Some advice for an OSX and console owner (First-timer)

[ven11]

Hiya fellas!

 

This is my first post in this forum and I'm hoping to get some advice from you wonderful peeps out there. 

So here's my situation: I own a PS4 for gaming and a Macbook pro 13" 2009 as my main computer. 

 

I use my PS4 for exclusives and for gaming in general. I'm not picky with resolution and fps just as long as the games play well.

I use my MBP (which I upgraded to 8gigs of ram and 120gb of ssd storage (OCZ Vertex 3)) for general computing and youtube watching but lately I noticed a few things. Lately the operating system start up is a bit slower than usual and playing 1080p videos is becoming a pain (oh and forget about playing 4k as it just can't handle it).

 

Now I was planning to build a PC but I'm not looking for the greatest gaming rig. I just want something that'll run smooth, I can watch 1080p/4k videos and maybe play a few games here and there. Hopefully, I can run games like Arkham Knight on details that could be better than playing on the PS4 (but ultra settings wouldn't be totally necessary). Essentially it would be used for light gaming and media watching. I want to know which pc parts and accessories would be necessary for a casual user like me. Mind you I can be flexible in terms of budgeting.

 

Also, I want to get something for my old man since he's been using a netbook for browsing and document viewing. Should I upgrade him to a new windows laptop or get a chromebook? He's not much of a computer guy so something that's easy to use would help.
 

Thanks and hope to here from you guys soon!

[TheSLSAMG]

I like the Chromebooks for people who are less computer literate. It's not as easy to get a virus on one, and every essential internet-based tool is there, with replacements for MS Office and such.

 

As for you, what would you like to spend on a PC?

[MrYuriy]

You're what we call an Unsolvable Case.

 

I take it you also use an iPhone, iPad & own at least 1 set of Beats?

[Aircooled Brain]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1220 V3 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($256.98 @ Newegg Canada) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($33.98 @ DirectCanada) 

Motherboard: Asus Z97-E ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($138.75 @ Vuugo) 

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($77.16 @ DirectCanada) 

Storage: Crucial M550 128GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($109.50 @ Vuugo) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($64.95 @ Vuugo) 

Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 290 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($349.99 @ NCIX) 

Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.95 @ Vuugo) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ NCIX) 

Total: $1191.25

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-06 00:59 EDT-0400

 

Change the xeon if you don't want it or the 290 to 290x or a 970

[ven11]

@TheSLSAMG -Thanks, I'll probably go for the chromebook thanks! And my budget would be around 1500$

 

@Aircooled Brain - Thanks for the suggestion! It looks good and reasonably priced!

 

@MrYuriy - If it's so unsolvable, why do other people have good answers to my questions? Oh and no I own a Nexus 4 and a pair of Sennheisers. 

[ven11]

Thanks to The SLSamg and Aircooled Brain for your responses! As for MrYuriy, your response was most amusing =)

[Raahim]

@Aircooled Brain, I do not see why he would ever need a xeon. That's a server grade CPU, and not really meant for gaming or day to day tasks. 

[ven11]

@Raahim would a i5 4590s suffice?

[TheSLSAMG]

@Aircooled Brain, I do not see why he would ever need a xeon. That's a server grade CPU, and not really meant for gaming or day to day tasks. 

It's an E3, it has the same core architecture and setup as an i5 without the iGPU. It's good.

[TheSLSAMG]

@Raahim would a i5 4590s suffice?

I'd suggest an i5 4690 or 4590, but not the S models. The S models tend to have lower base and boost clockspeeds for heat reasons, but are meant for use in different situations (like Apple's iMacs.)

[ven11]

@TheSLSAMG is a watercooled solution necessary if I wanted a super silent PC? and Would I get better performance with 1866 or high ram speed?

[TheSLSAMG]

@TheSLSAMG is a watercooled solution necessary if I wanted a super silent PC? and Would I get better performance with 1866 or high ram speed?

High speed RAM is not that relevant for a normal gaming rig, I like 1866 though because it sits in a good spot for price/performance. Watercooling is not necessary at all, but for a quiet PC, I'd recommend a better CPU cooler. The Noctua NH-U12S is overkill for a CPU like the i5 4690, but it is also very quiet. It's also kind of expensive, so I would also consider a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO with a Rosewill Hyperborea 120MM instead of the stock fan.

[ven11]

@TheSLSAMG thanks for all the help! If possible I'd buy you a beer =D Case solved!

[TheSLSAMG]

@TheSLSAMG thanks for all the help! If possible I'd buy you a beer =D Case solved!

If it were legal, I'd drink that beer

[MrYuriy]

@TheSLSAMG -Thanks, I'll probably go for the chromebook thanks! And my budget would be around 1500$

 

@Aircooled Brain - Thanks for the suggestion! It looks good and reasonably priced!

 

@MrYuriy - If it's so unsolvable, why do other people have good answers to my questions? Oh and no I own a Nexus 4 and a pair of Sennheisers. 

 

My friend I was just joking. I just didn't have a good answer to your question, so I said something else.

[Aircooled Brain]

@Aircooled Brain, I do not see why he would ever need a xeon. That's a server grade CPU, and not really meant for gaming or day to day tasks. 

Your are technically getting i7's performance minus the hyper-threading,It has 8mb l3 cache instead of 6mb in the i5 significant improvement in video editing  

[SIGSEGV]

Downgrade to OSX Mavericks on your Macbook, Mavericks was alot faster.

[mikat]

You're what we call an Unsolvable Case.

 

I take it you also use an iPhone, iPad & own at least 1 set of Beats?

i also own a macbook and an iPhone and an apple TV, but if you have apple products its not like you are a fanboy (i also own a wii and a gaming pc) i like pc better for gaming and such, but pc has virusses, spent hours on trying to remove adware... my mac never had any problems (apart from my ssd being full) but it is nicer to use windows

[MrYuriy]

i also own a macbook and an iPhone and an apple TV, but if you have apple products its not like you are a fanboy (i also own a wii and a gaming pc) i like pc better for gaming and such, but pc has virusses, spent hours on trying to remove adware... my mac never had any problems (apart from my ssd being full) but it is nicer to use windows

 

Yeah, I know. I agree also, haha.

 

I use my MacBook Pro for all video production/editing/rendering. Macs have their uses, for sure. But.... #PCMasterRace

[mikat]

Yeah, I know. I agree also, haha.

 

I use my MacBook Pro for all video production/editing/rendering. Macs have their uses, for sure. But.... #PCMasterRace

wait what.... you use #PCMasterRace but you edit on a mac.... wutttttttttt

[MrYuriy]

wait what.... you use #PCMasterRace but you edit on a mac.... wutttttttttt

 

Only because I prefer the software; surely not because of performance.

 

Plus, it depends what I'm doing.. I like to switch between any & all OS's. I give everything a shot. Running Linux on an old Dell, too!