First Gaming PC (Around 1500 Budget) - Let's Discuss - Lots of Things To Consider

[Sol21]

Hey guys, I've been interested in building a gaming rig for about a year now as I've been playing on an AMD A8 3520M laptop with HD6620G gpu. Short story, really bad not meant for a good gaming experience. For those who would like to read my full post, I've made a spoiler tag below! Looking to build everything more or less of $1500 Canadian. Interesting how 970's are around 300 in the US while in Canada is 400+. First Spoiler goes into more detail of price comparison. Sites such as Amazon.com (Murica) and B&H Photo sell things for much cheaper.

 

Should I just stick to the Canadian Neweggs/NCIX etc? Or should I purchasing some of these parts through Amazon.com and pay for the duty deposit? Good example is the MSI GTX970 on the Murican Amazon is going for 330ish, with tax and deposit it ends up at 400 compared to 430-460 here in Canada. I'm just not sure if the estimated calculations are correct and just all together avoid purchasing from Amazon.com (Shipped and delivered by Amazon) and go with Canadian online stores.

 

CPU Comparison 419$ vs 338$:

http://www.ncix.com/detail/intel-core-i7-4790k-4-0ghz-fclga1150-8c-108716-1770.htm

 

vs.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?N=11060510&InitialSearch=yes&sts=pi

 

At first I wanted the best of the best but then I realized it's just a waste of money for the type of games I plan on playing and was just unnecessary (Ex. GTX980TI)

 

I currently heavily playing GW2 and CS GO back and forth, GW2 being unoptimize up to this date and being CPU heavy, I wanted a great processor. Of course both games are not heavily graphic intense but I would love to be able to play games like the upcoming MGS Phantom Pain, Division, SW BF3!!! on near high settings at 1080p.

 

I've been going back and forth on deciding what GTX 970 to get and it seems like the MSI ME edition will be best suited for me (Feel free to comment back). I was going back and forth between the EVGA and ASUS.

 

As for CPU, I've decided to go with the I7 4790k because I will be both video editing and streaming content from time to time (Something that I've always wanted to do and have tried with video editing but it was difficult due to hardware limitations..aka the projects looked horrible due to low frames and graphics).

 

I was hoping the community could help me on rest of the parts as there's so many to choose from.

 

What to achieve in a nutshell: Anything less or over 1500 is fine, 2000 is Max but rather not spend that much.

Possibly overclocking (If it's not needed for this type of setup that's fine), Low temperature, power usage, and lastly quiet as possible.

 

Build List So far

CPU: I7 4790K

 

GPU: MSI GTX 970 ME (Has a backplate compare to the regular one, prevents sagging scratches to the pcb?)

 

MOBO: Really confused. z97's are to go to? A decent sound card would be great if possible as I love listening to music (Audiophile - FLAC, Headsets, all that jazz)

 

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH D-15? Kraken x61? Corsair series? My only concern for the Noctua is the size and weight/stress it could put on the MOBO with the GPU.

 

RAM: 8GB vs. 16GB. Also not sure what speed and DDR is recommended. Leaning towards 16GB for streaming and running multiple files as well as editing videos. I hear that it's all/not possible on an 8GB back and forth so rather confused.

 

SSD: Was looking at Samsung 850 PRO 256gb but seems like the EVO is more popular. Is the price difference for the performance worth it?

 

HDD: 1TB seems good enough, currently using 750HDD. Seems like 1TB Western Digital Blue is popular for being the sweet spot between green and black for performance and noise. Other recommendations will be great as well.

 

PSU: Just like the MOBO, completely clueless on how much I'll need and as well to avoid too unnecessary power use racking the bills and apparently it can cause coil whine on graphics cards?

 

Case: Don't think I'll need a full tower, about a year ago, NZXT H440 seemed popular for sound isolation and just an all round good case. Not sure what would be great for my build. (Would like a quiet gaming rig however, or least required moving parts/fans to do so)

 

Monitor: I hate contrast ratios on laptop screens, especially the cheaper models like mine. I've been brainwashed my Linus to get an IPS monitor. But not sure what'll be great for both games like Counter Strike GO or any other FPS and beautiful looking ones such as GW2, Witcher 3, upcoming MGS Phantom Pain etc.

 

Keyboard: I'm currently at Cherry MX Reds for FPS games - Not sure how well it'll work with MMORPG games like GW2, any other recommendations will be great. Also is there a way to still use the Numpad keys if I get a 10keyless? Possibly a module type of keyboard even where I can attach and detach if needed.

 

Extra Fans inside the case?

Mouse and headphones already have (razer naga epic and kingston cloud 2)

 

Hope I didn't leave anything out for building my first gaming/editing rig, if so please feel free to give me a heads up!

 

Would really love to learn and have people guide me through this. I know it's a lot of info and I apologies for not making it simple as some other threads. But I had to really get everything off my thought.

 

Thank you so much guys, I look forward to this project and hope you'll join me as I update from getting the parts to actually building and running my first gaming desktop. Also thanks a lot to Linus and his crew for showing me step by step on building a computer and how simple it is. Not only that but his weekly uploads of new tech info.

[DarkBlade2117]

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/ZnXdTYou can always add another kit of 8gb ram later if it's needed. Honestly you'd see little to no difference with a i7-4790k over an i5-4690k. With the aftermarket CPU cooler it'll allow for a nice little overclock and still be quiet. @Sol21

[TheAmazingCookieFromSquare]

PCPartPicker part list: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/QRCq23

Price breakdown by merchant: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/QRCq23/by_merchant/

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($285.98 @ Newegg Canada) 

CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($118.99 @ NCIX) 

Motherboard: MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($159.98 @ DirectCanada) 

Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($109.88 @ Canada Computers) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($117.00 @ Amazon Canada) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($63.75 @ Vuugo) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB 100 Million Edition Video Card  ($439.99 @ NCIX) 

Case: NZXT S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($84.99 @ NCIX) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($99.88 @ Canada Computers) 

Total: $1480.44

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-06-18 21:42 EDT-0400

[i_build_nanosuits]

This is the best i think i can do with your budget of 1500$ CAN, the build is black and white in a solid case (i built my dad's pc in this case and for the price it's a nice case IMHO)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($285.98 @ Newegg Canada)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Memory Express)

Motherboard: MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ NCIX)

Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($53.88 @ Canada Computers)

Storage: A-Data Premier Pro SP600 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ DirectCanada)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($63.75 @ Vuugo)

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX)

Case: Thermaltake Chaser A31 Snow White ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.50 @ Vuugo)

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($93.99 @ NCIX)

Monitor: Acer S241HL bmid 60Hz 24.0" Monitor ($159.99 @ NCIX)

Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($24.99 @ NCIX)

Total: $1462.04

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-06-18 21:59 EDT-0400

For gaming all you need is a core i5...this one is unlocked and the hyper 212 will allow for good overclocking later down the road if needed.

8GB of RAM is all you need...and these sticks are fast, reliable, cheap and they match the board.

This GTX 970 is very quiet and cool running card.

This PSU is really good...you have a 240GB SSD for boot drive, programs and maybe a couple of your favorite games and a 1TB drive for storage.

24'' 1080p display.

keyboard and mice are very cheap, you might want something better later.

[Sol21]

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/ZnXdTYou can always add another kit of 8gb ram later if it's needed. Honestly you'd see little to no difference with a i7-4790k over an i5-4690k. With the aftermarket CPU cooler it'll allow for a nice little overclock and still be quiet. @Sol21

Is the I7 completely unnecessary as well as the 16GB of RAM?

 

 

This is the best i think i can do with your budget of 1500$ CAN, the build is black and white in a solid case (i built my dad's pc in this case and for the price it's a nice case IMHO)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($285.98 @ Newegg Canada)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Memory Express)

Motherboard: MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ NCIX)

Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($53.88 @ Canada Computers)

Storage: A-Data Premier Pro SP600 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ DirectCanada)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($63.75 @ Vuugo)

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX)

Case: Thermaltake Chaser A31 Snow White ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.50 @ Vuugo)

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($93.99 @ NCIX)

Monitor: Acer S241HL bmid 60Hz 24.0" Monitor ($159.99 @ NCIX)

Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($24.99 @ NCIX)

Total: $1462.04

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-06-18 21:59 EDT-0400

For gaming all you need is a core i5...this one is unlocked and the hyper 212 will allow for good overclocking later down the road if needed.

8GB of RAM is all you need...and these sticks are fast, reliable, cheap and they match the board.

This GTX 970 is very quiet and cool running card.

This PSU is really good...you have a 240GB SSD for boot drive, programs and maybe a couple of your favorite games and a 1TB drive for storage.

24'' 1080p display.

keyboard and mice are very cheap, you might want something better later.

That power supply is apparently known for loud fan noise? I was hoping to keep this quiet.

[Sol21]

I just realized that the mobos like MSI z97 game 5 doesn't have a wifi card. Any recommendations?

[Captain_WD]

~snip~

 

Hey Sol21,

 

A few tips from me:

-The CPU is a bit overkill for gaming, but if you plan on doing some more intensive work on the computer - go for it.

-Z-series motherboards allow overclocking and multiple GPUs so I'd go with that

-2x4GB DDR3 is considered optimal for current gaming. Again, if you plan to do more demanding things on the computer you could go 2x8GB (or get one 8GB stick now and upgrade down the road).

-SSD+HDD is a great combination. WD Blue is indeed a great 1TB drive that would meet your needs and budget.

-A 650W PSU should be enough to allow future expansions and overclocking.

 

Captain_WD.

[i_build_nanosuits]

That power supply is apparently known for loud fan noise? I was hoping to keep this quiet.

well...i don't know...it's the supernova G1 series from EVGA so it's not their best PSU for sure...kind of their ''budget oriented'' unit.

 

Personaly I use this XFX XTR 550 unit and its dead silent...the fan won't even spin until im a few minutes into a video game...even with the CPU under full load it does not spin...and when it does spin you can't hear it...it's a very well built unit but there is no deal going on on it ATM i think...i paid 85$ for mine...now it's 109$...and you might want a little more than a 550W unit for ''future-proofing'' reasons...they have 650W and 750W as well but it's more expensive still.

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207032&AID=10657534&PID=3938566&SID=&nm_mc=AFC-C8JunctionCA&cm_mmc=AFC-C8JunctionCA-_-na-_-na-_-na&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=afc-%zn

 

EDIT: The ''G2'' series from EVGA are made by superflower and use top of the line quality parts including the fan...it also has an hybrid fan mode like mine...there's a deal going on and it's a 750W...you can run GTX 970 in SLI on this unit or a very power hungry AMD Radeon card if you feel like it in the future:

http://www.ncix.com/detail/evga-supernova-750-g2-80plus-9b-94405-1360.htm?affiliateid=7474144

Make sure you enter the promo code to get your 20$ instant rebate...and the other 20 you fill a form and send to EVGA they are the best to deal with.

 

EDIT 2: this one is pretty good for the price too...(ketchup/mustard 24pin connector and poor sleeving to be noted..but good internals)

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=16950AC9139

Edited June 19, 2015 by i_build_nanosuits

[DarkBlade2117]

Is the I7 completely unnecessary as well as the 16GB of RAM?

 

 

That power supply is apparently known for loud fan noise? I was hoping to keep this quiet.

The i7 isn't COMPLETELY useless but for gaming yes little to no difference you'd see. The 16gbs can be helpful but like I said I picked a 1x8 kit of ram and if you find yourself using 7 or more GBs of ram at most times you can just as easily order another $50 kit.

[Sol21]

Thanks a lot guys.

 

Any recommendations for a wifi USB or PCI that supports both N/A and B?

 

I'm planning on purchasing the Fractal R5 as well, seems like a great case.

[Sol21]

Bump

[Nena Trinity]

TP-LINK TL-WN951N 11n Wireless Adapter

I have one of these!