First Build $1500 Budget

[Machu]

I've been waiting for a long time to finally be able to build my own PC, and I am finally there to be able to afford it. Here is the build that I have been putting together for a long time:

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/QFsGgs

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

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($199.99 @ Micro Center) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($26.98 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($104.98 @ OutletPC) 

Memory: A-Data XPG V1.0 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($42.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($65.25 @ OutletPC) 

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($46.89 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card  ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($74.98 @ Newegg) 

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($14.98 @ OutletPC) 

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 OEM (64-bit)  ($86.98 @ OutletPC) 

Monitor: Dell P2314H 60Hz 23.0" Monitor  ($180.00 @ Newegg) 

Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($169.95 @ Amazon) 

Mouse: Corsair Vengeance M65 Wired Laser Mouse  ($54.99 @ Amazon) 

Total: $1478.94

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-13 10:00 EDT-0400

 

Please tell me if there are any changes that should be made.

 

For the motherboard, my options are either the Gigabyte GA Z97X Gaming 5 as listed above or the MSI Z97 Gaming 5 (I would get it from a CPU+Motherboard bundle at Microcenter). Which one should I get? They would both cost me $305 for the CPU and motherboard. If there is a better, cheaper option for the motherboard you may recommend it.

 

For the GPU, I've been hearing that the MSI Twin Frozr V is the best, but I was wondering if I should get an EVGA model so I would be eligible for the Step Up program if they release a new set of cards the same time they did last year?

 

Is the Power Supply a good choice? I've heard that the GS models are similar to the G2 models which have gotten amazing reviews, but the GS is cheaper.

 

As far as the OS is concerned, is a cheaper place to get Windows without it being one of the illegally sold MSDN keys?

 

For the monitor, I'm fine with the monitor that I have listed, but are there any better IPS monitors for around $200 or less? If we could bring the price down, I would like the get the U2414H or something like it, but at the current price of the build that is a little over budget.

 

The keyboard has been the hardest thing to choose and I'm still not sure. I like the thought of having macro keys, but I don't really know if I need that many or any. I have had some occasions where is it would be really nice to have some macro keys, but I don't know if its worth the price. I really like the aesthetic of the Corsair keyboards. The K70 RGB keyboards aren't that much cheaper than the K95, so if I decided I didn't need the macro keys, I don't know if losing the macro keys are worth saving $15. I actually don't really care about RGB, but there are no cheaper non RGB K95's, and the non RGB K70's all have red backlighting, which I despise. I also don't know what kind of Mechanical keys to get. And if there are any other keyboards that I should consider, please tell me, but I see people mostly talk about Corsair keyboard so that partially influenced why I chose a Corsair keyboard.

 

Any feedback would be great. (Oh, and in case you are wondering, the $200 i5 4690K is the in store price at Microcenter.) 

[FaustoGomez]

Looks good to me. Everything is priced reasonably and your build priorities are well oriented, expect two things:

I wouldn't pay that much for a keyboard. I never used mechanical keyboards before, but to my knowledge, you can find nice entry level mechanical keyboards starting from $70.

With the money you saved from getting a cheaper keyboard, get a higher quality 1080p IPS monitor or a 1440p TN monitor. You should be able to buy 1440P TN 60Hz monitors for around $300.

Have fun with your build Also don't forget to grab some HyperX Cloud headphones if you don't have headphones. Nice deal for $80. Even better for me that I got them for $63.

[Machu]

The peripherals are a bit expensive...

 

If it's your first build I'd hold back a little on them, and maybe use that extra $225 on upgrading something inside the rig itself - ideally the hard drive or the processor. Then again, you are using a bundle deal, so maybe not on the CPU itself. 

What would you suggest for the keyboard? Is the mouse really overpriced? I've thought I've heard the M65 is a great deal.

 

Looks good to me. Everything is priced reasonably and your build priorities are well oriented, expect two things:

I wouldn't pay that much for a keyboard. I never used mechanical keyboards before, but to my knowledge, you can find nice entry level mechanical keyboards starting from $70.

With the money you saved from getting a cheaper keyboard, get a higher quality 1080p IPS monitor or a 1440p TN monitor. You should be able to buy 1440P TN 60Hz monitors for around $300.

Have fun with your build Also don't forget to grab some HyperX Cloud headphones if you don't have headphones. Nice deal for $80. Even better for me that I got them for $63.

I have some Bose headphones that my parents got me for Christmas 2 years ago that I hope to get another year or two out of. I'm no audiophile and the sound is great in my opinion.

[BigDay]

overall, you did a good job of putting things together. i'm concerned about the cpu cooler you've chosen though, i don't think it will be enough to cool the cpu when you overclock it. you are planning on overclocking it right? in that case, i would get a corsair h60 or a noctua nh-d14 if you don't want liquid cooling. those should be more than sufficient to cool your cpu at higher voltages and frequencies.

 

if you're going to overclock your cpu, i would HIGHLY recommend that you get the MSI board. gigabyte boards do not let you set adaptive voltage or frequency for the vring and cache. again, go with the MSI board!

 

the r9 390 beats the 970 in benchmarks. go with the r9 390. that will run games very well.

 

get a seasonic psu. they're high quality. i used the following formula to calculate your needs: [(cpuTdp + gpuTdp) * 2 ] + [(numberOfGpus -1) * gpuTdp]. you need a 750w psu at the minimum for the r9 390 that i've added.

 

DO NOT get your OS from reddit. buy the legit version from microsoft!

 

honestly, if you're going to be gaming with this beast, get a 144 hertz, 1ms monitor. IPS models only come in 4ms+ versions at low hertz when you're on a budget. i do NOT recommend these monitors for gaming. the monitor i recommend is this one: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor. please do not get that monitor you originally had. it's 8ms. it will make your games look like shit. 144 hertz, 1ms only.

 

don't buy such an expensive keyboard. waste of money. get a logitech. i have one and it's great. cheap and it works very well for my gaming needs. mechanical keys are so overrated for gaming. i have a 120 dollar plus das keyboard for gaming, the best you can get, and it sits in my closet. i actually prefer the 10 dollar usd logitech keyboard that i suggested below. seriously.

 

i honestly think this is a much better build for you:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.98 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($64.05 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($139.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($46.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($65.25 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($46.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 390 8GB SOC Video Card  ($324.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G-750 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($104.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($14.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 OEM (64-bit)  ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor  ($249.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Logitech Corded Keyboard K280e Wired Standard Keyboard  ($8.99 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: Logitech G300S Wired Optical Mouse  ($28.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1496.06
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-13 11:38 EDT-0400

[Machu]

overall, you did a good job of putting things together. i'm concerned about the cpu cooler you've chosen though, i don't think it will be enough to cool the cpu when you overclock it. you are planning on overclocking it right? in that case, i would get a corsair h60 or a noctua nh-d14 if you don't want liquid cooling. those should be more than sufficient to cool your cpu at higher voltages and frequencies.

 

if you're going to overclock your cpu, i would HIGHLY recommend that you get the MSI board. gigabyte boards do not let you set adaptive voltage or frequency for the vring and cache. again, go with the MSI board!

 

the r9 390 beats the 970 in benchmarks. go with the r9 390. that will run games very well.

 

get a seasonic psu. they're high quality. i used the following formula to calculate your needs: [(cpuTdp + gpuTdp) * 2 ] + [(numberOfGpus -1) * gpuTdp]. you need a 750w psu at the minimum for the r9 390 that i've added.

 

DO NOT get your OS from reddit. buy the legit version from microsoft!

 

honestly, if you're going to be gaming with this beast, get a 144 hertz, 1ms monitor. IPS models only come in 4ms+ versions at low hertz when you're on a budget. i do NOT recommend these monitors for gaming. the monitor i recommend is this one: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor. please do not get that monitor you originally had. it's 8ms. it will make your games look like shit. 144 hertz, 1ms only.

 

don't buy such an expensive keyboard. waste of money. get a logitech. i have one and it's great. cheap and it works very well for my gaming needs. mechanical keys are so overrated for gaming. i have a 120 dollar plus das keyboard for gaming, the best you can get, and it sits in my closet. i actually prefer the 10 dollar usd logitech keyboard that i suggested below. seriously.

 

i honestly think this is a much better build for you:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.98 @ NCIX US)

CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($64.05 @ Amazon)

Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($139.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($46.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($65.25 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($46.89 @ OutletPC)

Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 390 8GB SOC Video Card  ($324.99 @ NCIX US)

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: SeaSonic G-750 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($104.99 @ NCIX US)

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($14.98 @ OutletPC)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 OEM (64-bit)  ($89.99 @ NCIX US)

Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor  ($249.99 @ Amazon)

Keyboard: Logitech Corded Keyboard K280e Wired Standard Keyboard  ($8.99 @ NCIX US)

Mouse: Logitech G300S Wired Optical Mouse  ($28.99 @ NCIX US)

Total: $1496.06

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-13 11:38 EDT-0400

I don't know how much overclocking on the CPU I will do. This will be my first experience getting into a computer, and I would be willing to try water cooling, but I don't know if that is the best idea for me? Is it ok for me where this will be my first experience building a computer? Do I really need that much cooling?

 

With the power supply and GPU, the ones I currently have when together are cheaper than the 390 and Seasonic PSU. When I looked at the benchmarks comparing the GTX 970 and R9 390, the 390 was better by a maximum of 3-4 fps, and I don't know if its worth the extra money. Also, because of developers, AMD cards seem to a lot of times face more problems at launch than Nvidia cards. Also, Nvidia features seen to appear more in games than AMD features.

 

For the OS, I wasn't going to by from Reddit or G2A, as those are probably MSDN keys being sold illegally. My question was are there any cheaper sources that are legit?

 

As for the monitor, I really don't want to get a TN monitor. I know IPS monitors have higher response times and lower refresh rates, but I would rather have nicer colors. I'm not going to be competing is CSGO for money or anything like that. For my gaming needs, I've heard that 8 ms or less is fine. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

As for the keyboard, I would still rather have a mechanical keyboard. I'm not saying I have to get the K95 as that is really expensive, but I would rather get a K65 or something similar than get a $10 keyboard.

[ArataMaou]

I think you can actually make it so that you might be able to fit a better CPU in there.

If you really want to overclock ... well this build you should at least loook at!

I made 2 of them .. one with the overclockable CPU and Another one with a powerful i7 Prossesor that doesnt need overclocking.

 

PLEASE READ THIS: 

I have moved your price point to around $1550 beacuse in your build that you prsented you were able to give a bit more money to the build! \

Of course because this is your build you are free to move things around.

 

i7 (OVERCLOCK) Processor: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/JxCYK8

My overclocked build+otherthings are up to a total of $1550 dollars due to the fact that I added a liquid cooler ... you can always change that if you would like.

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($318.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H55 57.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($139.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card  ($359.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($18.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 OEM (64-bit)  ($91.71 @ B&H)
Monitor: Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor  ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Razer DeathStalker Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Zowie FK2 Wired Optical Mouse  ($59.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1547.47

 

i7 processor (NON OVERLOCK): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/rC96bv

This Build is price at about $1495. I kept the air cooling but upgraded and added some things.

THIS STILL HAS AIR COOLING.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MY NON OVERCLOCK BUILD IF YOU ARENT TOO FAMILIAR WITH COMPUTERS!

Because you are spending alot on this build ... i recommend you take the safe route for now.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($294.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($27.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($139.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($46.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card  ($359.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($18.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 OEM (64-bit)  ($91.71 @ B&H)
Monitor: Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor  ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Razer DeathStalker Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Zowie FK2 Wired Optical Mouse  ($59.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1490.38
 

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Speaking of the the monitors however, I chose the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009483

This is the Acer H236HL 60hz and 23" monitor. 

It has a response time of about 5ms and best of all it is a IPS monitor! At this price its a good grab.

 

As for your Mouse and Keyboard ... I put things i would use personally.

 

I actually managed to give you some breathing space with whatever I recommended. Hopefully you dont mind my recommendations for a bit lower priced components overall to make it so your PC could run better and faster.

[Machu]

I think you can actually make it so that you might be able to fit a better CPU in there.

If you really want to overclock ... well this build you should at least loook at!

I made 2 of them .. one with the overclockable CPU and Another one with a powerful i7 Prossesor that doesnt need overclocking.

 

PLEASE READ THIS: 

I have moved your price point to around $1550 beacuse in your build that you prsented you were able to give a bit more money to the build! \

Of course because this is your build you are free to move things around.

 

i7 (OVERCLOCK) Processor: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/JxCYK8

My overclocked build+otherthings are up to a total of $1550 dollars due to the fact that I added a liquid cooler ... you can always change that if you would like.

 

i7 processor (NON OVERLOCK): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/rC96bv

This Build is price at about $1495. I kept the air cooling but upgraded and added some things.

THIS STILL HAS AIR COOLING.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MY NON OVERCLOCK BUILD IF YOU ARENT TOO FAMILIAR WITH COMPUTERS!

Because you are spending alot on this build ... i recommend you take the safe route for now.

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Speaking of the the monitors however, I chose the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009483

This is the Acer H236HL 60hz and 23" monitor. 

It has a response time of about 5ms and best of all it is a IPS monitor! At this price its a good grab.

 

As for your Mouse and Keyboard ... I put things i would use personally.

 

I actually managed to give you some breathing space with whatever I recommended. Hopefully you dont mind my recommendations for a bit lower priced components overall to make it so your PC could run better and faster.

Thanks,these are pretty interesting, and with a few changes it may work. First I want to see what else people recommend. 

[BigDay]

I don't know how much overclocking on the CPU I will do. This will be my first experience getting into a computer, and I would be willing to try water cooling, but I don't know if that is the best idea for me? Is it ok for me where this will be my first experience building a computer? Do I really need that much cooling?

 

With the power supply and GPU, the ones I currently have when together are cheaper than the 390 and Seasonic PSU. When I looked at the benchmarks comparing the GTX 970 and R9 390, the 390 was better by a maximum of 3-4 fps, and I don't know if its worth the extra money. Also, because of developers, AMD cards seem to a lot of times face more problems at launch than Nvidia cards. Also, Nvidia features seen to appear more in games than AMD features.

 

For the OS, I wasn't going to by from Reddit or G2A, as those are probably MSDN keys being sold illegally. My question was are there any cheaper sources that are legit?

 

As for the monitor, I really don't want to get a TN monitor. I know IPS monitors have higher response times and lower refresh rates, but I would rather have nicer colors. I'm not going to be competing is CSGO for money or anything like that. For my gaming needs, I've heard that 8 ms or less is fine. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

As for the keyboard, I would still rather have a mechanical keyboard. I'm not saying I have to get the K95 as that is really expensive, but I would rather get a K65 or something similar than get a $10 keyboard.

 

i've changed the build so that you have a non overclockable cpu. it will perform just fine. you don't have to worry about it and it's cheaper. you don't need a z97 board either. h97 is below. you don't need a cooler now.

 

if you're going to go with the 970, at least get one that has a super high boost clock. i added an evga one that has a high one. you don't have to oc it if you don't want to, but the option is there.

 

i don't know of any other places to get windows cheap. 89 bucks is standard.

 

get 5ms or less ips then. 8ms is too much. i don't know which monitor you should get. sorry.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($214.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Asus H97-PLUS ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($99.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($46.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($65.25 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($46.89 @ OutletPC)

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card  ($359.99 @ Amazon)

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($79.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($78.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($14.98 @ OutletPC)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 OEM (64-bit)  ($89.99 @ NCIX US)

Keyboard: Corsair K95 RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($169.95 @ Amazon)

Mouse: Corsair Vengeance M65 Wired Laser Mouse  ($54.99 @ Amazon)

Total: $1322.99

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-13 13:13 EDT-0400

[BigDay]

an i7 wouldn't be worth it. better to sink the money into a better gpu.

[ArataMaou]

Thanks,these are pretty interesting, and with a few changes it may work. First I want to see what else people recommend. 

No problem. I really think it depends on what you are using your computer for.

I tried to make the builds as reliable as I can ... hopefully you can get your build down

[ArataMaou]

an i7 wouldn't be worth it. better to sink the money into a better gpu.

I thought about that. But the only thing up from a GTX 970 is a GTX 980 or 980 ti which are REALLLY EXPENSIVE. I am not a big AMD user so ... that is where i am coming from.