First build for gaming

[Handsome Jon]

Hi fellows!

 

It's my 5th year on my old HP notebook computer. I've been wanting to build a PC for a long time now, but I am one of those guys who really can't spend money due to it being a habit since being a child. While the price was never a problem, I just am not comfortable using money at all on pretty much anything besides food and other mandatory expenses.

I've been reading guides and posts about gaming PCs in the sweet spot; not the very high end but a good bang for the buck build. Right now, my build looks like this:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($226.69 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.75 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($129.99 @ Amazon) 

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($105.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($71.99 @ NCIX US) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card  ($324.99 @ NCIX US) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.99 @ Micro Center) 

Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ NCIX US) 

Total: $1074.37

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-04 19:38 EDT-0400

 

Any comments? I will be getting a keyboard, a mouse, a speaker system and a monitor from a friend of mine, so those won't be necessary.

[dmanschramm]

@Handsome Jon

Looks like a great build, hope it goes well!

I have very few recommendations... I do like WD over Seagate though... and Corsair over EVGA for PSUs... but that doesn't matter at all, whatever's cheapest. Also EVGA had some heat pipe issues with the GTX 970, so you might want to go for a Gigabyte card which is right now what is the 'best in class' for the 970.

 

Other than that, the build looks awesome and hope the gaming goes great for you!

[Atmos]

Looks solid, but i'd strongly suggest swappin the seagate for a WD. Seagate has a much higher probability of dying in the first year of operation.

[DimasRMDO]

Looks great to me, I think 750W is kinda too much but I'd assume that you want to play safe.

[Handsome Jon]

@Handsome Jon

Looks like a great build, hope it goes well!

I have very few recommendations... I do like WD over Seagate though... and Corsair over EVGA for PSUs... but that doesn't matter at all, whatever's cheapest. Also EVGA had some heat pipe issues with the GTX 970, so you might want to go for a Gigabyte card which is right now what is the 'best in class' for the 970.

 

Other than that, the build looks awesome and hope the gaming goes great for you!

 

You mean this one? http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn970g1gaming4gd There were a few others, but this seemed to be the most valid of them all. To be honest, to a beginner the amount of similar parts with very different differences is quite confusing!

 

Anyway, switched the parts you guys recommended and the build now looks like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($226.69 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.75 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($129.99 @ Amazon) 

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($105.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($114.99 @ Best Buy) 

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($355.99 @ Amazon) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.99 @ Micro Center) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($79.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1168.37

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-04 20:33 EDT-0400

[dmanschramm]

 

You mean this one? http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn970g1gaming4gd There were a few others, but this seemed to be the most valid of them all. To be honest, to a beginner the amount of similar parts with very different differences is quite confusing!

 

Anyway, switched the parts you guys recommended and the build now looks like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($226.69 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.75 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($129.99 @ Amazon) 

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($105.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Western Digital BLACK SERIES 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($114.99 @ Best Buy) 

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($355.99 @ Amazon) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.99 @ Micro Center) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($79.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1168.37

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-04 20:33 EDT-0400

 

 

Lol yes that one. I have a Zotac Amp! Extreme but I know another with that card, and have seen many reviews online claiming it to be the best GTX 970 - almost no coil whine (depends on your graphics card), great temps, relatively quiet, triple fans, good overclock... etc.

 

Hope that works out!