gaming Build Plan - Bang for Buck Gaming PC

[skurj]

Budget & Location
Don't really have a budget per se, however building a 'bang for buck' gaming PC is part of the goal, I don't see the point in buying the latest and greatest for very small gains.
I am in a position where I already have a GTX1080 GPU so this will keep build price down.
Approximately $1500 is the expectation (Monitor & Keyboard will be considered extra). Depending on recommendations this can change slightly.
It is important to note that I am not in a huge rush (e.g. I'm not buying in the next week, by end of year is fine).
Located in Australia and all prices quoted are in AUD.

Aim
System is a home gaming system used primarily for gaming and when I work from home.
My 'work from home' requirements are next to nothing.
I predominantly play First Person Shooters (80% Quake Champions, 10% Other FPS, 10% GTA5 style games).
It is important that I have high FPS at 1920x1080, so matching GPU with monitor is important.
I have access to all software required.

Monitors
Single Monitor will be required 25'/27' (due to price probably 25).
=>120Hz etc.

Peripherals
Currently own a Zowie Mouse FK1 & Zowie Mousepad
Looking at a 'no frills' mechanical keyboard, was looking at the Corsair Strafe Red (as below)
Do you also need to purchase peripherals such as keyboards and mice as well as monitors ect. Also please tell us if you'll need an OS such as Windows.

 

Proposed Build

Phanteks Eclipse P300 Tempered Glass Black Case - $79

Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 3 Motherboard - $205

Intel Core i5 8600K - $359

Cryorig H7 CU Cooler - $55

Corsair Vengeance LPX CMK16GX4M2A2400C14 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 Black - $255

EVGA SuperNOVA G3 Modular 650W PSU - $169

Crucial MX500 500GB M.2 SATA SSD - $165

Western Digital WD Blue 2TB - $89

Cost = $1376

Monitor/Keyboard

Corsair Gaming Strafe Mechanical Keyboard Cherry Red - $129

Viewsonic XG2401 FHD 144Hz FreeSync 24in TN Gaming Monitor - $299

Cost=$428

Total Build Cost = $1804.00

 

Notes: Could potentially swap CPU/MB for Ryzen 7 2700X and similar MB for extra $160.

Could change RAM for 2666 for extra $15 but would it really matter?

Could save on M.2 SSD buy going for 2.5" but would only save $15?

PSU - Not really sure about best option here, just picked that one as it seemed like the right one?

Monitor feedback would be good as I don't really know a great deal about that stuff however the one I selected had good reviews and seemed to fit the 'bang for buck' objective?

 

Any and all feedback/recommendations would be much appreciated.

 

Cheers and Beers

.skurj.

 

 

[AidenBear]

 

I'm currently building my PC with the Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 3 and I recommend that you look into the regular Gigabyte Z370 HD3 or the Aorus Gaming 5. The cheaper Z370 HD3 and the gaming 5 have an additional PCI lane, whereas the Aorus Gaming 3 only has two PCIE. If you're going to need an additional PCI lane for a Wifi card or something like that get the HD3 or Gaming 5. Additionally, the Aorus Gaming 5 will probably allow you to overclock your 8600k further as it has a better VRM and the Gaming 5 looks much better in my opinion. Also, the Gaming 3 only has 2 dedicated system fan headers and 1 water cooling pump header which can be used as a fan header, so three in total. If you're planning on having 4 fans you're going to need to buy a fan hub. I'm not sure how many fan headers the Gaming 5 has, you'll probably want to check but I know that it's more than the Gaming 3. That's my advice on the motherboard, you're not going wrong with the Aorus Gaming 3 as it's cheaper than the 5 but just take that into account. The case is all I have left to get and I'm probably going to get the Phanteks P300 and add 2 intake fans. It's a good case so good choice there. My last comment is that you are getting a Z370 board which supports faster ram speeds, if you're going to be using memory intensive applications consider getting faster ram. I got 2x8gb sticks of G.Skill Ripjaws V CL15 3000Mhz. If you're just going to be gaming you won't see too much of a difference with faster ram speeds though. Apart from that, it's looking great.

[skurj]

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to reply, much appreciated.

I may do some overclocking the CPU, hence the K version, but only a little. The Gaming 5 MB is about $299-, so an extra $94, that's a fair whack so I will need to have a look closer at the board option. The Gaming 3 has 2 x PCIe and I'm wondering besides the GPU, what are you using the other one for?

Looks like the Gaming 5 has 5 fan headers. May I ask why you went for the Gaming 3?

Even 3200Mhz RAM isn't a huge price increase and I originally thought that would be the go but further research suggested that performance gain is very minimal and the sweet spot was around 2400. I do a bit of video editing but if is not time dependent.

Yeah, the Phanteks P300 is a simple, sleek, good looking case.

 

 

[PurplDrank]

6 hours ago, skurj said:

Budget & Location
Don't really have a budget per se, however building a 'bang for buck' gaming PC is part of the goal, I don't see the point in buying the latest and greatest for very small gains.
I am in a position where I already have a GTX1080 GPU so this will keep build price down.
Approximately $1500 is the expectation (Monitor & Keyboard will be considered extra). Depending on recommendations this can change slightly.
It is important to note that I am not in a huge rush (e.g. I'm not buying in the next week, by end of year is fine).
Located in Australia and all prices quoted are in AUD.

Aim
System is a home gaming system used primarily for gaming and when I work from home.
My 'work from home' requirements are next to nothing.
I predominantly play First Person Shooters (80% Quake Champions, 10% Other FPS, 10% GTA5 style games).
It is important that I have high FPS at 1920x1080, so matching GPU with monitor is important.
I have access to all software required.

Monitors
Single Monitor will be required 25'/27' (due to price probably 25).
=>120Hz etc.

Peripherals
Currently own a Zowie Mouse FK1 & Zowie Mousepad
Looking at a 'no frills' mechanical keyboard, was looking at the Corsair Strafe Red (as below)
Do you also need to purchase peripherals such as keyboards and mice as well as monitors ect. Also please tell us if you'll need an OS such as Windows.

 

Proposed Build

Phanteks Eclipse P300 Tempered Glass Black Case - $79

Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 3 Motherboard - $205

Intel Core i5 8600K - $359

Cryorig H7 CU Cooler - $55

Corsair Vengeance LPX CMK16GX4M2A2400C14 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 Black - $255

EVGA SuperNOVA G3 Modular 650W PSU - $169

Crucial MX500 500GB M.2 SATA SSD - $165

Western Digital WD Blue 2TB - $89

Cost = $1376

Monitor/Keyboard

Corsair Gaming Strafe Mechanical Keyboard Cherry Red - $129

Viewsonic XG2401 FHD 144Hz FreeSync 24in TN Gaming Monitor - $299

Cost=$428

Total Build Cost = $1804.00

 

Notes: Could potentially swap CPU/MB for Ryzen 7 2700X and similar MB for extra $160.

Could change RAM for 2666 for extra $15 but would it really matter?

Could save on M.2 SSD buy going for 2.5" but would only save $15?

PSU - Not really sure about best option here, just picked that one as it seemed like the right one?

Monitor feedback would be good as I don't really know a great deal about that stuff however the one I selected had good reviews and seemed to fit the 'bang for buck' objective?

 

Any and all feedback/recommendations would be much appreciated.

 

Cheers and Beers

.skurj.

 

 

I think your proposed build is just fine for the games you are looking to play. You won't need an 8700k for an esport game like Quake Champions.

[brob]

You might consider a locked cpu. Performance is very close to a stock i5-8600K with a significant cost savings.

 

Coffee Lake i5 cpu perform better with at least DDR4-2666 CL 14 memory. 

 

Unless 2.5TB of storage is really necessary, a 1TB ssd could be used. It offers better performance across the board and simplifies the storage structure.

 

The Eclipse P300 TG has a single stock fan. Two fans are necessary to establish good airflow. I'd suggest a better case.

 

Evga G3 psu apparently have some issues. I'd suggest a better and quieter unit.

 

Monitors are up to personal preferences. If you can, checkout the options in person by visiting local merchants.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8600 3.1GHz 6-Core Processor  ($314.00 @ Shopping Express) 
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($119.00 @ Amazon Australia) 
Motherboard: ASRock - B360M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($122.00 @ Skycomp Technology) 
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($235.00 @ Umart) 
Storage: Crucial - MX500 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($279.00 @ IJK) 
Case: Fractal Design - Meshify C Mini Dark TG MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($135.00 @ PLE Computers) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($149.00 @ Scorptec) 
Monitor: Asus - VG278Q 27.0" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor  ($429.00 @ Mwave Australia) 
Keyboard: Corsair - STRAFE Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($128.00 @ Shopping Express) 
Total: $1910.00
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-08-10 00:12 AEST+1000

 

 

[skurj]

Thanks for your feedback brob.

The i5-8600K is only $30 more than the i5-8600 therefore I think this is money well spent for up to ~20% speed increase with overclocking!?

 

The Ripjaws @ 3200 are only 10-15 bucks dearer so thats a no brainer - thanks for confirming performance aspects.

 

The Fractal Design case does look very nice, cheers for heads up there.

 

I know very little about PSU's so Ill have a look at that, it is much cheaper than the EVGA so that could be the goer.

 

With regards to storage, my main thought here is...I have a lot of photos, videos and music which can happily sit on a largish (2TB) 7200 drive as size > performance.

Then I thought I definitely want OS, programs and 'potentially' games on an SSD, which made me think M.2 SSD. I could go 256GB if no games, 500GB with games!?

 

The Motherboard you have in your list only supports memory up to 2666Mhz speed, so that one is out. If you have another alternative to mine I would appreciate the feedback.

 

Agree with Monitor comment. I may be able to save some bucks on going with the 25" but of course 27" is easy to get used to.

 

 

[brob]

The motherboard I suggested is only suitable if you go with the i5-8600. With an i5-8600K you will want to use a Z370 motherboard so that the cpu can be overclocked.

 

If you are going to overclock you may want to consider a higher performance cpu cooler. Coffee Lake cpu have a reputation for running hotter than previous generations when overclocked. No real surprise given the additional cores.

 

Your storage plan makes sense given the a/v content. Get the biggest ssd that fits in the budget.

 

[Phentos]

Better cooler, better motherboard, dumped the m.2 SATA SSD for 2.5", and a better case for about ~$20 more.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8600K 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor  ($358.00 @ Shopping Express) 
CPU Cooler: be quiet! - Dark Rock 4 CPU Cooler  ($99.00 @ PCCaseGear) 
Motherboard: Asus - Prime Z370-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($234.00 @ Shopping Express) 
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($239.00 @ IJK) 
Storage: Crucial - MX500 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($133.00 @ IJK) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.50 @ Shopping Express) 
Case: Fractal Design - Meshify C Dark TG ATX Mid Tower Case  ($139.00 @ PCCaseGear) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($143.00 @ Amazon Australia) 
Monitor: ViewSonic - XG2401 23.6" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor  ($299.00 @ Mwave Australia) 
Keyboard: Corsair - STRAFE Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($128.00 @ Shopping Express) 
Other: GTX 1080 (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $1826.50
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-08-10 10:26 AEST+1000

[skurj]

Thanks for feedback.

Here is my updated parts list considering my requirements and advice received.

Interested in comments on this version.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8600K 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor  ($358.00 @ Shopping Express)
CPU Cooler: Corsair - H100i v2 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($142.00 @ IJK)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver - 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste  ($10.93 @ Amazon Australia)
Motherboard: Asus - Prime Z370-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($234.00 @ Shopping Express)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($254.00 @ Shopping Express)
Storage: Crucial - MX500 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($133.00 @ IJK)
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($99.00 @ Storm Computers)
Case: Fractal Design - Meshify C Dark TG ATX Mid Tower Case  ($139.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($149.00 @ Scorptec)
Monitor: Asus - VG278Q 27.0" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor  ($429.00 @ Mwave Australia)
Keyboard: Corsair - STRAFE Wired Gaming Keyboard  ($128.00 @ Shopping Express)
Total: $2075.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-08-10 11:41 AEST+1000

[brob]

Looks good. The Thermal compound is not necessary as the H100i V2 comes with a pre-applied pad.