Advice on $1200 Gaming PC (1st Build)

[PoloGG]

Hi everyone! I want to build my first gaming PC and I would greatly appreciate some feedback on my draft build. I'm trying avoid spending over $1200 (inc. shipping) on this build.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3bS8g
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3bS8g/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3bS8g/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus GRYPHON Z87 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($162.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 760 4GB Video Card ($289.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VS238H-P 23.0" Monitor ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Other: ASUS DDR3 1333 LGA 1150 Gryphon Armor Kit ($44.99)
Total: $1112.92
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-18 01:10 EDT-0400)

Keyboard, mouse, OS and optical drive will be recycled from current PC for the moment.
Not planning to OC right now, but might do it in the future.

I'd appreciate any advice you can give me on this. Thanks in advance!

 

[Tradesman1]

CPU Cooler? Might look at the Hyper 212 EVO, about $35, rest looks good should be happy with it

 

[Beezy]

for 1200 dollars, which is a lot for a gaming build, you should really have a GTX 770 at least in there.

 

[PoloGG]

I would love to reduce the budget in any way possible, any suggestions?

Also, which do you think would be better: a 4gb GTX760 or 2gb GTX770? (going for the 4gb gtx770 might be a bit too much, unless I can cut back on some other stuff)

 

[Beezy]

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3bTAG) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3bTAG/by_merchant/) / [Benchmarks](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3bTAG/benchmarks/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-fd8350frhkbox) | $189.99 @ Newegg
**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2) | $29.99 @ NCIX US
**Motherboard** | [Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-motherboard-m5a99fxpror20) | $114.99 @ Newegg
**Memory** | [A-Data XPG V1.0 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/a-data-memory-ax3u1600c4g9dr) | $67.99 @ Newegg
**Storage** | [Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7te120bw) | $84.99 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10eals) | $75.89 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-02gp42773kr) | $327.36 @ B&H
**Case** | [Fractal Design Core 3000 USB 3.0 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/fractal-design-case-fdcacore3000usb3bl) | $74.99 @ Micro Center
**Power Supply** | [SeaSonic 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-m12ii520bronze) | $71.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Monitor** | [Asus VS238H-P 23.0" Monitor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-monitor-vs238hp) | $134.99 @ NCIX US
| | **Total**
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | $1153.17
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-18 01:38 EDT-0400 |

i personally would go with this. will depend more so on the games you play. free lower end games tend to use less cores and prefer intel, newer games and AAA titles support more cores usually, and games are generally more GPU bound anyways.

 

[Tradesman1]

Of those 2 I'd go the 770, could cut back some by going the Asus Z87-A over the Gryphon (+ save on no need for the Armor (wouldn't need it anyway), and missed it earlier, look for 2x4GB vs the 1x8GB, the dual channel will provide better performance. Can cut the PSU down to a good 600Watt

 

[PoloGG]

Thanks for the suggestions! However, if possible I'd like to stick to mATX to build a smaller PC (not a big fan of big tower PCs ).

I also do a lot of MATLAB/Mathematica programming in my job, and my gaming interests include Starcraft II and other real-time strategy / mmo games (not really a fan of FPS). Is the FX-8350 better than the i5-4670k for me?

Should I watch out for a "Dual Channel" label on the memory or any 2x4gb works in DC?

 

[Beezy]

Well idk what kind of software you use for math stuff, but FX 8350 is better with integer math applications, better with physics based operations too. the intel is better in single threaded applications. Starcraft only uses 2 cores effectively, so for you, intel. What programs, and what other games will you be using?

 

[PoloGG]

Besides Matlab, I tend to use Adobe Illustrator for vector image editing, but most of my workload is dedicated to programming, and I'm interested in getting more into parallel programming too... I've been wanting to try Diablo III and Elder Scrolls V...

 

[Tradesman1]

Think I'd stick with Intel, and can go any 2x set of DRAM - the sticks themselves don't care what they run as, ea is a 64bit device, the memory controller is what steps in and runs them, when set on the mobo for DC, the MC sees the sticks as a single 128 bit devise

 

[Beezy]

Besides Matlab, I tend to use Adobe Illustrator for vector image editing, but most of my workload is dedicated to programming, and I'm interested in getting more into parallel programming too... I've been wanting to try Diablo III and Elder Scrolls V...

vector and parallel makes me think more cores will suit you..and FX is better with integer math which i feel like you will be taking advantage of. Intel will win in the games though, but FX will win in straight math computation.

OVERALL SCORE
Xeon x3660-------3830
i5 4440K---------------------- 6590
i5 4670K-------------------------------- 7528
i7 4770K------------------------------------------------------10,241
Phenom II X6 1090T------------- 5422
FX 4100------------- 5401

My FX 8320 ---------------------------------------------9415

INTEGER MATH
Xeon x3660-------6359
i5 4440K--------------------8073
i5 4670K----------------------------9404
i7 4770K-------------------------------------------------------17,868
Phenom II X6 1090T--------------------7989
FX 4100-------------------------8316

My FX 8320-------------------------------------------------------------------23,922

http://imageshack.com/a/img855/5489/z3es.jpg

suprising results, i know. This was done with Passmark 8.0 full version and all baselines were chosen to match my computer as closely as possible (mind the CPU of course).

FX-8320 running at stock, with Cool n Quiet and C states enabled. Max load temp 40C Prime95 .

My best advice would be to find out exactly which games and programs you want to use, and find out what kind of workload the processor will be put under (not how heavy, what kind).