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[paskowitz]

Don't do that, get Haswell.
You can also wait for the refresh in May/June and the new Devil Canyon chips, Z97 is coming soon

Thanks for the heads up. I would not be buying until May anyways. Definitely worth it to wait. Question is though, will the price difference be significant. If they want $350+ then I am not sure it is worth it.

The size is good, but geez, the price is a bit excessive. I bought a Cooler Master HAF 912 (a mid-tower case that's in all honesty a half-tower) for less than half the price of your current case. If you do find yourself hauling your PC to LAN events a lot, then it might be worth it, but there are probably cheaper options with equal cooling optimization out there.

It will be a stationary home PC. Still, I'll look for cheaper options.

 

[Exuro]

Does he dual boot Windows or own another Windows PC? It's expensive, but if he does he could use the Steelseries Sensei.

The mouse has an ARM CPU and non-volatile storage inside. You can create your profiles under Windows using their software, then copy the profiles to the mouse's storage (I think it can hold around 5).

You're able to switch between the profiles using one of the buttons and the LCD display on the base of the mouse. Works regardless of OS. It's also one of the best mice available sensor-wise.

This sounds pretty cool. I'm guessing he'll have to spend more than he wants but if he wants good dpi in linux he'll have to do it. Thanks!

 

[Tablo]

Thanks for the heads up. I would not be buying until May anyways. Definitely worth it to wait. Question is though, will the price difference be significant. If they want $350+ then I am not sure it is worth it.

I'm pretty sure it will fall in line with the current K series pricing, I don't think they would get a good response for marking up the price just for allegedly improved overclocking. Either way you should not be looking at something older than Z87/Haswell for gaming, wait till May/June and we'll know alot more

 

[mattiewheels]

What's the best AMD processor for the money that'll run Dolphin and PS2 emulator games perfectly? I'm going to try to play all my discs through emus now and I've heard CPU is the important factor. Does 8-core vs 6-core make all the difference here?

 

[Durante]

What's the best AMD processor for the money that'll run Dolphin and PS2 emulator games perfectly? I'm going to try to play all my discs through emus now and I've heard CPU is the important factor. Does 8-core vs 6-core make all the difference here?

Don't buy an AMD processor for emulators. That's like the worst use case for AMD.

 

[evlcookie]

It's a nice bonus to have on a video card. The backplate reinforces the PCB and reduces warping, which I've seen on long cards. A tail end sag can also cause warping of the PCIE slot. The backplate can also be added insurance in case of a small cpu water cooling leak.

Do you know if you can put a kraken G10 on it easily? Or is it one of those boards thats a few mm off.

 

[anchorman128]

Don't buy an AMD processor for emulators. That's like the worst use case for AMD.

I can't stress this enough, if you want a good CPU for emulation your going to want to get at least a Core i5.

 

[neptunes]

What's the best AMD processor for the money that'll run Dolphin and PS2 emulator games perfectly? I'm going to try to play all my discs through emus now and I've heard CPU is the important factor. Does 8-core vs 6-core make all the difference here?

The most demanding emulator you can use smoothly is the Dreamcast, for PS2 and GC? you have to evaluate each game on a per title basis. Some aren't so demanding and can run fine, others can end up running slower than playing it on their respective consoles.

I was able to play FF12 fine, but mgs3 has audio issues.

If emulators is something you'll be using a lot then it's probably better to get an intel.

 

[Tablo]

For emulating you should really be looking at Haswell. Preferably overclockable.

 

[kharma45]

Yep the 4670K is the chip to go for if you really are in to emulation. Pair it with a Z87 mobo and a Hyper 212 and you'll be flying.

 

[Infinite Justice]

So fucking sad it has to come to this in regards to AMD procs

loved it when they were the underdogs but had all the swag to keep things competitve

 

[Miguel81]

What's the best AMD processor for the money that'll run Dolphin and PS2 emulator games perfectly? I'm going to try to play all my discs through emus now and I've heard CPU is the important factor. Does 8-core vs 6-core make all the difference here?

I've got an 8320 and it's PISS poor for Dolphin. You'll need an Intel if you want proper LLE-audio without killing the framerate.

 

[paskowitz]

I'm pretty sure it will fall in line with the current K series pricing, I don't think they would get a good response for marking up the price just for allegedly improved overclocking. Either way you should not be looking at something older than Z87/Haswell for gaming, wait till May/June and we'll know alot more

Besides more OC potential what are the other advantages of this new line of CPUs/Mobos?

 

[mattiewheels]

Well that's depressing to hear about AMDs. I really don't want to change my mobo and spend exponentially more on CPUs right now...so I think I should stop thinking about emulation for now.

 

[Miguel81]

Well that's depressing to hear about AMDs. I really don't want to change my mobo and spend exponentially more on CPUs right now...so I think I should stop thinking about emulation for now.

PCSX2 runs well for me in a lot of cases, but I have to fiddle with hacks and stuff. How high are you're standards? You'll be dealing with stuttering here and there.

 

[mattiewheels]

PCSX2 runs well for me in a lot of cases, but I have to fiddle with hacks and stuff. How high are you're standards? You'll be dealing with stuttering here and there.

Basically looking to run at 720-1080p resolution and with native speeds, more interested in matching the original experience rather than any crazy enhancements. You can tell you're not pulling it off with PCSX when everything starts to drop and chug like crazy, stuff like God Hand does that for me.

 

[kennah]

Thanks for the heads up. I would not be buying until May anyways. Definitely worth it to wait. Question is though, will the price difference be significant. If they want $350+ then I am not sure it is worth it.



It will be a stationary home PC. Still, I'll look for cheaper options.

New Haswell pricing will be about the same as current haswell pricing. You really are better off waiting, it would be about a 10-15% or more difference clock for clock at the same price.

And there are many better cases for cheaper. For that kind of money you could get an R4 - which is basically one of the best cases you can buy right now.

 

[Linkup]

Amazing to see the number of people building PCs! The increase in computer purchases at work has also been very noticeable. Is it like this every year around this time?

 

[kennah]

PC gaming is experiencing a surge in popularity. This year is unusual as it has been in decline for the last few years. But with the uninspiring new consoles and the wave of indie games, PC is where it's at friend.

 

[S0N0S]

Amazing to see the number of people building PCs! The increase in computer purchases at work has also been very noticeable. Is it like this every year around this time?

Yes.

Spoiler

Tax returns! \o/

 

[Miguel81]

PC gaming is experiencing a surge in popularity. This year is unusual as it has been in decline for the last few years. But with the uninspiring new consoles and the wave of indie games, PC is where it's at friend.

It's so much easier to build now(like Legos), more affordable, and there are enthusiasts all over the place to explain every minute detail.

 

[Nevasleep]

Might have a problem....

Just assembled a PC, with new i5 processor, didn't apply any thermal paste as I thought what was on supplied cooler is enough?
Now in BIOS and cpu temp is 74'c and raising...

Do I need to apply some thermal paste or is that a correct temp?

 

[opticalmace]

Might have a problem....

Just assembled a PC, with new i5 processor, didn't apply any thermal paste as I thought what was on supplied cooler is enough?
Now in BIOS and cpu temp is 74'c and raising...

Do I need to apply some thermal paste or is that a correct temp?

Turn if off. Is it the stock heatsink? I think those have some pre-applied thing.

But In either case that's not right. If it's an aftermarket heatsink, apply paste. If it's the stock one (and comes with some compound), clean it then apply paste. But I would post back before doing anything, just to know if it's the stock heatsink or not...

 

[S0N0S]

Parts ordered, here's what it'll look like. Thanks for the assistance GAF and I'll post pictures later this week!

PCPartPicker part list
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (Purchased For $319.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 65.0 CFM CPU Cooler (Purchased For $79.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Z87-Pro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (Purchased For $169.00 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (Purchased For $169.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (Purchased For $139.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Western Digital VelociRaptor 300GB 3.5" 10000RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB Video Card (Purchased For $0.00)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 Blackout ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For $99.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $139.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) (Purchased For $20.00 @ r/softwareswap)
Sound Card: Creative Labs SB X-Fi Titanium (Purchased For $0.00)
Case Fan: Antec Two Cool 140 33.6 CFM 140mm Fan (Purchased For $10.89@ Newegg)
Case Fan: Antec Two Cool 140 33.6 CFM 140mm Fan (Purchased For $10.89@ Newegg)
Total: $1186 w/ Shipping

 

[kharma45]

Cheaper build, closer to the price I was really willy to pay. Thoughts? Mid tower too compact for this?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($215.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme6 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($153.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk Ultra Plus 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($119.97 @ TigerDirect)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($309.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout 2 Advanced ATX Mid Tower Case ($104.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Rosewill Tachyon 550W 80+ Platinum Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1049.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-29 16:29 EDT-0400)

Mid tower is perfect. Have you a Microcenter nearby for the CPU? Either way I'd swap to the 4670K for the sake of $10. This could be an idea if you wanted to take it to the $1K mark
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($227.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Biostar Hi-Fi Z87X 3D ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M500 240GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($119.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($309.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Other: NZXT H230 Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case Includes 1 x 120mm Front, 1 x 120mm Rear 2 x USB 3.0 ($59.99)
Total: $1002.91
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-29 19:47 EDT-0400)

 

[Nevasleep]

Turn if off. Is it the stock heatsink? I think those have some pre-applied thing.

But In either case that's not right. If it's an aftermarket heatsink, apply paste. If it's the stock one (and comes with some compound), clean it then apply paste. But I would post back before doing anything, just to know if it's the stock heatsink or not...

Stock. Tried cleaning and reapplying. Even worse temps then.
Might try again tomorrow, maybe use a live Linux boot to check temps.
If that fails, get an aftermarket cooler and some better branded paste.
...and if that fails RMA the processor I guess.

 

[Zeus7]

I am still waiting on my RAM and 212 EVO coming on Monday, is it a good idea to build my PC tomorrow and add these then or do I wait and do it all together?

 

[zeroeffect]

Been out of the loop lately. Any big next-gen GPUs/CPUs expected this year? Going to build a rig sometime this year and curious if I should keep an eye out for anything specific.

 

[zeroeffect]

I am still waiting on my RAM and 212 EVO coming on Monday, is it a good idea to build my PC tomorrow and add these then or do I wait and do it all together?

It's not going to hurt anything to put everything together and then put those in last. Although, ideally, you put everything together first. Just make sure you have room when you put everything in your case. Like don't plug your PSU wires up and you should be okay. You're going to have to put your RAM in before the CPU cooler though most likely. I guess it depends on the motherboard but I know on mine the EVO almost overlaps my RAM. Keep in mind you'll probably have to take the back plate off your motherboard for the EVO so you might not want to put your mobo in the case yet unless you don't mind taking it out later to put the CPU cooler on.

 

[DoomGyver]

I've never built a PC before, the most I've done is upgraded memory. My parents are in need of a new PC, their current one is 10 years old running XP. My plan is to build them a PC, and then later this year I'll build myself a gaming PC. I have an 24" HP 1900x1200 monitor that I used to use for console gaming that I will give to my parents.

Their budget is ~$500 for the PC itself. I will need to purchase a copy of windows 8 and microsoft office, do they sell a family pack for multiple PCs that I can use when I build my gaming PC later in the year? I have no idea what parts would be best, it will be used for Web, Word, 1080p playback, no gaming. Needs to have a dvd burner and 750gb should be more than enough hdd space for them. It needs to be quiet.

The knowledge I gain from building this PC should give me the confidence in building my gaming PC later on. I have amazon prime, and a newegg account. Help me gaf!

EDIT: one thing I forgot to mention is it needs a wireless card. Its ~75 ft or so from the router.

 

[redlegs87]

Well I had to RMA my motherboard as it was DOA swapped my CPU and Ram with a buddies rig and mine worked in his but his didn't work in mine. Tried every slot for the ram no go, cleared cmos no go, used the back up bios that didn't work so off to Gigabyte it goes.

Though since I will have to wait for it I decided to sell the case I originally bought to a friend and purchase the NZXT H440 how I can't wait to receive that.

 

[LilJoka]

Stock. Tried cleaning and reapplying. Even worse temps then.
Might try again tomorrow, maybe use a live Linux boot to check temps.
If that fails, get an aftermarket cooler and some better branded paste.
...and if that fails RMA the processor I guess.

Sounds like your not installing the heatsink properly. FIrst of all check the heatsink push pins.

To remove the heatsink, twist the push pins in the direction the arrow states on the plastic. Then pull the pins away from the fan to unlock the heatsink from the board. The heatsink should now come away from the board.

Clean the heatsink with isoprophyl ideally, but a damp kitchen paper will do, then dry.

Apply a pea sized dot of thermal compund to the CPU.

Now take the heatsink, pull each pin away from the fan and rotate the opposite way of the arrow. This will allow them to lock into place when pushed.

Line up the heatsink so that the bottoms of the pins align with the holes on the board, but dont depress the pins till then.

Once lined up depress the push pins in an X fashion, 1&3 then 2&4. You will hear a click when they are inserted correctly and locked. To check, turn the board over, youll see each pin has a piece of plastic being pushed through it causing the ends to expand and lock. And it should be tight enough that the whole board can be lifted by just the heatsink.

Now check the temps.

 

[Water]

Their budget is ~$500 for the PC itself. I will need to purchase a copy of windows 8 and microsoft office, do they sell a family pack for multiple PCs that I can use when I build my gaming PC later in the year? I have no idea what parts would be best, it will be used for Web, Word, 1080p playback, no gaming. Needs to have a dvd burner and 750gb should be more than enough hdd space for them. It needs to be quiet.

First post, "budget" system. i3 processor. No separate GPU, the CPU's integrated GPU is fine. Add 120GB SSD alongside the HDD and install OS + software on that.

 

[John Blade]

First time doing this but was wondering if anyone will give me an rough idea of item to buy with the budget I am in

Budget: $700 minimum $800 max (CDN) Post Tax
Computer parts: Have to be in Canada Computer site (http://www.canadacomputers.com/)

Limitation
All the computer parts have to fit in Corsair Obsidian 250D Mini-ITX Computer Case
Don't need to buy any HD as I have one already (SSD).
Need a DVD drive for my work
Don't need liquid cooling. I might use the fan that is include in the case

Limited time: Try to get some choice sometime tomorrow around noon here in Eastern Time.

The rest of the stuff you can go crazy but have to keep the budget around $700 but no more than $800.

 

[kennah]

Pre tax or post tax?

 

[John Blade]

Pre tax or post tax?

Post tax.

 

[HarryDemeanor]

So I've had two BSODs within the last month. Both because of atikmdiag.sys. Both off of two different drivers. Is this now a GPU issue or is it also a memory issue?

 

[thematic]

I'm pretty sure it will fall in line with the current K series pricing, I don't think they would get a good response for marking up the price just for allegedly improved overclocking. Either way you should not be looking at something older than Z87/Haswell for gaming, wait till May/June and we'll know alot more

hi, I'm a little curious about you recommending Haswell over Ivy for gaming. Ivy and Sandy still looking pretty good if we use external GPU. is there any reason to choose Haswell vs Ivy?

Since the performance in gaming is quite negligible. I prefer use the price difference to upgrade my GPU (in my country the difference between Sandy/Ivy vs Haswell can reach up to $100 or more)

 

[Cuban Legend]

just installed my new 770 GTX, having an issue with my HDTV in detecting maximum resolution in games, it maxes out at 720p when the TV used to be able to let games detect everything up to 1080i. And while in windows the computer can detect resolutions up to 1080i just not in games like AC4 and Crysis3.

Anyone else has this problem, or know a fix?

 

[Lizardus]

just installed my new 770 GTX, having an issue with my HDTV in detecting maximum resolution in games, it maxes out at 720p when the TV used to be able to let games detect everything up to 1080i. And while in windows the computer can detect resolutions up to 1080i just not in games like AC4 and Crysis3.

Anyone else has this problem, or know a fix?

Have you updated to latest drivers?

 

[McBryBry]

what do you guys think of this build? Keep in mind that this is going to be bought over time as sales come and go.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/mcbrybry/saved/40Bx

 

[Cuban Legend]

Have you updated to latest drivers?

latest 335.23 NVIDIA drivers installed

 

[scogoth]

Finally got a cf card so I can take some pictures. Here's the final product after cleaning and reassembly

 

[maneil99]

hi, I'm a little curious about you recommending Haswell over Ivy for gaming. Ivy and Sandy still looking pretty good if we use external GPU. is there any reason to choose Haswell vs Ivy?

Since the performance in gaming is quite negligible. I prefer use the price difference to upgrade my GPU (in my country the difference between Sandy/Ivy vs Haswell can reach up to $100 or more)

New socket gets more attention. If you are overclocking Ivy is still a good buy, you can get higher clocks easier to surpass the archicectural differences.

 

[Tablo]

hi, I'm a little curious about you recommending Haswell over Ivy for gaming. Ivy and Sandy still looking pretty good if we use external GPU. is there any reason to choose Haswell vs Ivy?

Since the performance in gaming is quite negligible. I prefer use the price difference to upgrade my GPU (in my country the difference between Sandy/Ivy vs Haswell can reach up to $100 or more)

It definitely does also depend on the regional price difference and budget constraints you are under.

The reasons boil down to architectural changes/improvements, new instruction sets such as AVX2, massive speedups in emulation, IPC improvements, better integrated GPU that supports DX12 which may come into account and be useful for compute or supplemental performance.
The Z87 (and soon Z97) chipset is also much better, more SATA III/USB 3.0, Z97 has M.2 SSD support. There are also more advanced power states and at low utilization it is more power efficient.
I am not a proponent of buying older tech unless it is necessary to meet strict budget needs, or if there are tangible and salient flaws in newer tech.
The upcoming Haswell refresh (Devil Canyon for K series SKUs) also will alleviate the overclocking conundrum and TIM issue, hopefully.

Some of these things may only come into play a year or two down the line, such as the instruction sets and API support, and as I insist a custom built PC should be a forward looking investment I am in favor of paying the (in most regions) the modest premium for the latest technologies. I hope that sheds some light on why I'm bullish on people going Haswell for gaming, and why I'm also bullish on going for Windows 8.1 or whatever is newer as an OS, there are actual improvements

 

[Nevasleep]

Sounds like your not installing the heatsink properly. FIrst of all check the heatsink push pins.

To remove the heatsink, twist the push pins in the direction the arrow states on the plastic. Then pull the pins away from the fan to unlock the heatsink from the board. The heatsink should now come away from the board.

Clean the heatsink with isoprophyl ideally, but a damp kitchen paper will do, then dry.

Apply a pea sized dot of thermal compund to the CPU.

Now take the heatsink, pull each pin away from the fan and rotate the opposite way of the arrow. This will allow them to lock into place when pushed.

Line up the heatsink so that the bottoms of the pins align with the holes on the board, but dont depress the pins till then.

Once lined up depress the push pins in an X fashion, 1&3 then 2&4. You will hear a click when they are inserted correctly and locked. To check, turn the board over, youll see each pin has a piece of plastic being pushed through it causing the ends to expand and lock. And it should be tight enough that the whole board can be lifted by just the heatsink.

Now check the temps.

I think you might be right, just had a quick check by pushing pins and definitely a more secure connection. I'll give it another try later today.

 

[Serandur]

Hi, I could use an opinion on a monitor (more of an IPS vs TN that's better in everything else issue). I'm stuck between the VX229H (21.5", IPS, 5 ms response time) and the VX238H (23", TN, 1 ms response time). Other than those differences, the two are pretty much identical except that the VX238H is also cheaper after rebate by about $20. I don't want the price difference to play a role though and just would like to know which of the two would be preferred. My desk is a bit on the small side and I'm also unsure if I would rather have the larger or smaller screen (previous monitor was 21.5", no real complaints, but unsure if I would prefer a larger monitor) from a 2-3 foot distance (~2 ft while sitting up, ~3 while reclining; both 1920x1080). Thank you.

 

[Smokey]

Hi, I could use an opinion on a monitor (more of an IPS vs TN that's better in everything else issue). I'm stuck between the VX229H (21.5", IPS, 5 ms response time) and the VX238H (23", TN, 1 ms response time). Other than those differences, the two are pretty much identical except that the VX238H is also cheaper after rebate by about $20. I don't want the price difference to play a role though and just would like to know which of the two would be preferred. Thank you.

What type of games do you play? I prefer the IQ of my IPS panel versus TN. I play mostly FPS and the response time doesn't really bother me. That being said there is a difference in feel when you go to a TN. So I'd say if you're the type that does a lot of competitive MP gaming, you may want to look at TN.

 

[Serandur]

What type of games do you play? I prefer the IQ of my IPS panel versus TN. I play mostly FPS and the response time doesn't really bother me. That being said there is a difference in feel when you go to a TN. So I'd say if you're the type that does a lot of competitive MP gaming, you may want to look at TN.

I'm not a lot into competitive MP, no. I might try it a bit here and there, but for the most part I stick to RPGs, strategy, simulation, and other single-player games (including some FPSs or FPS/RPG hybrids, open-world action games like Sleeping Dogs, AC, and Just Cause 2, etc.). I edited my previous post a bit to better illustrate my problem; being not just on whether IPS is worth is the response time hit, but also regarding which size would be more proper for me as well. Thanks for the reply.

 

[thematic]

It definitely does also depend on the regional price difference and budget constraints you are under.

The reasons boil down to architectural changes/improvements, new instruction sets such as AVX2, massive speedups in emulation, IPC improvements, better integrated GPU that supports DX12 which may come into account and be useful for compute or supplemental performance.
The Z87 (and soon Z97) chipset is also much better, more SATA III/USB 3.0, Z97 has M.2 SSD support. There are also more advanced power states and at low utilization it is more power efficient.
I am not a proponent of buying older tech unless it is necessary to meet strict budget needs, or if there are tangible and salient flaws in newer tech.
The upcoming Haswell refresh (Devil Canyon for K series SKUs) also will alleviate the overclocking conundrum and TIM issue, hopefully.

Some of these things may only come into play a year or two down the line, such as the instruction sets and API support, and as I insist a custom built PC should be a forward looking investment I am in favor of paying the (in most regions) the modest premium for the latest technologies. I hope that sheds some light on why I'm bullish on people going Haswell for gaming, and why I'm also bullish on going for Windows 8.1 or whatever is newer as an OS, there are actual improvements

ok fair enough
as I always build my PC on budget, I usually pay the cheaper option for CPU/Motherboard/RAM but push more for GPU as most game prefer powerful GPU than powerful CPU.

and for Windows 8.1, I too recommend everyone to upgrade if possible. I use my PC for mining too, and it makes quite a difference, not from speed side, but from usability.
with Windows 7 every time I mine, my MPC stuttering a bit while playing a video. the problem gone completely when I switch to Win 8.1

but of course you have to live with metro style menus (not my favorite desktop menus)