Pc Build Opinions

[HoytParnell]

Please help!
I am trying to build my first pc, it doesn't really describe my situation to say I am a little overwhelmed when it comes to picking out my parts.
Below is a link to my current parts list and I am looking for any and all suggestions on how to make the build as cost efficient as possible for the $750 budget.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/tyCvzy

Thank you!!!

 

[Dieffe]

completely wrong build

gtx 970 is bottlenecked by the i3.

get an i5-6500 and a R9 380x 4gb

wrong mobo, you need a h170 chipset since the cpu is locked. Get an asrock h150 pro4

skylake require ddr4 ram. Kingston hyperx fury or Corsair vengeance lpx 2133mhz

you don't need cpu cooler

this one is much better:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2X4myc

 

[Captainawzome]

completely wrong build

gtx 970 is bottlenecked by the i3.

get an i5-6500 and a R9 380x 4gb

wrong mobo, you need a h170 chipset since the cpu is locked. Get an asrock h150 pro4

skylake require ddr4 ram. Kingston hyperx fury or Corsair vengeance lpx 2133mhz

you don't need cpu cooler

this one is much better:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2X4myc

No, it is not. A CPU cooler is highly neccesary, especially if you are using a i5 as you had suggested. The 970 will not bottleneck the i3-6100... I've done 980TI builds with that thing, and it worked fine. The i5 6500 is not skylake... What is all of this false information?

 

[Captainawzome]

completely wrong build

gtx 970 is bottlenecked by the i3.

get an i5-6500 and a R9 380x 4gb

wrong mobo, you need a h170 chipset since the cpu is locked. Get an asrock h150 pro4

skylake require ddr4 ram. Kingston hyperx fury or Corsair vengeance lpx 2133mhz

you don't need cpu cooler

this one is much better:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2X4myc

As to bottlenecking: you're misunderstanding the term. FPS is usually bottlenecked by either monitor or by CPU. Your GPU does not play into this, unless you set the visual settings so high that the GPU simply cannot keep up with the CPU or monitor. The only visual setting to have a significant impact on CPU load is draw distance.

There may be some games where an i3-6100 will fall below your FPS target, and an i5 of some flavor would be preferable. If you want a chip which will run all games at > 60 FPS for the forseeable future, I'd get an i5-6500, maybe an i5-6600K if you're absolutely paranoid about what the future may bring. The Haswell equivalents (i5-4460 and i5-4690K) are also quite respectable, with the primary issue being their now-obsolete CPU socket (and thus lesser upgradability).

 

[HoytParnell]

completely wrong build

gtx 970 is bottlenecked by the i3.

get an i5-6500 and a R9 380x 4gb

wrong mobo, you need a h170 chipset since the cpu is locked. Get an asrock h150 pro4

skylake require ddr4 ram. Kingston hyperx fury or Corsair vengeance lpx 2133mhz

you don't need cpu cooler

this one is much better:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2X4myc

As to bottlenecking: you're misunderstanding the term. FPS is usually bottlenecked by either monitor or by CPU. Your GPU does not play into this, unless you set the visual settings so high that the GPU simply cannot keep up with the CPU or monitor. The only visual setting to have a significant impact on CPU load is draw distance.

There may be some games where an i3-6100 will fall below your FPS target, and an i5 of some flavor would be preferable. If you want a chip which will run all games at > 60 FPS for the forseeable future, I'd get an i5-6500, maybe an i5-6600K if you're absolutely paranoid about what the future may bring. The Haswell equivalents (i5-4460 and i5-4690K) are also quite respectable, with the primary issue being their now-obsolete CPU socket (and thus lesser upgradability).

Thanks for the response! So just out of curiosity what route would you take for a build with my budget, I am not looking to play every game at maxed out settings but I really just want a middle of the road build for casual gaming. I have an xbox one that I plan on using for most triple a games since that is where most of my friends game.

 

[Captainawzome]

completely wrong build

gtx 970 is bottlenecked by the i3.

get an i5-6500 and a R9 380x 4gb

wrong mobo, you need a h170 chipset since the cpu is locked. Get an asrock h150 pro4

skylake require ddr4 ram. Kingston hyperx fury or Corsair vengeance lpx 2133mhz

you don't need cpu cooler

this one is much better:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2X4myc

As to bottlenecking: you're misunderstanding the term. FPS is usually bottlenecked by either monitor or by CPU. Your GPU does not play into this, unless you set the visual settings so high that the GPU simply cannot keep up with the CPU or monitor. The only visual setting to have a significant impact on CPU load is draw distance.

There may be some games where an i3-6100 will fall below your FPS target, and an i5 of some flavor would be preferable. If you want a chip which will run all games at > 60 FPS for the forseeable future, I'd get an i5-6500, maybe an i5-6600K if you're absolutely paranoid about what the future may bring. The Haswell equivalents (i5-4460 and i5-4690K) are also quite respectable, with the primary issue being their now-obsolete CPU socket (and thus lesser upgradability).

Thanks for the response! So just out of curiosity what route would you take for a build with my budget, I am not looking to play every game at maxed out settings but I really just want a middle of the road build for casual gaming. I have an xbox one that I plan on using for most triple a games since that is where most of my friends game.

Here is a good part list a made a few weeks ago: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/jLCvzy
It's about $100 higher than your budget, because I added a copy of Windows, along with a network card.

You can stick in a cheap 1TB WD HDD if you would like, and as you can see, the black and red color scheme really makes it stick out.

Should be an easy build, as long as you keep it neat .

 

[HoytParnell]

completely wrong build

gtx 970 is bottlenecked by the i3.

get an i5-6500 and a R9 380x 4gb

wrong mobo, you need a h170 chipset since the cpu is locked. Get an asrock h150 pro4

skylake require ddr4 ram. Kingston hyperx fury or Corsair vengeance lpx 2133mhz

you don't need cpu cooler

this one is much better:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2X4myc

As to bottlenecking: you're misunderstanding the term. FPS is usually bottlenecked by either monitor or by CPU. Your GPU does not play into this, unless you set the visual settings so high that the GPU simply cannot keep up with the CPU or monitor. The only visual setting to have a significant impact on CPU load is draw distance.

There may be some games where an i3-6100 will fall below your FPS target, and an i5 of some flavor would be preferable. If you want a chip which will run all games at > 60 FPS for the forseeable future, I'd get an i5-6500, maybe an i5-6600K if you're absolutely paranoid about what the future may bring. The Haswell equivalents (i5-4460 and i5-4690K) are also quite respectable, with the primary issue being their now-obsolete CPU socket (and thus lesser upgradability).

Thanks for the response! So just out of curiosity what route would you take for a build with my budget, I am not looking to play every game at maxed out settings but I really just want a middle of the road build for casual gaming. I have an xbox one that I plan on using for most triple a games since that is where most of my friends game.

Here is a good part list a made a few weeks ago: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/jLCvzy
It's about $100 higher than your budget, because I added a copy of Windows, along with a network card.

You can stick in a cheap 1TB WD HDD if you would like, and as you can see, the black and red color scheme really makes it stick out.

Should be an easy build, as long as you keep it neat .

Thank man appreciate it!

 

[Dieffe]

I really don't understand how you guys think, suggesting an Haswell when Skylake is out from last August, a dead architecture with zero possibilities to upgrade in the future. I'd prefer to have a solid base cpu/mobo/ram/psu insted than a soon-dead gpu, cause Nvidia is going to release new cards in summer and we all know how they act with last generation nerfing it by drivers. Plus you suggest him to buy a uselles 4gb cards, the 960 (which i own), instead than a sapphire R9 380/r9 380x 4gb, which is more powerful and cost even less. And a Corsair CX, almost junk. Wonderfull build, future proof, no better way to spend the money.

An i5-6500 is a cold cpu, if you are not going to overclock on Zed mobo or you have a K version, an aftermarket cooler is needed only to reduce noise

 

[Captainawzome]

I really don't understand how you guys think, suggesting an Haswell when Skylake is out from last August, a dead architecture with zero possibilities to upgrade in the future. I'd prefer to have a solid base cpu/mobo/ram/psu insted than a soon-dead gpu, cause Nvidia is going to release new cards in summer and we all know how they act with last generation nerfing it by drivers. Plus you suggest him to buy a uselles 4gb cards, the 960 (which i own), instead than a sapphire R9 380/r9 380x 4gb, which is more powerful and cost even less. And a Corsair CX, almost junk. Wonderfull build, future proof, no better way to spend the money.

An i5-6500 is a cold cpu, if you are not going to overclock on Zed mobo or you have a K version, an aftermarket cooler is needed only to reduce noise

We are simply respecting the OP's budget.

He has a clearly stated budget, and having the CPU be 2/5th of it does not leave room for a decent GPU, MOBO, or anything else for that matter. I suggested i5-4690k, not the i5-6500...

Skylake aren't for everyone, and your false statements of the 960 being junk simply are false. The 960 is fine, and has a lot more overclock potential than the 380, and numerous benchmarks have stated that the 960 is fully capable of running next-gen games.

Tom's hardware isn't a place to start petty arguements like these, it's for helping the OP.

 

[Dieffe]

the configuration i did is 780$, yours is more expensive and I'm not respecting the OP's budget?!

ok i missed OS, but (i dunno how it works in Usa) but in EU we just buy the product key from legal site for 20€ and download the ISO from Microsoft' site.

My current graphic card is a gtx960 4gb, it run game decently but if i had to buy now i would not buy it but an AMD R9 380 4gb, which is more powerful and cost even less, you need to overclcok the 960 to get at the same level of the 380.

the gpu i put in the basket is a 380X, you can overclock 960 as much as you want you will not get same performances

skylake aren't for everyone, why is that? but an overclocabke configuration for a novice is....I said junk to that corsair ps, and i add the low budget ssd, not even comparable to Evo 850

those ram are high profile and probably is gonna have problem with the cooler and he will lose 2 slots.

 

[HoytParnell]

Guys, I took a look at both list and kind merged them, take a look at this list and see what you think

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ycffYJ

 

[Dieffe]

Guys, I took a look at both list and kind merged them, take a look at this list and see what you think

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ycffYJ

excellent build for the money

 

[Captainawzome]

Guys, I took a look at both list and kind merged them, take a look at this list and see what you think

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ycffYJ

excellent build for the money

No matter what, don't go with the S340. It's a nightmare. Although it's highly rated, it's very difficult to work with, and the simplicity of it, you realize over time, turns into plain ugliness.

In the US, you have to purchase your OS, and go from there. The i5-6500 is locked, which means ZERO overclocking potential. Not worth it compared to the price. "the gpu i put in the basket is a 380X, you can overclock 960 as much as you want you will not get same performances". What on earth are you talking about? An overclocked 960 can butt heads to even a 970 in some cases.

If the OP wants to go with a 380X, that's fine. But keep in mind that AMD drivers are less stable, thus being very unpredictible in terms of GPU stability.

Just because he's a "novice" now, dosen't mean he will be forever. Get a K processor, trust me, you won't regret it. Skylake is another nightmare altogether. There simply aren't enough nuances at the time, especially revolving voltages and temps. I would rather go safe than sorry; plenty of Skylake CPU's I've ordered in the last 6 months were either plain defective, didn't have the same voltage settings as the board's default ones, and ones that overheated far too much.

Haswell has been known with it's reliability and ease of use; your CPU won't be something you will have to worry about.

 

[Dieffe]

i didn't say Haswell is bad i said it's not worth anymore. There is no reason to get it when for 20$ more you can get the last generation.

what are you talking about?! a 960 overclocked can equal a 970..., show some benchs because this is all new to me.
just an example:
http://techreport.com/review/27806/five-geforce-gtx-960-cards-overclocked/2
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2015/08/04/msi_geforce_gtx_960_gaming_4g_video_card_review/5#.VvGnQPnhCUk
an overclocked 960 gain 5-6fps and barely reach the stock 380 in the best of the cases. in some games nvidia wins, but this games are 2 over 10.

if you want an unlocked cpu get the 6600k, not the haswell one ( never heard of any of the problems read here.)

 

[Captainawzome]

i didn't say Haswell is bad i said it's not worth anymore. There is no reason to get it when for 20$ more you can get the last generation.

what are you talking about?! a 960 overclocked can equal a 970..., show some benchs because this is all new to me.
just an example:
http://techreport.com/review/27806/five-geforce-gtx-960-cards-overclocked/2
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2015/08/04/msi_geforce_gtx_960_gaming_4g_video_card_review/5#.VvGnQPnhCUk
an overclocked 960 gain 5-6fps and barely reach the stock 380 in the best of the cases. in some games nvidia wins, but this games are 2 over 10.

if you want an unlocked cpu get the 6600k, not the haswell one ( never heard of any of the problems read here.)

I have owned 7 6600ks, they are highly reliable, unlike haswell. Haswell is known for it's stability, and a 6600k would be highly out of budget for the OP.

Depends how you overclock it. My 960 overclocked gets 5-10 more FPS, and in some cases benches better than my R9 Nano. AMD drivers are always strange to work with, you'll have problems the first day, and have them working fine the other. Since Nvidia is releasing Pascal soon, and AMD is releasing some other high end GPUs, AMD will likely nerf the 380 and 380X via drivers, as they have done in the past.

Just because something is the "last generation" dosen't mean it's good... The best CPU's like the monster of a 8 core i7 5960X are all in later generations. Skylake only has 4-core CPU's, and a good 6 core CPU from haswell or maxwell could easily destroy the 6700k or the 6600k in any benchmarks, and when I say destroy I'm talking about 5k-10k more on Firestrike.

I'm not trying to start an arguement, I am simply trying to correct a half-advised individual. Just because something is "last gen" dosen't mean it's the best, and CPU compatibility is based on cores/clock speed for games, not when the CPU was released. Next gen games already are starting to require 6-cores or more, and the quad-core skylake processors will simply be throwm to dust.

 

[Dieffe]

i'm done reading this stuff, usually is Nvidia the one nerfing previous gpu with latest driver, but i think both companies do the same to improve sales of their new products.

I5-6600K has no one of the problems you mentioned and it costs like the i5-k haswell (i5-4690kl is 219$ on amazon.com, the 6600k 239$).

If your almighty 960 performs like the R9 nano, it can only means that your Nano has serious problems.

and we are talking of a i5 skylake vs a i5 haswell, no one is taking into consideration your cpu which is another planet compared to both and kinda useless for a home computer for general use. And honestly benchmarks don't mean anything, An i7-6700k in game has same performance of yours.

"Next gen games already are starting to require 6-cores or more, and the quad-core skylake processors will simply be throwm to dust." we have to pray God to have games optimized for 2 cores, and before they will use 4 a lot of water will pass under bridge, guess how long they will take to use 6.....at that time all actual cpus will be just junk

 

[Captainawzome]

i'm done reading this stuff, usually is Nvidia the one nerfing previous gpu with latest driver, but i think both companies do the same to improve sales of their new products.

I5-6600K has no one of the problems you mentioned and it costs like the i5-k haswell (i5-4690kl is 219$ on amazon.com, the 6600k 239$).

If your almighty 960 performs like the R9 nano, it can only means that your Nano has serious problems.

and we are talking of a i5 skylake vs a i5 haswell, no one is taking into consideration your cpu which is another planet compared to both and kinda useless for a home computer for general use. And honestly benchmarks don't mean anything, An i7-6700k in game has same performance of yours.

"Next gen games already are starting to require 6-cores or more, and the quad-core skylake processors will simply be throwm to dust." we have to pray God to have games optimized for 2 cores, and before they will use 4 a lot of water will pass under bridge, guess how long they will take to use 6.....at that time all actual cpus will be just junk

Just typed out 5 paragraphs, only to find out I was on airplane mode...

Not going to repeat what I said, but I made a typo with the 960, was trying to say 970. I was simply saying how Nvidia has more OC potential than AMD, and for 1080p, my 970 overclocked always benches higher than my R9 Fury.

I think there has possibly been quite some misunderstanding on both sides, so apologies from me.

I am not sure making insults such as "I really don't understand how you guys think, suggesting an Haswell when Skylake is out from last August, a dead architecture with zero possibilities to upgrade in the future." is in keeping with forum rules however, just a heads up for next time.

However, these places should be for help and support and we have both possibly strayed from that by arguing with each other. Let's learn and move on.