Is this build optimal for its price?

[Ryan Parker]

Hello everyone!
I am going to be building my own gaming desktop within a week or two, depending on the duration of shipping. I was wondering, before I purchase any additional parts, if this build truly is optimal for its price and theme?

(This is my first build)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.96 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus V Gene Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($199.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($80.06 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ Microcenter)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($20.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($85.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($97.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1291.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-01 17:31 EST-0500)

I have already ordered the case, the graphics card, the CPU, the optical drive, the monitor, and the HDD. So those parts are pretty much set in stone. However, the motherboard, memory, CPU cooler and network adapter are still variables; are they the best available options?

Also, I still need a name for this baby!
I'm thinking something relating to crimson, or the color red in general. As this build's overall theme is red/black.
Suggestions?

 

[Rammy]

There is nothing wrong with your build really, though "optimal" really depends on your perspective.

Personally, there are a few things I would change, though these may not appeal to you-
I'd definitely change the motherboard. It's quite expensive and on a full sized ATX build you are better off giving yourself more room if you wanted to add a second GTX760. The Gene does support this, but it does mean stacking them against each other which isn't optimal. Given you can often pick up a decent ATX Z77 board for somewhere between $100 and $150, the Gene only really makes sense if space is an issue. Also, because you are using the bottom PCIe x1 for your Wifi card, it blocks potential SLI expansion.
Boards to look at (which may or may not fit your colour scheme) include the AsRock Z77 Extreme 4/6 or MSI Z77A-G45.

As mentioned, your system as it is won't really support SLI, but you picked a PSU of a capacity which suggests you want that option. I'd seriously consider both the capacity (if it's only for a single graphics card) and the model, as the CX range are pretty budget-y. Something like the Antec HCG-620M would be a good buy for more or less any single GPU setup, is of high quality, modular, and has some red accents which you should like.

There is nothing wrong with a 3570K and a Z77, but the price gap to the 4670K and Z87 is pretty small right now. I'm not saying you should change, but it's certainly worth considering as it does give you some more options without adding a huge cost. I know you already have the CPU, but I thought it was still worth a mention.

Similarly, if I was tweaking a build like this, I'd end up putting more money into graphics at that kind of budget level. There is nothing wrong with a GTX760, and it'll be fine for 1080P gaming, but at the ~$1000 mark, I'd definitely be looking more towards GTX770/280X level for "optimal" spending.

The CPU cooler and memory are fine, though both could be tweaked a little. Memory can be barely visible in a finished build so I wouldn't worry too much about colour matching, and you can save a little cash here if you wanted.
The cooler is good, but unlike the motherboard/memory you probably will see it through the window. If you wanted to keep with the colour theme, adding some suitably coloured fans or swapping to a coloured heatsink might give you a better look. It'll cost you more, but the Phanteks PH-TC12DX and Prolimatech Megahelems (Red) might interest you.

As for names, my computer is called Betty, so I'm probably not the guy to ask.

 

[Ryan Parker]

There is nothing wrong with your build really, though "optimal" really depends on your perspective.

Personally, there are a few things I would change, though these may not appeal to you-
I'd definitely change the motherboard. It's quite expensive and on a full sized ATX build you are better off giving yourself more room if you wanted to add a second GTX760. The Gene does support this, but it does mean stacking them against each other which isn't optimal. Given you can often pick up a decent ATX Z77 board for somewhere between $100 and $150, the Gene only really makes sense if space is an issue. Also, because you are using the bottom PCIe x1 for your Wifi card, it blocks potential SLI expansion.
Boards to look at (which may or may not fit your colour scheme) include the AsRock Z77 Extreme 4/6 or MSI Z77A-G45.

As mentioned, your system as it is won't really support SLI, but you picked a PSU of a capacity which suggests you want that option. I'd seriously consider both the capacity (if it's only for a single graphics card) and the model, as the CX range are pretty budget-y. Something like the Antec HCG-620M would be a good buy for more or less any single GPU setup, is of high quality, modular, and has some red accents which you should like.

There is nothing wrong with a 3570K and a Z77, but the price gap to the 4670K and Z87 is pretty small right now. I'm not saying you should change, but it's certainly worth considering as it does give you some more options without adding a huge cost. I know you already have the CPU, but I thought it was still worth a mention.

Similarly, if I was tweaking a build like this, I'd end up putting more money into graphics at that kind of budget level. There is nothing wrong with a GTX760, and it'll be fine for 1080P gaming, but at the ~$1000 mark, I'd definitely be looking more towards GTX770/280X level for "optimal" spending.

The CPU cooler and memory are fine, though both could be tweaked a little. Memory can be barely visible in a finished build so I wouldn't worry too much about colour matching, and you can save a little cash here if you wanted.
The cooler is good, but unlike the motherboard/memory you probably will see it through the window. If you wanted to keep with the colour theme, adding some suitably coloured fans or swapping to a coloured heatsink might give you a better look. It'll cost you more, but the Phanteks PH-TC12DX and Prolimatech Megahelems (Red) might interest you.

As for names, my computer is called Betty, so I'm probably not the guy to ask.

I changed the the power supply to what you recommended as I am indeed not currently planning on using two 760's in SLI, though that could definitely be a future upgrade- though most likely outdated by then?
I also changed the motherboard. I was originally going for the G43, for a MSI build, but I read some of the reviews and got scared away. I then switched to the Gene which was a mostly aesthetically and brand related choice. However, I totally overlooked the G45 and am happy to be able to call this an MSI build once again. The original build was supposed to be rather budget oriented, which is why some of the parts seem that way. Though I recently received a $300 budget extension which is what sparked this post. I am still undecided on a CPU Cooler, I like the current one as it is black and looks pretty slick. I checked out your suggestion but the white on the Phanteks was its downfall. As for the memory, my current choice seems to be the best option for its price regarding the black, red, black/red realm, so they blend in with the motherboard. I'd also change the GPU if it hadn't already been purchased, though I think the 760 should fit my needs. I'm still looking for memory and a CPU cooler. If you know any other good models for these, please let me know. If I end up with some extra money I'd also love to look into some red lighting for my case (I'm assuming cathodes?) in order to light up the components inside. I'm also looking into case fans, though the ones I have currently selected should be pretty uniform with the stock 200mm that comes with the case.

Lastly, Betty sounds like a very strong and independent machine.
I was considering Bertha or Big Bertha for mine at some point, if that makes you feel better- possibly even Charlene. x)

 

[Ryan Parker]

Update: found some better memory.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.96 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($73.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ Microcenter)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($20.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($7.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Megaflow 110.0 CFM 200mm Fan ($14.97 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($97.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1217.59
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-01 20:59 EST-0500)

 

[tsnor]

For optimum gaming suggest you drop $$$ out of the cpu/MB and add it to video convert the gtx760 to a gtx770

drop the CPU from i5-3570K ($220) to an i5-3350P Ivy Bridge 3.1GHz ($180) saves $40
MB from 135 to 80 with non-OC board saves $55 (example ASRock Z75 Pro3: $80)

gtx 760 = $250, gtx 770 = $340

Also suggest you do *not* save money by using a blue WD instead of a black. The difference in game load time is visible.

EDIT: Opps, sorry missed this "...I have already ordered the case, the graphics card, the CPU, the optical drive, the monitor, and the HDD... " nm. It'll be a great system.

 

[Rammy]

Update: found some better memory.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.96 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($73.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ Microcenter)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($20.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($7.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Megaflow 110.0 CFM 200mm Fan ($14.97 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($97.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1217.59
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-01 20:59 EST-0500)

It's looking good.
For memory, I'd be more inclined to go with something like this - http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f314900cl9d8gbxl The speed is a little lower, but so is the CAS latency, and 1.5V should give you less headaches with compatibility. As a bonus, I think they'll fit your aesthetic pretty nicely.

My understanding is that the Sickleflow fans a little mediocre, good value but otherwise pretty average. They should probably do the job though.

As for coolers, I'm a big fan (no pun intended) of the Phanteks coolers as I think they look the business, but I can see why they wouldn't fit the bill. The Megahelems is definitely nice, but once you add a couple of high performance fans it could be at least $100. While not the greatest performer in the world, the Coolermaster V8 GTS probably has the "style over substance" covered, though again it's going to cost a lot. There is nothing wrong with the 212.

 

[Ryan Parker]

Included that memory, but switched to Haswell

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($233.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($20.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($98.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($7.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Megaflow 110.0 CFM 200mm Fan ($14.97 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($97.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1224.80
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-02 14:15 EST-0500)

 

[Ryan Parker]

Update: found some better memory.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.96 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($73.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ Microcenter)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($20.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($7.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Megaflow 110.0 CFM 200mm Fan ($14.97 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($97.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1217.59
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-01 20:59 EST-0500)

It's looking good.
For memory, I'd be more inclined to go with something like this - http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f314900cl9d8gbxl The speed is a little lower, but so is the CAS latency, and 1.5V should give you less headaches with compatibility. As a bonus, I think they'll fit your aesthetic pretty nicely.

My understanding is that the Sickleflow fans a little mediocre, good value but otherwise pretty average. They should probably do the job though.

As for coolers, I'm a big fan (no pun intended) of the Phanteks coolers as I think they look the business, but I can see why they wouldn't fit the bill. The Megahelems is definitely nice, but once you add a couple of high performance fans it could be at least $100. While not the greatest performer in the world, the Coolermaster V8 GTS probably has the "style over substance" covered, though again it's going to cost a lot. There is nothing wrong with the 212.

Went for the memory you suggested, switched to a Haswell build as previously recommended to me, and found a neat CPU Cooler that looks pretty slick.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($233.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9900MAX-R CPU Cooler ($49.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill RNX-N250PCe 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($20.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($98.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($7.98 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Cooler Master Megaflow 110.0 CFM 200mm Fan ($14.97 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($97.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1274.78
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-02 14:17 EST-0500)