Which card(s), how many or what type of monitor?

[not0fthiswor1d]

I'm in the works of building a new rig. It's time to bury the gtx770ti and join the future of pc gaming.

I currently have a computer on the drawing board which has lots of great hardware and a liquid cooling system as well as powerful fans and lots of airflow. Nothing is built yet...so I need help choosing the last 2 things.

I need a graphics card or cards.... i was originally thinking of the gtx 960.... but other forums suggest 970.

I also need to know how to run a triple screen setup if at all based on the card. I've never used more than 1 screen and I read about how much better it is to use 3. I don't know too much about the IPS (unless you mean klingon ships in Star Trek) or TN (unless you mean Tennessee) or what brands of monitor to choose. .. I've been using my Sony 46" bravia.

Please help me TomsHardware you're my only hope!

 

[ac130]

The r9 390 is more powerful than the 970 for around the same cost. Also regarding the 3 monitors, it doesn't make too big of difference in shooters and those kind of games, but it makes simulators a much more enjoyable experience. The brands of monitors don't matter too much as long as they are name brand and the three that you choose should be the same size and resolution, preferably the same model.

I have a 3 monitor setup with 3 mismatched monitors and it is still a great experience. My two side monitors are 21'' monitors and the middle is a 27'' monitor and it looks okay, but I would like form them to be the same size.

When selecting a monitor decide what resolution you want your monitors. 1080p on each monitor is probably the best for a r9 390 in order to get good frame rates (~60+) Also you want small bezels to bring your screens closer together, it looks niceer.

Good Brands:
Benq, Acer, Asus , Samsung, LG, Viewsonic, Dell, AOC, prob some others I didn't mention, but those are fine.

Bigger the better
Look for response times and basically anytihing under ~8 to 10 is a good choice. Make sure you look at reviews before you buy.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

The r9 390 is more powerful than the 970 for around the same cost. Also regarding the 3 monitors, it doesn't make too big of difference in shooters and those kind of games, but it makes simulators a much more enjoyable experience. The brands of monitors don't matter too much as long as they are name brand and the three that you choose should be the same size and resolution, preferably the same model.

I have a 3 monitor setup with 3 mismatched monitors and it is still a great experience. My two side monitors are 21'' monitors and the middle is a 27'' monitor and it looks okay, but I would like form them to be the same size.

When selecting a monitor decide what resolution you want your monitors. 1080p on each monitor is probably the best for a r9 390 in order to get good frame rates (~60+) Also you want small bezels to bring your screens closer together, it looks niceer.

Good Brands:
Benq, Acer, Asus , Samsung, LG, Viewsonic, Dell, AOC, prob some others I didn't mention, but those are fine.

Bigger the better
Look for response times and basically anytihing under ~8 to 10 is a good choice. Make sure you look at reviews before you buy.

So you're saying it's better to switch from my GTX experience to AMD? I have been scouring the forums to get a good idea of what to buy... Everyone was recommending the AMD R9 290 or the GTX 970. I can't really afford a 500 dollar graphics card, and the 970 is around 300. Not to forget I've got to purchase more monitors. I do have a 24" 3D TV from Playstation. The only downfall is it has built-in Speakers on the sides.

The forums say that a single 970 can handle 3 screens very well. And I don't know much about the tech aspects... I have a hard time understanding the numbers. Now, I am looking at some prices... If I were to get the R9 390, do I get the 390 or 390x.

I will paste my Build Blueprint so you can review it and tell me what I should change...I may need a little help choosing a Liquid Cooling System. Again, I'm going for Cost and don't want to spend too much. What I have is already almost 2000 dollars, and I'm not trying to break the bank since I have to get Monitors, and a New Desk to fit them.

For Monitors, Can I just buy 24" monitors that are about 90 dollars that are a few years old, or do I need something newer... Do I get a 1440 screen or multiple 1080p screens? Do I just purchase one 4K screen over 3 1080p screens?

I want to have a great setup that will last me quite a few years... I do play all sorts of games including but not limited to: FPS like Battlefield, a Range of Open World Games like Arkham Origins, Assassin's Creed, Mad Max, Guild Wars, Champions Online, Star Trek Online, and Minecraft, and Simulators like The Sims 4.

If you can help me decide on a setup that can play stuff like that really well plus be ready for games coming out in the near future without breaking the bank. Again, I'm not trying to go over 2000 dollars for a computer, due to having to get monitors and a New Desk.

I really would like to try a 3 monitor setup, I just want to make sure I'm all set before pressing Add To Shopping Cart.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

What I'm Currently Building:: Note the Graphics Card may change based off of this discussion::

BASE_PRICE: [+1059]

CARE1: Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]

CAS: CyberPowerPC X-Sentinel MID-Tower Gaming Case w/USB 3.1, Side Panel Window [-89] (White Color [+2])

CD: LG 14X Internal Blu-ray Burner, BD-RE, 3D Playback DVD+RW Combo Drive (Black Color)
CD2: None

CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-6700K 4.00GHZ 8MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1151 (Skylake) [+110]

CS_FAN: Maximum Thermaltake Riing 14 Series High Static Pressure 140mm Case/Radiator Fan [+49] (Blue Color LED)

FA_HDD: None

FAN: Asetek 570LXL 240mm Liquid CPU Cooling System w/ Copper Cold Plate [+30] (2 x Standard 120MM Fans)

FREEBIE_CU: FREE $50 VISA Gift Card with All Intel Core I7 and Intel Core I5 Desktops and Laptops
FREEBIE_VC1: FREE! AMD STAR CITIZEN Game Coupon [+0]
FREEBIE_VC2: FREE! AMD Dirt Rally Game Coupon [+0]

HD_M2PCIE: None

HD_M2SATA: 128GB ADATA M.2 SATA 6Gb/s SSD - 550MB/s Read & 170MB/s Write [+68] (Single Drive)

HDD: 2TB (2TBx1) SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Drive)
HDD2: None

IUSB: Internal USB 3.0 4-Port Hub [+25]

MEMORY: 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4/2400MHz Dual Channel Memory [+134] (GSKILL Ripjaws V [+49])

MOTHERBOARD: MSI Z170A Gaming Pro ATX w/ Programmable Lighting, USB 3.1, 3 PCIe x16, 4 PCIe x1, 1 SATA Express, 4 SATA3, 1 Ultra M.2

NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network

NFC: None

NOISEREDUCE1: Anti-Vibration Fan Mounts [+9]

OS: Windows 10 Home (64-bit Edition)

OVERCLOCK: Extreme OC (Extreme Overclock 20% or more) [+49]

POWERSUPPLY: 800 Watts - Standard 80 Plus Certified Power Supply - SLI/CrossFireX Ready [+17]

SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR [3 Year Labor, 1 Year Parts] LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT

SLI_BRIDGE: Standard SLI/Crossfire Bridge

SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

VIDEO: AMD Radeon R9 390 8GB GDDR5 PCIe 3.0 x16 Video Card [+125] (Single Card)

Total_PRICE: (+1651)

 

[ac130]

So you're saying it's better to switch from my GTX experience to AMD? I have been scouring the forums to get a good idea of what to buy... Everyone was recommending the AMD R9 290 or the GTX 970. I can't really afford a 500 dollar graphics card, and the 970 is around 300. Not to forget I've got to purchase more monitors. I do have a 24" 3D TV from Playstation. The only downfall is it has built-in Speakers on the sides.

The forums say that a single 970 can handle 3 screens very well. And I don't know much about the tech aspects... I have a hard time understanding the numbers. Now, I am looking at some prices... If I were to get the R9 390, do I get the 390 or 390x.

The 390X is better than the 390, but I don't think by that much so I would ignore it.
Currently the R9 390 outperforms the GTX 970 by a little in most titles, but it has 8GB of usable VRAM versus the 3.5GB of usable VRAM the the 970 has. Explained here: https://youtu.be/k9cKZiJw6Pk
I think it's a better buy, but you decide. The price is very similar and I think cheaper in many cases to the GTX 970 at ~$320
Your 3D TV should be fine, although make sure it has the same refresh rate and around the same input lag as the monitors that you want. The speakers can be overlapped by the other monitors. My theory: If there is too big of a difference in input lag then it might look weird, Not sure about this though.

I will paste my Build Blueprint so you can review it and tell me what I should change...I may need a little help choosing a Liquid Cooling System. Again, I'm going for Cost and don't want to spend too much. What I have is already almost 2000 dollars, and I'm not trying to break the bank since I have to get Monitors, and a New Desk to fit them.

[strike]Great! I would like to see what you have/want. Also are you looking to do a custom loop or just want an AIO?[/strike] EDIT: Just saw blueprint.

For Monitors, Can I just buy 24" monitors that are about 90 dollars that are a few years old, or do I need something newer... Do I get a 1440 screen or multiple 1080p screens? Do I just purchase one 4K screen over 3 1080p screens?

The 390 won't give you a pleasant experience with 4k and prices of those monitors will just drop. I would go with 3x1080p and that should be fine.
For the older monitors they should be fine, just send me what you are looking at and I will see. Also if you can get 3 of the same that would be great. You can use your TV probably so for that just get 24'' ones.

The problems with mixing TV's and monitors are the difference in response times and refresh rate over standard monitors. Most older TV's are 30hz I believe and most monitors are 60hz.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

//For Monitors, Can I just buy 24" monitors that are about 90 dollars that are a few years old, or do I need something newer... Do I get a 1440 screen or multiple 1080p screens? Do I just purchase one 4K screen over 3 1080p screens?//

\\The 390 won't give you a pleasant experience with 4k and prices of those monitors will just drop. I would go with 3x1080p and that should be fine.
For the older monitors they should be fine, just send me what you are looking at and I will see. Also if you can get 3 of the same that would be great. You can use your TV probably so for that just get 24'' ones.

The problems with mixing TV's and monitors are the difference in response times and refresh rate over standard monitors. Most older TV's are 30hz I believe and most monitors are 60hz.\\

My Playstation 3D TV is listed here: Fortunately I purchased it when it was only 120 dollars, now people are asking 400 for it.

It boasts a 240Hz Refresh Rate.

http://www.cnet.com/products/sony-playstation-3d-display/specs/

Here is one of the kinds of Monitors I was looking at
http://www.pcliquidations.com/p22373-dell-u2412m-grade-c?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=22373&r160164167166161&gclid=CjwKEAjw67SvBRC1m5zPv4GboAUSJAB6MJlk9uJUJEo0tjqQQtQd5LyXoo07TqwbMt0v1f1VqG6V0BoCHOfw_wcB

Also what's the best way to hook up a sound system to this? I'm so used to using the HDMI cable to power my Speaker system which also displays my screen. I am going to assume that I'll need to hook up Audio separately from the Monitors.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

So you're saying it's better to switch from my GTX experience to AMD? I have been scouring the forums to get a good idea of what to buy... Everyone was recommending the AMD R9 290 or the GTX 970. I can't really afford a 500 dollar graphics card, and the 970 is around 300. Not to forget I've got to purchase more monitors. I do have a 24" 3D TV from Playstation. The only downfall is it has built-in Speakers on the sides.

The forums say that a single 970 can handle 3 screens very well. And I don't know much about the tech aspects... I have a hard time understanding the numbers. Now, I am looking at some prices... If I were to get the R9 390, do I get the 390 or 390x.

The 390X is better than the 390, but I don't think by that much so I would ignore it.
Currently the R9 390 outperforms the GTX 970 by a little in most titles, but it has 8GB of usable VRAM versus the 3.5GB of usable VRAM the the 970 has. Explained here: https://youtu.be/k9cKZiJw6Pk
I think it's a better buy, but you decide. The price is very similar and I think cheaper in many cases to the GTX 970 at ~$320
Your 3D TV should be fine, although make sure it has the same refresh rate and around the same input lag as the monitors that you want. The speakers can be overlapped by the other monitors. My theory: If there is too big of a difference in input lag then it might look weird, Not sure about this though.

I will paste my Build Blueprint so you can review it and tell me what I should change...I may need a little help choosing a Liquid Cooling System. Again, I'm going for Cost and don't want to spend too much. What I have is already almost 2000 dollars, and I'm not trying to break the bank since I have to get Monitors, and a New Desk to fit them.

[strike]Great! I would like to see what you have/want. Also are you looking to do a custom loop or just want an AIO?[/strike] EDIT: Just saw blueprint.

For Monitors, Can I just buy 24" monitors that are about 90 dollars that are a few years old, or do I need something newer... Do I get a 1440 screen or multiple 1080p screens? Do I just purchase one 4K screen over 3 1080p screens?

The 390 won't give you a pleasant experience with 4k and prices of those monitors will just drop. I would go with 3x1080p and that should be fine.
For the older monitors they should be fine, just send me what you are looking at and I will see. Also if you can get 3 of the same that would be great. You can use your TV probably so for that just get 24'' ones.

The problems with mixing TV's and monitors are the difference in response times and refresh rate over standard monitors. Most older TV's are 30hz I believe and most monitors are 60hz.

I've been searching more monitors, and I found a Dell U2410 for 119.99 on a site that sells refurbished monitors... What do you recommend for optimal Screen Sizes/brands. At the moment, I'll only have 1 GPU, but my Motherboard is set up to receive multiple GPUs and I'll be getting a free SLI/Crossfire Bridge with my build.

Does IPS or TN matter? does LED or LCD Matter? I'm not sure I'll want to wait for Monitors to be mailed to me, I may just give in and head to Radio Shack, Best Buy, or Fry's to get my monitors... But I gotta make sure I know exactly what I need.

 

[g-unit1111]

What I'm Currently Building:: Note the Graphics Card may change based off of this discussion::

BASE_PRICE: [+1059]

CARE1: Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]

CAS: CyberPowerPC X-Sentinel MID-Tower Gaming Case w/USB 3.1, Side Panel Window [-89] (White Color [+2])

If you're paying $1700 or more for a new PC, avoid Cyberpower like the plague. They generally cheap out on critical components like case and power supply and give you cheap, generic crap. As well as other crap you don't need, like the junk, generic Asetek liquid cooler that's known for defective pumps and has the potential to ruin your motherboard. Cyberpower is a company that is not known for quality control. There's not really much if any noticeable difference between the GTX 980TI and the R9-390. The current R9s are just rebranded models of the previous generation R9s with some extra VRAM that really doesn't do anything.

The forums say that a single 970 can handle 3 screens very well. And I don't know much about the tech aspects... I have a hard time understanding the numbers. Now, I am looking at some prices... If I were to get the R9 390, do I get the 390 or 390x.

That's half true. If you're running 1080P then you can run multiple displays on a GTX 970 with no problems depending on what games you play. It would struggle on 1440P and 4K though. 2 x 970 would be fine at 1440P, but would also struggle on 4K. But even the closest AMD equivalent - the R9-380 - works the exact same way. 1080P - great, 1440P - struggle, 4K - nope.

The 390X is better than the 390, but I don't think by that much so I would ignore it.
Currently the R9 390 outperforms the GTX 970 by a little in most titles, but it has 8GB of usable VRAM versus the 3.5GB of usable VRAM the the 970 has. Explained here: https://youtu.be/k9cKZiJw6Pk

But these are rebranded cards though - they're not new. Remember the Simpsons Malibu Stacy episode where no matter how hard they try to make a new product but the "same crap with a new hat" wins out every single time? That's exactly what this is. I'm not saying they're bad cards, but to call them a new product is a mis-representation. The extra VRAM makes no difference as to how the new card performs over the old one. None.

This would be a much better rig for that money:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($359.99)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX_BK 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VIII HERO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($225.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($98.24 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($85.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($499.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($18.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1654.15
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-07 21:55 EDT-0400

Building your own is not that difficult and you'll save a lot of money in the long run over going with Cyberpower crap.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

What I'm Currently Building:: Note the Graphics Card may change based off of this discussion::

BASE_PRICE: [+1059]

CARE1: Professional Wiring for All WIRING Inside The System Chassis - Minimize Cable Exposure, Maximize Airflow in Your System [+19]

CAS: CyberPowerPC X-Sentinel MID-Tower Gaming Case w/USB 3.1, Side Panel Window [-89] (White Color [+2])

If you're paying $1700 or more for a new PC, avoid Cyberpower like the plague. They generally cheap out on critical components like case and power supply and give you cheap, generic crap. As well as other crap you don't need, like the junk, generic Asetek liquid cooler that's known for defective pumps and has the potential to ruin your motherboard. Cyberpower is a company that is not known for quality control. There's not really much if any noticeable difference between the GTX 980TI and the R9-390. The current R9s are just rebranded models of the previous generation R9s with some extra VRAM that really doesn't do anything.

The forums say that a single 970 can handle 3 screens very well. And I don't know much about the tech aspects... I have a hard time understanding the numbers. Now, I am looking at some prices... If I were to get the R9 390, do I get the 390 or 390x.

That's half true. If you're running 1080P then you can run multiple displays on a GTX 970 with no problems depending on what games you play. It would struggle on 1440P and 4K though. 2 x 970 would be fine at 1440P, but would also struggle on 4K. But even the closest AMD equivalent - the R9-380 - works the exact same way. 1080P - great, 1440P - struggle, 4K - nope.

The 390X is better than the 390, but I don't think by that much so I would ignore it.
Currently the R9 390 outperforms the GTX 970 by a little in most titles, but it has 8GB of usable VRAM versus the 3.5GB of usable VRAM the the 970 has. Explained here: https://youtu.be/k9cKZiJw6Pk

But these are rebranded cards though - they're not new. Remember the Simpsons Malibu Stacy episode where no matter how hard they try to make a new product but the "same crap with a new hat" wins out every single time? That's exactly what this is. I'm not saying they're bad cards, but to call them a new product is a mis-representation. The extra VRAM makes no difference as to how the new card performs over the old one. None.

This would be a much better rig for that money:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($359.99)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX_BK 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VIII HERO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($225.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($98.24 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($85.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($499.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($18.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1654.15
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-07 21:55 EDT-0400

Building your own is not that difficult and you'll save a lot of money in the long run over going with Cyberpower crap.

I have very little experience with computer building. Example: I upgraded my GPU, and I realized I didn't have the right cables for the power supply... I have no idea how to put stuff in a rig... I have no Idea what order to install stuff.. I really don't want to be the one to hook up a cooling system and be the one who spills it all over my components.

I'd rather have a professional build it. Do you recommend any computer building sites that will offer a good deal?

 

[ac130]

But these are rebranded cards though - they're not new. Remember the Simpsons Malibu Stacy episode where no matter how hard they try to make a new product but the "same crap with a new hat" wins out every single time? That's exactly what this is. I'm not saying they're bad cards, but to call them a new product is a mis-representation. The extra VRAM makes no difference as to how the new card performs over the old one. None.

Actually I wouldn't consider it a rebrand even though it is very similar in performance and has the same architecture. I consider it a refresh. A rebrand would be if they didn't change anything. They made some power efficiency improvements over the 200's and added a lot of VRAM to their new cards. A rebrand is basically what they did with the 7000 series to the R9 200's because the 7950 and the r9 280 are the same thing.

I brought up the VRAM as just an extra bonus to outperforming the GTX 970 for less. I am aware that it doesn't really help.

I play in 5760x1080 on my 7950 and get very good graphics settings on most games and I could see the r9 390 getting much better performance in most titles. You have to keep in mind that most benchmarks are run at very high settings and are not optimized for frame rate.

 

[ac130]

I have very little experience with computer building. Example: I upgraded my GPU, and I realized I didn't have the right cables for the power supply... I have no idea how to put stuff in a rig... I have no Idea what order to install stuff.. I really don't want to be the one to hook up a cooling system and be the one who spills it all over my components.

I'd rather have a professional build it. Do you recommend any computer building sites that will offer a good deal?

1. If a 5 year old can build a pc, you can: https://youtu.be/Sr3MgKkS314
2. I built my first PC when I was 13 just off youtube videos.
3. All your parts will be compatible and you will get lots of verification from the forums.
4. You can put the saved money towards better components.
5. The only tool you need is a screwdriver.
6. It is nearly impossible to spill the fluid from the AIO water coolers. (unless you cut the tubes...)
7. You can only plug stuff in where they are supposed to go.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

I have very little experience with computer building. Example: I upgraded my GPU, and I realized I didn't have the right cables for the power supply... I have no idea how to put stuff in a rig... I have no Idea what order to install stuff.. I really don't want to be the one to hook up a cooling system and be the one who spills it all over my components.

I'd rather have a professional build it. Do you recommend any computer building sites that will offer a good deal?

1. If a 5 year old can build a pc, you can: https://youtu.be/Sr3MgKkS314
2. I built my first PC when I was 13 just off youtube videos.
3. All your parts will be compatible and you will get lots of verification from the forums.
4. You can put the saved money towards better components.
5. The only tool you need is a screwdriver.
6. It is nearly impossible to spill the fluid from the AIO water coolers. (unless you cut the tubes...)
7. You can only plug stuff in where they are supposed to go.

I guess I'm more afraid that I'll order the wrong parts, or not have the right connectors when the parts do come in.

 

[ac130]

In that case then the community is a great help with that. I can make sure that you won't have any component compatibility problems. We can also make sure you don't order the wrong parts. In fact I can make a partlist for you right now.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

In that case then the community is a great help with that. I can make sure that you won't have any component compatibility problems. We can also make sure you don't order the wrong parts. In fact I can make a partlist for you right now.

will it be anything like what I posted above, or what the other member posted?

The computer will be based around triple screen Gaming, I'm going out on a limb by saying my budget will be between 1500 to 2000 dollars. I need to save up for the 3 screens, so Screen Recommendations would be great... something cheap, I can't be seen paying over 150 for a single monitor, and to top it off, I need a bigger desk. I can only afford 1 card right now, but I may SLI/Crossfire 2 in the future, so I need a Motherboard capable of that. I need a Sweet Case, I like White Cases... LED decorative Lighting would be good too.

I will also like a Liquid Cooling system.

 

[g-unit1111]

I have very little experience with computer building. Example: I upgraded my GPU, and I realized I didn't have the right cables for the power supply... I have no idea how to put stuff in a rig... I have no Idea what order to install stuff.. I really don't want to be the one to hook up a cooling system and be the one who spills it all over my components.

I'd rather have a professional build it. Do you recommend any computer building sites that will offer a good deal?

Honestly? None. The high end system builders like Origin and Falcon Northwest you can really only go to if you have some serious coin to spend. And even if you did have some serious coin to spend, you could really buy the highest end parts you could and pay someone else to put them together for you. Other places like Cyberpower and Digital Storm cater to the inexperienced builder by offering what seems like a good deal but in reality isn't. Cyberpower gets away with overcharging for critical components by swapping them with cheap junk like generic power supplies and cases, from crap manufacturers like Raidmax and Apevia. Digital Storm at least offers complete packages with somewhat decent components - better than Cyberpower - but still overcharges for what you get based on if you built a rig yourself. Nearly all professional system building sites do that to a certain degree. They have a price point and profit margins to meet. Building your own, you don't have that to worry about. A $1700 rig on PC Part Picker does not look the same as a $1700 rig on Cyberpower.

Building a rig yourself really isn't that difficult. If you have any experience building things, building a computer really isn't that different. It's just a matter of following instructions. Once you get the case wires hooked into the motherboard, and the motherboard screwed down, everything else hooks into place.

Actually I wouldn't consider it a rebrand even though it is very similar in performance and has the same architecture. I consider it a refresh. A rebrand would be if they didn't change anything. They made some power efficiency improvements over the 200's and added a lot of VRAM to their new cards. A rebrand is basically what they did with the 7000 series to the R9 200's because the 7950 and the r9 280 are the same thing.

It is a rebrand though. I get my numbers mixed up because it is confusing to keep up with what card is what. The R9-380 is a rebrand of the R9-285, and the R9-390 and R9-390X are rebrands of the previous generation R9-290 and R9-290X. Nothing really has changed from the previous generation to this current one other than the extra VRAM. It might offer maybe 3 or 4 FPS over the 970, but that really isn't enough to justify that it is better over the GTX 970.

 

[ac130]

It is a rebrand though. I get my numbers mixed up because it is confusing to keep up with what card is what. The R9-380 is a rebrand of the R9-285, and the R9-390 and R9-390X are rebrands of the previous generation R9-290 and R9-290X. Nothing really has changed from the previous generation to this current one other than the extra VRAM. It might offer maybe 3 or 4 FPS over the 970, but that really isn't enough to justify that it is better over the GTX 970.

I still consider it not a rebrand, but a REFRESH. Kind of like the i7-4770k and the i7-4790k. They have the same internals, but they upgraded the thermal interface of the processor and they were able to get more performance out of it. Just like intel they have made minor changes in power efficiency and added more VRAM. Rebranding is when the manufacturer has not touched anything and has just renamed it as something different.
Btw there is no reason not to get the r9 390 when it outperforms the 970 by 'a few frames' and has more VRAM. It is just better by definition.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

I guess the current direction of this discussion has obliterated my current computer build, and I'll need one from scratch... so Cyberpower is bad... Origin PC is too much... I've watched about 5 videos on hooking up a Liquid Cooling system and i still don't get it.

If you guys can collaborate a decent part list with a nice case, and a computer that can run 3 1080p monitors, enough room for a second GPU in case I wish to upgrade in the future, and Fit it into a Budget topping out around 2000 dollars, I'd be happy with your advice.

I honestly don't care what GPU it is, so long as it's not outdated, can handle 3 screens with at minimum High Resolution in most games (Ultra settings is the ultimate goal), and fits within the 2000 dollar budget. I don't know if I should Liquid cool the GPU too, but if it's recommended, I would accept your advice. I do like White Cases, but Black and Red would be fine... With plenty of space to fit any radiators and tubing.

Keep in mind that I do have to get a larger desk, a PC Sound system (I've been running my PC off of my Livingroom's Big Screen TV, and Sony Soundbar/subwoofer combo), 3 Affordable monitors (I still don't know yet if IPS or TN is relevant or the optimal size of the monitor), I don't know yet if I can run a triple screen with a combination of HDMI and DVI or DP or VGA.

I'm a very amateur pc builder, with very little experience outside of installing a power source and a GPU. This will be a huge project for me, and I wish it were easier to just have someone build it, and ship it to me in 10 days, rather than me sitting around for 10 days scratching my head trying to find out what I did wrong.

 

[g-unit1111]

I guess I'm more afraid that I'll order the wrong parts, or not have the right connectors when the parts do come in.

Not true, pretty much everything you need comes with one part or another. And the great thing about PC Part Picker is that it will tell you if something isn't compatible. Just play around with it for a couple of days and try different configurations, you will find what works and what doesn't rather easily.

I guess the current direction of this discussion has obliterated my current computer build, and I'll need one from scratch... so Cyberpower is bad... Origin PC is too much... I've watched about 5 videos on hooking up a Liquid Cooling system and i still don't get it.

I've been building and taking apart systems since the mid 90's. I've tried closed liquid loops on more than one occasion and I'm still skeptical about it. That's one of those things where if it's too much, don't worry about it. Air is always safer than water anyways and is generally much easier to setup.

If you guys can collaborate a decent part list with a nice case, and a computer that can run 3 1080p monitors, enough room for a second GPU in case I wish to upgrade in the future, and Fit it into a Budget topping out around 2000 dollars, I'd be happy with your advice.

See below.

I honestly don't care what GPU it is, so long as it's not outdated, can handle 3 screens with at minimum High Resolution in most games (Ultra settings is the ultimate goal), and fits within the 2000 dollar budget. I don't know if I should Liquid cool the GPU too, but if it's recommended, I would accept your advice. I do like White Cases, but Black and Red would be fine... With plenty of space to fit any radiators and tubing.

There's nothing wrong with the R9s, like I said they're not bad cards. Each one has their strengths and weaknesses. Which one is right for you is up to you to decide. Where NVIDIA wins is SLI is incredibly easy to setup and the cards use way less power than their AMD counterparts do. The average power draw of an R9-390X is 275W, where the average power draw of a GTX 980 is 165W. So even in SLI the power draw is significantly less on NVIDIA than on AMD. If you're setting up a multiple monitor display you might want to keep that in mind. If you were going to be setting up Crossfire on an R9-390X, you'd be looking at a minimum of a 1KW PSU, but setting up SLI you can easily get by with 850W.

Keep in mind that I do have to get a larger desk, a PC Sound system (I've been running my PC off of my Livingroom's Big Screen TV, and Sony Soundbar/subwoofer combo), 3 Affordable monitors (I still don't know yet if IPS or TN is relevant or the optimal size of the monitor), I don't know yet if I can run a triple screen with a combination of HDMI and DVI or DP or VGA.

I think I would have to know what monitor you're planning on using before I would say what card to go with. IPS is usually the way to go though.

I'm a very amateur pc builder, with very little experience outside of installing a power source and a GPU. This will be a huge project for me, and I wish it were easier to just have someone build it, and ship it to me in 10 days, rather than me sitting around for 10 days scratching my head trying to find out what I did wrong.

Even if you don't know what you're doing there's literally tons of resources out there that can help you build a PC from scratch. It really isn't that difficult.

As for a PC here's a setup I would recommend:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($359.99)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX_BK 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VIII HERO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($225.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($97.84 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($85.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($499.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($18.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1743.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-08 20:25 EDT-0400

That gives you $250 left over for a nice mechanical keyboard and whatever mouse you want.

 

[ac130]

Here is a pure white/black themed build. I decided to go with the older intel architecture, but it has 2 more cores, although not necessary they are nice.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($299.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX_BK 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus X99-A/USB 3.1 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($254.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($113.63 @ Mac Mall)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($97.84 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($68.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($499.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT H440 (White/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($104.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($131.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1712.05
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-09 02:03 EDT-0400

Liquid CPU Cooler option: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nT6J4D

I am not sure about Skylake performance, but it isn't much greater than X99

Quote:
I guess the current direction of this discussion has obliterated my current computer build, and I'll need one from scratch... so Cyberpower is bad... Origin PC is too much... I've watched about 5 videos on hooking up a Liquid Cooling system and i still don't get it.

Like the other guy said, if it will really worry you then don't bother.
ALTHOUGH these closed loop systems are pretty much fool proof and are not that hard to install. They also look really cool inside the computer and the Kraken x61 has color changing LED's that you can set to any color through software.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

As for a PC here's a setup I would recommend:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($359.99)
CPU Cooler: Phanteks PH-TC12DX_BK 68.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VIII HERO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($225.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($97.84 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($85.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card ($499.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($18.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1743.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-08 20:25 EDT-0400

That gives you $250 left over for a nice mechanical keyboard and whatever mouse you want.

Can I upgrade the DVD to Blu Ray/DVD Reader/burner?

As for Monitors, I started the Thread to ask for recommendations, though I would be able to afford roughly $100 to $160 Range Monitors...

I have asked earlier whether IPS or TN mattered. I've also just come back from Best Buy, but I have no Idea what type of Connectors I would need to hook up a Triple Screen Setup... There are VGA, DPI-I, DPI-D, Component, and that strange DP symbol one which I don't remember what it stands for. I read in some forums about something that needs to be Active?

If all 3 Monitors somehow come with a combination of HDMI, VGA, and DPI setups, could I mix and match those? I have no idea. This is where I would be making the mistake of buying the wrong components to fit everything together.

Also one of the reasons I wanted a Professional to build my PC was because of all the programming of the BIOS, and Installing Windows from a computer with no OS at the time of manufacture. I don't want to mess up my computer by mucking up the BIOS and setting up the SATA Drives and all that... the tutorials on Youtube most likely won't be using my setup and so I can't follow along when they get to the Programming part.

The reason I would like a Liquid Cooling system is because my house gets pretty hot, I run the AC all day, yet my house never drops below 77 degrees, that coupled with a High Powered PC will spell disaster if I use Air Cooling.

Thanks for your assistance. I know I may come off as annoying, but I've never built a computer, and I don't have an experienced person to tutor me as I assemble the mass of parts I'll be looking at.

 

[ac130]

Ok let's clear some thing up here.
1. The bios does not need to be setup.
2. You can easily just download a piece of software and windows will install a installer to your usb stick.

Now to monitors.
I have had this trouble that they speak of about DVI, not DPI and having two DVI and 1 HDMI or DP to DVI (non active adapter) one monitor won't work. The good this is that this can be easily avoided by just getting monitors with all HDMI or DP (display port) inputs. Also I am pretty sure this issue has been solved with the newer graphics cards such as the 980.

You aren't being annoying. If you were, we wouldn't respond, am I right? We like doing this, that's why we are here.

Edit: unfortunately the case I selected for my partlist doesn't have a CD bay, but you can easily get a USB Blu Ray drive that is external.

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

1. The bios does not need to be setup.
2. You can easily just download a piece of software and windows will install a installer to your usb stick.

I have been watching LinusTechTips videos where he's building specific computers, and I've seen him build a 4K computer for under 1000 dollars so I assume he knows what he's doing.. But every time he build's a computer, he hooks up Liquid Cooling... He did mention something about putting a piece of Silver into the reservoir (not sure where I would get that), and then he does a process of pumping the Distilled Water through the system after he's hooked up all the tubing. He does something with a paperclip in the Power Supply, and that really stumps me because I have no Idea what is going on.

As for Monitors, I just came back from Best Buy, very disappointed.. the best GPU they had available was the R7 370... and the biggest Power Supply they had was a 650W... They had some nice Monitors, but never 3 of them... there was always just the Last one on the shelf, or 2 of them... And then I wasn't sure what to look for when checking out the Inputs. I did manage to find a really nice ASUS monitor that does 1ms response time, 144Hz Refresh Rate... and i think it topped out at 2560 x 1080p... The problem was that specific monitor was 300 dollars.

I was bummed out, I almost just said, screw it and would have just settled for the LG Ultrawide flatscreen monitor, and just gaming with one monitor... BUT I really want to do Triple Setup... SO I need something that will work, and is affordable... I don't know what Size of Monitor I can settle on... The 19 to 23 inch monitors are the cheapest topping out around 130 dollars. Anything 24" and above either didn't have the connections I need (Or at least I think), or they had insanely high Response Times around 24ms.

As in the programming thing.. While watching LinusTechTips, he always runs some kind of BIOS screen when he boots up the freshly built computer, then he adjusts some settings on it really quick... then he boots up the setup for the RAID 0 and RAID 1 things.. I have no idea what that is... But after he sets up the Raid things, he goes right to installing Windows 8 (Most of the videos are around late 2014)

I hope this enlightens you to what's been going on in my head. I know you're like (Dude, you're overthinking it) but I really don't want to mess up my first build... With my luck, I might destroy my GPU with Static Electricity.

 

[ac130]

Okay I see now. You are seeing our Lord Linus setup a custom water loop which is very expensive and doesn't benefit much for the money they will easily cost $800 or more for a good one.
The point is that you don't need to worry about all that stuff. What I recommended was a Closed loop which cannot be customized by design and comes PRE-Assembled.

Linus does know what he is doing.

EDit: Saw what you just added.

1. RAID is for multiple hard drives that you want data split up across or mirrored or some weird combination of both to get Really fast transfer speeds or a lot of redundancy. - You don't need to worry about this.

Edit 2: This is my setup, a little cramped, but good enough. http://m.imgur.com/t92pM81 for reference the middle monitor is a 27in and the two others are 21-22in. All of them are 60hz.

Edit 3: I found some good monitors:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=24-236-176
Slightly larger with DP
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=24-236-581

 

[not0fthiswor1d]

So I was looking through your PC Picker Build... I like the choices. But I found that there is no Optical Drive. And When I Click "Choose Optical Drive" it brings up a list of nothing. I'd like maybe a BluRay/DVD Combo drive to be able to watch some movies when I'm not gaming. And some of my games are still in Disc Form which needs an Optical Drive to install.

*Update* I did however buy a new Computer Desk... Really decent size.. I think it's 40"W x 30"H x 24"D, and came with a short, rolling stand that I am using for my printer. Got the Desk for 81 dollars... SO that's cleared off my checklist. Just need a Rig and Monitors..

My Peripherals are the Razer BlackWidow Chroma Keyboard, and the Logitech G500 Mouse... I don't see any need to replace any of those.

For the Kraken Liquid Cooler, would I need one for my GPU? As I have said earlier, my home gets a bit warm and I don't want it to overheat my computer. So far my GTX 770 hasn't had any problems with Air Cooling, but I've also never run 3 monitors before either.

 

[ac130]

You don't need to water cool your GPU. If it gets too hot it will crank down its speeds before any damage. It probably won't have to do that anyway.

You can get a cheap external Blu Ray reader/burner. The H440 case doesn't have bays for a interactive one because they are getting fairly useless for most people. I could change it to one that has a place for it internally though.