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[RGM79]

Hey all - hope I'm not stepping on toes.

OP has been read - before I drop all my moneys on this rig, I just want to make sure I'm getting everything right...

- Intel Core i5 6600K
- ASUS Z170-AR Motherboard
- Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5in SSD
- Corsair Vengeance LPX CMK16GX4M2A2133C13 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 Black
- CoolerMaster G750M 750W Modular Bronze Power Supply
- CoolerMaster Hyper 212X CPU Cooler
- Phanteks Enthoo Pro Chassis Black

I'm going to buy a GPU a bit later on down the line. I already have a BD-Drive, and a 1TB HDD.

As far as I know, these are some important things to consider when building this myself.

I need a special guide for installing the CM 212 Heatsink.
I can install Windows 7 from the CD Drive (but not a USB stick) - is that right?

If this is good to go (which I think it is), and someone can approve, I'd really appreciate it! If there is anything I'm missing, please also let me know. This is my first time actually building the PC myself, so I'm just a bit cautious about it all.

Location and budget? The other posts have covered Windows 7 in general, but if you wanted to install Windows 7 from USB anyway, take a look at this instruction guide from Asus, it may help you.

So anyway, what was it the general rule of thumb is? The requirements here http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm plus a hundred watt? (I've got two 1TB WD Blues, a 256GB Samsung 840 Pro as my 'misc' stuff) and ofcourse I'd love overhead to OC the GPU and CPU, or enough to power a Pascal card whenever those come around. So should I stick with a 750W one, or 850-ish?

Just 650 watts should be enough for any single graphics card and overclocking.

Looks like I'm going to build my first PC in a very long time. Initially I wanted more power for video editing and 3D modeling/rendering but while I'm at it I decided to dive into (1080p) PC gaming. VR is also something I really want. Now I just need help deciding which GPU to buy. This is the rest of my config:

i7 6700K
Z170 Motherboard
16Gb DDR4 RAM

Both GTX 970 or R9 390 seem to meet my needs. I know that there isn't much of a difference when it comes to 1080p gaming. But does the 8GB GDDR5 of the 390 has any advantage in 3D modeling/rendering. What about Oculus Rift? 980 Ti isn't really in my budget anymore.

What programs do you use for video editing and rendering?

 

[Milestoned]

What programs do you use for video editing and rendering?

Premiere, After Effects, Maya.

 

[RGM79]

Premiere, After Effects, Maya.

According to this slightly dated article on Premiere CS6, you'll need more VRAM as your timeline becomes more complex, but in general 4GB of VRAM is already enough for 4K video editing. This article also references CS6 and mentions more or less the same guidelines when it comes to VRAM. This white paper on Premiere Pro CC and After Effects CC only suggests getting 1GB of VRAM minimum, with no other guidelines. The graphics card VRAM seems to be even less of a concern for After Effects. As long as it's not an extremely small amount (<1GB) then you should be fine.

Same for Maya, apparently. This test on various graphics cards with Maya 2013 seems to show that VRAM doesn't matter too much as long as you have 1GB or more. Somehow the 7750 1GB, 7870 2GB, and 7970 3GB models are all quite evenly matched, and the Quadro 2000 workstation graphics card with 1GB VRAM beat all of the consumer model cards.

 

[MartyStu]

So I was gifted with a GTX 980 TI 5 months ago, but have not had time to build a rig around it and my current MB cannot use it.

At this point, is it worth trying to? So people have told me that a lot changes soon. Is this true?

 

[Oxn]

So I was gifted with a GTX 980 TI 5 months ago, but have not had time to build a rig around it and my current MB cannot use it.

At this point, is it worth trying to? So people have told me that a lot changes soon. Is this true?

What changes?

 

[Riki]

So I was gifted with a GTX 980 TI 5 months ago, but have not had time to build a rig around it and my current MB cannot use it.

At this point, is it worth trying to? So people have told me that a lot changes soon. Is this true?

You got a top of the line GPU for free and the successor isn't coming out for another 6 months (and extra $1,000).
If you're not going to use it, send it to me, please.

 

[Oxn]

You got a top of the line GPU for free and the successor isn't coming out for another 6 months (and extra $1,000).
If you're not going to use it, send it to me, please.

Nooo me

Im still on a plebian 780

 

[LCGeek]

My 7950 (sapphire) fan went out again to the point the card is useless and I'm on a GTX560 now. Anyone want to recommend something at least halfway in between or closer to the 7950 that Nvidia makes as a card. Would like to buy a card for about 150-275 with decent oc ability. This is mainly is for 1080p and lightboost games that I like to play.

 

[Milestoned]

According to this slightly dated article on Premiere CS6, you'll need more VRAM as your timeline becomes more complex, but in general 4GB of VRAM is already enough for 4K video editing. This article also references CS6 and mentions more or less the same guidelines when it comes to VRAM. This white paper on Premiere Pro CC and After Effects CC only suggests getting 1GB of VRAM minimum, with no other guidelines. The graphics card VRAM seems to be even less of a concern for After Effects. As long as it's not an extremely small amount (<1GB) then you should be fine.

Same for Maya, apparently. This test on various graphics cards with Maya 2013 seems to show that VRAM doesn't matter too much as long as you have 1GB or more. Somehow the 7750 1GB, 7870 2GB, and 7970 3GB models are all quite evenly matched, and the Quadro 2000 workstation graphics card with 1GB VRAM beat all of the consumer model cards.

Thank you! Looks like the 390 is the right choice for me.

 

[Riki]

Nooo me

Im still on a plebian 780

I'm on a 6800!

 

[opticalmace]

So I was gifted with a GTX 980 TI 5 months ago, but have not had time to build a rig around it and my current MB cannot use it.

At this point, is it worth trying to? So people have told me that a lot changes soon. Is this true?

Joke post? If not... 980 Ti is high end. Definitely build around it.

I wonder what your current system is though, if you don't even have a PCIE slot...?

 

[Maniac]

Just 650 watts should be enough for any single graphics card and overclocking.

Alright, good enough. Any of these you would recommend? Or are these all overkill? I'd like my PSU to last me a good few years, hence why I'd prefer going for a platinum, although I'd compromise down to gold, I guess - Seems Proshop doesn't really have all that many modular platinum ones, especially not sub-700W. Ofcourse, I've no idea if Platinum is even worth it in the first place, so maybe I'm just throwing money out the window. ><

Those recommendations are pretty exaggerated, at least for the AMD cards. I have a r9 380 and according to the list I should have a 550W PSU. But according to all the benchmarks an entire PC with the 380 will never draw over 300W so why would I need 550? I have a 450W psu and it is perfectly fine.
Just buy whatever the recommended wattage is and you are good for oc'ing and as many drives as you can install. No need to do +100W

Fair enough.

Does your shop offer the EVGA Supernova 750W G2 or Corsair RM750x or Superflower Leadex Gold 750w?
If they do just buy whatever is cheaper.....If you want longer warranty get the EVGA one

Will keep this in mind. :>

 

[Resilient]

Location and budget? The other posts have covered Windows 7 in general, but if you wanted to install Windows 7 from USB anyway, take a look at this instruction guide from Asus, it may help you.

Just 650 watts should be enough for any single graphics card and overclocking.

What programs do you use for video editing and rendering?

Budget is not a huge problem but I want to keep it around 1300-1500 without a GPU. I'm in Australia. I think I've kept it down to the price j want to spend. Anything with the 6700k becomes too expensive haha.

 

[RGM79]

Thank you! Looks like the 390 is the right choice for me.

I'd consider the 8GB VRAM to be unnecessary, but it's your money and your choice. Do you know if you'll be relying more on CUDA or OpenCL, though? That might impact performance more than VRAM ever will.

Alright, good enough. Any of these you would recommend? Or are these all overkill? I'd like my PSU to last me a good few years, hence why I'd prefer going for a platinum, although I'd compromise down to gold, I guess - Seems Proshop doesn't really have all that many modular platinum ones, especially not sub-700W. Ofcourse, I've no idea if Platinum is even worth it in the first place, so maybe I'm just throwing money out the window. ><

Fair enough.

Will keep this in mind. :>

The various bronze to titanium ratings are really mainly for energy efficiency and do not necessarily represent power supply quality. There are subpar gold efficiency power supplies and high quality bronze power supplies. Personally I'd consider all of them overkill. I myself have the EVGA B2 750 watt model for an i7 6700K and GTX 980 Ti and I think that's overkill, I only bought it because Canadian prices for power supplies are absurd and it was one of the cheaper options for decent quality. If longevity and warranty are important to you, then there are certain models I'd recommend that some of the others in this thread have already told you about, like the EVGA G2 line that has 10 year warranty. Most of the power supplies listed in the quality ranking I linked you to should meet your needs just fine, they should all have warranty around 5 years and should last that long no problem.

If I were to suggest something that isn't overkill, then there's this XFX 650 watt bronze semi-modular model for 771kr.

 

[Resilient]

Is there a major difference betweent he Asus Z170-A and Z170-AR? The place I'm buying from doesn't stock the Z170-A.

 

[MartyStu]

Joke post? If not... 980 Ti is high end. Definitely build around it.

I wonder what your current system is though, if you don't even have a PCIE slot...?

It is one of these: http://www.pc-specs.com/mobo/MSI/MSI_890FXA-GD70/1008

A while back, I checked for compatibility and everything suggested that the board would not work with anything past the 700s.

 

[RGM79]

Is there a major difference betweent he Asus Z170-A and Z170-AR? The place I'm buying from doesn't stock the Z170-A.

There doesn't seem to be much of a difference. The only major difference to be found is that the AR lacks VGA and DVI connectors that the A model includes. It'll make zero difference for you if you'll be using a graphics card instead of the onboard graphics.

Budget is not a huge problem but I want to keep it around 1300-1500 without a GPU. I'm in Australia. I think I've kept it down to the price j want to spend. Anything with the 6700k becomes too expensive haha.

Really? I didn't have a problem configuring a similar PC but with the 6700K instead. Unless you meant including taxes.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($517.00 @ Centre Com)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212X 82.9 CFM CPU Cooler ($54.00 @ Centre Com)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A PC MATE ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($203.00 @ Umart)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($108.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($125.00 @ Umart)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.00 @ CPL Online)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.00 @ Umart)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full (32/64-bit) ($149.00 @ IJK)
Total: $1359.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-15 07:46 AEDT+1100

It is one of these: http://www.pc-specs.com/mobo/MSI/MSI_890FXA-GD70/1008

A while back, I checked for compatibility and everything suggested that the board would not work with anything past the 700s.

It clearly says "There are 5 PCIe x16 slots on this motherboard. This means it is perfectly capable of accommodating the latest graphics cards.." though.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Zotac GeForce GTX 970 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 Video Card on sale for $250.

This seems like an excellent deal. I was going to pull the trigger on a GTX 960 at some point for $200, but shit, for $250 this seems like a much better deal. The rest of my PC is very mediocre for the time being, but it still might be a worthy upgrade (i3-2100, 6850, 430w Corsair PSU, 8GB RAM). I shouldn't need a new PSU, right?

How is ZOTAC?

 

[MartyStu]

It clearly says "There are 5 PCIe x16 slots on this motherboard. This means it is perfectly capable of accommodating the latest graphics cards.." though.

Oh? Really?

Fuck. I have been living like a peasant for months then

To be entirely honest, I am kind of a dumb bitch when it comes to hardware. And I am usually too embarrassed to ask for help since I am a software engineer and feel like I should be more invested/knowledgeable.

Thanks. Now I just need to make time to install/use it.

 

[Hip Hop]

Anybody know about RAM?

I've been meaning to upgrade to 16GB. This is what I currently have:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231546

Is it a good set?

I have to buy the same set right if I want to go for 16gb?

 

[LCGeek]

Zotac GeForce GTX 970 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 Video Card on sale for $250.

This seems like an excellent deal. I was going to pull the trigger on a GTX 960 at some point for $200, but shit, for $250 this seems like a much better deal. The rest of my PC is very mediocre for the time being, but it still might be a worthy upgrade (i3-2100, 6850, 430w Corsair PSU, 8GB RAM). I shouldn't need a new PSU, right?

How is ZOTAC?

If you don't get it I will. The PSU is a little low.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Zotac GeForce GTX 970 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 Video Card on sale for $250.

This seems like an excellent deal. I was going to pull the trigger on a GTX 960 at some point for $200, but shit, for $250 this seems like a much better deal. The rest of my PC is very mediocre for the time being, but it still might be a worthy upgrade (i3-2100, 6850, 430w Corsair PSU, 8GB RAM). I shouldn't need a new PSU, right?

How is ZOTAC?

I have this card.

It's pretty good. I haven't owned any other 970's, but I have nothing bad to say about this one. Haven't tried overclocking it, but at stock it works really well.

Edit: Oh, and for what it's worth, for a couple of months I was using this card in a system with a (stock Dell, seven-year-old) 350 watt PSU. Had zero problems, although I did disconnect the DVD drive in order to get the power use as low as possible. No idea if this was actually necessary.

 

[Oxn]

Oh? Really?

Fuck. I have been living like a peasant for months then

To be entirely honest, I am kind of a dumb bitch when it comes to hardware. And I am usually too embarrassed to ask for help since I am a software engineer and feel like I should be more invested/knowledgeable.

Thanks. Now I just need to make time to install/use it.

Guess im not getting a free 980 ti then

 

[Alucrid]

anyone know if best buy still takes old pc parts for recycling? if not any clue what the best place to drop them off at is? i don't want to be the asshole that throws it all in the trash

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

If you don't get it I will. The PSU is a little low.

The only reason why I think the PSU won't be an issue is because my 6850 hasn't given me any problems and the TDPs are comparable (127w for the 6850, 148w for the 970).

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Premiere, After Effects, Maya.

Do you use Octane with Maya? If so then you would have to go Nvidia (you need cuda cores). not sure about v-ray.

On the other hand, as far as I know, After Effects does not recognize Maxwell GPUs (for some features), so you would have to use your CPU for raytraced 3d instead if you go for a 970.

 

[lostsupper]

anyone know if best buy still takes old pc parts for recycling? if not any clue what the best place to drop them off at is? i don't want to be the asshole that throws it all in the trash

There was a Linus Tech Tips video recently that mentioned a service that will send a box to ship your stuff off with. Useful bits are repurposed and you get paid if they're worthwhile.

 

[Nostremitus]

Oh? Really?

Fuck. I have been living like a peasant for months then

To be entirely honest, I am kind of a dumb bitch when it comes to hardware. And I am usually too embarrassed to ask for help since I am a software engineer and feel like I should be more invested/knowledgeable.

Thanks. Now I just need to make time to install/use it.

What power supply do you have?

 

[Resilient]

There doesn't seem to be much of a difference. The only major difference to be found is that the AR lacks VGA and DVI connectors that the A model includes. It'll make zero difference for you if you'll be using a graphics card instead of the onboard graphics.



Really? I didn't have a problem configuring a similar PC but with the 6700K instead. Unless you meant including taxes.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($517.00 @ Centre Com)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212X 82.9 CFM CPU Cooler ($54.00 @ Centre Com)
Motherboard: MSI Z170A PC MATE ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($203.00 @ Umart)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($108.00 @ Umart)
Storage: Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($125.00 @ Umart)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($84.00 @ CPL Online)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.00 @ Umart)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home Full (32/64-bit) ($149.00 @ IJK)
Total: $1359.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-15 07:46 AEDT+1100



It clearly says "There are 5 PCIe x16 slots on this motherboard. This means it is perfectly capable of accommodating the latest graphics cards.." though.

Thanks! I didn't even realise and shame on me for not investigating...lazy on my part. I've swapped it out for the model that comes with the onboard DVI as I don't have a GPU as yet.

I might upgrade to the 6700k but I don't know if I will really utilise it ..

 

[RGM79]

Oh? Really?

Fuck. I have been living like a peasant for months then

To be entirely honest, I am kind of a dumb bitch when it comes to hardware. And I am usually too embarrassed to ask for help since I am a software engineer and feel like I should be more invested/knowledgeable.

Thanks. Now I just need to make time to install/use it.

Just keep in mind that your PC won't make full use of the GTX 980 Ti's full potential, and I hope your power supply has the proper power connectors for it. But yes, it'll be a hell of a lot better than whatever you had before.

Anybody know about RAM?

I've been meaning to upgrade to 16GB. This is what I currently have:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231546

Is it a good set?

I have to buy the same set right if I want to go for 16gb?

That set is fine. You can buy the exact same RAM for best compatibility, but technically you can use any other RAM so long as it's DDR3, your motherboard will automatically set it to run at the same common speed. For example, you could buy this set of G.Skill 2x4GB RAM for $38 and save yourself a few dollars. It's rated for the exact same speed and latency.

 

[LCGeek]

The only reason why I think the PSU won't be an issue is because my 6850 hasn't given me any problems and the TDPs are comparable (127w for the 6850, 148w for the 970).

Then he should be fine as long as he has the connectors. I have 450 corsair myself and it didn't play too nicely when I stuck in anything beyond my GTX 560 to be fair I OC and it takes up more power.

 

[Milestoned]

I'd consider the 8GB VRAM to be unnecessary, but it's your money and your choice. Do you know if you'll be relying more on CUDA or OpenCL, though? That might impact performance more than VRAM ever will.

Do you use Octane with Maya? If so then you would have to go Nvidia (you need cuda cores). not sure about v-ray.

On the other hand, as far as I know, After Effects does not recognize Maxwell GPUs (for some features), so you would have to use your CPU for raytraced 3d instead if you go for a 970.

I need Maya just for 1 or 2 semesters and could render with our workstations at uni, After Effects and Premiere are far more important.

Before we got a dedicated VR-Station at uni we powered the OR DK2 with 970s and the VRAM already reached it's limits, that's why I'm leaning towards the 390. Might be different with the CV1 and proper software support, but since the 970 and 390 cost about the same in Germany I feel a little bit more future-proof with the 390.

 

[RGM79]

I need Maya just for 1 or 2 semesters and could render with our workstations at uni, After Effects and Premiere are far more important.

Before we got a dedicated VR-Station at uni we powered the OR DK2 with 970s and the VRAM already reached it's limits, that's why I'm leaning towards the 390. Might be different with the CV1 and proper software support, but since the 970 and 390 cost about the same in Germany I feel a little bit more future-proof with the 390.

That's pretty cool, you have actual hands-on experience with the oculus rift, that trumps any kind of educated guess I could be making. What sort of things were you guys running on the VR set?

 

[Haribi]

Zotac GeForce GTX 970 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 Video Card on sale for $250.

This seems like an excellent deal. I was going to pull the trigger on a GTX 960 at some point for $200, but shit, for $250 this seems like a much better deal. The rest of my PC is very mediocre for the time being, but it still might be a worthy upgrade (i3-2100, 6850, 430w Corsair PSU, 8GB RAM). I shouldn't need a new PSU, right?

How is ZOTAC?

Nope

The entire system with a 970 never draws over 300W

http://www.computerbase.de/2014-10/nvidia-geforce-gtx-970-test-roundup-vergleich/5/

http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/81985-evga-geforce-gtx-970-super-superclocked/?page=10

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_geforce_gtx_970_gaming_review,7.html

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphi...70-GM204-Review-Power-and-Efficiency/Overcloc

 

[DocSeuss]

I have a problem.

My GTX 970, after an update at some point, no longer retains my settings for my second monitor if it is powered off. As soon as it is, Nvidia Control Panel forgets it's there, so if I turn my TV on, then I have to go into the panel, reactivate the display, then clone the display, then make sure to click yes, etc etc. It's a bit irritating. Anything I can do about this?

 

[MartyStu]

Just keep in mind that your PC won't make full use of the GTX 980 Ti's full potential, and I hope your power supply has the proper power connectors for it. But yes, it'll be a hell of a lot better than whatever you had before.



That set is fine. You can buy the exact same RAM for best compatibility, but technically you can use any other RAM so long as it's DDR3, your motherboard will automatically set it to run at the same common speed. For example, you could buy this set of G.Skill 2x4GB RAM for $38 and save yourself a few dollars. It's rated for the exact same speed and latency.

What power supply do you have?

I have a corsair GS800. So looks like I am good. Am actually using it right now.

Sooooo much better!

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Nope

The entire system with a 970 never draws over 300W

http://www.computerbase.de/2014-10/nvidia-geforce-gtx-970-test-roundup-vergleich/5/

http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/81985-evga-geforce-gtx-970-super-superclocked/?page=10

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_geforce_gtx_970_gaming_review,7.html

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphi...70-GM204-Review-Power-and-Efficiency/Overcloc

That's what I figured, but unfortunately according to PC Part Picker, my Corsair 400W (yeah, not the 430w, my bad) is incompatible with the GTX 970 because the card requires two PCI-Express connectors, and the PSU only has one. Darn.

 

[fred]

I'm on a 6800!

I'm on a 4870!!! Although it is the 2GB Powercolor version.

Probably the best GPU I've ever bought, certainly punches above its weight.

 

[Milestoned]

That's pretty cool, you have actual hands-on experience with the oculus rift, that trumps any kind of educated guess I could be making. What sort of things were you guys running on the VR set?

The VR setup is part of our "Immersive Lab". It's basically a nerd cave. I know the student assistant pretty well (planning on becoming his successor) and helped him hosting a so called "lab date" about VR. He managed to get Alien, Ethan Carter and Skyrim playable in addition to "real" VR games like Don't let go. I then had to play those games in front of approx 50 people.

In addition to this there are a couple of students developing some amazing projects. Last week a guy showed me his VR port of an ESA astronomy software. I also can't wait for the Virtualizer we're getting next month!

 

[Wowfunhappy]

That's what I figured, but unfortunately according to PC Part Picker, my Corsair 400W (yeah, not the 430w, my bad) is incompatible with the GTX 970 because the card requires two PCI-Express connectors, and the PSU only has one. Darn.

Are there an other free connectors you could use?

In order to get my 970 working in my old Dell, I bought a 2x Sata Power Cable --> 1x six pin PCI-Express power cable adapter. One SATA power cable was already floating free in the old desktop (no idea what it was originally intended for) and the other I freed up by unplugging the DVD drive. Worked great.

(There were other adapters on Amazon that only required 1 sata power cable; no idea if these would have worked)

 

[Lebneney]

Hey guys and gals. I've been lurking around this thread for a bit and I was most recently thinking of building my own PC. I'm all for the idea, but I do not have a clue where to start. I have http://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-build-a-gaming-pc-a-beginners-guide/ bookmarked and was hoping if anyone can direct me to where I can get more help (obviously, this thread should be one of those places also). I have also been thinking that if it takes too much time to build a PC, I'll just buy one. Any suggestions? Much thanks in advance.

 

[Nostremitus]

Hey guys and gals. I've been lurking around this thread for a bit and I was most recently thinking of building my own PC. I'm all for the idea, but I do not have a clue where to start. I have http://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-build-a-gaming-pc-a-beginners-guide/ bookmarked and was hoping if anyone can direct me to where I can get more help (obviously, this thread should be one of those places also). I have also been thinking that if it takes too much time to build a PC, I'll just buy one. Any suggestions? Much thanks in advance.

Fill out the questionnaire in the OP. People here are very helpful.

 

[Lebneney]

Fill out the questionnaire in the OP. People here are very helpful.

Nice! Should have done that in the first place.

 

[Lebneney]

Your Current Specs: Macbook Pro

Budget: $2000 (idk what's a good price to a med/high PC) USA

Main Use: Gaming is the main priority.

Monitor Resolution: 1080p 60hz (possibly upgrading soon)

List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Preferably 60fps on most games. I'm going to be playing a lot of CS:GO, though I want to play Crysis 3 at high or med/high. I'm not familiar with fancy stuff.

Looking to reuse any parts?: No.

When will you build?: I want to finish it by the end of the year.

Will you be overclocking?: I don't know the benefits of it.

Thanks for any help GAF!

 

[IceIpor]

Your Current Specs: Macbook Pro

Budget: $2000 (idk what's a good price to a med/high PC) USA

Main Use: Gaming is the main priority.

Monitor Resolution: 1080p 60hz (possibly upgrading soon)

List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Preferably 60fps on most games. I'm going to be playing a lot of CS:GO, though I want to play Crysis 3 at high or med/high. I'm not familiar with fancy stuff.

Looking to reuse any parts?: No.

When will you build?: I want to finish it by the end of the year.

Will you be overclocking?: I don't know the benefits of it.

Thanks for any help GAF!

Your budget looks overkill for just a mid/high PC.
Here's what I was able to put together using your budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($366.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($153.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2800 Memory ($116.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($314.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card ($659.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($17.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM (64-bit) ($139.00 @ Adorama)
Total: $2004.61
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-15 05:23 EDT-0400

The above list doesn't include mice/keyboard/speakers... but it's pretty much high end everything.
So if you want to save some money for those things and still have a mid-high PC, here's an alternative:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($259.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($153.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2800 Memory ($116.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial BX100 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.33 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($323.98 @ Newegg) or XFX Radeon R9 390 8GB Double Dissipation Black Edition Video Card ($328.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($17.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM (64-bit) ($139.00 @ Adorama)
Total: $1449.03 (+ $5 if AMD card.)
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-15 05:22 EDT-0400

Someone else might be able to give you a better build though, but I'd thought it would be fun to see how much I can get if I used the US site vs horrible Canada prices.

EDIT: Looks like some sales just ended or something. Expect prices to fluctuate about $50 or so.

 

[Nostremitus]

Your Current Specs: Macbook Pro

Budget: $2000 (idk what's a good price to a med/high PC) USA

Main Use: Gaming is the main priority.

Monitor Resolution: 1080p 60hz (possibly upgrading soon)

List SPECIFIC games or applications that you MUST be able to run well: Preferably 60fps on most games. I'm going to be playing a lot of CS:GO, though I want to play Crysis 3 at high or med/high. I'm not familiar with fancy stuff.

Looking to reuse any parts?: No.

When will you build?: I want to finish it by the end of the year.

Will you be overclocking?: I don't know the benefits of it.

Thanks for any help GAF!

With a $2000 budget you can go overboard if you'd like, lol

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wXJdRB i7-6700K/ 32GB 2666MHz RAM/ R9 Nano

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/tmmzD3 i7-6700K/ 32GB 2666MHz RAM/ GTX 980 ti

Or you could scale it back a little and go for something like this...

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/gXV8NG i5-6600K/ 8GB 2133MHz RAM/ R9 390

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kTZmsY i5-6600K/ 8GB 2133MHz RAM/ GTX 970


Others could probably give you even better builds, but this is based off of a build I'm planning for my wife, lol. She's a graphic illustrator and designer, hence the ridiculous amount of RAM in the first two and the ITX sizes, she wants a small PC.

 

[Hey Im Patrick]

Alright, good enough. Any of these you would recommend? Or are these all overkill? I'd like my PSU to last me a good few years, hence why I'd prefer going for a platinum, although I'd compromise down to gold, I guess - Seems Proshop doesn't really have all that many modular platinum ones, especially not sub-700W. Ofcourse, I've no idea if Platinum is even worth it in the first place, so maybe I'm just throwing money out the window. ><
Will keep this in mind. :>

I would probably just recommend Seasonic M12II. It's cheap and it's really good.

 

[glassgannon]

Yeah the Xeon rarely is mentioned in american forums but it is the go-to CPU in that price range in Germany if you don't plan on overclocking. Especially when it was 40€ cheaper a year ago than now everyone bought the Xeon.

In current games that don't use hyperthreading an overclocked 4690k is probably slightly better than the Xeon. Overclocking it means spending more money on a CPU coooler and the motherboard tho, so the Xeon will be cheaper than an oc'ed 4690k. But in games that make use of hyperthreading the Xeon pulls ahead of any i5 because of it's 8 threads.
And more and more games will use hyperthreading in the future so a Xeon will definitely be more future proof. If you don't plan on upgrading your CPU for at least another 5 years or so I would buy the Xeon.


I would definitely buy the 970 then.

So now i have people telling me to not go for the xeon since it gives a worse gaming experience and its hyper threading only better for stuff like video editing.
also, i just read up on the skylake 6600k , is it supposed to be worse than either of those?6700k gets a tad outta budget

 

[Zabant]

Just popping in to ask a quick Tip.

I have a 760, it's a good little worker still managing decent fps in games at 1080 medium.

I should wait for the new GTX revision coming next year and not bother getting a 9XX right?

 

[opticalmace]

Just popping in to ask a quick Tip.

I have a 760, it's a good little worker still managing decent fps in games at 1080 medium.

I should wait for the new GTX revision coming next year and not bother getting a 9XX right?

Up to you. If you are satisfied with the performance for now then I guess there's no reason to bother. If you're not satisfied, then I would consider it. Pascal could be a good 6-8 months off.