DIY $800 gaming rig - PSU / Motherboard / SSD / Case bought -

[pchun010]

EDIT : COMPLETED!!
Mission completed - Ended up doing :

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-AR ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ TigerDirect)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($86.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 330R ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 620W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $961.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-15 18:53 EDT-0400

if anyone is curious .

Thanks again for the help!


Good Afternoon,

I have a PSU / MOBO / SSD / Case / Monitor / keyboard / and mouse - Please help .

I want to build my first PC and see what i can do. I do have couple things already acquired pre-used :
Things I have
PSU : Thermaltake W0319RU TR2 RX 850-Watt Modular Power Supply - 850W, 140mm Fan http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6624658

Case : Cooler Master HAF 922 (Black) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Motherboard: MSI P67a-GD55 - Military Class II http://us.msi.com/product/mb/P67AGD55_B3.html#hero-overview

Things needed :
GPU : I understand that this is where most of the budget should be spent because it is a gaming computer - Unsure if to go with Radeon or Nvidia on this one .

Radeon R9 280X 3GB - $250 ; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202046&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=7034161&SID=

GeForce GTX 660 2GB x2 - $340 ; http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1805277

Processor : i have read alot about the new i5 and its effects on gaming. My questions is, is the i7 worth the price difference if I just plan to play games and watch media on the computer ? I was looking @ Intel Core i5-4690K or i5-4590 , would that compatible with my mobo?

Memory : EDIT: 8gb (2x 4gb Patriot ) : http://pcpartpicker.com/mr/tigerdirect/patriot-memory-pxd38g1600c10k

Fans / Cooling System - What will be sufficient ? I am guessing I am going to need a CPU cooler along with a couple of fans to keep airflow via the system . Cosmetic LED lights would be nice but not necessary.

Operating System : I do not have an OS yet, but I have seen a lot of posts saying windows 7 is better for gaming right now ? Either way, suggestions on a good / discounted way to get a licensed copy of the OS ?

Appreciate the time / the help. Any advice or suggestion would about the build or how it can be improved will be taken into consideration.

Thank you ,

-P

 

[James Mason]

The only thing i'd keep out of what you have is the case.

The Motherboard is old, it can only use 2nd & 3rd gen intel processors (you talked about 4th gen ones) so only these ones: http://us.msi.com/support/mb/P67AGD55_B3.html#support-cpu

The PSU isn't exactly trustworthy, and may cause problems/kill your system down the line.

On to the rest, SLI'd 660s aren't necessarily that much faster than a single 770, are about the same price, and you won't run into potential issues with games that have issues with SLI'd cards. It will also consume less power only have 1 card.

Processor: i5 is all you need for gaming, i7 is overkill unless you are doing some video editing REGULARLY as well.

Memory is fine, though you could spend less and get a better stick: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls2kit4g3d1609ds1s00

OS: Windows 8 is fine, after you fix it: http://www.classicshell.net/
To save money on the OS, you can buy an OEM version. The restrictions to this are that you can only install it once, and can't transfer it to a new system. Be VERY cautious of windows OS deals that sound too good to be true. (it should run you about $79/89 for an oem version) Windows 8 starts up faster than windows 7, but you can still get windows 7 home premium for roughly the same price of windows 8 if you aren't willing to install classic shell.

Fans / Cooling: CPUs come with a stock fan that is NORMALLY fine unless you want to overclock your CPU, if you do, go with an aftermarket air fan or a water cooling system. Air fans are generally slightly louder and cheaper (while taking up more space in your case) and water cooling is generally quieter, cooler (temp) and more expensive (while taking up a different part of your case).

 

[pchun010]

The only thing i'd keep out of what you have is the case.

The Motherboard is old, it can only use 2nd & 3rd gen intel processors (you talked about 4th gen ones) so only these ones: http://us.msi.com/support/mb/P67AGD55_B3.html#support-cpu

The PSU isn't exactly trustworthy, and may cause problems/kill your system down the line.

On to the rest, SLI'd 660s aren't necessarily that much faster than a single 770, are about the same price, and you won't run into potential issues with games that have issues with SLI'd cards. It will also consume less power only have 1 card.

Processor: i5 is all you need for gaming, i7 is overkill unless you are doing some video editing REGULARLY as well.

Memory is fine, though you could spend less and get a better stick: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls2kit4g3d1609ds1s00

OS: Windows 8 is fine, after you fix it: http://www.classicshell.net/
To save money on the OS, you can buy an OEM version. The restrictions to this are that you can only install it once, and can't transfer it to a new system. Be VERY cautious of windows OS deals that sound too good to be true. (it should run you about $79/89 for an oem version) Windows 8 starts up faster than windows 7, but you can still get windows 7 home premium for roughly the same price of windows 8 if you aren't willing to install classic shell.

Fans / Cooling: CPUs come with a stock fan that is NORMALLY fine unless you want to overclock your CPU, if you do, go with an aftermarket air fan or a water cooling system. Air fans are generally slightly louder and cheaper (while taking up more space in your case) and water cooling is generally quieter, cooler (temp) and more expensive (while taking up a different part of your case).

Thank you for the response James ; Does this mean they are no longer retailing CPU that are compatible with my mobo ?

How is that stick of RAM better than the other ? or just price-wise ?

Appreciate the help , my first time putting one together and debating between a prebuilt now because as you said, the only thing worth holding onto is the case unfortunately.

 

[James Mason]

The only thing i'd keep out of what you have is the case.

The Motherboard is old, it can only use 2nd & 3rd gen intel processors (you talked about 4th gen ones) so only these ones: http://us.msi.com/support/mb/P67AGD55_B3.html#support-cpu

The PSU isn't exactly trustworthy, and may cause problems/kill your system down the line.

On to the rest, SLI'd 660s aren't necessarily that much faster than a single 770, are about the same price, and you won't run into potential issues with games that have issues with SLI'd cards. It will also consume less power only have 1 card.

Processor: i5 is all you need for gaming, i7 is overkill unless you are doing some video editing REGULARLY as well.

Memory is fine, though you could spend less and get a better stick: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls2kit4g3d1609ds1s00

OS: Windows 8 is fine, after you fix it: http://www.classicshell.net/
To save money on the OS, you can buy an OEM version. The restrictions to this are that you can only install it once, and can't transfer it to a new system. Be VERY cautious of windows OS deals that sound too good to be true. (it should run you about $79/89 for an oem version) Windows 8 starts up faster than windows 7, but you can still get windows 7 home premium for roughly the same price of windows 8 if you aren't willing to install classic shell.

Fans / Cooling: CPUs come with a stock fan that is NORMALLY fine unless you want to overclock your CPU, if you do, go with an aftermarket air fan or a water cooling system. Air fans are generally slightly louder and cheaper (while taking up more space in your case) and water cooling is generally quieter, cooler (temp) and more expensive (while taking up a different part of your case).

Thank you for the response James ; Does this mean they are no longer retailing CPU that are compatible with my mobo ?

Appreciate the help , my first time putting one together and debating between a prebuilt now because as you said, the only thing worth holding onto is the case unfortunately.

For $800 you're gonna get a pretty crappy pre-built. They DO still sell CPUs for your mobo, but they're already kind of "outdated" and the ones that are "new" currently are going to be outdated soon as well. (but they won't be double outdated like yours) All these CPUs will work in your motherboard: http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/cpu/#k=14&sort=a8
This is basically an i7 CPU, but it doesn't built in graphics (so you need a video card) http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80637e31240v2

Although I don't know if you're counting the 3 pieces you already own as part of the $800 budget.

 

[pchun010]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: MSI H97M-E35 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $729.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-13 00:19 EDT-0400
- Okay guess I am going to try to start from scratch ; Would the PSU really be completely useless at this point ?

Add that with 8gb RAM : http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8033819&csid=_61&rrpl=item_page.content2&rrstr=PersonalizedClickCP&rrindex=H ;

Thanks for the suggestion James , is this looking better ? I believe it would be good experience to build my own regardless so I think I am going to give it a go - My budget does extend up till about $1k and I am at around $800 if there is any other suggestion to maximize / make sure the setup is compatible

 

[James Mason]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: MSI H97M-E35 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $729.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-13 00:19 EDT-0400
- Okay guess I am going to try to start from scratch ; Would the PSU really be completely useless at this point ?

Add that with 8gb RAM : http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8033819&csid=_61&rrpl=item_page.content2&rrstr=PersonalizedClickCP&rrindex=H ;

Thanks for the suggestion James , is this looking better ? I believe it would be good experience to build my own regardless so I think I am going to give it a go - My budget does extend up till about $1k and I am at around $800 if there is any other suggestion to maximize / make sure the setup is compatible

That's a nice looking system there.

Just know that 250GBs will probably disappear faster than you think if that's your only hard drive.
It's still gonna need an OS, but before buying anything, you have to get reading: http://www.hackintosh.com/

 

[pchun010]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: MSI H97M-E35 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $729.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-13 00:19 EDT-0400
- Okay guess I am going to try to start from scratch ; Would the PSU really be completely useless at this point ?

Add that with 8gb RAM : http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8033819&csid=_61&rrpl=item_page.content2&rrstr=PersonalizedClickCP&rrindex=H ;

Thanks for the suggestion James , is this looking better ? I believe it would be good experience to build my own regardless so I think I am going to give it a go - My budget does extend up till about $1k and I am at around $800 if there is any other suggestion to maximize / make sure the setup is compatible

That's a nice looking system there.

Just know that 250GBs will probably disappear faster than you think if that's your only hard drive.
It's still gonna need an OS, but before buying anything, you have to get reading: http://www.hackintosh.com/

Why do you recommend hackintosh? Isnt the point of hackintosh to get apple OS onto PC ? Isn't windows better in terms running games ?

 

[James Mason]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: MSI H97M-E35 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $729.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-13 00:19 EDT-0400
- Okay guess I am going to try to start from scratch ; Would the PSU really be completely useless at this point ?

Add that with 8gb RAM : http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8033819&csid=_61&rrpl=item_page.content2&rrstr=PersonalizedClickCP&rrindex=H ;

Thanks for the suggestion James , is this looking better ? I believe it would be good experience to build my own regardless so I think I am going to give it a go - My budget does extend up till about $1k and I am at around $800 if there is any other suggestion to maximize / make sure the setup is compatible

That's a nice looking system there.

Just know that 250GBs will probably disappear faster than you think if that's your only hard drive.
It's still gonna need an OS, but before buying anything, you have to get reading: http://www.hackintosh.com/

Why do you recommend hackintosh? Isnt the point of hackintosh to get apple OS onto PC ? Isn't windows better in terms running games ?

Derp I got your post confused with another one, ignore the hackinstosh link.

 

[pchun010]

Mission completed - Ended up doing :

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-AR ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ TigerDirect)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($86.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 330R ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 620W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $961.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-15 18:53 EDT-0400

if anyone is curious .

Thanks again for the help!

 

[James Mason]

Mission completed - Ended up doing :

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-AR ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($149.99 @ TigerDirect)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($86.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 330R ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 620W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $961.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-15 18:53 EDT-0400

if anyone is curious .

Thanks again for the help!

Nice, just know that if you plan to overclock the CPU you'll need an aftermarket cooler.

 

[grimmjow660]

Nice. The Asus Z97-AR board is looks good, I got one myself for my 4790k