First build, high performance desired

[Somber]

Location: Norway.

Budget: Preferrably no more than 25'000 NOK (3800 USD). 

Aim: Running AAA titles at  60+FPS at maximum settings for the forseeable future. Using the Unreal Engine, Photoshop, Blender, Visual Studio.

Monitors: I would not be opposed to trying a dual monitor setup.

Peripherals: Pretty much everything except Headphones and speakers: Keyboard, mouse, Windows OS, Monitor(s), Microphone.

Why are you upgrading: I've been using laptops for over half a decade, and I want to go back to desktop as my main platform (currently using a Dell XPS).

 

Additional information about my preferences:

-I value a high quality display over one with a high refresh rate, though one that has both would obviously be ideal. I think ~24 inches in size would suit me quite well, as I sit rather close to the monitor.

-I currently use the Logitech G9X mouse, and it is the best mouse I've ever used. Unfortunately it has been discontinued, so I'm looking for a replacement for whenever the one I have breaks (The Corsair M45 looks promising).

-I do want some resistance in the keyswitches on the keyboard, so that I can tell the precise moment that the keypress has registered. Noise from the keyboard is not a big issue, neither is size or backlighting.

-I'm not particular when it comes to how the case looks, but I do want one that is big enough that it can fit anything, unless that somehow adversely affects cooling efficiency.

-I've only ever been using processors from Intel and Nvidia, and am satisfied with their performance, and so I would choose those brands over competitors, unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise. Price is no factor when it comes to the GPU, and the CPU.

-I have no knowledge of motherboards, other than that based on the model, certain hardware components might be incompatible. I would want one that is compatible with the newest technologies.

-I have a habit of leaving programs running in the background, so that I can resume my work, and leisure at a whim, so I would prefer above 8 GB of RAM. The brand is of no importance to me.

- When it comes to Hard-drives, I want one that has as low as possible chance of breaking down or corrupting data. I've read that SSDs perform much better in terms of read/write speed, in which case I would want to invest in a pair of those as well.

-Due to the far superior compatibility of windows, as compared to all other OSes I know of, in addition to the fact that I've never used anything else, I will be going with Windows OS 8.1 (or whatever the newest version is) (currently using Windows 7).

- I want my components running well within the recommended temperature range. If separate components are required for this, I would be fine with investing in that. 

- I will be looking for a high quality microphone, not necessarily of professional standard, but good enough for me to do amateur voice work with it.

 

 

Thanks in advance for assisting me.

 

[Demons Wrath]

Praise be tomshardware!

 

Norway
Komplett
Dustin Home
Advance.no
Cdon.no
MPX.no <--- Best Buy / Fry's type store for Norway, sells PC parts
Tofte Elektriske

 

I'll make a list on pcpartpicker as a guide for you.

[JoaoPRSousa]

Welcome to the forums  :lol:

 

Quote or tag us to get some attention, follow your topics and mark them as Solved when you are done 

 

In which store are you going to buy the parts? Can you link us to it?

[Demons Wrath]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($279.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 240M 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($116.53 @ Amazon) 

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($139.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Corsair Force LS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($99.99 @ NCIX US) 

Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 980 4GB AMP! Edition Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($549.95 @ NCIX US) 

Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 980 4GB AMP! Edition Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($549.95 @ NCIX US) 

Case: Cooler Master N600 Windowed ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

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: Asus ROG SWIFT PG278Q 144Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($807.58 @ Newegg) 

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

Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($124.99 @ NCIX US) 

Mouse: Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Other: Blue Yeti Microphone ($100.00)

Total: $3410.47

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-21 13:18 EDT-0400

 

This is pretty good for the price, but now you have to compare this list to the Norwegian retailers list I provided.

 

Once you find something similar, make a list of them on pcpartpicker and post it here. Give us a chance to scrutinize it.

[Rohit Jackdaw]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($279.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 240M 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($116.53 @ Amazon) 

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($139.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Corsair Force LS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($99.99 @ NCIX US) 

Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 980 4GB AMP! Edition Video Card  ($549.95 @ NCIX US) 

Case: Cooler Master N600 Windowed ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

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) 

Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($124.99 @ NCIX US) 

Mouse: Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Other: Blue Yeti Microphone ($100.00)

Total: $2052.94

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-21 13:01 EDT-0400

 

This is pretty good for the price, but now you have to compare this list to the Norwegian retailers list I provided.

 

Once you find something similar, make a list of them on pcpartpicker and post it here. Give us a chance to scrutinize it.

SLI the 980s for better performance since it is no where near the max budget. Also a bigger SSD and a more expensive case. Other than that it is quite good.

[Demons Wrath]

SLI the 980s for better performance since it is no where near the max budget. Also a bigger SSD and a more expensive case. Other than that it is quite good.

 

No need to waste money by getting a second GTX 980 without the means to properly use it. If he got a RoG Swift monitor perhaps, then it would make perfect sense. Let me see if the budget can handle it.

 

Edit: Done. Now it has the RoG Swift and 2 980s. 

[Somber]

No need to waste money by getting a second GTX 980 without the means to properly use it. If he got a RoG Swift monitor perhaps, then it would make perfect sense. Let me see if the budget can handle it.

 

Edit: Done. Now it has the RoG Swift and 2 980s. 

Looks really good overall, but I have some questions.

 

1. I don't think Rip Jaws is sold in Norway, can you recommand a different brand?

2. I looked up the referenced Seagate drive, and people seem to have found issues with it within ~2years. Are there any out there that are more reliable, or is this kind of thing practically inevitable with HDDs (Have had no issue personally with the one I use currently)?

3. According to their own numbers, the EVGA model of the 980 is "superclocked" to a higher frequency than the Zotac version, and is cheaper. Could you explain why you chose Zotac?

4. The monitor you both suggest is apparently a TN panel, how big is the diffrence in color reproduction in comparison to an IPS monitor? Also, according to PCWorld my laptop uses an LCD screen with LED backlighting, does that mean that it's an IPS screen or no?

[Demons Wrath]

Looks really good overall, but I have some questions.

 

1. I don't think Rip Jaws is sold in Norway, can you recommand a different brand?

2. I looked up the referenced Seagate drive, and people seem to have found issues with it within ~2years. Are there any out there that are more reliable, or is this kind of thing practically inevitable with HDDs (Have had no issue personally with the one I use currently)?

3. According to their own numbers, the EVGA model of the 980 is "superclocked" to a higher frequency than the Zotac version, and is cheaper. Could you explain why you chose Zotac?

4. The monitor you both suggest is apparently a TN panel, how big is the diffrence in color reproduction in comparison to an IPS monitor? Also, according to PCWorld my laptop uses an LCD screen with LED backlighting, does that mean that it's an IPS screen or no?

 

Most of the things I chose are just a reference to look through. Any GTX 980 would be fine to choose, perhaps not the stock coolers because others are better, and perhaps not EVGA's AXC 1.0 cooler (2.0 is quieter I heard). For the RAM, Kingston, Corsair, G.Skill, Patriot, Team, A-Data, Crucial, GeIL, Mushkin etc. Doesn't really matter which brand, so long as it's DDR3. For the HDD; Seagate is a reputable brand as is Western Digital. For a large capacity HDD, choose either a Seagate Barracuda or WD Black. The size is down to you. For the monitor, the RoG Swift is a TN certainly, but it's better than any other TN panel monitor. Because you want a super high end PC, you will want a super high end monitor use it with. The RoG Swift is among the best.

 

When you find things worth putting in a build, put it in a pcpartpicker list, and post it here. I can then look at it and give my recommendations or critique.

[Somber]

Most of the things I chose are just a reference to look through. Any GTX 980 would be fine to choose, perhaps not the stock coolers because others are better, and perhaps not EVGA's AXC 1.0 cooler (2.0 is quieter I heard). For the RAM, Kingston, Corsair, G.Skill, Patriot, Team, A-Data, Crucial, GeIL, Mushkin etc. Doesn't really matter which brand, so long as it's DDR3. For the HDD; Seagate is a reputable brand as is Western Digital. For a large capacity HDD, choose either a Seagate Barracuda or WD Black. The size is down to you. For the monitor, the RoG Swift is a TN certainly, but it's better than any other TN panel monitor. Because you want a super high end PC, you will want a super high end monitor use it with. The RoG Swift is among the best.

 

When you find things worth putting in a build, put it in a pcpartpicker list, and post it here. I can then look at it and give my recommendations or critique.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($329.99 @ Amazon) 

CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($94.98 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($116.53 @ Amazon) 

Memory: Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($164.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Intel 730 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($216.98 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Western Digital WD Black 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($253.98 @ SuperBiiz) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($569.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($569.99 @ Amazon) 

Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case  ($109.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($177.98 @ Newegg) 

Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($16.99 @ Newegg) 

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

Monitor: Asus ROG SWIFT PG278Q 144Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($807.58 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($24.98 @ OutletPC) 

Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($129.99 @ Amazon) 

Mouse: Corsair Raptor M45 Wired Optical Mouse  ($44.98 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $3719.90

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-22 11:42 EDT-0400

 

I think I can get a hold of these parts without problem.

 

I still have no idea what to look for with Motherboards, so I just assumed the one you recommended will suit all my needs. 

[Demons Wrath]

I think I can get a hold of these parts without problem.

 

I still have no idea what to look for with Motherboards, so I just assumed the one you recommended will suit all my needs. 

 

Everything seems solid. The RAM I especially like. That RAM is 1600mhz, but the timings are 8-8-8-24. That's very tight for 1600mhz.

 

For the case, can you find any: NZXT H440, Fractal Design Define R4, Nanoxia Deep Space 1, Phanteks Enthoo Pro/Luxe/Primo, Corsair 730T/Air 540? If you can find any of these, and if they are cheaper than the 750D, I'd choose them instead. If you do find one of these, be sure to come back and tell me what you changed it to.

 

For the PSU, if you can find anything 750w or above range that is fully or even semi modular and Gold Rated from: Antec, be quiet!, Cooler Master, Corsair, Enermax, EVGA, Fractal Design, FSP, NZXT, OCZ, Seasonic, XFX etc that is cheaper than what you have already. You should consider that too.

[HashtagMilk]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($299.99 @ Micro Center)

CPU Cooler: Swiftech H220-X 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler

Motherboard: Asus X99-DELUXE ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($371.98 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($499.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($208.97 @ SuperBiiz)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($349.99 @ NCIX US)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($349.99 @ NCIX US)

Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($134.99 @ NCIX US)

Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.98 @ OutletPC)

Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($249.99 @ Amazon)

Monitor: Dell U2414H 60Hz 23.8" Monitor ($243.00 @ Newegg)

Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)

Total: $3110.83

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-22 13:31 EDT-0400

[Rohit Jackdaw]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($329.99 @ Amazon) 

CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($94.98 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($116.53 @ Amazon) 

Memory: Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($164.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Intel 730 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($216.98 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Western Digital WD Black 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($253.98 @ SuperBiiz) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($569.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI)  ($569.99 @ Amazon) 

Case: Corsair 750D ATX Full Tower Case  ($109.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($177.98 @ Newegg) 

Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($16.99 @ Newegg) 

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

Monitor: Asus ROG SWIFT PG278Q 144Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($807.58 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($24.98 @ OutletPC) 

Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($129.99 @ Amazon) 

Mouse: Corsair Raptor M45 Wired Optical Mouse  ($44.98 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $3719.90

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-22 11:42 EDT-0400

 

I think I can get a hold of these parts without problem.

 

I still have no idea what to look for with Motherboards, so I just assumed the one you recommended will suit all my needs.

This is the perfect build for the price. You can go for it without any reconsideration.

[Rohit Jackdaw]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchantCPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($299.99 @ Micro Center) CPU Cooler: Swiftech H220-X 55.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler Motherboard: Asus X99-DELUXE ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($371.98 @ SuperBiiz) Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($499.99 @ Newegg) Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($208.97 @ SuperBiiz) Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Amazon) Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($349.99 @ NCIX US) Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($349.99 @ NCIX US) Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Newegg) Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($134.99 @ NCIX US) Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg) Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($99.98 @ OutletPC) Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($249.99 @ Amazon) Monitor: Dell U2414H 60Hz 23.8" Monitor ($243.00 @ Newegg) Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K70 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($129.99 @ Amazon) Total: $3110.83Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when availableGenerated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-22 13:31 EDT-0400

This will perform worse as it has 970s. He wants performance.

[OhhTee]

I saw Logitech g9x in your post. I agreed, best mouse ever. I've been trying to find a replacement in case mine breaks but to no avail.

[Somber]

Thanks a lot guys. The parts have arrived, so I'm going to mark this as solved.

[Somber]

I saw Logitech g9x in your post. I agreed, best mouse ever. I've been trying to find a replacement in case mine breaks but to no avail.

M45 seems very close to it, now that I've held it. It's slightly heavier and bigger in size, but the shape itself is close to identical IRRC. It felt just as good as when I held the g9x for the first time. RMouse and LMouse are indistinguishable from the ones on g9x, and the scroll wheel even feels better (slightly less resistance). Back and forward are placed a little higher up I think, but I not enough to matter in any way. Keep in mind that I haven't used it since because my g9x is still alive, so there might be issues I don't know about (though I sincerely doubt it).

 

I done an out of case build, and things seem to be working (haven't tested the watercooler), but now that I'm assembling the parts in the case some questions are coming to mind:

- Can you power several SATA drives with the same cable?

- How do you deal with residual cooling paste? I tried the air cooler to test, and it left a smear on the CPU, which I just wiped off with a lint free rag, but there is still a discoloration on the component. Will it be fine?

- How should I configure my fans? Currently, I've installed the PSU to not contribute to intake/outtake in the case, is that what's recommended, or should I use it as an extra exhaust?

- How do I know if a fan is mounted for intake/outtake?

- I don't currently have access to the internet at home, so I'm taking this opportunity to download drivers and such. I have the latest for the graphics card from EVGA (v344.48), and the firmware for the M45. What else should I be grabbing?

[OhhTee]

You can power several sata device through the cable routing to the psu.

Psu generally doesn't contribute to the fan configuration. You would want positive pressure to prevent dust buildup, so more intake than exhaust. Heat rises so many the fans near the top exhaust ones. So it's good to have front and bottom fans as intakes. You can tell if the fan is an intake or exhaust by looking for an arrow on the fan itself. It's pointing in the direction that the air is flowing.

I would answer more questions but I'm using Mobile and my hand is getting tired.