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"I Need a New PC!" 2015 Part 1. Read the OP and RISE ABOVE FORGED PRECISION SCIENCE
- Thread starter Hazaro
- Start date
- Status
lostsupper
Banned
Had a H80i as well. Sold it and put in a Noctua NH-U12S. Could not be happier with the decision. Corsair's AIO's look pretty in pictures, but I'll never buy another one.
Coulomb_Barrier
Member
Yeah Noctua are top drawer.
I have a Noctua NH-D15 and it's awesome. Tremendous performance and extremely quiet. Price - performance ratio with that cooler is hard to beat after doing research. Only downside is the not-so-great colours on Noctua's ranges.
I just got 2 850's, one for a desktop and another for a laptop. It was $10 more then a mx100 so that wasn't a issue. I like having software for since mx100 doesn't have any. It's also pretty quick but likely not noticeable between them.
This is just false.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media
Well, if you're gonna be snarky about it:
Not exactly false, but true regarding windows 7.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=150970811&postcount=5075
Not exactly false, but true regarding windows 7.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=150970811&postcount=5075
exmachina64
Banned
It is very quiet. I don't think I've stressed it to peak noise levels yet.
My apartment is much more quiet now that I don't have to use my laptop. I can definitely hear my PC running currently though at a low volume, but it definitely blends into the background when any content is playing over my speakers.
So she's looking for a full laptop, an Android device won't do? Does the device have to be hinged so it works as a laptop on the lap, as opposed to something like Microsoft Surface where the "laptop mode" is designed for desk only and the device is a tablet otherwise? Anything else you can say about her intended usage?
I'm not sure there's going to be anything worth buying in that price range and that exotic form factor. Depending on what she needs you might want to look at Lenovo Yogas, Surfaces, etc. A used high quality device is likely to be a better choice than a brand new but flimsy and weak one.
1. Alright, that's fine, wasn't sure whether you wanted to go high or stay low.
2. Oh, sorry about that. I'm not really a monitor guy, but I can say that I have a VS247H-P which is very similar to the VS238H-P and I haven't had any problems with it, it's a decent basic monitor. I don't know about whether the monitor is holding back your gaming experience, but considering that it's just 1080p and 60Hz, it's pretty much basic in terms of resolution and refresh rate. No, you will need a monitor that specifically says it's capable of 120Hz.
Someone else can probably offer better solutions, but I'm not sure 120Hz models exist in the $150~200 range.
3. Onboard sound is more than good enough to handle a 5.1 surround sound speaker system. My 5 year old motherboard does exactly that with my Logitech Z506 5.1 speakers. That said, what headphones do you have? If they're higher end models that have high impedance and need an amp, onboard sound may not be enough.
4. I usually leave out optical drives in my recommendations because they're not used as much as they used to be nowadays, with digital distribution being the norm for most games and media. If you do need one, it won't cost very much. Here's a Samsung SH-224 DVD burner for $13 or so.
Enjoy your new system.
Honestly, I find that it depends on the game and what CPU you have. Mantle makes very little difference to me, and I'm on a i7 875K overclocked to 4.0GHz with two crossfired R9 270X graphics cards.
I think I remember reading that if you have a lower end processor, mantle will allow higher framerates.
Either way works, it depends on how much you want to spend. The 750 Ti is a perfect choice if you don't want to upgrade from the 450 watt PSU you have.
On the other hand, there's little that you can really upgrade in that PC, so you will need basically all new CPU, motherboard, power supply, etc. More RAM wouldn't hurt, though.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
She browses Facebook, copies her pictures from her phone and camera, uses MSWord, searches Pintrest, and watches YouTube. She wants USB and enough storage (or expandable storage) to be good with her pics.
And she does not like the Yoga style. She wants it to be detachable.
I really, really like my Asus T100.
It comes with full Office 2013 and a keyboard/trackpad for ~$350 in most listings I see. MSRP is $400 and Amazon has it for $340 right now. Make sure you get the updated one with the z3775 CPU.
It's fast and handles video well and even plays a lot of Steam games natively. It's extremely light and portable. It has 64GB built in and a MicroSD slot for expansion. The keyboard dock has a USB3 port and the microusb charging port on the tablet works as a USB host if you get a cheap adapter for full size cables.
I've seen it at stores like Staples and Best Buy if you want to check it out in person.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
We actually saw that one today while we were out. She liked it, but the screen was just a bit too small for her. 13" is her smallest I think.
Unfortunately there aren't a lot of 2-in-1s that size which will fit your criteria.
There's a 12" version with double the RAM and a newer CPU for $470.
T200
No Office though so you'll need your own copy. And apparently the T100 switched to 1 year Office 365 licenses instead of the full 2013 that I got with mine.
How about the cable management? is it still a mess in there or have you tried to tuck away the power supply cables? Although I guess it doesn't change much if the side panel is off.
Hmm.. At least it idles much better.. looks like you need a new CPU cooler? That would be the easiest solution for cheap. If your 92mm fan tower cooler hits 80 degrees, I think something like a Hyper 212 Evo 120mm fan tower cooler would only get up to 60~70 degrees, although I'm generalizing. Maybe a new case with better airflow would help as well, although that's more expensive and may not be needed.
Oh, adamantypants' suggestion of undervolting is a free way to try and keep temperatures lows. Unfortunately, I'm not really familiar with running an AMD system and how CPU settings should be changed either. I've only built a single AMD system in the past, and that was back when the Phenom II X4 965 was new. You should look around for undervolting guides.
Looks very solid, you've done your research. I can only recommend 1866MHz or 2133MHz RAM. It won't make a huge difference, but it can be found for relatively cheap, about $70 or less for 8GB.
Another thing might be to get a smaller and cheaper case. Nothing wrong with the Enthoo Pro, it's a great case for $100, just larger than what most people will need.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($25.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($106.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($63.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($50.78 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card ($204.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($36.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($43.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $798.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-08 18:11 EST-0500
EK L120 watercooling kit. Higher quality, bit better performance, but still louder than air.
If i could fit a tower cooler i would buy a Noctua D14/15. My other rig has a Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E Extreme. Very silent.
Exactly. Performance > Aesthetics for me.
SHA-1 and MD5 Hashes are all over the Microsoft forums for their Windows 7 ISOs. Some quick googling will still get you what you need. Use Hashtab to cross-check the MD5 checksum before installing.
Thank you!
Display resolution? Latest drivers? You could probably get that 2500K up to 4.5GHz.
If it didn't need to be a full Windows laptop, your options would open up tremendously. The only thing on that list which needs a full Windows laptop is running Word. Probably 95% of people using Word aren't using any features specific to it, and could perfectly well use any of the other word processing apps out there. Is she one of those people?
These days the online version, the Android version and the iOS version of Word are also options for native Word.
Starbuck2907
Member
So, I'm upgrading from a 1gb 6850 to either a 7950 or a 280x. ...I can get good deals on both those cards, the ones I am looking at are both 3gb cards (I game at 1080p).
...the thing is, I am wondering how much bigger these cards are than my 6850. I mean, I think my case has enough room, but the 6850 that i have is pretty huge. It almost touches my hard drive. Anything longer probably wouldn't fit. My current 6850 is a Sapphire.
thoughts?
...the thing is, I am wondering how much bigger these cards are than my 6850. I mean, I think my case has enough room, but the 6850 that i have is pretty huge. It almost touches my hard drive. Anything longer probably wouldn't fit. My current 6850 is a Sapphire.
thoughts?
What case do you have, and what specific graphics card models are you looking at?
The 7950 was rebadged as the R9 280, while the R9 280X is a rebadged 7970. The 280X is the slightly better graphics card here. Are you buying used?
Starbuck2907
Member
Buying used, but with a good warranty and replacement policy. Leaning toward the 280x.
Brands: ASUS R9 280X and HIS IceQ HD 7950 Boost
My current case: CoolerMaster Elite 430 Mid-Tower Gaming Case with Side Panel Window
Supposedly, my case is compatible with that card... https://pcpartpicker.com/parts/video-card/?compatible_with=cooler-master-case-rc430kwn6
I can confirm that it is. Your case officially supports graphics cards up to "high-end graphics cards up to 315mm / 12.4" in length, including AMD HD 7970 and NVIDIA GTX 690". All that I can find for the Asus R9 280 says it's small enough to be compatible as well.
Starbuck2907
Member
I finally put my x99 based PC together. 5820k at stock is idling at around 38C, full load's at around 65C with the Phanteks ph-tc14pe. Not sure how good or bad that is for the chip. Also, windows 7 is a beast. The system had a massive transplant (Motherboard/RAM/CPU) from an older system and it still somehow booted on the first try.
My question: What would be a decent replacement for an Asus DG? My only requirements are that it be x16 or x1 PCI compatible (the reason why I have to say goodbye to my old one) and that it have an amp that is similar to the Asus DG.
My MSI board supposedly has an amp for the sound but I can't seem to get it to work. On my old Asus DG, you would select the impedance level or whatever and you would instantly notice the difference in sound levels. I'd love to get something like that again.
Edit: Yep. It's not happening. 5820k @ 4GHz with 1.110v is giving me BSOD within 5 minutes in Prime95. Aida64 ran fine for an hour, though. The silicon lottery just wasn't for me this time around it seems.
My question: What would be a decent replacement for an Asus DG? My only requirements are that it be x16 or x1 PCI compatible (the reason why I have to say goodbye to my old one) and that it have an amp that is similar to the Asus DG.
My MSI board supposedly has an amp for the sound but I can't seem to get it to work. On my old Asus DG, you would select the impedance level or whatever and you would instantly notice the difference in sound levels. I'd love to get something like that again.
Edit: Yep. It's not happening. 5820k @ 4GHz with 1.110v is giving me BSOD within 5 minutes in Prime95. Aida64 ran fine for an hour, though. The silicon lottery just wasn't for me this time around it seems.
dryuriev7777
Member
Anyone have any recommendations for a lovely ~$100 monitor?
Cable management is still a nightmare right now, but I plan on getting a new case (Corsair Carbide 330R) tomorrow since I've been overdue for a change of case. Much easier cable management in there (and better looking!), thankfully.
Might also pick up the 212 Evo tomorrow as well, depending on how much everything will come up to.
Thanks, I'll looking into this undervolting stuff, but I'm scared I'll eff it up somehow. The simplest things tend to be Windam-proof.
YES GET THIS. I have it and it's awesome. Looks good, and it's super crisp.
1080p, have the latest drivers. I've had trouble getting the i5 to 4.5 in the past, but I should probably try again. However, I can't imagine the clock speed of my CPU would have anything to do with wolfenstein performance, right?
Hey guys. School has me using things like Maya and Unity, so I'm finally forced to get a new computer. So I figured, why not make one that can satisfy my gaming fix too? I've been browsing this thread all day, trying to pick up certain things, but I'm still not confident at all in my build. Can someone take a look? This is all from Newegg.
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 3.5GHz LGA 1150 Desktop Processor BX80646I54690K
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-G1.Sniper Z97 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Combo $319.98
GPU: MSI R9 270X GAMING 2G Radeon R9 270X 2GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
$169.99
Case: NZXT S340 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Case
$69.99
Power: CORSAIR CXM series CX600M 600W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready
$79.99
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B
$73.99
SSD: Crucial MX100 CT128MX100SSD1 2.5" 128GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive
$69.99
TOTAL: 783.93
Am I good with this? Keyboard, mouse, and monitor are going to be scalped from my current PC.
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 3.5GHz LGA 1150 Desktop Processor BX80646I54690K
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-G1.Sniper Z97 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Combo $319.98
GPU: MSI R9 270X GAMING 2G Radeon R9 270X 2GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
$169.99
Case: NZXT S340 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Case
$69.99
Power: CORSAIR CXM series CX600M 600W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready
$79.99
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B
$73.99
SSD: Crucial MX100 CT128MX100SSD1 2.5" 128GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive
$69.99
TOTAL: 783.93
Am I good with this? Keyboard, mouse, and monitor are going to be scalped from my current PC.
I've got a very similar machine (I have a 970 though) using it for very similar things, that's definitely enough. Your cpu's much better than gpu though, I guess that's for maya?
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
760t is very roomy. I couldn't believe how small it made my x99 Asus Pro motherboard look when I said it in there. I will take some more pictures and try to take a picture of the line up with all the boxes as far as the parts I ordered but that won't probably be for a few more days.
Well, I was going to go for either the R9 290 or the GTX 970, but I figured that could come later, if I was unsatified. You think I should go for it?
Grinchy
Banned
At the very least, I'd bump up the SSD to a 256GB. It would only be $20 more for twice the space.
edit- ok maybe it's $30 more. I haven't checked around to see what deals are currently going on but I see the 256 is back to $105 on amazon
While not that useful for gaming, I would think that more ram would be useful for modeling.
A 2500K at 4GHz should do alright, not that much worse than at 4.5Ghz.
I noticed that you've already posted in the PC performance thread for Wolfenstein TNO. A quick search through there shows someone else with even worse issues, he couldn't do 720p and 30FPS with the same processor and graphics card, but I doubt either of you should be experiencing that.
How hot is the PC getting when playing the game? Could be thermal throttling. What model of R9 290?
Might as well post your specs to see if anything's out of the ordinary.
I assume you have a budget of $800 USD? Are you open to buying from retailers other than Newegg? You stand to save more money if you do. If you live near a Microcenter, they have the 4690K for just $200, for example.
That's a pretty good CPU and motherboard bundle, but Newegg has the 4690K for a high price compared to other retailers so you're not saving that much money compared to buying separately. I advise getting faster and cheaper 1866MHz or 2133MHz RAM, and maybe 16GB (~$120) if you have the money for it. The power supply is overpriced for a budget model.
Here's my version of your parts list. It comes out to be still under $800 while having a decent motherboard, better RAM, graphics card, and power supply, and also includes a CPU cooler that you can overclock with.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($25.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI Z97 Guard-Pro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($63.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($59.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.00 @ Newegg)
Total: $792.77
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-08 23:07 EST-0500
If you follow the link to the PCPartsPicker website, you can click on "Price Breakdown By Merchant" on the right side above the list and it'll show you how much it costs to order the parts from different retailers. If you prefer to order all from Newegg instead, then go with this parts list instead:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($241.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-G1.SNIPER Z97 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($131.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($70.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 290 4GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($48.00 @ Newegg)
Total: $831.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-08 23:09 EST-0500
starwarsfan541
Banned
So, I recently got a older pc for dirt cheap
Q6700 processor etc, I plan to use this to replace my pentium 4 arcade computer, and am looking for a decent GPU any advice?
Would like Model 2 and 3 and Demul is possible (Dolphin's great but dont really need it and doubt the cpu is up to it)
Q6700 processor etc, I plan to use this to replace my pentium 4 arcade computer, and am looking for a decent GPU any advice?
Would like Model 2 and 3 and Demul is possible (Dolphin's great but dont really need it and doubt the cpu is up to it)
Thanks for the response.
I have the ASUS Direct II OC r9 290 model, and i have 8gb of ram and Windows 7. The hottest any of my cores got was 61 degrees, and the hottest my GPU got was about 65. I also checked to make sure I'm not running in low power mode or something. I have the latest drivers, too.
How much are you looking to spend? What power supply model and wattage does the PC already have? Demul seems to be a bit weird - no specific hardware requirements are stated, only that better is.. better.
I guess if you don't want to spend much, then I recommend something like a GTX 750 Ti for $120
Thanks for the full breakdown. I only went all Newegg because their distribution center is literally like 15 miles from my house. But I guess it's not really a big deal with me. I'd say my limit is about $1000 so I may go ahead and invest in that 16GB.
starwarsfan541
Banned
My budget range is lesser the better so less than 150 (less than hundred is even better). I have a spare PSU that should be good and another I can check.
I ask because a stronger graphics card will need a higher wattage power supply. The GTX 750 and 750 Ti are very efficient graphics cards that usually don't require a power supply upgrade, and will run on a weak PSU with just 250 watt capacity, for example.
starwarsfan541
Banned
Thats nice I was considering getting a new PSU (I thcink its 450 or so the one that came with it). Thanks, need to save up some money since my monitor needs replaced too.
Just looking for a critique of a quick build of mine: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/4Q3mJx I'll be using this system for light gaming, video/3d encoding/rendering, and possibly music production. This system is using an IGP for now, but I don't mind since I'm coming from an A6-3400m I've been using for over three years now :3 I'll upgrade sometime in the future, budget pending.
edit: Oops. Forgot wireless networking. Will add at a later date!
Aside from the general critiques, some general questions:
- Is the H81 motherboard okay for undervolting? I'm not too concerned about overclocking -- seriously -- but I've heard things about Haswell's running pretty hot, hence the aftermarket cooler and undervolting question.
- On the heat issue again, do I need a case fan? Again, I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to Haswell...
- Is there an affordable case that has the headphone and USB ports at the bottom of the case? I suppose I can lay this system flat on the table, but still...
- Are Canadian prices for components going to rise in the near future because of the dollar? So should I buy these parts ASAP? Or is it worth it wait until a good sale comes up to grab these parts?
Thanks!
Code:
[url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/4Q3mJx]PCPartPicker part list[/url] / [url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/4Q3mJx/by_merchant/]Price breakdown by merchant[/url]
[b]CPU:[/b] [url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i74790]Intel Core i7-4790 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor[/url] ($333.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
[b]CPU Cooler:[/b] [url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2]Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler[/url] ($34.95 @ Vuugo)
[b]Motherboard:[/b] [url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gah81mds2v]Gigabyte GA-H81M-DS2V Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard[/url] ($61.98 @ Newegg Canada)
[b]Memory:[/b] [url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f312800cl10d16gbxl]G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory[/url] ($147.18 @ DirectCanada)
[b]Storage:[/b] [url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd1001x06xdtl]Western Digital Black2 1TB 2.5" 5400RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive[/url] ($155.98 @ Newegg Canada)
[b]Case:[/b] [url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-nse200kkn1]Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case[/url] ($49.95 @ Vuugo)
[b]Power Supply:[/b] [url=http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-100w10500kr]EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply[/url] ($39.99 @ Memory Express)
[b]Total:[/b] $823.35
[i]Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available[/i]
[i]Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-09 00:15 EST-0500[/i]edit: Oops. Forgot wireless networking. Will add at a later date!
Aside from the general critiques, some general questions:
- Is the H81 motherboard okay for undervolting? I'm not too concerned about overclocking -- seriously -- but I've heard things about Haswell's running pretty hot, hence the aftermarket cooler and undervolting question.
- On the heat issue again, do I need a case fan? Again, I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to Haswell...
- Is there an affordable case that has the headphone and USB ports at the bottom of the case? I suppose I can lay this system flat on the table, but still...
- Are Canadian prices for components going to rise in the near future because of the dollar? So should I buy these parts ASAP? Or is it worth it wait until a good sale comes up to grab these parts?
Thanks!
The parts in your build are imbalanced. The hard drive is very overpriced, while the basic motherboard is older and not as well featured. Actually, the motherboard may not work with the i7 4790 out of the box because H81 motherboards need a BIOS update to work with Haswell Refresh line of processors that includes the 4790. Also, the 4790 cannot overclock, only Intel K model processors like the i5 4690K and i7 4790K can be overclocked. If you want the ability to overclock, it will come at a cost premium as I recommend a Z97 motherboard for it.
You also chose a laptop sized (2.5") hybrid hard drive. That WD hard drive is mainly meant for laptops as a way to save space as it combines a 1TB 5400RPM hard drive with a 120GB SSD in one package. It's also extremely expensive for the amount of storage it offers.
1. All motherboard should have options for overclocking, but it varies from model to model. I expect enthusiast level motherboards (Z87/Z97) to have more and better tinkering options than budget minded H81/B85 motherboards. I'm not exactly sure what you read about Haswell being hot, but the 212 Evo should be more than good enough to handle the 4790's TDP.
For undervolting it's hard to say, actually. Best options are to search around user comments/reviews and ask if anyone's successfully undervolted with a specific motherboard model, or stick to Z97 and maybe H97 enthusiast motherboards for that.
2. It depends, but usually cases come with fans. I know the Cooler Master N200 you selected was reviewed by Tweaktown and they liked it for good design and strong construction. The design allows for good airflow, but they noted that temperatures were average and it does need extra fans to do better.
3. I'll look for a case. I assume you want it compact with good airflow more than anything else? By "headphone and USB ports at the bottom of the case", do you mean you will have the case upright on a table and want the ports low and in front for easy access? There are few to no cases like that, usually the buttons and ports are all located either front facing at the top or upward facing on top of the case. The Cooler Master N200 won't lay perfectly flat as the side panels bulge outward.
Almost all cases are designed with upper frontal USB and headphone ports... what about standing the case upside down? You can buy stick-on rubber feet for less than $3 and that will help balance the case.
4. As for Canadian prices.. it varies, really. About 4 months ago I picked up a Toshiba 3TB hard drive for $99 CAD on sale, now a decent 2TB costs around $95 CAD. I don't know of any upcoming sales.
I'm working on a parts list for you, but some answers to whether or not you want overclocking and whether you want a compact PC will help to narrow down choices.
According to this Bit-Tech benchmark, the GTX 770 should generally get around 50FPS average with dips to about 40FPS.
Then there's videos like this that apparently show the person with same CPU and GPU getting 50~80FPS depending on what's going on at the moment. This person is getting a fairly stable framerate around 60FPS again on the same hardware you have, but is using fraps which can lower framerate so that puts his performance in line with the first video.
Anyway, it's clear that struggling to break 40FPS is not right, you should be getting higher performance. How hot is the computer running during gameplay? It could be thermal throttling due to high temperatures holding back the framerate.
I just reseated my cooler (h100i) a week ago to finally be able to overclock and I don't break 40c during the game. 3/4 cores don't break 35c, and are running usually around 4.2 ghz, max 4.3ghz. It can get up to 50fps at times, but rarely higher. Eventually I'll turn it down as I'd like to mess around with 120fps gaming, but for now I just want to make sure things are running well.
Also running 4x MSAA and HBAO in borderless window
EDIT, realized my XMPP is off, so ram is pretty slow, maybe that's it?
Well, it's definitely not overheating. Try running normal fullscreen instead of borderless. How are you measuring framerate, by the way?
RAM speed can affect Battlefield 4 quite a bit, so go ahead and try XMP. What memory do you have and what speed is it running at? Actually, you might as well just tell us your system specs.
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