Computer builders/gaming nerds, step in. Thoughts on my first “build”.

[MattxFatal]

So it’s been a good eight years since I’ve had a computer system that was able to push the popular gaming titles at the time.
Basically since the Half Life Source Engine came out and I would spend countless hours on CS:S.

For the last year I have had a serious itch to get back into computer gaming with some of the latest titles and the fact that my old HP complete with two whopping gigs of ram and a 7600GS 512 (was tits at the time) is really starting to show it’s age even with simple tasks like web browsing. Albeit smurf/midget porn does take a toll on any system. :banana:

So, goals are to build a rig that is somewhat cost conscious, however will be able to run most titles at ultra settings for the next two years and keep up with graphic demands for at least the next four. Also, I am not going to OC anything but I am getting parts to where that and possibly SLI will be an option in a year or two. I also picked up a DSLR camera recently and have been starting to get into video editing of some self shot stuff.


I know there are some pretty knowledgeable people on here and would like to know if I should tweak anything, where to find it cheaper, or worst case scenario, swap ports due to compatibility issues.
Pictures of the wife’s cans may be in it for any help offered .

Okay, enough of the bs, here are the goodies.

Case- Already purchased. Large for a mid and fans galore.

Processor- Intel I7 4790k $335.00.
Going with the 7 over the 5 due massively improved speeds while running video/photo editing software. Also is going to be relevant for several years.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPRWAX8...TF8&colid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I11R526VKI3SY7


MB- MSI z97 Gaming 5-$125.00
Thought this to be the balanced as far as cost, features, and the ability to go SLI down the road. Plus, it looks sick and will go quite nice with the red/black aesthetics I am going with.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K23BZVI...TF8&colid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I16U9YE4EBIRNS


Graphic card-MSI GTX 970-$333.00
AWWWWWW YEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NN0GEXQ...TF8&colid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I332O8A964S86M

Memory-Kingston Hyperx Fury 16g(2x8g)-$128.00.
Great value/performance. Thought about ripjaws, however when I start overclocking and need a large CPU cooler, the ripjaws are WAYYYYY too tall.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J8E8ZOC...lid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I1TMMZ9LFIN3I2&psc=1

PSU-EVGA Supernova 850W-$93.00.
Will be more than I need now and will be adequate when I SLI in the future.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYK1CC6...lid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I2THUBC9NM71CM&psc=1

Samsung EVO 250GB SSD-$100.00
Going to keep all my games and applications on this badboy.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OAJ412U...lid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I1UX6H9ARY0QOH&psc=1

WD blue 1TB HDD-$55.00.
Going to store music, photos, movies, basically anything that’s not a process.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088PUEPK...TF8&colid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I13LJPE6DYN4X3

An ASUS whatever DVDRW.



Display-ASUS VG248QE $300.00.
24” monitor with a 144hz refresh rate that will be necessary to avoid serious screen tearing while I am getting frame rates that make will make even Stephen Hawking’s pants tight.



I will be running Windows 7 for now until 10 is available.
I am fine with this because it can use all 16 gigs of memory and I absolutely hate Windows 8 with a fiery passion.


Yes, I have checked New Egg for a lot of the components but since I have Amazon Prime, this will save a little in shipping for some of the parts and Amazon is extremely easy to deal with.


If you made it this far, here’s a celebratory shot of some tig ole biddies.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

-Matt

 

[Lycosa]

I'm not a massive computer nerd as much as I used to be, but I see nothing wrong with this setup. It's better than mine Not sure how a single 970 would do at ultra on modern games. SLI wouldn't have a problem. Might as well SLI some titans and throw 5 500gb ssds.

 

[TK Doom]

Didn't do the math, but bleeding edge doesn't matter anymore.

I think my last puter cost $1200 (only $75 for them to build, i'm lazy now a days).


Only really posting cause curious as to source of breasts.

 

[Blown 89]

That's a cost conscious build? Damn.

I'd ditch the EVGA power supply for something better like a Seasonic Platinum series. There's no point in putting nice components in the computer only to gimp it with an EVGA power supply. After all, the power supply is the most important part of the build and where you shouldn't skimp.

There's not much point for a large case with a ton of fans either. It's a waste of space and all of those fans are an assault on your ears. Why not get a small form factor case, an ITX board, one 120mm fan, and spend a little money on a large CPU cooler to keep temps down? If anything go micro ATX for that SLI if you really see yourself going that route.

I agree with TK, bleeding edge doesn't cost a lot anymore. My itx case, full sized psu, and full sized card do just fine for a fraction of the cost of your system. It's amazing what they're doing with small cases these days.

 

[FIVEHOE]

mehhh there aren't even any games worth building a gaming rig for in my opinion : /

 

[Lightning Lad]

I definitely agree with blown 89 about the psu, many nice rigs are handicapped by sub par psu's and you don't want yours to be one of them.Other than that it seems to be a good build but I wouldn't call it budget conscious.

 

[VerySneaky]

I definitely agree with blown 89 about the psu, many nice rigs are handicapped by sub par psu's and you don't want yours to be one of them.Other than that it seems to be a good build but I wouldn't call it budget conscious.

This. Also invest in some better fans to keep the air moving through that rig.

 

[LS2GTO]

Not a fan of the Samsung SSDs...have gone through two of them and they still cannot figure out what's causing my issues.

Great customer service I'll give them that, as they keep trying to help me and sending me replacement parts. But like I said, I'm on my 2nd unit and bout to get a 3rd as even the replacement has issues. Although I plan on just selling that thing on craigslist since I'm not going to even bother opening it up and just getting another brand.

What are you doing for CPU cooling? I forget the brand but there are some nice sealed water cooling units for 50-80 bux that worked wonders when overclocking compared to air. And much much quieter and smaller than a big ol' fan on a slab of copper the size of a small melon.

 

[venom_inc]

Not a fan of the Samsung SSDs...have gone through two of them and they still cannot figure out what's causing my issues.

Great customer service I'll give them that, as they keep trying to help me and sending me replacement parts. But like I said, I'm on my 2nd unit and bout to get a 3rd as even the replacement has issues. Although I plan on just selling that thing on craigslist since I'm not going to even bother opening it up and just getting another brand.

What are you doing for CPU cooling? I forget the brand but there are some nice sealed water cooling units for 50-80 bux that worked wonders when overclocking compared to air. And much much quieter and smaller than a big ol' fan on a slab of copper the size of a small melon.

Samsung makes some of the best SSDs on the market. Strange that you went through two already, maybe it's some sort of power issue?

 

[venom_inc]

So it’s been a good eight years since I’ve had a computer system that was able to push the popular gaming titles at the time.
Basically since the Half Life Source Engine came out and I would spend countless hours on CS:S.

For the last year I have had a serious itch to get back into computer gaming with some of the latest titles and the fact that my old HP complete with two whopping gigs of ram and a 7600GS 512 (was tits at the time) is really starting to show it’s age even with simple tasks like web browsing. Albeit smurf/midget porn does take a toll on any system. :banana:

So, goals are to build a rig that is somewhat cost conscious, however will be able to run most titles at ultra settings for the next two years and keep up with graphic demands for at least the next four. Also, I am not going to OC anything but I am getting parts to where that and possibly SLI will be an option in a year or two. I also picked up a DSLR camera recently and have been starting to get into video editing of some self shot stuff.


I know there are some pretty knowledgeable people on here and would like to know if I should tweak anything, where to find it cheaper, or worst case scenario, swap ports due to compatibility issues.
Pictures of the wife’s cans may be in it for any help offered .

Okay, enough of the bs, here are the goodies.

Case- Already purchased. Large for a mid and fans galore.

Processor- Intel I7 4790k $335.00.
Going with the 7 over the 5 due massively improved speeds while running video/photo editing software. Also is going to be relevant for several years.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPRWAX8...TF8&colid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I11R526VKI3SY7


MB- MSI z97 Gaming 5-$125.00
Thought this to be the balanced as far as cost, features, and the ability to go SLI down the road. Plus, it looks sick and will go quite nice with the red/black aesthetics I am going with.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K23BZVI...TF8&colid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I16U9YE4EBIRNS


Graphic card-MSI GTX 970-$333.00
AWWWWWW YEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NN0GEXQ...TF8&colid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I332O8A964S86M

Memory-Kingston Hyperx Fury 16g(2x8g)-$128.00.
Great value/performance. Thought about ripjaws, however when I start overclocking and need a large CPU cooler, the ripjaws are WAYYYYY too tall.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J8E8ZOC...lid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I1TMMZ9LFIN3I2&psc=1

PSU-EVGA Supernova 850W-$93.00.
Will be more than I need now and will be adequate when I SLI in the future.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYK1CC6...lid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I2THUBC9NM71CM&psc=1

Samsung EVO 250GB SSD-$100.00
Going to keep all my games and applications on this badboy.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OAJ412U...lid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I1UX6H9ARY0QOH&psc=1

WD blue 1TB HDD-$55.00.
Going to store music, photos, movies, basically anything that’s not a process.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088PUEPK...TF8&colid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I13LJPE6DYN4X3

An ASUS whatever DVDRW.



Display-ASUS VG248QE $300.00.
24” monitor with a 144hz refresh rate that will be necessary to avoid serious screen tearing while I am getting frame rates that make will make even Stephen Hawking’s pants tight.



I will be running Windows 7 for now until 10 is available.
I am fine with this because it can use all 16 gigs of memory and I absolutely hate Windows 8 with a fiery passion.


Yes, I have checked New Egg for a lot of the components but since I have Amazon Prime, this will save a little in shipping for some of the parts and Amazon is extremely easy to deal with.


If you made it this far, here’s a celebratory shot of some tig ole biddies.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

-Matt

Some quick comments.

The 970 will be able to run everything just fine, no need to worry about that.

The memory, I would see if you can go with 4 x 4gb sticks. It may cost you a bit more but you will be better off.

I think I am reading it right that you bought a mid tower. Never buy a mid tower for a gaming rig. Never. See if you can return it and get a full sized tower.

 

[greenscobie86]

Nice build man. I would wait to see what AMD drops in the next month or so regarding the R9 300 series, also for future proofing DirectX12 is right around the corner and is promised to make things literally 100x faster in some cases so if you can hold out a bit longer you might be slightly better off. What are you doing for cooling the CPU? Are you staying on air or are you going to water cooling? Reason I ask is because youre buying and unlocked processor with a Z97 series mobo, which is pretty much an obligatory combo for overclocking.

 

[kevinatfms]

CPU cooler - Corsair H-75. Awesome sealed water cooling system that fits just about every CPU socket on the market. Great cooling and very quiet. Worth the $100.

Fans - make sure you have cross flow and if possible(going with a fullsize tower as stated above instead of the mid tower) find a case with a vented top or fan equipped top. It will make pulling the hot air out much easier and you can direct all your front airflow over the GPU and HD's.

GPU - ditch the 970 for 2x780's SLI. You will spend more but it will be worth it in sheer power.The 970 is down on memory compared to the listed specs. Search google for it and you will come across a ton of information and the ensuing hilarity that Nvidia is going through with them. Or check out the comparable AMD card that actually uses the amount of VRAM listed in the specs.

rest looks great and should really fly. let us know how it all goes down when you build it. good luck!

 

[LS2GTO]

Samsung makes some of the best SSDs on the market. Strange that you went through two already, maybe it's some sort of power issue?

I know, which is why I chose to pay a premium over others in the first place. My issue lies in the connection somewhere and I've tested everything from new SATA wires, even a whole different computer.

Maybe it's just my luck but 2 in a row had the same exact problem. Maybe I got a refurb one that was returned due to the very same problem.

 

[alicecooper]

You don't need a platinum series PSU, that is just throwing unnecessary money into your build that you don't need. That PSU will be fine if you stick with one card and in some cases two. I have a SeaSonic M12ii 750w bronze with SLI 760s, 2500k @ 4.7ghz, an SSD and 750GB spinning drive with fans and such and it works perfect, no flaws for over 3 years now. The problems you can run into with power supplies is when you start pushing their limits. EVGA makes good products, my next PSU will be their 1000w Supernova because it is affordable, gold rated, and it is made by a reputable company. Also since your in there, might as well get yourself a bigger cooler, they're not expensive and it will save you the hassle later. I would pickup the CoolerMaster Hyper 212+ EVO, have one cooling my Xeon 6 core w3680 in my HTPC at 4ghz no problem. My 2500k is cooled by a push/pull Hyper 212+. Great coolers for only $35. Also I heard about the memory issue with the 970, I am not up to date on it because I am skipping this round of video cards from Nvidia and upgrading to two 290's from AMD, but I don't think it happens to every 970, I would definitely read up on the memory issue though before purchasing. Otherwise solid build, I was going to recommend Crucial SSD's, but they're not on sale right now so go with Samsung.

 

[MattxFatal]

That's a cost conscious build? Damn.

I'd ditch the EVGA power supply for something better like a Seasonic Platinum series. There's no point in putting nice components in the computer only to gimp it with an EVGA power supply. After all, the power supply is the most important part of the build and where you shouldn't skimp.

There's not much point for a large case with a ton of fans either.

Well, it's more about balancing value/budget/performance.
Parts now are so much cheaper than they were ten years ago.
I guess I didn't think I could get so much out of a setup this cheap.

I definitely agree with blown 89 about the psu, many nice rigs are handicapped by sub par psu's and you don't want yours to be one of them.Other than that it seems to be a good build but I wouldn't call it budget conscious.

Man, I thought I had actually done my homework and found one with good reviews too. Then again, it's been a while since I've been in the market.
Would you guys be so kind as to gimmie a few models to check out for around the same price?

Some quick comments.

The 970 will be able to run everything just fine, no need to worry about that.

The memory, I would see if you can go with 4 x 4gb sticks. It may cost you a bit more but you will be better off.

I think I am reading it right that you bought a mid tower. Never buy a mid tower for a gaming rig. Never. See if you can return it and get a full sized tower.

Great suggestion on the memory. I had actually considered that however with Windows 10 around the corner, I figured I would start with 2x8gigs then move to 4x8gigs upon its release.
So I would still apply the multichannel theory AND double the total memory on an OS and MB that can actually hack it.
God, just thinking about this build is giving me a chub.
Personal problem, I know.


As far as the case goes, I picked up a Enermax Ostrog GT ATX Mid Tower - https://www.google.com/search?q=Ene...i57.754j0j1&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8
The case is a beast and has so many positive reviews.
It's got the dual fans in the front, one exhaust in the rear and I just threw a 200mm exhaust fan on top.
That added to my stock clocked CPU cooling fan and stock clocked GPU with dual fans will be more than enough.
It's on the large size for a mid and has excellent cable management so the clutter won't hinder the air moving through.

For the guys kind enough to suggested Overclocking and inquired about the cooler:
I have every plan to OC in a year or two. To be honest, I don't think I will have any need for it as with stock form factor, the rig will be able to push everything hard from the benchmarks and
reviews I have seen. Which is why I want to put these parts together. Stock form factor can run everything that's currently out and in a year or two I can turn up the wick.
So for now, I am using the stock CPU cooler. Already have eyes on the 212 that was mentioned which is why I got a low profile memory like the Fury as opposed to the ripjaws which are like two inches tall.
I'm setting myself up for something sweet now and the ability to keep up in a few years.

Keep the input comin' guys, much appreciated.

 

[MattxFatal]

Found a sweet deal on a EVGA Supernova 1000w GOLD PSU.
On a massive sale for $144, sweet!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CGYCNG2...lid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I1FG211YPS4G1W&psc=1

That's it, pulling the trigger and shedding the cash!

 

[Sladester2]

Put all your parts into pcpartpicker. Will help you see if there are any better deals online.

 

[alicecooper]

Found a sweet deal on a EVGA Supernova 1000w GOLD PSU.
On a massive sale for $144, sweet!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CGYCNG2...lid=2X7DOQFXGZ41F&coliid=I1FG211YPS4G1W&psc=1

That's it, pulling the trigger and shedding the cash!

Sweet deal! I know of a good amount of people running that PSU over on Hardforum. Hope it works out great for you as that is the one I am buying for sure when I upgrade my video cards.