Support NeoGAF

[Lashley]

You could reuse your DDR3 RAM, HDD and case so you can go Haswell and only need a CPU, motherboard, GPU and PSU.

Assuming 500$ budget total, something like a Core i5-4460 for around 175$, an H97 or B85 mobo for 65$ and that leaves around 250$ for the GPU and PSU which would be enough for a GTX 960 (or R9 380). Wait for someone like RGM79 to post you actual Partpicker links as I'm not too familiar with best prices and such. That would be quite an improvement from what you have actually and allow you to play at higher than console settings in any game.

Should state I'm from the UK.

Thanks so much for your help btw, pleased to see some stuff can be re-used and as for it being played at higher than console settings that's ideal! I'll take a look at prices now, thanks

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

Reposting for new page.

Do you have another video card you can plug into the PCI-E slot? Can you plug your graphics card into another computer? Quickest way to see what the culprit is, if indeed that's what it is.

 

[roadrunn3r]

Should state I'm from the UK.

Thanks so much for your help btw, pleased to see some stuff can be re-used and as for it being played at higher than console settings that's ideal! I'll take a look at prices now, thanks

Something like this then:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor (£149.99 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£73.32 @ Aria PC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB Superclocked Video Card (£167.99 @ Amazon UK)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (£51.99 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £443.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-19 02:02 GMT+0000

You could save a little by getting an B85 motherboard or a cheaper PSU. The alternative would be a more recent Skylake build with a motherboard that supports DDR3 so you can reuse your RAM but I have no experience with them so wait for other people who may give you better advice.

 

[vag 2.0]

I’m thinking about building a PC but am very out of the loop, mostly a mac + consoles guy and haven’t built a gaming pc since 2009

Is it possible to build something that’ll run current releases at 60fps for £500 or so and last me a good few years? I have an old antec matx case that I kinda like and a 650w PSU spare if that’s any good for reuse, though I’d look to get a new case if there have been any innovations in quietness in the last few years. I’m good for display, storage etc.

 

[XShagrath]

Do you have another video card you can plug into the PCI-E slot? Can you plug your graphics card into another computer? Quickest way to see what the culprit is, if indeed that's what it is.

I didn't think I did, but then I remembered last night while laying in bed that I had an old 1GB nvidia card in the closet. I'll be throwing that in to test it a little later today. If it works (meaning it's the card), then a friend of mine is going to let me borrow a FuryX until I can save up some money to get a new card.


EDIT: Looks like it was the card. Dead 7950, now rocking a Geforce 560.

 

[Ace 8095]

I have a 2500k and a 670. Any reason why I couldn't use the new 1080 or whatever it's called with my old MB and CPU. How CPU limited will I be? I think my psu is 650w.

I'm trying to decide if I should buy the HP deal with the 980ti or just spend around $600 when the new nvidia cards launch.

Maybe I should just buy a used 970 in the BST thread when the new nvidia cards launch.

 

[Novum_Veritas]

I have a 2500k and a 670. Any reason why I couldn't use the new 1080 or whatever it's called with my old MB and CPU. How CPU limited will I be? I think my psu is 650w.

I'm trying to decide if I should buy the HP deal with the 980ti or just spend around $600 when the new nvidia cards launch.

Maybe I should just buy a used 970 in the BST thread when the new nvidia cards launch.

Just wait for Pascal. Rumors say it will release in May or June.

 

[Flagg]

Hi all. I could really do with your thoughts on the below build. This will be my first build in 8 years, so I'm a little behind the times.

Your Current Specs: Outdated PC..
Budget: Relatively flexible, but I'm happy with the current £1300+£500 for Oculus.
Main Use: Gaming 5, Emulation (PS2/Wii) 3, Video Editing 2, Streaming games in HD 4, 3D/Model work 0, General Usage 5.
Monitor Resolution: Unsure of what resolution I will use on my monitor, I just need enough output for a decent VR experience.
Looking to reuse any parts?: Two monitors, mouse, keyboard, speakers, Windows 10 and possibly my two ATA HDDs.
When will you build?: ASAP
Will you be overclocking?: Maybe

The main reason I'm updating is to be able to run games on Oculus Rift to an acceptable standard. It's been years since I last built or even upgraded my PC, so I'm looking to have a bit of leeway in terms of extra power in case I again leave it too long to upgrade, which is pretty likely.

Anyway, here's what I've got so far. I'd love to know your thoughts. Thanks!

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/tZdJvK

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£199.96 @ More Computers)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£26.99 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (£122.98 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory (£52.98 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£67.02 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£54.98 @ Novatech)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card (£549.99 @ Dabs)
Case: NZXT Phantom (Black) ATX Full Tower Case (£94.99 @ Novatech)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£99.99 @ Amazon UK)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer (£29.59 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1299.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-19 16:10 GMT+0000

 

[Onemic]

If I decide to go SLI, is a 650watt PSU sufficient?

 

[Exquisik]

If I decide to go SLI, is a 650watt PSU sufficient?

It depends on which graphic cards you're planning to sli. Each card has a different power usage.

 

[Lashley]

Something like this then:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor (£149.99 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard (£73.32 @ Aria PC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB Superclocked Video Card (£167.99 @ Amazon UK)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (£51.99 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £443.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-19 02:02 GMT+0000

You could save a little by getting an B85 motherboard or a cheaper PSU. The alternative would be a more recent Skylake build with a motherboard that supports DDR3 so you can reuse your RAM but I have no experience with them so wait for other people who may give you better advice.

Thanks!

Would this be "future proof" In that in a few years I'd be able to upgrade the parts easy enough with that motherboard to play the latest games at high settings?

Basically, how long would that last me until I needed a new rig?

 

[Onemic]

It depends on which graphic cards you're planning to sli. Each card has a different power usage.

980ti or pascal x80

 

[Orin GA]

Ugh, finally done building my pc. Never upgrading to another Motherboard again unless it has the same chipset. What a hassle. When I install Win 10 it installed the OS to my main SSD, the Boot Files to my Backup SSD , and the Recovery files to my Steam HDD. Had to unplug everything but the main SSD to get everything on one Disk.

 

[lostsupper]

Not enough drive bays.

 

[Finaika]

That's a lot of hard disks.

 

[Orin GA]

Only 3 of them are in use.

 

[Elitist1945]

Where do I redeem my Nvidia Division code?

 

[Orin GA]

http://www.geforce.com/games-applications/pc-games/tom-clancys-the-division/bundle/code-instructions

 

[Ghazi]

Thoughts on that HP computer deal? I ordered it, but I'm curious as to if there are any negatives to it. It will last me a while, but I'm worried that the 500w PSU might not be enough.

 

[LilJoka]

Hi all. I could really do with your thoughts on the below build. This will be my first build in 8 years, so I'm a little behind the times.

Your Current Specs: Outdated PC..
Budget: Relatively flexible, but I'm happy with the current £1300+£500 for Oculus.
Main Use: Gaming 5, Emulation (PS2/Wii) 3, Video Editing 2, Streaming games in HD 4, 3D/Model work 0, General Usage 5.
Monitor Resolution: Unsure of what resolution I will use on my monitor, I just need enough output for a decent VR experience.
Looking to reuse any parts?: Two monitors, mouse, keyboard, speakers, Windows 10 and possibly my two ATA HDDs.
When will you build?: ASAP
Will you be overclocking?: Maybe

The main reason I'm updating is to be able to run games on Oculus Rift to an acceptable standard. It's been years since I last built or even upgraded my PC, so I'm looking to have a bit of leeway in terms of extra power in case I again leave it too long to upgrade, which is pretty likely.

Anyway, here's what I've got so far. I'd love to know your thoughts. Thanks!

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/tZdJvK

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£199.96 @ More Computers)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£26.99 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (£122.98 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory (£52.98 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£67.02 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£54.98 @ Novatech)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ Video Card (£549.99 @ Dabs)
Case: NZXT Phantom (Black) ATX Full Tower Case (£94.99 @ Novatech)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£99.99 @ Amazon UK)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer (£29.59 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1299.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-19 16:10 GMT+0000

Heres my opinion, you seem to be building like most built 5-6 years ago.
So some questions:
Whats your current rig? Did you SLI? Why?
You seem to be building this rig for future expansion such as SLI, is there any other future proofing aspects you considered, or required?
Are you aware Pascal (nvidias next gen cards) is arriving this year (maybe Q3)?

In my opinion, SLI/Xfire isnt the cleanest solution. More heat, more noise, more power consumption. Its advised to SLI now, or never, and i suspect you never SLI'd your current rig. Its better to just buy the single most powerful gpu you can afford, and sell it to fund the next card. This allows you to build a smaller rig, mATX or mITX.

Are you looking to overclock? How much? CPU and GPU?

Dont get that seagate, just get a Hitachi (Deskstar), WD (Bue) or Toshiba (ACA) drive.

DVD drive for?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor (£289.98 @ Ebuyer)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£26.99 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (£99.84 @ More Computers)
Memory: Kingston FURY 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory (£69.98 @ Novatech)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (£67.02 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£48.90 @ Aria PC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card (£549.92 @ More Computers)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case (£62.95 @ Amazon UK)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (£80.66 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1296.24
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-19 20:45 GMT+0000

Also do some research on the 980Ti, i dont think the EVGA is the best here, check MSI/Gigabyte/Asus in the same price range. Think they have better cooling.

 

[Kilrogg]

I'm thinking of buying a new GPU for my 3yo desktop between €150 and €200. But I have a few questions.

First, here is my current rig:
CPU: i5-3570K
MoBo: ASROCK Z77 Pro4 (Socket 1155)
GPU: Radeon HD6870 1GB
RAM: 8GB
Power supply: LDLC BG-500 Quality Select (LDLC is an online computer store here in France. Basically it's a decent 500W power supply at €50 (well, back when I bought it 3 years ago, that is... Now it's more expensive lol).
+1 HDD, 2 SSDs, 1 DVD drive

So here are my questions:
- Is my power supply enough for most midrange GPUs of today? Or will it fry?
- Is my MoBo compatible with current GPUs?
- If yes to the above, what GPU would you recommend for given my price range (€150-€200) and CPU?
- Will said GPU be more noisy than my current GPU (i.e. more fans/cooling required)?
- Will the GPU be a big improvement? Or am I better off overclocking my CPU/buying a new CPU?

 

[LilJoka]

I'm thinking of buying a new GPU for my 3yo desktop between €150 and €200. But I have a few questions.

First, here is my current rig:
CPU: i5-3570K
MoBo: ASROCK Z77 Pro4 (Socket 1155)
GPU: Radeon HD6870 1GB
RAM: 8GB
Power supply: LDLC BG-500 Quality Select (LDLC is an online computer store here in France. Basically it's a decent 500W power supply at €50 (well, back when I bought it 3 years ago, that is... Now it's more expensive lol).
+1 HDD, 2 SSDs, 1 DVD drive

So here are my questions:
- Is my power supply enough for most midrange GPUs of today? Or will it fry?
- Is my MoBo compatible with current GPUs?
- If yes to the above, what GPU would you recommend for given my price range (€150-€200) and CPU?
- Will said GPU be more noisy than my current GPU (i.e. more fans/cooling required)?
- Will the GPU be a big improvement? Or am I better off overclocking my CPU/buying a new CPU?

The PSU delivers 400W on the 12v Rail.
CPU uses about 80W peak.
Give 50W for everything else.
So any GPU that uses 300W or less will be fine, even a GTX 970 would work.

GTX 960 or something in the AMD range around the R9 380/X.

Give us he current case and cooling specs for us to help with the rest. But likely, you wont need to change anything else.

 

[Kilrogg]

The PSU delivers 400W on the 12v Rail.
CPU uses about 80W peak.
Give 50W for everything else.
So any GPU that uses 300W or less will be fine, even a GTX 970 would work.

GTX 960 or something in the AMD range around the R9 380/X.

Give us he current case and cooling specs for us to help with the rest. But likely, you wont need to change anything else.

Thanks for the reply and explanation, man.

I have a Fractal R3 with no additional cooling. Everything is just stock fans: case (one at the front), CPU, GPU.

What's the current state of Nvidia vs. AMD right now in terms of GPUs? Are they still neck and neck?

 

[roadrunn3r]

Thanks!

Would this be "future proof" In that in a few years I'd be able to upgrade the parts easy enough with that motherboard to play the latest games at high settings?

Basically, how long would that last me until I needed a new rig?

That build will get you high settings in almost every game at 1080p for now but you will have to compromise sometimes. If you are willing to get something more "future proof" you will have to get a better GPU, lets say at least a GTX 970 (£265) or R9 390 (around the same price)

As for upgrading parts, the GPU can be upgraded anytime you want. The CPU instead is a Haswell one so you will need a new motherboard and RAM (DDR4).

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Hi guys! Using this thread i bought my first pc. Gtx 980 ti ( MSI ), i7 5930k, 32 ( or was it 64 ) ddr4 ram on an asus x99 motherboard.

Being a huge leap from my budget laptop past, i was expecting things to work 60 fps 4k everything on ultra. Some games do, but division for example runs at 20 fps like that, eww.

What settings could i turn off at 4k that have a huge impact on performance and at the same time don't add enough graphical niceness in comparison? Or do you guys think 60 fps 4k itself is bottlenecking the system?

Also, I'm very new to overclocking, do you guys advise i overclock any of the components?

A realistic expectation for AAA games with a single 980 Ti is 4K, a mix of High and Max settings, AA turned off, and consistent 30 fps.

Depending on how first gen Polaris and Pascal go, were might not see 4K and 60 fps with Max settings until 2017.

 

[Lashley]

That build will get you high settings in almost every game at 1080p for now but you will have to compromise sometimes. If you are willing to get something more "future proof" you will have to get a better GPU, lets say at least a GTX 970 (£265) or R9 390 (around the same price)

As for upgrading parts, the GPU can be upgraded anytime you want. The CPU instead is a Haswell one so you will need a new motherboard and RAM (DDR4).

Appreciate the help! Thanks

Silly question, but is the GPU with video card?

 

[roadrunn3r]

Appreciate the help! Thanks

Silly question, but is the GPU with video card?

No worries. Yup, GPU = Graphics Processing Unit, abbreviation for the videocard.

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

Any need to use custom fan curves for an MSI 980ti? Max temps so far have been around 73-75 degrees with stock curves.

 

[Lashley]

No worries. Yup, GPU = Graphics Processing Unit, abbreviation for the videocard.

Thanks a lot for all your help, I really do appreciate it.

Going to get all these parts ordered within the next month and shift over to PC gaming primarily

 

[An1malhouse365]

So my 10 year old has decided she wants a gaming PC as a graduation gift and I told her that if she can build it then I'll buy the parts.

She has an Xbox one so I don't think any intense games are going to be played on this for the foreseeable future but I would like it to be upgradable.
Def a 1080p monitor.
We have a cosair air 240 to start but everything else from scratch.

Any suggestions?? As budget friendly as possible please as idk how deep she's going to get into this.

 

[LilJoka]

Any need to use custom fan curves for an MSI 980ti? Max temps so far have been around 73-75 degrees with stock curves.

Nope.

 

[BorntoPlay]

38 C on idle is too high for a skylake i5-6500 with a cool master tx3 cooler??

 

[LilJoka]

38 C on idle is too high for a skylake i5-6500 with a cool master tx3 cooler??

What are your ambient temps?

 

[Exquisik]

980ti or pascal x80

You will need at least a 850 to do 980 ti sli. Both cards will consume about 600 watts alone. As for Pascal, rumor has it that it will consume less power (smaller die), but nothing is confirmed at the moment.

 

[paskowitz]

Hi guys! Using this thread i bought my first pc. Gtx 980 ti ( MSI ), i7 5930k, 32 ( or was it 64 ) ddr4 ram on an asus x99 motherboard.

Being a huge leap from my budget laptop past, i was expecting things to work 60 fps 4k everything on ultra. Some games do, but division for example runs at 20 fps like that, eww.

What settings could i turn off at 4k that have a huge impact on performance and at the same time don't add enough graphical niceness in comparison? Or do you guys think 60 fps 4k itself is bottlenecking the system?

Also, I'm very new to overclocking, do you guys advise i overclock any of the components?

The Division is a very demanding game. It is also poorly optimized. Even at 1080p, you won't be able to get a locked 60fps with all the settings maxed. The only way to run 4K 60fps is 980Ti in SLI (two cards) and even that isn't a guarantee. Don't bother with 4K until the next GTX Titan or 1080 Ti is released.

In terms of overclocking, it is literally free performance. There are tons of guides on YouTube. Any of the big channels (Linus Tech Tips, JayzTwoCents, etc) will serve you well. I recommend MSI Afterburner for the GPU and Intel Extreme Tuning Utility for the CPU. Don't bother with RAM. It depends on the game and the resolution, but you could see around a 10% FPS improvement vs out of the box. If you really get into it, it is pretty fun as well.

 

[BorntoPlay]

What are your ambient temps?

is 35 C, i live in a tropical country...XD

 

[Rufus]

Then that's a good idle temperature.

 

[BorntoPlay]

Then that's a good idle temperature.

great, thanks!

 

[Quonny]

I was just about to pull the trigger on that HP deal when I realized, wait, why, I have a good enough CPU (2500k), MB, SSD, and power supply.

All I needed to do was get a new case, a new GPU (I'm rocking a 770), and upgrade my RAM (8GB).

So I ordered a new case tonight.

It begins, boys. Back to PC gaming after years of being a console lad.

 

[amnesiac]

I'm looking to build a budget PC based around a core i5 and a GTX 960 for around $600. I would like PCSX2 and Dolphin to run great. I would also like to play recent (within past couple years) titles at an acceptable rate -- 1080p/30fps. Would this be okay?

I've looked at some videos online and it seems the 960 can handle GTA V at 60fps which would be awesome if true.

 

[Onemic]

You will need at least a 850 to do 980 ti sli. Both cards will consume about 600 watts alone. As for Pascal, rumor has it that it will consume less power (smaller die), but nothing is confirmed at the moment.

Damn, guess I should return my PSU then

 

[RGM79]

I'm looking to build a budget PC based around a core i5 and a GTX 960 for around $600. I would like PCSX2 and Dolphin to run great. I would also like to play recent (within past couple years) titles at an acceptable rate -- 1080p/30fps. Would this be okay?

I've looked at some videos online and it seems the 960 can handle GTA V at 60fps which would be awesome if true.

Yeah, you'll be fine. I might recommend an R9 380 instead though. They tend to cost around the same but the R9 380 is slightly faster sometimes. If you prefer Nvidia, it's fine to stay with the GTX 960. How does this look?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($196.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H170A-X1/3.1 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($83.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 380 4GB Video Card ($179.99 @ Micro Center)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX XT 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($36.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $625.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-19 23:40 EDT-0400

Do you need any peripherals or Windows?

I was just about to pull the trigger on that HP deal when I realized, wait, why, I have a good enough CPU (2500k), MB, SSD, and power supply.

All I needed to do was get a new case, a new GPU (I'm rocking a 770), and upgrade my RAM (8GB).

So I ordered a new case tonight.

It begins, boys. Back to PC gaming after years of being a console lad.

Oh, what did you order? Consider overclocking that i5 2500K if it isn't already.

So my 10 year old has decided she wants a gaming PC as a graduation gift and I told her that if she can build it then I'll buy the parts.

She has an Xbox one so I don't think any intense games are going to be played on this for the foreseeable future but I would like it to be upgradable.
Def a 1080p monitor.
We have a cosair air 240 to start but everything else from scratch.

Any suggestions?? As budget friendly as possible please as idk how deep she's going to get into this.

How much do you want to spend? Do you need a copy of Windows?

 

[BIGWORM]

Anyone else in here game in 120/144Hz? Just wondering if my purchase of the ASUS VG278HE was a good one in that regard.

 

[amnesiac]

Yeah, you'll be fine. I might recommend an R9 380 instead though. They tend to cost around the same but the R9 380 is slightly faster sometimes. If you prefer Nvidia, it's fine to stay with the GTX 960. How does this look?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($196.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H170A-X1/3.1 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($83.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 380 4GB Video Card ($179.99 @ Micro Center)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX XT 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($36.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $625.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-19 23:40 EDT-0400

Do you need any peripherals or Windows?

Thanks for the help! That build looks perfect. I have no idea about graphics cards so I guess the R9 380 would do?

My school offers Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 for $9.99 so that should be no problem. Which one do you recommend?

 

[Ac30]

Does anyone have a suggestion for an idiot-proof cooler? This is my first build in a decade and I've read too many stories about people breaking the pins and having difficulty installing the ones with clips... Saw one cooler that I could just screw in but delivery takes 3 weeks :/

 

[Kevin]

So I have the Oculus Rift on preorder and I want to upgrade my computer with a new GPU as mine is really old (rest of my rig is fine). Anyways I was considering getting a GTX 980ti and keeping that until the Pascal Titan high end comes out which won't be until probably the fall if not early 2017.

The alternative is to wait until April to see what Nvidia announces and what (if anything) will be available in May to purchase or if it's going to be a paper launch or whatever is going on. My Rift ships in June so I wanted to have my computer ready before then.

Anyways I just wanted to get some opinions from GAF. Go with plan A and get the GTX 980ti and upgrade later on (selling the 980ti) or just waiting to see what happens with Pascal first?

 

[RGM79]

Thanks for the help! That build looks perfect. I have no idea about graphics cards so I guess the R9 380 would do?

My school offers Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 for $9.99 so that should be no problem. Which one do you recommend?

I've been using 10 with no problems. Windows 8.1 isn't really that bad to me either, once I turn off the default tile view and install a start menu replacement. Microsoft does want everyone to move to 10, though.

Does anyone have a suggestion for an idiot-proof cooler? This is my first build in a decade and I've read too many stories about people breaking the pins and having difficulty installing the ones with clips... Saw one cooler that I could just screw in but delivery takes 3 weeks :/

There's the smaller M9i model ($20) and the larger H7 model ($35). Both are fairly easy to install.

 

[Sky Chief]

Does anyone have a suggestion for an idiot-proof cooler? This is my first build in a decade and I've read too many stories about people breaking the pins and having difficulty installing the ones with clips... Saw one cooler that I could just screw in but delivery takes 3 weeks :/

I used an all in one liquid cooler for my last build, so much easier than installing an air cooler

 

[Sky Chief]

So I have the Oculus Rift on preorder and I want to upgrade my computer with a new GPU as mine is really old (rest of my rig is fine). Anyways I was considering getting a GTX 980ti and keeping that until the Pascal Titan high end comes out which won't be until probably the fall if not early 2017.

The alternative is to wait until April to see what Nvidia announces and what (if anything) will be available in May to purchase or if it's going to be a paper launch or whatever is going on. My Rift ships in June so I wanted to have my computer ready before then.

Anyways I just wanted to get some opinions from GAF. Go with plan A and get the GTX 980ti and upgrade later on (selling the 980ti) or just waiting to see what happens with Pascal first?

I'm about to get a 980ti for VR and upgrade to Pascal later. I just feel like Pascal is still a long way off and there are VR games I want to play now.

EDIT: I have also been considering buying an EVGA 980ti so that if Pascal comes out less than three months after I purchase I can upgrade. If it's more than three months and I certainly feel like I will have gotten some good value out of the card.

 

[Bboy AJ]

So I have the Oculus Rift on preorder and I want to upgrade my computer with a new GPU as mine is really old (rest of my rig is fine). Anyways I was considering getting a GTX 980ti and keeping that until the Pascal Titan high end comes out which won't be until probably the fall if not early 2017.

The alternative is to wait until April to see what Nvidia announces and what (if anything) will be available in May to purchase or if it's going to be a paper launch or whatever is going on. My Rift ships in June so I wanted to have my computer ready before then.

Anyways I just wanted to get some opinions from GAF. Go with plan A and get the GTX 980ti and upgrade later on (selling the 980ti) or just waiting to see what happens with Pascal first?

I am in the same position as you. We both know the best option is to wait. We have time.