Building a gaming pc

[Yashar456]

Hey guys, I needed some advise and ideas on making my first gaming computer. I want to have decent parts in my system while maintaining a "budget" (max $1300ish) . I have gone through each of the parts roughly and found out some specific kinds. I need help making sure all of these products will all work with each other. Also if you could give me suggestions on better products/brands I would greatly appreciate it.
Here's my rough draft:
GRAPHICS CARD
Asus HD 7770-2GD5 from newegg- $149.99

TOWER/CASE
Cooler Master HAF 932 from newegg- $154.99
Thermaltake Overseer RX-1 from newegg- $129.99

MOTHERBOARD
Asus sabertooth 990fx from newegg- $184.99
BIOSTAR LGA ATX intel from newegg -$104.99

CPU
Intel core i5-3570k Ivy bridge 3.4ghz (3.8 ghz turbo) - $199.99

HARD DRIVE
Western Digital WD black, 1 TB, 7200 RPM , 3.5 ‘’ internal hard drive - $77.99

RAM
Corsair vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) 240 pin DDR3- $79.99

POWER SUPPLY
Corsair CX series CX430 430W from newegg- $59.99

SOUND CARD
ASUS XONOR essence ST 24 bit- 199.99

HEAT SINK
Cooler master hyper 212 - $34.99

FANS
Cooler master Mega flow 200mm red LED - $16.99

Note* i put two kinds in some of them just as possibilities

Thanks,
Yashar

 

[animal]

are you going to need a keyboard/mouse, monitor and/or OS? and will they need to be considered as part of your $1300 budget or seperate?

 

[Yashar456]

are you going to need a keyboard/mouse, monitor and/or OS? and will they need to be considered as part of your $1300 budget or seperate?

Hey thanks for replying, sorry I didn't mention that before. I have all of those except for the OS. I'm looking to really future proof this PC but by still keeping a budget.
Thanks,
Yashar

 

[animal]

look this over:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2r8D9

 

[Yashar456]

look this over:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2r8D9

Hey, it looks pretty good. First off, how much of a difference would there be if I went i7 (not price wise), or even switch to a AMD cpu. Would I be able to get a better cpu from amd that is equivalent in price?
On a side note I was looking up on youtube, a gaming pc build. The parts listed on the link was well over $1300. But I was thinking of maybe going off that computer build template but less expensive.
The video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN6CSReC70E
What they used:
Raygo T2 Mid Tower Computer Case
Patriot Viper Xtreme 8GB (2x4gb)
Seagate 500GB Solid State Hybrid Drive
AMD FX-8320 8-core CPU
Asus AM3+ Motherboard (M5A78L-M/USB3)
SolidGear 650W Power Supply
XFX Radeon HD 7970
LG Internal 12X Blu-ray Drive

NOTE: seems like they have two different computer builds, this one above is what I think they used in there video. But the link below is another build (more expensive).
Prices: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/campaigns/deals.asp?campaignid=2800

I'm just kinda of lost on what to buy that's going last me a while but at the same time keeping a budget.
The node build above is expensive but any ideas on bringing the price down, or even incorporating these parts in my build?
Thanks,
Yashar

 

[animal]

Going to an i7 would not benefit you much in current gaming applications since most do not use hyper-threading. The i7's show their strength when doing video editing/rendering or other CPU intensive tasks (that and 16 GB - 32GB RAM). While going to an AMD build, you would save a little money, but it would be a step down performance-wise from the i5. In certain circumstances the 8350 can keep up with the i5, but overall, the i5 is a better CPU. Another drawback to AMD CPUs is they tend to run hotter and require more power and better cooling.

Last thing I will throw out there, I do not recommend substandard parts, regardless of how cool they look or low their price. The kind of rig you are wanting to build involves a serious chunk of change ($) and I can't in good conscience recommend anything that I would not personally buy for myself. Example would be I just helped someone who bought a case made by Sentey. When he tried to mount his GPU, it would not line up with the rear expansion slots on the case. When I read some customer reviews on the site where he bought it from, a few others had complained about the very same thing. That's why my recommendations only include quality parts from reputable manufacturers. (Sorry for the rant, I'll get off my soapbox now.......lol)

Of course the build I proposed could be modified, it's up to you. I/we can talk about swapping out various parts for anything you might be interested in changing.

 

[Yashar456]

Going to an i7 would not benefit you much in current gaming applications since most do not use hyper-threading. The i7's show their strength when doing video editing/rendering or other CPU intensive tasks (that and 16 GB - 32GB RAM). While going to an AMD build, you would save a little money, but it would be a step down performance-wise from the i5. In certain circumstances the 8350 can keep up with the i5, but overall, the i5 is a better CPU. Another drawback to AMD CPUs is they tend to run hotter and require more power and better cooling.

Last thing I will throw out there, I do not recommend substandard parts, regardless of how cool they look or low their price. The kind of rig you are wanting to build involves a serious chunk of change ($) and I can't in good conscience recommend anything that I would not personally buy for myself. Example would be I just helped someone who bought a case made by Sentey. When he tried to mount his GPU, it would not line up with the rear expansion slots on the case. When I read some customer reviews on the site where he bought it from, a few others had complained about the very same thing. That's why my recommendations only include quality parts from reputable manufacturers. (Sorry for the rant, I'll get off my soapbox now.......lol)

Of course the build I proposed could be modified, it's up to you. I/we can talk about swapping out various parts for anything you might be interested in changing.

Hey, so basically the build (http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2r8D9) will work and is all I need, the only thing is that it's pricey. I wanted to clear this up, (in you're second paragraph) are you talking about the new build i sent you or the original? sorry I'm just confused there..

About the build, is there anything there really unnecessary like the brand, part? By the way it says at the bottom for compatibility (http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2r8D9) "Asus Maximus VI Hero ATX LGA1150 Motherboard has an onboard USB 3.0 header, but the Cooler Master HAF 922 ATX Mid Tower Case does not have front panel USB 3.0 ports"

Last thing, i'm thinking of starting buy the parts but I want to go through each one at a time, so like picking the case and then rest. ****And the site you the parts on have different prices than what i saw them as. For example I'm thinking changing the RAM to a "CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model" listed for 79.99 but on the site you put the parts on have a $10 difference.*****

Thanks

 

[animal]

The build I put together on pcpartpicker and linked is everything necessary. And it's only pricey because you gave a $1300 budget, which the system comes in just under. My "second paragraph" was trying to explain why I made the choices I did in the build I proposed, although it fits anything I would recommend or give an okay for. If you are wanting to have front panel USB 3.0 ports, you can buy a bay kit and install it in one of the unused 5 1/4" external bays.

You can buy the parts however you want and in whatever order you desire, just make sure you know what you will be building up front. Otherwise you are going to buy a case that you think looks cool, only to discover the new mobo you want, or the aftermarket cooler, or something else, will no longer fit. As long as you have your build lined out prior to purchasing and have proofed everything as you designed/decided on the build and stick to it, everything will be ok.

HINT: The case and PSU should be the last things decided upon. You can purchase them first, but you don't choose a case and then try and figure out what you can put in it. Same with the PSU, If you buy a 550W unit and discover at the end of your parts purchases that you now need 750W, you're screwed. Make a plan and stick to it.

 

[Yashar456]

The build I put together on pcpartpicker and linked is everything necessary. And it's only pricey because you gave a $1300 budget, which the system comes in just under. My "second paragraph" was trying to explain why I made the choices I did in the build I proposed, although it fits anything I would recommend or give an okay for. If you are wanting to have front panel USB 3.0 ports, you can buy a bay kit and install it in one of the unused 5 1/4" external bays.

You can buy the parts however you want and in whatever order you desire, just make sure you know what you will be building up front. Otherwise you are going to buy a case that you think looks cool, only to discover the new mobo you want, or the aftermarket cooler, or something else, will no longer fit. As long as you have your build lined out prior to purchasing and have proofed everything as you designed/decided on the build and stick to it, everything will be ok.

HINT: The case and PSU should be the last things decided upon. You can purchase them first, but you don't choose a case and then try and figure out what you can put in it. Same with the PSU, If you buy a 550W unit and discover at the end of your parts purchases that you now need 750W, you're screwed. Make a plan and stick to it.

Alright thanks, by the way their are slight differences in price on each part. For example I'm thinking of changing the RAM to a "CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model " the PCpartpicker has a more expensive price than on Newegg. Is this site just for seeing a overview or should be buying my parts from here too.

Thanks

 

[animal]

You actually don't buy the parts from pcpartpicker, it's sort of like a one-stop reference. You actually buy from the individual vendors they show as having that part available. The list shows the vendor that had the lowest pricing at the most recent time pcpartpicker checked. (It's not always 100% correct).
You can buy the parts from anywhere you choose, just make sure the manufacturer's part number is the exact same as what is in the pcpartpicker list. (if not, just make sure the new/different part is still compatible with the rest of your build)

As far as changing the RAM, just make sure you do your homework and that the RAM you choose is compatible with the motherboard you choose.

 

[Yashar456]

You actually don't buy the parts from pcpartpicker, it's sort of like a one-stop reference. You actually buy from the individual vendors they show as having that part available. The list shows the vendor that had the lowest pricing at the most recent time pcpartpicker checked. (It's not always 100% correct).
You can buy the parts from anywhere you choose, just make sure the manufacturer's part number is the exact same as what is in the pcpartpicker list. (if not, just make sure the new/different part is still compatible with the rest of your build)

As far as changing the RAM, just make sure you do your homework and that the RAM you choose is compatible with the motherboard you choose.

Alright the RAM is compatible... The new link http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2rO7U
Do I need to buy a seperate CPU cooler? Doesn't already come with one and I'm not looking to overclock ..yet lol

 

[animal]

If you are not going to overclock, then you can go ahead and use the stock cooler that comes with the CPU, although an aftermarket cooler will result in lower temps, run quieter, and look better (lol) than the stock one.

 

[Yashar456]

If you are not going to overclock, then you can go ahead and use the stock cooler that comes with the CPU, although an aftermarket cooler will result in lower temps, run quieter, and look better (lol) than the stock one.

Well, I'm not thinking of overclocking that much.. So will it be fine with the stock cooler?
Also what do you think about the gpu's?(deep question) AMD or NVDIA?

 

[animal]

All you can do is try, but keep a close eye on your cpu temps if you do. I do NOT recommend ANY overclocking without using an aftermarket cooler. And the aftermarket cooler installation is so much easier to install during the original build process than to add one after the build is done.

Myself, I prefer nVIDIA, but there is nothing wrong with AMD.

 

[Yashar456]

All you can do is try, but keep a close eye on your cpu temps if you do. I do NOT recommend ANY overclocking without using an aftermarket cooler. And the aftermarket cooler installation is so much easier to install during the original build process than to add one after the build is done.

Myself, I prefer nVIDIA, but there is nothing wrong with AMD.

Hey, thanks for the advice. I was thinking about this build and its price... A while back when I was researching desktops and what not, I always had my eye on this pre-built system http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/CyberPower_Black_Pearl
Out of curiousity I calculated the system price, if you it were to be built by yourself. It came around $1700, and the list price is $1350. Now this is what I was thinking... I'm not really thinking of upgrading parts in a year or two. This is pre-built and so I don't have to worry about damaging any parts(I have never built a computer) and plus its cheaper to buy it pre-built than actually build it. The site also offers to change parts as well.
Could you take a look at this build and tell me what you think?
Plus what do you think about the liquid cooling system? a little too much?

Thanks

 

[animal]

They are able to keep the price low because there are a lot of no-name parts in your build. Very few parts identify exactly who the manufacturer is, and a lot of the ones that are from quality manufacturers, you have to pay a premium to get that option. I am leery whenever they won't specify who made the part, they just say "standard". That means it could be made by anyone. And some of the named parts, such as the case (made by CFI, definitely not a top tier manufacturer), the memory (made by ADATA, also not a top-tier manufacturer) has decent pricing, but usually tends to run a bit on the high-side of cost. You said you priced this out, but I am assuming you went with brand names you knew or had been recommended to come up with your $1700 price tag. I could probably do it (using the exact brand name parts they use and putting in the cheapest "standard" parts for all the rest) for at or lower than the $1355.

Personally, I would not buy it, but as you said, you have never built your own computer before, so I understand your hesitancy, especially with throwing this much money into it. As for the liquid cooling, you could buy the same thing almost anywhere, but at least Corsair is a top-notch manufacturer but the cooler they give you is towards the bottom of Corsair's AIO water-cooler line-up.

 

[Yashar456]

They are able to keep the price low because there are a lot of no-name parts in your build. Very few parts identify exactly who the manufacturer is, and a lot of the ones that are from quality manufacturers, you have to pay a premium to get that option. I am leery whenever they won't specify who made the part, they just say "standard". That means it could be made by anyone. And some of the named parts, such as the case (made by CFI, definitely not a top tier manufacturer), the memory (made by ADATA, also not a top-tier manufacturer) has decent pricing, but usually tends to run a bit on the high-side of cost. You said you priced this out, but I am assuming you went with brand names you knew or had been recommended to come up with your $1700 price tag. I could probably do it (using the exact brand name parts they use and putting in the cheapest "standard" parts for all the rest) for at or lower than the $1355.

Personally, I would not buy it, but as you said, you have never built your own computer before, so I understand your hesitancy, especially with throwing this much money into it. As for the liquid cooling, you could buy the same thing almost anywhere, but at least Corsair is a top-notch manufacturer but the cooler they give you is towards the bottom of Corsair's AIO water-cooler line-up.

I mean that's true, they aren't really specific on the parts. So, I like this build and you said there is possibility of making something close to this. So my ideas were that, we would get a built in soundboard into the motherboard instead of a separate one. I'm not a big fan of the liquid cooling so just stick to normal fan cooling. CPU definitely i5 and I guess the rest the same as we had before. I'm still thinking about the gpu for now, but what do you think about this? I mean I really don't mind building this computer..lol it will be something to brag about.. The only thing I'm really worried about is damaging a part by short circuit or something.. Anyways see what you think.
Sidenote* lol I like that case, any possibilities of getting that cheap to keep the budget?

Thanks

 

[animal]

When I said I could put together something using so-called "standard" parts, I didn't mean that it would be something I would recommend or endorse. When I lay out a build for somebody, my reputation is on the line, and I learned a long time ago, cheapest is definitely not the best. That's not to say that I don't look around for the best prices for something or even that I'm unwilling to accept a comparable equivalent to what I was looking for, but when you see the majority of quality manufactuurers selling the approximate same thing (for example, lets say a 600W quality PSU averages in the $100 range) and a different PSU manufacturer is selling what they call a "standard" 600W unit for $29 or that they have a 1000W unit for the same price as most reputable manufacturers are selling their 660W units.($100), in both cases, if it sounds to good to be true, then there must be a catch. Most of the time it's because they cheaped-out on the manufacturing process or are using shoddy parts.

I'm willing to work with you, but you can't say design me the best system you can for $1300 and then come back and say, well that's kind of too expensive, more money than I want to spend. If you didn't want to spend $1300 you should not have given that as your budget amount. As I said, I'm willing to try and help you as best I am able, but I will not sacrifice quality parts in any of my builds.

As far as building it yourself, there are lots of "how to" guides on the internet, along with a videos available on youtube. If you go to Newegg, they have some "How to build your own computer" videos as well. But be aware, it's not something you can slap together in 45 minutes. For me, 4 to 6 hours is a quick build. You just have to be patient and work things out as you go along. It's not rocket science, but it can be done.

 

[Yashar456]

When I said I could put together something using so-called "standard" parts, I didn't mean that it would be something I would recommend or endorse. When I lay out a build for somebody, my reputation is on the line, and I learned a long time ago, cheapest is definitely not the best. That's not to say that I don't look around for the best prices for something or even that I'm unwilling to accept a comparable equivalent to what I was looking for, but when you see the majority of quality manufactuurers selling the approximate same thing (for example, lets say a 600W quality PSU averages in the $100 range) and a different PSU manufacturer is selling what they call a "standard" 600W unit for $29 or that they have a 1000W unit for the same price as most reputable manufacturers are selling their 660W units.($100), in both cases, if it sounds to good to be true, then there must be a catch. Most of the time it's because they cheaped-out on the manufacturing process or are using shoddy parts.

I'm willing to work with you, but you can't say design me the best system you can for $1300 and then come back and say, well that's kind of too expensive, more money than I want to spend. If you didn't want to spend $1300 you should not have given that as your budget amount. As I said, I'm willing to try and help you as best I am able, but I will not sacrifice quality parts in any of my builds.

As far as building it yourself, there are lots of "how to" guides on the internet, along with a videos available on youtube. If you go to Newegg, they have some "How to build your own computer" videos as well. But be aware, it's not something you can slap together in 45 minutes. For me, 4 to 6 hours is a quick build. You just have to be patient and work things out as you go along. It's not rocket science, but it can be done.

Hey ya I know what you mean, it's not clear on what the actual item is. lol I'm over that, I just wanted to clear that up because it was bothering me, seeing it be that cheap and already built.
And ya for sure, I've watched so many "how to" guides on how to build a computer, I think I have the basics just the wiring is going to be a pain. I'm thinking of getting a anti-static strap just to stay on the safe side of things when I'm building this computer.
Onto the original build...
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2rO7U
Still deciding on the GPU, I mean I have it narrowed down to a AMD Radeon HD 7950 Graphic card VS GTX 760. I was looking to get the 3Gb version of the AMD but the GTX we have is 4 Gb. I heard that more Gb will help in multi-monitored systems but will do it any difference on just a single monitor, comparing the two.

Thanks

 

[animal]

Newer, more graphics-intensive games have reached the 2 GB Vram ceiling, thus some games are now recommending a minimum of 3 GB GPU Vram. Do you actually need 4 GB at this point in time, short answer would be no. However, there was a time when they said you wouldn't need more than 2 GB max in any situation. The unfortunate part of this is that AMD GPUs have gone to a 3 GB standard while nVIDIA has gone to 4 GB. Do you need this much Vram on your GPU? As you said, only to drive multiple monitors or run a few games in ULTRA detail. But be aware, that if you are looking to future-proof your GPU/build, then it doesn't hurt to be prepared. End result is that for now, 95% of all gaming needs on a single monitor can probably be accomplished using a GPU with 2 GB Vram. However, if you are one of those 5% that wish to play the most graphics-intensive games at the highest detail levels possible and/or the person that just has to be able to play at MAX settings for any games that might come out in the next 2-3 years, then more than 2 GB Vram is something you would probably want to have. Then it just boils down to "do you prefer AMD or nVIDIA?" Personally, I prefer nVIDIA as they have better drivers and more frequent updates and better stability than AMD. That is just my own personal opinion on that though.

 

[Yashar456]

Newer, more graphics-intensive games have reached the 2 GB Vram ceiling, thus some games are now recommending a minimum of 3 GB GPU Vram. Do you actually need 4 GB at this point in time, short answer would be no. However, there was a time when they said you wouldn't need more than 2 GB max in any situation. The unfortunate part of this is that AMD GPUs have gone to a 3 GB standard while nVIDIA has gone to 4 GB. Do you need this much Vram on your GPU? As you said, only to drive multiple monitors or run a few games in ULTRA detail. But be aware, that if you are looking to future-proof your GPU/build, then it doesn't hurt to be prepared. End result is that for now, 95% of all gaming needs on a single monitor can probably be accomplished using a GPU with 2 GB Vram. However, if you are one of those 5% that wish to play the most graphics-intensive games at the highest detail levels possible and/or the person that just has to be able to play at MAX settings for any games that might come out in the next 2-3 years, then more than 2 GB Vram is something you would probably want to have. Then it just boils down to "do you prefer AMD or nVIDIA?" Personally, I prefer nVIDIA as they have better drivers and more frequent updates and better stability than AMD. That is just my own personal opinion on that though.

After reading here and there, I'm feeling confident about the gtx 760. I mean I'm not thinking about dual monitor gaming at all lol so Gtx 760 will do the job.
So I'm ready to wrap up this build.. final thoughts, should I be adding in fans or will I be alright with stock fans (or does it even come with fans?).
About the CPU cooler again lol, I'm thinking of not adding that in and just going with the regular stock cooler. This is going to be my first gaming pc so I don't want to do something wrong. But then again I'm paying a "bit" of money into this system so should I just go till its full potential? And how much of difference is it really going to make?
By the way thanks so much for everything so far, I really appreciate the help you are giving me.

Thanks

 

[animal]

As far as adding fans, which case will you be using?

If you going to be doing ANY overclocking of the CPU (either now or in the future), then an aftermarket CPU cooler is a necessity. And if you are not going to be overclocking, then there is absolutely no need to go with a "k" series processor. The Z87 series motherboard is only necessary if you are going to be overclocking and/or doing multi-GPUs later on (SLI/CrossFire). So if you are or will be oc'ing, might as well install the aftermarket cooler now. Up to you. An AIO (all-in-one) water-cooler is not that difficult to install and you don't have to worry about RAM height/slot interference like you do with air coolers. But the trade-off is, when it goes bad, you have to replace the entire cooler. With an air-cooler (such as the 212 EVO in my list) the only thing to go bad is the fan(s). Easier and less costly to replace a fan on an air-cooler than to replace the entire AIO water-cooler. It's all up to you. However, if you do decide to get an aftermarket cooler, whether its an air-cooler or water-cooler, just make sure it will fit with the motherboard, RAM and case you choose.

As far as your thanks, I appreciate it. I just enjoy helping people to better understand the ins and outs of everything. I just hate when people have unrealistic expectations (i.e.- "I want it to be the most bad-ass rig out there and be able to play everything at maxed out settings with 60+ frame rates but expect that to be accomplished on a $500 budget) and then want to blame others for giving them bad advice.

 

[Yashar456]

are you going to need a keyboard/mouse, monitor and/or OS? and will they need to be considered as part of your $1300 budget or seperate?

As far as adding fans, which case will you be using?

If you going to be doing ANY overclocking of the CPU (either now or in the future), then an aftermarket CPU cooler is a necessity. And if you are not going to be overclocking, then there is absolutely no need to go with a "k" series processor. The Z87 series motherboard is only necessary if you are going to be overclocking and/or doing multi-GPUs later on (SLI/CrossFire). So if you are or will be oc'ing, might as well install the aftermarket cooler now. Up to you. An AIO (all-in-one) water-cooler is not that difficult to install and you don't have to worry about RAM height/slot interference like you do with air coolers. But the trade-off is, when it goes bad, you have to replace the entire cooler. With an air-cooler (such as the 212 EVO in my list) the only thing to go bad is the fan(s). Easier and less costly to replace a fan on an air-cooler than to replace the entire AIO water-cooler. It's all up to you. However, if you do decide to get an aftermarket cooler, whether its an air-cooler or water-cooler, just make sure it will fit with the motherboard, RAM and case you choose.

As far as your thanks, I appreciate it. I just enjoy helping people to better understand the ins and outs of everything. I just hate when people have unrealistic expectations (i.e.- "I want it to be the most bad-ass rig out there and be able to play everything at maxed out settings with 60+ frame rates but expect that to be accomplished on a $500 budget) and then want to blame others for giving them bad advice.

Hey so how much will I be benefiting from overclocking? Is it worth?

 

[animal]

Depends on the situation, most people only do it for the bragging rights and the awesome look of their rigs, but in reality I'd guestimate most typical mainstream overclockers see a 5-20% increase in performance. However, overclocking is pretty much "luck of the draw" as how much a given CPU will overclock varies.

 

[Yashar456]

are you going to need a keyboard/mouse, monitor and/or OS? and will they need to be considered as part of your $1300 budget or seperate?

Depends on the situation, most people only do it for the bragging rights and the awesome look of their rigs, but in reality I'd guestimate most typical mainstream overclockers see a 5-20% increase in performance. However, overclocking is pretty much "luck of the draw" as how much a given CPU will overclock varies.

hmm well, I want this to last for a while and I heard overclocking reduces the life of the cpu and also voids warranty. The Intel i5 that we have so far, it says its turbo boost is 3.8ghz. Does that come automatically or does it have to be overclocked to that.
I know we've went over AMD cpu's but like whats the deal with them. lol I see them have 6 cores, running at like 4.1 ghz and less cost. Just like the nvidia and amd gpu's there are always "leap frogging" each other. Is intel at the top now or AMD ( I just want to clear this up).