Thoughts on this build

[Graham Seyffert]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/12HFC

This system is about $1,500. I will be gaming on this rig on a 1900 x 1200 Samsung 245BW. If I can fix my second one, then I'll be gaming on two of them! I'm open to thoughts on saving money, and brand opinions. However, these components are set in stone: Intel is my processor of choice, and I want 16 gigs of RAM, though it is probably overkill. Also, I'd like to know if anyone has experience gaming at 3800 x 1200 with a SINGLE GTX 680, since the 770 I have picked out is basically a souped up 680. Experiences on that are very warmly welcomed. Thanks!

EDIT: I am also dual booting Windows and Ubuntu on the primary SSD.

 

[diellur]

Are you sure you want to game on 2 monitors? That'll put the bezels slap bang in the middle of your view, probably obscuring your cross-hair. Three panels would be better, or one large one (2560x1440 or 2560x1600).

The build itself looks good, although if this is a gaming system then there's little need for an i7. The i5-4670K would do just as well and will be cheaper. 16GB is overkill - 8GB is plenty - and the savings there may allow you to bump up to a GTX780. That being said, if you're doing any form of video- or photo-editing on a regular basis then it would make sense to get an i7 and 16GB.

I take it the two Corsair SP fans are for the H60? I'm not sure, but the H60 may come with SP fans...one to check. If these fans are for the case, then get the Corsair AFs instead. That motherboard support SLI, so if that's an option in the future then I'd consider bumping up the PSU to be capable of handling two GPUs in the future.

 

[Graham Seyffert]

Well if I use the two monitors for work and such, I'll likely switch over to one for gaming. That's a good point about the bezel being in the middle (and explains why I can't find any reviews online).

As for the processor, I have been going between the i5 and the i7, and I haven't quite made up my mind... I'm kind of waiting for the box without the stock HSF to see if it's any cheaper there.

The fans were for the case, thanks for the suggestion there! And after my initial build, since I'm a full-time student, I probably won't have much money to spend for an SLI setup, so I figured I'd save a few bucks on the PSU.

 

[Jack Revenant]

As diellur said, by trimming a few things, you can fit a 780 in there:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($249.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($22.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($167.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($124.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card ($659.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.50 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Corsair Air Series SP120 High Performance Edition (2-Pack) 62.7 CFM 120mm Fans ($26.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 750W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($18.49 @ Amazon)
Total: $1515.76
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-04 03:47 EDT-0400)

I'll also second his comment about two monitors. It's quite annoying to have the bezels bat the center of your field of view.

 

[Graham Seyffert]

I might consider that very strongly... The only thing is, I might have to keep the 250 GB SSD, since I obviously need Windows for gaming, but Ubuntu is my daily driver, and I really can't give that up.

 

[Jack Revenant]

I might consider that very strongly... The only thing is, I might have to keep the 250 GB SSD, since I obviously need Windows for gaming, but Ubuntu is my daily driver, and I really can't give that up.

Pardon my lack of knowledge of other OSs, but is Ubuntu really that large? Win7 should fit on a 128 GB with about 80 useable GB of space to spare.

 

[diellur]

Yeah, dual monitor gaming doesn't really exist unless you can get a setup where the main action happens on one screen and the second has something like a map or inventory open. Not really heard of it myself (and I have two monitors, so if anyone knows how I can do this, please tell me!)

There isn't really a huge difference between the retail and OEM versions where price is concerned...maybe $10. Generally, for gaming, an i5 is fine. I understand the temptation to just spend a little more...but it's not really necessary. The vast majority of people who game have an i5. That's plenty for occasional editing too. Same with the RAM. It's worth it for the savings, especially if it means you can up the system's capability where it matters and get a more powerful GPU.

Fair point with SLI. Just bear in mind that it's a cheap upgrade...my system started with a 560Ti, cost me £220. I got another recently for £100 and it's given me a lot more headroom for gaming at 1080p (broadly equivalent to having a 580) . Some people have issues with SLI (I haven't personally) but say you did do it in the future, you'd probably need a new PSU. The difference in price between a 650W and 750W PSU is pretty minimal and the 750W is all you'd need to keep that option open.

 

[diellur]

If you drop the SP fans and just use what comes with the case and switch the case to a cheaper Corsair one, you may be able to get enough to get a 250GB SSD.

 

[Graham Seyffert]

Pardon my lack of knowledge of other OSs, but is Ubuntu really that large? Win7 should fit on a 128 GB with about 80 useable GB of space to spare.

Honestly I could probably get away with a 128 GB dual boot, because Ubuntu is very lightweight. Just doesn't give me much space to work with, but I can always just be diligent about where I store my files!

And in response to diellur and the CPU, that's honestly where I'm at... Intel has done a great branding job, and there's just something about having that 7... Even though I know I don't really need it.

One of the reasons I am getting extra case fans is because by all accounts Haswell chips are running very hot, and I would like to overclock my processor, if not now then in the future. Thus I would like to give myself as much thermal headroom as possible, and a few extra case fans are a cheap way to do that.

 

[Jack Revenant]

Pardon my lack of knowledge of other OSs, but is Ubuntu really that large? Win7 should fit on a 128 GB with about 80 useable GB of space to spare.

Honestly I could probably get away with a 128 GB dual boot, because Ubuntu is very lightweight. Just doesn't give me much space to work with, but I can always just be diligent about where I store my files!

And in response to diellur and the CPU, that's honestly where I'm at... Intel has done a great branding job, and there's just something about having that 7... Even though I know I don't really need it.

You wouldn't have to be that diligent. I'm a complete slob when it comes to managing my SSD and HDD and I've still only put 200GB on my SSD. That said, you could put in the 250GB (though there may be superior options to the 840), I just wouldn't recommend dropping your GPU to do it.

Having an i7 is overrated, and I say that as the owner of an i7. You'd think that you'd get a feeling of being elite or a cut above, but in the end you're basically just that guy who wore a suit jacket to school in middle school: trying too hard and not getting much as a result.

 

[Graham Seyffert]

You wouldn't have to be that diligent. I'm a complete slob when it comes to managing my SSD and HDD and I've still only put 200GB on my SSD. That said, you could put in the 250GB (though there may be superior options to the 840), I just wouldn't recommend dropping your GPU to do it.

Having an i7 is overrated, and I say that as the owner of an i7. You'd think that you'd get a feeling of being elite or a cut above, but in the end you're basically just that guy who wore a suit jacket to school in middle school: trying too hard and not getting much as a result.

LOL. I think you have convinced me, sir. Honestly, my computer right now is an HP dm4 released in 2010 with a dual core i5 HT, and the iGPU (since this laptop doesn't have discreet) is the biggest pain in my ass.

 

[Jack Revenant]

You wouldn't have to be that diligent. I'm a complete slob when it comes to managing my SSD and HDD and I've still only put 200GB on my SSD. That said, you could put in the 250GB (though there may be superior options to the 840), I just wouldn't recommend dropping your GPU to do it.

Having an i7 is overrated, and I say that as the owner of an i7. You'd think that you'd get a feeling of being elite or a cut above, but in the end you're basically just that guy who wore a suit jacket to school in middle school: trying too hard and not getting much as a result.

LOL. I think you have convinced me, sir. Honestly, my computer right now is an HP dm4 released in 2010 with a dual core i5 HT, and the iGPU (since this laptop doesn't have discreet) is the biggest pain in my ass.

Are you me from the past? Because I was stuck on an HP laptop from 2010 for far too long. Caused me to overkill quite a bit on my current build. Though I use most of what I got (editing videos, recording games, etc.), and so none of it is technically "dead weight", I do wish that somebody had smacked me upside the head about some of it. I think that there's just an urge to overcompensate, once you've freed yourself of the laptop.