Which is a better $500 dollar PC upgrade

[Daniel Z.]

I want to get an upgrade to my PC. Here are the 2 options

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Case: Inwin - 301 White MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Newegg Canada) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic - 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($74.95 @ shopRBC) 
Other: Blue Coolant ($10.99)
Other: S240 ($293.60)
Other: EK bottle ($11.41)
Total: $480.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-30 00:19 EST-0500

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($75.95 @ Vuugo) 
Case: Inwin - 301 White MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($89.99 @ Newegg Canada) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($119.99 @ Newegg Canada) 
Other: Ek Water Blocks EK-KIT A240 (SPC) Fluid Gaming Water Cooling Kit - AM4 / Intl LGA-115X/2011(-3)/2066  ($227.10) 
Total: $513.03
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-30 00:19 EST-0500

[DanielMDA]

Neither do I reccommend it. Get a Dark Rock 3.

[NoRomanBatmansAllowed]

I third this. Get a beefy air cooler (if your case can fit it).

 

If you really really really really  wanna get custom cooling for some reason, 2nd option is obviously better since it offers some tangible benefits (e.g. greater storage).

 

Keep in mind that your system can't even OC so getting a custom loop doesn't make sense at all.

[Daniel Z.]

6 minutes ago, Redstoneary said:

Also I don't recommend putting custom water cooling in microATX

 

3 minutes ago, DanielMDA said:

Neither do I reccommend it. Get a Dark Rock 3.

It's not for cooling, my intel stock cooler is only 75c at max load for hours. I want it cause it looks cool and i want to learn how to do a water loop. 

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, bob51zhang said:

I third this. Get a beefy air cooler (if your case can fit it).

 

If you really really really really  wanna get custom cooling for some reason, 2nd option is obviously better since it offers some tangible benefits (e.g. greater storage).

 

Keep in mind that your system can't even OC so getting a custom loop doesn't make sense at all.

no, it doesn't make sense. I just want to do it. My pc is more a project than a gaming rig at this point

[NoRomanBatmansAllowed]

Just now, Daniel Z. said:

no, it doesn't make sense.

 

Well you might as well go for some hardline tubing while you're at it!

 

If that's the case just choose whichever you think'll look better in your system.

[DanielMDA]

2 minutes ago, Daniel Z. said:

 

It's not for cooling, my intel stock cooler is only 75c at max load for hours. I want it cause it looks cool and i want to learn how to do a water loop. 

Dude, you wont even OC, save the bucks. Get a great build in the future custom looping is EXPENSIVE not to mention delicate.

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, bob51zhang said:

 

Well you might as well go for some hardline tubing while you're at it!

 

If that's the case just choose whichever you think'll look better in your system.

Ok. I have never done a loop and hard tubing is very hard in a matx. I kinda want to get the S240 cause I can replace the fittings and get hard tube on it. Here is wat I want it to look somewhat like.

 

[Daniel Z.]

1 minute ago, DanielMDA said:

Dude, you wont even OC, save the bucks. Get a great build in the future custom looping is EXPENSIVE not to mention delicate.

I have no problems with my rig at all. I get 60FPS max in every game except battlefront 2015 where I get 60FPS medium or 30FPS ultra

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, Redstoneary said:

First, why have we not asked your budget?

Isn't it clear that it is $500?

[Daniel Z.]

1 minute ago, Redstoneary said:

Can you post your original build so we can take a better look?

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($232.50 @ Vuugo) 
Motherboard: ASRock - H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($92.99 @ Amazon Canada) 
Storage: Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($147.86 @ Amazon Canada) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.95 @ Vuugo) 
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card 
Case: NZXT - S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($94.50 @ Vuugo) 
Power Supply: EVGA - 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($109.99 @ Newegg Canada) 
Monitor: Dell - S2715H 27.0" 1920x1080 60Hz Monitor  ($345.99 @ PC Canada) 
Monitor: Asus - VA32AQ 31.5" 2560x1440 60Hz Monitor  ($449.99 @ Newegg Canada) 
Keyboard: Logitech - G710 Plus Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($132.99 @ PC Canada) 
Keyboard: Kingston - HyperX Alloy FPS Wired Standard Keyboard  ($121.32 @ Amazon Canada) 
Mouse: Logitech - G402 Wired Optical Mouse  ($67.00 @ Amazon Canada) 
Total: $1850.08
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-30 00:41 EST-0500

 

[Daniel Z.]

1 minute ago, Redstoneary said:

 

silence and aesthetics

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, Redstoneary said:

Do you not need a CPU cooler?

I would like to do a loop but idk

[dizmo]

11 minutes ago, Daniel Z. said:

I have no problems with my rig at all. I get 60FPS max in every game except battlefront 2015 where I get 60FPS medium or 30FPS ultra

With a GTX 960? I kind of doubt that.

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, dizmo said:

With a GTX 960? I kind of doubt that.

I only play war thunder, TF2, hearthstone, and minecraft. I forgot to mention I have my 960 at 1524 mhz after GPU boost+factory OC+manual OC.

[Daniel Z.]

6 minutes ago, dizmo said:

With a GTX 960? I kind of doubt that.

why is this funny?

[dizmo]

Just now, Daniel Z. said:

why is this funny?

Because those games could run on anything.

 

Between the two choices, I'd go with the second. No point in buying a relatively poor PSU, plus you get something that'll actually be beneficial to the system, additional storage.

 

If you're not looking to actually cool, why not look on Reddit for some water cooling stuff? Save a ton of money and go the used route.

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, dizmo said:

Because those games could run on anything.

 

Between the two choices, I'd go with the second. No point in buying a relatively poor PSU, plus you get something that'll actually be beneficial to the system, additional storage.

 

If you're not looking to actually cool, why not look on Reddit for some water cooling stuff? Save a ton of money and go the used route.

i am pretty nervous about used water cooling parts

[Damascus]

3 hours ago, Daniel Z. said:

Power Supply: SeaSonic - 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($74.95 @ shopRBC) 

No

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, Damascus said:

No

Why? it isn't that bad and the cables look nice

[Damascus]

2 hours ago, Daniel Z. said:

Why? it isn't that bad and the cables look nice

 

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, Damascus said:

 

how long will it take the CXM fan to fail?

[Damascus]

3 hours ago, Daniel Z. said:

i am pretty nervous about used water cooling parts

Look at all the parts I've gotten used, no issues ever.

 

Radiators

• EK SE 240 
• EK PE 360

Pumps

• 2 DDC v3.5
• 1 D5 vario 

Reservoirs

• dual DDC 5.25" bayres w/ pump mount
• D5 5.25" bayres w/pump mount
• D5 pupmtop

Blocks

• XSPC Raystorm (115X, 1366, AM4, 2011/2066 mounting)
• MSI branded EK FC block for the 1070/1080 Gaming X PCB (also used on the armor cards)

Fittings

• 4 bitspower 3/8, 5/8 90 degree adapter (black)
• 4 bitspower 3/8, 5/8 45 degree adapter (black)
• 2 bitspower 3/8, 5/8 (black)
• 4 1/2" barb

[Daniel Z.]

Just now, Damascus said:

Look at all the parts I've gotten used, no issues ever.

 

Radiators

• EK SE 240 
• EK PE 360

Pumps

• 2 DDC v3.5
• 1 D5 vario 

Reservoirs

• dual DDC 5.25" bayres w/ pump mount
• D5 5.25" bayres w/pump mount
• D5 pupmtop

Blocks

• XSPC Raystorm (115X, 1366, AM4, 2011/2066 mounting)
• MSI branded EK FC block for the 1070/1080 Gaming X PCB (also used on the armor cards)

Fittings

• 4 bitspower 3/8, 5/8 90 degree adapter (black)
• 4 bitspower 3/8, 5/8 45 degree adapter (black)
• 2 bitspower 3/8, 5/8 (black)
• 4 1/2" barb

what site?

[Damascus]

3 hours ago, Daniel Z. said:

how long will it take the CXM fan to fail?

Not sure, the 2017 revision is quite good