solid build for 1200ish?

[vincent275]

Hey guys!

I'm trying to build a PC for during this time and my budget is around 1200 CAD

I'm trying to get a really solid build that can last many years and kind of a "future proof" for gaming at 1080p on ultra settings and also some light workstation use (mainly on AUTOCAD)

And also I really prefer the intel's build, just a personal preference on intel.

I don't necessary need dual graphics cards but if they are better, please correct me.

Basically I am going to get all the parts I need during boxing day so 1200 CAD are the final budget including deals, 

I already have the peripherals and a monitor so those doesn't have to be included. But if anyone recommends a dual monitor setup, please tell me the benefits of it.

Thanks guys, this is my first time building my computer and your advise would really help!

[Grave]

Since you're already looking for a computer that is ugpradable or "future-proof" (not necessarily instantly high-end, since it's not entirely needed), you should be going with a strong single-card setup over SLI/CrossfireX.

At that budget, an R9 280X or 290 would be great. Plenty of VRAM for you, good price:performance (unless the cheaper stuff is out of stock, of course). Dual monitors benefits you better multitasking, but it's really just a luxury. Can always buy a second later if it helps you get a really good pc faster.

[vincent275]

Since you're already looking for a computer that is ugpradable or "future-proof" (not necessarily instantly high-end, since it's not entirely needed), you should be going with a strong single-card setup over SLI/CrossfireX.

At that budget, an R9 280X or 290 would be great. Plenty of VRAM for you, good price:performance (unless the cheaper stuff is out of stock, of course). Dual monitors benefits you better multitasking, but it's really just a luxury. Can always buy a second later if it helps you get a really good pc faster.

does that mean around my budget amd's cards can deliver more performance than nvidia's?

[Grave]

Well, you'd definitely be cutting corners somewhere if you wanted a GTX 780 over an R9 290, but I found out that even then you're pushing your budget a bit far with the 290. How much storage are you even looking for?

[vincent275]

Well, you'd definitely be cutting corners somewhere if you wanted a GTX 780 over an R9 290, but I found out that even then you're pushing your budget a bit far with the 290. How much storage are you even looking for?

thinking about a 2 TB HDD, just thought SSDs aren't that necessary.

[Grave]

Went ahead and constructed you a list (was busy with 3 other build lists while waiting for your response )

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($219.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Memory:  G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory  ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage:  PNY XLR8 PRO 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Storage:  Seagate  2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($95.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card:  Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card  ($319.99 @ B&H)
Case:  Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case  ($54.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:  EVGA SuperNOVA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1224.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-24 04:22 EST-0500)

 

Intel build (really good one, IMO), 2TB storage, 240GB SSD, Crossfire capability, so you can upgrade later (it's perfectly fine to play 1440p on this, XF would be for needed VRAM + better fps at max settings/multimonitor), and should be able to handle most/any workstation use you'll need for a while. You can (and should) overclock this a bit.

 

Edit:

Sorry, I didn't realize an SSD would be a problem for you but if you wanted a better video card, you could go with a 290 or something. Trust me when I say 240GB SSD storage will make your experience so much better overall.. Fast boots, fast game/core program starting, etc.

[vincent275]

Went ahead and constructed you a list (was busy with 3 other build lists while waiting for your response )

 

Luckily for you, you just responded as I completed.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($219.99 @ Amazon)

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ OutletPC)

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($114.99 @ Amazon)

Memory:  G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory  ($79.99 @ Newegg)

Storage:  PNY XLR8 PRO 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($129.99 @ Newegg)

Storage:  Seagate  2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($95.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card:  Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card  ($319.99 @ B&H)

Case:  Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case  ($54.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply:  EVGA SuperNOVA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ NCIX US)

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($88.98 @ OutletPC)

Total: $1224.87

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-24 04:22 EST-0500)

 

Intel build (really good one), 2TB storage, 240GB SSD, Crossfire capability, so you can upgrade later (it's perfectly fine to play 1440p on this, XF would be for needed VRAM + better fps at max settings/multimonitor), and should be able to handle most/any workstation use you'll need for a while. You can (and should) overclock this a bit.

Thanks!!!

Seems like a suitable choice for me.

But I am using Canadian dollars as I mentioned so the price might vary a bit. I think I can cut off the ssd because the 280x is around 340 and I kinda prefer the overall cost is below 1200. SSDs can be really cheap at some time, I've seen 120G for about 70 dollars and I can really upgrade that part when the price reaches a desirable point.

[Grave]

vincent275, on 24 Dec 2013 - 04:37 AM, said:

Thanks!!!

Seems like a suitable choice for me.

But I am using Canadian dollars as I mentioned so the price might vary a bit. I think I can cut off the ssd because the 280x is around 340 and I kinda prefer the overall cost is below 1200. SSDs can be really cheap at some time, I've seen 120G for about 70 dollars and I can really upgrade that part when the price reaches a desirable point.

Damn it all. I accidentally swapped from ca.pcpp to us. My fault.. Sorry about that. Yeah, SSD isn't necessary if you planned on getting this build soon. $1376 in CAD, $1225 USD. Just cut out the SSD and you're good to go . Have fun, man.

 

[Kiwiandapple]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($248.00 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.79 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($113.00 @ Vuugo)
Memory:  Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($72.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage:  A-Data Premier Pro SP900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($85.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($95.25 @ Vuugo)
Video Card:  Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card  ($349.99 @ Memory Express)
Case:  BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($45.53 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply:  EVGA SuperNOVA NEX750B BRONZE 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ Memory Express)
Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($93.87 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $1199.39
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-24 13:32 EST-0500)

 

You can do 2 things here. Either get the CPU cooler later and get a better case. (NZXT Source 210 Elite, Corsair 200/300R or Graphite 230T)

Just get this build and be done with it. It can CF the 280x. Has an SSD in it and will do just fine for your needs. 

 

If you don't need windows I can get this much much better! 

[Grave]

Kiwiandapple, on 24 Dec 2013 - 1:36 PM, said:Kiwiandapple, on 24 Dec 2013 - 1:36 PM, said:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($248.00 @ Vuugo)

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.79 @ DirectCanada)

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($113.00 @ Vuugo)

Memory:  Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($72.99 @ Newegg Canada)

Storage:  A-Data Premier Pro SP900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($85.98 @ Newegg Canada)

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($95.25 @ Vuugo)

Video Card:  Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card  ($349.99 @ Memory Express)

Case:  BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($45.53 @ DirectCanada)

Power Supply:  EVGA SuperNOVA NEX750B BRONZE 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ Memory Express)

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($93.87 @ DirectCanada)

Total: $1199.39

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-24 13:32 EST-0500)

 

You can do 2 things here. Either get the CPU cooler later and get a better case. (NZXT Source 210 Elite, Corsair 200/300R or Graphite 230T)

Just get this build and be done with it. It can CF the 280x. Has an SSD in it and will do just fine for your needs. 

 

If you don't need windows I can get this much much better! 

I don't know the performance difference between the ram I posted and this for autocad, but this is a good alternative if you want a mainly gaming/luxury pc. The better case now, cpu cooling later argument is solid; I'd definitely consider that if you want a slightly larger budget. The case I chose was mainly for simplicity and build quality for it's price, I recommend you get what you want since you're putting over a grand in parts into it. That RAM was just to help in the future if you used the computer more often for work, I doubt it's as necessary as it seems (still, cheap 2133mhz ram with a good CL).

[vincent275]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($248.00 @ Vuugo)

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.79 @ DirectCanada)

Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($113.00 @ Vuugo)

Memory:  Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($72.99 @ Newegg Canada)

Storage:  A-Data Premier Pro SP900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($85.98 @ Newegg Canada)

Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($95.25 @ Vuugo)

Video Card:  Asus Radeon R9 280X 3GB Video Card  ($349.99 @ Memory Express)

Case:  BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($45.53 @ DirectCanada)

Power Supply:  EVGA SuperNOVA NEX750B BRONZE 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ Memory Express)

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($93.87 @ DirectCanada)

Total: $1199.39

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-24 13:32 EST-0500)

 

You can do 2 things here. Either get the CPU cooler later and get a better case. (NZXT Source 210 Elite, Corsair 200/300R or Graphite 230T)

Just get this build and be done with it. It can CF the 280x. Has an SSD in it and will do just fine for your needs. 

 

If you don't need windows I can get this much much better! 

 

I don't know the performance difference between the ram I posted and this for autocad, but this is a good alternative if you want a mainly gaming/luxury pc. The better case now, cpu cooling later argument is solid; I'd definitely consider that if you want a slightly larger budget. The case I chose was mainly for simplicity and build quality for it's price, I recommend you get what you want since you're putting over a grand in parts into it. That RAM was just to help in the future if you used the computer more often for work, I doubt it's as necessary as it seems (still, cheap 2133mhz ram with a good CL).

case isn't really a big factor I will be considering, it is going down the desk anyway.

[WoodenMarker]

thinking about a 2 TB HDD, just thought SSDs aren't that necessary.

SSD's make a world of difference in the overall experience of the system.

I don't know the performance difference between the ram I posted and this for autocad, but this is a good alternative if you want a mainly gaming/luxury pc. The better case now, cpu cooling later argument is solid; I'd definitely consider that if you want a slightly larger budget. The case I chose was mainly for simplicity and build quality for it's price, I recommend you get what you want since you're putting over a grand in parts into it. That RAM was just to help in the future if you used the computer more often for work, I doubt it's as necessary as it seems (still, cheap 2133mhz ram with a good CL).

Ram speeds and brand don't really matter for most users.

 

@vincent275 Getting two displays really helps for productivity and you get more stuff at once. You can work with AutoCAD on one window and unwrap UV's on another, etc, etc. You could also browse on the side while gaming.

Do you need a copy of Windows included?

[vincent275]

SSD's make a world of difference in the overall experience of the system.

Ram speeds and brand don't really matter for most users.

 

@vincent275 Getting two displays really helps for productivity and you get more stuff at once. You can work with AutoCAD on one window and unwrap UV's on another, etc, etc. You could also browse on the side while gaming.

Do you need a copy of Windows included?

already finished the build, thanks for the advise though.

got an ssd for only 90 dollars, still fits in budget, lol