First Gaming Build

[StevenGibson1994]

Hi guys.

 

Me and my Fiancee will be building this system listed below for our first gaming system: We wanted to keep the price below £955 GBP. We will use the system for Gaming, running some Virtual Machines for college and everyday use such as browsing web and watching videos.

 

We don't plan on overclocking the system at all.

 

 

Build 

PCPartPicker part list: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/dDm3vK

Price breakdown by merchant: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/dDm3vK/by_merchant/

 

CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor (£124.90 @ Amazon UK)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£24.97 @ Amazon UK)

Motherboard: MSI 970 GAMING ATX AM3+ Motherboard (£76.48 @ CCL Computers)

Memory: Kingston Fury Red Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (£52.99 @ Amazon UK)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£39.95 @ CCL Computers)

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (£455.98 @ Scan.co.uk)

Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case (£99.99 @ Amazon UK)

Power Supply: XFX XTR 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£76.78 @ Amazon UK)

Total: £952.04

 

I am wanting this system to be able to run games such as Dying Light, BF4, BF Hardline, Advanced Warfare at 1080p with no frame rate issues. I would like the FPS to be about 65 fps. Would this system do the job.

 

Upgrade's for the future:

Cooler: H100i

Ram : Add another 8gb

SSD : Get 250 gb Samsung SSD

GPU : Add another gtx 980.

PSU : will need to get a new PSU for SLI 980's

[SimpleG]

Get i5 4690k and a 290x

[StevenGibson1994]

Get i5 4690k and a 290x

I am wanting to keep the gtx 980.

[Starelementpoke]

From what I can tell, it should be able to run the games at 1080p fine. Just turn down some of the details so the cpu can keep up. For gaming its better to have less more powerful cores than more less powerful cores.

[weled]

you could save money on the gpu by getting a 970 

[Starelementpoke]

True, that'll run the games just as well as far as I can tell.

[Starelementpoke]

Also, make sure the cpu doesnt bottle neck the gpu

[StevenGibson1994]

What if I change the system to Intel based would that get better performance?

 

Possible new build :

PCPartPicker part list: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/F7qhZL

Price breakdown by merchant: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/F7qhZL/by_merchant/

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  (£183.08 @ Amazon UK) 

CPU Cooler: Corsair H55 57.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  (£42.00 @ Amazon UK) 

Motherboard: MSI Z87M GAMING Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  (£75.56 @ Scan.co.uk) 

Memory: Kingston Fury Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  (£53.03 @ Amazon UK) 

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  (£39.95 @ CCL Computers) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card  (£455.98 @ Scan.co.uk) 

Case: Corsair Air 240 MicroATX Mid Tower Case  (£71.94 @ Scan.co.uk) 

Power Supply: XFX XTR 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  (£76.78 @ Amazon UK) 

Total: £998.32

[Starelementpoke]

Just necessarily changing it to intel doesn't automatically make it better performance. While intel cpus tend to cause less bottle necking, amd cpus are less $$$. Also, if I rember correctly, in one of linus' videos, he showed amd setting one of their cpus to 2ghz, with one of their high end gpus. There wasn't any performance loss so thats something you gotta remeber. 

[StevenGibson1994]

Just necessarily changing it to intel doesn't automatically make it better performance. While intel cpus tend to cause less bottle necking, amd cpus are less $$$. Also, if I rember correctly, in one of linus' videos, he showed amd setting one of their cpus to 2ghz, with one of their high end gpus. There wasn't any performance loss so thats something you gotta remeber. 

So the AMD will run games perfectly fine? 

[Starelementpoke]

Amd gpu or cpu?

[anders_b]

Get i5 4690k and a 290x

i5 has better single core preformens but he says he will run vm's and the 8 cores the amd is better for vm's than a 4690k and why and k serie the dude says he will not overclock

[Starelementpoke]

Not saying amd will run the games PERFECTLY fine. They'll most likly run them very well. The cpu no bottle necking thing might've been using their mantle however, so might be worth going amd to see what mantle has to say in the future.

[StevenGibson1994]

Amd gpu or cpu?

AMD CPU

[Starelementpoke]

Ah, if it's amd cpu then amd's magic program where bottlenecking becomes a myth will only work with amd gpu's. So if you go amd cpu, go amd gpu as well.

[Guest]

Which 1080p Monitor are you using ?

[Starelementpoke]

Quick side question, what the difference between one 1080p monitor to another? Besides the brand.

[StevenGibson1994]

Not saying amd will run the games PERFECTLY fine. They'll most likly run them very well. The cpu no bottle necking thing might've been using their mantle however, so might be worth going amd to see what mantle has to say in the future.

Yeah I know it will probably run the games Very Well. Since I am going to go with the AMD Build would anyone recommend any future upgrades I can do to the system?

[StevenGibson1994]

Which 1080p Monitor are you using ?

I am just going to use my 40" Samsung 1080p Full HD TV.

[Guest]

The R9 290 is good value for money and will handle 1080p fine. The 850W psu is also big enough for a 2nd card if you want to add one later.

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  (£255.42 @ Amazon UK) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  (£24.97 @ Amazon UK) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  (£88.99 @ Dabs) 

Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  (£53.05 @ CCL Computers) 

Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  (£79.00 @ Amazon UK) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  (£34.45 @ Aria PC) 

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 290 4GB PCS+ Video Card  (£209.59 @ Overclockers.co.uk) 

Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case  (£89.99 @ Scan.co.uk) 

Power Supply: XFX 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  (£77.26 @ More Computers) 

Total: £912.72

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-08 15:53 GMT+0000

[StevenGibson1994]

 

The R9 290 is good value for money and will handle 1080p fine. The 850W psu is also big enough for a 2nd card if you want to add one later.

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  (£255.42 @ Amazon UK) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  (£24.97 @ Amazon UK) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  (£88.99 @ Dabs) 

Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  (£53.05 @ CCL Computers) 

Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  (£79.00 @ Amazon UK) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  (£34.45 @ Aria PC) 

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 290 4GB PCS+ Video Card  (£209.59 @ Overclockers.co.uk) 

Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case  (£89.99 @ Scan.co.uk) 

Power Supply: XFX 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  (£77.26 @ More Computers) 

Total: £912.72

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-08 15:53 GMT+0000

 

I am wanting to keep the gtx 980. What is the difference between a Semi-Modular Power Supply and a Fully Modular Power Supply?

[StevenGibson1994]

 

The R9 290 is good value for money and will handle 1080p fine. The 850W psu is also big enough for a 2nd card if you want to add one later.

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  (£255.42 @ Amazon UK) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  (£24.97 @ Amazon UK) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  (£88.99 @ Dabs) 

Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  (£53.05 @ CCL Computers) 

Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  (£79.00 @ Amazon UK) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  (£34.45 @ Aria PC) 

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 290 4GB PCS+ Video Card  (£209.59 @ Overclockers.co.uk) 

Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case  (£89.99 @ Scan.co.uk) 

Power Supply: XFX 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  (£77.26 @ More Computers) 

Total: £912.72

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-08 15:53 GMT+0000

 

Also is that PSU that you have picked reliable?

[Starelementpoke]

If it's got 80+ anything, its been officially certified as that energy efficient. If your going amd cpu maybe get an athlon x4 and upgrade as the series goes along? If your going to stick with the fx series maybe a later upgrade can be one of their new 5ghz cpu.

[StevenGibson1994]

If it's got 80+ anything, its been officially certified as that energy efficient. If your going amd cpu maybe get an athlon x4 and upgrade as the series goes along? If your going to stick with the fx series maybe a later upgrade can be one of their new 5ghz cpu.

So because I have decided to go with the FX series then upgrades in the future could be processors like the FX 9590 or FX 9370 or are they not the 5ghz CPU's

[Starelementpoke]

Pretty sure they're 5ghz cpus. Just be careful, they take up alot of juice and have a high temp. If you upgrade then I suggest upgrading psu(at a certain point) and better cpu cooling/case cooling.