Good Gaming Build?

[Grisless]

I was wanting to get opinions on whether this is a good gaming build for the price.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card ($194.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($93.75 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Asus PCE-AC68 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($89.88 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VS248H-P 24.0" Monitor ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Headphones: Logitech G430 7.1 Channel Headset ($54.98 @ Amazon)
Total: $1291.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-05 12:49 EDT-0400

 

[logainofhades]

I would say no. You can do better, for that kind of money.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($242.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PRO4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($83.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($317.93 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($72.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($93.75 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: Asus VS248H-P 24.0" Monitor ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Headphones: Corsair Raptor HS40 7.1 Channel Headset ($35.69 @ Amazon)
Total: $1284.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-05 13:10 EDT-0400

 

[Grisless]

Because this is my first build, I do not have much experience.

 

[logainofhades]

Gaming rig, graphics card matters far more, as long as the CPU can properly feed it. The CPU I chose is basically an i7 4770, without the integrated graphics. No matter how high you overclocked that 4690k, paired with a GTX 960, it would never out game a locked i5/i7/Xeon, with a faster GTX 970. Your PSU choice was not very good. Stick with tier 1 and tier 2 units, for future reference. http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

 

[naturesninja]

A bit better for gaming and slightly cheaper:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Ls9NCJ
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Ls9NCJ/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-E ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($88.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 390 8GB SOC Video Card ($263.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($93.75 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: LG 24MC57HQ-P 60Hz 23.8" Monitor ($143.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Headphones: Logitech G430 7.1 Channel Headset ($54.98 @ Amazon)
Total: $1254.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-05 13:11 EDT-0400

 

[Grisless]

Gaming rig, graphics card matters far more, as long as the CPU can properly feed it. The CPU I chose is basically an i7 4770, without the integrated graphics. No matter how high you overclocked that 4690k, paired with a GTX 960, it would never out game a locked i5/i7/Xeon, with a faster GTX 970. Your PSU choice was not very good. Stick with tier 1 and tier 2 units, for future reference. http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

Okay thanks, and do I need a wireless card for ethernet connection?

 

[logainofhades]

You do not have to have wireless, unless you have no way of hooking up an actual ethernet cable. Motherboards, today, all come with a LAN port, for network cables.

 

[Grisless]

You do not have to have wireless, unless you have no way of hooking up an actual ethernet cable. Motherboards, today, all come with a LAN port, for network cables.

Okay. And does the motherboard make any difference?

 

[naturesninja]

If you don't plan on overclocking a Xeon with a H97 board would be the way to go, if you do the 4690k and a Z97 motherboard would be the way to go. That PSU you picked is Good, the bronze series are the bad ones.

 

[logainofhades]

If you don't plan on overclocking a Xeon with a H97 board would be the way to go, if you do the 4690k and a Z97 motherboard would be the way to go. That PSU you picked is Good, the bronze series are the bad ones.

The PSU they selected is a Tier 4 unit. Bronze B2 units are Tier 2, and the GS/G2 series are tier one.

 

[naturesninja]

Sorry, but that PSU is not by any means a tier 4. Tom's isn't the be all end all, but if you own one and open it up you can see all of the lovely Japanese capacitors inside along with other quality components, excellent soldering, and they don't put a 10 year warranty on a Tier 4 PSU.

 

[logainofhades]

G2 units are the ones to get, not G1.

 

[naturesninja]

I can agree on that.