This is a bit late, but there are definitely a bunch of things you could change.
PCPartPicker part list /
Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($323.00 @ Centre Com)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($45.00 @ CPL Online)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-Gaming 3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($185.00 @ IJK)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($98.00 @ IJK)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($149.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($99.00 @ IJK)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 290 4GB DirectCU II Video Card ($393.00 @ IJK)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($150.00 @ Centre Com)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.00 @ CPL Online)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($125.99 @ Mwave Australia)
Total: $1676.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-19 08:38 EST+1100
1. Changed the Gaming 5 motherboard for the cheaper Gaming 3 model from the same range. There won't be a lot of difference, as they have a similar feature set,
you can see the differences for yourself here. Basically the cheaper Gaming 3 model just has different PCI-E layout, lacks SLI support, two fewer USB 2.0 ports, and 6 power phase instead of 8 (still more than enough for overclocking).
2. Found faster memory for $2 more.
I'd recommend higher speed memory for Z97 systems anyway.
3. Was able to fit a 256GB Crucial SSD into the budget. I cannot recommend the Samsung 840 Evo anyway,
it has some lingering performance issues that Samsung hasn't been entirely able to get rid of.
4. I don't recommend Seagate, they seem to have a higher failure rate than other competitors' hard drives. Toshiba is a reliable enough brand and is actually slightly cheaper for 2TB.
5. Are you aware of the
GTX 970's memory issues? While the GTX 970 remains an excellent card for 1080p gaming and in general, the memory issue and AMD's price cuts make it easier to recommend the R9 290/290X, which are now better than the GTX 970 in terms of price to performance. For a lot less money,
you get comparable performance.
6. Corsair CX, as others have said, are budget power supplies. Not awful, but you can often find something better for the same price or even cheaper. That EVGA Supernova B2 750 watt power supply is very good quality - it's manufactured by Super Flower, one of the best power supply manufacturers period. Can't complain about having more wattage capacity for less money.
Jonny Guru also gave it high marks in his review.
Basically, saving money on the motherboard and graphics card means you don't have to get a tiny 120GB SSD, yet you're still getting a decent performing 1080p graphics card and a capable motherboard. There's also another place to save money..
Windows 8.1 licenses can be bought from
reddit's microsoftsoftwareswap for $25 AUD 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. 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, possibly because the sellers were caught. It's up to you, but saving $100 there means you could spend it on the rest of the PC, or just pocket the difference.