$1K AMD Build (w/ monitor)

[YellowMenace]

My friend has a budget of $1,000 for a new computer and monitor (included in price). He has a copy of Windows 8 already.

 

He grew very overly to the case (NZXT Phantom 410 - orange/black) and wants as many orange accents in the build as possible.

 

The build itself is here:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3ummL

 

What do you guys think and what do you think can be improved?

[ZetZet]

Awful ssd and not ips monitor.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor  ($151.98 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master RR-T4-18PK-R1 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler  ($19.99 @ Micro Center) 

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($79.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  Crucial M500 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($73.47 @ OutletPC) 

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($56.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card:  MSI Radeon R9 270 2GB Video Card  ($184.99 @ Amazon) 

Case:  NZXT Phantom 410 (Black/Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.98 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply:  XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($49.99 @ NCIX US) 

Optical Drive:  Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($19.99 @ Newegg) 

Monitor:  Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor  ($148.99 @ Best Buy) 

Wireless Network Adapter:  TP-Link TL-WN881ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($18.83 @ Mwave) 

Case Fan:  BitFenix BFF-BLF-12025O-RP 43.5 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($8.79 @ SuperBiiz) 

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $993.95

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 02:02 EDT-0400)

[Vendetta]

Yea change out that kingston ssd, they swapped the flash in them to some terrible shit and are useless now.

[Grave]

Get a Hybrid drive or a larger SSD and ditch the HDD, that SSD is so expensive per gig. The 1TB Seagate Hybrid is ~$90 and a good alternative to a small SSD + standard HDD. 2TB is like $20 more, much better value if your friend can swing it.

Everything else is good, though I do recommend spending the extra money on a Gigabyte UD3 motherboard so that you can toy with the CPU a bit more. No chance in hell you'll stabilize any moderate overclock on the UD3P (very good/best 970 board, however).

No complaints on everything else, looks great. Plenty of options to add onto it later too, such as LED case fans or just something plain to go with the LEDs already listed.

Edit: I really love the EVGA Nexus power supplies. Here's the 650W 80+ Gold for $10 more. Nexus Gold's are always Fully Modular as well, and have decent sleeving already. And no, they're not terrible quality. In fact, they're probably 2nd only to Corsair/Seasonic.

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-120pg0650gr

[JLCitadel]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($179.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master RR-T4-18PK-R1 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler  ($19.99 @ Micro Center) 

Motherboard:  ASRock H81 Pro BTC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($59.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($56.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($334.99 @ Newegg) 

Case:  NZXT Phantom 410 (Black/Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.98 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply:  Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ Amazon) 

Optical Drive:  Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($19.98 @ OutletPC) 

Monitor:  AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor  ($129.99 @ B&H) 

Wireless Network Adapter:  TP-Link TL-WN881ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($18.83 @ Mwave) 

Case Fan:  BitFenix BFF-BLF-12025O-RP 43.5 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($8.79 @ SuperBiiz) 

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $1143.47

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 02:10 EDT-0400)

[ZetZet]

 

-snip-

Why do you recommend 4670k with h81 chipset and in AMD build thread. Also over budget?

[Faceman]

Yea change out that kingston ssd, they swapped the flash in them to some terrible shit and are useless now.

You are very wrong.  The Kingston SSD works fine for day to day tasks.  In fact, all SSDs perform the same when it comes to day to day tasks.  Too much stock is put into the rated speeds which are for large file transfers and the typical user doesn't transfer files in excess of 10GB all too often.  It is also a matter of being patient.  You are paying a $30 premium for a component that will perform the same task in 3 minutes compared to 5 minutes.  If you are patient, you can save money and get similar results.

[ZetZet]

You are very wrong.  The Kingston SSD works fine for day to day tasks.  In fact, all SSDs perform the same when it comes to day to day tasks.  Too much stock is put into the rated speeds which are for large file transfers and the typical user doesn't transfer files in excess of 10GB all too often.  It is also a matter of being patient.  You are paying a $30 premium for a component that will perform the same task in 3 minutes compared to 5 minutes.  If you are patient, you can save money and get similar results.

But the thing is that kingston one is not that much cheaper. If any.

 

Everything else is good, though I do recommend spending the extra money on a Gigabyte UD3 motherboard so that you can toy with the CPU a bit more. No chance in hell you'll stabilize any moderate overclock on the UD3P (very good/best 970 board, however).

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor  ($151.98 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master RR-T4-18PK-R1 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler  ($19.99 @ Micro Center) 

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($79.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  Seagate  1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive  ($87.29 @ Amazon) 

Video Card:  MSI Radeon R9 270X 2GB Video Card  ($199.99 @ Newegg) 

Case:  NZXT Phantom 410 (Black/Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.98 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply:  EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($79.50 @ Amazon) 

Optical Drive:  Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($19.99 @ Newegg) 

Monitor:  Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor  ($148.99 @ Amazon) 

Wireless Network Adapter:  TP-Link TL-WN881ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($18.83 @ Mwave) 

Case Fan:  BitFenix BFF-BLF-12025O-RP 43.5 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($8.79 @ SuperBiiz) 

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $995.30

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 02:22 EDT-0400)

 

More expensive mobo wouldn't work because then he would need more expensive cooler too. But I edited in your suggestions

[Faceman]

My friend has a budget of $1,000 for a new computer and monitor (included in price). He has a copy of Windows 8 already.

 

He grew very overly to the case (NZXT Phantom 410 - orange/black) and wants as many orange accents in the build as possible.

 

The build itself is here:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3ummL

 

What do you guys think and what do you think can be improved?

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3un6f

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3un6f/by_merchant/

Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3un6f/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($214.99 @ NCIX US) <-- Go Intel, he will be so much more happy.  The i5-4670k is a beast that destroys AMD for gaming.

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ OutletPC) <-- You want the hyper 212 EVO.  No exceptions.

Motherboard: MSI Z87-G41 PC Mate ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($80.67 @ Newegg) <-- Motherboard doesn't impact performance.  Get the least expensive Z87 he can find.  Either SLI capable or not.  This is a good non-SLI one for cheap!

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg) <-- Good RAM, and its also orange.

Storage: PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($59.99 @ Amazon) <-- Very good SSD for the price.  You want at least 120GB

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

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card  ($224.99 @ Micro Center) <-- Might consider upgrading him to a GTX 770, its well worth it for 1080p gaming.

Case: Antec One ATX Mid Tower Case  ($34.99 @ NCIX US) <-- Case doesn't impact performance.  For a budget build, don't spend more than he needs to on a case.

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($45.00) <-- Buy the CX600M before it goes back up in price.  It is an amazing PSU for the price.  Very efficient and very quiet, also semi-modular.

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($14.99 @ Amazon) <-- Get the least expensive one.

Monitor: AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor  ($129.99 @ B&H) <-- Very good quality IPS panel display.  If you are buying a monitor in 2014, get IPS panel.

Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN881ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($18.83 @ Mwave)

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $988.38

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 02:27 EDT-0400)

 

Do you live near a Microcenter?  This will make a big difference when it comes to the money you spend because of their in-store deals.

 

Case doesn't impact performance, and because his budget is only $1000, he shouldn't be spending 10% of his budget on a component that won't give him better results.

 

Does your friend want to overclock?  If not, we can downgrade him to a 3.6Ghz i3 that will still perform much better than any AMD, while upgrading him to a GTX 770.  This will get him the best results.

 

GPU is the most important component.  Nothing impacts performance more than your graphics card.  You want to allocate 40%-50% of your overall budget to GPU.

 

Here is an i3 Build.  This build will give him much better performance because the GPU is so powerful.  With your budget, you really want a GTX 770--especially for 1080p

 

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

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

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

CPU: Intel Core i3-4340 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($149.99 @ Amazon)

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

Motherboard: ASRock B85 Pro4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($64.99 @ Amazon)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($59.99 @ Amazon)

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

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($300.00)

Case: Antec One ATX Mid Tower Case  ($34.99 @ NCIX US)

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($45.00)

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($15.98 @ OutletPC)

Monitor: AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor  ($129.99 @ B&H)

Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN881ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($18.83 @ Mwave)

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $983.70

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 02:36 EDT-0400)

 

EDIT* On the i3 Build you could go without the Hyper 212 EVO because you won't be overclocking--Bringing your total to $950.

 

Here is the AMD build if you really want AMD.  Intel is far superior to AMD when it comes to gaming though.  Don't underestimate an i3, it still beats an FX8320.

 

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

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

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

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor  ($151.98 @ OutletPC)

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

Motherboard: Asus M5A97 R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($89.79 @ Newegg)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($59.99 @ Amazon)

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

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($310.00)

Case: Antec One ATX Mid Tower Case  ($34.99 @ NCIX US)

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($45.00)

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($15.98 @ OutletPC)

Monitor: AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor  ($129.99 @ Micro Center)

Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N150PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($9.99 @ Newegg)

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $1011.65

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 02:47 EDT-0400)

[Faceman]

@ZetZet

 

120GB Kingston V300 is $60.

120GB Samsung 840 EVO is $85-$90.

 

I hooked him up with a PNY SSD.

 

For day-to-day tasks, there is no difference between SSDs.

 

I have a Kingston V300, and my computer goes from off to on, and running programs in 8-10 seconds--fast.  Will my Kingston not transfer large files as fast as a Samsung? Yes.  Did I save $30 by being willing to wait an additional 2min on the one time I might actually transfer a file larger than 10GB. Yes.  Does my computer still boot up, load, and operate very fast.  Yes.

[ZetZet]

@ZetZet

 

120GB Kingston V300 is $60.

120GB Samsung 840 EVO is $85-$90.

 

I hooked him up with a PNY SSD.

 

For day-to-day tasks, there is no difference between SSDs.

 

I have a Kingston V300, and my computer goes from off to on, and running programs in 8-10 seconds--fast.  Will my Kingston not transfer large files as fast as a Samsung? Yes.  Did I save $30 by being willing to wait an additional 2min on the one time I might actually transfer a file larger than 10GB. Yes.  Does my computer still boot up, load, and operate very fast.  Yes.

Kingston has switched nand flash so if you got the first gen you can't say anything. http://www.anandtech.com/show/7763/an-update-to-kingston-ssdnow-v300-a-switch-to-slower-micron-nand

Pny ssd i have nothing against.

[jaffacakes]

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($179.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master RR-T4-18PK-R1 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler  ($19.99 @ Micro Center) 

Motherboard:  ASRock H81 Pro BTC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($59.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($56.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($334.99 @ Newegg) 

Case:  NZXT Phantom 410 (Black/Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.98 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply:  Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ Amazon) 

Optical Drive:  Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($19.98 @ OutletPC) 

Monitor:  AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor  ($129.99 @ B&H) 

Wireless Network Adapter:  TP-Link TL-WN881ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($18.83 @ Mwave) 

Case Fan:  BitFenix BFF-BLF-12025O-RP 43.5 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($8.79 @ SuperBiiz) 

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $1143.47

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 02:10 EDT-0400)

 

This rig looks good, but the motherboard is sh*t for that CPU.

[YellowMenace]

Guys, I should've mentioned we're ordering from Newegg/ Amazon only, shipping is a killer when you order from multiple places. And by a budget of $1k, I mean a budget of only $1k, we're trying to stay as far under it as we can, he can't go over, especially by a whole $100 like most of the other builds on here.

 

But what I am seeing a lot of here is to change the ssd and the monitor, but to what?

[YellowMenace]

Updated the SSD and the Monitor, whaddya think now?

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3uoUq

[Faceman]

Kingston has switched nand flash so if you got the first gen you can't say anything. http://www.anandtech.com/show/7763/an-update-to-kingston-ssdnow-v300-a-switch-to-slower-micron-nand

Pny ssd i have nothing against.

I got the 2nd gen with the so-called bad flash.

[ZetZet]

Updated the SSD and the Monitor, whaddya think now?

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3uoUq

All good.

[Faceman]

Updated the SSD and the Monitor, whaddya think now?

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3uoUq

Don't get that monitor, it has a 14ms response time.  You want 5ms or less for response time. 

 

     Check out this benchmark that compares the i3 to the FX8320.  i3 wins for every single popular game: BF4, Crysis3, Metro:Last Light, AC:Black Flag, Tomb Raider.  This benchmark is very relevant because it uses a R9 280X, which is the equivalent to a GTX 770, and it is being tested at 1080p.  This will give you a very good idea of what kind of performance you should expect with an i3 and GTX 770.  For 1080p Gaming, you want a GTX 770 or R9 280X, anything less and the card will struggle to keep up, and will become obsolete very quickly.

 

     He needs to get a less expensive case.  He is spending 11% of his budget on a part that does nothing in terms of performance. The computer that you currently have built will not be able to run games in years to come because the graphics card is so limiting.  Buy a less expensive case, and use that money where it counts.

 

Here is an updated PcP build with everything from Amazon or Newegg except for the PSU, which is $45 and free shipping from Tiger Direct.com  These prices are with shipping calculated in.

 

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

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

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

CPU: Intel Core i3-4340 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($149.99 @ Amazon)

Motherboard: ASRock B85 Pro4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($64.99 @ Amazon)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg)

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

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($319.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Cougar Archon ATX Mid Tower Case  ($47.98 @ Newegg) <-- Black and Orange case.

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($45.00) CX600M <-- Buy this now, you won't find a better PSU for $45.

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($15.00) <-- Can buy this component anywhere locally for $15, or from amazon/Newegg.

Monitor: AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor  ($137.99 @ Amazon) <-- 5ms response time and IPS panel.

Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N150PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($9.99 @ Newegg)

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $985.88

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 04:49 EDT-0400)

 

     You wont be able to overclock this processor, but it isn't really necessary because the single core performance is what games really rely on. This build gives you so much better performance because games tend to rely on strong cores that are few, rather than many cores which are weak while also getting him a better GPU, the most important component of any gaming PC.  You need to get at least a GTX770, this way his PC will last him 5 years compared to 3 years.  GPU is the most important component, he needs to spend as much as possible on that component.  He has a good budget, take advantage of it by spending money on parts that actually improve performance.

[LozzaNewport]

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

 

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($179.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master RR-T4-18PK-R1 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler  ($19.99 @ Micro Center) 

Motherboard:  ASRock H81 Pro BTC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage:  PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($59.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($56.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($334.99 @ Newegg) 

Case:  NZXT Phantom 410 (Black/Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.98 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply:  Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ Amazon) 

Optical Drive:  Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($19.98 @ OutletPC) 

Monitor:  AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor  ($129.99 @ B&H) 

Wireless Network Adapter:  TP-Link TL-WN881ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($18.83 @ Mwave) 

Case Fan:  BitFenix BFF-BLF-12025O-RP 43.5 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($8.79 @ SuperBiiz) 

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $1143.47

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 02:10 EDT-0400)

 

AMD nuff said.

[YellowMenace]

Don't get that monitor, it has a 14ms response time.  You want 5ms or less for response time. 

 

     Check out this benchmark that compares the i3 to the FX8320.  i3 wins for every single popular game: BF4, Crysis3, Metro:Last Light, AC:Black Flag, Tomb Raider.  This benchmark is very relevant because it uses a R9 280X, which is the equivalent to a GTX 770, and it is being tested at 1080p.  This will give you a very good idea of what kind of performance you should expect with an i3 and GTX 770.  For 1080p Gaming, you want a GTX 770 or R9 280X, anything less and the card will struggle to keep up, and will become obsolete very quickly.

 

     He needs to get a less expensive case.  He is spending 11% of his budget on a part that does nothing in terms of performance. The computer that you currently have built will not be able to run games in years to come because the graphics card is so limiting.  Buy a less expensive case, and use that money where it counts.

 

Here is an updated PcP build with everything from Amazon or Newegg except for the PSU, which is $45 and free shipping from Tiger Direct.com  These prices are with shipping calculated in.

 

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

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

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

CPU: Intel Core i3-4340 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($149.99 @ Amazon)

Motherboard: ASRock B85 Pro4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($64.99 @ Amazon)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg)

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

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card  ($319.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Cougar Archon ATX Mid Tower Case  ($47.98 @ Newegg) <-- Black and Orange case.

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($45.00) CX600M <-- Buy this now, you won't find a better PSU for $45.

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($15.00) <-- Can buy this component anywhere locally for $15, or from amazon/Newegg.

Monitor: AOC i2267Fw 60Hz 22.0" Monitor  ($137.99 @ Amazon) <-- 5ms response time and IPS panel.

Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N150PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter  ($9.99 @ Newegg)

Other: NZXT CB-LED20-OR Sleeved LED Kit - Orange ($8.99)

Total: $985.88

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 04:49 EDT-0400)

 

     You wont be able to overclock this processor, but it isn't really necessary because the single core performance is what games really rely on. This build gives you so much better performance because games tend to rely on strong cores that are few, rather than many cores which are weak while also getting him a better GPU, the most important component of any gaming PC.  You need to get at least a GTX770, this way his PC will last him 5 years compared to 3 years.  GPU is the most important component, he needs to spend as much as possible on that component.  He has a good budget, take advantage of it by spending money on parts that actually improve performance.

The 8-core might be more future proof due to the 8-core console and the consoles always come first, the i3 only beats it in single threaded applications, and like I said, he doesn't care what I have to compromise, he wants the NZXT Phantom 410 in orange/black.

[Faceman]

The 8-core might be more future proof due to the 8-core console and the consoles always come first, the i3 only beats it in single threaded applications, and like I said, he doesn't care what I have to compromise, he wants the NZXT Phantom 410 in orange/black.

Well, he can enjoy his poorly optimized computer.

[YellowMenace]

Well, he can enjoy his poorly optimized computer.

$160 for a dual core that, per core, is only marginally better, I'd stick with the octo-core for the same price.

[dragoon20005]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor  ($186.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard:  Asus M5A99X EVO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($107.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($68.99 @ Newegg)
Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($56.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card:  MSI Radeon R9 270X 2GB Video Card  ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case:  NZXT Phantom 410 (Black/Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:  Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor:  Dell E2314H 60Hz 23.0" Monitor  ($167.58 @ Newegg)
Total: $983.46
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 23:38 EDT-0400)

 

 

try this build?

[YellowMenace]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor  ($186.98 @ SuperBiiz)

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

Motherboard:  Asus M5A99X EVO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($107.99 @ NCIX US)

Memory:  G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($68.99 @ Newegg)

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($56.98 @ OutletPC)

Video Card:  MSI Radeon R9 270X 2GB Video Card  ($199.99 @ Newegg)

Case:  NZXT Phantom 410 (Black/Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply:  Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($54.99 @ Newegg)

Monitor:  Dell E2314H 60Hz 23.0" Monitor  ($167.58 @ Newegg)

Total: $983.46

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-19 23:38 EDT-0400)

 

 

try this build?

 

...should've mentioned we're ordering from Newegg/ Amazon only, shipping is a killer when you order from multiple places...

[Faceman]

Check the benchmarks. The i3 blows the FX8320 out of the water for gaming.

[worldwin]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3uUAg
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3uUAg
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3uUAg/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3uUAg/benchmarks/

CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor  ($199.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($31.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 Extreme3 R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard  ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($64.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Mushkin Chronos 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($74.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270 2GB Video Card  ($184.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (Black/Orange) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($21.00 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VE247H 23.6" Monitor  ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $982.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-20 00:32 EDT-0400)