What Should I Do?!

Trav_X · August 19, 2016

Sorry for the click-bait title, but if you read my situation you'll probably have an opinion.

TL:DR - don't know if I should build a new PC, get a better monitor, keep my gaming laptop, ugh

Hello LTT forums. I'm in a predicament, one that I'm really torn on, and I've basically wasted my whole summer thinking about instead of making a thread or just choosing one. Let me explain my current situation.

I recently gave my old prebuilt gaming PC from tiger direct I got in 2014 for less than a grand to my parents, (A8-5600k, 750Ti, 550w PSU, 16gb ram (upgraded from 8)). I took out the 750Ti cause they use it as an email, FaceBook, and Yahoo! machine. I gave it to them cause for Christmas last year in 2015 I received an MSI GE72 Apache Pro-242 (5700HQ 4 core Hyperthread, 970M, 1080p, 17"). I put this guy at my desk in a dual screen configuration with a 1080p monitor, I game on the 27" Samsung monitor and have like Discord, Skype, and CAM open on my laptop screen. I hooked up my Razer Anansi keyboard and a mouse and a Blue Snowball iCE.

Now, I'm at a crossroads.

During the last year I've been posting threads about building a PC, revising my build plan, etc. As of right now, this is what I would buy.

http://pcpartpicker.com/list/7bGTJV

Something like that. The best performance I can get for $1000 USD, basically (maybe change the expensive motherboard). If I do this, I've spent my budget and have to use the 1070 on a 1080p monitor. What a freaking waste. I wouldn't even be able to upgrade to a better monitor until Christmas or after. But then I've got this damn MSI laptop and only using it occasionally. But I'd love to build something. And also, 1070 prices for good ones like STRIX and Twin Frozr VI are still up at like $440-$450, and supposedly aftermarket versions start around $379 or should be closer to the $400 mark. should I wait to build until Christmas or Black Friday? I would maybe have a little more budget like another $100 to use then.

OR, I could just get a new monitor. My monitor budget would probably be only like $500 or less, to get a nice panel. But I don't really want a 4K or regular 1440p panel. I want 21:9. I've been playing games at 16:9 for ever, and some of them feel cramped. Stuff like Rocket League just feels like I could benefit so much from the wider screen standard. But, 3440x1440p prices are very high. As well, can a 970M even run at WQHD? However, the only games I play are basically TF2, CSGO, SMITE, and Rocket League. All the other indies I play occasionally are easier to run than any of those anyway too. The hardest thing I ever played is GTAV, but I'd totally be okay playing that at 2560x1080, the laptop can max out 60 frames on medium-high settings at 1080p. Any deals on 3440 monitors out there?

Mostly, my questions are
- Wait to build until Black Friday/Christmas?
- Where to get 3440x1440 monitors?
- Can a 970M handle that resolution?

- ANY DEALS ON 3440x1440P MONITORS ANYWHERE?

Thanks for any help at all, my life is crazy right now having to start up at the school again in a few days, life is getting crazy. But, I'm excited, and will be still just as active on the forum (although my activity has been dying down lately). Thanks for any help at all, I love reading replies.

saladcrack · August 19, 2016

I would build the new PC and wait until Christmas or some Black Friday deals to get a new monitor because a 970m wouldn't be able to handle gaming on a 1440p screen at a decent fps. On the pc end I would try and find a slightly cheaper mobo around $100-115 and bump the cpu up to a 6600k for about $30 more.

Mobo #1: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/qkX2FT/msi-motherboard-z170apro

Mobo #2: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/8q38TW/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz170xpsli

Trav_X · August 19, 2016

51 minutes ago, Gamessys said:

I would build the new PC and wait until Christmas or some Black Friday deals to get a new monitor because a 970m wouldn't be able to handle gaming on a 1440p screen at a decent fps. On the pc end I would try and find a slightly cheaper mobo around $100-115 and bump the cpu up to a 6600k for about $30 more.

Mobo #1: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/qkX2FT/msi-motherboard-z170apro

Mobo #2: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/8q38TW/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz170xpsli

Do you think that GPU could handle even something like CSGO or Rocket League? Very easy titles but the resolution is just so much more than 1080p