$1265 +tax, BF4 maxed, gaming, 1st build, machine

jimgreene

Reputable
Sep 10, 2014
14
0
4,510
Objectives:
1] able to play today's most demanding games on max settings;
2] system as quiet as possible;
3] no OC, no SLi

Notes: Sound card, optical drive, and SSD are just place holders for PSU consideration. I've my own keyboard, mouse, and opt. drv. SSD will be purchased in future.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4590S 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Mushkin Stealth 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($65.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Corsair Force LS 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Platinum 550W 80+ Platinum Certified ATX Power Supply ($86.24 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS30 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VG248QE 144Hz 24.0" Monitor ($264.99 @ Amazon)
Sound Card: StarTech PCISOUND4LP 16-bit 48 KHz Sound Card ($11.94 @ Mwave)
Total: $1366.06
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 23:23 EDT-0400

Things to resolve:
Mobo: check for fastest bus bandwidth. With GPU inplace do I get to use SATA6 bus for HHD? What is fastest spec for SSD? m.2? does mobo have one?

Comments:
CPU: 4690s or 4590s. 4590s on sale
Seagate & WD HDD both have 2 year Warranty, check why WD's is "better"
Case: quietest w/ good cool? check into Cooler Master N600 Windowed ATX Mid Tower
PSU: a *good* 450W should work, but ASUS recommends 500W and 28A on +12V rail. Not many 500W, let alone *good*. Antec EA-550W seems to be okay quality (parts and output) but maybe barely 80plus_plat.
Monitor: Either ASUS or BenQ 24". BenQ does not have DP. Would try 27" but the only interesting one (ASUS) seems to have bad pixel and low QC issues in the last two years.
 
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/tjcZWZ
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/tjcZWZ/by_merchant/

CPU: *Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($175.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97-GAMING 3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($77.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX Video Card ($339.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts 650W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($90.26 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: BenQ GW2750HM 27.0" Monitor ($207.58 @ Newegg)
Total: $1227.75
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-02 19:31 EDT-0400
 
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($187.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97-GAMING 3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($77.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card ($349.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($90.26 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: BenQ GW2750HM 27.0" Monitor ($207.58 @ Newegg)
Total: $1255.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-02 20:17 EDT-0400

This build is similar to Icaraeus' build in a way. I changed a couple things for a reason..

1) I changed the CPU to a 4460.. I believe that this offers a better performance/price ratio.
2) I changed the Seagate drive to WD. Caviar Blue's have a better warranty
3) I changed the GPU to a STRIX series card.. One of the quietest cards you can buy. Also, ACX 2.0 cards have been having HUGE noise issues.
4) Last but definitely not least the PSU.. I switched to an EVGA G2 for 3 reasons. 1) Quality 2) Possible SLI in the future IF you get a Z series board and 3) Hybrid fan mode.

Feel free to ask any questions! :)
 
Solution
Sigh, I had a nice long (TL;DR) response, but then I had to step away from pc … came back and it was asleep and whole reply was lost.
Short (blunt) version:

Thanks for the replies.

GPU: yes!! 970. I like it. STRIX = good design, ACX oops design, but BIOS fix …. so looking for the quiet STRIX

CPU: down to 4590S. As long as Intel (™) Turbo Boost is available and used most of the time, instead of rarely when needed, I am sticking with this.
Is i5 turbo frequency readily used?

HDD: AFAIK Seagate and WD both have 2 year warranty, so the "better" Caviar Blue warranty is due to …. ??

PSU: With GPU970 I can drop this to 500-600W, I do want quality and efficiency (but might consider 80+Gold).

Monitor: I'd like to keep the $ in refresh at the expense of size. I am coming from an 18", 1024x768, 72Hz, 0.25 pitch, 4:3 CRT.
An object in an image will be not be smaller going from 18" 1024x768 CRT to 24" 1920x1080 LCD, right?

I do not see myself SLi-ing. Thanks for suggestion though.
 
Hmmm. Vaguely posed question for me? It is better AFAIK.*
Anyone have answers for the blue texted questions in my last post?

*
Looking into intel's Max turbo frequency and wading past the marketing hype into vague, murky waters, I can find nothing specific. It seems the chip can and most likely will work faster when asked to, but how much faster and for how long is a mystery and dependent on variables of the particular cpu and its particlular setup.
This is the best data I can get for details of the potential boost. http://www.intel.com/support/processors/corei5/sb/CS-032278.htm
From this table and consulting my Ouija board to cover all other variables, I am led to believe the 4590S outperforms the 4460 while usinig less power. And thus worth the slightly higher cost.


 
Re: 4590 vs 4590S
The only downside I am aware of for the "S" class is it is a step backwards in frequency. If that is the case, then I am willing to take the 9% less base frequency (1% lower PassMark score),
for the 23% less Watts TDP (which is also less heat and thus maybe less noise to cool the system) and pay $2 (0.5%) more.
If there are other cons or downsides, I surely would like to know.

I am under the impression the 4460, 4590, and 4590S are not near or at borderline of what I need, but much more than enough.

I would consider 4460S, but that is not offered as Box and not readily available to individuals AFAIK.

BTW: I wonder why the turbo boost frequency monitor program that Intel used to have available for ppl to "see" their cores get boosted is now gone. Intel removed it from their website and I see no replacement even though Intel seems to be fully embracing this technology. Could it be because it is more hype than reality, that the cpu rarely and barely boosts? And that their own program busted them?
 

Right now every card I have seen has had a reported coil wine. I have the 970 in my rig right now and I honestly can't hear anything at all. I hear case fans and a CPU fan and that is it
 
Poking thru the internet, I am seeing that also: hit and miss coil whine of varying amplitude on any given card, any brand and sometimes only for certain operating parameters.