1950.32 – Including Peripherals 

2.    Medium Range 
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/XGv68Y   - USD $2228.42– PC + Monitor
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/tKFfP3  - USD $2614.08   – Including Peripherals 

3.    High Range 
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/ZddnLJ     - USD $2,600   - PC + Monitor
•   https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Poyias/saved/gK69WZ    -  USD $2,992 – Including Peripherals 

The Question:
1.    What is your opinion on all this? How shall I approach the topic having an available $2000 budget? What can I change in order to get improved performance for a lower budget?
2.    Shall I look into a full water cool design or go with traditional fans? What would be the difference in price?
 

SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD BE WAY BETTER.....

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor  ($346.69 @ OutletPC) 
CPU Cooler: NZXT - Kraken X62 Rev 2 98.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($147.39 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock - Z370 Extreme4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($134.89 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($209.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Crucial - MX500 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($72.89 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.79 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: MSI - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB DUKE OC Video Card  ($599.99 @ Newegg) 
Case: Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400S TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 
Monitor: LG - 34UC79G-B 34.0" 2560x1080 144Hz Monitor  ($496.00 @ Amazon) 
Total: $2197.61
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-24 08:23 EDT-0400

[dizmo]

2 hours ago, hconverse02 said:

I know aios are fine most of the time, but for the same price, you can get similar or better performance with a good air cooler like a noctua d14 or dark rock 3

Dark Rock 4*

The older mounting system is awful. 

[hconverse02]

3 hours ago, dizmo said:

Dark Rock 4*

The older mounting system is awful. 

Forgot that existed

[Anastasios]

Hi all,

I wanna thank you for taking the time to make these adjustments.

 

I can definitely use changes to make a much more solid and cheaper build and demystify my perception of expensive peripherals.

 

I will definitely be going for an Ultrawide Curved monitor as the immersive experience is great and the screen real estate is great for multitasking. 

 

 

Unfortunately, I had a look and most of these items are not shipped to Greece or the shipping and import tax increase the price enormously. After spending quite some time, I think my research is leading me to this build:

 

-https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Poyias/saved/gD2JVn 

 

I found a used GTX 1070 for only USD $ 475. 

 

I think this is a more solid, feasible and value to performance build. 

 

Please let me know your thoughts. All are much appreciated!

 

Thanks again

 

[Anastasios]

By the way, I found this website.

 

Has anyone used it before?

 

http://www.borderlinx.com/en/pages/shop-usa-brands-ship-globally

 

Do you know if its worth it at all?

[hconverse02]

20 hours ago, Anastasios said:

-snip-

Go with what you know when buying. I still agree with @dizmo that you should get ryzen, because it rocks at streaming imo I agree it’s better at both than the 8600k is at just 1. Get a 2600 or a 1600 if you want to save a few bucks, get a good x470 or b350 motherboard and 16gb of 3200mhz ram. You can use the stock cooler, I don’t recommend watercooling either, use a good $60 air cooler. Please remember to @ or reply so we can see you have replied to us. 

[Anastasios]

14 hours ago, hconverse02 said:

Go with what you know when buying. I still agree with @dizmo that you should get ryzen, because it rocks at streaming imo I agree it’s better at both than the 8600k is at just 1. Get a 2600 or a 1600 if you want to save a few bucks, get a good x470 or b350 motherboard and 16gb of 3200mhz ram. You can use the stock cooler, I don’t recommend watercooling either, use a good $60 air cooler. Please remember to @ or reply so we can see you have replied to us. 

That's true. You are right. I am just new to the forum and I don't know these tricks yet! Plenty of room to get better though

 

Thanks again!!!

[VEXICUS]

On 4/24/2018 at 11:33 PM, Anastasios said:

Hi all,

I wanna thank you for taking the time to make these adjustments.

 

I can definitely use changes to make a much more solid and cheaper build and demystify my perception of expensive peripherals.

 

I will definitely be going for an Ultrawide Curved monitor as the immersive experience is great and the screen real estate is great for multitasking. 

 

 

Unfortunately, I had a look and most of these items are not shipped to Greece or the shipping and import tax increase the price enormously. After spending quite some time, I think my research is leading me to this build:

 

-https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Poyias/saved/gD2JVn 

 

I found a used GTX 1070 for only USD $ 475. 

 

I think this is a more solid, feasible and value to performance build. 

 

Please let me know your thoughts. All are much appreciated!

 

Thanks again

 

Something like this should be way better. .  I hv even added a 1080

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8600K 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor  ($237.59 @ SuperBiiz) 
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H100i v2 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($94.89 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock - Z370 Extreme4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($134.89 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: Team - T-Force Delta RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($159.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Crucial - MX500 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($74.89 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.79 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB STRIX Video Card  ($599.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Case: Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400S TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($55.88 @ OutletPC) 
Monitor: LG - 34UC79G-B 34.0" 2560x1080 144Hz Monitor  ($495.89 @ Amazon) 
Total: $1973.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-26 11:13 EDT-0400

Edited April 27, 2018 by wkdpaul