First time build

[CrilleS]

Hi everyone!

 

I'm planning to do my first gaming build in the next month or so.

 

I've never build af costum desktop PC before but I am daily working with IT and I have hands on experience with desktop PC hardware and laptops.

 

I set a budget for myself which is 1300$ or in danish crowns 8000Kr.

 

I made the build on pcpartpicker: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/sjtqwP

 

The build i've made on pcpartpicker is around 1200$ but in a danish store it's closer to 1300$.

 

Does anyone have a recommendations to me? I really like the small BitFenix case because I think it's very sleek and nice looking and non-flashy. But I don't know if it hard to build in for a first timer?

 

I don't plan on overclocking and that's why i chose a H97 motherboard instead of a Z97.

 

I will be playing games such as League of Legends, Company of Heroes 1 & 2, Battlefield and so on.

[MasterRaceFanBoy]

go for dual channel ram

[CrilleS]

go for dual channel ram

Is it better to have 2x4GB than 1x8GB?

 

Any performance gains or?

[MasterRaceFanBoy]

Is it better to have 2x4GB than 1x8GB?

 

Any performance gains or?

is better for this kind of mobo. performance? it will affect i believe

[CrilleS]

is better for this kind of mobo. performance? it will affect i believe

Okay. Does the other things look alright from your perspective?

 

I'm thinking about waiting for the EVGA 970 but I'm not sure which is better. I believe that Zotac's have a higher base clock and boost but i don't know if their build quality is better than EVGA's?

[MasterRaceFanBoy]

Okay. Does the other things look alright from your perspective?

 

I'm thinking about waiting for the EVGA 970 but I'm not sure which is better. I believe that Zotac's have a higher base clock and boost but i don't know if their build quality is better than EVGA's?

no. it seems oke. and follow/read this topic for the 970

[Demons Wrath]

Praise be tomshardware!

 

Denmark
Hardware Versand
E-Gear
Labtech Data
Fonix Computer
EDB Priser

 

Just in case you can find better prices.

[Demons Wrath]

Does anyone have a recommendations to me? I really like the small BitFenix case because I think it's very sleek and nice looking and non-flashy. But I don't know if it hard to build in for a first timer?

 

I recommend the Cooler Master N200 for a mATX case. The price difference between the Bit Fenix and the N200 should be quite large.

[CrilleS]

I recommend the Cooler Master N200 for a mATX case. The price difference between the Bit Fenix and the N200 should be quite large.

Thank you for the list of websites to look for hardware. Normally i buy my hardware from komplett.dk here in Denmark.

 

I've looked on the Cooler Master N200 mATX case and i don't really like the looks of it. I really adore the design of the BitFenix case. I can't seem to find anyone similar to that. Do you have any experience with the BitFenix case or another mATX case? Do you know if the airflow will be alright?

 

I've also talked to my friend about my build because I was unsure if i needed a aftermarket CPU cooler and he said i didn't need one if i wasn't planning on overclocking. Is this correct? I know a aftermarket cooler will give better temps but do i need one if i'm not overclocking?

[GameDragon]

Firstly i would upgrade to the i5 4790k or i5 4790 depending on if you are overclocking. secondly I would use 2x4gb ram sticks instead of 1x8 as this enables dual-channels. thirdly i would advise upgrading to an aftermarket cpu cooler especially if you are going to be overclocking, I hope i could help!

[Demons Wrath]

Thank you for the list of websites to look for hardware. Normally i buy my hardware from komplett.dk here in Denmark.

 

I've looked on the Cooler Master N200 mATX case and i don't really like the looks of it. I really adore the design of the BitFenix case. I can't seem to find anyone similar to that. Do you have any experience with the BitFenix case or another mATX case? Do you know if the airflow will be alright?

 

I've also talked to my friend about my build because I was unsure if i needed a aftermarket CPU cooler and he said i didn't need one if i wasn't planning on overclocking. Is this correct? I know a aftermarket cooler will give better temps but do i need one if i'm not overclocking?

 

I have little enough experience with mATX cases. My last case was mATX, but it was a complete pile of shit! As for the N200, I would describe the case's aesthetic as Scandinavian. It's utilitarian, functional, and lacks the otherwise pointless and expensive embellishments. I would have thought a Dane would be most appreciative of this. 

 

For the N200's airflow, it comes with two fans preinstalled and can take two more 120mm fans, one in the roof, and another in the front. It means it has neutral fan pressure divided between intake and exhaust. That should be good, it should mean the dust build up won't be so severe. As for the aftermarket cooler. If you choose something sensible, then you can have a quiet and cool cpu. It isn't strictly necessary for a non-overclocking PC, but it is nice for keeping your pc quiet on the whole. Look for the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, the NZXT Respire T40, the Zalman CNPS10X Optima, the Enermax ETS-T40 and the Deepcool Gammaxx 300/400. Look for all of these, and choose the cheapest. They're all relatively inexpensive and rather good considering the price. 

[CrilleS]

Firstly i would upgrade to the i5 4790k or i5 4790 depending on if you are overclocking. secondly I would use 2x4gb ram sticks instead of 1x8 as this enables dual-channels. thirdly i would advise upgrading to an aftermarket cpu cooler especially if you are going to be overclocking, I hope i could help!

 

If I choose a better CPU i will get over my budget of 1300$. I know it doesn't look like that on pcpartpicker but when i converted to danish crowns it will. I will rather get a 970 and then a slighly worse CPU then a better CPU and 770 or 780 i think.

 

I'm not going to overclock since this is my first build and just want a stable and nice rig.

 

I have little enough experience with mATX cases. My last case was mATX, but it was a complete pile of shit! As for the N200, I would describe the case's aesthetic as Scandinavian. It's utilitarian, functional, and lacks the otherwise pointless and expensive embellishments. I would have thought a Dane would be most appreciative of this. 

 

For the N200's airflow, it comes with two fans preinstalled and can take two more 120mm fans, one in the roof, and another in the front. It means it has neutral fan pressure divided between intake and exhaust. That should be good, it should mean the dust build up won't be so severe. As for the aftermarket cooler. If you choose something sensible, then you can have a quiet and cool cpu. It isn't strictly necessary for a non-overclocking PC, but it is nice for keeping your pc quiet on the whole. Look for the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, the NZXT Respire T40, the Zalman CNPS10X Optima, the Enermax ETS-T40 and the Deepcool Gammaxx 300/400. Look for all of these, and choose the cheapest. They're all relatively inexpensive and rather good considering the price. 

 

I've just seen some videos with the case and it actually look pretty alright. I'm planing on having the case right next to me on my desk.

[CrilleS]

Does anyone have experience with the Fractal Define Mini? That case look very nice aswell.

 

The only thing i'm concerned about in the BitFenix case is airflow.

[Demons Wrath]

Does anyone have experience with the Fractal Define Mini? That case look very nice aswell.

 

The only thing i'm concerned about in the BitFenix case is airflow.

 

If you mean the Fractal Design Core 1000, the airflow is worse than the N200.

 

Edit: I see the one you mean, it seems to have the exact same air cooling capabilities as the N200, with an additional 120mm in the door which is nice but only if you do not have a fat heatsink over your cpu. It also comes with a fan controller for three fans which is nice. If you do get this case, get one more 120mm fan for the front, and a 140mm fan for the roof. If you put in something like the Enermax ETS-T40 in it, you might not be able to get the final fan in the door. The big disadvantage here is you need to take out one of the HDD cages in order to fit even a moderately sized GPU, it's quite tight in there.

[CrilleS]

If you mean the Fractal Design Core 1000, the airflow is worse than the N200.

 

Edit: I see the one you mean, it seems to have the exact same air cooling capabilities as the N200, with an additional 120mm in the door which is nice but only if you do not have a fat heatsink over your cpu. It also comes with a fan controller for three fans which is nice. If you do get this case, get one more 120mm fan for the front, and a 140mm fan for the roof. If you put in something like the Enermax ETS-T40 in it, you might not be able to get the final fan in the door. The big disadvantage here is you need to take out one of the HDD cages in order to fit even a moderately sized GPU, it's quite tight in there.

 

I don't think it would be a problem for me that I have to remove one of the HDD cages for a big GPU. I will only use a SSD + HDD combo which should fit fine in the buttom.

 

I learning more to the Fractal Design Mini right now because it looks easier to work with and have better airflow and cable management and still looks very pretty.

 

If i chose that case i would leave the side and top fan mounting spots closed off for silence reasons and then use two 140mm in the front and one 120mm in the back i think and then a aftermarket CPU cooler like the 212 EVO from Cooler Master.

[CrilleS]

I think I've changed my mind. Right now i standing between chosing the Fractal Design Mini or the Corsair Obisidian 350D. I've seen the 350D in real life and my workplace and that looks really good.

 

Do you have experience with that case? My coworker tells me it's really easy to build in. And it's not too expensive either.

[Demons Wrath]

I think I've changed my mind. Right now i standing between chosing the Fractal Design Mini or the Corsair Obisidian 350D. I've seen the 350D in real life and my workplace and that looks really good.

 

Do you have experience with that case? My coworker tells me it's really easy to build in. And it's not too expensive either.

 

They're all fairly expensive compared to the Cooler Master N200. But, the 350D can support two front intakes, two top exhausts and one rear exhaust. If you do get it, get three more 140mm fans for the front and roof, and you've got excellent airflow.

 

Here's a rough idea of what you should look for:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($199.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS10X OPTIMA CPU Cooler  ($21.99 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: ASRock Z97M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory: Team Zeus Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($68.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Corsair Force LX Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB ACX 2.0 Video Card  ($329.99 @ Amazon) 

Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.99 @ Amazon) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($44.99 @ NCIX US) 

Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer  ($13.99 @ Newegg) 

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($89.98 @ OutletPC) 

Monitor: AOC I2421VWH 60Hz 24.0" Monitor  ($177.58 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-S4S-10AK-GP 60.9 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($4.99 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-S4S-10AK-GP 60.9 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($4.99 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-S4S-10AK-GP 60.9 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($4.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1272.42

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-20 05:22 EDT-0400

 

For the monitor; if you plan on getting a good Nvidia card like the GTX 970, you should at some point consider getting a G-Sync monitor. It doesn't have to be right away, but something you should consider for the future. The monitor I added has all the specs you should be looking for at the moment. Those are; IPS panel, DVI connection, 1920x1080, no larger than 24 inches for reasons of pixel density, maximum of 5ms refresh time.

 

As for the rest it's all fairly straight forward good PC parts.

[CrilleS]

 

 

They're all fairly expensive compared to the Cooler Master N200. But, the 350D can support two front intakes, two top exhausts and one rear exhaust. If you do get it, get three more 140mm fans for the front and roof, and you've got excellent airflow.

 

Here's a rough idea of what you should look for:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($199.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS10X OPTIMA CPU Cooler  ($21.99 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: ASRock Z97M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory: Team Zeus Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($68.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Corsair Force LX Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB ACX 2.0 Video Card  ($329.99 @ Amazon) 

Case: Corsair 350D Window MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($109.99 @ Amazon) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($44.99 @ NCIX US) 

Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer  ($13.99 @ Newegg) 

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($89.98 @ OutletPC) 

Monitor: AOC I2421VWH 60Hz 24.0" Monitor  ($177.58 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-S4S-10AK-GP 60.9 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($4.99 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-S4S-10AK-GP 60.9 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($4.99 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Cooler Master R4-S4S-10AK-GP 60.9 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($4.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1272.42

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-20 05:22 EDT-0400

 

For the monitor; if you plan on getting a good Nvidia card like the GTX 970, you should at some point consider getting a G-Sync monitor. It doesn't have to be right away, but something you should consider for the future. The monitor I added has all the specs you should be looking for at the moment. Those are; IPS panel, DVI connection, 1920x1080, no larger than 24 inches for reasons of pixel density, maximum of 5ms refresh time.

 

As for the rest it's all fairly straight forward good PC parts.

 

 

That's a great build. Unfortunately some of the things i couldn't quite find here in Denmark so I have to make som changes to your list. This is what I've come up with:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($199.00 @ Amazon) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($28.99 @ Micro Center) 

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($76.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($71.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($79.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card  ($335.91 @ Newegg) 

Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($92.67 @ Amazon) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ Newegg) 

Monitor: Asus VN247H-P 23.6" Monitor  ($164.30 @ Amazon) 

Case Fan: Corsair Air Series AF140 Quiet Edition 67.8 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($16.83 @ Amazon) 

Case Fan: Corsair Air Series AF140 Quiet Edition 67.8 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($16.83 @ Amazon) 

Case Fan: Corsair Air Series AF140 Quiet Edition 67.8 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($16.83 @ Amazon) 

Total: $1240.30

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-20 08:25 EDT-0400

 

The price here in Denmark will be closer to $1400-1500 than $1240. But I really like this build. The only thing I'm not sure about is the motherboard. I'm not sure how many fans it can support.

 

OBS: I don't need an optical drive or Windows OS. I already have these taken care of.

 

What do you think?

[feynm4n]

My current case is the define mini and I have nothing but praise, fantastic build quality and such a smart looking case. I have only changed one thing from stock and that it to replace the stock blue LED as it was too bright for a bed room PC, but this was very easy and cheap to do.

 

The only negative I have toward the case is the lack of side window accessory like fractal offer for the R4. This case is definitely worth the extra money and it's something you'll see everyday and in my opinion it's the smartest looking case at the moment.