Advice on build

[cosmopollo]

So I've finally decided I can no longer handle playing on my laptop (playing a shooter with 10-15 FPS can really get on your nerves, you know!). I'm trying to build a gaming rig of about €1000 (excl. monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc) with which I can play games like Overwatch, WoW and a heavily modded Skyrim on ultra graphics, but I expect more demanding games like Witcher 3 to only go up to high/mid settings.
I've been looking at the 'Best PC build $1000, but I've honestly got to say that only makes it more confusing for me. Everyone uses different parts, with some having a GPU that's half the entire budget, while others balance it out way more. Frankly, I don't know all that much about computers.
As a base I used an existing build from a friend and updated the parts to the current market. This is what I've come up with:

CPU: i5 4690 (€234,80)
GPU: MSi R9 380 4GB (€204)
Motherboard: Asus Z170 Pro Gaming (€147) Alternative: MSi Z97 PC Mate (€81)
RAM: Kingston HyperX Fury black/blu (€74,95)
Cooling: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (€29,99)
HDD: Seagate Desktop HDD, 1TB (€51,29)
SSD: Kingston SSDNow UV400 120GB (€41,95) Alternative: Samsung 850 EVO 120GB (€69,90)
Power: Corsair RM550X (€99) Alternative: EVGA Supernova 750 (€124,80)
Casing: CM Scout Advanced II (€79) Alternative: CM Storm Enforcer (€69,90)
DVD-Reader: LG-GH24NSCO (€17,90)


Basically, I'd like to hear if this build makes sense. Are there parts that could use an upgrade, or parts that are just too good for the overall build? For example, from what I've read, I think the MSi motherboard should be good enough, but how will that affect the PC compared to the other one?

Don't be afraid to dumb things down. I'm really trying to create something solid here, but with all the available parts it's so easy to get lost. In the meantime I will keep reading the 'best PC build' thread to get some ideas; mainly looks for parts in the same price range as mine and compare their performance.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mr Kagouris]

If you're gonna go with the mid-range GPU go for an aftermarket (e.g. Sapphire Nitro) Rx 480. It's just as capable as the 1060 in DX11 but more future-proof due to the considerable performance gain from DX12 and Vulkan.

I would have agreed, on the RX 480, but the titles the OP is playing, specifically the Blizzard ones, heavily favor Nvidia.

That is a fair point, but at 1080p 60Hz I don't think it really matters because OP will be getting very high framerates with these games regardless, and by the time the Nvidia bias could actually make a noticeable difference Blizzard will be using DX12 or Vulkan. I think dealing with the Nvidia bias right now is worth it to have a card that will still be very good 3-4 years from now.

As for the RX 480 vs GTX 1060 - there are 3 games that favored RX 480, 2 of them sponsored by AMD 😉

You sure about that? Because every benchmark I've seen from the Rx 480 Nitro (at least the 8GB version) the Rx 480 either matches or beats the GTX 1060.

Generally GTX 1060 is ~15% faster, cost the same

False and false #EuropeNvidiaTax

run at lower temperature, uses less power

Okay fair enough but at this point power consumption doesn't become an issue unless you're using a 5 year old 350W PSU.

offers better overclock

Don't even go there, don't even go to overclocking. People overclocked the Sapphire Nitro Rx 480 and it beats the overclocked GTX 1060 in every scenario.

some nice SW like Geforce experience and shadowplay

AMD has some equivalent software but nobody really gives a shit because it's AMD right?

 

[cosmopollo]

Radeon vs GeForce will remain a hot topic for centuries to come, probably. I don´t want to linger too much on choosing between a great GPU and a great GPU 😛

I admit I feel some bias for geforce, just because that's the brand I'm familiar with. Also, the 1060 does show better performance on most benchmark tests I've come across, especially on 1080p. Overwatch for instance showed 117 FPS on the 1060 and 100 FPS on the RX 480... I don't think I'll be crying over that difference on my 60Hz screen.

Combine that with the fact that I can get a Asus Radeon RX 480 8GB for €284 and the cheapest 1060 €329, I've decided to go with the RX 480.

 

[Mr Kagouris]

Good choice, but don't buy one yet. The benchmarks you've seen were with the stock Rx 480, while soon the Rx 480 Nitro from Sapphire will be available (I estimate around 300 euros but still less than 330) and it will be MUCH better. Since the reviews for it only came out in the last few days it should be available within 2 weeks. If you're building your PC before then, you can still use the CPU's iGPU until it's available. Trust me, it's very much worth it to wait for the aftermarket Rx 480.

 

[cosmopollo]

Good choice, but don't buy one yet. The benchmarks you've seen were with the stock Rx 480, while soon the Rx 480 Nitro from Sapphire will be available (I estimate around 300 euros but still less than 330) and it will be MUCH better. Since the reviews for it only came out in the last few days it should be available within 2 weeks. If you're building your PC before then, you can still use the CPU's iGPU until it's available. Trust me, it's very much worth it to wait for the aftermarket Rx 480.

Ah I hate to wait! I remember seeing the word nitro so I checked.. there are already two versions in store (not ready for sale, but with a price): Sapphire Radeon RX 480 NITRO, the 4GB version for €260 and the 8GB version for €319.
I'm guessing 4GB will suffice for 1080p, or would you recommend the 8GB regardless?

 

[Mr Kagouris]

I'd recommend the 8GB version. More future-proof, and performs better (the 8GB cards actually get a higher memory clock which improves performance in the case of Polaris).

 

[n0ns3ns3]

I'd say you should check amazon and others.
I've seen GTX 1060 from EVGA and Zotac for about 280 euro.
While 8GB is a bit overkill, 4GB is not really enough for the next couple of years.
6Gb would be the perfect match.

 

[logainofhades]

When I made the switch, to Nvidia, I had an HD7970, it died, and I snagged a gtx 770, for cheap, from a friend. For most games, the 7970 was the better card, but the 770 performed better. I had fewer fps dips, so the game ran smoother.