Rite-of-passage First PC Build - Help me come off victorious!

[JuLGzFz]

Hello everyone.

I finally have the founds and built up the courage to create my first pc from scratch.

The time has come to go through the rite of passage, and whether I come off victorious or not depends on you, oh great mentors!

I come forth with a proposal, to prove I've prepared myself as best as possible:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($231.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H110i GT 113.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($130.98 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 7 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($159.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk Extreme Pro 480GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($219.95 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair 860W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($17.69 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1528.05
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-27 06:29 EDT-0400


Alternative PC Build: Lower quality MOBO, PSU, RAM and SSD, higher CPU and GPU. Better? Worth it?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($326.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H110i GT 113.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($130.98 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($113.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Sandisk Ultra II 480GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($181.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic M12II 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($17.69 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1763.09
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-27 10:49 EDT-0400


Just in case more information is needed:

Budget: Around 1.700€, which seems to be like aquivalent to $1.550, the prices are far from great here in the old continent, specially in Spain.

System Usage: 1080p Gaming. Old timer enthusiast, max all the things!

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: pccomponentes.com, alternate.es, xtremmedia.com, wipoid.com. All overpriced, as you will see.

Parts Preferences: Intel / Nvidia fanboy since the start of time.

Overclocking: Yes, slightly and with great fear. (currently OC Genie on Z87 GD65, i5 4670K at 3,9)

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe, I normally try to avoid it, it seems a new single GPU comes out everytime I'm thinking of SLI.

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Additional Comments:
I'll try to avoid components that are very hard to install, absurd overkill... Going for a classic red-black theme with white lighting. Would love my Case, PSU and MOBO to be as future-proof as possible, hopefully for 4+ years. I understand I will need to change GPU/CPU/RAM, at least some of them, in 1.5-2 years, to keep playing +60FPS on Ultra and with MSAA

Useless information?:
I play on a 27" 1080p ASUS monitor or (when my wife is out, and the living room can be re-conquered) on a 50" 1080p LG TV.
RPG's and 4K strategy is my thing (I might have no idea of building a PC, but I've been a gamer for 20 years now).

I would really like to have the feedback of a couple of experts before starting to purchase the components.
Thanks in advance!

Note to moderators: Almost same info as in here: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2624095/build-1700-gaming-advice.html | That thread could be erased.

 

[middlemarkal]

very nice you did your home work , have fun, don't forget to touch metal before the components to get ride of static electricity

 

[Gracodana]

If I read correctly you already have a 4670k, I would personally keep that and not bother getting a new cpu. I would drop down the cooling if you just want to do casual overclocks unless you want the bragging rights of water cooling😛

Overall great parts choice though.

 

[JuLGzFz]

very nice you did your home work , have fun, don't forget to touch metal before the components to get ride of static electricity

Thanks! Did NOT know about static electricity, I will make sure to keep touching the case when opening or installing components!

Regarding the build, ¿am I choosing the correct GPU and CPU?
i7 4790k and GTX 980 are not worth the money then, right?

Thanks again for your feedback

 

[JuLGzFz]

If I read correctly you already have a 4670k, I would personally keep that and not bother getting a new cpu. I would drop down the cooling if you just want to do casual overclocks unless you want the bragging rights of water cooling😛

Overall great parts choice though.

Yes, you read correctly - but someone is buying my PC from me, and it is finally my chance to do a complete build from scratch. If that wasn't the case, I would've kept my MSI Z87 GD65 and i5 4670k, of course, although my GTX660, case and PSU really need an upgrade.

 

[JuLGzFz]

A little bit worried I will need a GTX 980 or an i7 4790K to really get 60fps on new games (1080p)

¿Should I increase my investment, or am I going into madness-overkill zone here?

I am ok with changing my GPU or going SLI in 1.5-2 years, but during that time, I would really like to play everthing on ultra, I'm playing on 1080p, one screen, after all!

Feedback will be VERY MUCH appreciated!

 

[Gracodana]

A little bit worried I will need a GTX 980 or an i7 4790K to really get 60fps on new games (1080p)

¿Should I increase my investment, or am I going into madness-overkill zone here?

I am ok with changing my GPU or going SLI in 1.5-2 years, but during that time, I would really like to play everthing on ultra, I'm playing on 1080p, one screen, after all!

Feedback will be VERY MUCH appreciated!

I'd say that you would be okay for very near ultra on every game that comes out for the next 2 years easy.

 

[JuLGzFz]

Updated OP to include a second option:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($326.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H110i GT 113.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($130.98 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($113.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Sandisk Ultra II 480GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($181.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case ($138.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic M12II 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($17.69 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1763.09
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-27 10:49 EDT-0400

Better? Worth it?

My original idea was to future proof PSU, SSD, RAM and MOBO, and eventually change CPU and GPU when new games required it. Could it be better to go this alternative way? Is this better?

Feedback very much appreciated, if you are reading this, please comment!

 

[Gracodana]

That build is much better and if your willing to spend the extra cash on it then yeah it's a really nice upgrade.

 

[JuLGzFz]

That build is much better and if your willing to spend the extra cash on it then yeah it's a really nice upgrade.

Thanks again Gracodana!

So, if it was you creating this build for a very good and dear friend, would you recommend then downgrading the PSU, MOBO, RAM and SSD (as I've done), and spending +$250 on a better CPU and GPU?

I'm torn between trying to future-proof certain components, or min-maxing my budget to get the max performance today.

Thanks again for your feedback, really helping me here.

 

[Gracodana]

Me personally I would say buy an i7 and a 970 as an i7 will last you ages but a 980 not so much and so rather then spending 550 now you can spend 325 now and buy the 1070 or whatever it's called if you need an updrade. Dont downgrade the psu it's the life of the build and you should always get the best you can .

 

[0x1eef]

Just wear cotton clothes, don't bother too much with static. Modern components are pretty hard to kill with it. You'll probably need to ground yourself once at the beginning - and then, enjoy your building process.
Both systems are very good. Good luck with your build.

 

[Gracodana]

Just wear cotton clothes, don't bother too much with static. Modern components are pretty hard to kill with it. You'll probably need to ground yourself once at the beginning - and then, enjoy your building process.
Both systems are very good. Good luck with your build.

Would I be wrong in saying that profile pic is shen?

 

[0x1eef]

Just wear cotton clothes, don't bother too much with static. Modern components are pretty hard to kill with it. You'll probably need to ground yourself once at the beginning - and then, enjoy your building process.
Both systems are very good. Good luck with your build.

Would I be wrong in saying that profile pic is shen?

All I know is that it's probably from "Black Powder Red Earth". Alas, I haven't got a chance to read it 🙁

 

[Gracodana]

Just wear cotton clothes, don't bother too much with static. Modern components are pretty hard to kill with it. You'll probably need to ground yourself once at the beginning - and then, enjoy your building process.
Both systems are very good. Good luck with your build.

Would I be wrong in saying that profile pic is shen?

All I know is that it's probably from "Black Powder Red Earth". Alas, I haven't got a chance to read it 🙁

Ahh right I was mistaken there then, shen's a league of legends character so I doubt he would be in the book😛

 

[JuLGzFz]

Thanks everyone i7 4760K and GTX 970 plus top-notch MOBO, PSU and SSD it is

Wish me luck, I shall build my machine with my bare hands!

 

[sora]

Just wear cotton clothes, don't bother too much with static. Modern components are pretty hard to kill with it. You'll probably need to ground yourself once at the beginning - and then, enjoy your building process.
Both systems are very good. Good luck with your build.

Would I be wrong in saying that profile pic is shen?

All I know is that it's probably from "Black Powder Red Earth". Alas, I haven't got a chance to read it 🙁

Ahh right I was mistaken there then, shen's a league of legends character so I doubt he would be in the book😛

They could have made the character in the book after Shen though haha.

OP, good luck on your build!

 

[Gracodana]

Just wear cotton clothes, don't bother too much with static. Modern components are pretty hard to kill with it. You'll probably need to ground yourself once at the beginning - and then, enjoy your building process.
Both systems are very good. Good luck with your build.

Would I be wrong in saying that profile pic is shen?

All I know is that it's probably from "Black Powder Red Earth". Alas, I haven't got a chance to read it 🙁

Ahh right I was mistaken there then, shen's a league of legends character so I doubt he would be in the book😛

They could have made the character in the book after Shen though haha.

OP, good luck on your build!

True.

have fun with the build.