Need help with a gaming rig setup please!

moomoogomoo

Honorable
Jul 12, 2013
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10,510
Hey guys i am building my first pc and have very little experience in doing so.

I was wondering if you guys could take a look at my build and tell me what you think, I am looking to get a pc that will last me a few years and allow me to play pretty much anything on ultra graphics.

Is there anything that I am missing? like do i need a sound card or is that already in my motherboard?
Also, lets say i have to play wirelessly, do i need a wireless networking card? Also if i simply wanted to use ethernet, do i need to buy a wired networking adapter or is this all already on my motherboard?

If you have any suggestions or you see anything that i am missing, it would be greatly appreciated if you'd point it out and let me know! Thanks!

The build is here:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1fMs1
 
Are you overclocking??

1. Sound card and LAN port is in the motherboard. Generally, they are good enough and you won't need an aftermarket one.
2. If you have to, then you will need a wireless networking card. However, I would try my best to avoid that because wifi is slower than directly connecting it.

 
i think i probably will overclock, but do i need to? With those specs would I be able to play games on ultra no problem or would i need to overclock with that processor?
 
You should be fine without overclocking, but people like to overclock because it can get that extra performance boost.
It's up to you. If you choose not to overclock, you can save money.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($178.09 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H87-D3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($63.95 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($403.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($105.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.73 @ Outlet PC)
Keyboard: Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Rapid Wired Gaming Keyboard ($73.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Speakers: Cyber Acoustics CA-3602 30W 2.1ch Speakers ($42.85 @ Amazon)
Total: $1308.49
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-12 02:57 EDT-0400)
-Unoverclockable. Also using the newer Haswell processor.
-You only need 8gb of RAM for gaming.
-Cheaper HDD, changed SSD to Plextor. They're extremely reliable.
-Changed gpu to GTX 770. The GTX 770 is the same thing as the GTX 680 except it has better memory bandwidth and its cheaper. So cheaper and performs better.
-Black version of the Define R4. If you want white, you can always switch it back.
-Much better quality psu, cheaper price.
-Better keyboard. Mechanical keyboards are much better because they are well-built and lasts very long. This one features the Cherry MX Blue switch that makes the most noise. You can do some research on Cherry MX switches because it depends on your preference. The most popular are the Cherry MX Blue, Red, Brown and Black.

Or the overclockable version:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme6 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($109.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($63.95 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($403.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($105.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.73 @ Outlet PC)
Keyboard: Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Rapid Wired Gaming Keyboard ($73.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Speakers: Cyber Acoustics CA-3602 30W 2.1ch Speakers ($42.85 @ Amazon)
Total: $1405.37
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-12 03:03 EDT-0400)

-A good $100 more expensive. It should be more, but Newegg has a cpu/motherboard combo so you get $80 off. An extremely good deal.
-Hyper 212 EVO is meant for mild OC. If you want to push your chip to the limit, you should spend an extra $50 for the Noctua NH-D14.
 
thanks for all the help, but i have a few more questions.

is it better to run a ssd for gaming and then have everything else on the hdd? vs just having everything on the hdd

also how many fans or what type of cooling do you think i would need based on my case if i decided to overclock the system? just wondering because i know overclocking can damage your cpu if it isnt kept cool enough due to excess voltage
 
1. You want to put your SSD and your MOST-PLAYED games on it. Don't put a game that you only one one a month on the SSD. 128gb fills up fast, so use it wisely.
2. You shouldn't extra fans. The Hyper 212 EVO does a pretty good job at cooling the cpu at it's cheap $30 price. As long as you don't have a rat's nest of cables in your case that'll block the airflow, you should be fine. As I said, you can spend an extra $50 on the Noctua NH-D14 to obtain superior cooling.
 
sweet. so if i were to get the noctua superior cooling getup, do you think that would fit in my mid tower case that i have selected? or do you think i would need to go full tower?

Also if i were to overclock that setup that you provided, surely that could run like battlefield 3 on ultra for example? or anything else for that matter?
 
i am kind of confused about what semi modular / modular / and non modular means in regards to power supply. like i know it has to do with which cords plug into what, but i just wanna make sure i get the gettup that is the cleanest and most efficient one for my pc. which would you suggest? You listed a semi modular power supply
 
A non-modular power supply has all the cables you need and more attached to the psu. It's stuck onto the psu so you have to hide all the cables you don't use, which is tricky.
A semi-modular power supply only has the 24pin and 8pin connector stuck onto the psu. The others are not attached to the psu, so you get to choose which cables you need and which cables you don't need.
A modular power supply has everything completely unattached.

It makes your cable management much cleaner because you will have less cables to put behind the motherboard tray. A semi-modular is fine.
 
I decided to go with this motherboard: MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150

It was a 30 dollar discount for the combo with the processor. I had heard that this motherboard is a higher quality than the ASrock Z87. What do you think?