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[Big_Al]

Depends on the cost. Sandisk is usually alright, I haven't heard of any issues that mean you should avoid them at all, they're just not the fastest.

Thanks

I've never really read anything negative about them either, just that they never seem to really get mentioned along with Samsung/Crucial either tbh so I was wondering if their SSDs are bad, it's only makes like OCZ I would actively avoid. Always been a Sandisk fan as well, their sd cards etc have always been top notch for me.

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

So this will be my first ever build. Kind of nervous and really excited! My uncle who is an engineer has been trying to get me to build my own rig for ages and I'm finally at a place that I can do it. Didn't think I was going to be able to for a couple years but things are going great and after looking into it I found out that it wasn't all that expensive especially with savings on games and such afterwards. The information you guys have provided here has been invaluable btw. So here goes,

Your Current Specs: None, this will be a new build.
Budget: Around $1500 I want splurge if I should on important bits but keep in mind that I will be switching to Pascal asap.
Main Use: Gaming, some light CAD down the line but I might build a different rig for that depending on your recommendations.
Monitor Resolution: Currently 1080 @60fps.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: I will be fine until Pascal for now with just being able to run Dark Souls 3 with all the bells and whistles so 1080p, stable 60fps will suffice. Eventually I would like to get into star citizen with VR.
VR? I Definitely plan on getting into VR but since I'm not completely flush with cash I'm going to need to choose whether I get a headset or a Gsync monitor first. Perhaps one later this year and the other the year after? I would like your guys input on that.
When will you build? Now, no deadline
Will you be overclocking?: Don't know enough about this yet but I am assuming yes.

Anyway, If possible I would like to build something with a strong foundation that I can build on little by little and turn into something amazing down the line but I would like it to be ready for the Pascal cards. I can splurge on the important bits if I need to I don't want to skimp on anything that is going to bite me in the butt later. Noise level isn't really an issue atm as I am using a pair of sennheisers for my audio and we have fans going at all times anyway. The rig will also be in a cool basement if that matters.

After spending a while reading through some of the threads and watching all of the videos in the OT that I could without my head exploding this is what I came up with. Am I doing it right?

P.S. The case I chose doesn't have a window so I don't really care what the parts look like yet. Is a flashy case something that I can change down the line? I figured if I really got into it or felt the need to I could get a flashier case and spend cash on matching parts little by little later and I really like the simplicity of the pearl.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($253.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($154.78 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 390 8GB Video Card ($319.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($87.95 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1271.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 15:07 EST-0500

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

Looks like the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility works with my Dell Precision mobo and W3690 CPU.

What would be a good, preferably stock sized, after market cooler for that CPU (socket 1366) that is relatively quiet or silent?

 

[Wowfunhappy]

thanks, that makes sense. So in your opinion, whats the best card for me to pair with a Q6600, understanding that I'm going to have a big bottleneck no matter what.

I think I'm still having trouble understanding how much of an improvement I would get from a 950 or 960, like almost none at all because my gpu is already bottlenecked or a decent amount but not nearly as much as I would with a better cpu?

Not a real answer, but I was able to get a fair amount of my GTX 970 paired with a (non-overclocked) Q9550, which is better than your processor but not by that much. Tomb Raider 2013 got ~68% GPU utilization according to MSI afterburner.

Similar to you, I had bought the card with the intention of moving it over to a fully new build in a few months, and was playing games with it in my existing build as a temporary measure.

That said, while I know that waiting for new components to come out can be a sort of never-ending trap, if you aren't planning to actually build a new system until this summer, wouldn't it make more sense to wait for Pascal?

 

[Hidden One]

Would a 600 Watt Power supply be enough for 2 GTX 970s?

 

[KingKong]

Not a real answer, but I was able to get a fair amount of my GTX 970 paired with a (non-overclocked) Q9550, which is better than your processor but not by that much. Tomb Raider 2013 got ~68% GPU utilization according to MSI afterburner.

Similar to you, I had bought the card with the intention of moving it over to a fully new build in a few months, and was playing games with it in my existing build as a temporary measure.

That said, while I know that waiting for new components to come out can be a sort of never-ending trap, if you aren't planning to actually build a new system until this summer, wouldn't it make more sense to wait for Pascal?

Like you said, I've been waiting to upgrade for a while. First I wanted to see what the new consoles would be like, then I thought Steam machines might be cool (lol oops) and now when I'm just about ready, Pascal is right around the corner. So I figure I'd get a decent card for now, especially with not a ton of demanding games coming out for a while, and then build a whole new PC and sell the card or give it to a friend, so I'm kind of in a dilemma on how good of a card I want to get with my bottleneck.

I'm thinking a 2GB 960 (I play on 1920x1200 res) is a good choice, it's a little more than a 950 but it sounds like it's worth it

 

[Hands of Stone]

We're expecting Pascal prices to be $400 and up right?

 

[Saiyan-Rox]

Guys I wanna upgrade my PC

A friend has suggested that my CPU might be causing a Bottleneck with things (not sure if true) but regardless I want to upgrade it anyway.

Currently I've got

3rd Gen i5 3507k Overclocked to 4.0
16GB RAM DDR3
GTX 980


Would it be even worth grabbing a 3rd gen i7 to save me from having to buy a new motherboard for the new ones? or should I get a new Skylake i5/i7 and just take the hit on a new board? I don't even know if my Kraken x41 will work on other new sockets :O

 

[NJDEN]

If I wanted to water cool both my CPU and GPU what would be the best way to go about that?

I was thinking of buying one of those GPU water cooling brackets. Then back mounting a Kraken x41 on the rear 140 and top mounting an x61 on the top... but I really don't know.

 

[e90Mark]

Would a 600 Watt Power supply be enough for 2 GTX 970s?

I've read a lot of 970 SLI builds taking about 550w under load. Probably would be able to do it, if it's a quality unit.

We're expecting Pascal prices to be $400 and up right?

Probably, for xx70 and up.

Guys I wanna upgrade my PC

A friend has suggested that my CPU might be causing a Bottleneck with things (not sure if true) but regardless I want to upgrade it anyway.

Currently I've got

3rd Gen i5 3507k Overclocked to 4.0
16GB RAM DDR3
GTX 980


Would it be even worth grabbing a 3rd gen i7 to save me from having to buy a new motherboard for the new ones? or should I get a new Skylake i5/i7 and just take the hit on a new board? I don't even know if my Kraken x41 will work on other new sockets :O

The 3570k isn't bottle necking you. If you could find a 3770k, you wouldn't see much difference in performance.

 

[Hands of Stone]

Probably, for xx70 and up.

Here's hoping I'll be able to get at least $150 for my 970 when Pascal drops.

 

[e90Mark]

Here's hoping I'll be able to get at least $150 for my 970 when Pascal drops.

That should be easily doable. As of now, I think they are regularly going for about $250-280 in the BST thread.

 

[RGM79]

My AIO recently got recalled, Got it replaced. When I got the new unit it was still leaking(Right out of the box). I don't want to take a risk on a third and it would destroy all my hardware. I thought maybe it's time to switch to another AIO. Saw this Swiftech AIO at CES which looked very nice. Never used a Swiftech Product not 100% about Build quality and support.

1. Currently I have my i7 5960x at Stock speed with XMP Ram enable sitting at around 33C. Would I expect the same temps with the H240X2 or could I get something even better? I have a 240 AIO currently.

2. My case is tight with space, If I could get EK Predator would Switech H0240X2 fit into the Case as well? I have a Case-Labs S8S.

You don't really have to worry about temperatures if everything is going to be at stock speed. Besides, it's not idle temps you should worry about, but the temperatures at load when you're running intensive programs. Sucks to hear that the water cooler you were using was leaking. I personally avoid water cooling.

It's a private seller, should be new. Didn't know about the Xeon, thanks!

the E3 1231 it's the same cpu just clocked 100 mhz more right? they have the same price

Yes, the E3 1231v3 is slightly faster than the 1230v3. The i7 4790 is even better than either Xeon processor since it's slightly faster than both of them, so if it's new and looks good, that's probably your best bet.

Anyone recently install an Inateck USB 3.0 PCIE card?

After installing the drivers, it still says there's an "unknown device" under Device Manager. Can't do anything with it, and I'm guessing that it's related to not using the 20pin that lets you connect two external USB ports. There's nothing attached to it.

You can use this guide to search for drivers using the built in hardware ID of the device. Otherwise if you can't find anything, try using the online version of Driverpack Solution to detect the device and find drivers for you. Be sure to uncheck the boxes that install extra applications, all you want are the drivers.

Edit: you did check the Inateck website, right? They have Windows XP and 7 drivers listed. I don't know what version of Windows you have, but it's a safe bet to try the Windows 7 drivers if you're running Windows 8/8.1/10.

thanks, that makes sense. So in your opinion, whats the best card for me to pair with a Q6600, understanding that I'm going to have a big bottleneck no matter what.

I think I'm still having trouble understanding how much of an improvement I would get from a 950 or 960, like almost none at all because my gpu is already bottlenecked or a decent amount but not nearly as much as I would with a better cpu?

Well, I don't know what games you play, you need to tell me that. I don't know if you're already being bottlenecked hard by the processor or if there's still a tiny bit of breathing room that a new graphics card can still give you a boost in.

E.g., most common games rely more on the graphics card than the processor. For example, Far Cry 4 can actually run decently well on your Q6600. Some strategy games require more CPU power than GPU power because they need to calculate what the AI is doing. It really does depend on what games you play.

 

[RGM79]

Thanks

I've never really read anything negative about them either, just that they never seem to really get mentioned along with Samsung/Crucial either tbh so I was wondering if their SSDs are bad, it's only makes like OCZ I would actively avoid. Always been a Sandisk fan as well, their sd cards etc have always been top notch for me.

Sandisk is fine, price-wise they're not bad as their SSDs cost a bit less than Crucial or Samsung's mid-high end offerings according to how well they perform.

Would a 600 Watt Power supply be enough for 2 GTX 970s?

Depends on the rest of your PC's specs, like your processor and whether or not you're overclocking. What model of PSU you have is also important as some are not very good quality and do not actually provide 600 watts on the 12V rails that power your graphics cards, resulting in shutdowns or lack of performance. Worse still, some PSUs will die or go out with a bang if they are stressed to their limits and kept that way for a while.

A single GTX 970 generally draws somewhere under 200 watts so two of them would be around 350~400 watts, leaving 200~250 watts for the rest of your PC which is actually kind of okay, but I'd still recommend at least 650~700 watts. Better to have breathing room than not.

We're expecting Pascal prices to be $400 and up right?

Depends on what graphics card they're launching. I sort of expect them to launch a GTX 970 successor, not sure what else though. That might be priced around $350 MSRP, but that's just my guess which is quite literally just a random guess.

Guys I wanna upgrade my PC

A friend has suggested that my CPU might be causing a Bottleneck with things (not sure if true) but regardless I want to upgrade it anyway.

Currently I've got

3rd Gen i5 3507k Overclocked to 4.0
16GB RAM DDR3
GTX 980

Would it be even worth grabbing a 3rd gen i7 to save me from having to buy a new motherboard for the new ones? or should I get a new Skylake i5/i7 and just take the hit on a new board? I don't even know if my Kraken x41 will work on other new sockets :O

What games are you playing that you aren't getting enough performance in? Your overclocked i5 3570K should not be a bottleneck at all, the latest i5 processors are only slightly more capable, maybe just 10~20% faster.

Your Kraken X41 should have come with multiple mounting brackets and the socket 115X all have the same mounting dimensions and design, they will be compatible with the latest motherboards.

If I wanted to water cool both my CPU and GPU what would be the best way to go about that?

I was thinking of buying one of those GPU water cooling brackets. Then back mounting a Kraken x41 on the rear 140 and top mounting an x61 on the top... but I really don't know.

Planning on doing some high end overclocking? What are your PC's specs?

 

[Fantastapotamus]

I currently have a GTX 770, is there even a point upgrading to a 970 now or should I just wait a year or two? It's not like I'm having huge performance issues, but I do have to fumble around a bit too much with the options.
I could sell my 770 for 170-200€ and get a new GTX 970 for 320€ so it wouldn't be that expensive. Question is if it's even worth that.

 

[e90Mark]

I currently have a GTX 770, is there even a point upgrading to a 970 now or should I just wait a year or two? It's not like I'm having huge performance issues, but I do have to fumble around a bit too much with the options.
I could sell my 770 for 170-200€ and get a new GTX 970 for 320€ so it wouldn't be that expensive. Question is if it's even worth that.

Some Pascal cards are supposedly launching this year. Wait the 6ish months or so, if you're willing to wait a year.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

Some Pascal cards are supposedly launching this year. Wait the 6ish months or so, if you're willing to wait a year.

That's what I thought. but I don't know anything about the hardware market. Thanks!

 

[SeppOCE]

Okay so I'm frequently getting an issue where my computer will freeze and a loud buzzing sound will generate through the speakers. It never happens during gaming and only ever seems to happen if I'm watching Netflix/VLC or am doing anything while something is being downloaded/written to my hard drive or my SSD. I've ran a memtest and it doesn't seem to be the ram so I'm wondering if it could be a CPU/motherboard issue.

EDIT:

As soon as I posted this my PC froze and that was within 5 minutes of starting up and sending this reply. It took about 5 boot ups of my PC freezing at my motherboard screen and my login to my computer. One boot up didn't even display anything. I'm incredibly lost as to what could be happening.


EDIT: after typing that reply my PC restarted itself on the spot.

 

[Brandon F]

Very weird. The failure rate for CPU is so low, it's actually surprising that it was the problem.

Sucks to hear it was the CPU. At least the problem was figured out. Have you contacted Intel about an RMA for your apparently defective processor?

Yea, I ruled out the CPU until last, but by the time I tested everything else with new hardware(I practically RMA'd an entire new rig!), the only variable left was the same CPU. I had never been so nervous powering on a new build as if a new chip didn't work...well there literally would have been absolutely nothing left to rule out. Considering the mobo error codes sort of stuck at the CPU Pre-initialization(or codes similar to that), I probably should have been hinted as to it being the problem, but explanations for those error codes across the internet are so sparse, its hard to really get much out of them beyond the obvious few.

Fortunately, I purchased everything from Amazon as a Prime member, so they are just refunding the defunct Intel chip entirely(sent it off yesterday). Good riddance.

Now I pray this new Skylake and mobo lasts longer than 2 weeks again... Having been out of the PC building game for over a decade, this was all exactly what I was hoping to avoid. But alas, I've never really had a perfectly stable build, or am just unlucky.

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

So uh, am I good guys? Getting anxious to pull the trigger.

 

[RGM79]

So uh, am I good guys? Getting anxious to pull the trigger.

There are very good R9 390 models by Gigabyte, Powercolor, or Asus that are closer to $300, saving you a bit of money.

As for the case, you could opt for the newer Define S, which is even simpler than the Define R4. Better airflow, but fewer mounts for hard drives and none for optical drives.

I sort of want to recommend against the Asus Z170-A because the Newegg user reviews are kinda so-so when averaged out, there seem to be some issues. I tend to recommend the Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI as it's well priced for the features and has good overall review score.

Okay so I'm frequently getting an issue where my computer will freeze and a loud buzzing sound will generate through the speakers. It never happens during gaming and only ever seems to happen if I'm watching Netflix/VLC or am doing anything while something is being downloaded/written to my hard drive or my SSD. I've ran a memtest and it doesn't seem to be the ram so I'm wondering if it could be a CPU/motherboard issue.

EDIT:

As soon as I posted this my PC froze and that was within 5 minutes of starting up and sending this reply. It took about 5 boot ups of my PC freezing at my motherboard screen and my login to my computer. One boot up didn't even display anything. I'm incredibly lost as to what could be happening.


EDIT: after typing that reply my PC restarted itself on the spot.

System specs? Maybe it's your power supply being unstable. Are you overclocking?

 

[OraleeWey]

So, non gaming at all, for work only PC. Email, web surfing, and Videos. How does this look?

Most intensive thing it needs to do is play 1080p video and needs WiFi.

I tried to keep it at a maximum of $230.

Mostly got these parts from a YouTube video but changed some things.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD 5350 2.05Ghz Quad-Core Processor ($48.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-AM1M-S2H Micro ATX AM1 Motherboard ($32.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Case: Logisys CS206BK ATX Mid Tower Case w/480W Power Supply ($28.54 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $206.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 22:14 EST-0500

 

[Young Magus]

What model of GTX 750 Ti is it? I would have thought that your Dell PC's power supply might not have the proper cables to power the graphics card. It's good to hear that it works flawlessly, though.

This is the version of the gtx 750ti I bought

And this was the dell pc I bought

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

There are very good R9 390 models by Gigabyte, Powercolor, or Asus that are closer to $300, saving you a bit of money.

As for the case, you could opt for the newer Define S, which is even simpler than the Define R4. Better airflow, but fewer mounts for hard drives and none for optical drives.

I sort of want to recommend against the Asus Z170-A because the Newegg user reviews are kinda so-so when averaged out, there seem to be some issues. I tend to recommend the Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI as it's well priced for the features and has good overall review score.

Thank you for this! You are seriously awesome for taking the time to do this for people. Just a few last questions, I need a mouse and keyboard anything I should look out for or stay away from? Any good deals atm?

Also was curious what the resale value of the R9 390 is vs the GTX 970 since I will be replacing with pascal in a few months?

 

[bomblord1]

So, non gaming at all, for work only PC. Email, web surfing, and Videos. How does this look?

Most intensive thing it needs to do is play 1080p video and needs WiFi.

I tried to keep it at a maximum of $230.

Mostly got these parts from a YouTube video but changed some things.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD 5350 2.05Ghz Quad-Core Processor ($48.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-AM1M-S2H Micro ATX AM1 Motherboard ($32.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Case: Logisys CS206BK ATX Mid Tower Case w/480W Power Supply ($28.54 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $206.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 22:14 EST-0500

Ide swap the CPU for an AMD A series. I don't even know what that CPU is.

 

[ElectricKaibutsu]

Thanks for your advice from a couple weeks back, RGM79! I just finished putting my computer together and it's running great!

 

[Massa]

So, non gaming at all, for work only PC. Email, web surfing, and Videos. How does this look?

Most intensive thing it needs to do is play 1080p video and needs WiFi.

I tried to keep it at a maximum of $230.

Mostly got these parts from a YouTube video but changed some things.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD 5350 2.05Ghz Quad-Core Processor ($48.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-AM1M-S2H Micro ATX AM1 Motherboard ($32.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Case: Logisys CS206BK ATX Mid Tower Case w/480W Power Supply ($28.54 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $206.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 22:14 EST-0500

Ideally you should go with a mini-ITX motherboard and case. That might drive the price up by a bit but you would have a great little system on your hands.

For example Amazon has the MSI AM1I for $39.

Ide swap the CPU for an AMD A series. I don't even know what that CPU is.

It's a great CPU for the task. Low power and performs well.

 

[bomblord1]

Ideally you should go with a mini-ITX motherboard and case. That might drive the price up by a bit but you would have a great little system on your hands.

For example Amazon has the MSI AM1I for $39.



It's a great CPU for the task. Low power and performs well.

It has an integrated GPU that can handle 1080p video well?

 

[NJDEN]

Planning on doing some high end overclocking? What are your PC's specs?

3570k and a GTX 970 at present. It's not something I'm immediately interested in doing, but was wondering what the best way to go about such a thing would be... short of setting up a custom loop that included both the CPU and GPU.

My current case is an H440 and I could probably get away with an x61 on the front two 140's (which I already have on the CPU), and putting an x41 on the rear 140 for the GPU. As it stands I'll probably be building a completely new system in late 2017, but I just wanted to have water cooled GPU's and CPU's in mind for OCing, but then again the landscape may be completely different in a year and a half.

 

[Nostremitus]

It has an integrated GPU that can handle 1080p video well?

http://www.legitreviews.com/amd-athlon-5350-apu-am1-platform-review_139224/4

Apparently it's perfectly fine for 1080p playback, and only hits 50% usage on 4K.

 

[Massa]

It has an integrated GPU that can handle 1080p video well?

Yep. It's a common choice for HTPC builds.

 

[luoapp]

So, non gaming at all, for work only PC. Email, web surfing, and Videos. How does this look?

Most intensive thing it needs to do is play 1080p video and needs WiFi.

I tried to keep it at a maximum of $230.

Mostly got these parts from a YouTube video but changed some things.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD 5350 2.05Ghz Quad-Core Processor ($48.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-AM1M-S2H Micro ATX AM1 Motherboard ($32.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Case: Logisys CS206BK ATX Mid Tower Case w/480W Power Supply ($28.54 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $206.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 22:14 EST-0500

switch out the HD for an SSD

 

[Maddanth]

I have a question If anyone can help. I'm fairly new to PC gaming. I have I7 4790@4.0ghz@32gb ram and a 980ti. I was playing ROTR and I was getting a solid 60 fps. I then added another 980ti so I have same specs but now I have SLI 2 980ti. I believe there is no SLI support for this game correct? So my question is could there be frame rate drops or performance hiccups because I have SLI and the game does not support SLI? I mean I have everything maxed but I would think I should be able to run this game everything maxed and 60fps rite? I was in the beginning of the game with just the single 980ti. Sorry for long post, but can anyone help with some advice?

 

[Jimrpg]

So, non gaming at all, for work only PC. Email, web surfing, and Videos. How does this look?

Most intensive thing it needs to do is play 1080p video and needs WiFi.

I tried to keep it at a maximum of $230.

Mostly got these parts from a YouTube video but changed some things.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD 5350 2.05Ghz Quad-Core Processor ($48.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-AM1M-S2H Micro ATX AM1 Motherboard ($32.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($17.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Case: Logisys CS206BK ATX Mid Tower Case w/480W Power Supply ($28.54 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $206.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 22:14 EST-0500

Here's an alternate build using an Intel Pentium Processor (its really great to use as an office PC), SSD, seperate case and power supply. The wireless adapter I picked is cheaper but uses one of your USB ports. Build is about $20 more than your budget but you should be able to pick up a cheaper case. I got my Cooler Master 343 case for around $25 (in Malaysia though).

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3250 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($53.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-HD2 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($39.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($43.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Cooler Master Elite Power 400W ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Directron)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN722N 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter ($11.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $249.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 23:23 EST-0500

I built pretty much the same PC and it loads Windows in like 2 seconds.

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

So I just did a bit more user review reading and a lot of people are saying that the R9 390 gets pretty hot. Is this something that I need to worry about? Is there a solution to this? I only have stock rig fans and am going with a http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2. Will this be enough to do the job or should I spring for water cooling or aftermarket rig fans? Does that even help? lol I feel like a nubcake.

 

[FairXchange]

So this will be my first ever build. Kind of nervous and really excited! My uncle who is an engineer has been trying to get me to build my own rig for ages and I'm finally at a place that I can do it. Didn't think I was going to be able to for a couple years but things are going great and after looking into it I found out that it wasn't all that expensive especially with savings on games and such afterwards. The information you guys have provided here has been invaluable btw. So here goes,

Your Current Specs: None, this will be a new build.
Budget: Around $1500 I want splurge if I should on important bits but keep in mind that I will be switching to Pascal asap.
Main Use: Gaming, some light CAD down the line but I might build a different rig for that depending on your recommendations.
Monitor Resolution: Currently 1080 @60fps.
List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: I will be fine until Pascal for now with just being able to run Dark Souls 3 with all the bells and whistles so 1080p, stable 60fps will suffice. Eventually I would like to get into star citizen with VR.
VR? I Definitely plan on getting into VR but since I'm not completely flush with cash I'm going to need to choose whether I get a headset or a Gsync monitor first. Perhaps one later this year and the other the year after? I would like your guys input on that.
When will you build? Now, no deadline
Will you be overclocking?: Don't know enough about this yet but I am assuming yes.

Anyway, If possible I would like to build something with a strong foundation that I can build on little by little and turn into something amazing down the line but I would like it to be ready for the Pascal cards. I can splurge on the important bits if I need to I don't want to skimp on anything that is going to bite me in the butt later. Noise level isn't really an issue atm as I am using a pair of sennheisers for my audio and we have fans going at all times anyway. The rig will also be in a cool basement if that matters.

After spending a while reading through some of the threads and watching all of the videos in the OT that I could without my head exploding this is what I came up with. Am I doing it right?

P.S. The case I chose doesn't have a window so I don't really care what the parts look like yet. Is a flashy case something that I can change down the line? I figured if I really got into it or felt the need to I could get a flashier case and spend cash on matching parts little by little later and I really like the simplicity of the pearl.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($253.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($154.78 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 390 8GB Video Card ($319.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.99 @ Directron)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($87.95 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1271.34
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 15:07 EST-0500

Looking very good, I don't see any problems with that build. I've got the R9 390 as well and it's an absolute beast.

Edit: With regard to your above question, my gigabyte R9 390 clocked at around 1000mhz runs within perfectly acceptable temps under load for hours. I wouldn't be concerned at all.

 

[RGM79]

This is the version of the gtx 750ti I bought

And this was the dell pc I bought

Oh, I see. You got a lower power and smaller sized version of the GTX 750 Ti that doesn't need power cables.

Thank you for this! You are seriously awesome for taking the time to do this for people. Just a few last questions, I need a mouse and keyboard anything I should look out for or stay away from? Any good deals atm?

Also was curious what the resale value of the R9 390 is vs the GTX 970 since I will be replacing with pascal in a few months?

What kind of mouse and keyboard are you looking for? Any specific features? There are examples in the opening posts of this thread. If you just want something cheap and backlit, there's these two keyboard sets for $20~25: Thermaltake and Cooler Master.

You should check craigslist, ebay and the gaf B/S/T thread for resale values. Someone earlier said that the GTX 970 resells for $250~280 in the GAF thread.

Ide swap the CPU for an AMD A series. I don't even know what that CPU is.

I'd go with these parts instead, the Pentium might be a dual core but it'll easily outperform the AMD processor in most tasks.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3250 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($53.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Biostar B85MG Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($41.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin ECO2 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Case: Azza Cosmas ATX Mid Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Asus PCE-N15 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($16.89 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN781ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($14.48 @ OutletPC)
Total: $227.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-30 23:46 EST-0500

The wifi card isn't as good, but the PC is stronger for video playback and general usage.

Thanks for your advice from a couple weeks back, RGM79! I just finished putting my computer together and it's running great!

That's good to hear. Enjoy your new PC!

I have a question If anyone can help. I'm fairly new to PC gaming. I have I7 4790@4.0ghz@32gb ram and a 980ti. I was playing ROTR and I was getting a solid 60 fps. I then added another 980ti so I have same specs but now I have SLI 2 980ti. I believe there is no SLI support for this game correct? So my question is could there be frame rate drops or performance hiccups because I have SLI and the game does not support SLI? I mean I have everything maxed but I would think I should be able to run this game everything maxed and 60fps rite? I was in the beginning of the game with just the single 980ti. Sorry for long post, but can anyone help with some advice?

If the game doesn't support SLI, it'll just use the first graphics card. It won't even care about the second one, it'll be as if it wasn't there. You already said you were achieving 60FPS at maximum settings, so the addition of a second graphics card won't change anything.

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

Looking very good, I don't see any problems with that build. I've got the R9 390 as well and it's an absolute beast.

Edit: With regard to your above question, my gigabyte R9 390 clocked at around 1000mhz runs within perfectly acceptable temps under load for hours. I wouldn't be concerned at all.

Thank you! That's exactly what I wanted to know and hear. Will go with the Gigabyte R9 390 then.

What kind of mouse and keyboard are you looking for? Any specific features? There are examples in the opening posts of this thread. If you just want something cheap and backlit, there's these two keyboard sets for $20~25: Thermaltake and Cooler Master.

Thanks a million man. I went with the cooler master bundle. This is the final price and parts I landed on,

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($253.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($118.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($150.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 390 8GB SOC Video Card ($308.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($87.95 @ OutletPC)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1245.52
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-31 00:37 EST-0500

I will probably be able to knock off around 50 bucks from the windows license because my wife just bought a Lenovo yoga 900 laptop from the windows store and I swear I remember the rep we spoke with saying something like that. Need to double check to be sure.

You all are amazing. Crossing my fingers that everything goes smoothly during build and boot up.

 

[OraleeWey]

Okay thanks guys for the help above. I took arbok26's and RGM79's builds and made a hybrid of them.
This is what I came up with.
I had to combine the two because not all parts were available for purchase immediately on RGM's build, like the HDD and RAM. I'll personally avoid using SuperBiiz since they kinda take long to ship based on my previous purchase. They also tend to charge a shipping fee per item even if it's on the same box. This way I keep the items to two vendors. What's bumping the price up a little is the CPU (Amazon) and the network adapter. I think I'll be needing that network adapter because it has a cable to extend the antenna for a little more flexibility so it can be moved around for a better signal. Unless of course I can get by with the other suggestions? The router and PC will sit kinda far apart so I think it's needed. Final build I guess... All from Newegg and Amazon (all Amazon items have free one day shipping so I can get these today!)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3250 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($65.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Biostar B85MG Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($41.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($29.95 @ Amazon)
Case: Xion XON-310_BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($32.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $243.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-31 09:25 EST-0500

 

[fantomena]

Folks, what's best/most future proof for gaming:

These:

https://www.komplett.no/product/822371/datautstyr/prosessorer/intel-core-i7-5820k-socket-lga2011-3

https://www.komplett.no/product/839...t/intel-socket/asus-x99-ausb-31-socket-2011-3

Or these:

https://www.komplett.no/product/850037/datautstyr/prosessorer/intel-core-i7-6700k-skylake

https://www.komplett.no/product/850...ort/intel-socket/asus-z170-deluxe-socket-1151

 

[Kenzodielocke]

So, the R5 or R4 fractal case doesn't get too hot in the summer ?

 

[luoapp]

Okay thanks guys for the help above. I took arbok26's and RGM79's builds and made a hybrid of them.

Can't recommend SSD highly enough. That's the most effective boost can be made to any build. You don't need the $33 wifi card, pick a cheap USB dangle, they usually have up to 150mb/s transfer rate, trust me, that's good enough.

 

[Celcius]

Folks, what's best/most future proof for gaming:

These:

https://www.komplett.no/product/822371/datautstyr/prosessorer/intel-core-i7-5820k-socket-lga2011-3

https://www.komplett.no/product/839...t/intel-socket/asus-x99-ausb-31-socket-2011-3

Or these:

https://www.komplett.no/product/850037/datautstyr/prosessorer/intel-core-i7-6700k-skylake

https://www.komplett.no/product/850...ort/intel-socket/asus-z170-deluxe-socket-1151

Going by the prices in your links:
6700k + mobo = 6.780 currency
5820k + mobo = 6.798 currency

Given that the price seems almost the same, I would go with the 5820k here. The 6700k may have a little better performance per core, but

A. If games start taking advantage of more cores then the 5820k will more than make up for that with its 2 extra cores.
B. If games don't take advantage of the 2 extra cores within the lifetime of the processor then the performance difference per core won't be that great. (I'm assuming that you're overclocking with either option and not leaving them at stock)

Also keep in mind however that the 5820k came out in 2014: http://ark.intel.com/products/82932/Intel-Core-i7-5820K-Processor-15M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz
It's been awhile since Intel released updates to the HEDT platform, so if you want 6-cores and you're the type that hates buying something and then having something newer come out relatively soon thereafter, then another option would be to wait as I wouldn't be surprised to see Intel release a new chipset and new CPUs for the HEDT platform this year. (it is unknown when though)

But bottom line if I had to make a choice today between the two options given at those prices, I would choose the 5820k + mobo.

 

[fantomena]

Going by the prices in your links:
6700k + mobo = 6.780 currency
5820k + mobo = 6.798 currency

Given that the price seems almost the same, I would go with the 5820k here. The 6700k may have a little better performance per core, but

A. If games start taking advantage of more cores then the 5820k will more than make up for that with its 2 extra cores.
B. If games don't take advantage of the 2 extra cores within the lifetime of the processor then the performance difference per core won't be that great. (I'm assuming that you're overclocking with either option and not leaving them at stock)

Also keep in mind however that the 5820k came out in 2014: http://ark.intel.com/products/82932/Intel-Core-i7-5820K-Processor-15M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz
It's been awhile since Intel released updates to the HEDT platform, so if you want 6-cores and you're the type that hates buying something and then having something newer come out relatively soon thereafter, then another option would be to wait as I wouldn't be surprised to see Intel release a new chipset and new CPUs for the HEDT platform this year. (it is unknown when though)

But bottom line if I had to make a choice today between the two options given at those prices, I would choose the 5820k + mobo.

Thx.

Also, would this fit the 5820k combo?

 

[OraleeWey]

Can't recommend SSD highly enough. That's the most effective boost can be made to any build. You don't need the $33 wifi card, pick a cheap USB dangle, they usually have up to 150mb/s transfer rate, trust me, that's good enough.

Which SSD and wireless network card do you recommend? The one I use has an antenna with wires that can be moved. Do USB WiFi adaptors have a strong signal?

Edit: my problem is that going with a USB dongle might not "pickup" or connect to the WiFi. However, I've never used one so I don't know how they'll perform.

Edit2: how about this then? New and improved?


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3250 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($65.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Biostar B85MG Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($41.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($43.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Xion XON-310_BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN722N 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter ($11.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $236.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-31 11:22 EST-0500

 

[Celcius]

Thx.

Also, would this fit the 5820k combo?

Yes, however with the x99 platform I would recommend a quad-channel memory kit. So 4x4gb instead of 2x8gb like in your link.
But technically yes it will work.

 

[fantomena]

Yes, however with the x99 platform I would recommend a quad-channel memory kit. So 4x4gb instead of 2x8gb like in your link.
But technically yes it will work.

Like this one?

 

[luoapp]

Which SSD and wireless network card do you recommend? The one I use has an antenna with wires that can be moved. Do USB WiFi adaptors have a strong signal?

Edit: my problem is that going with a USB dongle might not "pickup" or connect to the WiFi. However, I've never used one so I don't know how they'll perform.

Edit2: how about this then? New and improved?


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3250 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($65.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Biostar B85MG Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($41.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($43.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Xion XON-310_BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($22.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN722N 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter ($11.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $236.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-31 11:22 EST-0500

I was going to post the list with exact same parts. ( the wifi adapter even comes with an extension cable.)

The SSD is only 120GB, and Windows 10 alone needs about 50GB (35GB installation directory + some for page files). Just keep that in mind when you install big software suits.

 

[OraleeWey]

I was going to post the list with exact same parts. ( the wifi adapter even comes with an extension cable.)

The SSD is only 120GB, and Windows 10 alone needs about 50GB (35GB installation directory + some for page files). Just keep that in mind when you install big software suits.

120gb is definitely low. This PC is for my uncle though, I think he will be fine with 120gb. I could add an HDD down the line if he needs more storage, we'll see.

 

[RayStorm]

Okay thanks guys for the help above. I took arbok26's and RGM79's builds and made a hybrid of them.
This is what I came up with.

Edit: I see that you have come around on the benefits of a SSD. Just as anecdotical evidence: I've got a 64gb ssd in my PC that I use for well.. mostly wathcing streaming video running Windows 10 and I have about half of it free after installing some small programs as well.