First build

[wholford]

I'm new to all this but I have tried to do some research for a while now, I was just wondering if this build is okay and it is all compatible. I think I am just about there and I'm just asking for final suggestions and opinions before I start buying. This is also pretty much my budget.

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($209.99 @ Newegg) 

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

Motherboard: Asus Z87-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($134.99 @ NCIX US) 

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($78.99 @ Newegg) 

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

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

Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.99 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($119.33 @ OutletPC) 

Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer  ($19.98 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $1080.22

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-21 12:39 EDT-0400)

[PassionFruit]

You are good. Maybe a bit less wattage in the power supply.

[wholford]

what sort of performance should I expect in games from this build?

[Faceman]

 

I'm new to all this but I have tried to do some research for a while now, I was just wondering if this build is okay and it is all compatible. I think I am just about there and I'm just asking for final suggestions and opinions before I start buying. This is also pretty much my budget.

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($209.99 @ Newegg) 

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

Motherboard: Asus Z87-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($134.99 @ NCIX US) 

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($78.99 @ Newegg) 

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

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

Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.99 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($119.33 @ OutletPC) 

Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer  ($19.98 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $1080.22

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-21 12:39 EDT-0400)

 

With your budget, you should be getting an i5 and GTX 780.  I have a very, very similar build.

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3vRL7

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3vRL7/by_merchant/

Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3vRL7/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($199.99 @ Amazon) <-- i5-4670k, nuff said.

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ OutletPC) <-- Simply amazing cooler. Incredible how much performance a $30 part provides.

Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($109.99 @ Newegg) <-- I have the Z87-A myself and it is really fantastic, but you can get the same performance from a $100 board.  Motherboard doesn't impact performance.

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($68.99 @ Newegg) <-- Get the least expensive 1600Mhz, 9-9-9-24, 1.5v 4GBx2 RAM you can find.  Brand doesn't matter.

Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($67.99 @ Micro Center) <-- For day-to-day tasks, all SSDs perform the same.  Get the least expensive 120GB SSD you can find.

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

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card  ($499.99 @ NCIX US) <-- Anything less than a GTX 780 and you didn't allocate money properly.

Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case  ($39.99 @ Newegg) <-- Case doesn't impact performance, get the least expensive one that works for you.  These new Corsairs have really amazing reviews and will fit everything nicely.

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($45.00) CX600M for $45 <-- Buy this now before it goes back up in price.

Total: $1116.90

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-21 15:11 EDT-0400)

 

You can check out my profile and see my build is basically the same.  I get amazing performance, name some games and I can tell you what FPS I get, or check some benchmarks.  The i5 and GTX 780 will be very powerful for a long time to come.  Also giving ourselves the option to go SLI in the future is very nice.

[wholford]

As much as this is a great idea, I live in the UK and this adds about £80 ($130) to my build. Also I will need to buy a few peripherals like keyboard and mouse which I haven't included in my build.

[Faceman]

As much as this is a great idea, I live in the UK and this adds about £80 ($130) to my build. Also I will need to buy a few peripherals like keyboard and mouse which I haven't included in my build.

PCPartPicker part list: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w31t

Price breakdown by merchant: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w31t/by_merchant/

Benchmarks: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w31t/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  (£164.39 @ Aria PC)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  (£25.45 @ Scan.co.uk)

Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  (£87.23 @ Amazon UK)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  (£58.49 @ Amazon UK)

Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  (£48.78 @ Aria PC)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  (£35.94 @ Aria PC)

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card  (£359.74 @ Scan.co.uk)

Case: Cooler Master K280 ATX Mid Tower Case  (£32.58 @ CCL Computers)

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  (£52.84 @ Amazon UK)

Total: £865.44

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-22 01:18 BST+0100)

[wholford]

PCPartPicker part list: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w31t

Price breakdown by merchant: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w31t/by_merchant/

Benchmarks: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w31t/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  (£164.39 @ Aria PC)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  (£25.45 @ Scan.co.uk)

Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  (£87.23 @ Amazon UK)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  (£58.49 @ Amazon UK)

Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  (£48.78 @ Aria PC)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  (£35.94 @ Aria PC)

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card  (£359.74 @ Scan.co.uk)

Case: Cooler Master K280 ATX Mid Tower Case  (£32.58 @ CCL Computers)

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  (£52.84 @ Amazon UK)

Total: £865.44

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-22 01:18 BST+0100)

I do like your thinking but always with these things yes I could always go one better.  Also I am only using one 1080p monitor so is a 780 really that necessary and the possibility of over-clocking could close some of the gap. Also the reason why I might spend some more money on other parts is because I want a solid build to start of with as it my first and then I can always improve on things like my gpu when something like the 800. £750 was also my original budget so me going £800 was already a push.

[Faceman]

I do like your thinking but always with these things yes I could always go one better.  Also I am only using one 1080p monitor so is a 780 really that necessary and the possibility of over-clocking could close some of the gap. Also the reason why I might spend some more money on other parts is because I want a solid build to start of with as it my first and then I can always improve on things like my gpu when something like the 800. £750 was also my original budget so me going £800 was already a push.

     This is an incredibly solid build, overclock ready, upgrade ready, and will last you for many, many years.  What makes you think that this build is not solid?  Check out my build in my profile, it is almost identical.  Games like Metro:Last Light and Crysis 3, which are the two most graphically intense games available today, I am only getting 45fps on the highest possible settings even with a GTX 780 and my i5 OC'd to 4.7Ghz.  Go R9 290 if that will bring you in at your budget.  Or 770 if you want to stick with Nvidia. 

     The best way for you to upgrade your computer in the future will be to go SLI, which I factored into this build in the motherboard.  If 3-4 years when the performance of a single 780 starts to fall behind, or 2-3 years for a 770, then go out and buy a 2nd and run them in SLI.  You will need a stronger PSU in order to run SLI, but don't get that stronger PSU until you are sure you are going to SLI because PSUs have lifespans of 3-4 years, so buy new PSU when/if you decide to SLI, not from the start. 

     If you plan on going with a single, most powerful card and selling-->upgrading every two years, and never going SLI then even more reason why you should get a GTX 780 because it will last you that much longer than a 770.  GTX 780 will comfortably last you for 3 years, maybe even longer.  I know I don't plan on upgrading for 3+ years.

 

Here is a new build, it is going to be with an R9 290 instead of a 780, it will give you very comparable performance, and might be even better for the future because of more VRAM.  This build is crossfire capable, but not SLI capable.  So if you ever wanted to upgrade in the future, it is as easy as adding a 2nd R9290.  If you ever switch to Nvidia, you will not be able to run two Nvidia cards though.

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w59G

Price breakdown by merchant: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w59G/by_merchant/

Benchmarks: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3w59G/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  (£164.39 @ Aria PC)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  (£25.45 @ Scan.co.uk)

Motherboard: MSI Z87-G41 PC Mate ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  (£62.95 @ Ebuyer)

Memory: Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  (£52.30 @ CCL Computers)

Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  (£48.78 @ Aria PC)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  (£33.59 @ Aria PC)

Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 290 4GB Video Card  (£305.04 @ Ebuyer)

Case: Cooler Master K280 ATX Mid Tower Case  (£32.58 @ CCL Computers)

Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  (£52.84 @ Amazon UK)

Total: £777.92

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

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-22 02:14 BST+0100)

 

     If possible, try and find a less expensive case and power supply.  Both parts don't impact performance.  While it isn't a good idea to get a low end PSU, there is no benefit to going overkill either.  Find the least expensive 80+ Bronze Certified, 550W-600W PSU from a reputable company.  Case also doesn't impact performance, so get the least expensive case that you like, that will fit all of the components.  The case you select will need to be at least 7.9"/200mm Wide and support video cards with a length of 11.3"/288mm in order to fit the Hyper 212 EVO and any modern video card.  USB3.0 is also a nice feature to have for your case.