It's one of the "ibuypower" ones, made by nzxt. Havnt found a model number for it hm.
EDIT: apparently it's "Apollo black SECC steel chasis"
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"I Need a New PC!" 2015 Part 1. Read the OP and RISE ABOVE FORGED PRECISION SCIENCE
- Thread starter Hazaro
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It's one of the "ibuypower" ones, made by nzxt. Havnt found a model number for it hm.
EDIT: apparently it's "Apollo black SECC steel chasis"
Get a dremel and cut it out.
diegotristanUK
Neo Member
Need more advice, people.
I am terrible at making purchasing decisions, I was all set on a Fractal Design 650W psu
http://www.dabs.com/products/fractal-design-edison-m-series--650w--power-supply-unit-B39Z.html?q=fractal%20650&src=16 but now I don't now if i'm going for the best PSU for my budget.
Can anyone recommend a good PSU that will be running an i5 4690k and GTX 970?
My budget is about £70/$105 and i'm looking for a 550W-650W PSU.
Thanks,
i'm in the UK btw.
I am terrible at making purchasing decisions, I was all set on a Fractal Design 650W psu
http://www.dabs.com/products/fractal-design-edison-m-series--650w--power-supply-unit-B39Z.html?q=fractal%20650&src=16 but now I don't now if i'm going for the best PSU for my budget.
Can anyone recommend a good PSU that will be running an i5 4690k and GTX 970?
My budget is about £70/$105 and i'm looking for a 550W-650W PSU.
Thanks,
i'm in the UK btw.
brain_stew
Member
You won't find a better PSU for £55, that deal is currently up to 350° heat on HotUKDeals, you've got nothing to worry about. Fantastic choice.
I'd like to throw the Antec TruePower Classic 650W into the ring.
£59.98 at Amazon - absolutely great PSU for the price as long as you're not looking for a modular unit.
£59.98 at Amazon - absolutely great PSU for the price as long as you're not looking for a modular unit.
diegotristanUK
Neo Member
Thanks for the replies, now I don't now which one to go for. 
That Fractal model is actually made by Seasonic so it should be very good, nothing to worry about. Again, it's a good deal, you likely won't find another gold rated semi-modular model for quite as low a price.
PCI-E x16 2.0 is perfectly fine, you won't notice a difference with PCI-E 3.0 as reported in these independent PCI-E tests by TechPowerUp's tests with the GTX 980 and Puget System's tests with the Titan GPU.
diegotristanUK
Neo Member
Ok, thanks guys. Finally made my decision. Fractal it is.
brain_stew
Member
This is absolutely the best you can do. Decent PSU, quad core Intel, Gtx 970 graphics, 8GB RAM and cheaper than buying the parts seperately. No SSD but he'll have to add that later or slightly bump up his budget.
Looking around most prebuilt will make one or more critical compromises at this price point that will severely restrict the life of the machine such as 2GB GPUs, dual core processors or crappy PSUs.
http://www.freshtechsolutions.co.uk...0mhz-gtx-970-4gb-core-computer-gaming-pc.html
I've never used the retailer but that deal is over 1200° on Hotukdeals and they accept PayPal who offer plenty buyer protection so you should be fine.
I think you'd do very well to squeeze a 970 into that budget without making big cuts
elsewhere in the build. For a custom parts list I'd look at something along these lines:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£184.66 @ Ebuyer)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£83.96 @ Scan.co.uk)
Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (£49.00 @ CCL Computers)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£42.45 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card (£167.89 @ Aria PC)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case (£32.86 @ CCL Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (£38.99 @ Novatech)
Total: £599.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
An aftermarket cooler and SSD would be worthwhile additions later on. As far as prebuilts go, perhaps this from DinoPC.
Take out the OS and for £600 (+ postage) you have:
CPU: 4590 (not overclockable)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z97P-D3
RAM: 8Gb Corsair 1600Mhz Vengeance
HDD: 500Gb (One of a few brands)
GPU: GTX 960 (They use a few different brands of cards, you don't know which you'll get)
Case: Corsair Graphite 230T
PSU: 550W Corsair VS
You can see there is some variation from the parts which I'd personally choose, but without building yourself there's always going to be some compromise. Someone else may know of another site which can do better though!
Edit: ...and there, straight away is a 970 prebuilt. Of course!!
I've not heard of the company, but that could be a great deal.
I'm not the biggest fan of the Core 1000 case but that's probably something you could get over for having that system at that price.
elsewhere in the build. For a custom parts list I'd look at something along these lines:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£184.66 @ Ebuyer)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£83.96 @ Scan.co.uk)
Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (£49.00 @ CCL Computers)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£42.45 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card (£167.89 @ Aria PC)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case (£32.86 @ CCL Computers)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (£38.99 @ Novatech)
Total: £599.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
An aftermarket cooler and SSD would be worthwhile additions later on. As far as prebuilts go, perhaps this from DinoPC.
Take out the OS and for £600 (+ postage) you have:
CPU: 4590 (not overclockable)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z97P-D3
RAM: 8Gb Corsair 1600Mhz Vengeance
HDD: 500Gb (One of a few brands)
GPU: GTX 960 (They use a few different brands of cards, you don't know which you'll get)
Case: Corsair Graphite 230T
PSU: 550W Corsair VS
You can see there is some variation from the parts which I'd personally choose, but without building yourself there's always going to be some compromise. Someone else may know of another site which can do better though!
Edit: ...and there, straight away is a 970 prebuilt. Of course!!
I've not heard of the company, but that could be a great deal.
I'm not the biggest fan of the Core 1000 case but that's probably something you could get over for having that system at that price.
SeeNoWeevil
Member
I've had a couple of console generations so completely out of touch, feel like building a purely gaming PC around the 980Ti when it releases. 1080p60 (as 'locked' as humanly possible, 'high' settings, some downscaling where suitable if pos). Mostly new games. Very unlikely I'll ever overclock. Games are removed when they're finished so I imagine a single ~1TB SSD would be fine. Audio will be HDMI to a receiver. Case doesn't need to be overly pretty as it's going behind the TV. I can't see such a system going over £1300-£1400.
Is DDR4 worth it? Is it worth waiting for Broadwell? Anything worth waiting for?
Recommend me some parts, thanks.
Is DDR4 worth it? Is it worth waiting for Broadwell? Anything worth waiting for?
Recommend me some parts, thanks.
DDR4 requires you to be on the enthusiast platform which I'd say is definitely not worth it unless you're going to overclock.
There is always going to be something new on the horizon, and given that you're waiting for the 980Ti many of today's parts will have been replaced with superior hardware by the time the new cards drop. I'd suggest posting in this thread again once the release dates have been announced and you'll get much better performance for your money.
That said, working with today's parts and prices I'd look at something along these lines, there's wiggle room all over the place though.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor (£269.94 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£25.98 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£111.56 @ Scan.co.uk)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (£95.98 @ More Computers)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£149.98 @ Dabs)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card (£490.00 @ Scan.co.uk)
Case: Fractal Design Define Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case (£58.99 @ Amazon UK)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£89.99 @ Novatech)
Total: £1292.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
The 4790k is a great choice if you're not going to overclock because it's already 4Ghz straight out of the box. However because of this it does run quite hot and therefore loud with the stock cooler, so I've put in a 212 EVO.
The Z97 motherboard gives you the option to overclock when you're looking to squeeze out that extra performance (and/or when GAF convinces you to). If you're really set on not doing so you can drop down to a cheaper board here.
16Gb of RAM should cover you for a good while, it's not needed in the majority of games right now, but in this price range it seems a reasonable addition.
If you're uninstalling games once you're done you should really be fine with a 512Gb SSD, even a 256Gb would likely suffice. If you're looking for more space later you always have the option to add a HDD for media or another SSD for games and applications.
I've put in one of the pricier 980s as a place holder for the 980Ti you're planning on grabbing.
Given that you're putting the system behind the TV it's probably best that it stays pretty quiet for watching movies etc. If this isn't so much of a concern you could definitely save money on the case selection, but Fractal cases are really nice to build in and I'd admit that I'm definitely biased and a big fan of their cases.
The power supply is another area where you could probably spend a little less, but the EVGA G2 with its hybrid fan mode is another great silence option and this will give you overhead should you want to SLI in the future. At the moment the 850W version is only £10 more which is probably worth looking at if you're confident that you'd go for 2 GPUs later on.
You will of course need windows and peripherals, I wasn't sure if they were meant to be factored into this budget, but otherwise that's a vague idea for you, hope it helps!
There is always going to be something new on the horizon, and given that you're waiting for the 980Ti many of today's parts will have been replaced with superior hardware by the time the new cards drop. I'd suggest posting in this thread again once the release dates have been announced and you'll get much better performance for your money.
That said, working with today's parts and prices I'd look at something along these lines, there's wiggle room all over the place though.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor (£269.94 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£25.98 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£111.56 @ Scan.co.uk)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (£95.98 @ More Computers)
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£149.98 @ Dabs)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card (£490.00 @ Scan.co.uk)
Case: Fractal Design Define Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case (£58.99 @ Amazon UK)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£89.99 @ Novatech)
Total: £1292.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
The 4790k is a great choice if you're not going to overclock because it's already 4Ghz straight out of the box. However because of this it does run quite hot and therefore loud with the stock cooler, so I've put in a 212 EVO.
The Z97 motherboard gives you the option to overclock when you're looking to squeeze out that extra performance (and/or when GAF convinces you to). If you're really set on not doing so you can drop down to a cheaper board here.
16Gb of RAM should cover you for a good while, it's not needed in the majority of games right now, but in this price range it seems a reasonable addition.
If you're uninstalling games once you're done you should really be fine with a 512Gb SSD, even a 256Gb would likely suffice. If you're looking for more space later you always have the option to add a HDD for media or another SSD for games and applications.
I've put in one of the pricier 980s as a place holder for the 980Ti you're planning on grabbing.
Given that you're putting the system behind the TV it's probably best that it stays pretty quiet for watching movies etc. If this isn't so much of a concern you could definitely save money on the case selection, but Fractal cases are really nice to build in and I'd admit that I'm definitely biased and a big fan of their cases.
The power supply is another area where you could probably spend a little less, but the EVGA G2 with its hybrid fan mode is another great silence option and this will give you overhead should you want to SLI in the future. At the moment the 850W version is only £10 more which is probably worth looking at if you're confident that you'd go for 2 GPUs later on.
You will of course need windows and peripherals, I wasn't sure if they were meant to be factored into this budget, but otherwise that's a vague idea for you, hope it helps!
borborygmus
Member
Awesome, thanks!
brain_stew
Member
Just seen there's an SSD version of that £600 pre built machine for £600:
http://www.freshtechsolutions.co.uk...d-8gb-1600mhz-gtx-970-4gb-core-gaming-pc.html
Go with that one. Just don't install many games until he can afford a HDD or rip a HDD out of an old system for the time being if he has any laying around.
http://www.freshtechsolutions.co.uk...d-8gb-1600mhz-gtx-970-4gb-core-gaming-pc.html
Go with that one. Just don't install many games until he can afford a HDD or rip a HDD out of an old system for the time being if he has any laying around.
Thinking of putting together a new PC.
Uses:
- gaming
- indie game dev / programming
- netflix (at the same time as gaming or programming)
Typical Software:
- Skyrim, LoL, Guild Wars 2, Diablo 3, Civ 5, Witcher 3 (when it comes out)
- Visual Studio, Blender, Netflix
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($26.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($108.03 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($97.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1209.43
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 11:12 EDT-0400
Some concerns:
- I've read the mobo power connection on the chosen power supply is possibly shorter than usual. With the chosen case and mobo will I be running into problems here?
- I have three monitors (all 1080p). They are capable of DVI or HDMI. It looks like the chosen graphics card is capable of supporting this, but I am unsure. Gaming would be on a single monitor with netflix on another.
Thanks for the help.
Uses:
- gaming
- indie game dev / programming
- netflix (at the same time as gaming or programming)
Typical Software:
- Skyrim, LoL, Guild Wars 2, Diablo 3, Civ 5, Witcher 3 (when it comes out)
- Visual Studio, Blender, Netflix
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($26.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($108.03 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($97.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1209.43
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 11:12 EDT-0400
Some concerns:
- I've read the mobo power connection on the chosen power supply is possibly shorter than usual. With the chosen case and mobo will I be running into problems here?
- I have three monitors (all 1080p). They are capable of DVI or HDMI. It looks like the chosen graphics card is capable of supporting this, but I am unsure. Gaming would be on a single monitor with netflix on another.
Thanks for the help.
60EffPeeEss
Member
So, who's got the best R9 290X out there? I've only ever owned an XFX 7870HD so I don't know the reputations of card makers, but my card has been blacking out on screen recently, for a couple of seconds before turning back on, so I'm looking to replace it with a 290.
I have a Sapphire and love it. MSI are good too.
sackboy2197
Member
What exactly would I be missing by buying the N version of Windows 8.1 instead of the regular one? I don't really use Windows Media Player; for video files I use Media Player Classic - Home Cinema, and for music Tomahawk or something similar. Would I be missing something (which couldn't be fixed by just downloading something else)?
HarryDemeanor
Member
The Sapphire Tri-X cooler is probably the best you're going to get in the entire R9 290X line of cards.
Hey guys, I wanted your opinion on this build. Any thoughts? This is my first PC, and I've had some help already but I wanted to get some more opinions on the build.
Your Current Specs: PCPartPicker part list: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/jW32Lk
Price breakdown by merchant: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/jW32Lk/by_merchant/
CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($242.95 @ Vuugo)
Motherboard: MSI H97M-E35 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($78.76 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.70 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Kingston Fury 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.04 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($63.98 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($329.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.98 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Canada Computers)
Total: $991.39
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 12:43 EDT-0400
Budget: No more than $1000, Canadian pricing.
Main Use: Gaming and General Usage will be the highest. No streaming, model work or video editing at all.
Monitor Resolution: Looking at this monitor http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/benq-monitor-gl2460hm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Someone mentioned the build should be able to play most games at 60fps/1080p. For me personally, I would like to play the Witcher 3 at least 30 fps.
Looking to reuse any parts?: All brand new parts. First PC.
When will you build?: Planning for this month.
Will you be overclocking?: No plans to overclock.
Your Current Specs: PCPartPicker part list: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/jW32Lk
Price breakdown by merchant: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/jW32Lk/by_merchant/
CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($242.95 @ Vuugo)
Motherboard: MSI H97M-E35 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($78.76 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.70 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Kingston Fury 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.04 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($63.98 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($329.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.98 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Canada Computers)
Total: $991.39
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 12:43 EDT-0400
Budget: No more than $1000, Canadian pricing.
Main Use: Gaming and General Usage will be the highest. No streaming, model work or video editing at all.
Monitor Resolution: Looking at this monitor http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/benq-monitor-gl2460hm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Someone mentioned the build should be able to play most games at 60fps/1080p. For me personally, I would like to play the Witcher 3 at least 30 fps.
Looking to reuse any parts?: All brand new parts. First PC.
When will you build?: Planning for this month.
Will you be overclocking?: No plans to overclock.
So the processor/motherboard crapped out on my old pc that I'd handed down to my brother in law. What are the cheapest replacements I can get for these that would be compatible with everything else?
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale Dual-Core 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W BX80570E8500 Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115036
ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299
CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C4DHX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145194
COOLER MASTER Real Power Pro RS-750-ACAA-A1 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171024
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
MSI N260GTX-T2D896 OC GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-Bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127361
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale Dual-Core 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W BX80570E8500 Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115036
ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299
CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C4DHX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145194
COOLER MASTER Real Power Pro RS-750-ACAA-A1 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171024
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
MSI N260GTX-T2D896 OC GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-Bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127361
I would say later on you should look into manual over clocking it as atm you may not be getting the best overclock or may be using too much voltage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBfXruwe8w4&ab_channel=LinusTechTips
Gpu overclocking is a lot easier. Just grab something like MSI afterburner. Unigine Heaven or Valley benchmarks. Up the core and memory by small increments then load up one of the benchmarking software's, tweak the settings with stuff that will push the GPU but not too crazy
click run and watch to see if there are any artifacts on screen or if the driver crashes which usually results in your screen going blank for a second.SeeNoWeevil
Member
That's excellent, thankyou.
Gemüsepizza
Member
I had a strange graphic glitch in BF4, Operation Metro (R9 290 with Mantle):
Is this a problem with my GPU or with the game? Sorry for bad quality pic, couldn't figure out quick enough how to make a screenshot in a Mantle game, so I had to use my phone. I guess I will switch to DX11 for now and take a closer look at GPU temps etc... Haven't seen this in other games yet, and it's only in this area of the map.
Is this a problem with my GPU or with the game? Sorry for bad quality pic, couldn't figure out quick enough how to make a screenshot in a Mantle game, so I had to use my phone. I guess I will switch to DX11 for now and take a closer look at GPU temps etc... Haven't seen this in other games yet, and it's only in this area of the map.
There are a couple of changes I'd make in terms of parts selection, and I'll explain why.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($26.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-E ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Avexir Core Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($101.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX200 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Toshiba Product Series
T01ACA 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($46.99 @ NCIX US) Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0 Video Card ($329.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($97.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1175.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 18:42 EDT-0400
1. If you're going to go with a K model overclockable processor, I recommend pairing it with a more capable Z97 motherboard. H97 is meant to be paired with non-K models as a slightly less capable motherboard with limited to no overclocking options.
2. Cheaper yet faster RAM.
3. The Crucial MX200 offers similar performance but for a slightly lower price. Same with the Toshiba 1TB drive.
4. The EVGA GTX 970 SSC is clocked slightly faster (1.19GHz vs 1.14GHz) than the MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G and has a similar feature set for $10 cheaper.
5. The EVGA Supernova GS 650 watt model is cheaper yet higher wattage. If you're wondering about quality, the Supernova GS lineup is actually manufactured by Seasonic, and PCPer quite liked it.
As for your questions:
1. The Seasonic G 550 watt model's motherboard and CPU power cables are both 540mm long. The EVGA model I recommended for you has a 600mm long motherboard power cable and a 650mm long CPU power cable. That should be more that sufficient.
2. The GTX 970 has no problem supporting triple monitors, but here's the one issue that I can see - the EVGA model I recommended you has 1xDVI, 1xHDMI, and 3xDP. The MSI model you chose on the other hand has 2xDVI and 1xHDMI. To save yourself the trouble of getting a displayport to HDMI/DVI adaptor, you could just go with the MSI GTX 970.
Both of these seem to be the same price here (canada) but the cougar's colors are better. I guess thats a decent option then?
One more thing as well. I'll be using this fan as a bottom intake. Right now there is a PSU cover at the bottom which is basically blocking half of the fan mounting area. If I install the fan at the bottom and dont remove the cover, would this affect the case's airflow a lot? This is a sample picture with the cover removed (not mine)
Not bad, but there are still a few ways to maximize what you get for what you pay. Here's what I'd go for.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.95 @ NCIX)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($61.50 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($74.00 @ Vuugo)
Storage: Kingston Fury 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.04 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Canada Computers)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card ($403.75 @ Vuugo)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Memory Express)
Power Supply: Cooler Master 650W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $998.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 19:27 EDT-0400
1. For your purposes I think the i5 4460 is a more cost effective processor. In terms of specs it is only about 5% lesser performing and you can see what kind of difference you'll get in gaming framerate from this XBit Labs test that includes the i5 4460 and the i5 4590.
2. The cheaper motherboard is a cost savings choice. The B85 model motherboard should be adequate for your needs.
3. I found slightly cheaper 1600MHz RAM. With the more compact motherboard, 1x8GB is preferable as it gives you room to add more RAM in the future.
4. With the money saved, I was able to move you up to the Gigabyte GTX 970 Windforce. It should be a somewhat more capable than the R9 290 you were looking at, especially in regards to running games at 60FPS (possibly including the Witcher 3). This will make a bigger difference for games than the processor will, so I expect the i5 4460 with a GTX 970 to outperform the i5 4590 with an R9 290.
5. I changed the case to better match the smaller motherboard.
6. For the same cost as the EVGA 600 watt power supply, there's a Cooler Master 650 watt modular model. In terms of quality it shouldn't be that far different.
if you want to save money instead of opting for better parts, then switch the GTX 970 out for the R9 290 and the build will cost roughly $900 CAD. Dropping the SSD is also an option.
I'm sort of unsure about the SSD. It's nice to have an SSD, but it doesn't affect gaming framerate in the slightest, it just improves loading times. I'd consider dropping the SSD so you could have an overclockable i5 processor instead, which will have a longer useful like than both the i5 4460/4590.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($275.00 @ Canada Computers)
Motherboard: Asus Z97-E ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($69.88 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Canada Computers)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card ($403.75 @ Vuugo)
Case: Cooler Master K280 ATX Mid Tower Case ($46.37 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $1014.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 19:46 EDT-0400
That's the absolute best I can do for an i5 4690K and a GTX 970. It's just above your budget, it seems.
ColonialRaptor
Member
I find the current situation with pc hardware a bit despairing. I used to love selling my pc and upgrading every year to the biggest fastest and best but I haven't felt the need to upgrade for roughly 3 years and I don't see anything coming any time soon that would make me upgrade.
Do any of you other pc enthusiasts think we've hit the ceiling for current tech? I honestly do. I really thought we'd be seeing 32 and 64 core cpu's by now because multi threading was the only way to gain performance but alas, nope no software really takes advantage of multithreaded stuff.
Then there's graphene based cpu's that seem to be taking way longer than I expected to be built because it will result in the manufacturers having to change their methods completely... But it's the only way to make the new big jump we need.
I mean moore's law has been broken for almost 4 years now right??
Do any of you other pc enthusiasts think we've hit the ceiling for current tech? I honestly do. I really thought we'd be seeing 32 and 64 core cpu's by now because multi threading was the only way to gain performance but alas, nope no software really takes advantage of multithreaded stuff.
Then there's graphene based cpu's that seem to be taking way longer than I expected to be built because it will result in the manufacturers having to change their methods completely... But it's the only way to make the new big jump we need.
I mean moore's law has been broken for almost 4 years now right??
Well we've been getting double the power
for the same energy
Thanks for the help!
My only remaining question is who is Avexir? I never heard of this brand of memory before.
Edit: Also PC Part Picker gives a compatibility warning with that ram. I'm assuming this would be okay?
Avexir is a lesser known brand that was established not that long ago, less than ten years ago. It's a Chinese company. They have a lifetime warranty, so at least that's fine. I haven't heard anything negative about the brand and honestly there aren't any brands for RAM that I'd actually avoid, so it seems safe enough to recommend. The price is good, the next cheapest kit of 2x8GB 2400MHz RAM that I can recommend is $115. There is 2x8GB Corsair Vengeance Pro 2400MHz RAM for $110, but it wouldn't fit very well under the heatsink as it comes with very tall heatspreaders.
If you prefer a better known brand and don't mind going with a slightly slower speed rating, there's this 2x8GB kit of G.Skill 1866MHz RAM for $100. It's just a $2 difference, though.
As for the 1.65V voltage warning, that's not really an issue. All DDR3 RAM above 2133MHz has to operate at higher voltages to meet higher speeds. While technically out of spec it is still safe to run, the RAM might just be a few degrees warmer. As long as your case has adequate ventilation, it's a non-issue. Puget Systems tested high and low voltage RAM at equivalent speed and the temperature difference was a difference of a few degrees at worst but still well below any worry of overheating.
m_shortpants
Member
Anyone else here have a NZXT S340? My front 3.5mm jack is super tight, I have to use a lot of force to get my headphones in there. :\
Iacobellis
Junior Member
I own one, white model if that matters. My headphone port is fine, but I've sometimes noticed very faint white noise if I don't have any audio playing.
I'd like some help/insight into my currently planned build. In particular, I have yet to decide on a CPU cooler and power supply.
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($0.00)
CPU Cooler: RAIJINTEK PALLAS 56.5 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($31.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! PURE ROCK 87.0 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($33.99 @ NCIX US)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($6.79 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z97I-PLUS Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($141.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($160.00)
Case: Thermaltake Core V1 Mini ITX Tower Case ($34.99 @ Micro Center)
Total: $462.24
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 22:34 EDT-0400
*The processor will be purchased on accommodation and I cannot publicly divulge my expense. RAM (16GB 1600MHz) and SSD(500GB) have been purchased but are not listed. The GTX 960 was purchased at the price listed via more conventional means.
According to PCPP, I'm looking at an estimated wattage of around 300W. I would like a reliable, cost effective power supply with sufficient overhead for overclocking if I choose to do so in the future. It seems that the Corsair CX series is a popular choice, but understand that popularity doesn't always translate into best performance-to-dollar.
The two coolers I have listed were chosen due to their performance in numerous reviews. They seem to offer similar benefit and a similar cost with extremely different form factors. They're outperformed by a few Noctuas that are able to fit inside the Core V1, but their gains over the two above don't seem to justify their premium. I'm also open to other recommendations, but do not wish to delve into water cooling.
I'm set on the Z97I-Plus at this point. The Core V1 is almost assured, but I'm still considering the 250D as well.
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($0.00)
CPU Cooler: RAIJINTEK PALLAS 56.5 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($31.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! PURE ROCK 87.0 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($33.99 @ NCIX US)
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 3.5g Thermal Paste ($6.79 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z97I-PLUS Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($141.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.49 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($160.00)
Case: Thermaltake Core V1 Mini ITX Tower Case ($34.99 @ Micro Center)
Total: $462.24
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-02 22:34 EDT-0400
*The processor will be purchased on accommodation and I cannot publicly divulge my expense. RAM (16GB 1600MHz) and SSD(500GB) have been purchased but are not listed. The GTX 960 was purchased at the price listed via more conventional means.
According to PCPP, I'm looking at an estimated wattage of around 300W. I would like a reliable, cost effective power supply with sufficient overhead for overclocking if I choose to do so in the future. It seems that the Corsair CX series is a popular choice, but understand that popularity doesn't always translate into best performance-to-dollar.
The two coolers I have listed were chosen due to their performance in numerous reviews. They seem to offer similar benefit and a similar cost with extremely different form factors. They're outperformed by a few Noctuas that are able to fit inside the Core V1, but their gains over the two above don't seem to justify their premium. I'm also open to other recommendations, but do not wish to delve into water cooling.
I'm set on the Z97I-Plus at this point. The Core V1 is almost assured, but I'm still considering the 250D as well.
whoa had no idea mechanical HDDs had a noise setting called AAM that you can change from loud/faster (default to most HDDs) to slower/quiet. you lose a bit of performance but they are so much slower then SSDs it doesn't really matter IMO. only my 7200RPM that used to be my OS drive is loud but i set both my fat HDDs to slow/quiet. i was actually searching for my louder HDD to see if people had similar problems and someone suggested using AAM to quiet it.
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/system_tools/misc_system_tools/winaam.cfm
HDDs and the power supply are the loudest parts of my build and i have a new PSU on that way w/ a fanless mode on low loads (EVGA). i kinda skimped out w/ only 550W but its a reputable brand + i think it will support most single GPUs in the future (at least i hope so)
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/system_tools/misc_system_tools/winaam.cfm
HDDs and the power supply are the loudest parts of my build and i have a new PSU on that way w/ a fanless mode on low loads (EVGA). i kinda skimped out w/ only 550W but its a reputable brand + i think it will support most single GPUs in the future (at least i hope so)
I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE I WILL BE JOINING YOU PCGAF SOON!
I just ordered my parts, and since then, I am feeling nauseous how excited I am.
This will be my first time putting together my own rig from scratch! This is huge for me! I had finally saved up up enough to take the plunge to be current (even if just for a bit).
I just ordered my parts, and since then, I am feeling nauseous how excited I am.
This will be my first time putting together my own rig from scratch! This is huge for me! I had finally saved up up enough to take the plunge to be current (even if just for a bit).
OMFG IM SO EXCITED. I NEED TO RELAX. I dont feel.... so... good.. :c
I'm not really knowledgeable about low profile air coolers, but I can say that all-in-one water cooling kits are extremely easy to install. All you need to do is mount the radiator on the case and then mount the pump on top of the CPU. I am sure that a cheap water cooler in the less than $50 range such as these would outperform all of those low profile air coolers, especially if you intend to overclock that 4790K. HardOCP has actually done some investigation with water cooling in the Thermaltake Core V1.
As for the PSU, I can recommend the EVGA Supernova GS 550 watt model ($55 after $20 rebate). It's a new model released this year, made by Seasonic so it's decently high quality, and comes with flat modular cabling which should be nice in a small case like the Core V1. It'll power everything you have in that parts list just fine although if you ever plan to upgrade to a more powerful graphics card, I'd recommend 650 watts.
charlequin
Banned
Okay, I'm looking to put together a slightly smaller, mid-range system here. Y'all were super helpful when I built my own box a couple years ago, so thanks in advance. This is my first draft:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($163.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($55.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial BX100 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($169.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: PNY GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Node 804 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($98.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: ViewSonic VA2246M-LED 60Hz 22.0" Monitor ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1057.75
This is for my wife, who's currently without a PC at all. The goal is something not too huge (my system is a Fractal Define and she boggles at its size, lol) that can be used for moderate gaming (last couple games were Skyrim and DA:I if that's any indication), no overclocking or anything too fancy. My questions are basically:
1) Can I aim to get even smaller? The size of the Node 304 is very appealing, but I wasn't sure how much I'd actually be sacrificing going down to an ITX, or how hard it'd be to fit normal GPUs in.
2) Is there something cheaper I should be looking at for a video card? A few people (*coughnirolakcough*) have strongly suggested sticking to 4GB even for a lower/mid build just because of how current-gen console ports will work out. I'd prefer to avoid AMD.
3) Just in general how close is this to a good spot on price/performance at the moment? Is there any other big cost savings I'm missing here?
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($163.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($55.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial BX100 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($169.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: PNY GeForce GTX 960 4GB Video Card ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Node 804 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($98.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: ViewSonic VA2246M-LED 60Hz 22.0" Monitor ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $1057.75
This is for my wife, who's currently without a PC at all. The goal is something not too huge (my system is a Fractal Define and she boggles at its size, lol) that can be used for moderate gaming (last couple games were Skyrim and DA:I if that's any indication), no overclocking or anything too fancy. My questions are basically:
1) Can I aim to get even smaller? The size of the Node 304 is very appealing, but I wasn't sure how much I'd actually be sacrificing going down to an ITX, or how hard it'd be to fit normal GPUs in.
2) Is there something cheaper I should be looking at for a video card? A few people (*coughnirolakcough*) have strongly suggested sticking to 4GB even for a lower/mid build just because of how current-gen console ports will work out. I'd prefer to avoid AMD.
3) Just in general how close is this to a good spot on price/performance at the moment? Is there any other big cost savings I'm missing here?
Thanks! Ease of installation nor cost isn't my reservation with water cooling, though.
And yes, I will upgrade the graphics card when opportune. I set an entry point with a few models and the cheapest one happened to be what became available first. It will do what I need it to in the immediate term and, for what I paid, I'll be able to unload it on the used market at minimal loss.
Ah, in that case you should go for 650 watts. I forgot to link the 650 watt version of that power supply in my last post.
EVGA Supernova GS 650 watts for $65 after $20 rebate
Here's my version of your build revised for the mITX form factor and with some cost improvements.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($167.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($26.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($72.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($48.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($169.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($224.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Node 304 (White) Mini ITX Tower Case ($81.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($86.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer G247HL bid 60Hz 24.0" Monitor ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1055.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-03 00:23 EDT-0400
1. Went with the newer i5 4460, the i5 4440 is the older model than the 4460 basically replaces.
2. With the money saved elsewhere, I was able to add a CPU cooler. You don't necessarily need one, but the 212 Evo should prove much quieter than the stock Intel cooler as well as keeping temperatures lower.
3. With the smaller motherboard, 1x8GB of RAM is preferable because you will be able to add another stick of 8GB for a total of 16GB in the future. The loss of dual channel mode for memory is not as important as leaving room open for more RAM. Tests have shown that dual channel mode means little for gaming performance, and recent games like GTAV will be somewhat constrained if the system only has 8GB of RAM.
4. The EVGA GTX 960 SSC ACX2.0+ 4GB is slightly clocked faster (1.28GHz vs 1.14GHz) yet cheaper than the PNY model you had listed. The EVGA model also has a zero fan speed mode when at low temperatures to keep noise levels down. The PNY model has a blower-type cooler which does keep the case's internal temperatures down by forcing all of the warm air out of the case, but it does generate more noise and doesn't quite cool down the GPU itself as effectively as the EVGA's open type cooler.
5. I found a slightly larger 24" monitor for the same price. Not sure if you had your mind set on the first monitor.
As for your questions:
1. You won't be sacrificing any performance going with mITX, and the Fractal Node 304 case you mentioned is capable of fitting dual-slot graphics cards up to 310mm which should cover the majority of graphics cards out there. There are very few graphics cards that are longer than 310mm, so there's little to worry about.
2. I can understand the advice recommending more than 2GB of VRAM. Recent games will already go over 2GB of VRAM usage at higher graphics settings on 1080p. Well if you prefer to avoid AMD, then there's not much else in terms of choice if you're looking at . Otherwise I'd recommend the R9 290 which has 4GB VRAM and can be had for as low as $240 or less. Performance-wise the R9 290 ranks somewhat below the GTX 970 and should be quite a lot faster than the GTX 960, which is on par with the R9 280/285.
3. There are a few ways to further cut costs like opting for a cheaper H81/B85 motherboard and the mATX form factor. Some people including myself will recommend the R9 290 or 280X instead for somewhat better cost-to-performance ratio. Others will say you should opt for the overclockable i5 4690K instead, as the extra cost now means the CPU and overall PC will have a longer useful life by a year or two.
If you're looking to cut costs even further, then consider a smaller SSD paired with a 1TB hard drive instead of the 500GB SSD. The 500GB BX100 for $170 is a nice price, but it still wouldn't be as cheap as a 128/256GB SSD (BX100 at $65/$100) with a normal hard drive (1TB for $50) for extra storage. Also, you can forgo the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo heatsink, and perhaps look at similar sized cases at a lower price like the following models:
Cooler Master Elite 130
Cooler Master Elite 120
Cooler Master HAF Stacker 915F
However, your build as it is now isn't bad, it's actually got a premium feel to it (small form factor, Fractal case, good power supply, more efficient and low noise graphics card, etc). The small form factor Node 304 is more expensive than some conventional-sized PC tower cases. In the past, I've been able to recommend somewhat more capable gaming PCs (i5 4690K+R9 290) for around $800 without a monitor, but they don't come close in terms of compactness or low noise.
Also, Windows 7/8.1 licenses can be bought from reddit's microsoftsoftwareswap for $20 or less. These are most likely legitimate keys that are resold from educational programs like Technet or Dreamspark. However, you are dealing with a person instead of a retailer, and informal Windows keys sales are unapproved by Microsoft and probably breaking some licensing agreement to be clear, but it's not illegal. The risks involved are that the person could be selling you a fake or used key, or that Microsoft may deactivate your license and refuse to reactivate it, although it's somewhat unlikely, usually only if the seller and their list of sold keys was caught. We've had people here using those keys without issues for a long time and others who say Microsoft deactivated their key after several months.
BigTnaples
Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
So once I popped I couldn't stop.
Cooler Master HAF 932 Advanced - High Air Flow Full Tower Computer Case with USB 3.0 and All-Black Interior
This case on the way.
Hopefully I can actual get it looking nice. Always been a mess cable wise.
Cooler Master HAF 932 Advanced - High Air Flow Full Tower Computer Case with USB 3.0 and All-Black Interior
This case on the way.
Hopefully I can actual get it looking nice. Always been a mess cable wise.
Thanks. Anything you can recommend with an established track record, though? I'm trying to stick with components that have well-documented user experiences. (save for the CPU cooler since all the popular ones that fit in the V1 seem to be mediocre)
Sure, here are some well-priced older models that have been on the market for a few years:
XFX XTR Series 550 watt gold rated fully modular for $62 after $20 rebate
Antec HCG 620 watt bronze rated semi-modular for $65 after $20 rebate
EVGA Supernova G1 650 watt gold rated fully modular for $65 after $20 rebate
There are other more popular models, we generally don't recommend them often for some reasoning (high cost or other technically superior power supplies available).
Corsair CX600M 600 watts bronze rated semi-modular for around $60 - extremely popular model with hundreds of user reviews with a very high proportion of positive scores. We usually recommend other models instead because the CX line appears to be a budget product line and seems not able to take higher temperatures well (admittedly not a big deal for most users)
Various Raidmax models, etc, why don't I just link you to all of the 600~700 watt power supplies on Newegg sorted by 'most reviews'.
I can understand why you're interested in user reviews. Professional reviews don't indicate problems that appear later on or are evident during mass production like faulty fans or hidden design flaws.
- Status