Phill's computer Build ($400+)

[phillkillv2]

Well first-off, this is my first computer build and I need some insight on what restriction or bottlenecks I will have. Secondly, I'm torn between which GPU I should get.

Here is what I have so far.

Processor: AMD Quad-Core A8-Series APU A8-6600K
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB Single DDR3
Graphics Card: MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 2GB GDDR5
Fans: Rosewill 120mm Case Fan RFA-120-K Black (x2)
Motherboard: MSI Socket FM2/AMD A75
Case: Rosewill Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case CHALLENGER
PSU: Corsair Builder Series CX 500 Watt ATX/EPS 80 PLUS (CX500)

So. I'll address the GPU questions first. The GTX 650 has 2GB of GDDR5 and since I plan to use this build for the Adobe Suite and some texture heavy games I was wondering if the standard 650 would be better than the GTX 650ti. I've heard the ti has all-round better specs but it doesn't have the extra ram, could someone help clear up the choice?

At first I was going to go with the A6 processor but I decided to up to the A8 because I had a feeling that I would need the extra processing power. Both the A8 and the GPU are in the same price range so I was wondering if that would even have any restrictions or bottlenecks because it seems to me to be the perfect build range.

Other things..

I have a stick of 2GB 1333 RAM and the ram that I have in the build is 1600. I read that the 4GB stick will run at the same speed as the lowest speed stick in the motherboard, so would it be worth just sticking with the 4GB of ram and having 1600 or would it be better to have 1333 and 6GB of ram?

A friend of mine told me that I would need a higher PSU because I wouldn't be able to properly game on 500W. Just wondering for someone else's opinion on that.

The games I plan to play. (If you're familiar with the games I plan to play and can help with the best settings for my build let me know!)

Planetside 2
League of Legends
Battlefield 4
Left 4 Dead
Project Cars
Rust
Skyrim or Fallout with mods


Any help would be awesome. Like I said, this is my first time building a PC so I'd like to understand the most. I have some knowledge on computers but I'm not the most competent.

 

[Rammy]

Firstly, I would ditch the APU. You are paying for a processor who's main selling point is it's decent internal graphics, then not using them. It's a poor economy. You have quite a lot of options here, but a rough outline -
Stick with FM2 - Change the A8 for an Athlon X4 750K or 760K. It's a similar thing, but with the internal graphics disabled and a price cut. $15-25 to be saved
Go to AM3+ - FX6300 and 970 chipset motherboard. It's a bit more expensive, but it's a massive step forward in performance.
Consider the Intel alternatives - A Dual core pentium is pretty decent for gaming, despite the price tag, but games like BF4 will kinda destroy it. If you can stretch to an FX6300 then an i3 build is also doable.
My preference would be with the FX6300 if you can make it work on your budget. The FX4300 is worth consideration at the moment too. Often they are too close in price and it makes the FX6300 a clear winner, but right now the gap is $20, so the FX4300 isn't a bad pick.

Vram isn't as big a performance differentiator as you might think at this level. The GTX650 and 650Ti aren't going to be capable of playing demanding games at high resolutions, so there is only so much memory they can use. A 2Gb card is probably a good idea if you can get one, but the GPU itself is way more important. Below the GTX660/HD7850 level, 1Gb or 2Gb probably won't make much difference in game.

I'd avoid mixing ram. You are correct that it will run at the lowest speed, and it will also mean that while you have dual channel memory, it cannot run in dual channel mode. 4Gb should do you, and it's an easy thing to upgrade in the future if you feel you need the extra.

How much power you need is dictated primarily by your graphics card then your CPU. The cards mentioned, the 650 and 650Ti are both capable of running on a 400W system. 500W gives you loads of room to spare.
In general I'd recommend the XFX Core 550 for most builds, as it's $50 with rebates right now, but as you really need to keep the costs down the $30 (inc rebates) CX500 is definitely tempting as while it's not the greatest PSU, at that price it's pretty good value.

I'd ditch the case fans and try to save some money on the case. Nothing you are going to be using is going to generate huge amounts of heat and even the most basic of cases tends to come with at least one exhaust fan. Cheaping out on the case sucks, but if there is one place to cut corners, it's probably here. Rosewill and Coolermaster both do ~$30 cases which are probably a bit cheap and nasty, but if it frees up some funds for the performance parts then it's a worthy sacrifice.

Based on that, something like this might be more appropriate.

 

[phillkillv2]

I'd ditch the case fans and try to save some money on the case. Nothing you are going to be using is going to generate huge amounts of heat and even the most basic of cases tends to come with at least one exhaust fan. Cheaping out on the case sucks, but if there is one place to cut corners, it's probably here. Rosewill and Coolermaster both do ~$30 cases which are probably a bit cheap and nasty, but if it frees up some funds for the performance parts then it's a worthy sacrifice.

Based on that, something like this might be more appropriate.

Alright I'm going through a build right now, and you say that a case with one fan could be fine? My brother has a beast of a computer and I think he has a fan that I can use, I'm not sure.

 

[Rammy]

Yeah, cooling is a bit overrated. People feel compelled to fill as many fan slots as they can, but it depends how much heat you have to shift. The case I linked has an intake and an exhaust included, which is mainly why I picked it. That's all you really need in a basic build, and even a single exhaust is probably sufficient, as you just need to vent some heat from the CPU area.

 

[phillkillv2]

Yeah, cooling is a bit overrated. People feel compelled to fill as many fan slots as they can, but it depends how much heat you have to shift. The case I linked has an intake and an exhaust included, which is mainly why I picked it. That's all you really need in a basic build, and even a single exhaust is probably sufficient, as you just need to vent some heat from the CPU area.

Okay, that's pretty understood. Now as for shopping on Newegg, I'm not going to have the computer parts ordered until around Feb 4th through Feb 9th. I've never shopped on Newegg and I see that the prices are decently reduced due to the deals and rebates. This has me wondering, do the parts/deals change in price very often or are they stable because the build that you've gotten together for me looks good for $410.

Also, I've never done a rebate on electronics or such, could you give a small explanation? Thanks for everything so far also.

 

[Rammy]

I'm not based in the US, so I'm not really the voice of experience. I know that the prices in the US change on a daily basis, and Newegg is among the biggest culprits, so while the system I suggested might be a good rough outline, I'd check nearer the time to see what is cheap.

We don't really have rebates here in the UK, but as I understand it, you have a form to fill in and you send it off to the manufacturer/retailer and they send you a cheque etc. It's not something that happens over here, and honestly it seems a bit silly to me, but I guess it's to do with aggressive pricing, and on the logic that a decent percentage of purchasers won't send in their rebate forms. I'd imagine there is possibly some sort of effect on your general consumer rights, but I'm no expert in that so I can't really comment.

 

[phillkillv2]

I'm not based in the US, so I'm not really the voice of experience. I know that the prices in the US change on a daily basis, and Newegg is among the biggest culprits, so while the system I suggested might be a good rough outline, I'd check nearer the time to see what is cheap.

We don't really have rebates here in the UK, but as I understand it, you have a form to fill in and you send it off to the manufacturer/retailer and they send you a cheque etc. It's not something that happens over here, and honestly it seems a bit silly to me, but I guess it's to do with aggressive pricing, and on the logic that a decent percentage of purchasers won't send in their rebate forms. I'd imagine there is possibly some sort of effect on your general consumer rights, but I'm no expert in that so I can't really comment.

Ah, okay. Well I'll definitely consider the things that you've mentioned in this build. Thanks for everything.

If anyone else has anything to say then feel free to.