Looking to Build Best Gaming/Streaming/Video Rendering for $800-900

[karbolynmlg]

Hello everyone,

I am not the smartest person it comes to computer builds by all means and this would actually be my first computer build ever and pretty stoked. I won't need things like a keyboard, mouse, or monitor. I might need the OS but I am not sure at this point because I should be able to get it from my college for free so if you guys would just figure without that as well. ANY HELP would be appreciated, just want a solid but around $800 but if going up to $900 makes the world of a difference then thats possible as well.

 

[jmsellars1]

I can give you a rough idea of what should do a good job but for the best recommendations I'd fill this in:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/353572-31-build-upgrade-advice

Reason being that a PC is very personal and customised. I for example rarely overclock but I like to have the option, I like aluminium cases and quiet components and use my PC for gaming and some light work (E-mails/spreadsheets). All of those little preferences would change the component list quite a lot.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z170M Pro4S Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($102.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($53.90 @ Adorama)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($83.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.78 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 380 4GB PCS+ Video Card ($203.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($40.00 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ B&H)
Total: $857.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-28 08:50 EDT-0400


For example that would give you great performance but would be based on a lot of assumptions. That would be assuming that you mean US dollars, you're going to overclock, that the gaming is more important than the streaming/rendering, that you don't mind a cheap looking case, that you care about how quickly Windows and your programs open and that you don't have any brand preferences.

 

[WildCard999]

Since your doing some rendering I went with a Xeon 1231 and R9 290 4gb. Plenty of power for that and gaming.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($242.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($71.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.98 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 290 4GB TurboDuo Video Card ($232.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($55.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $896.71 BEFORE $40 MIR

You could also change the GPU to a 280(x) version for decent performance and then put the savings for 16gb RAM if needed.

 

[JaxAxRho]

I would also recommend the Xeon for rendering, however you don't need an aftermarket cooler on the Xeon, so you can actually save some money there. However if you are going to be doing a lot of rendering, you might look into getting 16GB RAM instead of just 8GB. So you save money from no aftermarket cooler, but you spend it on larger RAM. No price change.

 

[WildCard999]

I've read all the reviews on the Egg and alot of ppl state that the Xeon can get quite warm during heavy loads so I figured the aftermarket cooling would help quite a bit since the case doesn't have the best airflow.

 

[nikoli707]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($242.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($71.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.98 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($314.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $908.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-28 09:15 EDT-0400

 

[JaxAxRho]

I've read all the reviews on the Egg and alot of ppl state that the Xeon can get quite warm during heavy loads so I figured the aftermarket cooling would help quite a bit since the case doesn't have the best airflow.

It seems to me that a case with better airflow would be a better fix than just adding an aftermarket cooler, then. That takes out the price of the cooler and could potentially be a cheaper case as well. At some point I will most likely add an aftermarket cooler to my build as well, but it would mostly be for aesthetics (see: windowed case) and possible use with a future unlocked CPU for overclocking.

But in the essence of cost savings, I think a better airflow case and nix the cooler would be a better idea.

 

[WildCard999]

Just barely scratching over budget but a much better case, 16gb RAM, and the R9 290. If the build needs to be lowered then switching the R9 290 to a R9 280(x).

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($242.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($71.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($89.75 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.98 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 290 4GB TurboDuo Video Card ($232.98 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($55.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $902.57 BEFORE $20 MIR

 

[jmsellars1]

The Xeon/16GB is a good idea if you need to get the rendering done as quickly as possible and/or you do a lot of it but if it isn't a pressing concern an i5 will crunch through it just fine. That's what I meant about my assumption of gaming being more important, it is for most people but whether it is for you I don't know.