First PC Build, looking for advice on specs

[VMaxMuffin]

Hi everyone, first post here and first (proper) pc is going to be in the works soon! I'm here looking for some advice on parts. After much reading and watching on the internet (of Linus' videos and other sources too) I've come up with a list of parts that I think will suit my budget of ~AU$1000 (yay for Australian prices!) pretty well. But first - what do I want from this PC? Well, here are the general requirements:

 

• Almost exclusively for gaming (I have a MacBook that I can do any High School and in the not too distant future Uni work on). I play pretty much all kinds of games, but the main one for me is Assetto Corsa (I am a bit of a petrol head, so racing games are the number 1 component of my library). Other games that I enjoy include Skyrim, Bioshock Infinite, and a bit of Civ 5 and occasional Minecraft with friends. Yes, I am a very diverse gamer - pretty much the only things I don't play are MMOs. I will be using a 1080p monitor, and although in the future I'd like to move to triple 1080p monitors, I won't be any time soon and will get a new graphics card for that when the time comes.
• Must be small. I want to be able to transport it in luggage, particularly because I may be going interstate for Uni. Cases that I am most keen on are the Corsair 250D, the Silverstone Raven RVZ01 and the EVGA Hadron Air (although it is a little on the expensive side for me).
• Must have Wifi. Just needs it. Also, I'd prefer to have the slim sticking-out-the-back type of antenna which I think this MSI board has, whereas others seem to have separate antennas connected by long cables.
• I don't plan to over clock. So stock CPU cooler is fine.
• Needs an optical drive. Again, it just needs it.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($135.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Motherboard:  MSI H81I Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($125.00) 

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($105.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card  ($229.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Case:  Corsair 250D Mini ITX Tower Case  ($119.00 @ CPL Online) 

Power Supply:  FSP Group 550W 80+ Silver Certified ATX Power Supply  ($85.00) 

Optical Drive:  LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer  ($22.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($115.00 @ CPL Online) 

Total: $1004.00

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-08 23:18 EST+1100)

 

NB: PCPartPicker's Australian section seems to not have a lot of the latest stock at PCCaseGear, which is where I'd prefer to buy my parts from, FYI.

 

Some notes on this parts list:

• This is pretty much the limit of my budget. I could perhaps go for a few more dollars but $1050 would be the ABSOLUTE maximum.
• The EVGA card there is the FTW edition.
• I know the Mobo only supports 1600mhz RAM and mine is 1866, but they are currently the same price so may as well get the 1866, even if it runs at 1600.
• I don't care for having an SSD, I'd rather spend the money elsewhere and then I'll think about an SSD in the future. Yes I'd like one, no I don't want to pay for it.
• I want Windows 7, because I often play some older games (racing sims) that I'm not sure behave well under W8.

 

Also, a general question on RAM speeds - from what I can understand, you need to use XMP in order to get speeds higher than 1600mhz. So far, I've seen mixed opinions on whether a Mobo with an H87 chip with XMP support and RAM with XMP support can together use more than 1600mhz. Some say yes, others no... help?

 

 

I think that's just about everything, so thanks in advance for your help

[nixproducer]

Ok so http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/36cTP i went with an apu because you can upgrade to pretty much any gpu you want to in the future, which i think is more important especially since that the new maxwell arcitechure is coming out not to long from now and you could save up and get a 860,870,880 etc.

[ERSCreeper]

This is much better:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($214.00 @ CPL Online) 

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($135.00 @ CPL Online) 

Memory:  Avexir Core series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($99.00 @ PLE Computers) 

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.00 @ CPL Online) 

Video Card:  Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card  ($209.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Case:  Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case  ($45.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Optical Drive:  LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer  ($22.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($115.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Other: Corsair CX500M ($89.00 @ Mware Australia)

Total: $997.00

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-09 00:13 EST+1100)

[brob]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4570 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($135.00 @ CPL Online)
Memory:  G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($105.00 @ CPL Online)
Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 750 1GB Video Card  ($165.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case:  Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($58.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Power Supply:  SeaSonic 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($108.17 @ Mwave Australia)
Optical Drive:  LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer  ($22.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($115.00 @ CPL Online)
Total: $1006.17
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-09 08:00 EST+1100)

 

http://www.legitreviews.com/evga-geforce-gtx-750-1gb-sc-video-card-review_137067/12

[IamPaddy]

 

This is much better:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($214.00 @ CPL Online) 

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($135.00 @ CPL Online) 

Memory:  Avexir Core series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($99.00 @ PLE Computers) 

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.00 @ CPL Online) 

Video Card:  Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card  ($209.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Case:  Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case  ($45.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Optical Drive:  LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer  ($22.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($115.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Other: Corsair CX500M ($89.00 @ Mware Australia)

Total: $997.00

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-09 00:13 EST+1100)

 

I second this build. Seems nice , your intentions are gaming? If they are you could probably use a ssd boot drive. It would make everything a little smoother and you could add a couple of highly used applications or games on it as well. 120 would be a reasonable size. If you were willing you could save up and buy a little better of a graphics card, only dependent on what games you play. good luck anyway

[ERSCreeper]

I second this build. Seems nice , your intentions are gaming? If they are you could probably use a ssd boot drive. It would make everything a little smoother and you could add a couple of highly used applications or games on it as well. 120 would be a reasonable size. If you were willing you could save up and buy a little better of a graphics card, only dependent on what games you play. good luck anyway

Since a SSD can be bought later it might be worth getting it later instead of getting a okayish one now. GTX 750Ti are pretty beast for the price but yeah

[VMaxMuffin]

Thanks everyone for your inputs, I just have some comments on them:

 

 

This is much better:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($214.00 @ CPL Online) 

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($135.00 @ CPL Online) 

Memory:  Avexir Core series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($99.00 @ PLE Computers) 

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.00 @ CPL Online) 

Video Card:  Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card  ($209.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Case:  Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case  ($45.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Optical Drive:  LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer  ($22.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($115.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Other: Corsair CX500M ($89.00 @ Mware Australia)

Total: $997.00

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-09 00:13 EST+1100)

 

 

Hmmm I like this build except for one thing - I don't like the case... I know it's much cheaper than the others which I do like so I guess I need to make a decision as to whether I like those others enough to pay more. 

 

 

Ok so http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/36cTP i went with an apu because you can upgrade to pretty much any gpu you want to in the future, which i think is more important especially since that the new maxwell arcitechure is coming out not to long from now and you could save up and get a 860,870,880 etc.

 

Good idea but I don't think I will be saving up enough to buy one of them, because I don't have a job (yet) and don't want to get one until the end of this year when I've finished Year 12. So really I am looking for the best performance I can get right now, and that seems to be with the 750Ti.

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4570 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($135.00 @ CPL Online)
Memory:  G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($105.00 @ CPL Online)
Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 750 1GB Video Card  ($165.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case:  Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($58.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Power Supply:  SeaSonic 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($108.17 @ Mwave Australia)
Optical Drive:  LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer  ($22.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($115.00 @ CPL Online)
Total: $1006.17
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-09 08:00 EST+1100)

 

http://www.legitreviews.com/evga-geforce-gtx-750-1gb-sc-video-card-review_137067/12

 

Seems like a good build but I'm still not keen on the Cooler Master cases. Interesting about the 750, I hadn't even really considered it but I might now. The only thing is that you can get 2GB versions elsewhere but I can only find 1GB versions in Australia, do you think that will matter much?

 

With both of the Intel builds I see you've gone for i5s rather than i3s. Is it really that important? I know that overall the i5 is much better, but given that this is essentially a AU$900 build (removing the price of windows) I thought that the i3 will be adequate. Of course it's not going to go well with a bigger graphics card but that upgrade's a while off at least and I want to think about what will get me the best overall performance now. So if we were talking about what will get me the best performance for that money now (not worrying about getting a better CPU and upgrading graphics later), would the i3 be the way to go or still i5 with lower-end GPU?

[nixproducer]

 

Good idea but I don't think I will be saving up enough to buy one of them, because I don't have a job (yet) and don't want to get one until the end of this year when I've finished Year 12. So really I am looking for the best performance I can get right now, and that seems to be with the 750Ti.

Ok well good luck with your build and do not forget to post some pics i am always glad to see new builds 

[brob]

Seems like a good build but I'm still not keen on the Cooler Master cases. Interesting about the 750, I hadn't even really considered it but I might now. The only thing is that you can get 2GB versions elsewhere but I can only find 1GB versions in Australia, do you think that will matter much?

 

With both of the Intel builds I see you've gone for i5s rather than i3s. Is it really that important? I know that overall the i5 is much better, but given that this is essentially a AU$900 build (removing the price of windows) I thought that the i3 will be adequate. Of course it's not going to go well with a bigger graphics card but that upgrade's a while off at least and I want to think about what will get me the best overall performance now. So if we were talking about what will get me the best performance for that money now (not worrying about getting a better CPU and upgrading graphics later), would the i3 be the way to go or still i5 with lower-end GPU?

 

The case I suggested was simply a matter of fitting into the budget. The Corsair 250D is a little more than twice the cost of the CM 130.

 

The review I linked suggests that the settings required to get over 30 fps for most games would result in memory use under 1GB. Essentially the 2GB version would not add anything to gaming. If you go through the various benchmarks you'll see that the EVGA GTX 750 Superclock 1GB is generally within 1fps of a GTX 750 Ti 2GB.

 

Processors rarely, if ever, get upgraded. Generally when the time comes to improve a cpu the tech has moved to the point where it makes much more sense to replace the cpu and motherboard with the latest generation. As a result I generally like to get the best cpu that can be afforded. That said, getting an i5-4440 would save a few $ without degrading performance appreciably.

[CartertheCOCguy]

im doing this  http://pcpartpicker.com/p/36pLJ :)

[VMaxMuffin]

Ok well good luck with your build and do not forget to post some pics i am always glad to see new builds 

 

I will, it will still be a few weeks though - I don't really have much time during term time so I'm watching for any specials on potentially useful parts . I'll post the build when I do it though!

 

 

The case I suggested was simply a matter of fitting into the budget. The Corsair 250D is a little more than twice the cost of the CM 130.

 

The review I linked suggests that the settings required to get over 30 fps for most games would result in memory use under 1GB. Essentially the 2GB version would not add anything to gaming. If you go through the various benchmarks you'll see that the EVGA GTX 750 Superclock 1GB is generally within 1fps of a GTX 750 Ti 2GB.

 

Processors rarely, if ever, get upgraded. Generally when the time comes to improve a cpu the tech has moved to the point where it makes much more sense to replace the cpu and motherboard with the latest generation. As a result I generally like to get the best cpu that can be afforded. That said, getting an i5-4440 would save a few $ without degrading performance appreciably.

 

Yes I realised that's why you chose the case. Like I said, I need to work out how much I care about the case's looks. I'm also thinking that an EVGA 750 SC is definitely the way to go - it will get me the performance I need for now, save me a few dollars to get an i5 4440 and mean that I won't have to hesitate too much about buying a new GPU when I get the money. Of course, there's always the possibility that something goes on sale or something so I'm on the lookout between now and when I build this in a few weeks.

 

New question - I've noticed that I can get a Gigabyte GTX 660 for the same price as an EVGA 750 Ti FTW - hypothetically, if I waited to get a bit more money to get an i5 AND one of these graphics cards - which is better? For reference, here's the exact 660 I'm talking about: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1434&products_id=27076

[nixproducer]

 

Hmmm I like this build except for one thing - I don't like the case... I know it's much cheaper than the others which I do like so I guess I need to make a decision as to whether I like those others enough to pay more. 

I personally really like the 250D it is as of now my favorite M-ITX so i would go with that or my second favorite the Bitfenix prodigy(M)

[brob]

I will, it will still be a few weeks though - I don't really have much time during term time so I'm watching for any specials on potentially useful parts . I'll post the build when I do it though!

 

 

 

Yes I realised that's why you chose the case. Like I said, I need to work out how much I care about the case's looks. I'm also thinking that an EVGA 750 SC is definitely the way to go - it will get me the performance I need for now, save me a few dollars to get an i5 4440 and mean that I won't have to hesitate too much about buying a new GPU when I get the money. Of course, there's always the possibility that something goes on sale or something so I'm on the lookout between now and when I build this in a few weeks.

 

New question - I've noticed that I can get a Gigabyte GTX 660 for the same price as an EVGA 750 Ti FTW - hypothetically, if I waited to get a bit more money to get an i5 AND one of these graphics cards - which is better? For reference, here's the exact 660 I'm talking about: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1434&products_id=27076

 

A GTX 660 is better than a GTX 750 Ti.

[VMaxMuffin]

There is a possibility that I could squeeze some money out of my Dad if I can convince him that it will be beneficial in the long run as I can have the more expensive and stylish case (250D) whilst getting good performance, possibly increasing my budget to $1100. If I can do that, then I could have an i5, a GTX 660 and the 250D. What do you guys think of this proposed build? And would it be worth getting the extra $100?

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($214.00 @ CPL Online) 

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($105.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($69.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Video Card:  Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card  ($239.00 @ PCCaseGear) 

Case:  Corsair 250D Mini ITX Tower Case  ($119.00 @ CPL Online) 

Power Supply:  Corsair CX 500W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.00) 

Optical Drive:  LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer  ($22.00 @ Mwave Australia) 

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($115.00 @ CPL Online) 

Other: MSI H87I Mini ITX Motherboard ($125.00)

Total: $1097.00

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-09 16:29 EST+1100)

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

Also, PCCaseGear has three GTX 660s - one from ASUS with a DirectCU II Cooler (which is the most expensive and slightly out of budget, but also won't fit in the 250D I think due to its height? I read/heard this somewhere, can't remember if it was one of Linus' videos on LTT or NCIX or somewhere else), and the other two are both from Gigabyte:

 

The "normal" version for $229: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1434&products_id=27076

The "OC" version for $239: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1434&products_id=21453

 

What would make me pay $10 more? Obviously the clock speeds are higher but how much difference will it make? That same $10 could (almost) upgrade me from an i5 4440 to a 4570, or get me a slightly nicer PSU.

 

Also, I should mention that this is the Motherboard that I wanted to use - https://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=24856 - MSI H87I - because it has the "onboard" antennas (as opposed to a mini router thing that you plug in with cables) and other features that seem generally good (e.g. PCI-E v3). I just noticed that the one I selected in my original proposed build was the H81I (not H87I), which was a mistake (I got it by going to the US version of the site and selecting it with a custom price for Australia, but I didn't notice that it was the H81 not H87). What do you think of this H87 version?

 

Also, if I go for a Corsair CXxxxM PSU (trustworthy brand, 80+ Bronze, semi-modular all means good for a budget mITX gaming rig in my view), should I go with the 430W or 500W version? The 430W is $14 cheaper but will be on the low end of my requirements I think, whilst the 500W version is perhaps more future proof? What would you recommend?

 

There's a lot of questions in here, so I'll just quickly summarise:

 

1. What do you think of the new proposed build (assuming I can get the extra $100)?
2. Is it worth the extra $100 so that I can have a GTX 660 (or 750 Ti FTW) and an i5 CPU (assuming I 'have to have' the 250D)?
3. Is it true that the ASUS DirectCU II GTX 660 won't fit due to the cooler's height?
4. Is it worth paying the extra $10 for the OC version of the Gigabyte GTX 660 (and are there any benefits other than stock clock speed)?
5. Is there any reason not to get that motherboard (MSI H87I)?
6. Should I get the 430W or 500W version of Corsair's CXxxxM PSU?

 

Sorry for having so questions, and if I seem a little stubborn with my ever-changing build requirements and desire not to budge from the 250D () but I really do appreciate your inputs!

[VMaxMuffin]

Anyone?

[brob]

Anyone?

 

The build will be  is fine once you've added a motherboard. A GTX 660 will be better than a 750 or 750 Ti for graphics intensive games. No idea on the accuracy of reports on Asus DirectCUII gpu not fitting in the case but the pictures Ive seen do suggest it might be an issue. The 500W psu would allow for upgrading the gpu at some point. The 430W would be sufficient.

[VMaxMuffin]

The build will be fine once you've added a motherboard. A GTX 660 will be better than a 750 or 750 Ti for graphics intensive games. No idea on the accuracy of reports on Asus DirectCUII gpu not fitting in the case but the pictures Ive seen do suggest it might be an issue. The 500W psu would allow for upgrading the gpu at some point. The 430W would be sufficient.

 

OK I think I'll go with the 500W + GTX 660 because it isn't much more expensive. Also, maybe you didn't read closely enough, but I did include a motherboard (under the "other" section, due to it not being on PC Part Picker), and I mentioned it several times in the post

 

Here's a link to it anyway: https://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=24856

[VMaxMuffin]

Just a bit of an update/question on graphics cards - I noticed the other day that the differences in size between the Gigabyte and Asus DCUII GTX 660s are not very great - here is a picture of the ASUS card in question:

 

ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II OC 2GB

I think this is quite a different version of the DCUII coolers that haven't been fitting in the 250D, which have much, much taller coolers. This one definitely should fit i think, as the pipes only extend 1cm above the height of the I/O plate (or whatever it's called), which the 250D should have plenty of room for. Thoughts?

[brob]

Just a bit of an update/question on graphics cards - I noticed the other day that the differences in size between the Gigabyte and Asus DCUII GTX 660s are not very great - here is a picture of the ASUS card in question:

 

ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II OC 2GB

 

I think this is quite a different version of the DCUII coolers that haven't been fitting in the 250D, which have much, much taller coolers. This one definitely should fit i think, as the pipes only extend 1cm above the height of the I/O plate (or whatever it's called), which the 250D should have plenty of room for. Thoughts?

 

Ask Corsair for the max gpu height of the 250D - send them an email.

[VMaxMuffin]

Ask Corsair for the max gpu height of the 250D - send them an email.

Sounds like a good idea