Build for US$1500

[Umegadem]

I have in mind a build for gaming. Hopefully it can be Built sooner or later. Since it's my first time, could you experts ease pointout any bottlenecks or places where I can replace for better parts? Thanks

(I'm going to use my old GTX 970 STRIX for a 2 way SLI)

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pFLC99

[CoolaxGaming]

Hmm. A personal choice but look into the h100i and the h110i. They are cleaner looking and reliever the same performance.

[Imakuni]

I have in mind a build for gaming.

1. Change the CPU to the i5-4690k. The i7 is a waste for gaming.
2. Change the CPU cooler to either the hyper 212 (if you want to go cheap), or the Raijintek Triton. Seriously, that watercooler is just THAT good for the price. You'll have to look on newegg, though, as partpicker is being dumb and not showing the price.
3. Change the mobo to a cheaper one that also has SLI. There are plenty of options to chose from, all will perform exactly the same.
4. Ditch the 16gbs of RAM, and stick to 8gb. It's going to be plenty. Also, pick anything with 1600mhz, CAS 9, don't bother with anything more expensive.
5. You could even go as low as 500w, and still have PLENTY of room for the PSU. And you'll also save a lot of money with that.

[Guest]

I have in mind a build for gaming. Hopefully it can be Built sooner or later. Since it's my first time, could you experts ease pointout any bottlenecks or places where I can replace for better parts? Thanks

(I'm going to use my old GTX 970 STRIX for a 2 way SLI)

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pFLC99

Do you have a colour theme in mind ? As that spec is a bit of an assortment of colours.  

[Umegadem]

Do you have a colour theme in mind ? As that spec is a bit of an assortment of colours.

Don't worry, After the build I'd confirmed im making the colors of the parts black and red.

[SteveGrabowski]

I have in mind a build for gaming. Hopefully it can be Built sooner or later. Since it's my first time, could you experts ease pointout any bottlenecks or places where I can replace for better parts? Thanks

(I'm going to use my old GTX 970 STRIX for a 2 way SLI)

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pFLC99

That's a great system. The only change I'd make is to spend the extra $40 for a 256MB MX100 SSD, perhaps at the cost of leaving off the Corsair system fans if your budget is tight. Are you running 1440p targeting 60FPS, or 1080p targeting 120FPS?

[SteveGrabowski]

I know a lot of people still don't like i7 for gaming, but it's not 2013 anymore and lots of games can use those extra threads now.

http://gamegpu.ru/test-video-cards/igry-2014-goda-protiv-protsessorov-test-gpu.html

For a high-end system I'd rather go i7 than save a few bucks. For someone on a tighter budget i7 over i5 doesn't make much sense since the $100 difference can be put more profitably into the GPU, but that's not really a concern here.

[Imakuni]

I know a lot of people still don't like i7 for gaming, but it's not 2013 anymore and lots of games can use those extra threads now.

http://gamegpu.ru/test-video-cards/igry-2014-goda-protiv-protsessorov-test-gpu.html

For a high-end system I'd rather go i7 than save a few bucks. For someone on a tighter budget i7 over i5 doesn't make much sense since the $100 difference can be put more profitably into the GPU, but that's not really a concern here.

I think you don't realize how the i7 works. It's just the i5, but it tells the system that there are 2 times the actual number of cores. Now, VERY few games can make use of more than 4 threads; but for the ones that do, the benefit is little to none, as there are still only 4 cores to do the work.

 

The beauty of "gaming" with the i7 is the ability to run other stuff on the background, such as skype + music + stream + a video on the 2nd monitor. Those don't require FPU operations; when one of the cores doing FP calculations for your game, the rest of the core can work on those programs that don't require the use of the FPU, hence the (small) performance boost.

 

For the price, it's totally not worth it on a gaming only machine.

[SteveGrabowski]

I think you don't realize how the i7 works. It's just the i5, but it tells the system that there are 2 times the actual number of cores. Now, VERY few games can make use of more than 4 threads; but for the ones that do, the benefit is little to none, as there are still only 4 cores to do the work.

 

The beauty of "gaming" with the i7 is the ability to run other stuff on the background, such as skype + music + stream + a video on the 2nd monitor. Those don't require FPU operations; when one of the cores doing FP calculations for your game, the rest of the core can work on those programs that don't require the use of the FPU, hence the (small) performance boost.

 

For the price, it's totally not worth it on a gaming only machine.

 

I know how hyperthreading works. For the price it is worth it on higher end machines such as this one. If you're going to criticize a waste of money in the build it should be the $73 in case fans, not the $100 for the better CPU.

[brob]

I think you don't realize how the i7 works. It's just the i5, but it tells the system that there are 2 times the actual number of cores. Now, VERY few games can make use of more than 4 threads; but for the ones that do, the benefit is little to none, as there are still only 4 cores to do the work.

 

The beauty of "gaming" with the i7 is the ability to run other stuff on the background, such as skype + music + stream + a video on the 2nd monitor. Those don't require FPU operations; when one of the cores doing FP calculations for your game, the rest of the core can work on those programs that don't require the use of the FPU, hence the (small) performance boost.

 

For the price, it's totally not worth it on a gaming only machine.

 

You are perhaps forgetting that the i7-4790K is 500MHz faster than the fastest i5. Hyperthreading delivers significant performance improvements. While the performance improvement in most current games is small I think it safe to say that few gamers only have a game running and nothing else - unlike benchmark runs.

[Imakuni]

You are perhaps forgetting that the i7-4790K is 500MHz faster than the fastest i5. Hyperthreading delivers significant performance improvements. While the performance improvement in most current games is small I think it safe to say that few gamers only have a game running and nothing else - unlike benchmark runs.

That 500mhz difference doesn't actually show up. The 4690k is actually just the 4790k that didn't pass the required standards, and thus gets renamed as an i5 instead. Ignoring the differences in the silicon lottery, they'll both be able to achieve the exact same speed once OCed. If one was not going to OC, then both were wrong CPU choices anyway.

 

Regarding HT, yes, it is useful, but the performance boost isn't that big to justify a 50% price increase.

[brob]

That 500mhz difference doesn't actually show up. The 4690k is actually just the 4790k that didn't pass the required standards, and thus gets renamed as an i5 instead. Ignoring the differences in the silicon lottery, they'll both be able to achieve the exact same speed once OCed. If one was not going to OC, then both were wrong CPU choices anyway.

 

Regarding HT, yes, it is useful, but the performance boost isn't that big to justify a 50% price increase.

 

If an i5 "didn't pass the required standards" then by that definition is is incapable of achieving "the exact same speed once OCed."

 

The arguments regarding appropriate cpu choices and justification of price are based on subjective criteria. Criteria that are perhaps not universal.

[Imakuni]

If an i5 "didn't pass the required standards" then by that definition is is incapable of achieving "the exact same speed once OCed."

Sigh... here, a quick search on the first page of google showed me 3 different review sites that achieved the same speeds for the i5 and i7. Now, do you want me to carefully explain why such thing happens, or do you prefer to google it yourself?

 

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2014-core-i5-4690k-core-i7-4790k-review

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8227/devils-canyon-review-intel-core-i7-4790k-and-i5-4690k/2

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2014/07/03/intel-core-i5-4690k-review/7

[brob]

Sigh... here, a quick search on the first page of google showed me 3 different review sites that achieved the same speeds for the i5 and i7. Now, do you want me to carefully explain why such thing happens, or do you prefer to google it yourself?

 

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2014-core-i5-4690k-core-i7-4790k-review

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8227/devils-canyon-review-intel-core-i7-4790k-and-i5-4690k/2

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2014/07/03/intel-core-i5-4690k-review/7

 

Throwing up a few links does not an argument make.

 

If you examine the numbers in the first link it is quite clear that the i7 always out performs the i5 at the same clock. The argument that some i5 can achieve similar oc to i7 is rubbish. Overclocks are essentially random. The stock speeds are not, they are guaranteed.

 

The Anand and Bit-tech examinations are both flawed. It is obvious from the numbers that the gpu are "bottlenecking" the cpu.

[YT2002]

 

1. Change the CPU to the i5-4690k. The i7 is a waste for gaming.
2. Change the CPU cooler to either the hyper 212 (if you want to go cheap), or the Raijintek Triton. Seriously, that watercooler is just THAT good for the price. You'll have to look on newegg, though, as partpicker is being dumb and not showing the price.
3. Change the mobo to a cheaper one that also has SLI. There are plenty of options to chose from, all will perform exactly the same.
4. Ditch the 16gbs of RAM, and stick to 8gb. It's going to be plenty. Also, pick anything with 1600mhz, CAS 9, don't bother with anything more expensive.
5. You could even go as low as 500w, and still have PLENTY of room for the PSU. And you'll also save a lot of money with that.

 

Wih the psu thing he is doing 2 way sli. 750w is a good idea. Also to save money get windows student. if you can. I dont know if you have to register that u are a student but if you dont get windows student

[Umegadem]

Wih the psu thing he is doing 2 way sli. 750w is a good idea. Also to save money get windows student. if you can. I dont know if you have to register that u are a student but if you dont get windows student

What is the difference between windows 8.1 and windows student? Btw I'm living in Singapore so I don't know if I qualif

[YT2002]

What is the difference between windows 8.1 and windows student? Btw I'm living in Singapore so I don't know if I qualif

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/mssg/en_SG/pdp/Windows-8.1-Pro-Student/productID.288728000

There is no difference. Infact its windows 8.1 pro, which means you can out in 512GB of ram. Not that you theoretically would but still. It is alot cheaper than windows 8.1 pro

[Umegadem]

That's a great system. The only change I'd make is to spend the extra $40 for a 256MB MX100 SSD, perhaps at the cost of leaving off the Corsair system fans if your budget is tight. Are you running 1440p targeting 60FPS, or 1080p targeting 120FPS?

Hopfully 1440p 60fps if I got the money. Any 1440p monitors under $250 You recommend? I can't seen to find one