New gaming PC build - input appreciated!

[Toludin]

I'm building a new PC (as mine is now several years old and destined for my wife), and have been playing around with some options.

The overall goal of this build is to play current gen games @ 1080p at very high/max settings, and be extensible enough for an 'update' in a year or two (probably going to SLI, for instance) to stay at this mark. Another possible option would be to go to SLI to drive multiple monitors.

I think I've hit a pretty good sweet spot of performance and price, but I'd love to get some input from more experienced builders, if anyone has any thoughts (such as alternatives on parts, ways to increase performance or reduce price, general feedback on if I've met my goals, etc.)

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

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($238.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($78.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($152.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($212.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB DirectCU II Video Card ($304.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.99 @ Micro Center)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1467.88

Thanks in advance!

 

[cry0g3n]

If you're not going to overclock then the Xeon E3 1230 v3 is ~$20 away.
I know that PC cases are subject to ones personal tastes but I'd rather spend less on that but if you like that case then go for it.

 

[Jeremiah Fish]

This looks like an excellent build, I personally would've grabbed the 120GB Samsung EVO and gotten the GTX 780 SCX instead, but that's more of a personal preference I suppose since you're not using a HDD (WD Caviar Blue recommended if you ever buy). Another choice for cooling might be the Dark Rock 3 as that's a lot more aesthetically pleasing than the DH-14 and just as quiet, also the difference in cooling performance between them isn't much.

 

[titanHUNTER]

Get the Cooler Master Evo 212 cooler for half the price!

Also, there is NO WAY I would spend more than $90 on a MID TOWER case! There are much better cases (in looks and features) for the same price range. If you want to upgrade in the future, go with a FULL TOWER case NOW! You will save yourself so much time not having to break down and re-build again.

Also, all this money and your "super PC" cannot even play Blu-rays! So many people do not even think of a blu-ray burner (or just drive) for their PC builds. Blu-ray drives are in the $40 to $50 range on Amazon, look some up! Other than that, it looks good to go. You seem to like Nvidia so I will not recommend any AMD GPUs.

You can save on RAM now by getting a 8GB kit now and then get the other 8GB kit later.

Happy Building!

 

[Jeremiah Fish]

CM EVO 212 isn't as good as the DH-14 in terms of cooling performance, it is also quite a bit louder.

 

[titanHUNTER]

CM EVO 212 isn't as good as the DH-14 in terms of cooling performance, it is also quite a bit louder.

Don't know what you are referring? The CM Hyper Evo 212 is one of the BEST coolers on the market, period! Regardless of air or water cooling! lol

 

[titanHUNTER]

And the fans determine how loud a cooler is, NOT the heatsink! LOL SMH

 

[Jeremiah Fish]

Alright, the fan* on the cooler is quite a bit louder as compared to the fan* on the DH-14. Performance comparison

 

[titanHUNTER]

You can add/subtract any 120mm fan on the heatsink. SMH again! lol

I have two Xigmatek 120mm fans on my heatsink because they are purple! Although stone quiet, they do not dissipate as much air as the CM Sickleflow fans. I noticed around a 3 degree spike in temp difference between the two fans.

As stated, the CM Hyper Evo 212 is one of the BEST coolers on the market and half what you were going to pay for the same (possibly worse) cooling.

 

[Toludin]

Thanks guys! I appreciate all the advice so far.

Some responses:

@cry0g3n: I honestly hadn't even thought of non-Core processors. Are the Xeons good for what I'll be doing (gaming - some games being processor-limited, like WoW)? I don't overclock too much, though I did think to opt for the K series to give myself that option at some point in the life cycle.

@Jeremiah: I'm not super price limited, so I think I'll just opt for the 780 and keep a larger SSD. On a side note, do you know much about the next year or so for SSDs? It sounds like there are some new form factors out which could lead to markedly improved SSDs, so while 512 is a bit on the small side for a single drive (I currently only use 285 GB total), I figured I might be upgrading this part in a year or so. Otherwise I was thinking about the 1 TB Samsung EVO.

@titanHUNTER: Thanks for this input! I'm not much of an 'after-market' upgrader, so the idea of replacing a heatsink's fan is a bit daunting to me. It seems like the DH-14 is a better, quieter heatsink out of the box? While it does cost more, I'm not super price-sensitive, so I think that might be the better option for me. Though after reading reviews of the DH-14 and Dark Rock Pro 3, sounds like the DRP 3 is the 'new leader' for performance and noise.

Several of you mentioned my case. I'd certainly be willing to swap that out - I've got nothing pulling me toward that one specifically. Considering the very large heatsinks I'm considering, does anyone have a recommendation for a case with ample room and an easy setup? I don't care about any frills (open window, LEDs, etc) - just something as robust, durable and light as possible while providing the space and cable routing I need.

Also, now that I'm opting for the 780, anyone have any recommendations on a specific card for that series?

Thanks again!

 

[titanHUNTER]

When you install the heatsink you will place the fan on it. You literally just buy some other fans and place them on it. And the noise level is minuscule! Here is a link for a case...it's white and a full tower so all your components will fit.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133213&cm_re=thermaltake_cases-_-11-133-213-_-Product

 

[Jeremiah Fish]

Thanks guys! I appreciate all the advice so far.

@Jeremiah: I'm not super price limited, so I think I'll just opt for the 780 and keep a larger SSD. On a side note, do you know much about the next year or so for SSDs? It sounds like there are some new form factors out which could lead to markedly improved SSDs, so while 512 is a bit on the small side for a single drive (I currently only use 285 GB total), I figured I might be upgrading this part in a year or so. Otherwise I was thinking about the 1 TB Samsung EVO.

Also, now that I'm opting for the 780, anyone have any recommendations on a specific card for that series?

Thanks again!

That really depends, Samsung just came up with the 850 Pro which is really quite advanced since it's built on 3D VNAND, but not blisteringly fast just yet. I think you'll be fine with the SSD you selected for quite a bit. The Superclocked ACX and the MSI Twin Frozr are some of the best GTX 780's out right now, you can opt for either the 3GB or the 6GB model but there's little point in getting the 6GB model if you're at 1080p or even 1440p.

 

[Toludin]

When you install the heatsink you will place the fan on it. You literally just buy some other fans and place them on it. And the noise level is minuscule!

Gotcha - can you link any example fans I could put on? Also, have you tried out the Dark Rock Pro 3 yet? Would you still recommend the Evo 212 over this one? Sounds like it's very good (though it's even more expensive).

 

[Toludin]

That really depends, Samsung just came up with the 850 Pro which is really quite advanced since it's built on 3D VNAND, but not blisteringly fast just yet. I think you'll be fine with the SSD you selected for quite a bit. The Superclocked ACX and the MSI Twin Frozr are some of the best GTX 780's out right now, you can opt for either the 3GB or the 6GB model but there's little point in getting the 6GB model if you're at 1080p or even 1440p.

I was reading about the 850 Pro - definitely sounds great, though I've also heard about emerging M.2 and SATA Express options that might be even better than anything in the SATA 6 GB form factor? Hence why I was thinking of getting an SSD which would be fine for a year or two and then maybe upgrading.

I added the MSI Twin Frozr to my build, thanks for that recommendation! I think 3 GB should be fine for now, and if I need more later I'll probably SLI a second card in.

 

[Toludin]

Updated some items in the build:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FqG3gs
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FqG3gs/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1230 V3 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($249.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 93.3 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler ($100.36 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($139.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($152.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($212.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 780 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($475.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair Vengeance C70 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1664.24

Some remaining questions, if anyone has thoughts:

1) I've been mostly looking at mid tower cases since I'll probably need to move at least once (maybe twice or more) during the life of this machine. But should I be looking at full towers? If I'm not liquid cooling or getting massive amounts of drives, is there a good reason to get a full tower?

2) Titan mentioned just going for 8 GB for now and upgrading to 16 later. Anyone have a sense for at what point 16 is worth it, versus 8? The most I would push my system's resources would be playing a game, running a web browser with a bunch of static tabs open, and maybe streaming the game as well.

Thanks!

 

[Jeremiah Fish]

The CPU is the greater factor in streaming and the 8GB of RAM should be more than sufficient for the needs you've stated. If you're gonna go with the Xeon I suggest getting a H97 motherboard, the Z97 ones are meant for overclocking (unless of course, you plan on overclocking with a different CPU sometime later). By the way if you SLI the cards, you'll still be limited to 3GB of VRAM, so that's something you can consider, although I really doubt VRAM will be a bottleneck for you anytime soon.

There's plenty of mid-towers with great airflow that you could opt for instead of a full tower case, something like the CM Storm Scout 2

 

[titanHUNTER]

When you install the heatsink you will place the fan on it. You literally just buy some other fans and place them on it. And the noise level is minuscule!

Gotcha - can you link any example fans I could put on? Also, have you tried out the Dark Rock Pro 3 yet? Would you still recommend the Evo 212 over this one? Sounds like it's very good (though it's even more expensive).

The fan that will come with the Evo 212 will do just fine. My rig has all different types of colors, so I purchased two purple fans to go on my heatsink. But the fan that will come with the Evo 212 will do just fine. It also will come with an extra pair of brackets so you can add an additional fan.

You are going to have to place the fan on the heatsink regardless of the make and model. Go to Newegg site and enter the model numbers of the various heatsinks and look at the reviews. Both have 5 star ratings, but the Evo 212 has 2,600 reviews against the 1,000 of the Noctua NH-D14. Now, for a product to have 1,000 reviews and still be 5 star is great. But to have 2,600 reviews and STILL 5 stars like the Evo 212 is even better!! Especially since it is half the price.

Nevertheless, if budget is of no concern and you have your heart set on the Noctua NH-D14, then go for it. According to the reviews it is a great product also. I was just trying to save about $40 that could have went elsewhere in your build.

Happy Building!

 

[titanHUNTER]

Please save yourself time and money by just getting a full tower now. Those extra couple of inches make a HUGE difference in not only fitting components, but airflow, configuring the system and cable management. It makes it much easier to upgrade also.

I thought the same way. I actually bought a mid tower case that was marketed as full tower. Trust me, the extra inches make a huge difference! However, I would not spend more than $90 on a mid tower. There are too many GREAT full tower cases for the price you are going to pay for a mid!

Here is a link for a nice looking FULL Tower case that is actually cheaper than the one you picked out.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133213

 

[Toludin]

The CPU is the greater factor in streaming and the 8GB of RAM should be more than sufficient for the needs you've stated. If you're gonna go with the Xeon I suggest getting a H97 motherboard, the Z97 ones are meant for overclocking (unless of course, you plan on overclocking with a different CPU sometime later). By the way if you SLI the cards, you'll still be limited to 3GB of VRAM, so that's something you can consider, although I really doubt VRAM will be a bottleneck for you anytime soon.

There's plenty of mid-towers with great airflow that you could opt for instead of a full tower case, something like the CM Storm Scout 2

Thanks for the response - looking at this article (http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Z97-vs-H97-What-is-the-Difference-562/), it sounds like the H97 chipset doesn't have good support for SLI/CrossFire, in case I want to do that in the future?

 

[Toludin]

Please save yourself time and money by just getting a full tower now. Those extra couple of inches make a HUGE difference in not only fitting components, but airflow, configuring the system and cable management. It makes it much easier to upgrade also.

I thought the same way. I actually bought a mid tower case that was marketed as full tower. Trust me, the extra inches make a huge difference! However, I would not spend more than $90 on a mid tower. There are too many GREAT full tower cases for the price you are going to pay for a mid!

Here is a link for a nice looking FULL Tower case that is actually cheaper than the one you picked out.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133213

Thanks! That looks pretty beastly! I think I'm looking for something a bit more understated and un-lit (my computer faces my bed in my current room, so I'd prefer something with fewer lights in case I leave it on doing something overnight), but I definitely take your advice about the Full vs Mid Tower. I'll check out some Full Tower options and see what might fit my aesthetic a bit better, but still be a good box and have the extra room and cooling I'm looking for. Appreciate it!

 

[Jeremiah Fish]

The CPU is the greater factor in streaming and the 8GB of RAM should be more than sufficient for the needs you've stated. If you're gonna go with the Xeon I suggest getting a H97 motherboard, the Z97 ones are meant for overclocking (unless of course, you plan on overclocking with a different CPU sometime later). By the way if you SLI the cards, you'll still be limited to 3GB of VRAM, so that's something you can consider, although I really doubt VRAM will be a bottleneck for you anytime soon.

There's plenty of mid-towers with great airflow that you could opt for instead of a full tower case, something like the CM Storm Scout 2

Thanks for the response - looking at this article (http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Z97-vs-H97-What-is-the-Difference-562/), it sounds like the H97 chipset doesn't have good support for SLI/CrossFire, in case I want to do that in the future?

I wasn't aware of that, it certainly seems as though Z97 is the ideal choice in your case. Perhaps you'll warm up to the idea of overclocking when the Broadwell chi

 

[Jeremiah Fish]

The CPU is the greater factor in streaming and the 8GB of RAM should be more than sufficient for the needs you've stated. If you're gonna go with the Xeon I suggest getting a H97 motherboard, the Z97 ones are meant for overclocking (unless of course, you plan on overclocking with a different CPU sometime later). By the way if you SLI the cards, you'll still be limited to 3GB of VRAM, so that's something you can consider, although I really doubt VRAM will be a bottleneck for you anytime soon.

There's plenty of mid-towers with great airflow that you could opt for instead of a full tower case, something like the CM Storm Scout 2

Thanks for the response - looking at this article (http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Z97-vs-H97-What-is-the-Difference-562/), it sounds like the H97 chipset doesn't have good support for SLI/CrossFire, in case I want to do that in the future?

I wasn't aware of that, it certainly seems as though Z97 is the ideal choice in your case. Perhaps you'll warm up to the idea of overclocking by the time the Broadwell chips come out. :3

 

[cry0g3n]

Yhe Xeon E3-1230v3 is pretty much like the i7 4770 but is has 100mhz less and no Intel HD graphics.
http://ark.intel.com/products/75054/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E3-1230-v3-8M-Cache-3_30-GHz
http://ark.intel.com/products/75122/Intel-Core-i7-4770-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-3_90-GHz

I'd like to suggest the Phanteks Enthoo Pro case. It has a minimalist look and has really good reviews.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBhmn21ylkc

Non-windowed version http://pcpartpicker.com/mr/newegg/phanteks-case-phes614pcbk @ $89
Windowed version http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K6S1B3Q/?tag=pcpapi-20 @99