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[Sanic]

I'm having a bit of an internal struggle at the moment, and i'd like to turn to GAF for advice.

I have a PS4 on preorder, but i'm increasingly feeling like blowing $400 on that when there are already 5+ Wii U games i'll be getting is a bit of a waste, especially when everything i'm interested in is coming to PC as well.

Right now I have a pretty average build. 660ti 2gb, old AMD CPU (840 x4 from early 2011) 16gb ram. I want a new case and SSD as well, and my power supply is probably getting close to failing on me (over 5 years old) so I was planning on doing a new build from scratch in the fall of 2014, once things have settled down with the new consoles and I can see what kind of specs ill need to really push things. But, as mentioned above, i'm just not feeling the time and value of a PS4 so i'm curious as to what everyone would think of taking that $400 and putting it towards enhancing my current pc?

I guess i'm a bit tired of playing the upgrading game, and want something that I can really push for a couple of years. Could I salvage something like that out of what I have now? I understand i'm not really asking a specific questions, but i'm wondering if anyone is in the same boat as I. Nobody can answer for sure, but I don't want to have to upgrade again in two years in order to get console quality gfx/performance.

 

[Azulsky]

I'm having a bit of an internal struggle at the moment, and i'd like to turn to GAF for advice.

I have a PS4 on preorder, but i'm increasingly feeling like blowing $400 on that when there are already 5+ Wii U games i'll be getting is a bit of a waste, especially when everything i'm interested in is coming to PC as well.

Right now I have a pretty average build. 660ti 2gb, old AMD CPU (840 x4 from early 2011) 16gb ram. I want a new case and SSD as well, and my power supply is probably getting close to failing on me (over 5 years old) so I was planning on doing a new build from scratch in the fall of 2014, once things have settled down with the new consoles and I can see what kind of specs ill need to really push things. But, as mentioned above, i'm just not feeling the time and value of a PS4 so i'm curious as to what everyone would think of taking that $400 and putting it towards enhancing my current pc?

I guess i'm a bit tired of playing the upgrading game, and want something that I can really push for a couple of years. Could I salvage something like that out of what I have now? I understand i'm not really asking a specific questions, but i'm wondering if anyone is in the same boat as I. Nobody can answer for sure, but I don't want to have to upgrade again in two years in order to get console quality gfx/performance.

You want my opinion on the consoles? Dont buy it at launch. Wait for a few killer games(KH3, FFXV, MGS) to come out

I would wait and get a new rig instead of upgrading your current hardware.

The OP has good builds put together. In general its holding true that for $1k you can put together a computer that will play most things on high using 1080p resolution, and those should last 2-3 years without a hassle. This is becoming more true because certain hardware types like CPU's are getting only slightly improved each generation.

 

[kennah]

I need a quick answer, GAF!

I'm building my wife an ITX computer because she's going to start working from home, and for this she would like dual monitors. Can I do a dual-monitor setup without using a graphics card?

Right now it's an i5 Haswell with a single DVI in the back of the ITX motherboard. Can I just got a DVI splitter and I'm good to go, or will I need some sort of graphics card?

Gracias.


Here's the motherboard if that helps:
http://www.microcenter.com/product/417349/GA-Z87N-WIFI_LGA_1150_mini_ITX_Intel_Motehrboard

2x HDMI. Would that do it?

You don't want a dvi splitter. But an hdmi to dvi cable would work just fine.

 

[Celcius]

Dell has Pixel Perfect guarantee for the Ultrasharp series.

"Premium Panel Guarantee: Receive a free panel exchange should you experience a single bright pixel on your monitor." - Looks like it doesn't cover dead pixels.

 

[Zaph]

Let's say you want to buy a new monitor and you need the screen to be perfect - zero tolerance for dead/stuck/bright pixels. Any recommendation for shops with policies like this or that will let you pay extra for the guarantee?

Dell has Pixel Perfect guarantee for the Ultrasharp series.

"Premium Panel Guarantee: Receive a free panel exchange should you experience a single bright pixel on your monitor." - Looks like it doesn't cover dead pixels.

If you're dropping the cash for a semi-pro monitor, I'd definitely recommend finding a local retailer that offers a separate dead pixel check.

When I bought my Dell U2713HM, I paid £20 extra. For that they open the box, manually check the monitor, and if a dead pixel is found, move on to the next one.

Nearly a year and not a single dead pixel *touch wood*.

 

[Sanic]

You want my opinion on the consoles? Dont buy it at launch. Wait for a few killer games(KH3, FFXV, MGS) to come out

Right, and that's a big part of it for me. But then as mentioned I feel like I would need to do an upgrade on my PC because i'm fairly confident that I won't get console quality graphics/performance combo for games like Battlefield 4. I want that "next-gen" quality come November, one way or another. You wouldn't recommend slapping a cpu and ssd in with my build, in that case? I know there's not a right or wrong answer here, which makes this all the more frustrating. I'm simply tired of not being able to get a locked 60 in freakin' Borderlands 2 or Skyrim at almost any settings at this point

 

[kidko]

Right, and that's a big part of it for me. But then as mentioned I feel like I would need to do an upgrade on my PC because i'm fairly confident that I won't get console quality graphics/performance combo for games like Battlefield 4. I want that "next-gen" quality come November, one way or another. You wouldn't recommend slapping a cpu and ssd in with my build, in that case? I know there's not a right or wrong answer here, which makes this all the more frustrating. I'm simply tired of not being able to get a locked 60 in freakin' Borderlands 2 or Skyrim at almost any settings at this point

Sounds to me like you should replace your core components. cpu/mobo/ram/gpu. if you have a case, psu and drive, great use them until they break. you can upgrade to ssd later because that's not going to help toward your fps goal.

Look at the OP and figure out how much you're willing to spend. You'll be really happy with a $500 spend i bet.

 

[Tonezorz]

I feel a little silly asking, but should I be worried about the Gigabyte 7950 sagging under it's own weight towards the back end of the card? It's semi-substantial I feel. There are tiny holes where you can see (pins?) of the PCIE port pulled downward under the stress.

Just curious. I'm sure these things are build for this after all.

 

[kharma45]

Tech Report are 22TB into their SSD endurance test, few points so far

• "Surprisingly, the HyperX SSDs got a lot faster in the random read speed test. You shouldn't need to break in an SSD before it starts delivering peak performance, but the Kingston drives apparently didn't kick into high gear right away. The Intel 335 Series uses the same SandForce controller as the HyperX drives; it also had higher random read performance after 22TB, although only by 8%. Perhaps we're looking at a quirk of the controller or its associated firmware."
  
  
  
  
  
  [*]840 Pro seems to be oddly slow
  
  
  
  
  

 

[Sanic]

Sounds to me like you should replace your core components. cpu/mobo/ram/gpu. if you have a case, psu and drive, great use them until they break. you can upgrade to ssd later because that's not going to help toward your fps goal.

Look at the OP and figure out how much you're willing to spend. You'll be really happy with a $500 spend i bet.

Your 660ti is pretty much on par with my radeon 7950, which runs bf3 and other games at 60fps @ 1080p. As for your ram, is it ddr3? If so all you really would need is a new cpu and mobo. You can replace the psu if you feel its needed as well

DDR3, yeah. SSD I would like to grab with everything else so I can do a fresh instalation of Windows sooner rather than later.

But I appreciate the input. CPU/mobo/SSD would def come first, and then maybe a year down the line a GPU upgrade can keep my solid for awhile. I just need to be really confident that an ivy bridge cpu can still go toe-to-toe with the consoles down the line.

 

[NJStateOfMind]

Hey so I got all my parts and I'm currently building my new pc. and I think I'm almost done but I got a quick question. The case I got is a Fractal Design Define R4 and it has these 4 cables that come from the front but I don't know where I plug them into. This is what they look like.



Are they necessary?

 

[Foofaraw]

Looking to upgrade my computer, but not sure where to start

CPU AMD Athlon II X3 455 Rana 3.3GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core
GPU HD6850
MoBo: ASRock 770 EXTREME3 AM3
RAM DDR3 2X2 GB
PSU: Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power ATX12V
Case: Antec 300 Illusion
HardDrive: 1 Terabyte (not ssd)

I have no idea where to begin with upgrading as I bought this in 2010. I feel like I am getting low frame rates and on overall bad look in Dark Souls and FFXIV. I would like to be able to run stuff at 60FPS if possible. I currently have a 1440 X 900 native monitor, but I need to upgrade that as it has a mass of dead pixels in the middle. This is not associated with my upgrade cost at this time.

Budget is around $400 for upgrades, but I can see if I can't expand that a little. I am trying to decide if I should upgrade some parts or get a PS4 instead.

Edit: Also would that $130 HD 7850 recently posted be a good choice if I only had time for one upgrade now? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131473

 

[TheD]

Don't the USB wireless generally have pretty bad range in comparison to the dedicated ones.

That is only true for the ones with internal antennas.

 

[RSTEIN]

Hey so I got all my parts and I'm currently building my new pc. and I think I'm almost done but I got a quick question. The case I got is a Fractal Design Define R4 and it has these 4 cables that come from the front but I don't know where I plug them into. This is what they look like.



Are they necessary?

Open the front door. See the switch at the top right with three settings? It's to control fan speed. Those wires are there for you to plug your fans into. Once connected, you can manually adjust their speed with the switch. You need to plug the molex into the PSU for it to work.

I take it you've connected the two fans into the motherboard? That's perfectly fine. If you want to add some more fans, you're going to have to use the connectors. Just place the wires out of the way behind the motherboard if you don't want to use them.

 

[Azulsky]

Hey so I got all my parts and I'm currently building my new pc. and I think I'm almost done but I got a quick question. The case I got is a Fractal Design Define R4 and it has these 4 cables that come from the front but I don't know where I plug them into. This is what they look like.


Are they necessary?

These are all fan controller bits.

Those Shrouded Male terminations are for your chassis fans. You plug your fans directly into them and plug the 4 pin power cable into your PSU and you can use the fan controller instead of BIOS settings.

You dont have to use them.

 

[NJStateOfMind]

Open the front door. See the switch at the top right with three settings? It's to control fan speed. Those wires are there for you to plug your fans into. Once connected, you can manually adjust their speed with the switch. You need to plug the molex into the PSU for it to work.

I take it you've connected the two fans into the motherboard? That's perfectly fine. If you want to add some more fans, you're going to have to use the connectors. Just place the wires out of the way behind the motherboard if you don't want to use them.

yeah i got the 2 fans connected to the motherboard. so i only need those connectors if i put more fans in?.

These are all fan controller bits.

Those Shrouded Male terminations are for your chassis fans. You plug your fans directly into them and plug the 4 pin power cable into your PSU and you can use the fan controller instead of BIOS settings.

You dont have to use them.

ok thanks.

 

[RSTEIN]

yeah i got the 2 fans connected to the motherboard. so i only need those connectors if i put more fans in?.

Well you can move the two fans you have now from the motherboard to the fan controller if you want to. It gives you direct, on the fly control. As the other poster said, if you connect them to the controller you don't have to go through BIOS to change their RPM.

If you're not overclocking or don't have any temperature issues, just leave them connected to the motherboard.

 

[Azulsky]

Remember to leave the CPU fan plugged into the motherboard

 

[kennah]

Looking to upgrade my computer, but not sure where to start

CPU AMD Athlon II X3 455 Rana 3.3GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core
GPU HD6850
MoBo: ASRock 770 EXTREME3 AM3
RAM DDR3 2X2 GB
PSU: Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power ATX12V
Case: Antec 300 Illusion
HardDrive: 1 Terabyte (not ssd)

I have no idea where to begin with upgrading as I bought this in 2010. I feel like I am getting low frame rates and on overall bad look in Dark Souls and FFXIV. I would like to be able to run stuff at 60FPS if possible. I currently have a 1440 X 900 native monitor, but I need to upgrade that as it has a mass of dead pixels in the middle. This is not associated with my upgrade cost at this time.

Budget is around $400 for upgrades, but I can see if I can't expand that a little. I am trying to decide if I should upgrade some parts or get a PS4 instead.

Edit: Also would that $130 HD 7850 recently posted be a good choice if I only had time for one upgrade now? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131473

Not sure how huge an upgrade you could get for $400. My gut is saying get a 760 and an SSD. But I think you might be better off waiting a little longer and saving more.

 

[statham]

Think I want to change out my router too, can I get any recommendations for wireless routers?

 

[Azulsky]

Hmmm starting to think that I either need to delid or i fucked up the H100i install somehow.


Prime 95 is showing a 12C difference between Core 0 and 3 (90 and 78 respectively).

Everyone is putting the Cool Labs stuff on the die. Should I just put it on the IHS too?

Whats the difference between Pro and Ultra?

 

[Tonezorz]

Its fine, mine's like that, never had issues. These cards are just soo massive lol

Ok, Thanks. I tend to be a little paranoid about things that just "don't look right".

 

[Ripclawe]

I was looking into building a new pc and my usual M.O. for years was to check Newegg and the reviews and usually get a 80-100 motherboard (Intel) based on reviews where the general consensus was good to great.

Just went checking and the budget boards from Asus, Gigabyte which I usually buy seem to be good to it sucks. Has there been a drop in quality in budget motherboards of late or just newegg reviewers getting more picky?

 

[NJStateOfMind]

Well you can move the two fans you have now from the motherboard to the fan controller if you want to. It gives you direct, on the fly control. As the other poster said, if you connect them to the controller you don't have to go through BIOS to change their RPM.

If you're not overclocking or don't have any temperature issues, just leave them connected to the motherboard.

Well I got everything up and running and temperatures seem fine. I havent tried any games yet though.
I did plan on overclocking but I'm guessing I should get a few more fans for the case first before i do that?

 

[Hazaro]

Hmmm starting to think that I either need to delid or i fucked up the H100i install somehow.


Prime 95 is showing a 12C difference between Core 0 and 3 (90 and 78 respectively).
Normal

Everyone is putting the Cool Labs stuff on the die. Should I just put it on the IHS too?
NO

Whats the difference between Pro and Ultra?
$3

Yeah that's a tad warm for a H100

 

[Haly]

How the hell do I install extra case fans on my Fractal R4? I bought some CM 140mm fans and they came with screws but the screws don't fit into the holes around the fan but they do fit in the holes around the case where the fan is supposed to be.

 

[RSTEIN]

Well I got everything up and running and temperatures seem fine. I havent tried any games yet though.
I did plan on overclocking but I'm guessing I should get a few more fans for the case first before i do that?

OC first, just fool around and get used to the system. If you get to your target OC (I'm assuming 4.4 - 4.8 ghz) and you'd like to take a few degrees off the temps then you can go pick up a few more fans.

Also take out the front bottom rack if you're not using it. Just a few screws. Improves airflow. Front intake fans have an unobstructed path right to the CPU/GPU.

 

[PoweredBySoy]

How the hell do I install extra case fans on my Fractal R4? I bought some CM 140mm fans and they came with screws but the screws don't fit into the holes around the fan but they do fit in the holes around the case where the fan is supposed to be.

Sometimes those screws aren't machined very well and you really have to crank down on the screwdriver to get them to go. But they do usually fit. Give 'er hell.

 

[jwhit28]

Looking to upgrade my computer, but not sure where to start

CPU AMD Athlon II X3 455 Rana 3.3GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core
GPU HD6850
MoBo: ASRock 770 EXTREME3 AM3
RAM DDR3 2X2 GB
PSU: Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power ATX12V
Case: Antec 300 Illusion
HardDrive: 1 Terabyte (not ssd)

I have no idea where to begin with upgrading as I bought this in 2010. I feel like I am getting low frame rates and on overall bad look in Dark Souls and FFXIV. I would like to be able to run stuff at 60FPS if possible. I currently have a 1440 X 900 native monitor, but I need to upgrade that as it has a mass of dead pixels in the middle. This is not associated with my upgrade cost at this time.

Budget is around $400 for upgrades, but I can see if I can't expand that a little. I am trying to decide if I should upgrade some parts or get a PS4 instead.

Edit: Also would that $130 HD 7850 recently posted be a good choice if I only had time for one upgrade now? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131473

You are going to want to look at the CPU and motherboard first if playing FFXIV is your goal. You should be able to afford an i3 and the appropriate motherboard and still have money left over for a 7850. I tried FFXIV on an Athlon II x4 @ 3.4GHz with a 7850 and it was completely CPU limited.

 

[RukusProvider]

Anyone using frame limiter feature on EVGA precision?

What benefit would I have of a framerate past 60fps is my screen (3008wfp) is limited to 60hz?

for me, it seems to create screen tearing (vsync is off).

 

[t-ramp]

How the hell do I install extra case fans on my Fractal R4? I bought some CM 140mm fans and they came with screws but the screws don't fit into the holes around the fan but they do fit in the holes around the case where the fan is supposed to be.

Fan screws are generally self-threading, so it takes some effort to install them since you'll be cutting grooves into the fan's housing.

 

[Xena]

Hello GAF, I would like some help building a new desktop; my old one is from 2005 and I won't be reusing any parts with the exception of the monitor.
I won't be building it this month, but probably late October as I come back from my deployment.
If it makes sense to wait a little more to build it, I can do that too.

CPU: ?
Motherboard: ?
Memory: ?
Storage: SSD Samsung 840 Series 250GB [$229.37 amazon]
Video Card: ASUS GTX780-DC2OC-3GD5 GeForce GTX 780 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 [$669.99 newegg]
Case: Vengeance C70 Military green ATX mid tower [$139.99 newegg]
Power Supply: CORSAIR AX760 760W ATX12V [$169.99 newegg]

My budget: $2000 (I can bump it up a little if it makes it worth to do so)
Uses: a lot of gaming (Skyrim, Borderlands 2, Starcraft 2, etc) and video editing.

Feel free to change stuff I already selected above, with the exception of the case. I appreciate any input!

 

[O.DOGG]

I'm thinking of getting a GTX 760 (this one in particular) in the next one to two weeks to replace my oldish GTX 460, though its performance is still pretty good. I may not have the opportunity to upgrade later and the 760 is a pretty affordable card at this point. Should I go with it, or is there anything else to keep in mind?

 

[Haly]

Fan screws are generally self-threading, so it takes some effort to install them since you'll be cutting grooves into the fan's housing.

Yeah I figured that out now thanks though!

(Fucking hell the R4 is a god damn brick)

 

[noire]

Edit: repeating my question to new page.

Could be usb 3 interference. My Logitech unifying receiver did that until I bought a USB extension cable and moved it ~3ft away from the usb 3 port. Since then, it's been right as rain.

 

[Unknown One]

I'm thinking of getting a GTX 760 (this one in particular) in the next one to two weeks to replace my oldish GTX 460, though its performance is still pretty good. I may not have the opportunity to upgrade later and the 760 is a pretty affordable card at this point. Should I go with it, or is there anything else to keep in mind?

I'm buying that as well. From the reviews websites state that this card is one of the best 760 GTX cards.

 

[br0ken_shad0w]

Hows the ASUS VG248Q 144hz monitor for stuff like movies?

If you run Lightboost 24/7 like I do, terrible.

 

[LCGeek]

If you run Lightboost 24/7 like I do, terrible.

Strobelight beta bro, no point in lightboost when you can't even push the main content to the proper rate. The program allows for you to instantly turn it on and off at will.

 

[paperspace]

Strobelight beta bro, no point in lightboost when you can't even push the main content to the proper rate. The program allows for you to instantly turn it on and off at will.

Yeah, I never use the Strobelight software but Lightboost is activated each time a fullscreen game is set at 120Hz. Great for CS etc., but I prefer 144Hz with normal colors in other games.

 

[br0ken_shad0w]

Strobelight beta bro, no point in lightboost when you can't even push the main content to the proper rate. The program allows for you to instantly turn it on and off at will.

That program didn't play nice with my monitor when my TV is also hooked up. I had to turn on Lightboost using the old install method. Oh well, not like I watch movies on this display anyways. =P

 

[Azulsky]

Yeah that's a tad warm for a H100

Im using the silent edition fans so its im not expecting anything crazy, but it seems like that 76-78 should be more in line with expectations. Got the same 10C deviance with OCCT.

It was 75F ambient too but that doesnt explain the core temp discrepancies

 

[maneil99]

Hmmm starting to think that I either need to delid or i fucked up the H100i install somehow.


Prime 95 is showing a 12C difference between Core 0 and 3 (90 and 78 respectively).

Everyone is putting the Cool Labs stuff on the die. Should I just put it on the IHS too?

Whats the difference between Pro and Ultra?

What are you running overclock wise. I get about a 10c difference aswell, always have on all 3 i5s and coolers. Its normal, temps seem pretty high but i dont know what frequency or chip

 

[charlequin]

That program didn't play nice with my monitor when my TV is also hooked up.

Really? You have to configure it, but it should work fine. I set it up with my TV plugged in via the second input and didn't have any problems. Did you start with the two displays set to run different framerates?

 

[NJStateOfMind]

OC first, just fool around and get used to the system. If you get to your target OC (I'm assuming 4.4 - 4.8 ghz) and you'd like to take a few degrees off the temps then you can go pick up a few more fans.

Also take out the front bottom rack if you're not using it. Just a few screws. Improves airflow. Front intake fans have an unobstructed path right to the CPU/GPU.

Yeah I'll OC first and see how hot it gets and I'll take out the bottom rack since Im only gonna have 2 hard drives in there. Thanks for the help.

 

[lostsupper]

Hmmm starting to think that I either need to delid or i fucked up the H100i install somehow.


Prime 95 is showing a 12C difference between Core 0 and 3 (90 and 78 respectively).

Everyone is putting the Cool Labs stuff on the die. Should I just put it on the IHS too?

Whats the difference between Pro and Ultra?

Don't use Coollaboratory stuff between the IHS and cooler. Once cured it requires a polishing material to remove.

Pro is harder to apply and cures harder, but some people say it gives slightly better results. Ultra is newer and comes with a better spreader. Either one is suitable for a delid.

 

[maneil99]

Anyone using frame limiter feature on EVGA precision?

What benefit would I have of a framerate past 60fps is my screen (3008wfp) is limited to 60hz?

for me, it seems to create screen tearing (vsync is off).

I limit mine to 120 even though my monitor is 60hz because in games like csgo it feels sluggish with vsync due to input lag

 

[Azulsky]

Don't use Coollaboratory stuff between the IHS and cooler. Once cured it requires a polishing material to remove.

Pro is harder to apply and cures harder, but some people say it gives slightly better results. Ultra is newer and comes with a better spreader. Either one is suitable for a delid.

Hmm okay so Pro/Ultra for Die. What are the popular choices for IHS TIM? It has been a long time since I have had to take off a Corsair cooler from any build and have always used AS5.

What are you running overclock wise. I get about a 10c difference aswell, always have on all 3 i5s and coolers. Its normal, temps seem pretty high but i dont know what frequency or chip

This was just it on default hitting turbo specs. 3.9Ghz, I think at 1.2v

I limit mine to 120 even though my monitor is 60hz because in games like csgo it feels sluggish with vsync due to input lag

Framecapping will not cause mouse lag unless you do it through Vsync. No matter your framerate, the image you are seeing will always be behind that same amount.

In other news http://videocardz.com/45417/why-maxwell-will-probably-launch-on-28nm-process

Makes me feel better about investing in the current card generation if the next is going to be essentially another revisional one.

 

[LordAlu]

Hello GAF, I would like some help building a new desktop; my old one is from 2005 and I won't be reusing any parts with the exception of the monitor.
I won't be building it this month, but probably late October as I come back from my deployment.
If it makes sense to wait a little more to build it, I can do that too.

CPU: ?
Motherboard: ?
Memory: ?
Storage: SSD Samsung 840 Series 250GB [$229.37 amazon]
Video Card: ASUS GTX780-DC2OC-3GD5 GeForce GTX 780 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 [$669.99 newegg]
Case: Vengeance C70 Military green ATX mid tower [$139.99 newegg]
Power Supply: CORSAIR AX760 760W ATX12V [$169.99 newegg]

My budget: $2000 (I can bump it up a little if it makes it worth to do so)
Uses: a lot of gaming (Skyrim, Borderlands 2, Starcraft 2, etc) and video editing.

Feel free to change stuff I already selected above, with the exception of the case. I appreciate any input!

Here's one I threw together for you:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($319.98 @ Outlet PC)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI Z77 MPOWER ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($175.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($176.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($98.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 780 3GB Video Card ($659.99 @ NCIX US)
Sound Card: Asus Xonar DGX 24-bit 96 KHz Sound Card ($30.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case: Corsair C70 Military Green (Green) ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair 760W 80 PLUS Platinum Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($140.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($18.48 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.88 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $2000.24
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-08 03:37 EDT-0400)

There's no peripherals there (so no keyboard & mouse or headset/speakers), just the system itself. Obviously you could save some money to use towards those if you wanted to - you could drop the CPU down to an i5-3570K or the RAM down to 8GB, drop the cooler down to a 212 EVO or the SSD to 128GB/storage drive to 1TB. You could also lose the DVD drive and sound card as they're not really necessary

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

I'm thinking of getting a GTX 760 (this one in particular) in the next one to two weeks to replace my oldish GTX 460, though its performance is still pretty good. I may not have the opportunity to upgrade later and the 760 is a pretty affordable card at this point. Should I go with it, or is there anything else to keep in mind?

I too had a GTX460(AMP!) and upgraded to a GTX760(Zotac 4GB). Upgrade as a night and day difference.
My 460 had a fan setup kind of like the 760 you linked to. It served me well, except my temps for the CPU and case itself seemed to run warm and I never could figure out why. When I finally switched to the 760, I got the reference design Zotac where the air is sucked in and blown out the back of the case, my entire system started running much cooler with about a 6-8*c drop for the CPU. I can now overclock my 965BE CPU a bit without worrying about it hitting 60c+ and I can probably OC the card a little bit too.

So, what I'm getting at is that if you have a good case with good airflow and would like to OC the 760 more that is already then I think the cooling design like the one you listed is a fine choice. Especially, if you are running an i series chip like an i5 or i7.
That particular card is supposed to be a very quiet card as well, although I must admit I don't even hear my reference model 760. So, yeah, $10 more for better cooling, factory OC, higher spec components, sounds like a good deal to me.

 

[Azulsky]

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Would consider the EVGA ACX version. They are way easier to deal with than MSI if something needs warranty claims. ACX cooler comes out better in reviews for noise/temps than the MSI design. If you want you can upgrade to the $270 version that is clocked a bit higher, use the rebate card that brings it to the $260 and get the free backplate for it too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130933

Here's one I threw together for you:

PCPartPicker part list

No excuse to skimp on CPU 4th gen CPU's.

4770K is $330 on Amazon. Just get the sound card next month or never if you are penny pinching.