Whole new build - up to $1500

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elitech

Honorable
Mar 22, 2018
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Hello all,

I need to build a new computer, and while there are some decent deals around, I prefer building PCs on my own. However, when it comes to picking the "right" hardware, best bang-for-buck, I am way outdated.

So please, if you do not mind, would you help me pick the right parts? Below is the list I found here with answers:

Approximate Purchase Date: within the next 2-4 weeks

Budget Range: up to $1500 (willing to go a bit beyond if the performance increase is worth it)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, and then everything else pretty much (in the normal range - movies, internet, music)

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: anything respectable and reputable (newegg, amazon...)

Location: US, Maryland

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe in the future

Your Monitor Resolution: I'm guessing 1920*1080 is the standard now

Additional Comments: I don't need bling, lights, or anything that does not bring performance. I would like to run newest/newer games with relatively high details and performance. Also, if possible, leave room for upgrades in the future.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Old computer died (thankfully 😀)

Thank you all, and please let me know if there is any other piece of info you would like me to provide.
 
Here you go, something to look at, you can pick your keyboard and mouse.



PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8400 2.8GHz 6-Core Processor ($178.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - B360 HD3 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($81.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($164.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Samsung - 860 Evo 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($77.85 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($57.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card ($459.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT - S340 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($95.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Asus - PB277Q 27.0" 2560x1440 75Hz Monitor ($277.39 @ Amazon)
Total: $1544.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-06-21 01:17 EDT-0400
 
Here is the list:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($298.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - B360M D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($71.08 @ Newegg Business)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($154.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial - MX500 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($69.85 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($42.95 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB WINDFORCE OC 8G Video Card ($504.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design - Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($72.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ B&H)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($95.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer - ED242QR Abidpx 23.6" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor ($189.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $1561.61
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-06-21 01:35 EDT-0400
 
These seem similar, with some slight differences...

Any thoughts on the components that are different, why choose one or the other?
 
They are no way similar. Intel i7-8700 and GTX1080 combo is around 35-40% better in performance compared to i5-8400 and GTX1070 combo which is a huge gain. But as you can see jankerson included 1440p monitor and my list comes with 1080p. At 1440p with GTX1070 combo you will get larger performance loss compared to 1080p with GTX1080 unless you bring down your game settings a notch or two. Even with that lowering in settings you will not be able to enjoy high fps in games for as long as you can with GTX1080 at 1080p.

It is simple If you need your PC to last long(4Yr) and give you smooth experience over time at high settings go for GTX1080 1080p combo. But if you need high resolution and are fine replacing GPU in shorted period of time(1-2Yr) go with GTX1070 and 1440p combo. It all depends on how regularly you upgrade your components.
 


Well, RAM is the same, amount of storage on HDDs is similar, motherboards are similar, and same amount of power in power supply :)

I truly appreciate both of you posting. I do have a few questions, if you wouldn't mind answering:

1) What is the difference in motherboards? Why is the micro cheaper?
2) Is it worth giving $15 and updating King's config with a 2TB HD?
3) Is 550W enough power in both cases?

Thank you again!

EDIT: I do not upgrade often, so the 1080 seems like a more viable option at this time.
 
All of the PC comes installed with same components but the difference is determined based on its performance. All of them have CPU+RAM+Storage+VideoCard+PSU(minimum requirement to run a Gaming PC). As I said before PC having i3 CPU is completely different from PC having i7 CPU because in a gaming PC or matter of fact any PC specific CPU and GPU determine how good it performs compared to other while other components remain similar in comparison.

Micro board is small form factor which uses less material to be build for cutting down on price and for smaller builds. But that MicroATX board comes packed with all the features you will be using nothing is lost.

You can add 2TB instead of 1TB if you wan't. It only costs $15 more so yes it will be better to go for 2TB.

Yes 550W is enough to power your setup with no problem.
 
Hey King, I truly appreciate your feedback and patience. Thank you. Is there any way to "+1" you? :)

I have been playing with the configuration you made. I made a few adjustments and was wondering if you mind taking a look at what I did, is all of this compatible and do I lose any performance (changed 1 HD and RAM)? Also, do I need a dedicated CPU cooler?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($298.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - B360M D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($73.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team - Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial - MX500 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($69.85 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Hitachi - Ultrastar 7K3000 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.88 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB WINDFORCE OC 8G Video Card ($504.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design - Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($72.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($63.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($95.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer - ED242QR Abidpx 23.6" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor ($189.80 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1574.33
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-06-29 21:06 EDT-0400
 


I think that is a solid build. I like the combo of i7 and 1080 with the Define S case, very classy. The stock intel cooler should be sufficient for the i7 8700 non k.
 
Well, how about having a 1080ti?
This combo is actually pretty good, high end components and a motherboard that allows you to overclock nicely.

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9tKyFt
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9tKyFt/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 1700 3GHz 8-Core Processor ($219.90 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock - X370 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team - Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial - MX500 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($69.85 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Hitachi - Ultrastar 7K3000 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.88 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB ARMOR Video Card ($729.99 @ B&H)
Case: Fractal Design - Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($72.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ B&H)
Monitor: Acer - ED242QR Abidpx 23.6" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor ($189.80 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1606.38
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-06-30 01:03 EDT-0400
 


A good one. I highly recommend going for 650W PSU for this build and it will be perfect. There is good 30% boost with this combo.
 


Should I go for 80+ Gold efficiency? If so, the cheapest one I found was actually 750W (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MVrG3C/thermaltake-power-supply-pstpd0750mpcgus1)



Well, from what I've read (and I could be wrong),it is a mini GPU. It has over-heating problems, requiring more cooling. It does not perform to its full potential unless additional cooling is put in. Is that something to consider or something that could/would happen?

EDIT: Just saying, the 1080 TI build does not include the OS
 
Efficiency and PSU quality are not mutually inclusive. I would much rather go for this unit: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WrNypg/seasonic-focus-plus-gold-650w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-ssr-650fx Also, running the 8700 with the stock cooler? That's definitely questionable, should you choose to go the intel route: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-core-i7-8700-cpu-review,5638-2.html As far as the AMD build goes, it's really a great decision.

There are a few things to note though: The actual price of the build is $1660, not $1600, given that the links factored in MIR's, which I'm unsure if the OP wants to do. Also, this is just a personal preference, but I like the P400 Tempered Glass over the Define S, much better aesthetic/detail imo.

One final note: If you were to go with the 1700, you would be losing a fair bit of frames compared to an intel chip. In general, having a strong GPU is great for pushing high frame rates, but you also need a CPU that can keep up with said frames. This video should help compare the slightly aged 6700k to the 1700. Expect further frame increases should you invest in an 8700. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc2L3L4E73g

EDIT:
Also, OP, are you able to salvage an old hard drive from your system, or perhaps anywhere else? There is an option which frees up a bit more cash, as long as you have a spare HDD or can get one soon.
 
Hi profound, thank you for joining in.

I believe I can salvage an old HDD. I believe that would work and open up some cash. As you can see, the config cost has been going slowly up-and-up :) I believe I could stretch the budget to $1700, but no more than that. Do you have a recommendation for a configuration within that budget (with and without a salvaged HDD)?

@everyone - please feel free to add to this discussion and/or change your preferred builds, if you are so inclined. I truly appreciate all of your help.
 
IF YOU WISH TO STICK WITH THE 1080 Ti:
If you do have a salvageable HDD, then we can cut the cost quite a bit. Going with a 480 GB Team SSD will cut the cost quite a bit, as you can get rid of the HDD cost, and the SSD is only around $10 more than the previously listed one.
OTHERWISE:
Personally, I'm not going to advise dropping that much cash on a GPU that is going to be outdated within a year. The 1080 Ti is a behemoth no doubt, but it differs from my 980 Ti (in my brother's computer now) in a sense that I was able to pick it up for a decent price (near the MSRP if not lower). It's up to you whether you invest that much money in graphics, but if I were you, I'd go for something like the 1070 Ti.

This build gives you the most room for both performance and an upgrade path:
PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/yWPbpG
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/yWPbpG/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2600 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock - X470 Master SLI/AC ATX AM4 Motherboard ($153.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($154.99 @ Newegg Business)
Storage: Kingston - A400 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($53.83 @ Newegg Marketplace)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB ACX 3.0 Video Card ($504.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks - ECLIPSE P400 TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($81.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($99.89 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1309.64
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-06-30 18:28 EDT-0400

As for monitors to look at, I would eye this 1440p panel from Dell: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/BcTrxr/dell-monitor-s2716dg , given it has G-Sync, a technology that helps negate screen tearing in case you don't always get 144 fps. If you don't care about size, this version comes in at a fair bit less, and also sports a 165 Hz Panel w/ G-Sync as well. https://pcpartpicker.com/product/CwgPxr/dell-s2417dg-238-165hz-monitor-s2417dg . Of course, SSD space is also a variable entirely up to you.
 
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8400 2.8GHz 6-Core Processor ($178.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Deepcool - GAMMAXX 400 74.3 CFM CPU Cooler ($23.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock - B360 Pro4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($85.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial - Ballistix Sport LT 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: ADATA - Ultimate SU800 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($102.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Toshiba - 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($42.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB ACX 3.0 Video Card ($504.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair - Crystal 460X ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Corsair)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - EVO Edition 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($60.73 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($99.89 @ SuperBiiz)
Monitor: Acer - ED242QR Abidpx 23.6" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor ($189.80 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1494.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-06-30 19:02 EDT-0400
 
Looking at all the ideas, discussions, and feedback here, I came up with this part list. I would appreciate any feedback (including from previous posters). As profoundnoah pointed out, I will be salvaging an old HDD and upgrade it in time.

1) There are 2 monitors (as options), but I will get only 1. Do you (the reader) think gsync is worth it?
2) Do I need better/different cooling?
3) Do I need better/different power supply?

Without further ado, here is the list:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($298.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Deepcool - GAMMAXX 400 74.3 CFM CPU Cooler ($21.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - B360M D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($73.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team - Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: ADATA - Ultimate SU800 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($102.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB WINDFORCE OC 8G Video Card ($504.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Cougar - MX330 ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Thermaltake - 750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($95.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Dell - S2417DG 23.8" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor ($385.83 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer - ED242QR Abidpx 23.6" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor ($189.80 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1909.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-06-30 20:50 EDT-0400
 
Just a quick look at your most current parts list, gsync is definitely worth it if you want really, really, smooth gaming experience with minimal screen tearing. The CPU cooler seems perfectly fine for not overclocking, but I haven't ever heard of GAMMAXX coolers so maybe look at Cryorig H7 or Hyper 212EVO if you want. Power supply is absolutely fine, even for if you want to upgrade later down the road. Just one question for choosing a M-ATX motherboard and putting it in a Mid-Tower case. Is that intentional, cause it could look a little empty if physical appearances matter a lot to you.
 
PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9DDrGG
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9DDrGG/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($299.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - B360 HD3 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($82.78 @ Amazon)
Memory: Team - Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: ADATA - Ultimate SU800 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($102.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 8GB ACX 3.0 Video Card ($504.98 @ Newegg Business)
Case: Cougar - MX330 ATX Mid Tower Case ($58.99 @ Newegg Marketplace)
Power Supply: EVGA - 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($65.80 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Dell - S2417DG 23.8" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor ($385.93 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Acer - ED242QR Abidpx 23.6" 1920x1080 144Hz Monitor ($189.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $2019.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-06-30 21:45 EDT-0400

Is slightly more expensive with some slightly changed around parts. I couldn't find some of the deals that your list had so I think If you can just buy the things in your current list, it would be awesome.
 

So the cooler on your list would be better?

Well, from what I understood - I am not losing anything in choosing a smaller MB, while it is cheaper. Did I misunderstand? I am not worried about the case looking empty.

Thank you for your input!
 


It might be. I just haven't heard of that gammaxx cooler before. To be honest, Im not completely sure if it will actually better.

For the Motherboard, you are basically completely right. You might lose like one or two sata connectors and like one or two pcie connectors max, but that's not really a big deal.

All in all, I think your previous parts list is fine and I just wanted to add some final thoughts to it.

 
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