Mini ITX Gaming Build (FEEDBACK PLZ)

[legoboye]

So when I get the money, I'm going to build this system: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/MGW7ZL

What do you guys think of it? I would like feedback on how to improve it (performance)
Just keep it small (Mini ITX)

For those who doesn't like pressing links:

Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
Arctic Cooling Alpine 11 Plus Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler
Asus H97I-PLUS Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard
Corsair XMS 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Vapor-X Video Card
BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case
NZXT HALE82 V2 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply

In total: $852.56

 

[Rapajez]

If you're getting a H97 motherboard, you can't overclock the i5, so you might as well get a i5-4440 or some other cheaper non-k edition i5-4XXX CPU. You might also want a mobo with built in WiFi for a mini-tower. (If not, disregard.)

Swap your RAM to dual-channel kit, and at least 1866MHz (G.skill kit below is the same price and with dual channel, must faster, and more reliable).

That PSU would cut it close, for the same price, grab the Antec below. With the money saved (you could probably try dropping the aftermarket cooler as well), you could bump the card up to a cooler, more efficient, and much more powerful GTX 970, but that's optional. Otherwise, the build is fine.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($168.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Arctic Cooling Alpine 11 Plus Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler ($9.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($80.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.65 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card ($334.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $892.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-04 16:52 EST-0500

 

[Rammy]

There's a few odd things.

• 
  ■ A Bitfenix Prodigy isn't exactly small. It's wider than most towers and generally pretty chunky.
  ■ You have a K-series CPU with a H97 board which does not support overclocking. One of these things should change.
  ■ The CPU cooler is probably a bit pointless. Not good enough for overclocking, at stock it's a waste of money.
  ■ Unless you plan on upgrading to 16Gb of memory in the short term, go for 2*4Gb sticks.
  ■ If you get a Prodigy you might as well exploit it's advantages. It has clearance for proper tower coolers, so a downblower is totally counter-productive.
  ■ The Vapor X is a nice card but it's probably too expensive for what it is. Additionally, it's a "2.5" slot cooler which technically shouldn't fit a Prodigy (though you have a decent chance of it fitting, there's some wiggle room).
  When you consider 280Xs can be had for as low as $200. At that kind of money you are into R9 290 range and potentially GTX970 too.
  ■ NZXT Hale 82 = Pretty good. NZXT Hale 82 V2 = Pretty bad. It's too expensive to be a value buy.
  At your wattage level most of the best units are Seasonic - S12/M12/G-series or under the Antec HCG/M and XFX Core/XTR banners.
  ■ The H97I-PLUS is a nice enough motherboard but if you do go down the non-overclocking route I'd suggest one with Wifi. It's the nature of small builds that you put them into places/take them to places you might not with a conventional tower. It's something that nearly all mid-high end ITX boards have, so it's not something that needs to cost you any money.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($188.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($82.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($351.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake Core V1 Mini ITX Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($52.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $826.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-04 18:26 EST-0500

 

[legoboye]

Is this better? http://pcpartpicker.com/p/P7XGHx


Intel Core i5-4570 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
Asus H97I-PLUS Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard
Kingston Fury Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card
BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case
Cooler Master RS 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply

 

[DonkeyOatie]

i5 4440 - 3.1Ghz $168
i5 4460 - 3.2Ghz $183
i5 4570 - 3.2Ghz $199 why buy this one?

I use the ASRock H97M Wifi for $83.

2 x 4GB of G.Skill Ares 1600 is $55 and Ripjaws X 2133 is $60.

The PSU is not rated, that I can find, and you do not need more than a good 450W supply, which will run up to a GTX 980, so

Rosewill Capstone 450 Gold $55
Antec NEO ECO 520C for $53

would be my choices.

 

[legoboye]

Okay thanks donkey, I will apply the changes, but I dont need the wifi thingy.

 

[legoboye]

What is the best I5 4th generation with the best Price/Performance ratio?
The I5 4590 maybe?

 

[logainofhades]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($168.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI H81I Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($66.15 @ Mwave)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($62.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card ($339.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($73.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $850.08
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-05 11:29 EST-0500

 

[legoboye]

I think this is the best so far: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/VCcvmG

Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor
Gigabyte GA-H97N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard
G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card
BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case
Corsair Builder 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply

 

[logainofhades]

The 4590 isn't worth the added cost over the 4440. That corsair PSU, is of poor quality. My build included an SSD and a far better power supply.

 

[legoboye]

This is build I'm going to upgrade over time, SSD now or SSD later doesn't matter.
And this PSU is even more efficient while being cheaper then yours Enermax REVOLUTION X't 430W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply 87-93% efficiency @ 20-100% load according to pcpartpicker

 

[logainofhades]

A 430w doesn't give much upgrade room. Seasonic also makes the best quality PSU's. 200mhz isn't worth $20.

 

[legoboye]

90 Watts isnt worth 30$. Proof for SeaSonic makes the best PSUs?

 

[legoboye]

This is the loadout at the moment: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2FQ9FT

Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor
MSI H81I Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard
G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Cooler Master GXII 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card
BitFenix Prodigy (White) Mini ITX Tower Case

 

[Rapajez]

90 Watts isnt worth 30$. Proof for SeaSonic makes the best PSUs?

May be too late for comments, but 90 Watts is worth $30 if you don't want your new build to explode, or to have to replace the entire PSU the next time you upgrade something. 99% of games will be waiting on the video card or other components, before the extra MHz from the CPU will make a difference.

The proof SeaSonic makes the best PSUs, ]is 35 years of making PSU's with the lowest failure ratings, the highest quality components, and the cleanest output. There's a lot of factors involved in choosing a PSU, besides just the efficiency and power ratings. See here for more details: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1804779/power-supply-unit-tier-list.html

While you could get an SSD now or later, why not get one now, if it fits the budget, so you don't have to re-install Windows, etc? Either way, avoid that Hitachi Drive. It's got the lowest performance, highest failure ratings and for the money, there's a lot of drives that are preferable. Go with the Seagate ST1000DM003 for the best bang for your buck. If you want a little bit of SSD performance, without the cost of a full SSD, check out a Hybrid drive. The same setup, but they have a mini-SSD built in, to speed up the applications you use the most often. The Seagate ST1000DX001 is only $20 more than the regular HDD.