~$1200 gaming build from scratch (need everything)

[oomfaloompa2]

Approximate Purchase Date: Within the next month (once I can convince the gf to let me get one....)

Budget Range: $1000-$1300 After Rebates; After Shipping

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming and MAYBE very little 3D modelling and other hobbies (nothing to get worked up about unless it can be done cheaply)

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Parts to Upgrade: None. But I do already have a mouse

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg and amazon

Location: Ann Arbor, MI, US

Parts Preferences: I am kind of an Intel/Nvidia fanboy, but I would rather worry about price and performance than fanboy arguments.

Overclocking: Yes. Nothing extreme though.

SLI or Crossfire: I would like the ability to SLI/Crossfire, but I don't need it now.

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 I just don't see the point yet to go any higher. I also don't need a super fancy monitor. I like a nice picture and some good refresh rates, but I don't want my monitor to be my most expensive piece of equipment.

Additional Comments: I would like it to be quiet and cool and whatnot. I don't particularly care about the aesthetics as long as it doesn't look ugly. I would like to play modern RPG and RTS games. Currently I play a lot of modded Skyrim, DA:I, Civ5, StarCraft, Bioshock... games like that.

I also want to point out that having nice sound coming from my speakers/headphones is always a plus, but not a deal breaker. And suggestions for a sound system would be nice. It doesn't have to be included in the price above since I would use it for the TV and music and what not as well as gaming. For a sound system, I would say my max is like $200, but I would prefer around the $100 range.

Thanks in advance for all the responses. I look forward to hearing from the community

 

[Rhezner]

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BgxyNG
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BgxyNG/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($166.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($44.49 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 390 8GB PCS+ Video Card ($309.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 900W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($91.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($249.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Razer Blackwidow Tournament Edition Wired Gaming Keyboard ($67.99 @ B&H)
Total: $1184.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-04 20:10 EDT-0400

this is what i have for you

I know the PSU is really overkill but it was the cheapest quality PSU over 750 watts (for crossfire 390s)

i included a mechanical keyboard.

For gaming audio i would say get hd 558s with a fii0 e10k. even 518s are great. Desktop speakers aren't great for 3d gaming.

also the parts are not from your preferred retailers but they are from good retailers

 

[Cooper0408]

Approximate Purchase Date: Within the next month (once I can convince the gf to let me get one....)

Budget Range: $1000-$1300 After Rebates; After Shipping

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming and MAYBE very little 3D modelling and other hobbies (nothing to get worked up about unless it can be done cheaply)

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Parts to Upgrade: None. But I do already have a mouse

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg and amazon

Location: Ann Arbor, MI, US

Parts Preferences: I am kind of an Intel/Nvidia fanboy, but I would rather worry about price and performance than fanboy arguments.

Overclocking: Yes. Nothing extreme though.

SLI or Crossfire: I would like the ability to SLI/Crossfire, but I don't need it now.

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080 I just don't see the point yet to go any higher. I also don't need a super fancy monitor. I like a nice picture and some good refresh rates, but I don't want my monitor to be my most expensive piece of equipment.

Additional Comments: I would like it to be quiet and cool and whatnot. I don't particularly care about the aesthetics as long as it doesn't look ugly. I would like to play modern RPG and RTS games. Currently I play a lot of modded Skyrim, DA:I, Civ5, StarCraft, Bioshock... games like that.

I also want to point out that having nice sound coming from my speakers/headphones is always a plus, but not a deal breaker. And suggestions for a sound system would be nice. It doesn't have to be included in the price above since I would use it for the TV and music and what not as well as gaming. For a sound system, I would say my max is like $200, but I would prefer around the $100 range.

Thanks in advance for all the responses. I look forward to hearing from the community

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/jtBNVn) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/jtBNVn/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54690k) | $229.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Motherboard** | [MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97pcmate) | $87.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Memory** | [Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmz8gx3m2a1600c9b) | $52.89 @ OutletPC
**Storage** | [Crucial BX100 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-internal-hard-drive-ct120bx100ssd1) | $63.99 @ Adorama
**Storage** | [Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seagate-internal-hard-drive-st1000dm003) | $48.89 @ OutletPC
**Video Card** | [EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-02gp42966kr) | $189.99 @ NCIX US
**Power Supply** | [Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cx600m) | $61.98 @ Newegg
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-kw900140) | $91.75 @ OutletPC
**Monitor** | [Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-monitor-vg248qe) | $249.99 @ Amazon
**Keyboard** | [Razer DeathStalker Wired Gaming Keyboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/razer-keyboard-rz0300800100r3u1) | $59.99 @ Amazon
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1177.45
| Mail-in rebates | -$40.00
| **Total** | **$1137.45**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2015-08-04 19:58 EDT-0400 |

I left the case blank because I'm not sure what you like. Also I'm not sure about surround sound, I just have a $200 Sony home theater system, and it's great for the money.

 

[Rhezner]

the build above is not the best

The psu is known for being really bad.

It would be way more worth it to get a 4460 and and a cheaper motherboard with an r9 290.

there are some other minor issues.

 

[Cooper0408]

the build above is not the best

The psu is known for being really bad.

It would be way more worth it to get a 4460 and and a cheaper motherboard with an r9 290.

there are some other minor issues.

Why a 290? The 970 has better drivers, while the R9 290 uses way more power and outputs tons of heat. Also the OP asked for an overclock able CPU.

 

[Rhezner]

the 970 is about 80$ more and the 290 is definitely better than a 960.

 

[Cooper0408]

the 970 is about 80$ more and the 290 is definitely better than a 960.

I know this. But on that kind of budget, I would pay the $80 for cooler and better optimized card.

 

[Rhezner]

even then an r9 390 would be a better option depending on how much a kilowatt hour is in his state/ how long he wants to keep it/how much he plays

If he kept the GPU for 4 years and ran it on full power consumprion 6 hours every single day which is a pretty unrealistic scenario, and power costed 12 cents per kilowatt hour which is the national average, it would cost him about 70$ more to power a 390 than a 970,

but who knows if he even pays for power or cares about long term expense much. And who playes 6 hours 365 days a year on full load? Or keeps a gpu for 4 years.

Lets say he keeps it for 2 years and plays 3 hours a day on average on full load, it would only cost 18 - 25$ more considering the national average for energy and you get a decent amount of performance out of it and 8gb vs 3.5gb of vram.

 

[logainofhades]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($224.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: RAIJINTEK AIDOS 48.6 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.40 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($140.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Mushkin Redline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Mushkin Reactor 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($43.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($329.26 @ Mwave)
Case: Thermaltake Versa H34 ATX Mid Tower Case ($58.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($91.75 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($146.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($24.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1290.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-05 16:24 EDT-0400

 

[Rhezner]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/c7qYZL

i updated it slightly.

this is definitely a build i would recommend

 

[oomfaloompa2]

I do like the option of being able to overclock the CPU.

I plan on playing on it maybe about 2-3 hours a day, maybe more on weekends.

I don't care too much about the power consumption since I wont be using it nonstop like Rhezner explained. I also would like to be able to overclock the GPU a bit.

 

[Rhezner]

The thing about having the option to overclock your CPU would cost a lot more than a 4460 and at that price it would be worth it to get a xeon e3 1231 v3 instead

First you need an overclocking motherboard which will cost you about $40 - $80 more
Then you need a Heatsink or cooler if you want a decent clock out of it which would be $40 - $90
Then you need to actually buy a CPU like the 4690k which costs about an extra $80

so you would basically be spending $160+ for an overclockable i5 over the 4460 and you would see minimal difference. For that price you could buy a stock i7 4790k which would be more powerful than an overclocked i5 with a $40 cooler, and have hyperthreading so it is better all around.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8227/devils-canyon-review-intel-core-i7-4790k-and-i5-4690k/4

notoce how the 4790k beats the 4690k@4.7ghz in most benchmarks and that is before dx12 comes out. And there is no way you could get a 4.7ghz clock with a 40$ heatsink, you would have to spend a lot more.

I think a 4460 is the best option for you. If you want a better CPU get a xeon e3 1231 v3 but don't get a 4690k, overclocking is expensive and the xeon is much better stock than a 4690k.

 

[oomfaloompa2]

The thing about having the option to overclock your CPU would cost a lot more than a 4460 and at that point it would be worth it to get a xeon e3 1231 v3 instead

First you need an overclocking motherboard which will cost you about $40 - $80 more
Then you need a Heatsink or cooler if you want a decent clock out of it which would be $40 - $90
Then you need to actually buy a CPU like the 4690k which costs about an extra $80

so you would basically be spending $160+ for an overclockable i5 over the 4460 and you would see minimal difference. For that price you could buy a stock i7 4790k which would be more powerful than an overclocked i5 with a $40 cooler, and have hyperthreading so it is better all around.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8227/devils-canyon-review-intel-core-i7-4790k-and-i5-4690k/4

notoce how the 4790k beats the 4690k@4.7ghz in most benchmarks and that is before dx12 comes out. And there is no way you could get a 4.7ghz clock with a 40$ heatsink, you would have to spend a lot more.

That is a good point. I have also looked at getting the xeon, but people recommended getting the 4690k instead for that price point due to a higher clock speed. Do you really think that hyperthreading would be more beneficial than higher clock speeds? And, I guess, is it even worth it to overclock the CPU?

 

[Rhezner]

The thing about having the option to overclock your CPU would cost a lot more than a 4460 and at that point it would be worth it to get a xeon e3 1231 v3 instead

First you need an overclocking motherboard which will cost you about $40 - $80 more
Then you need a Heatsink or cooler if you want a decent clock out of it which would be $40 - $90
Then you need to actually buy a CPU like the 4690k which costs about an extra $80

so you would basically be spending $160+ for an overclockable i5 over the 4460 and you would see minimal difference. For that price you could buy a stock i7 4790k which would be more powerful than an overclocked i5 with a $40 cooler, and have hyperthreading so it is better all around.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8227/devils-canyon-review-intel-core-i7-4790k-and-i5-4690k/4

notoce how the 4790k beats the 4690k@4.7ghz in most benchmarks and that is before dx12 comes out. And there is no way you could get a 4.7ghz clock with a 40$ heatsink, you would have to spend a lot more.

That is a good point. I have also looked at getting the xeon, but people recommended getting the 4690k instead for that price point due to a higher clock speed. Do you really think that hyperthreading would be more beneficial than higher clock speeds? And, I guess, is it even worth it to overclock the CPU?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBIfDEcozqM

they are very close when the 4670k (exact same thing as the 4690k with a different thermal interface material) is clocked at 4.6ghz but as far as stock speeds go the xeon is better and has hyperthreading so even with the i5 overclocked the xeon will perform better whn you are doing multiple things at once.

There are also articles that say dx12 will spread workload evenly across all of the cores so if that is true i suspect the xeon will perform even better.

And games are starting to use more than 4 cores anyways.