First PC Build - Gaming

[Bladactania]

Greetings.  I'm looking to replace my 6 year old Dell Studio XPS 15 laptop.  It's really served me well and continues to be able to play the games I play most, albeit at absolute minimum settings and easily manages other uses such as web browsing, etc.  I've only ever had pre-built systems before and thought I'd try my hand at building my own to give me the flexibility to customize without paying through the nose!  I thought a had a fair grasp on the components and the different options, but I've been blown away be the shear magnitude and thought it best to get at least some general advice so I can avoid unnecessary expense and headache.

 

1. Budget & Location
I live in the US.  My budget is somewhat flexible, somewhere in the $1000 range is preferable, but I'm willing to push this a few hundred dollars if it makes sense in a performance basis, and of course, if I can achieve my goals under that, that would be great, too!!  My need, however, is to be able to upgrade this as my budget and need allows, so I'd like to have components that leave room for future upgrade/expansion.  I'm definitely willing to spend more on some components and sacrificing on others to satisfy my current needs with the goal of upgrading those sacrificed areas in the future.  Obviously with this budget I'm not looking for the latest and greatest, but don't want to be needing to start over a year from now.

2. Aim
I do, of course, spend a lot of time on the computer doing common computer tasks such as web browsing, coding, office work, etc.  I do no video editing/rendering or 3d work or anything like that.  I do use my computer for gaming, which is where the need for a new PC arises.  On my current system the games I play most often are StarCraft II, World of Tanks, EVE Online, and Supreme Commander I & II.  I would at least like to be able to play these games at their max settings.  I'm not currently into any "AAA" titles (No Far Cry, Crysis, Battlefield, etc), but if possible would like the option, but I'm willing to settle for lower settings on these.

 

3. Monitors
I'm currently running one monitor at 1920x1080.  I'm quite happy with this setup and don't plan on upgrading my monitor or adding another in the near future.

4. Peripherals
I will need Windows, but all the peripherals I currently have are adequate (USB keyboard and mouse, speakers, etc.).

5. Why are you upgrading?
I think I've covered this.  I fastidiously maintain my current system and I'm confident that it's operating at it's peak.  I've never been able to play the games I play at higher settings than I am currently.

 

 

I've spent a lot of time over the last few weeks pouring over stat sheets, benchmarks, reviews, etc of a multitude of components as well as watching hours of instructional videos on YouTube, including those associated with this site (which is why I'm posting here!).  There's so much information it can be confusing and overwhelming.  It sometimes seems an impossible task to match a CPU with a motherboard with RAM with a GPU!  To be honest, I can't even provide a potential parts list because I don't know where to start.  Is it best to start with the CPU?  I've been using Intel since the Pentium and I'm more familiar with them and feel myself focusing on Intel chips (I'm not a fanboy, honest!), but should I consider AMD?

 

Anyway, I think I'm too unfocused yet to ask for comparisons between particular components, so maybe help with a starting point is what I'm looking for, then to go from there...

 

Thanks in advance for any help you all provide!

Blad

 

P.S.  Something I forgot to mention: The one thing I do NOT need to get is a HDD (though I have been considering getting an SSD).  I got a deal on some when I got a NAS so I have an extra 2TB drive.

[HKZeroFive]

This will be able to run most AAA games at 1080p 60FPS if you feel like playing them. Should handle any games you normally play without a hitch.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($254.88 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($34.50 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: MSI Z170-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($111.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

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  ($87.89 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 390 8GB PCS+ Video Card  ($279.99 @ Newegg) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.99 @ Directron) 

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

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)  ($35.00 @ MicrosoftSoftwareSwap) 

Total: $994.22

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-17 02:31 EST-0500

[Bladactania]

Excellent!  Thank you for the quick response and for even giving me a parts list.  I'll pour over this for a while!

[Molten]

$1155.70 with a 980ti (no OS, no peripherals, I assume you already have these): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ft3MLk

$1025 with a 980 (no OS, no peripherals, I assume you already have these): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/LXRhVn

EDIT: Sorry, I did add a HDD to each system, just take them out... sorry... also I didn't include windows but I can give you a windows 7 key as I have plenty...

[Bladactania]

 

This will be able to run most AAA games at 1080p 60FPS if you feel like playing them. Should handle any games you normally play without a hitch.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($254.88 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($34.50 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: MSI Z170-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($111.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

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  ($87.89 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 390 8GB PCS+ Video Card  ($279.99 @ Newegg) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.99 @ Directron) 

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

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)  ($35.00 @ MicrosoftSoftwareSwap) 

Total: $994.22

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-17 02:31 EST-0500

 

 

Could you give me an idea of your thinking of choosing the newer i5 over the older i7s, such as the 4790k you have listed as your personal system?  I've seen/read many comparisons between the two.  I would assume using the newer chips gives better options for future expansion/upgrades... 

[Bladactania]

$1155.70 with a 980ti (no OS, no peripherals, I assume you already have these): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ft3MLk

$1025 with a 980 (no OS, no peripherals, I assume you already have these): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/LXRhVn

EDIT: Sorry, I did add a HDD to each system, just take them out... sorry... also I didn't include windows but I can give you a windows 7 key as I have plenty...

 

Thank you.  Seems you chose older hardware to get a better graphics card.

[Xenift]

Ill right one, be right back.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($314.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($63.99 @ NCIX US) 

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($139.89 @ OutletPC) 

Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($39.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($87.89 @ Amazon) 

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

Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 390 8GB Double Dissipation Video Card  ($308.98 @ Newegg) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.99 @ Directron) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg) 

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)  ($87.95 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $1218.64

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-17 03:00 EST-0500

Here is a i7 one, this makes more sense with a CPU cooler and also that it is based black in build.

Also as for the windows key, you could always get one from software swap. This setup would max all 1080p games.

 

Here is also one more i made some time ago. (http://linustechtips.com/main/blog/886/entry-1074-all-around-performance-g953-no-compromise-gaming-under-1000-with-os/)

[Molten]

Thank you.  Seems you chose older hardware to get a better graphics card.

well, most games these days aren't very cpu bound anyway, it's mostly in the graphics card.

[HKZeroFive]

Could you give me an idea of your thinking of choosing the newer i5 over the older i7s, such as the 4790k you have listed as your personal system?  I've seen/read many comparisons between the two.  I would assume using the newer chips gives better options for future expansion/upgrades... 

 

Yep, no problem.

 

The i5 6600K is a Skylake CPU, which is Intel's latest CPU family. It uses DDR4 RAM (which many would say is more futureproof in comparison to DDR3), unlike the 4790K's use of DDR3 RAM.

 

There's also the factor of price. A better GPU is going to give you better FPS in most games, particularly AAA ones (Witcher 3, GTA V, Fallout 4 etc.). I personally wouldn't prioritise the CPU over the GPU - in the majority of games, you'll get worse performance. So what I've done is offer you a CPU that you can overclock with the motherboard and cooler, while giving you a formidable GPU. Beware of bottlenecking. An 8350 will limit the performance of something like the 980Ti. Balance is key.

 

The one advantage the i7 does have is hyperthreading. Although a handful of games use it, it doesn't make much of a difference in most. To be honest, it's only really useful in video rendering and editing. It is more powerful overall but not by much, and for the reasons above, I've gone for the i5 so I could get a better GPU.

[Xenift]

$1155.70 with a 980ti (no OS, no peripherals, I assume you already have these): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ft3MLk

$1025 with a 980 (no OS, no peripherals, I assume you already have these): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/LXRhVn

EDIT: Sorry, I did add a HDD to each system, just take them out... sorry... also I didn't include windows but I can give you a windows 7 key as I have plenty...

Trash builds, the 980s would get bottlenecked in so many ways.

[shanmu54321]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($254.88 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($59.99 @ Amazon) 

Motherboard: MSI Z170A PC MATE ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($89.99 @ Micro Center) 

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($42.99 @ Newegg) 

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

Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 390 8GB Video Card  ($319.98 @ SuperBiiz) 

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

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($84.98 @ Newegg) 

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)  ($87.95 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $1060.74

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-17 03:04 EST-0500

[Bladactania]

Yep, no problem.

 

The i5 6600K is a Skylake CPU, which is Intel's latest CPU family. It uses DDR4 RAM (which many would say is more futureproof in comparison to DDR3), unlike the 4790K's use of DDR3 RAM.

 

There's also the factor of price. A better GPU is going to give you better FPS in most games, particularly AAA ones (Witcher 3, GTA V, Fallout 4 etc.). I personally wouldn't prioritise the CPU over the GPU - in the majority of games, you'll get worse performance. So what I've done is offer you a CPU that you can overclock with the motherboard and cooler, while giving you a formidable GPU. Beware of bottlenecking. An 8350 will limit the performance of something like the 980Ti. Balance is key.

 

The one advantage the i7 does have is hyperthreading. Although a handful of games use it, it doesn't make much of a difference in most. To be honest, it's only really useful in video rendering and editing. It is more powerful overall but not by much, and for the reasons above, I've gone for the i5 so I could get a better GPU.

 

 

I appreciate the explanation.

 

Should the PS give me ample overhead for future expansion?  I've read to be careful when choosing a PS to make sure to have enough for future considerations.

[Molten]

Trash builds, the 980s would get bottlenecked in so many ways.

I run a 980 with a fx-8350 and it runs 3440x1440 at 60hrz consistently with high settings in AAA games... a 980ti would be even better... especially since this is a 1920x1080 build...

[Xenift]

I run a 980 with a fx-8350 and it runs 3440x1440 at 60hrz consistently with high settings in AAA games... a 980ti would be even better... especially since this is a 1920x1080 build...

A 980Ti can max out 1440p what the hell are you talking about?

Even a R9 380 can almost max out even the just released AAA games.

 

From what here it looks like, your CPU is bottlenecking the 980Ti by a significant margin.

[Bladactania]

 

This will be able to run most AAA games at 1080p 60FPS if you feel like playing them. Should handle any games you normally play without a hitch.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($254.88 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($34.50 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: MSI Z170-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($111.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

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  ($87.89 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 390 8GB PCS+ Video Card  ($279.99 @ Newegg) 

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($64.99 @ Directron) 

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

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)  ($35.00 @ MicrosoftSoftwareSwap) 

Total: $994.22

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-17 02:31 EST-0500

 

 

 One other question, if I may... It's likely that for my current needs, I would be fine with standard clocking, but if I were to overclock, would the air cooler be sufficient?  This is one of the areas I felt the most uncertainty about.  So much conflicting information. Liquid vs. Air.

[Molten]

A 980Ti can max out 1440p what the hell are you talking about?

Even a R9 380 can almost max out even the just released AAA games.

 

From what here it looks like, your CPU is bottlenecking the 980Ti by a significant margin.

thats with v sync

EDIT: kind of a sh!t way to prove that it's not bottlenecking on my part, but I can't be bothered benchmarking... :\

[Bladactania]

The two Intel i5 builds that are listed have different brands of the same GPU...  is there much/any difference between brands of the same GPU?

[Xenift]

thats with v sync

 

Your point?

Isn't it stupid to buy a 980Ti for 1080p gaming in the first place.

Pairing it with a 8350 is just a sin.

[Xenift]

The two Intel i5 builds that are listed have different brands of the same GPU...  is there much/any difference between brands of the same GPU?

PC is cheaper, but the XFX has better service in terms of RMAing and general quality.

 

Both are splendid, just buy what you think fits your budget and also that to avoid ASUS AMD cards.

[Xenift]

thats with v sync

EDIT: kind of a sh!t way to prove that it's not bottlenecking on my part, but I can't be bothered benchmarking... :\

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/406235-fx8350-bottleneck-980ti/

[HKZeroFive]

I appreciate the explanation.

 

Should the PS give me ample overhead for future expansion?  I've read to be careful when choosing a PS to make sure to have enough for future considerations.

 

Sure. CPUs from Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge are still prominent today and that's pretty impressive, considering they were released in 2011 and 2012 respectively. I'd expect your board/CPU to hold up for another 2-3 years until an upgrade is needed.

 

One thing I'll stress is that there's no such thing as future-proofing. New CPUs and GPUs come out each year and that negates the idea of futureproofing. This build can be upgraded to the i7 6700K, and will be able to handle the upcoming GPUs of this year, probably next year as well. As always, GPU>CPU in games, unless we're looking at a bottleneck, which I don't see anytime soon.

 

 One other question, if I may... It's likely that for my current needs, I would be fine with standard clocking, but if I were to overclock, would the air cooler be sufficient?  This is one of the areas I felt the most uncertainty about.  So much conflicting information. Liquid vs. Air.

 

The cooler I've picked is great for overclocking, better than my own Hyper 212 EVO. Of course, AIO liquid cooling would do better, but the H7 will be sufficient enough.

 

The two Intel i5 builds that are listed have different brands of the same GPU...  is there much/any difference between brands of the same GPU?

 

There's not much difference. Powercolor still has great coolers for AMD cards. Just stay away from ASUS and Gigabyte (although to a lesser extent).

[Bladactania]

PC is cheaper, but the XFX has better service in terms of RMAing and general quality.

 

Both are splendid, just buy what you think fits your budget and also that to avoid ASUS AMD cards.

 

What's wrong with ASUS AMD Cards?

[Xenift]

What's wrong with ASUS AMD Cards?

They have bad cooling.

Ramping of fans, and just weird issues.

 

If i am not wrong, it doesn't fit in some cases too, like the itx one with pcie re-route to the GPU.

[DarkBlade2117]

At ultra wide 1440p the bottleneck is minimal. At 1080p you misewell buy a fucking R9 290, 1080p the CPU becomes more useful and will be bottlenecked A LOT easier.

thats with v sync

EDIT: kind of a sh!t way to prove that it's not bottlenecking on my part, but I can't be bothered benchmarking... :\

[Bladactania]

Xenift, I very much appreciate your assistance.  I'm sure I'll have more questions as I delve into this, but you've definitely given me a lot to go on, more than I'd hoped I'd get out of a forum post!  I already feel much less overwhelmed!