1440p gaming rig, later this year

[Ziltoid_]

My current rig (Phenom X3 2.4 + 560ti) is struggling trying to run Assetto Corsa at 1080p with more than a few cars on the track at the same time, so it's time for an upgrade.

 

I will be buying a new monitor to go with the rig, either 2560 x 1440, or 3440 x 1440 resolution. So I will need some good power. I also plan on buying an Oculus Rift at some point, which is rumored to get a 1440p quality display so there's that too.

 

Aesthetically, I want the computer to look compact, simple, and modern(no leds). It should be very quiet(preferably silent at idle). Being cool(temperature) is also a plus.

 

I am located in the US, I live near a microcenter, and I would like to keep the build under $2000(although there is some fudge room). My last build has lasted me 5 years with only spending $1200 total, so this build should last me 5 years as well(if not more). This long lifetime is why I want the i7 over the i5, because in 5 years most applications could be using hyper threading.

 

Here's what I've come up with so far:

• Case: Silverstone FT05 (coming in September for $180)
• CPU: 4790K ($279 from microcenter)
• Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 ($99 from newegg)
• GPU: Reference style 780ti ($699 from newegg) <- reference style because of the blower style cooler. I think would work better with the positive air pressure in the FT05 case.
• RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tactical 16gb 1600 Low Profile ($159 from newegg) <- I need low profile ram if I want to use the NH-D15 in dual fan, but should I be considering faster ram than 1600? I've heard mixed things.
• PSU: Seasonic Platinum 760w ($159 from amazon)

The only things I haven't decided on are the motherboard(because I'm waiting for more reviews to come out for the different Z97 boards), and the Storage. The storage is interesting because I want a PCIe NVMe SSD, but it's such a new segment. By the time I'm building, I might decide to go with SATAe, or just get a cheap regular SATA SSD until more NVMe drives come out say a year later.

 

All that said, do you have any recommendations for me?

[MegaDave91]

Here's my recommendation for the parts you listed; It's not a complete build.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/D873mG

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($238.99 @ Amazon) 

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 7 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($174.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($169.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 290X 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($538.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($129.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1352.94

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

[dragoon20005]

tough choice

 

3440 x 1440 do put a strain on the 780Ti single gpu

 

to pump out good fps you need to look at 2 GPUs with 4GB VRAM and above

 

my suggestion is either dual 290 in X-Fire or GTX780 in SLi

 

do note that both GPUs I mentioned are very close in performance when both are in water

 

silent build can be done with air cooling but nothing beats water cooling

[WoodenMarker]

If you're going to wait for the FT05, you might as well plan later.

By the time the i5 is outdated for gaming, the i7 would likely be outdated as well. HT generally does little to nothing for games.

5 years is a long time in the world or tech. You're better off in the long run to get what you need now and save any extra money for more frequent future upgrades.

[Ziltoid_]

Thanks for the input everyone

 

If you're going to wait for the FT05, you might as well plan later.

By the time the i5 is outdated for gaming, the i7 would likely be outdated as well. HT generally does little to nothing for games.

5 years is a long time in the world or tech. You're better off in the long run to get what you need now and save any extra money for more frequent future upgrades.

 

Those are some good points. I guess more frequent upgrades is a much better strategy than trying to future proof it.

 

Initially I'll probably just get the Case, Processor(probs i5), Mobo, RAM, PSU, and a cheap temporary SSD. I'll put my existing 560ti in and that will hold me off at 1080p for a while. Then after the monitor market develops a bit i'll get my 1440p goodness and then I'll look at the new GPU, PCIe SSD, and CPU Cooler.