Building first gaming PC

[skeeler88]

So I have never built a PC or bought one. I have only used my Macbook Pro and I think its time I invest into a gaming desktop pc. Now I know little about pc components or how to put one together, hence why im on here. Im sure with lots of effort and man hours I could get a pc built buy myself BUT there is also the pre-built custom pc's you can buy. If anyone can give me pros and cons of both I would really appreciate it. I guess my budget is around $1000-1500 and im looking to game on high or ultra settings. So an i7 processor, Nvidia gtx 1060. Also I want something that can possibly do VR and game in 4k. Hope everyone can understand this. Thanks in advance for the help

[PCGuy_5960]

1 hour ago, skeeler88 said:

So an i7 processor, Nvidia gtx 1060. Also I want something that can possibly do VR and game in 4k.

Why an i7 with a 1060? You can probably get a Ryzen 5 1600 with a GTX 1070 for the same amount of money.

 

EDIT: This build would be quite good:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor  ($196.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock - AB350 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($73.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($151.97 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($89.99 @ B&H) 
Storage: Seagate - BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.78 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card  ($523.89 @ B&H) 
Case: Deepcool - DUKASE V2 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ NCIX US) 
Total: $1221.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-13 11:59 EDT-0400

You can get a 7700K with a Z270 board if you want to spend more money

Edited September 13, 2017 by PCGuy_5960
Better SSD

[JackDoyne]

1 minute ago, skeeler88 said:

So I have never built a PC or bought one. I have only used my Macbook Pro and I think its time I invest into a gaming desktop pc. Now I know little about pc components or how to put one together, hence why im on here. Im sure with lots of effort and man hours I could get a pc built buy myself BUT there is also the pre-built custom pc's you can buy. If anyone can give me pros and cons of both I would really appreciate it. I guess my budget is around $1000-1500 and im looking to game on high or ultra settings. So an i7 processor, Nvidia gtx 1060. Also I want something that can possibly do VR and game in 4k. Hope everyone can understand this. Thanks in advance for the help

So at that $1000 - 1500 price point you can play 4k Games but not at the mentioned ultra settings, as for VR it would be fine, personally unless you're willing to spend more i'd aim for 1080p maybe even 1440p at a higher than 60hz refresh rate? sound okay? if so i'll help you build a PC

[TheGlenlivet]

If you want to build it yourself, go to https://pcpartpicker.com/ .  

It will help with compatibility and pricing so you can make sure you build something that will boot, and won't cost more than it should.  Right now the Ryzen AM4 platform is the best bang for the buck, with Intel's Z170/270 coming in next if you want a good all around gaming and productivity build.  Good luck.

[Guest]

Well, going with a prebuilt PC, you would have to pay an installation fee which isnt worth paying, when you can do it yourself. You could also be paying taxes and shipping costs (depends if you buy ithe prebuilt online). With all of the added costs of a prebuilt PC, you might as well build it yourself and customize the PC to your likings. And besides, in terms of the pricing of prebuilt systems that shops sell, prices will vary between each shop, and all of the time and confusion isnt worth it.

 

By building a PC yourself, it is cheaper, more reliable from a buyers perspective when they choose components for their PC and its also customizable.

 

For a budget of 1000-$1500, you could go for a ryzen CPU because they are much cheaper than their counterparts and more money could be put towards a better GPU, such as the gtx 1070 for example. And going with ryzen allows more options for upgradability and the AM4 platform is definitely showing its popularity.

[genexis_x]

34 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

You can get a 7700K with a Z270 board if you want to spend more money

Or wait for 8700K, more cores and almost match Ryzen 7 multi thread performance after OCed

[skeeler88]

37 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

Why an i7 with a 1060? You can probably get a Ryzen 5 1600 with a GTX 1070 for the same amount of money.

 

EDIT: This build would be quite good:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor  ($196.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock - AB350 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($73.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($151.97 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung - 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($138.69 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Seagate - BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.78 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card  ($523.89 @ B&H) 
Case: Deepcool - DUKASE V2 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ NCIX US) 
Total: $1270.17
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-13 10:56 EDT-0400

You can get a 7700K with a Z270 board if you want to spend more money

So I have no idea i n the differences in processors or motherboards. Im no video content creator or close to it so I thought a 1060 would be just the perfect amount of power/expectations I am looking for. Also I would have no idea how to put something like this together unless I had help or someone physical do it for me. Also, I am a fan of RGB haha so if I do end up building myself, I would most likely try and do that. Lastly, anything differences between a water-cooled and non water-cooled pc? I appreciate all the info and help too!

[skeeler88]

25 minutes ago, TheBeastPC said:

Well, going with a prebuilt PC, you would have to pay an installation fee which isnt worth paying, when you can do it yourself. You could also be paying taxes and shipping costs (depends if you buy ithe prebuilt online). With all of the added costs of a prebuilt PC, you might as well build it yourself and customize the PC to your likings. And besides, in terms of the pricing of prebuilt systems that shops sell, prices will vary between each shop, and all of the time and confusion isnt worth it.

 

By building a PC yourself, it is cheaper, more reliable from a buyers perspective when they choose components for their PC and its also customizable.

 

For a budget of 1000-$1500, you could go for a ryzen CPU because they are much cheaper than their counterparts and more money could be put towards a better GPU, such as the gtx 1070 for example. And going with ryzen allows more options for upgradability and the AM4 platform is definitely showing its popularity.

I understand im paying for labor and all that, but if i do it myself I wouldnt want to ruin/break anything ya know? The plus I see that stands out for my situation is a pre-built computer with a warranty on the whole PC. That way if something is wrong I take it in or send it in to be fixed. I dont know how to troubleshoot or fix a pc. One day I would like to know though

[genexis_x]

11 minutes ago, skeeler88 said:

anything differences between a water-cooled and non water-cooled pc?

A good air cooler can compete with a 120/240 AIO. I prefer air coolers than AIOs, IMO only buy AIO when you want better aesthetics

[PCGuy_5960]

7 minutes ago, skeeler88 said:

So I have no idea i n the differences in processors or motherboards.

I would recommend this:

13 minutes ago, ZM Fong said:

wait for 8700K, more cores and almost match Ryzen 7 multi thread performance after OCed

8 minutes ago, skeeler88 said:

Im no video content creator or close to it so I thought a 1060 would be just the perfect amount of power/expectations I am looking for.

You want to play games 4K, so you need a more powerful GPU like the GTX 1080. BTW, a more powerful GPU is more useful if you are gaming, not if you are a content creator 

8 minutes ago, skeeler88 said:

Also I would have no idea how to put something like this together unless I had help or someone physical do it for me.

It's not that hard, you can find a bunch of "How to Build a PC" videos on YouTube. And some stores will build the PC for you, if you so desire.

10 minutes ago, skeeler88 said:

Lastly, anything differences between a water-cooled and non water-cooled pc?

Depends on the CPU, if you have a 7700K and you want to overclock it to 5GHz, getting an AiO would help. If you have a Ryzen CPU, the stock cooler or something like a Cryorig H7 is just fine. (Ryzen doesn't output a lot of heat)

[genexis_x]

10 minutes ago, skeeler88 said:

I understand im paying for labor and all that, but if i do it myself I wouldnt want to ruin/break anything ya know? The plus I see that stands out for my situation is a pre-built computer with a warranty on the whole PC. That way if something is wrong I take it in or send it in to be fixed. I dont know how to troubleshoot or fix a pc. One day I would like to know though

Learn how to fix it. Learn.

[Herman Mcpootis]

57 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

Why an i7 with a 1060? You can probably get a Ryzen 5 1600 with a GTX 1070 for the same amount of money.

 

EDIT: This build would be quite good:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor  ($196.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock - AB350 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($73.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($151.97 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung - 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($138.69 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Seagate - BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.78 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card  ($523.89 @ B&H) 
Case: Deepcool - DUKASE V2 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ NCIX US) 
Total: $1270.17
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-13 10:56 EDT-0400

You can get a 7700K with a Z270 board if you want to spend more money

why 840 evo of all things? rest of the build is good though.

[PCGuy_5960]

1 minute ago, herman mcpootis said:

why 840 evo of all things? rest of the build is good though.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor  ($196.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock - AB350 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($73.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($151.97 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($89.99 @ B&H) 
Storage: Seagate - BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.78 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card  ($523.89 @ B&H) 
Case: Deepcool - DUKASE V2 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ NCIX US) 
Total: $1221.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-13 11:52 EDT-0400

Fixed

[genexis_x]

5 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

BTW, a more powerful GPU is more useful if you are gaming, not if you are a content creator 

^^this

 

5 minutes ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

if you have a 7700K and you want to overclock it to 5GHz, getting an AiO would help.

Noctua NH-D15 will do the same job, though it's heavy and may interfere with higher RAM modules

[Herman Mcpootis]

22 minutes ago, skeeler88 said:

So I have no idea i n the differences in processors or motherboards. Im no video content creator or close to it so I thought a 1060 would be just the perfect amount of power/expectations I am looking for. Also I would have no idea how to put something like this together unless I had help or someone physical do it for me. Also, I am a fan of RGB haha so if I do end up building myself, I would most likely try and do that. Lastly, anything differences between a water-cooled and non water-cooled pc? I appreciate all the info and help too!

a 1060 will do well in 1080p 60hz gaming but for 4k it's not gonna cut it. get a gtx 1080 or better for 4k. look up some guides on youtube, it's not too hard to build it when you look into it. you can get a cheapo deepcool 350 RGB kit for rgb. 

[genexis_x]

1 minute ago, herman mcpootis said:

you can get a cheapo deepcool 350 RGB kit for rgb. 

Or China branded/unbranded RGB strips

[Herman Mcpootis]

i'll recommend this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor  ($196.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: ASRock - X370 KILLER SLI/ac ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($111.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (1 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($129.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($89.99 @ B&H) 
Storage: Seagate - BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.78 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card  ($523.89 @ B&H) 1080ti if you're fine with spending $200 more.
Case: Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400S TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case  ($74.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: Corsair - TXM Gold 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ Amazon) 
Total: $1262.49
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-13 11:59 EDT-0400

[PCGuy_5960]

Just now, herman mcpootis said:

Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (1 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($129.99 @ Newegg) 

Single channel RAM? 

[Herman Mcpootis]

1 minute ago, PCGuy_5960 said:

Single channel RAM? 

cheapest 2x8gb 3000mhz kit costed $10 more and a 3200mhz kit costed $15 more, so... 

[skeeler88]

I really appreciate all the responses and answers. Ill have to read over everything and try to figure out what I want out of a pc, pre-built or DIY. Im definitely leaning towards a 4K, water cooled, RGB rig. just need to get all components worked out. Ill be back later after classes to ask more questions

 

 

[DocSwag]

1 hour ago, skeeler88 said:

I understand im paying for labor and all that, but if i do it myself I wouldnt want to ruin/break anything ya know? The plus I see that stands out for my situation is a pre-built computer with a warranty on the whole PC. That way if something is wrong I take it in or send it in to be fixed. I dont know how to troubleshoot or fix a pc. One day I would like to know though

It's not that hard, as long as you follow the instructions you're unlikely to break anything. However, if you really are apprehensive about it you can always use something like NCIX's PC building service which will build you a pc for $50, and they give you a 1 year warranty with it too.

 

If you ever have issues you can always come back to the forum and we're happy to help you troubleshoot it.

[skeeler88]

2 hours ago, TheBeastPC said:

Well, going with a prebuilt PC, you would have to pay an installation fee which isnt worth paying, when you can do it yourself. You could also be paying taxes and shipping costs (depends if you buy ithe prebuilt online). With all of the added costs of a prebuilt PC, you might as well build it yourself and customize the PC to your likings. And besides, in terms of the pricing of prebuilt systems that shops sell, prices will vary between each shop, and all of the time and confusion isnt worth it.

 

By building a PC yourself, it is cheaper, more reliable from a buyers perspective when they choose components for their PC and its also customizable.

 

For a budget of 1000-$1500, you could go for a ryzen CPU because they are much cheaper than their counterparts and more money could be put towards a better GPU, such as the gtx 1070 for example. And going with ryzen allows more options for upgradability and the AM4 platform is definitely showing its popularity.

so you would recommend AMD over Intel? unless i wait for the new i8 release? I dont know the differences I just personally have heard tthe name intel more and seen it in more laptops and pc builds

 

[HKZeroFive]

It depends on how much you're willing to spend so it varies for each person.

 

If you're looking for a easy-to-build-in case, I highly recommend the Fractal Design Define C since it has good airflow, low noise levels and is extremely noob-friendly. Get the tempered glass variant if you're looking for something more flashy.

[scighera2]

4 minutes ago, skeeler88 said:

So I am going to build my first pc and this whole website and forum has helped a lot. Now I know cases can be super expensive but I was wondering what price I should spend on my case? I was looking between $50-120. I know I want something that has good airflow, easy cable management sense i am new to it, something that is pro RGB lighting and has a window. The cases I have looked at so far are the NZXT S340 Elite, Corsair 460x, Corsair 400C, and the Phanteks P400S. If anyone can tell me the pros and cons of them, personal experience, etc I would very much appreciate it! 

I don't know about those cases. But I'll say that it really depends on the parts that you have. For example; If you have a GTX 1050, you probably don't need a $100 case with amazing airflow because the card produces so little heat.

[Thinkfreely]

NZXT S340 Elite, Corsair 460x, Corsair 400C, and the Phanteks P400S

 

So I have built in all 4 of those cases.

 

I like the s340 Elite the most for looks, but but you can run out of room in a hurry if you don't plan it out.

The Corsair 460x also looks good with all tempered sides, but that means your going to see the cable management side of the PC which I think makes 0 sense, even if the management is great.

The 400C has a little more cable room, but the front shroud doesn't extend all the way to the front. This is good if you do a front rad, because it can extend all the way to the bottom, meaning you can have a bigger rad, however you don't have as much room underneath to hide hardrives, and I don't like the way the case looks.

The Phanteks P400s has a unique look but suffers from space issues and is harder to build in. It also has very poor airfow, due to the intake design on the front.

 

I hope this helps.