Question about first time computer.

[WrathfulPride]

Just curious if this build is decent, wanting to build my first gaming computer. http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hFjdzy
Maybe looking to make it a bit cheaper, but i want something that will last awhile.

 

[ThatVietGuy]

It's a very good build that will last for at least 3-4 years. You may have to upgrade the GPU every so often, but the other components are solid.

Not much can be done to bring down the price, though.

 

[PizzaTheHutt]

I agree - it's a solid build. If you want a slightly more powerful GPU though, how about this?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.47 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($68.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill AEGIS 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($269.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Silverstone PS07B MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($71.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $950.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-20 05:24 EST-0500

 

[McDuncun]

Dude that is the perfect gaming rig on a lose budget... The only thing not making it hardcore is the GPU! And I`m sorry if your going to cut something or cheapen anything is that build then your going to mess it up... Just get it exactly as it is there and you will have alot of fun with it!!

 

[rockie_]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($217.99 @ Best Buy)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($74.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($329.00 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cougar Solution (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($48.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($87.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $897.68
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-20 06:26 EST-0500

 

[WrathfulPride]

I agree - it's a solid build. If you want a slightly more powerful GPU though, how about this?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.47 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($68.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill AEGIS 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($269.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Silverstone PS07B MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($71.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $950.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-20 05:24 EST-0500

Thanks for the suggestion. GPU I think that's where i had the hardest time researching when I was coming up with this build. Let me make sure, GPU is one of the more important aspects for gaming?

 

[PizzaTheHutt]

I agree - it's a solid build. If you want a slightly more powerful GPU though, how about this?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.47 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($68.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill AEGIS 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($269.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Silverstone PS07B MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($71.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $950.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-20 05:24 EST-0500

Thanks for the suggestion. GPU I think that's where i had the hardest time researching when I was coming up with this build. Let me make sure, GPU is one of the more important aspects for gaming?

The GPU is the most important component:

1. GPU
2. CPU
3. RAM
4. HDD
5. Anything else

 

[WrathfulPride]

I agree - it's a solid build. If you want a slightly more powerful GPU though, how about this?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.47 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($68.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill AEGIS 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($269.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Silverstone PS07B MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($71.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $950.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-20 05:24 EST-0500

Thanks for the suggestion. GPU I think that's where i had the hardest time researching when I was coming up with this build. Let me make sure, GPU is one of the more important aspects for gaming?

The GPU is the most important component:

1. GPU
2. CPU
3. RAM
4. HDD
5. Anything else

Haha thanks for replying and all the help. I guess I still feel iffy. Like the feeling where you don't want to leap until you know there's water below. Kinda how I feel thinking about this computer.

 

[PizzaTheHutt]

Haha thanks for replying and all the help. I guess I still feel iffy. Like the feeling where you don't want to leap until you know there's water below. Kinda how I feel thinking about this computer.

No problem . If you are still worried, maybe look at some build guides? If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me .

 

[rockie_]

I wouldn't buy a case with top mounted PSU

 

[WrathfulPride]

I wouldn't buy a case with top mounted PSU

Thanks for the suggestion. I haven't decided on an actual build yet. Might I ask why wouldn't I want a case with top mounted? I'm a complete noob haha

 

[rockie_]

The PSU might thake the air out of the CPU fan . Some guys turn the PSU upside down when there is a top hole .

Moreover i5 4460 is not so good:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/intel-haswell-refresh_4.html
Asrock H97M Pro4 has better heatsinks
GTX 970 is faster and more power efficient
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GTX_970_STRIX_OC/25.html
XFX 550W TS is a better PSU

 

[PizzaTheHutt]

The PSU might thake the air out of the CPU fan . Some guys turn the PSU upside down when there is a top hole .

Moreover i5 4460 is not so good:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/intel-haswell-refresh_4.html
Asrock H97M Pro4 has better heatsinks
GTX 970 is faster and more power efficient
XFX is a better PSU

The 970 has a faster clock speed but IMO these factors redeem the 290 for me:

- A faster floating performance - 4800 GFLOPS vs 3494 GFLOPS
- A wider memory bus - 512 bit vs 256 bit
- More texture mapping units - 160 vs 104

 

[rockie_]

The PSU might thake the air out of the CPU fan . Some guys turn the PSU upside down when there is a top hole .

Moreover i5 4460 is not so good:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/intel-haswell-refresh_4.html
Asrock H97M Pro4 has better heatsinks
GTX 970 is faster and more power efficient
XFX is a better PSU

The 970 has a faster clock speed but IMO these factors redeem the 290 for me:

- A faster floating performance - 4800 GFLOPS vs 3494 GFLOPS
- A wider memory bus - 512 bit vs 256 bit
- More texture mapping units - 160 vs 104

That approach is wrong . One NVidia CUDA core might be far faster than one AMD shader !

 

[PizzaTheHutt]

The PSU might thake the air out of the CPU fan . Some guys turn the PSU upside down when there is a top hole .

Moreover i5 4460 is not so good:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/intel-haswell-refresh_4.html
Asrock H97M Pro4 has better heatsinks
GTX 970 is faster and more power efficient
XFX is a better PSU

The 970 has a faster clock speed but IMO these factors redeem the 290 for me:

- A faster floating performance - 4800 GFLOPS vs 3494 GFLOPS
- A wider memory bus - 512 bit vs 256 bit
- More texture mapping units - 160 vs 104

That approach is wrong . One NVidia CUDA core might be far faster than one AMD shader !

I guess it depends on what you'll be using the card for - e.g. video encoding would benefit from CUDA but a cheaper OpenCL card may do the same for a little less.