$1500 Gift PC

[Zeako_]

So me and my parents are going to surprise my brother with a new computer to help him work better.

-He does a good amount of 1080p rendering in Sony Vegas

- Also he streams at 720p

- He also plays some AAA games

[The Official Czex]

5820K + 980 Ti.

[bobo0246]

Give me 5 minutes to make a build.

[That_Random_Guy]

5820K + 980 Ti.

thats more of a 2k build... I know cause i just paid that

[Guest]

thats more of a 2k build... I know cause i just paid that

If you get a good deal on a motherboard it isn't. Put it in a S340 with a small PSU and it should be $1500. 

[afyeung]

thats more of a 2k build... I know cause i just paid that

If you shop at microcenter  5820k + 980ti is definitely possible

[Trey222]

5820K + 980 Ti.

This is definitely a great way to go if you can find the parts on sale.

[The Official Czex]

thats more of a 2k build... I know cause i just paid that

 

Because you spent money on shit you didn't need.

[Curufinwe_wins]

It's kinda important to know what he does and doesn't have already, but ill get started with some assumptions

[bobo0246]

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ZtDGyc) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ZtDGyc/by_merchant/)

 

Type|Item|Price

:----|:----|:----

**CPU** | [intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i74790k) | $329.99 @ SuperBiiz 

**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2) | $29.99 @ Amazon 

**Motherboard** | [MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97gaming5) | $144.88 @ OutletPC 

**Memory** | [Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmy16gx3m2a1866c9r) | $79.99 @ Newegg 

**Storage** | [samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7te250bw) | $91.88 @ OutletPC 

**Storage** | [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex) | $49.98 @ OutletPC 

**Video Card** | [MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-gtx980tigaming6g) | $649.99 @ B&H 

**Case** | [Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/fractal-design-case-fdcadefr4bl) | $68.99 @ NCIX US 

**Power Supply** | [EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-120g10650xr) | $74.88 @ Mac Mall 

 | *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |

 | **Total** | **$1520.57**

 | Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2016-01-06 21:47 EST-0500 |

[byalexandr]

thats more of a 2k build... I know cause i just paid that

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor  ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($24.88 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: ASRock X99 Extreme4 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($143.98 @ Newegg) 

Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($52.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($84.88 @ OutletPC) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($609.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($95.98 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1501.66

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-06 21:49 EST-0500

[Curufinwe_wins]

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor  ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($24.88 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: ASRock X99 Extreme4 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($143.98 @ Newegg) 

Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($52.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($84.88 @ OutletPC) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($609.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($95.98 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1501.66

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-06 21:49 EST-0500

 

Not that it can't be done, but the 212 Evo is stupid as fuck to do with a 5820k. 

 

I'd personally recommend this instead:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($125.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Motherboard: Asus Z97-E/USB3.1 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($128.88 @ OutletPC) 

Memory: G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($62.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($69.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($609.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: Fractal Design Define R5 Blackout Edition w/ Window ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1497.81

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-06 21:49 EST-0500

[byalexandr]

 

Not that it can't be done, but the 212 Evo is stupid as fuck to do with a 5820k. 

 

I'd personally recommend this instead:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($125.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Motherboard: Asus Z97-E/USB3.1 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($128.88 @ OutletPC) 

Memory: G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($62.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($69.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($609.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: Fractal Design Define R5 Blackout Edition w/ Window ATX Mid Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1497.81

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-06 21:49 EST-0500

 

Still worth it, it's not a bad cooler. I'd rather have 2 mores cores and an overall better CPU than a better cooler. I can always easily upgrade the cooler.

[That_Random_Guy]

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor  ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($24.88 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: ASRock X99 Extreme4 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($143.98 @ Newegg) 

Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($52.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($84.88 @ OutletPC) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($609.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($95.98 @ Newegg) 

Total: $1501.66

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-06 21:49 EST-0500

 

my bad for not buying the cheapest dirt parts i could find and a 212 cooler on a 5820k is kinda dumb and hes doing rendering and streaming which needs a bit more than 8gb or ram

[Curufinwe_wins]

Still worth it, it's not a bad cooler. I'd rather have 2 mores cores and an overall better CPU than a better cooler. I can always easily upgrade the cooler.

It's a pretty awful cooler, and for a gift I wouldn't be worrying about upgrade path personally. Now if he already has a good cooler sitting around (or for example lots of storage or a good psu) then that allows you to shift costs to the point where x99 becomes an automatic choice, but I'd also say that getting 16 GB of ram is a 100% requirement for what purposes the gift is for, and personally I'd actually recommend 32 GB (if nothing else large ram caches aren't overrated anymore...) Now that isn't to say you can't get 8 or 16 now and add later, but I'd definitely recommend at least 8GB sticks because 8 dim x99 really can stress the IMC.

[HKZeroFive]

It's a pretty awful cooler, and for a gift I wouldn't be worrying about upgrade path personally. Now if he already has a good cooler sitting around (or for example lots of storage or a good psu) then that allows you to shift costs to the point where x99 becomes an automatic choice, but I'd also say that getting 16 GB of ram is a 100% requirement for what purposes the gift is for, and personally I'd actually recommend 32 GB (if nothing else large ram caches aren't overrated anymore...) Now that isn't to say you can't get 8 or 16 now and add later, but I'd definitely recommend at least 8GB sticks because 8 dim x99 really can stress the IMC.

 

The 212 EVO isn't an awful cooler by any means, it's pretty solid to be honest. I agree with you on the point of needing 16GB of RAM but the hexacore 5820K is going to be alot better than the quad core 4790K in rendering. If OP mentioned that his brother is solely gaming, I'd agree with you on getting the 4790K, but it looks like he is primarily rendering so the 5820K is going serve him better.

 

To OP:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor  ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($24.88 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-SLI ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($179.99 @ Micro Center) 

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($84.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($84.88 @ OutletPC) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($609.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($71.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Total: $1531.68

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-06 22:38 EST-0500

[Curufinwe_wins]

 

 

The 212 EVO isn't an awful cooler by any means, it's pretty solid to be honest. I agree with you on the point of needing 16GB of RAM but the hexacore 5820K is going to be alot better than the quad core 4790K in rendering. If OP mentioned that his brother is solely gaming, I'd agree with you on getting the 4790K, but it looks like he is primarily rendering so the 5820K is going serve him better.

 

To OP:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor  ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($24.88 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-SLI ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($179.99 @ Micro Center) 

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($84.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($84.88 @ OutletPC) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card  ($609.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($71.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Total: $1531.68

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-06 22:38 EST-0500

 

In the grand scheme of things, its an AWFUL cooler (it is of the well known and important coolers in the industry within the bottom quartile), and it negatively affects what you can do with the x99 platform. The fact that in the worst case situation you can get away with using it is much more a reflection of the trend to higher efficiency cpus.

 

I would generally agree with going x99, but with the trend towards gpu accelerated rendering workflows, honestly it won't make much of a difference. I'd say if you stretched your budget to 1600 or so it would make sense or again if he already has a power supply or ssd storage then the fit makes sense, but in the absence of knowing any specifics I'd recommend z97.

 

And while obviously it matters more what his taste in cases is than anything else, choosing a significantly inferior case and psu is just another way of cutting corners when the point should be to be well rounded instead (imho).

[HKZeroFive]

In the grand scheme of things, its an AWFUL cooler (it is of the well known and important coolers in the industry within the bottom quartile), and it negatively affects what you can do with the x99 platform. The fact that in the worst case situation you can get away with using it is much more a reflection of the trend to higher efficiency cpus.

 

I would generally agree with going x99, but with the trend towards gpu accelerated rendering workflows, honestly it won't make much of a difference. I'd say if you stretched your budget to 1600 or so it would make sense or again if he already has a power supply or ssd storage then the fit makes sense, but in the absence of knowing any specifics I'd recommend z97.

 

And while obviously it matters more what his taste in cases is than anything else, choosing a significantly inferior case and psu is just another way of cutting corners when the point should be to be well rounded instead (imho).

 

IMHO, aesthetics should never be prioritised over performance. If you had a bigger budget, then go for it, get the Fractal Design R4/R5. The XFX PSU is not inferior by any means, it's perceived to be one of the most reliable out there. I honestly think the RM PSUs are (usually) overpriced (not now because of the Newegg discount) while the XFX and EVGA GS series make equally good and cheaper alternatives.

 

On top of that, I'll still stick with the X99 platform because of the hexacore CPU. It's been proven time and time again that it will do better in video editing and rendering because of 'moar cores'. I don't think that'll change soon.

 

For the cooler, unless OP's brother is planning to overclock to extreme lengths, it will suffice. Even if the cooler is in the lower quartile, it's still popular and frequently recommended because of its cheap price and well rounded performance (of course, an AIO liquid solution would do better but at a higher cost). For the price, it'll maintain the 5820K decently (not the best, but not the worst either).

[Curufinwe_wins]

IMHO, aesthetics should never be prioritised over performance. If you had a bigger budget, then go for it, get the Fractal Design R4/R5. The XFX PSU is not inferior by any means, it's perceived to be one of the most reliable out there. I honestly think the RM PSUs are overpriced when something like a 650 GS would do equally well for a lower price.

 

On top of that, I'll still stick with the X99 platform because of the hexacore CPU. It's been proven time and time again that it will do better in video editing and rendering because of 'moar cores'. I don't think that'll change soon.

 

For the cooler, unless OP's brother is planning to overclock to extreme lengths, it will suffice. Even if the cooler is in the lower quartile, it's still popular and frequently recommended because of its cheap price and well rounded performance (of course, an AIO liquid solution would do better but at a higher cost). For the price, it'll maintain the 5820K decently (not the best, but not the worst either).

The RM I chose was 69.99 you know that right? I didn't randomly pick it because Corsair. It's better in every possible way (quality being included in that) while being cheaper.

 

It doesn't take extreme lengths to overpower a 212 evo on x99. Even a 44x 1.3V overclock probably will not function on it. 4.5 / 1.3 on the 4770k is certainly is right at the edge of it's capabilities. Good enough doesn't mean good. 

 

I guess what I am saying is, you can cut all the corners and get x99 (or just stretch a bit, about 1600 gets you there with comfort) or you can get a system that will be right within the margins of notable difference (if gpu acceleration is used, if not obviously huge difference).

 

Indeed the other possibility would be moving down to a 980/fury instead of the 980ti, but with the push for gpu accelerated workflows (and gaming) that would be even worse than moving away from x99.

 

In the end, any of the builds listed here will probably be great gifts. Without a doubt going x99 gets you a more powerful machine. I just don't think it gets you a better one (personally).

[HKZeroFive]

The RM I chose was 69.99 you know that right? I didn't randomly pick it because Corsair. It's better in every possible way (quality being included in that) while being cheaper.

 

It doesn't take extreme lengths to overpower a 212 evo on x99. Even a 44x 1.3V overclock probably will not function on it. 4.5 / 1.3 on the 4770k is certainly is right at the edge of it's capabilities. Good enough doesn't mean good. 

 

I guess what I am saying is, you can cut all the corners and get x99 (or just stretch a bit, about 1600 gets you there with comfort) or you can get a system that will be right within the margins of notable difference (if gpu acceleration is used, if not obviously huge difference).

 

Indeed the other possibility would be moving down to a 980/fury instead of the 980ti, but with the push for gpu accelerated workflows (and gaming) that would be even worse than moving away from x99.

 

In the end, any of the builds listed here will probably be great gifts. Without a doubt going x99 gets you a more powerful machine. I just don't think it gets you a better one (personally).

 

Yeah, realised that after I posted. I never thought newegg put on that much of a discount.

 

I agree with you on your last point. In conclusion, it really depends on what sort of work OP's brother is doing, whether it'll be utilising the GPU or not.