Newbie to pc gaming, need help on building a future proof gaming rig.

[Fird96]

Ok, cut to the chase here.

 

I'm going to build a pc rig around $1.8k - $2.3k in budget. Im looking at hd monitor setup with less than 3 ms response time AND/OR a crossfire setup for 4k gaming if it fits under $2.4k at least.

 

(Will be doing some heavy video and photoshop editing in the near future, so thats explain the 4k needs, unless it doesn't fit the budget)

 

 

 

 

Here's my choice

 

CPU - Core i7 4790k

 

Thermal Cooling - Corsair H100i

 

Mobo - MSI Z97GAMING 9 AC

 

GPU - MSI R9 290X LIGHTNING

 

Ram - Vengence Pro 1866 mhz 8Gb x 2

 

Boot storage - Hyper X 3K 120gb

 

Main Storage - WD 1TB Black

 

PSU -Corsair AX 860I PSU

 

Chasis - Osidian 750D CASE

 

Display - BENQ GL2460HM

 

 

*Preferred cpu / gpu brand - intel / amd(preferably from msi)

**m+kb mouse are exluded since i'll be using my previous one's (Razer Ouroboros and Thermeltake GK)

 

Before you guys start recommending stuff, i would like to keep the mobo and gpu from MSI , (sorry, fanboy here) 

 

So here's the main question:

1. Is the AX860I is a right choice? cause i thinking of going with another lightning in the future if i have any plans on 4k, (bare in mind that ill not be buying it now) and also if i can, CAN i put another WD 1TB in it?

 

2. As for the performance, i got a few recommendation that i should overclock due to the unclocked cpu and water cooling, should i really do that? is it really a must for all unlocked processors?

 

3. For the mobo, is it a right choice? cause i'd compared MSI GAMING 7 with 9 AC and i see no difference other than pricing point. But i just go with it cause it looks good

 

4. And last but not least, the gpu itself, i was originally planning on buying 2 Msi R9 290X GAMING TWIN FROZ and ditch the H100i with some other aftermarket air cooler like Noctua or Cooler Master, but due to the high temp of the r290x, The lightning provides better heat spread and much more cooler than both of the ref and twin froz version. And also, SHOULD i overclock it? just curious if i can....

 

 

OK, so thats pretty much wraps it up. I apologize if i pick the wrong specs for the wrong stuffs, still new to this techie toys and also to linus tech forums. I already checked the pricing on various websites such as newegg and amazon and such, including my local tech store, the pricing is around $2.1 with the exact same specs mention above. 

 

I hope you guys give a reply ASAP , thank you in advance. 

[UltraNeonGaming]

There is no such thing as "future proof", we don't know what the requirements of the future will be at the rate technology is evolving.

[Gaben the Great]

1. Yes.

2. You are going to get a "K" version of a CPU, you should overclock as there is a large performance boost.

3. Yes.

4. If you are worried about temps going high then stick with the Lighting. And you should overclock it a little 

 

this rig will only last you about 4-5 years as technology is evolving very fast now a days.  

[Fird96]

There is no such thing as "future proof", we don't know what the requirements of the future will be at the rate technology is evolving.

Well, im looking at a solid 3-5 years proof till i buy/upgrade any recommended components.

[Curry]

Well, let's start with this. Throw your build on here... http://pcpartpicker.com/

 

Then with that said, remember you don't need a GAMING edition MOBO to get great performance and overclock capability. For instance, I have an ASUS Z97-A, and literally have zero complaints with it, and the UEFI BIOS is an awesome experience.

 

Your PSU will work just fine, even with crossfire.

 

If you're getting an unlocked processor and Corsair H100i, you would be spending money for no reason if you didn't overclock.

 

(Answered 3 above)

 

Go with lightning for the GPU. Remember that there are a lot of quiet low power case fans you can hook up to your rig to disperse that GPU heat.

[Fird96]

1. Yes.

2. You are going to get a "K" version of a CPU, you should overclock as there is a large performance boost.

3. Yes.

4. If you are worried about temps going high then stick with the Lighting. And you should overclock it a little 

 

this rig will only last you about 4-5 years as technology is evolving very fast now a days.  

 

 

Thx for the reply, and regarding to the cpu overclock, what cloockspeed am i seeing? +0.15 ghz? 

And that 4-5 years is good enough, thx again

[Fird96]

Well, let's start with this. Throw your build on here... http://pcpartpicker.com/

 

Then with that said, remember you don't need a GAMING edition MOBO to get great performance and overclock capability. For instance, I have an ASUS Z97-A, and literally have zero complaints with it, and the UEFI BIOS is an awesome experience.

 

Your PSU will work just fine, even with crossfire.

 

If you're getting an unlocked processor and Corsair H100i, you would be spending money for no reason if you didn't overclock.

 

(Answered 3 above)

 

Go with lightning for the GPU. Remember that there are a lot of quiet low power case fans you can hook up to your rig to disperse that GPU heat.

 

Noted, But still im not just looking at high gaming mobos just for the looks, im looking at crossfire setup since Lightning took up 3 slots, sadly, so my choice it etiher gaming 7 or 9 ac, and some gamers recommend me to water cool the lightnin for better temp and save spacing, BUT im not that hardcore and im a bit bad at maintaining a custom water loop.

 

And regarding the cpu overclock, how far can i go? like +0.15 or +0.5 ghz? i not really an expert on oc  still but ill look up to some tutorials along the way

 

thx for the reply

[Curry]

Noted, But still im not just looking at high gaming mobos just for the looks, im looking at crossfire setup since Lightning took up 3 slots, sadly, so my choice it etiher gaming 7 or 9 ac, and some gamers recommend me to water cool the lightnin for better temp and save spacing, BUT im not that hardcore and im a bit bad at maintaining a custom water loop.

 

And regarding the cpu overclock, how far can i go? like +0.15 or +0.5 ghz? i not really an expert on oc  still but ill look up to some tutorials along the way

 

thx for the reply

 

Gotcha. In that case, go for what works.

 

CPU overclock isn't very cut and dry. When you buy a CPU, you basically take your chances in the silicon lottery. Some chips have absurdly low temperatures and great overclock ability, while others... Kinda struggle to keep temps down with higher voltages. With that said, I can share with you my current overclock settings when I get out of class so you can have a decent idea of what you can accomplish.

 

Keep in mind if you're using that Corsair H100i, you will be able to get great temperatures WITH an overclock. I have a Corsair 200r case, and only have an H80i due to size constraints, so you will likely be able to get better stable overclocks than me.

[Fird96]

Gotcha. In that case, go for what works.

 

CPU overclock isn't very cut and dry. When you buy a CPU, you basically take your chances in the silicon lottery. Some chips have absurdly low temperatures and great overclock ability, while others... Kinda struggle to keep temps down with higher voltages. With that said, I can share with you my current overclock settings when I get out of class so you can have a decent idea of what you can accomplish.

 

Keep in mind if you're using that Corsair H100i, you will be able to get great temperatures WITH an overclock. I have a Corsair 200r case, and only have an H80i due to size constraints, so you will likely be able to get better stable overclocks than me.

 

Thx a bunch, that'll help a lot! And also, i can get an idea on how much ghz my i7 can actaully go. thx again!

[Gaben the Great]

Thx for the reply, and regarding to the cpu overclock, what cloockspeed am i seeing? +0.15 ghz? 

And that 4-5 years is good enough, thx again

 

if you start from the default 4 GHz out of the box then you can get +0.7 GHz. If you don't want to go that far then just enable Turbo Boost which will automatically overclock it to 4.4 GHz

[Fird96]

if you start from the default 4 GHz out of the box then you can get +0.7 GHz. If you don't want to go that far then just enable Turbo Boost which will automatically overclock it to 4.4 GHz

 

Noted, thx. Will check up a few more tutorials and benchmark just to make sure. Cheers! 

[MattLantis]

you're not going to get good framerates with a single GPU on 4k...

[stconquest]

I would not do 4K right now, not for gaming.  1440p/144Hz monitors are closing in on the general market.  If you do professional work, sure... do the 4K monitor.

 

Anyways, comparative build:

 

$2263

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($341.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($128.67 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($96.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($96.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Toshiba  3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($92.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card  ($522.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec 750W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($105.98 @ Newegg)  <<<Enough power for two 980s
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($87.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer S277HK wmidpp 60Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($499.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2187.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-08 10:58 EDT-0400

[Fird96]

you're not going to get good framerates with a single GPU on 4k...

 

i acknowledge that but since ill be doing some heavy video edtting and photoshop(sorry for not mentioning this earlier) and also gaming hybrid build, its kinda necessary, but if it doesn't fit my budget as i mention above, then ill just stick to 1440p or at least triple hd 1080

[Fird96]

I would not do 4K right now, not for gaming.  1440p/144Hz monitors are closing in on the general market.  If you do professional work, sure... do the 4K monitor.

 

Anyways, comparative build:

 

$2263

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($341.98 @ Newegg)

CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($128.67 @ Amazon)

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($129.99 @ NCIX US)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($96.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($96.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Toshiba  3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($92.99 @ Best Buy)

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card  ($522.98 @ Newegg)

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

Power Supply: Antec 750W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($105.98 @ Newegg)  <<<Enough power for two 980s

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($87.89 @ OutletPC)

Monitor: Acer S277HK wmidpp 60Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($499.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $2187.44

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-08 10:58 EDT-0400

 

Noted, and ill try to compare your choice of specs on my local tech store price list as well for price wise. Thx for the reply!

 

And i also ill be doing some heavy video edtting and photoshop(sorry for not mentioning this earlier) and also gaming hybrid build, its kinda necessary, but if it doesn't fit my budget as i mention above, then ill just stick to 1440p or at least triple hd 1080

 

thx again.

[stconquest]

$2400

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor  ($394.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($28.98 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-UD3 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($177.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($167.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card  ($535.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec 750W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($105.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($87.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer S277HK wmidpp 60Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($499.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $2309.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-09 00:49 EDT-0400